Convention & Units

Latitude L dd mm.mmm N
Longitude Lo ddd mm.mmm W
Course, Bearings, GPS are in TRUE
Distance nautical mile (M or NM)
1852 meters ~6076 feet ~ 2000 yards
1 of Latitude

Speed knot (1 nautical mile / hour) (Kn or Kt)

Time 24 hour 1314 = 1:14 PM
Variation 15 W, determined from local area chart
Deviation 0 unless known
1

GPS Setup Exercises

Power up your GPS, find system page and ..
Choose Latitude and Longitude format
dd mm.mmm

Select Horizontal Datum

WGS 84 (needs to match chart in use)
World Geodetic System 1984 reference ellipsoid

Select Direction
True

Select Units
Nautical mile and knots

Choose Time Format

24 hour
3

Latitude and Longitude

We are about:
44 28.840 N
073 13.430 W

Prime Meridian

Equator

Latitude and Longitude

44 30.000 N
073 15.000 W

44 25.000 N
073 20.000 W
5

Latitude & Longitude Exercises

Find the L and Lo (nearest 0.1) on chart 14782
for:

Colchester reef light

Carleton prize
R N18 North of Port Kent
FL 4 sec Juniper Island
FL 4 sec Schulyer Island
W OR C between Mallets Head and Coates Island

Use transparency tool or method of your choice

Latitude and Longitude Exercises

Describe the location for the following L & Lo

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

44 29.4 N, 073 20.8 W

44 26.8 N, 073 22.3 W
44 29.4 N, 073 15.9 W
44 32.1 N, 073 13.2 W
44 33.22 N, 073 13.88 W
44 26.7 N, 073 14.9 W

Use transparency tool or method of your choice

Why a Compass
The prudent mariner does not rely on any one
means of navigation
Needed to steer a course, GPS COG fluctuates
Backup in case of GPS failure, e.g. power failure
Coastal navigation courses will expand on usage

GPS does not know direction without forward

motion
Orientation while not making way
Significant errors at low speeds

Checking plotted course to heading

Compass Tips
Install largest compass possible
Easier to read and less susceptible to motion

Experiment with compass placement

Move compass around the helm to detect magnetic
effects (one compass will affect another)

Ensure metal objects are kept away from compass

Install radios, GPS etc above or below the plain of
the compass card
Adjust compass
Build deviation table
9

Compass Adjustments
Procedure depart 000 compass, return on actual track and
remove error to 180 compass
Repeat until error is zero

Repeat with 090, 270

Recheck 000, 180 and 090, 270 until all errors are zero
10

Compass Adjustment Exercise

Tape large sheet of paper or cut open grocery bag
to compass table
Take boat compass mounted on pivoting board
out on 000, draw line along side on bag.
Return on same line and remove error with
athwartship (side) adjusting screw.
Repeat until error is zero.
Go out on 090, draw line, return 270 and remove
error with aft adjusting screw.
Repeat until error is zero, leave paper on table.
Congratulations, you just adjusted a compass.
11

Variation and Deviation

Variation
Cause magnetic poles are not located at the
geographic poles
Magnetic field not uniform from magnetic North to
magnetic South pole
Variation is dependent on vessels location (L & Lo)

Deviation
Cause magnetic fields from steel rails, steel wheels,
steel hardware, electrical wiring, and electronics are
added to the earths magnetic fields
Deviation is dependent on vessels heading (HDG)

