Sail Canada Coastal Navigation Theory

Basic Coastal Navigation

GPS, chart plotters and navigation apps make navigation seem easy. But if you understand the underlying concepts behind these technologies, you’ll make better, safer navigational decisions.

Learn the basic navigation skills you need to safely sail in coastal waters

Basic Coastal Navigation is introduces the practical skills required to

• Use important navigation tools and reference materials

• Use charts, tide tables, and aids to navigation properly

• Determining your position and course without the aid of GPS

• Create, execute and monitor a safe, useful pilotage plan 

• Use technologies like GPS and AIS safely and effectively

This course is based on Sail Canada’s Basic Coastal Navigation Standard.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for anyone preparing to:

• Take the Sail Canada Intermediate Cruising standard

• Charter Summer Ice, Glenmore Sailing Club’s coastal cruiser 

• Take intermediate or advanced navigation courses

Course prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course. 

Students will benefit most if they have completed Keelboat 3, Sail Canada Basic Coastal Cruising certification and/or their Pleasure Craft Operators Certificate.

Course Format: This course employs a “flipped classroom” model. During practice sessions, your instructor will focus on hand-ons skills introduced through readings and brief lectures from the course textbook. 

To get the most value from this course, students should invest a few hours to complete reading and practice exercises before theory and practice sessions.

Course Dates & Times

• Two virtual theory sessions to review basic concepts

• • Wednesday January 22 and February 5

  • Evening sessions will be conducted via Zoom

  • 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

• Two full day practice sessions 

• • Saturday January 25 and February 8

  • Practice sessions will be conducted in-person at Glenmore Sailing Club

  • 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

• Exam day

• • Date to be determined

  • Exams will be conducted in-person at Glenmore Sailing Club

  • 9:00 am to 2:30 pm

Course fees include

• Basic Coastal Navigation (Gillian West)

• Chart 3463 - Strait of Georgia, Southern Portion (Canadian Hydrographic Service)

• Essential navigation instruments

• • Navigation dividers

  • NauticEd Breton Plotter Protractor

• Sail Canada Basic Coastal Navigation exam

• The Sail Canada Basic Coastal Navigation Standard certificate and logbook stamp

• Alberta Sailing Association and Sail Canada Course Levy

Additional Information

• Sail Canada Basic Navigation Standard

• Questions? Email us.