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Plotting a safe course

Let’s plot a course. Before we begin there are some things you must consider. The first is that each segment is called a leg. Each leg must start from a known point, called a fix, and go to another known point. The easiest way to accomplish this is to find a channel marker and use it for each end of your leg.

Draw a line on your chart. This will be the first leg on your trip. Examine the line carefully. Are there any shallows on or near our course? Are there any obstructions that need to be avoided? Sometimes it is impossible to go directly to your destination. The example below shows that very often we need several legs to get to our destination.