Predicting navigational hazards

Jonty Pearce is a lifelong cruising yachtsman and retired GP. He keeps his Southerly 105 ketch Aurial in Milford Haven

In days of yore coastal sailing largely revolved around establishing your position, meaning paper charts, hand-held compass bearings, transits, and navigation marks were your best friends. Out of sight of land, if fortune really smiled on you, you might be able to access the modern technological wonders of the Decca Navigation System or LORAN-C, or just hope for a clear day for your sextant. Everybody waved at each other, and the seas were largely deserted.

How times have changed! Today’s cruising sailor has GPS to pinpoint his position down to the last millimetre, but when out on our crowded seas, has to have eyes in the back of his head for pot buoys, wind farms, oil rigs, fishing vessels, ferries, commercial shipping traffic, military vessels, leisure craft, foiling yachts and hovercraft. Not only that, but skippers need a detailed knowledge of Traffic Separation Schemes, exclusion zones and military ranges, COLREGS and nautical electronics. But fear not – with a basic understanding of today’s maritime challenges amateur sailors can still safely venture out and successfully sidestep all the different varieties of nautical coastal hazards.

LEISURE CRAFT

With a basic knowledge of the rules of the road and a large dollop of common sense fellow sailing yachts and motorboats can easily be avoided. Concentration levels might have to be at their maximum in the Solent during Cowes Week in comparison to cruising the Outer Hebrides out of season, but in a way it is easier to stay alert when there is plenty going on; more mishaps probably happen when crews are hunkered down behind the sprayhood in vile conditions on ‘empty’ seas. The key is to keep a good lookout at all times and make sensible use of any electronic aids on board.

A different approach may be needed when encountering a fleet of racing yachts or dinghies; personally, I do not find their testosterone-fuelled aggression relaxing and although at times I might be classed the ‘stand on’ boat according to maritime rules, I’m happy to keep out of the way for a more enjoyable life.

With displacement-speed boats everything happens at a sensible rate. The advent of foiling racers means that almost silent yachts and dinghies can appear in your personal space in