Capt. Dan's Coastal Navigation Course: Aids to Navigation and Charts
Knowledge Checklist
These are the points you will master in the course of this course:
* Dead Reckoning: SOG, Track, COG, VMG
* Charts: scale, datum, symbols, interpretation
* Lateral aids to navigation
* Plotting tools and procedures
* Compasses: isogonic lines, deviation, variation, true and magnetic courses and bearings
* Lights: Luminous range, geographic range, use in DR navigation
* Fixes: lines of bearing, ranges, radar, running, estimated
* Set and drift
* Publications: Chart 1, Light List, Notice to Mariners, Rules of the Road, Coast Pilot, Cruising Guides
* Local Hazards
* Tides and current
* Rules of thumb
Home Study 1
 Please download and print out: Study Guide 1
Read through the questions and then start studying the documents cited on this page and the next.
All of the questions on the study guide are covered in the documents listed on this page and the next set at Nav 2
Note: throughout this course you'll find links to various agencies and documents. Depending on the preferences you've set in your computer and how the agency has loaded their files, these documents may open immediately or download to your default download folder.
My Powerpoint presentations should load automatically. All you'll have to do is push your right hand arrow key to advance slide to slide.
If you get a message that you need a Tiff decompressor or some sort of Capt. Midnight decoder ring, just hit the right arrow and you should be back in business.
Marks Review Quiz and Power Point Presentation
We covered Lateral Marks (buoys, lights, day beacons) in ASA 103. Now that we're talking about to new and perhaps exotic places, let's review those marks and their uses. Download lateral marks.pdf then download the review quiz for a quick and relatively painless Powerpoint review of the marks and their functions. Download:
Study this Marks Review carefully, then take the Marks Review Quiz below.
Take the 105.1 Lateral Marks Review Quiz
Charts are far from real-time images of the world.
 Recall the Irving Johnson incident awhile back. A tall ship entered - almost entered - Channel Islands Harbor. With several captain-qualified folks in the crew, they managed to run aground near the south (or east, if you wish) jetty.
Cause?
Draft exceeded water available.
How'd that happen?
The official report is that there was an unreported shoal
Once the Irving Johnson was slid off the sand (at a cost exceeding $1M), they did a couple of things:
* Posted shoal buoys (the white with an orange diamond and SHOAL written in 12 pt. Type)
* Issued a Notice to Mariners
These pubs tell us what's working, what's not, what's missing and what has been fixed, replaced, renamed or relocated.
In the old days (two years ago), this was all on paper and not easily accessed, today you can get it right here.
This site takes you to corrections for ALL charts published by NOAA
ALL US Notices to Mariners
What I find most useful while sailing near home is the Coast Guard District 11 weekly reports - the Local Notice to Mariners.
CG District 11 LNM
This covers California. And these guys make it really easy for you to stay up to date - you can subscribe online.
Subscribe 11 LNM
LNM is divided into several sections, which cover chart changes, discrepancies in ATON, fixes to ATON, corrections to the Light List, other stuff, including LORAN status (who cares?), CG exclusion zones, dredging, hazards to navigation etc.
Each section is organized North to South i.e. All the light problems in San Francisco are listed in a bunch with us at the other end of the list. Likewise chart corrections.
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