An introduction to small boat navigation.

Read what the the U.S. Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard trust as the definitive authority on electronic navigation, now updated with the latest electronic technologies and methods The Weekend Navigator teaches you how to navigate using today's tools and methods, including the latest technologies such as smart phones. While electronic navigation is here to stay, author Bob Sweet recognizes that they are still based on traditional charts and piloting skills, and he combines the two to pass along to you a solid understanding of all the principles of marine navigation. In addition to its continued ground-breaking instruction for the now-digital process of navigation on board power- and sailboats, Sweet helps you understand recent options for chartplotters, less expensive handheld GPS units, smart phones, and the navigation possibilities presented by phone apps. New to this edition is a section entitled "Ooops," which provides an insightful collection of boating accident tales resulting from common GPS and chartplotters no-nos. Using The Weekend Navigator, you can get on the water right away and learn to navigate in an afternoon with GPS; master chart-and-compass piloting while, not before, he or she departs; plot courses and fix positions on paper or electronic charts; and more.

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

The operator's manual that should come with every boater's GPS receiver or chart plotter.

Today, with the rapid advances in science and technology, increasing numbers of sailors and boat owners venture across the world's oceans relying almost entirely on electronic aids and global positioning systems.