Navigating
Navigation and Finding Your Way
The subject of navigation takes up volumes. As a beginner, you’ll likely use “eyeball navigation” (meaning that you use your eyes and take note of different landmarks in order to help you to sail to and from a destination). Using visual means is still the foundation for navigation and all other means and equipment are there to aid our vision. But it helps to be able to use a compass, read a chart, and understand common aids to navigation, especially at night or in thick weather where vision is not enough.
Charts show water depths: white for deeper water, light blue becoming darker as the water gets shallower, and green for the land. The depths at low tide are also shown. Make sure you know the time and height of the tide so you can assess the actual depth at the time. There is a large variety of symbols on charts and understanding them is crucial. Small crosses all indicate rocks that could be dangerous and tidal rips are shown with short squiggly lines. Cables are areas where fishing or anchoring are both dangerous and likely to result in severe fines. Having a good working knowledge of the symbols is clearly and important part of being safe on the water. Charts also show latitude and longitude, which is the grid system for position on the water. The distance scale is also the same as the latitude scale at the sides of the chart.
Beacons and buoys are the sign-posts in our harbours to mark channels for ships and dangers such as reefs, rocks and shallow areas that are often hidden by the tide. If you are entering an area from out at sea, the red square shaped buoys or beacons are left to your port side and triangular shaped green markers to your right, or starboard side. Always keep to the right as far as possible when moving along a channel. There are a range of other markers with different colours and shapes, some with flashing lights at night. Knowing what they all indicate is fundamental to safe navigation. This information is free and can be found in booklets such as “Safe Boating” and the boating safety DVD. By using the “sign-posts” on the water and referring to the chart where they are also marked, the chances of running aground or hitting a rock are greatly reduced.
Navigation and coastal piloting and are fascinating subjects; the more extended your boating, the more expert you need to be. While having a paper chart is the most reliable method for navigating, electronic position-finding systems, such as GPS (Global Positioning System) have simplified the navigator’s task but they are only navigation aids. Essential to safe navigation is having a depth finder which, together with the large scale chart and compass, are the fundamentals for safe navigation.
Compass: Knowing which direction you are heading is a good way to avoid getting lost! The card or disc inside you boat compass points towards magnetic north, which is about 20˚ different from true north in NZ. Direction is also represented on the chart in the ‘compass rose’, with the 360˚ shown just as it is in your boat’s compass.
The best advice is to attend a boating safety where you can learn the art of navigation suitable for the boating that suits you.
