KNOW YOUR LIMITS & ESTABLISH A BOUNDARY

The key to ‘knowing where you are not’ is being able to establish a boundary that is identifiable from the cockpit (and ideally anywhere you happen to be on the boat). In its simplest form, it is a line which on one side is safe, where you don’t need to think too hard about navigating, and on the other, you need to know exactly where you are. A line of red or green buoys marking a channel is a good example, as you can see when you are complying with the rules of the buoyage system. Generally, as long as you don’t go outside the buoys that define a navigable area’s edges, you don’t need to know exactly where you are. Go the other side of the ‘line,’ though, and you really need to start devoting time to knowing what’s underneath you. By choosing to ‘box’ yourself in this way you can devote less time to navigation but still remain safe.

SETTING BOUNDARIES

This style of navigation is not a shortcut and requires a good amount of planning prior to departure. You will reap the benefits though, because the time spent planning is saved once on the water. If you are going for a day sail, drawing out a little sketch map of the area with your boundaries on will help you remember them and if it’s a passage, include the information in your passage plan.

And how much more do I need to learn to do all this you may be asking? Not much, I would suggest. You will most likely know the few techniques that are involved. All are taught as part of sailing courses and the rest is just expanding those techniques.

Some skippers never seem to navigate whilst others always seem to be bobbing up and down below or obsessing over the chart or plotter. Or perhaps you’ve noticed how relaxed your sailing instructor is while you are navigating your socks off. You have most likely seen both styles of navigation in practice. Both have their place and the ‘know where you definitely are not’ approach is only safe if you have a reasonable idea of where you are and always have the time to move back towards safety. If you want to give it a go, it’s best to employ just one or two of the following techniques at a time and build from there. And although I have referred to it as a ‘box’, it’s very rarely, if ever, a complete box.

Here you are free to go either side of the green buoy. However, if you stay to the left of it, you need to know exactly where you are all the time

Although there is safe water inside the buoys you’ll have to identify where the hazards are. It’s easier to stay outside them

Time spent planning will free you up to focus on sailing and managing the boat later