Here are a few posts I wrote dedicated to learning. If you can read French, additional texts are also availlable. I also encourage you to have a look at the Sailing Carpe Diem videos.
Sailboat Familiarization
Part 1. Read this text to understand how to familiarize yourself with the hull, the engine, and the rigging.
Part 2. En example of a familiarization on a Contessa 32.
Navigation
Fundamentals of navigation calculations. Navigation is about getting from point A to point B in a safe and fun manner. 8 fundamental concepts of arithmetic are required to do so. Read them here.
How we represent the world. Any chart distorts reality. Find out more about the various methods we use to represent the world.
Ten techniques for determining tidal windows. Here are ten techniques to compute tidal windows. Some of them are useful in practice, others are useful for exams. Read the section that suits your needs.
On the closest point of approach. If you ever wondered what the CPA and the TCPA can do, have a look at this text. It will help you avoid collisions.
Electronic navigation
Introduction to electronic charts. Read this to understand the difference between paper charts, vector charts, and raster charts.
Introduction to Electronic navigation apps. Most electronic chart display apps have common features. Learn about them here.
Introduction to Navionics. This text will teach you how to use Navionics to perform the 8 fundamental tasks of navigation.
Introduction to OpenCPN. This text will teach you how to use OpenCPN to perform the 8 fundamental tasks of navigation.
Introduction to C-MAP. This text will teach you how to use C-MAP to perform the 8 fundamental tasks of navigation.
Introduction to the Savvy Navvy App. This text will teach you how to use Savvy Navvy to perform the 8 fundamental tasks of navigation.
Introduction to SEAiq – Pilot. Read this text to learn how to use S-100 charts and the SEAiq application in order to perform 8 fundamental tasks of navigation.
Advanced navigation texts
Advanced coastal navigation techniques. Here are four advanced coastal navigation fixing techniques. The first one has some practical use, while the three last ones are only useful in exams.
Computing the Course to steer algebraically. This intermediary text shows how to use trigonometry instead of graphical methods in order to find the Course to steer.
Automated routing: basic principles. This advanced text illustrates how chartplotters estimate time-minimizing routes.
Astronavigation
Essential tools and documents. Read this text for an overview of the tools and documents needed for astronavigation.
Theory of Astronavigation. Read this text to understand why and how the astronavigation technique functions. No maths! The focus is on the big picture.
How to perform and read sextant sights. How to manipulate the sextant, understand how to read it, and how to correct of index error.
Correction to sextant heights. For a variety of reasons, sextant sights must be corrected. Read this text to learn how to perform those corrections.
Finding the GP of a Celestial Body. Read this text to understand how to find the geographical position of a star at any moment in time.
Spherical Triangles and Sight Reduction. Read this text to understand how to convert your sextant sights in lines of position.
- Sight reductions with formulas. Exercices with spherical trigonometry equations.
- Sight reductions with tables. Exercices with sight reduction tables.
How to plan starsights. Read this text to understand when starsights should be planned, and which stars should be selected.
Application: performing a noonsight. The simplest technique of all. Very little maths required. However, be sure to take your sight at the right time…
Application: A Complete Starsight. Read this text to understand how to piece all the previous text for practical starsights.
Application: the sun-run-sun technique. The most useful technique of all, as it can be done in plain day. An understanding of the running fix is required.
Application: finding the compass deviation. Read this text to understand how to use sun sights to find build a compass deviation table.
Passage Planning
Passage planning, part 1. Read this text to understand the four key steps of a passage planning.
Passage planning, part 2. The first two steps of text one are applied to a passage from the Bahamas to Canada.
Passage planning, part 3. The last two steps of text one are applied to a passage from the Bahams to Canada.
Seamanship
22 knots of practical marine use. Learn the first 9 basic knots. The remaining are variants of those knots.
How to repair mooring lines. Learn about the materials used for mooring lines and how to perform splices.
Miscelaneous
Spherical trigonometry and navigation. An example of how to apply spherical trigonometry to long passages. Maths required.
How to make an electricity budget on a sailboat. Figure out how much electricity you need, how much you batteries can store, and how much electricity you can produce. Hopefully, the three overlap.
A software for drawing navigation tools. This is for instructors who wish to make clean drawings of navigation symbols.
Forecasting tides with 37 numbers. Ever wondered how tide tables are produced? This text is for you.