Tips to Navigate a Boat

Although you have the advantages of GPS technology and mapping apps to help make your way around a body of water, knowing how to navigate your boat without using any high-tech devices can be useful if your devices malfunction or you are out of signal range. Navigation is interesting, and you might feel more connected to the long legacy of boaters who came before you!

Early Navigational Tools

Earlier, most mariners used simpler tools to navigate around a body of water. They used paper charts, maps, compasses, parallel rules, stopwatches, and dividers to chart their course through the water.

To measure parameters like speed, they could throw a rope with knots tied at intervals into the water behind the boat or ship and measure the speed at which the knots went over the side. Nautical miles are used on water and are defined internationally as 1582 meters or 1/60 degree of latitude.

Dead Reckoning

Navigation in the past was hardly an exact science. However, you can still use the old-fashioned dead reckoning system to find your way should your GPS unit fail or you wish to master this skill for fun. Dead reckoning required the navigator to establish initial positions called “fixes” based on external reference points.

The navigator must accurately set the fixes; otherwise, the boat will drift further and further off course. Today, you can use your GPS unit with dead reckoning to get accurate bearings.

Creating Bearings

You will need a chart, a pencil, a compass, and a parallel rule to navigate like a pro. You can use these to plot your starting position and your destination. You'll draw legs of your route between these two points by setting bearings that will get you around obstacles in your path.

We hope you found this boat navigation guide helpful. If you are still searching for a durable and reliable boat, stop by our dealership to see what we have in stock. Roger’s Performance Marine proudly serves Centerville, Hurricane, and Salt Lake City, UT, so reach out today!