EXPERT ON BOARD

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.