Students learn the navigational theory and practical skills required to safely pilot a sailing vessel in coastal or inland waters with a focus on real world, practical navigation. The course is taught in a classroom setting with plenty of chart work to exercise various learning segments. Students progress from dead reckoning to more complicated piloting incorporating current, leeway, and the integration of electronic navigation. Students become familiar with GPS usage and are introduced to Radar basics. Students learn to use tide and current tables, light lists, Chart No. 1, Notice to Mariners, and other tools. Students earn American Sailing Association certification for Coastal Navigation upon successful completion of course. Instructors are Captain Thom Burns, retired U.S. Navy Navigator/North Atlantic Crossing Navigator, and Captain Steve Burns, North Atlantic and North Sea crossings Navigator.

Day 1: NAVIGATION, PILOTING AND CHARTS. Measuring direction and distance; utilizing the compass rose. READING NAUTICAL CHARTS. Chart symbols: Buoys, beacons, lights, soundings and danger symbols.

Day 2: DEAD RECKONING NAVIGATION. Measuring and plotting direction and distance, bearings and courses; speed-time-distance calculations, tacking upwind. BEARINGS AND FIXES. Using hand bearing compasses; plotting more bearings, use of soundings, deriving an estimated position, dipping a light, bow/stern versus beam bearings. BASIC GPS INTEGRATION.

Day 3: CORRECTING YOUR COURSE FOR CURRENT AND LEEWAY. Course, heading and track; determining set and drift of current; measuring leeway. TIDES AND TIDAL CURRENTS. Causes of tides and currents; using tables to predict height of tide, and set and drift of current; tidal current charts; visual indicators of current; shoaling effect; counter currents, insetting effect. FOG NAVIGATION. DR in fog; depth meter navigation; bearings in fog; Polynesian concepts and visual observations; surviving with shipping; Currents in fog. MORE GPS INTEGRATION.

Day 4: RULES OF THE ROAD. Right of way; avoiding close calls; skipper responsibilities; lights and Dayshapes; sound signals. ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION. GPS waypoints and routes, cross track errors, hierarchy of commands. Introduction to RADAR. MORE GPS INTEGRATION.

Day 5: REVIEW AND FUN PROBLEMS. Transiting problems on Lake Superior from the Apostle Islands. Attendance at this session is optional but highly recommended.

Day 6: EXAMINATION. Written exam cements independent navigational thinking and completes ASA requirements for Coastal Navigation certification.
 

Course Outline for Saturday Class

Day 1: NAVIGATION, PILOTING AND CHARTS. Measuring direction and distance; utilizing the compass rose. READING NAUTICAL CHARTS. Chart symbols: Buoys, beacons, lights, soundings and danger symbols. DEAD RECKONING NAVIGATION. Measuring and plotting direction and distance, bearings and courses; speed-time-distance calculations, tacking upwind.   BEARINGS AND FIXES. Using hand bearing compasses; plotting more bearings, use of soundings, deriving an estimated position, dipping a light, bow/stern versus beam bearings.  CORRECTING YOUR COURSE FOR CURRENT AND LEEWAY. Course, heading and track; determining set and drift of current; measuring leeway. BASIC GPS INTEGRATION.