American Nautical Services is a Marine Surveying & Consulting firm that provides boaters with a wide array of products and services. They are a great source for Nautical charts and books, nautical flags, training courses, and a variety of navigation tools.
Marine Surveying & Consulting firm
American Nautical Services has been serving the marine industry for over 40 years. This South Florida based company offers a wide variety of survey and consulting services. It has an exemplary reputation within the maritime industry.
The firm provides expert surveys for power and sailing vessels, for lenders, attorneys, government agencies, and manufacturers. They are also experts in the P&I and H&M markets. Their marine investigations include damage surveys, bunker delivery surveys, and P&I valuation surveys.
In addition to offering surveys, American Marine employs engineers on barges and on boats. Engineers keep track of environmental hazards, monitor garbage dumps, and ensure safety protocols are maintained.
The firm has four full-time employees and five part-time workers. Each employee has extensive experience and knowledge of the maritime industry.
During a survey, the firm can determine the current condition of a vessel, its value, and how it will perform in future design conditions. It can also determine whether a vessel is in compliance with the state’s requirements. Surveys are important because they provide peace of mind for owners and potential buyers.
Nautical Chart & Maritime Book store
American Nautical Services is a nautical chart and maritime book store with over three decades of experience in the marine industry. This South Florida firm has a full inventory of marine navigation equipment, marine books, charts, flags, and maritime codes.
Among the company’s many offerings are NOAA, NGA, and IMO publications, including a complete line of Marine-specific CFRs. The company also offers survey support services for cargo interests. Its online chart catalog, SPICA(tm), is graphically based.
Other products available from the company include an extensive array of flags, navigation tools, and maritime training courses. Their website also contains a searchable interactive chart finder.
A nautical chart is a chart that depicts the features of the sea floor, coastline, depths, and topography. Often, these charts contain other information, such as a local weather forecast, details on the magnetic field of the Earth, and the locations of aids to navigation.
Another nautical chart is a raster navigational chart, which is a computerized version of a paper chart. Unlike a paper chart, the raster version of a chart may show real-time positions.
Training courses
ANS has been in the business of educating mariners and ship captains of all ages and experience levels since its founding in Miami in 1979. Today, it is a family owned and operated business based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company offers training services for commercial and governmental clients alike.
One of the first classes ANS offered was a course on boating and nautical charting. This was a major accomplishment considering that at the time, only a handful of ship-based charting companies were around. Using technology gleaned from decades of charting experience, ANS put together an instructional program that was a hit with both students and clients alike.
Another big win was ANS’s foray into the marine surveying business. Among other things, ANS was tasked with producing nautical charts for the U.S. government. Besides charting, ANS also offered certification courses for commercial vessel captains and crewmembers, in five states on the East Coast and two in the Pacific Islands.
Hours of operation
American Nautical Services is a veteran owned company that has been in operation for 46 years. The company specializes in selling nautical books, charts and flags, and navigation tools. They also provide training courses. Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, they have eight employees. This company generates $2.8 million in annual revenues. Its hours of operation are Monday through Saturday. If you are looking for a new place to purchase your nautical needs, check out American Nautical Services.
In addition to the books and charts, they offer training classes for you to learn more about navigation and identifying the different types of boats. Sears Catalog is also a good resource to get your hands on nautical maps, flags and books.