Marine Navigation Course

(Formerly known as “Piloting”)

Marine Navigation is a 9-session, in-depth course offered by the United States Power Squadrons®, America’s Boating Club, Beverly Marblehead Sail & Power Squadron. You won’t ever get lost or run aground when you know marine navigation, whether for short day trips or long multi-day cruises. 

Avoid getting lost or running aground when you know marine navigation, whether for short day trips or long multi-day cruises. Learn the essentials of safe coastal and inland navigation using GPS chart plotters, paper charts + other marine data. The Marine Navigation course teaches you OpenCPN© electronic charts along with traditional paper dead reckoning techniques for planning and laying out safe routes, - then ensuring that you are on-course while underway even when electronics fail or are not available.

You will learn about:

• Charts and their interpretation

• Landmarks and navigation aids (buoys, day marks, lights, etc.)

• Plotting courses and determining direction and distance

• The mariner's compass and converting between True and Magnetic courses

• Pre-planning courses, setting up waypoints and routes, staying on a course

• Monitoring progress and determining position by both electronic and traditional techniques such as bearings and dead reckoning

• Seamans Eye - simple skills for checking that one is on course

Online Pre-registration is Required (see below).

When: Classes will be held on Thursdays, 7 to 9 pm, starting January 25 2024.

Where: The classes will be held on-line via Zoom. A meeting invitation will be sent to all registrants.

Cost: The cost is $105 for U.S. Power Squadron & Jubilee YC members, or $135 for others.

How to register: Click here.

For further information, click here or contact Patrick Pearce at patrickpearce@comcast.net.