Seamanship_Secrets_185_Tips_-_Techniques_for_Better_Navigation-_Cruise_Planning-_and_Boat_Handling_Under_Power_or_Sail_(Re)_e..

70 seamanship secrets

“Your Call, Skipper”

You’re the skipper or most knowledgeable crewmember in each

of the following situations. What actions would you take?

1. You are bound from the Miami sea buoy to Charleston, SC. Your
   GPS indicates the next waypoint to be 3.6 miles ahead. At 12 knots,
   how long will this take you?


2. Using the 3-minute rule, what is your speed if you cover 1.5 miles
   in 6 minutes? You have 30 miles to go to the marina ahead. It’s now


3. You need to arrive before the fuel pier closes at 1800. What is
   your ETA? Do you have enough time?


4. A new crewmember is having a hard time focusing his new, high-quality,
   center focus binoculars. He can’t seem to get the left lens to focus. “The
   left eyepiece is stuck and won’t turn, skipper! Can you help me out?”


5. When looking for a new steering or handbearing compass, what
   two things do you want to test before buying?


6. What three radar controls are turned all the way down before you
   start to adjust the radar?

ANSWERS

1. The trip will take 18 minutes. There are two ways to arrive at the answer.
   To find time needed to cover one mile, divide your speed into 60:
   60 minutes ÷ 12 knots = 5 minutes to cover 1 mile; 5 × 3.6 miles = 18 minutes
   or
   To find time needed to travel known distance at known speed:
   3.6 miles ÷ 12 knots = 0.3 hour × 60 minutes/hour = 18 minutes


2. You are traveling 15 knots. With 30 miles to go, this will take 2 hours,
   so 1545 + 2 = 1745 ETA. You’ll need to slow to bare steerage from the
   marina entrance to the fuel pier. I like to allow at least 20 minutes for
   this, so I’d increase my speed a bit.


3. The left lens doesn’t turn; it’s focused with the center focus wheel. Cover
   the right lens and focus the left lens with the center focus wheel. Cover the
   left lens and focus the right lens with the right lens eyepiece. That’s it!


4. First, roll the compass up and down and from side to side. Watch
   for friction. Next, use a small magnet to move the card off its heading.
   Remove the magnet. The card should return to within 1 degree^ of the
   original heading without wandering.


5. Gain, rain clutter (FTC), and sea clutter (STC).