As part of our all-day electronic navigation seminar, we will spend a couple hours teaching dead reckoning with paper charts, and as a bonus each student will take home dividers and parallel rules courtesy of instrument maker Weems & Plath.
We love today’s multi-function displays but knowing the fundamentals is essential to understanding how to use these devices.
TrawlerFest-has an all-day seminar that will provide would-be mariners with a solid foundation in the art of navigation, as taught by two of the most knowledgeable instructors on the planet–PassageMaker Electronics Editor Ben Ellison and Technical Editor Nigel Calder. Peter Trogdon of Weems & Plath will also attend and will participate in the audience Q&A at the end of the day.
The name of the seminar is “Soup to Nuts Navigation,” conducted all day on Wednesday, Jan. 21. The seminar begins with Calder, author of the book How to Read a Nautical Chart on the topic of–you guessed it–how to read a nautical chart. The rest of the day belongs to PassageMaker Electronics Editor Ben Ellison, who will share best practices for chartplotter navigation.
Ellison, who also happens to be an experienced dead-reckoning instructor, who will take the class through a hands-on session on papercharts using plotting instruments provided by Weems & Plath.
These paper navigation exercises not only instill situational awareness on the water and form the basis for understanding electronic navigation, but are requisite for anyone seeking to pass a Coast Guard examination for a captain’s license.
Each student will be issued a Weems & Plath Ultralight Divider and 15-inch Value Parallel Rule.
The Ultralight Divider’s gear synchronized arms allow one-hand use and provide excellent point alignment while the center wheel/extension bar construction allows for fast action precision adjustments. Its stainless steel points can be replaced with lead (included) so that it becomes a navigator’s compass. This instrument is coated with marine alloy to resist corrosion and it comes with a lifetime warranty.
the Value Parallel Ruler is constructed of clear acrylic for light and easy walking across any chart. It has milled bevelled edges and marine quality aluminum arms with easy grip handles.
Click the button to buy tickets to TrawlerFest-Riviera Beach!
TrawlerFest-Riviera Beach begins on Tuesday, Jan. 20, with seminars and goes through Sunday, Jan. 25. The in-water boat show begins on Thursday, Jan. 22, and runs through Sunday, featuring boats for long-term cruisers and liveaboards.
TrawlerFest is PassageMaker’s stand-alone series of boat shows, specifically designed for power cruisers, strategically located in cruising regions nationwide. See you there.
