Sailing Beginner- Navigation Basics

When it comes to blue water sailing or boating, knowing how to navigate is paramount to your success of arriving to your desired destination. In this sailing beginner article I would like to cover a couple of ways that this can be accomplished. There is the time tested use of the Sextant as well as the modern GPS in which both essentially do the same thing but in very different ways.               

The sextant is old school technology that is still reliable today as it was yesterday. This instrument is easy to use and requires only a few steps to get an accurate reading of any location on the open water. The instrument is hand held and by looking through the eye piece to find the horizon first, then by adjusting the protractor on the instrument from the zero setting by pushing it forward until the sun is positioned on the horizon. Once the sun is exactly on the horizon by rocking the sextant side to side will ensure that the setting is on the mark, then by looking at your watch get the time starting with the seconds first then the minutes and hour and write it down or take note of it. Then by plugging in the setting number on the sextant as well as the exact time to a navigational formula will give you the current geographical location. This is truly amazing considering that batteries and an internet connection are not necessary to use a sextant. In fact, sailors have used this awesome instrument for centuries and could navigate the world over by using it.

Today the predominant tool of choice is the Marine GPS which is basically the same as those used in automobiles. Global Positioning System’s send a signal to several satellites and by triangulating the signal the GPS can locate its position. They are very accurate and are not dependent on ideal weather conditions to use, however they do require batteries to power them. So if you are sailing far, you will want to have an extra supply of batteries or a solar or regular battery charger to keep the GPS powered to be able to keep track of your location. Navigational marine charts are still necessary no matter what kind of instrument you use, and your ability to read a navigational chart is necessary to pinpoint your current location and to navigate to your ultimate destination.

From my humble sailing beginning, I have taught myself how to sail a boat with my hand on the tiller and a boat load of time and research. Now you too can learn how to sail by clicking this link Learn How To Sail Stay tune for my next sailing beginner article. Until then- Happy Sailing!