5 EXPERT TIPS

WILL OXLEY ON NAVIGATION FUNDAMENTALS

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Even the most hi-tech boats can experience a glitch. World-class navigator Will Oxley explains to Andy Rice why fundamental navigation skills are so key

“I was navigating on the 80-footer Beau Geste on the Round New Caledonia Race, steaming towards a reef system when suddenly all the systems went down. We were on a dark ship and were within five minutes of hitting the reef.”

It's because of times like these that Will Oxley remains so committed to his no-stone-unturned approach to navigation. He's all too aware that the smarter the technology we rely on, the less smart we become. At least, that's the danger.

"When I get people coming to me for coaching and training in improving their navigation skills, the first thing I'll ask is have they mastered the fundamentals?" says Will. "Have you done your RYA Yachtmaster certificate, for example? That's where you get to learn the fundamentals of the job - coastal navigation, transits, how tides work, about wave patterns and the fact that you're not necessarily safe in more water than the depth of your boat."

Since the arrival of GPS and electronic charts, many sailors have increasingly lost touch with these fundamentals, which leaves them dangerously exposed, according to Will. Here are his five best tips for making sure you've covered yourself for those times when systems go down and the only thing you've got to fall back on are your raw navigation skills.

1 SOFTWARE SKILLS DO NOT MAKE A NAVIGATOR

The ability to use software like Expedition and Adrena is obviously critical to being a good navigator in the modern age of offshore racing, but this is not the be-all and end-all.