piloting tips and techniques 91
How to Plot a GPS Position in Less than 5 Seconds
Choppy seas make plotting on a high-
speed powerboat a challenge. But you
can learn to position your boat in 5 sec-
onds using only a pencil and a chart on
a clipboard. Called a GPS plotting grid,
this backup method is hard to beat for
speed, accuracy, and fun.
- Set the primary waypoint, your
TR to that waypoint, and radiating
lines. Enter your waypoint into the
GPS, then plot it on your chart. Next
plot your trackline to the waypoint.
Make this line bold so it stands out.
Th en, as shown in the illustration on page 92, draw lines from the waypoint
that radiate at 2-degree intervals either side of the courseline (TR), and label
the end of each such line with the magnetic bearing to the waypoint.
Making a grid highway is a good way to avoid dangers. Th e parallels serve as the entry
and exit gates, and the meridians serve as the east-west boundaries of your highway.
Supplies and Tools
Needed to Plot a
GPS Position in Less than
5 Seconds
X pencil
X plotting compass
X parallel rulers, protractor,
or plotter
X Scotch Magic Tape or any tape
with a dull fi nish that you can
write on