Powerboat Navigation Equipment
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Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 Time: 9:24 PM
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Required navigational equipment is a little different for large and small powerboats, however, all marine navigation is dependent upon knowing five things:
Direction
Speed
Time
Distance and
Depth.
Since you must know these five things, you need navigational gear that will give you precise data about all five of them regardless of what size the boat is.
A compass is a requirement and we aren’t talking about one that came in a box of breakfast cereal. You need a big and steady compass that can be easily read even in adverse weather. A compass provides direction which is the first information that you need for navigation.
If you use a water proof and shock proof digital watch and one that features a stop watch function, you will be able to address the next three pieces of required information. If you know any two of the next three factors (speed, time and distance) you can easily calculate the third using the Sixty D Street formula that you can learn by taking our Home Study Coastal Navigation Course.
Essentially you can cover 4 of the 5 required pieces of navigational information with a compass, a digital watch and a knotmeter for indicating speed.
A simple depth finder can cover the 5th requirement but if you are able to, buy a good GPS/Chart Plotter/Depth Sounder unit. These units aren’t inexpensive, however, when you consider the value of human life they aren’t all that expensive either.
You are required by law to carry hard copy (paper) charts of your planned route. As anyone who operates a personal computers knows all too well, electronics can fail and it’s always at the worst possible moment. A compass and a paper chart will still be there even if the entire electrical system of your powerboat fails.
About the Author
Bruce Stott, co-founder of Gulf Islands Cruising School Ltd. has been a Canadian Yachting Association certified instructor since 1971. He has taught aboard both sail and power boats ranging in size from 8' to 86' and is author of Home Study Coastal Navigation Course.
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