To know your location at sea is necessary. The more exact the better, but even an approximate location can be used and improved over time with additional observations. Chart plotters and satellite global positioning certainly simplify the process, but most competent mariners know and are prepared to use traditional methods for navigation.  Once you know…

An excerpt from our book: A sailboat makes a lousy powerboat … just try backing into a boat slip under a gusty crosswind. (If you haven’t already done so, that tricky maneuver inevitably comes with a crowded marina and lots of armchair spectators.) The sailboat’s propeller is fixed and pointed at the stern of the…