Current
Staying on course is not as
simple as pointing your boat towards your destination; you must
compensate for current. The easiest way is to select an object to
sail to, such as a buoy or daymark, and a point behind the object
on land. This forms a range. Now adjust your course so these
two points are always in line and do not worry about the direction your bow is
pointing. This will assure you that you will stay on course.
Thus, your "Course To Steer" may be very different from your "Track" or
"Course Made Good." To determine the effect of current on
your "Course To Steer" go to the
Course to Steer Calculator
The
picture on the right shows a strong current (dark area) surrounded by quiet water. Currents may become much stronger.
Winds which blow against the current will produce higher waves and seas
since the speed of the wind works against the speed of the current.
A
riptide is a strong current produced by the rapid inflow or outflow of tidal
water. Tidal currents can be quite strong, producing whitecaps
(picture to the right) and sometimes large whirlpools.
Go To: Information about the "Old Sow" whirlpool on the
Smithsonian website.
http://easternmaineimages.com/whirlpool.htm
