This is the fourth edition of Richard Hawkins' well-respected mariner's companion to Port Phillip. It incorporates numerous changes to navigational aids effected since 2002, as well as descriptions of recent developments around the bay, ranging from new marinas to restricted secure zones where boats are prohibited from entering.
A number of major changes have occurred to the book since the previous edition: the result of numerous discussions with members of the boating public. The more important changes are as follows:
The sequence of the plans around the bay has been changed so that they begin in Melbourne and end at the Heads. This should more accurately reflect the direction in which most of this book's readers will navigate the bay, rather than reflect the buoyage system, upon which earlier editions were based.
The complex matter of passing through the Heads and navigating the maze of narrow channels north of Queenscliff is now treated in a separate chapter.
A key to the plans is now provided at the beginning of the book, allowing the user to quickly locate a particular area of Port Phillip. This is particularly necessary as the plans in this book
do not often abut each other. Rather they depict the more frequently navigated parts of 'The Bay'.
The plans have been more clearly divided into large-scale and small-scale ones. Each large-scale plan is now followed by the small-scale plans that are encompassed by it.
The labelling of the plans has been revised to make navigation through the book much easier.
Depth information in each of the plans has been made clearer by adding shading to those areas maintaining a depth of 3m or more at L.W.S.
There is now more general information available: lists have been added detailing marinas and dockside fuel availability, together with mention of a number of general websites useful for the boating enthusiast.
The images below contain the Contents page and a number of sample pages from the book. If you are not familiar with the book they will show what the book is like. If you are already using an earlier edition of the book, they will provide you with and idea of the changes that have been made.
