Carver 356 2004, Owner'S Manual

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O
PERATING AND
M
ANEUVERING
S
ECTION
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Have a professional launch your boat. Your dealer can
either provide experienced people to do this or recom-
mend someone.
Understanding navigation is very important when
operating your boat on the open seas. Instructions on
how to navigate your boat are beyond the scope of this
guide. Carver encourages you to read Chapman's Pilot-
ing and Seamanship and obtain instruction regarding
how to navigate your boat.
Charts
You can obtain charts of the waters in which you intend
to navigate from the National Ocean Survey, a branch
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion in Washington D.C. The NOS offers a publication
listing the charts you will need for your area; however,
this listing may not include inland rivers. Charts of
inland rivers are also available from the appropriate
district office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Your
dealer may also have charts of the waters in which you
intend to cruise.
Keeping your charts up-to-date is a very important part
of navigation. The Weekly Notice to Mariners available
from the Defense Mapping agency or the U.S. Coast
Guard is an excellent resource for updating charts.
Compass
The compass is the most important piece of navigation
equipment onboard your boat. To operate properly, the
compass must be free from interference by local mag-
netic influences and electrical components. Refer to the
OEM information for details on using and maintaining
the compass. When it is time to compensate your com-
pass, Carver recommends having it done professionally.
Horn
If you are navigating in fog or at night, use your boat’s
horn to alert other boaters of your presence. The horn
meets U.S. Coast Guard standards.
Navigation
Launching the Boat