Coastal Navigation

Over 80 percent of boaties never sail beyond sight of land, but navigating coastal waters requires every range of skill available to navigators. Hidden reefs, rip tides, sandbars and sea fog are just some of the perils that await the coastal sailor. This book takes you progressively from the first principles of navigation through to the full process of passage planning, with tips on how to deal with the expected and unexpected during your passage. All coastal navigation methods are described in an easy-to-follow format, together with numerous examples, diagrams and chart plots. The uses of all navigational tools are explained in detail, from the tried-and-tested traditional position-fixing methods to the use of GPS and the latest in electronic navigation systems. You are shown how to read a chart and to check the accuracy of your navigation, and how to recognise the errors and limitations of all navigational methods and equipment. This substantial book has everything the small- or large-boat coastal sailor will ever need. Using the techniques described in this book will take you a long way towards enjoyable and trouble-free boating.