Do you want to navigate unfamiliar waters in limited visibility or take an extended cruise with confidence? Learn to use radar, chartplotters, AIS and other electronic tools to supplement basic GPS navigation. Obtain a thorough understanding of piloting techniques in a variety of coastal tide, current and wind conditions.
ADVANCED PILOTING is the final part of the inland and coastal navigation series. This material continues to build on the base developed in Piloting, and includes practical use of additional electronic navigation systems and other advanced techniques for finding position. Among topics covered are: finding position using bearings and angles, collision avoidance using GPS and RADAR, what to do when the electronics fail, tides, currents and wind and their effect on piloting, and electronic navigation with GPS, chart plotters, RADAR, autopilots, etc. This course includes many in-class exercises, developing the student’s skills through hands-on practice.
- Classes will begin at 1830 (6:30 PM) and will be held each Thursday for approximately 10 weeks.
- The cost is $80.00 for SPSS members, $109 for Partner Organizations and $120 for non-members.
- If you are interested, please call me at (941) 400-6467 or e-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.org to register.
- Registration and First Class Meeting: 1800 (6:00 PM) on Thursday, January 21, 2016
- Advanced positioning techniques, such as advancing a line of position to obtain a running fix
- Use a variety of electronic tools: radar, depth sounders, autopilots, chart plotters, laptop computer software, and more
- Hazard avoidance techniques using electronics (e.g., avoidance waypoints or safety zones in GPS)
- Collision avoidance using radar, GPS, and AIS
- Working with tide and current data to determine clearances, depth of water and effects of current
- Piloting in various wind and current conditions
- The “Seaman’s Eye” – simple skills for checking that one is on course
Ten classes of two hours each normally are scheduled for presentation of this course. In addition the students have seven days to complete an open book exam.