Now that the northern summer is coming so is the sailing. But by no means all of it will be done at sea or along the coast. Many countries have large systems of internal lakes, canals, rivers and other linked waterways where people love to explore and enjoy themselves.
In many cases, it’s near where they live and they know the waters very well. But many people are visitors, sometimes from overseas, and they have to know where they are so they can be sure they’re safe.
So what’s the best and most helpful bit of knowledge for such people? I believe it is to properly understand what a transit is. It is any two objects of any kind which are on the chart and can be seen in line from the water. Nobody has to know how to apply variation or deviation or any of the other subtleties of navigation because when you are along that transit line the only thing you don’t know is how far along it, but you know without fail that you are on it.
So it follows that if you’re able to get two transits – preferably at the same time, but close in time will do at a pinch – and they intersect you are at that point precisely where they intersect.
And the great thing about transits is that somebody else can take them while you’re busy steering the boat.
We have a disk which will help you to learn more about navigation and passage planning.
Seamanship