12

Magnetic Compass Corrections

True to Compass

Compass to True

True
Variation
Magnetic
Deviation
Compass
Add
West

T
V
M
D
C
A
W

True
Virgins
Make
Dull
Company
At
Weddings

Compass
Deviation
Magnetic
Variation
True
Add
East

C
D
M
V
T
A
E

Can
Dead
Men
Vote
Twice
At
Elections

13

Magnetic Compass Corrections

True to Compass

Compass to True

145T
15W
160M
3W
163C
Add
West

T
V
M
D
C
A
W

True
Virgins
Make
Dull
Company
At
Weddings

310C
1W
309M
15W
294T
Add
East

C
D
M
V
T
A
E

Can
Dead
Men
Vote
Twice
At
Elections

14

Compass Correction Exercises

Variation = 15W, Deviation table supplied

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Convert True to Compass

072T
C
184T
C
355T
C
112T
C
285T
C
002T
C

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Convert Compass to True

045C
T
108C
T
005C
T
322C
T
285C
T
184C
T

15

Sample deviation table

000
015
030
045
060
075
090
105
120
135
150
165
180

2E
3E
5E
6E
5E
5E
3E
3E
2E
1W
2W
3W
4W

195
210
225
240
255
270
285
300
315
330
345
360

5W
6W
5W
4W
5W
4W
3W
2W
1W
1E
2E
2E

16

Finding Deviation
Technique is to steer a True course and knowing
variation, calculate deviation.
GPS COG can be used as True course, however;
Need 20kts to reduce error, worst case error still 2.86
degrees.
Easiest to steer towards fixed object, read and average
both compass and GPS.

Align on True course:

Use sun compass to determine other True courses.
Best done early morning or late afternoon, shadows
move so only use one sun compass setting for 10 to 12
minutes.
17

Finding Deviation Contd

Methods that can be used to place the vessel on a
True course include:
Steering on a line from a close landmark to a distant
landmark (3 to 5 NM) and find true course from the
chart
Steering from the current location as determined by
GPS to a distant landmark (3 to 5 NM) and find true
course from the chart
Using GPS place the vessel on a latitude or longitude
that aligns with a distance landmark (3 to 5 NM) and
steer towards that landmark
eliminates the need to plot aboard the vessel
True course will be N, S, E or W
18

Deviation Table Exercises

Using boatdraw and label course lines every 30
degrees (000, 030, 060 330). These lines
represent the magnetic headings without the
effects of deviation.
Add the boats magnetic field by placing a small
magnet in the notch in the bow, white dot towards
the stern.
Align boat along 000, 030, 060 330 course
lines, note the compass reading and knowing the
magnetic heading calculate the deviation.
Congratulations, you just made a deviation table!

19

Navigation Terms: TR and C

Tr or Track or Course of Advance (COA): Intended

Path over ground from point A to point B

Origin

Tr
C

Destination

C or Course: Direction to be
Steered to achieve Tr

Wind
20

Navigation Terms: COG & CMG

Course made good (CMG):
Course from Origin to present
location

CMG

Course Over Ground (COG):

What your GPS measures

COG
Origin

Tr

Destination

Wind
21

Navigation Terms: Heading

Heading (HDG) : Instantaneous direction of ships bow

HDG

HDG
HDG

C
Example of collision avoidance

22

Lets Review
GPS setup and conventions

Each location on Earth has a unique identifier,

Latitude and Longitude
Compass and corrections
Tr, C, COG, CMG and Heading
NEXT -- GPS Navigation Waypoints & Routes
23

Standard Positioning System Error

Inherent error with single frequency civilian handheld
receiver is 20 to 30 meters
Selective Availability (SA) intentional degrades the
accuracy to less than 100 meters for 95% of the time.
Actual degradation can be less.
Differential GPS receives a SA correction signal (from
RDF stations) and is accurate to 1 to 5 meters.
Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP), a function of
satellite location, will further increase error.
Minimize GDOP by allowing receiver to have a clear
view from horizon to horizon.

24

Typical Waypoint Positioning

The Point is to MISS not to HIT.
Set waypoints for a safe water passage

How close to a hazard?

