You set out one fine morning for a day’s sail.\u00a0 After arriving at the end of the Potrero Reach, you get your sails up and turn to a course of 214 magnetic (214M) because you know that is the direction of Raccoon Strait.\u00a0 On that course you know from past trips there are a couple of buoys which you will pass about a quarter mile off to starboard, and one off to port about a half mile.\u00a0 All is well in the world, and you commence to sailing and socializing.<\/p>\n
What you didn’t take into consideration is the 1.4 knot ebb crossing your intended course at nearly right angles.\u00a0 Even though your bow is pointed at 214M, the course made good is 200M.\u00a0 You are pointed at\u00a0clear water and Raccoon\u00a0Straight, however, the boat is headed directly\u00a0towards R “8” a very hard and unforgiving buoy!<\/p>\n
Here’s a quick easy visual check\u00a0to determine if you are on a collision course with “something”.\u00a0 If that “something” … in this case the buoy … appears to be fixed in relationship to the background, you are headed straight for it.\u00a0 If the\u00a0background seems to be\u00a0moving\u00a0to one side of the buoy, you are going to pass on that same side.<\/p>\n
With a bit of advance planning you would know steering a course of 228M (call it 230 because it’s a nice round number)\u00a0would put you right down the center of Raccoon Strait.\u00a0\u00a0Now all you have to do is hope the wind co-operates and you don’t have to do a couple of dozen tacks to get there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You set out one fine morning for a day’s sail.\u00a0 After arriving at the end of the Potrero Reach, you get your sails up and turn to a course of 214 magnetic (214M) because you know that is the direction … Continue reading