Style guide

Open source

• The site is for 99% accessible to the disabled
• There are no ads / trackers / cookies such as Google Analytics, etc. that violate your privacy; this website is really 100% Google, Facebook, Apple, etc. free  
• Only open source software – also on the servers – is used

Sailing courses & yacht charters

Language

The English parts of the website are written according to British English spelling, and on the dry sub domain in both Dutch and British English were appropriate. The translated sections are written in Dutch, German, Italian, French, Polish, Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, etc.

Currency

The EURO currency is used, notated either €3,14 or 3,14 euro.

Temperature

Temperatures are in degrees Celsius (°C), which serves >98% of the world's population; the Fahrenheit (°F) scale has almost completely been replaced by the Celsius scale, except in the USA.

Era

BCE (Before Common Era / Before Current Era) & CE (Common Era / Current Era) is used and the numbering of years is identical to that used in the BC (Before Christ) & AD (Anno Domini) system.

The system of Common Era does not explicitly make use of religious titles for Jesus, such as Christ and Lord in the BC & AD notation. Therefore, the Common Era notation is a more religiously neutral notation – and not offensive to other religions and atheists – better suited for cross-cultural communication.

Yachtspersons

The term yachtsperson is used instead of “yachtsman” to include all genders and non-binary sailors, there is however no balanced alternative for “seamanship”.

Icons

 Danger
 Important or Safe

 Click / hover / tap for additional information
    Opens in new window / External site

   Must-see or Insight
   Worth a detour or Valuable Insight

Decimal separator

There is no international preference between the three widely used decimal separators:

• the decimal point “.” in the English speaking world, China, Japan, etc.
• the decimal comma “,” in Europe, Russia, Middle- and South America, Indonesia, etc.
• and in the Arab world the comma-like “٫”

Therefore, both the the comma and the point are used on this website.

Thousand separator

Neither the comma thousand separator (1,000,000) or the dot thousand separator (1.000.000) are used, so e.g. for scale of a nautical chart 1:193 000 and for light intensity 120 000 candelas.

Lengths & distances

The metric system is used and therefore metres and kilometres instead of yards, statute miles, inches, fathoms – along with the International System of Units, with three exceptions that are common in the nautical world.

• NM for nautical miles.
• M is used for the range of lights in nautical charts, nautical miles.
• both metres and feet (ft) are used for the length of yachts and catamarans.

Depths and heights are in metres.

Coordinates

According to official guidelines, geographical positions should be:

• expressed in degrees, minutes and decimals of a minute,
  and not: 24°20'30''N 30°04'20''E (DMS  Degrees:Minutes:Seconds)
• without punctuation, and with a single space between the coordinates and no other spaces
• with leading zeros for single number minutes, but not for degrees,
  so not: 24°20,500'N 030°04,333'E   (with an extra zero emphasizing latitude)
• with the minute tick following the fractional part
• with a decimal separator according to national practice, yet comma is the preferred ISO sign!
  51°42,03'N 5°07,14'E     51°42·03'N 5°07·14'E     51°42.03'N 5°07.14'E

On charts and most reference materials you will find:
24°20,500'N 30°04,333'E or
24°20.500'N 30°04.333'E

Elsewhere, as on this website, whitespace is added for clarity:
24° 20,500' N    30° 04,333' E or
24° 20.500' N    30° 04.333' E

Typography

Headers are set in Carat, designed by and purchased from Hoftype.

Reference books • charts

• “ GWP ” – Greek Waters Pilot and similar publications from Imray.
• “ EagleRay ” – Greek Pilots.
• Navionics, “ OSM ” – Open Sea Map and C-Maps.