Boat Navigation 101

Navigating a boat is a skill that you will master with time. You should not expect it to be easy the first time, even if you are great at navigating around in a car on land. Different factors make it harder to know where you are and what direction you are going on a boat. You will have to deal with inclement weather and few to no landmarks to mark your spot in a large body of water. Use this guide to get you started with the basics of boat navigation. Visit JC Sports, and our team will show you around our complete inventory. Our dealership, located in Seneca, South Carolina, proudly serves Greenville and Anderson, South Carolina. 

Choose a Method

There are two main methods for boat navigation. You can work with traditional methods that require a compass, charts, and parallel rulers, or you can use electronic navigation equipment. Many people like to use their electronic equipment mainly. But it is a good idea that you know how to use traditional methods if your equipment fails. 

Electronic Navigation

Modern technology allows you to chart a course for your boat easily. Many recent vessels are equipped with a GPS or chart plotter. You can see where you are currently situated, your current speed, and your direction of travel. You can use the controls to create a waypoint to go from one point to another. When checking the chart, pay attention to anything in your path. 

Traditional Methods of Navigation

Keep the tools for traditional methods of navigation on your boat at all times. In an emergency where the electronics will not work, you need to know how to use a compass and other materials to chart a course. The compass will help you know which direction you are traveling in on the boat. You should have updated charts of the waters you are boating in at all times. Parallel rulers and dividers are tools you can use to check your compass bearing and to measure distance. 

Determining Where You Are At

To figure out where you are, locate three landmarks. Use a compass to record the bearing of those landmarks. You can then use the parallel ruler to draw lines corresponding to those bearings. The three lines will intersect on your approximate location. 

Following a Course

After you have a compass bearing, you should keep steering the boat in that direction. Periodically check your bearing to avoid drifting off course by accident. 

Boat navigation does not have to be a daunting task if you have the right tools and mindset. Check out the latest information about the boating industry when you come into JC Sports in Seneca, South Carolina. Our team is excited to welcome customers from Anderson and Greenville, South Carolina.