Synopses & Reviews
The Fast, Easy Way to Master Boat Navigation Thanks to modern electronic navigation tools, getting from one place to another on the water has never been easier or safer. And thanks to The Weekend Navigator, learning to use these tools quickly and correctly is now easier than ever! This completely practical, step-by-step guide gets you out on the water quickly and lets you perfect your navigation skills as you enjoy precious hours afloat.
Ideal for inland and coastal cruisers, sportfishers, and aspiring recreational boaters, this innovative handbook features an easy-to-use, quick-reference format that helps you operate your GPS, depth sounder, and radar and interpret what they tell you. With the help of over 300 full-color illustrations, youll learn how to use your electronics to navigate safely in all conditions, and you'll discover waypoint navigation techniques that let you choose a destination, plot a course, and monitor your progress as you go. Youll also learn how to:
- Plot GPS positions on paper and digital charts
- Determine the precise range and bearing of your destination
- Evaluate and compensate for wind and current effects
- Avoid reefs and other underwater hazards
- Integrate GPS information with compass courses, visual bearings, dead reckoning, and the other techniques of traditional piloting
- Make a seamless transition to chart-and-compass navigation if your electronics fail
The Weekend Navigator provides a strong foundation in the time-honored skills of piloting, and with this book you can practice those skills on the water, using GPS to keep you pointed in the right direction.
Praise for Bob Sweet's GPS for Mariners:
"[Sweet] has the solid and fundamental mastery of the subject that lets him guide the reader step by step through the entire system. . . . Nothing is left out, and nothing is wrong."Good Old Boat
"Useful for those looking to buy a GPS, as well as current owners who want to use theirs more efficiently. . . . The information is tailored specifically for boaters and boating uses."Soundings
Adopted by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for its GPS seminars
Bob Sweet has more than thirty years experience in boating and the electronics industry. He is a former systems engineer and senior executive who helped develop GPS for the U.S. Air Force. Now a business advisor to high-tech companies and a navigation instructor, Bob holds a Senior Navigator rating with The U.S. Power Squadrons. He is the author of GPS for Mariners.
Enclosed CD for Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Synopsis
Can piloting a boat really be this easy?
Traditional navigation with its chart plotting, compass errors, and current vectors requires years to master. Serious boaters learn it eventually, but with $100 GPS receivers offering 50 foot position accuracy anywhere in the world, it's no longer necessary to master the art before enjoying the sport. The Weekend Navigator is the first book to recognize that affordable, simple to use electronics demand a radically new approach to teaching navigation. Bob Sweet lets you find your way on the water immediately, learning by rather than before doing.
This innovative guide's quick reference format shows you how to
- Pinpoint locations at all times
- Determine the precise ranges and bearings of destinations
- Compensate for wind and current effects Avoid underwater hazards
Synopsis
This innovative guide is the first book to recognize that affordable, simple electronics can aid in navigation.
About the Author
Bob Sweet has more than 30 years experience in boating and the electronics industry. The former manager of a business unit that helped develop GPS for the Air Force, he holds a Senior Navigator rating with the U.S. Power Squadron and teaches Power Squadron and Coast Guard Auxiliary navigation courses.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Part I--Introduction
Chapter 1--About this Book
Navigating this Book
Chapter 2--What Is Navigation?
The Three Steps of Navigation
Piloting without Electronics
Chapter 3--Fundamentals of Waypoint Navigation
Sample Cruise Revisited
More on GPS
Other Uses for Waypoints
Chapter 4--The Tools of Navigation
Nautical Charts
Plotting Tools
Other Navigation Tools
Part II--Prevoyage Planning
Chapter 5--Planning with GPS and Paper Charts
Planning and Paper Charts
Plotting on a Chart
Entering Waypoints into Your GPS
Chapter 6--Planning with Digital Charts
Digital Charts
Cruise-Planning Software
Chart-Planning Software Features
Working with Digital Charts
Chartplotters
PDAs
Planning for Sailing
Chapter 7--Planning to Avoid Danger
Define the Area
Mark the Obstacles
Mark Landmarks
Part III--Navigating Underway
Chapter 8--Underway with GPS and Paper Charts
Steps in Waypoint Navigation
Staying On Course
Navigating a Route with GPS
Navigating in a Region
Marking Objects
Keeping Track
Chapter 9--Underway with Digital Charts
Using the Chartplotter Underway
Using a Computer and GPS Underway
PDAs and Pocket PCs
The Future of Onboard Computers
Part IV--Double-Checking Your Navigation
Chapter 10--Double-Checking Using Instruments
Quick Observations
More Accurate Bearings
Chapter 11--Eye of the Mariner
Headings
Ranges
Bearings
Collision Bearings
Part V--Responding to Changing Conditions
Chapter 12--What to Do If the GPS Quits
Stop and Regroup
Plan Before Proceeding
Navigating without GPS
Chapter 13--Planning as You Go with GPS
Find Where You Are
Plot a Safe Path to the New Destination
Chapter 14--Tides, Winds, and Currents
About Tides and Tidal Currents
Adjusting for Tides and Tidal Currents
Ocean Currents
Wind, Waves, and Other Unpredictable Effects
Part VI--Other Electronics
Chapter 15--Navigating with Radar
Range Settings for Recreational Boaters
Radar Display
Collision Avoidance
Radar Navigation
Tracking Weather
Chapter 16--Using Depth in Navigation
Depth Sounders versus Sonars and Fishfinders
Navigating with a Depth Sounder
Chapter 17--Using Radio in Navigation
In an Emergency
Weather Radio
Fixed versus Handheld VHF
Chapter 18--Using an Electronic Compass
Types of Electronic Compasses
Using the Electronic Compass for Navigation
Chapter 19--Using an Autopilot in Navigation
Navigating with an Autopilot
Part VII--Special Techniques
Chapter 20--Navigating While Tacking into the Wind
Getting the Most Out of Each Tack
Chartplotters and Navigation Software
Chapter 21--Navigating Harbors and Channels with Electronics
Good Visibility
Limited Visibility
Chapter 22--Navigating under Adverse Conditions
Limited Visibility
Wind and Sea
Chapter 23--A Last Word on Avoiding Danger
Electronic Alarms
Visual Observations
Using Radar
Chapter 24--Advanced Topics in Radar
How Marine Radar Does Its Job
Installation and Alignment
Radar Controls
Chapter 25--Other Instrumentation
Instruments
Chapter 26--Connecting It All Together
Basic Interconnections
Higher-Speed Connections
Chapter 27--Electronic Navigation Tools and Rules--A Summary
Equipment Priority List
Checklist
Chapter 28--Measuring Compass Deviation Using GPS
Accurate Compass Navigation
Determining Deviation
Measuring Deviation While You Cruise
Appendix 1--Using the Maptech Digital Chart CD
Appendix 2--GPS Display Overview--A Side-by-Side Comparison
Appendix 3--Resources and References
Index