Sailing School

GPS

Prerequisites

None

Description

The goal of the course is to teach the usage of a handheld GPS for mariners. The focus is on handheld as this is the type of unit that sailors typically own and use on a wide variety of boats. The same principles can be applied to any GPS unit including the fixed ones found on many boats.
Topics covered during the class include:

• GPS History – When it started, what technologies were utilized and when it became available for civilian use
• GPS theory – How a GPS works, what are the limitations and what theoretical knowledge does a sailor need to acquire
• Understand how to use a GPS in general for sailing purposes – basic out of the box setup
• How to use a GPS for navigation on the water – fixing a position, expected accuracy, Setting a destination, sailing to a waypoint, setting a route, ETA, anchoring, MOB
• An appreciation of GPS limitations, what are the dangers of trusting in your GPS
• Criteria to select a GPS for marine use - What should I buy for personal use, must haves vs. nice to have

The course is delivered in a class room lecture format with examples provide on a Garmin 76CS.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their personal GPS to the classroom if they have one, but this is not a requirement for the class.

Background reading material:
GPS for Mariners, Robert J Sweet (McGraw-Hill, 2003)
The Weekend Navigator, Bob Sweet (McGraw-Hill, 2005)