Product Description

Learn practical, easy-to-use techniques for navigating the sea safely and confidently

In Simple Kayak Navigation, kayaking instructor Ray Killen explains everything you need to know about plotting your course for a safe and smooth sea adventure. He teaches you dozens of essential navigation procedures specially adapted to the needs of sea kayakers.

Killen's simple, easy-to-learn navigational methods will help you determine your position, ensure your safety, and keep you on track. Emphasizing the importance of pre-trip planning, Killen shows you how to plot your course and how to make adjustments to it when unexpected situations arise. You'll also get advice on navigating in fog and wind, compensating for currents, avoiding collisions, and taking bearings.

You'll also learn how to:

• Use GPS to plan routes and determine heading, speed, and position
• Make sense of nautical charts and maps
• Interpret buoys, lights, and other aids to navigation
• Make the best use of both deck-mounted and hand-held compasses
• Use tides and currents to your advantage

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #340252 in Books
• Brand: Ray Killen
• Published on: 2006-04-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
Ray Killen is the former chair of the Coastal Kayaking Committee of the American Canoe Association. He also is an ACA-certified Coastal Kayak Instructor/Trainer/Educator and has written the curricula for the ACA's Introduction to Traditional Kayak Skills and Instructor Endorsement courses.

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Customer Reviews

Excellent, Practical Navigation for Kayakers and All Boaters
This book is a well-written, methodical approach to sea kayak navigation. Utilizing common-sense language, it gives the reader a fascinating overview of navigation basics up through more advanced topics. It gives extensive treatment to navigation fundamentals that prepare the reader for more complex tasks such as calculating ferry angles and lines of position, dead reckoning, and trip planning in high current and windy conditions. Photography and illustration is excellent, and Mr. Killen's writing style brings a humorous, relaxed approach to a subject that many avoid because of fear or intimidation. Killen's knowledge is comprehensive, and his ability to reduce complicated topics to easily digested parts, then place them back in relation to the whole is first rate. As a licensed sailboat captain, diving instructor, and certified kayak instructor I have used navigation skills often. However, until I read this book, I was navigating in a counter-intuitive, laboured process. I've found many time saving methods using information and skills demonstrated here, and my navigational accuracy has increased as well. A major bonus was the inclusion of an appendix by Timothy Williams, that gives World Wide Web addresses and links (with capsule reviews) for many interesting and time-saving sites dealing with navigation. All in all, the best, most complete instructional tome available for kayakers and small boat sailors.

better than Burch's book, the supposed 'standard'
"Simple Kayak Navigation" by Ray Killan is a very easy read. It is concise, packed with excellent examples, and laced with humor. I will argue that it is the new standard for a sea kayak navigation self-study guide. It may be because Mr. Killan has been teaching coastal navigation to sea kayaker for years and he knows what works and what doesn't in getting the point across.

I originally purchased "Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation" by David Burch.
Why? Because I was told by several instructors that it is the `standard'. Well, Mr Burch's book makes for a decent desktop reference guide on kayak navigation (i.e. you want to know more about a particular navigation topic). However, if you want to learn sea kayak navigation this book is not well organized and this makes for a very difficult read (i.e. high snooze factor).

Navigation technique that works!
Well-written, in a humourous style, this little book contains a wealth of information for the beginning and advanced sea kayaker. Trip planning, compass use, tides, currents, and GPS are all well-covered here. Having many books on navigation, this is the one I turn to when refreshing my skills. I recommend it without reservation to my students, and have not heard any complaints, other than persons wishing for a follow-up workbook that presents more examples of real-world navigation problems and step-by step solutions in a hands-on format. An excellent book.