# For Us Female Navigators Out There



## jerryRiggin

As the female of the crew (my husband would be classified as the "Captain" I suppose) I am often the navigator. How many other ladies out there are the navigators? 
I use Navionics because I love the community edits (I can add stuff to the map! woohoo!) and because it comes with free nautical maps (though I purchased the Nav+ to get the really detailed contour lines of the "Sonar Maps"). 
What do you use to navigate and why?


----------



## Donna_F

I love Garmin BlueChart. I downloaded several navigation apps (I use iPad with paper backup) but Garmin was the one I repeatedly returned to.

I regularly use features that allow me to:

Email my route
Attach photos directly to the charts
Add notes
See integrated tide and current details

It works for me although I've heard others say that they found it difficult to figure out.


----------



## MarkofSeaLife

My ex-gf liked OpenCpn because she was a very PC oriented person with get office skills etc. She didn't like the chart plotters at all because she thought they were too slow. With a mouse, wheel and 4 buttons you can do 6 things at once... something that she expected every machine to be able to do.. chartplotters can not!

I use OpenCpn almost exclusively now (I use some ipad aps too, but they are as slow as a plotter).

Mark


----------



## paikea

I am very new at navigation at sea, ok, read that as clueless, so from what I understand, everyone is using electronic equipment only? I will certainly look into the names mentioned here. Thank you!


----------



## clip68

paikea said:


> I am very new at navigation at sea, ok, read that as clueless, so from what I understand, everyone is using electronic equipment only? I will certainly look into the names mentioned here. Thank you!


It is funny you mention that everyone is using electronic equipment. I was just chatting with Donna about learning celestial navigation. I would love to be able to use a sextant.


----------



## paikea

Indeed, that was my question in a sense, no one is using anymore old ways? I think its always handy to know to plot a route on a chart without to always depend on the electronics. When I trek, although I do have a GPS, I actually keep the GPS as a backup and to check myself at times, but usually just use maps and the compass. I did a survival course once and we were taught some celestial navigation ( ie, night navigation on land), I thought that was amazing. 
I read some years back a book called Longitude by Dava Sobel. If you want to learn about sextant and celestial navigation, that's a great book about it too. 
I will re-read it now with a different mindset considering I want to end up living on and sailing a boat.


----------



## Donna_F

paikea said:


> ...
> I read some years back a book called Longitude by Dava Sobel. If you want to learn about sextant and celestial navigation, that's a great book about it too.
> I will re-read it now with a different mindset considering I want to end up living on and sailing a boat.


I have that book. I'll raise it closer to the top of the To Read pile based on this.

I have a sextant and a "how to" book to teach myself celestial nav. I just need to put my butt in a chair and read it.


----------



## Livia

I'm the main navigator aboard as well. I use a combination of OpenCPN and iNavX but would highly recommend using SASPlanet as well:

Electronic charting on Estrellita: SAS Planet & OpenCPN ~ SV Estrellita 5.10b


----------



## Donna_F

paikea said:


> Indeed, that was my question in a sense, no one is using anymore old ways? I think its always handy to know to plot a route on a chart without to always depend on the electronics. ...


I think "old ways" depends on where you sail. My current "old way" is using a paper chart as backup. I'm not crossing an ocean. A sextant is not practical for where I sail, always within site of land.


----------



## deniseO30

Nice about inland sailing.. range markers at night, red & green buoys mark the channels. I have the charts and my marine gps and they are quite accurate all considered for the river and bays.


How many of you lades get "stuck" with every job on the boat except being at the helm for docking and sailing?


----------



## SVAuspicious

DRFerron said:


> I think "old ways" depends on where you sail. My current "old way" is using a paper chart as backup. I'm not crossing an ocean. A sextant is not practical for where I sail, always within site of land.


Turn the sextant sideways and you can get angles between landmarks.


----------



## deltaten

Yep! "old school" works here too. .. In sight of land .. HH compass to shoot bearings to charted objects an. BINGO! location!
Coastal Nav. in bigger waters where ya just might need to cross..say, Pamlico Snd, out of sight of land??

I hope your SA is good enuff ta figger out. that a. right hand turn while going S.. will bring. you back to shore........Some time!  A couple minutes off over a few miles will *still* get ya within' shouting distance of the mark.. A couple thousand miles? Not so close 

Paul,
SoP navigator


----------



## hellosailor

Women doing navigation? Sure, next you'll be telling me they're going to make the coffee.

Does it never end?


----------



## SVAuspicious

SVAuspicious said:


> Turn the sextant sideways and you can get angles between landmarks.


I forgot - for an object with a known height (like a lighthouse or a tower) you can calculate the distance with a sextant and a little trigonometry.



deltaten said:


> Coastal Nav. in bigger waters where ya just might need to cross..say, Pamlico Snd, out of sight of land??


DR and a depth sounder - and a chart.



deltaten said:


> A couple minutes off over a few miles will *still* get ya within' shouting distance of the mark.. A couple thousand miles? Not so close


It's hard to miss a continent. *grin* "Besides if we get lost we'll just pull in somewheres and ask directions."

