Ready to navigate coastal waters?

This shore-based course teaches you the essential navigation skills you need for coastal cruising. Learn to read charts, plot courses, use tide tables, interpret aids to navigation, and plan safe passages. Required for our Intermediate Cruising course and for bareboat charters.

Want to practice your new skills on the water?

Sign up for an optional navigational practice day on the water, departing from our base in Sidney, BC. We’ll review the skills you learned in the classroom, and show you some practical tricks for navigating on small vessels.

What you'll receive

Core navigation skills: Master the fundamentals that keep you safe on the water. You'll learn to read Canadian Hydrographic charts, plot courses and positions, calculate tides and currents, plan harbour entries, and use navigation publications. These skills form the foundation for all coastal passage making.

Practical plotting techniques: Work with real charts to plot dead reckoning positions, fix your location using bearings, set danger bearings, and calculate estimated times of arrival. You'll use the same tools professional navigators rely on: dividers, plotters, and the Canadian Aids to Navigation system.

Tides, currents, and weather: Learn to use Tide and Current Tables to predict conditions along your route. Understand how tidal height affects safe passage and how current impacts your course and speed.

GPS and electronic navigation: Understand how satellite navigation systems work, their advantages and limitations, and how to use them alongside traditional navigation methods. Learn what information matters and how to avoid common mistakes.

Trip planning from start to finish: Plan complete daytime passages including harbour entries and exits, selecting waypoints, accounting for hazards, and building backup plans. You'll leave this course able to confidently plan your own coastal trips.

Sail Canada certification: Earn Sail Canada's Basic Coastal Navigation standard. This credential is required for our Intermediate Cruising course and recognized by charter companies across Canada.

Course format

Approximately 20 hours of instruction
Two evening Zoom classes
Two classroom day sessions
A study and tutorial evening
An evening for the Sail Canada written examination

Prerequisites

None. No previous navigation experience required.

Learn to Skipper and Pleasure Craft Operator's Card recommended.

Who should enroll

This course is for sailors and boaters who want to:

Prepare for the Intermediate Cruising course (required prerequisite)
Learn proper navigation before chartering boats
Build confidence planning and executing coastal passages
Understand charts, tides, and navigation publications
Combine traditional and electronic navigation methods

What we provide

Textbook with practice exercises (yours to keep after the course)
Navigation tools: dividers, plotter or parallel ruler, pencil and eraser
Canadian Hydrographic chart for practice

Charts and tools are available for purchase at the end of your course.

Registering and payment

Full payment is due at registration unless alternative arrangements are made in advance.

This course is limited to eight students, and a minimum of five registrants is required for the course to proceed.

Optional navigational practice day on the water departing from our base in Sidney, BC. Travel is the student's responsibility. Two students are required for the practice day.

Please review Wild About Sailing's course booking, refund and cancellation policies before registering.

Practical Navigation in Coastal Waters (SIDNEY, BC)