Allow 100 meters for SPS accuracy
Allow 60 meters for ATON / chart location
Allow 20 meters for a miss
Total approximately 0.1 NM (185.2 meters)
Check waypoints with range circle
Exercise draw a 0.05NM and 0.1NM radius circle on
chart to see relative size of GPS error and allowance for
missing a hazard
25

Long Route Construction

Distance from PLAT5 to Sawyer
Is.= 3.0 NM
Allow an additional 0.1NM for
errors in steering a route (0.2
NM to hazard)
CPA (Closet Point of Approach)
to Sawyer Is. = 0.27NM

26

Route to Avoid a Peninsula

Use 4 points

WILLPT0
to
WILLPT3

27

Route for Narrow Passage

STA08 set by actual on
the water observation
STA07 and STA10 are used
for correct course of approach
STA07 and STA10 may be
relative to STA08
E.G. A bearing and
distance from STA08
In this case 0.3NM, 172T

28

Exercise Make Your Own Route

Decide on a route that has four to six waypoints
Mark each waypoint on the chart
Label each waypoint with unique 6 character
name
Draw a line connecting these waypoints
Ensure the route line does not come closer that
0.2NM to a hazard to navigation
List the waypoints and determine the Lat and
Long of each waypoint
Enter these waypoints in your GPS
29

GO TO Navigation & Exercise

From PRESENT location To predetermined
WAYPOINT
Track (COA) needs to be carefully checked before
route is run
EXERCISE

GO from PRESENT location (USCG STA BTV)

TO K. Coutures house
44 30.100 N
073 15.600 W

EXERCISE -- plot on 14782

30

GO TO NAVIGATION

31

MAN OVERBOARD EXERCISE

Exercise Garmin
Press and hold GOTO
This captures a waypoint

Press (do not hold) enter

This starts the GOTO navigation back to the MOB waypoint

When finished
Cancel with GOTO options

If man overboard is discovered after the event

Trac Back can be used to retrace the actual track.

32

ROUTE Navigation & Exercise

From predetermined WAYPOINT To
predetermined WAYPOINT, GPS moves to
next waypoint as current waypoint is realized
EXERCISE
Construct a route from the waypoints you chose in the
Make your own route exercise

EXERCISE
View waypoints and route of the route youd previously
entered on a map screen if your GPS has the
capability
33

Example Route

34

Lets Review

Waypoints and how to place them

Entering waypoints in your GPS
Man Overboard
GO TO Navigation
Entering a route
Route Navigation
Next How to steer a route

35

Compass Page on GPS

Arrow points
To destination B

Wind

Tr

COG

Arrow pointing towards

B however far off
Track Tr

Shoreline
36

Compass Page Exercises

EXERCISE find your compass or pointer page, notice
how compass has no meaning without forward motion
EXERCISE walk across parking lot and view compass
page, compare direction to surroundings

EXERCISE find your GO TO page

EXERCISE GO TO waypoints previously entered, note
bearing (Tr from present location to destination) and
distance to destination (part of GO TO page)
EXERCISE Verify waypoints on chart by plotting
bearing and distance from present location
37

How to stay on Track

Wind

Tr
A

Shoreline

Drive down the center of the road

38

Highway Page on GPS

Added line showing vessel direction 095 T

Next waypoint

Difference between line and

Center of road is XTE
(Cross Track Error)

Turn to starboard to go to next waypoint

39

Lets Review
Compass page only points towards waypoint
Possible for large deviation from track

Highway page allows navigation along track from

waypoint to waypoint
Routes allow navigation over many waypoints
Next tracks and follow on activities

40

Tracks
Tracks your electronic bread crumbs

Large number of points (up to 1900 on GPSIII)

Using map page you can steer back along a track

Using TracBack the track is converted to a route

with limited number of waypoints (GPSIII 30)

41

Track Exercise
Exercise clear your GPSs track log

Exercise take a walk in the park or a quick drive

to Monas and back. Observe your track and how
you navigate back
Exercise convert your track to a route if your
GPS has that feature

42

Making Your GPS A Useful Tool

Annotating charts
Transfer waypoints and routes to GPS

Waypoint confirmation on the water

Ensure no errors in determining or entering waypoints
Envision location, will look a lot different than charts
Compare cruising guide to charts

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Learn when the weather is good and there are no
distractions
Man Over Board drill with fender

43