Chapman Piloting
Encyclopedia
Chapman Piloting & Seamanship, published by Hearst
Books, a Division of Sterling Publishing
Co., Inc. has been a leading reference book for both power and sail boaters for nearly 100 years. Known as "the Bible of Boating", more than 3 million copies have been printed. The 65th edition has 928 pages, 1,500 full-color illustrations and chart
s, and exploded view
s and cutaways and updated with information on federal laws, regulations, and fees. Covers the newest technology — especially in the area of communications and navigation electronics equipment, such as GPS, radar
, depth sounders/fish finders, chart plotters, and other gear.
It contains authoritative information about boating rules, weather, tide, currents, and navigation, seamanship for powerboats, small craft, and boats under sail; anchoring, communications, and navigation; inland boating, marlinspike seamanship, and boating customs. It is often used as the text for private boating schools throughout the U.S.; officially recommended book for the U.S. Coast Guard's boating education classes and many local United States Power Squadrons
.
(1881–1976), was an avid boater, and the editor of Hearst's Motor Boating Magazine from 1912 to 1968. During World War I
, the U.S. Government needed to train men in the Navy
, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine to become operators of small boats, including landing craft, utility craft, gigs
, patrol craft. Then Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt
, commissioned Chapman to write a manual that could be used to help provide that training. Chapman did this in just three days, drawing largely on articles that had appeared in Motor Boating Magazine.
The result was Practical Boat Handling, the first edition of which was published in 1917 with 144 pages, 5 in x 7 in. From this, the book evolved through subsequent editions into Piloting, Seamanship & Small Boat Handling. The book title has now been shortened to Chapman Piloting & Seamanship. Charles Chapman also became one of the original founders of the United States Power Squadrons
.
The current (66th edition: 2009) editor of Chapman Piloting & Seamanship is Charles B. Husick who succeeded Elbert S. "Mack" Maloney.
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
Books, a Division of Sterling Publishing
Sterling Publishing
Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. is a publisher of nonfiction titles, with more than 5,000 books in print. Founded in 1949, it publishes a wide range of nonfiction and illustrated titles in categories which include art, biography/autobiography, body/mind/spirit, crafts, culinary, do-it-yourself,...
Co., Inc. has been a leading reference book for both power and sail boaters for nearly 100 years. Known as "the Bible of Boating", more than 3 million copies have been printed. The 65th edition has 928 pages, 1,500 full-color illustrations and chart
Chart
A chart is a graphical representation of data, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart"...
s, and exploded view
Exploded view
An exploded view drawing is a diagram, picture or technical drawing of an object, that shows the relationship or order of assembly of various parts....
s and cutaways and updated with information on federal laws, regulations, and fees. Covers the newest technology — especially in the area of communications and navigation electronics equipment, such as GPS, radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, depth sounders/fish finders, chart plotters, and other gear.
It contains authoritative information about boating rules, weather, tide, currents, and navigation, seamanship for powerboats, small craft, and boats under sail; anchoring, communications, and navigation; inland boating, marlinspike seamanship, and boating customs. It is often used as the text for private boating schools throughout the U.S.; officially recommended book for the U.S. Coast Guard's boating education classes and many local United States Power Squadrons
United States Power Squadrons
The United States Power Squadrons is a non-profit educational organization, founded in 1914, whose mission is to improve maritime safety and enjoyability through classes in seamanship, navigation, and other related subjects. The USPS comprises approximately 45,000 members organized into 450...
.
History
The original author, Charles Frederic ChapmanCharles Frederic Chapman
Charles Frederic Chapman was an avid boater, editor of Hearst's Motor Boating magazine from 1912 to 1968, co-founder of the United States Power Squadrons, and author of the standard boating reference work, Chapman Piloting.-Early life:Chapman was born in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1881...
(1881–1976), was an avid boater, and the editor of Hearst's Motor Boating Magazine from 1912 to 1968. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the U.S. Government needed to train men in the Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine to become operators of small boats, including landing craft, utility craft, gigs
Captain's Gig
The captain's gig is a boat used on naval ships as the captain's private taxi. It is a catchall phrase for this type of craft and over the years it has gradually increased in size, changed with the advent of new technologies for locomotion, and been crafted from increasingly more durable...
, patrol craft. Then Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, commissioned Chapman to write a manual that could be used to help provide that training. Chapman did this in just three days, drawing largely on articles that had appeared in Motor Boating Magazine.
The result was Practical Boat Handling, the first edition of which was published in 1917 with 144 pages, 5 in x 7 in. From this, the book evolved through subsequent editions into Piloting, Seamanship & Small Boat Handling. The book title has now been shortened to Chapman Piloting & Seamanship. Charles Chapman also became one of the original founders of the United States Power Squadrons
United States Power Squadrons
The United States Power Squadrons is a non-profit educational organization, founded in 1914, whose mission is to improve maritime safety and enjoyability through classes in seamanship, navigation, and other related subjects. The USPS comprises approximately 45,000 members organized into 450...
.
The current (66th edition: 2009) editor of Chapman Piloting & Seamanship is Charles B. Husick who succeeded Elbert S. "Mack" Maloney.