Navigation Practical Exercise
Sailing to a Waypoint
The Question: Can you predict how to sail the most efficient route to a waypoint?
The Exercise:
Here is a simple exercise to practice sailing (navigating) to a waypoint. The exercise is for you to plan to sailing upwind and to a waypoint with 2 tacks.
1. Download and print out this PDF blank worksheet.
2. Start at F5 and sail to the waypoint N46.
3. Your Assumptions:
- Your boat speed through the water is 6 knots
- There is a leeway of 10 degrees
- You head off on a port tack
- Your boat can head closest to wind at 45 deg TWA
- You make your first tack at the 10m water depth mark just off Oval Island
- You start at 10:00am
- There is no current
- Do 2 tacks only
4. Plot the most efficient track and find the intermediate times of each tack. Find your arrival time at waypoint N46.
HINT: DON’T FORGET ABOUT LEEWAY
The Answer:
Here is the answer plot ›
NO CHEATING. Plot it first – you won’t learn if you don’t do the plot yourself first – seriously!
This and many other navigation teachings and training exercises are in the online NauticEd Coastal Navigation course. Gain access today plus 2 other free online sailing courses. NauticEd International Sailing Education is a United States Coast Guard recognized sailing education body. Over 20 sailing courses and practical training instructors worldwide. With NauticEd you can earn a sailing license (the SLC) which is valid for sailing worldwide including the Mediterranean.