I guess the latter was the approach of the overloaded powerboat that flagged me down in the shadow of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Greenbury Point antenna towers to ask where Annapolis was. *sigh*


----------



## jerryRiggin

Thanks for all the feedback! Has anyone tried Plotter Sync to automatically sync a plotter unit and map on iPad or iPhone? According to their website: "Starting with Navionics Boating version 7.1 for iPhone and iPad, you can update your charts and upload your sonar logs directly from your boat! Navionics Plotter Sync allows boaters to connect a Raymarine multifunction display to Navionics servers wirelessly on the internet through a Navionics Boating mobile app."


----------



## paikea

I just got this today. I was reading about it, annoyed me I couldn't hold one in my hands and check/touch what I was reading about. 
Well, I don't have a boat yet, but I do have a sextant! Good job to myself.


----------



## Donna_F

Kinda still within this topic, one of my absolute criteria for Next Boat is a * true * nav station. Many new boatmakers are doing away with it to save space and because laptops/iPads/tablets, etc. don't take up as much room as a chart.

I want my nav station. I want to be able to sit in front of it and work. I want to be able to spread a chart out on it.


----------



## hellosailor

paikea-
I have heard from a number of sources that those are mainly "decorative" reproductions coming out of India. No idea how they compare to a Davis plastic sextant but I would suggest you start with one of the sextant guides that tell you how to check for sextant error and alignment, and see if it needs any of that before you start. If you wind up having frustrating errors in your sight reductions...it could very well be instrument error and a limit of what the sextant can do.


----------



## paikea

hellosailor said:


> paikea-
> I have heard from a number of sources that those are mainly "decorative" reproductions coming out of India. No idea how they compare to a Davis plastic sextant but I would suggest you start with one of the sextant guides that tell you how to check for sextant error and alignment, and see if it needs any of that before you start. If you wind up having frustrating errors in your sight reductions...it could very well be instrument error and a limit of what the sextant can do.


Very much in agreement with your post hellosailor. Even though the one I bought seemed to have good reviews, I still expect that it might have issues with it and for sure it will need to be aligned before use. I am reading a celestial navigation book and its all explained in there. When I am done with the educational purpose, if its really a bad one, I can get a new one from a better source and my niece and nephew will love this one as a present anyhow.


----------



## paikea

DRFerron said:


> Kinda still within this topic, one of my absolute criteria for Next Boat is a * true * nav station. Many new boatmakers are doing away with it to save space and because laptops/iPads/tablets, etc. don't take up as much room as a chart.
> 
> I want my nav station. I want to be able to sit in front of it and work. I want to be able to spread a chart out on it.


Donna, yes, totally understand that, its probably a similar concept as to why I still love hardcopy books as opposed to kindle. It will still take me a long time to adjust to kindle. I am not sure I ever will. 
Same with navigation, I have nothing against electronics, they have their very good use and they are very welcomed, but plotting a route on a chart its like giving you an awareness that the other "easy" ways cannot do. It actually makes you think and be there. Also reading maps its like reading in different languages.


----------



## Donna_F

paikea said:


> Donna, yes, totally understand that, its probably a similar concept as to why I still love hardcopy books as opposed to kindle. It will still take me a long time to adjust to kindle. I am not sure I ever will. ...


I buy books for my Kindle, Nook, AND Kobo and still buy just as many traditional books.

Sigh.

For books I don't want to keep, I do like being able to download them from the library onto my Kindle without leaving the house.


----------



## Nancyleeny

Any suggestions about the learning process? Where is a good place to start learning navigation? Thanks!
Nancy


----------



## jerryRiggin

I'm actually giving a webinar next week entitled "Modern Nautical Navigation on a Budget". Unfortunately I will not be going over celestial navigation (would love to learn that!) but I will be going over how to use the Navionics app, SonarCharts Live, Vexilar units, iPads, etc. The webinar is April 16th at 6pm eastern time. You can register here : https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6799009736300579586

I hope you will be able to attend!


----------



## gamayun

jerryRiggin said:


> I'm actually giving a webinar next week entitled "Modern Nautical Navigation on a Budget". Unfortunately I will not be going over celestial navigation (would love to learn that!) but I will be going over how to use the Navionics app, SonarCharts Live, Vexilar units, iPads, etc. The webinar is April 16th at 6pm eastern time. You can register here : https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6799009736300579586
> 
> I hope you will be able to attend!


Cool. I just registered.


----------



## jerryRiggin

Thanks so much to everyone that joined the webinar last night. If you missed it you'll be able to see the recording soon (as soon as it can get posted) here: 
Webinar | Navionics

You can also access the intro powerpoint here: 
http://blog.eboatlistings.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Modern-Nautical-Navigation-on-a-Budget.pptx

The intro powerpoint has some videos and links that are useful. However, the bulk of the presentation was demonstrations of the Navionics app on the iPad, which you'll need to view the video to see.


----------



## SVGimmeShelter

DRFerron said:


> I think "old ways" depends on where you sail. My current "old way" is using a paper chart as backup. I'm not crossing an ocean. A sextant is not practical for where I sail, always within site of land.


This exactly. When sailing at night it is so important to see which direction your boat is facing, and where exactly you are on the map to be able to tell if you are in small channels. It's also nice to have charts that are updated regularly as a lot of the time where I am things move, and new obstructions are constantly appearing.


----------

