This is an 8-week course which covers the basics of Coastal and Inland navigation. It embraces GPS as a primary navigation tool and traditional paper chart techniques to provide backup if your GPS fails. In-class exercises. Topics include:

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• Charts and their interpretation

• Navigation aids and how they point to safe water

• Plotting courses and determining direction and distance

• The mariner’s compass and converting between True and Magnetic

• Use of GPS – typical GPS displays and information they provide, setting up waypoints and routes, staying on a GPS route.

• Pre-planning safe courses and entering them into the GPS

• Monitoring progress and determining position by both GPS and traditional techniques such as bearings and dead reckoning

• The “Seaman’s Eye” – simple skills for checking that one is on course.

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Finally, the students have seven days to complete the open book exam

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Go to our Upcoming Classes page to see
the current schedule of classes.