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Exploring Your Chart

Latitude and Longitude

The Compass Rose

The Distance Scale

Using Latitude Scale to Compute Your Distance

Soundings Scale

Shallow Water

Sandbars and Coral Heads

Find Your Channels

Channel Markers

Plotting a safe course

Measure your course

Magnetic Variation

Finding the Distance

Marking Your Chart

Reciprocal Course

Finding Your Position
Using Triangulation

Using Your GPS

Introduction

Learning to navigate safely is arguably the most important skill to be learned in boating. The assurance that comes with knowing where you are and what lies ahead cannot be overstated. This manual is intended to start you on your journey to become a competent navigator.

This manual is for the beginning navigator. More in depth information is available and should be explored. The most popular reference for the weekend boater is, “Chapman Piloting”. All skippers should have one as a place to go for more information. While, “Chapman Piloting” is the most popular it is not the only reference and of course no reference will ever take the place of a good navigation class.

The Charting Pal, a NOAA certified chart and your GPS are the perfect combination keep you worry free on the water. I know of no other tool that is as easy to use or as accurate.

Captain Al - March 2004