Sea Kayaking Course
Sea Kayak Navigation
Sea Kayak Navigation using traditional charts and compass.
Contacts
- Sat, Dec 12, 2020 - Sun, Dec 13, 2020
- Committee: Tacoma Branch Sea Kayaking Program
- Members: $60.00
- Availability: FULL (4 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
This is a pilot class for a larger one to be held in the spring. Contact me if you want to participate. Preference will be given to those on the trip leader track, so let me know where you stand in that regard.
Saturday (over Zoom): We will cover tides, currents, weather, compass use, navigational tools, and chart reading in much more detail than the Basic Class. We will show you how to plan a trip involving currents. We will teach the concepts of piloting and dead reckoning but not cover electronic (GPS) navigation. You will be working problems much of the day.
The next day we will put the principles to use on the water.
You will not get "credit" unless you complete both. Formerly this was titled Trip Planning and Navigation, but with only one day in the classroom we are limiting the trip planning to that which comes hand-in-hand with navigation.
The on-the-water portion is likely to be held at Owen Beach in Tacoma but may move if weather is an issue.
You need to either be a sea kayaking student or have the basic sea kayaking badge to sign up.
This course has no scheduled activities.
In addition to the 20 essentials, you will need a chart of Puget Sound, a hand-held compass, string, smartphone with tide/current app (or a laptop or tablet to access this data on a website), and basic calculator (or smartphone). For the on the water portion, a deck compass will be exceeding beneficial but if you don't have one you can make do with a hand-held compass. if you do have or get a deck compass, make sure you can read it from the cockpit; you may need the strap-on variety mounted closer to the cockpit than the ones installed in the boat's compass mount. You will need a waterproof watch.
You must register for this course to see course materials.