Online navigation course

[mherrcat]

Anyone have any experience with this online navigation course?

http://www.boatsafe.com/navigation/index.htm

I would like to get some basic instruction in coastal navigation and $70 seems like a fair price. (Other suggestions also welcome.)

 

[treilley]

Do you have a local chapter of USPS? I did all my training through them. Courses are free once you become a member. You do have to pay for the materials though.

 

[mherrcat]

Unfortunately I am 2 hours away from the nearest USPS chapter. I have seen notices of their classes posted on the marina bulletin board, but it would be impractical for me to attend due to the distance. Same with taking a captain's licensing course, which I would like to do as well some time.

The "Channel Islands Harbor" location under my user name is where my boat lives, not me.

 

[bayhoss]

A little lite reading

Please understand that I'm not trying to be elementary with you. But, before you start a nav. class get yourself a copy of Chart 1 or the later edition of How to read Nautical Charts you'll get a great deal more out of your instruction. They make great reference.

Best Always,
Frank
E28 Valinor

 

[mherrcat]

Have already read the second reference. I have some experience with charts and how to read them. Now I would like to learn more about how to use them to get me from here to there.

 

[Guy Stevens]

Better ways of learning?

I would save your money and get some books. The two that I would get as a must have are Duttons Navigation. The new editions includes both traditional navigation methods and modern methods. It is the book I teach out of.

http://www.amazon.com/Duttons-Nauti...r_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257522215&sr=8-10

or a tiny URL to that: http://tiny.cc/hox69
and

A little known book for less than 10.00 used is a book that Mahoney wrote to go with Duttons Years ago. It is a wonderful workbook. Problems for each chapter in Duttons and answers with full work are provided. This is the way to teach yourself how to navigate. Better than any of the internet based courses that I have ever found.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0870211501/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Again a tiny link to it: http://tiny.cc/frHtF

Then here is a freebee.

Want to read THE book on Navigation for free on your computer download The Captains bible, also know as Bowditch really it is a government publication. While you can't download the 1962 version which happens to be my favorite, here you can download the 2009 version for free. Don't say the government never did anything for you...... American Practical Navigator. Don't try to teach yourself navigation out of Bowditch though, it is a reference tomb, you go to it when you get stuck, or when you run out of money and need to bet someone something for dinner. I think Bowditch has bought me more dinners than tieing a bowline upside down while haning in the air by my feet blindfolded.... Yep running at least 4 to one on that.

Read the section on Green Flashes. If you have not seen one yet, it should be on your life list.

http://www.nga.mil/portal/site/mari...i_baseMenuID=e106a3b5e50edce1fec24fd73927a759

Again a tiny link:
http://tiny.cc/oAj6S


While you are there download everything they have to offer, quite a library actually. I remember buying all of this when I learned to Navigate, cost me close to a months pay at the time. Now you can get the data for free.

American Practical Navigator
Atlas of Pilot Charts
Chart No. 1
Distances Between Ports
International Code of Signals
NGA List of Lights
Radar Navigation and Maneuvering Board Manual
Radio Navigational Aids
Sailing Directions Enroute
Sailing Directions Planning Guides
Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation
Sight Reduction Tables for Marine Navigation
USCG Light List
World Port Index

Get Duttons, you will always have it is a reference even when the computer takes on water on the boat. Devote some of your movie or internet time to it, say 20 minutes each day, and you will come out of the winter knowing more about navigation theory than most people who have sailed for years.

If you run into any problems that you can't solve and need support and encouragement then log in here and ask away. Most of us like teaching, and could use a good time to formulate good answers to your questions.

Save your money and learn what you need and want to learn. You will learn it better and do better this way.

Guy

 

[mherrcat]

Thanks! I will check these out. This review of the Dutton's book is a little distressing though:

"Dutton's is well illustrated and clearly written and it covers a lot of ground. However, it is full of technical errors. When I was writing a sailings application I worked the example problems in the sailings section of the book and was distressed to find they were full of mistakes. Later, when I took my Captain's course I spoke about this with the navigation instructor there and he claimed that he never used Dutton's examples because the problems are wide spread. So, I'd suggest reading Dutton's for the prose and then going to Bowditch if you need the math. This is all a bit sad as Dutton's is a text book and into it's 15th edition."

Any comments on this?

Just downloaded some of the free material as well.

 

[Guy Stevens]

Dutton's and the workbook

Get both Duttons and the workbook. Work the problems in the workbook, I have not found them to be wrong.

Guy

 

[HughHarv]

I'm a novice so take this with a grain of salt. I like my Duttons book (it is a good winter read) but since I didn't hear these two mentioned I thought I'd chime in.

For getting started in coastal navigation I like the only two references that I have. One is "Navigation for the Rest Of Us: Finding Your Way by Eye and Electronics" by Bill Brogdon: http://www.amazon.com/Boat-Navigation-Rest-Us-Electronics/dp/0070081646

The other is the official ASA manual "Coastal Navigation" (from thier Navigatin Class) by Mike Pyzel. Get to work your way through some nav scenarios at home before you cast off.

Good luck in your search.

 

[Loren Beach]

While you are looking thru the out of print books at your nautical bookseller...
try to find these titles by John P. Budlong:
"Sky and sextant: Practical celestial navigation"
and "Shoreline and sextant: Practical coastal navigation"

I found them both interesting and informative. Of course I am more of an armchair sailor than many of you.

LB

 

[Guy Stevens]

Budlongs are the best ever

I no longer put Budlong's books on the list, because they are getting so hard to find even with the new used book searches, but they are indeed the best. The only book I teach celestial out of.

Shoreline and sextant is even rarer than Sky and Sextant, both are great for understanding not just the process of navigation but the reasoning behind each piece.



Guy

 

[Loren Beach]

Shoreline and sextant is even rarer than Sky and Sextant, both are great for understanding not just the process of navigation but the reasoning behind each piece.
Guy

That's what I remember too. After reading the one book and really liking his approach I bought the other one. Such Good writing and explaining. He seems to be able to get across the "why" as well as the "how" in language I could understand.

After all these years it's neat to see his books regarded highly by an experienced blue water cruiser.


LB

ps: good place to look for used copies is a site called www.fetchbook.com