Knowledge

Navigation

- Dead reckoning becomes increasingly important in the event of GPS interference, as the course and speed are continuously plotted on the nautical chart.
- Sources of error include magnetic declination, deviation, wind and current offsets; these are corrected by course conversion and bearing adjustment.
- Plotting ahead, logbook entries and simple aids such as a railing log ensure navigation even without electronic equipment and allow for the calculation of ETA and speed.

Navigation by bearing: From the chart bearing to the correct compass bearing

- ‘He Dreiht’ is currently Germany’s largest offshore wind farm, with a capacity of 960 MW; the safety zone has been permanently closed since March 2026.  
- The joint safety zone covers He Dreiht, BorWin epsilon, Nordlicht I and BorWin kappa; Vessel access to German wind farms will be prohibited from the end of 2025.  
- Further wind farms (Nordlicht I/II, Gode Wind 1–3, NC 1/2, Borkum Riffgrund 3) and grid connections will result in extended restricted areas until at least 2029.

Offshore wind power: ‘He Dreiht’ now operational – the North Sea is getting busier

- GPS can fail due to interference or faults, so terrestrial navigation using a map, compass and bearings remains essential.
- Positioning is carried out using position lines, cross and double bearings, four-point bearings, and distance and depth lines.
- Accuracy requires the correct conversion of compass bearings, suitable bearing objects, reliable navigation and up-to-date nautical charts.

GPS failure on board: How to determine your position

- OhMyWind combines weather, sea state and current data with boat performance curves to enable realistic passage planning without automatic route optimisation.  
- The software uses different weather models depending on the area, takes into account tacking and efficiency factors, but is no substitute for a nautical chart or local knowledge.  
- Multiple departure times can be calculated and analysed via the AI client; decisions regarding the route and departure remain with the user.

Navigation: OhMyWind: Free weather planner with AI integration

- High-quality, sometimes high-resolution weather and routing apps with special models for certain areas are essential for safe cruise planning.  
- The 15 apps presented cover a range from free services to complex professional solutions with routing, satellite connection and plotter functions.  
- Price and subscription models vary greatly; users have to choose between one-off purchases, annual subscriptions and regionally limited packages depending on their needs and budget.

Apps: A comparison of the best weather apps – features and subscriptions

- NATO is conducting the first operational trials of the GANDALF 4 prototype sensor on the vessel ‘Turva’ and an H215 helicopter to detect GNSS jamming and spoofing.
- At the same time, the NCIA is testing CRPA antennas, which ensure GNSS reception under jammed conditions and complement GANDALF by increasing system resilience.
- According to Traficom, the Baltic Sea – particularly the eastern Gulf of Finland – has seen increased GNSS interference since spring 2026, with consequences for navigation and on-board systems.

Navigation: GNSS jamming; NATO tests sensor to counter GPS jamming at sea

- A legervall occurs in onshore winds, waves or currents and can quickly cause yachts that are not at a sufficient distance from the leeward coast to run aground.
- Clusters of accidents, particularly in Seegatten and harbour entrances, are often the result of overconfidence, unfamiliarity with the area and technical failure.
- Prevention: choose the leeward shore, factor in currents and break-off points, keep the anchor clear, keep sails ready to reef, make radio contact early and consider insurance risks.

Avoiding Legerwall: What skippers can learn from the groundings off Norderney

- Light signals have shaped warfare, communication and safety at sea for millennia – from Troy to Pharos to the October Revolution.  
- Beacons and navigation lights made shipping safer, but were also misused, for example in cases of beach raiding or during the sinking of the ‘Wilhelm Gustloff’.  
- Despite GPS and modern electronics, lighthouses remain important as a safety backup, cultural symbols and romantic locations.

History: Lighthouses – More than just coastal romance

- Sea Alert bündelt amtliche Navigationswarnungen aus 21 europäischen Ländern und NAVAREA-Zonen auf einer interaktiven Karte mit Näherungsalarmen.  
- Die App bietet Favoriten, Crewmeldungs-Sharing, eigene Meldungen, integrierten Sofort-Übersetzer und Offline-Modus mit vorab ladbaren Karten.  
- Verfügbar für iOS und Android: 14 Tage kostenlos testbar, danach Jahresabo für 29,99 Euro, nutzbar auf bis zu drei Geräten.

Sicherheit: Navigationswarnungen per App, mit Sea Alert europaweit

Bluecruise sailing app: A wide range of features at an affordable price

Navigation: How good route planning works

- A configuration error in the BSH GeoSeaPortal temporarily made licensed nautical chart data freely accessible; FreeNauticalChart was not at fault.
- The BSH must distribute quality-assured nautical chart products for a fee via licence holders; WMS open data services are classified as ‘not to be used for navigation’.
- Official BSH charts offer higher, traceable data reliability and frequent updates; FreeNauticalChart could establish a commercial model via licensing.

​FreeNauticalChart: The BSH gives its view – Interview with Thomas Dehling

Navigating successfully while sailing ➤ Here's how! ✅ Learning to navigate while sailing: tips, sat nav apps & more! ✅

Navigation while sailing: Learning to navigate at sea

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team-malizia.geovoile.com

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YB Tracking mit Google Maps

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Windfinder Widget

X.com

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Spotify

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Google

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Navigation while sailing: Learning to navigate at sea

Navigation by bearing
From the chart bearing to the correct compass bearing

Offshore wind power
‘He Dreiht’ now operational – the North Sea is getting busier

GPS failure on board
How to determine your position

Navigation
OhMyWind: Free weather planner with AI integration

Apps
A comparison of the best weather apps – features and subscriptions

Navigation
GNSS jamming; NATO tests sensor to counter GPS jamming at sea

Avoiding Legerwall
What skippers can learn from the groundings off Norderney

History
Lighthouses – More than just coastal romance

Sicherheit
Navigationswarnungen per App, mit Sea Alert europaweit

Bluecruise sailing app
A wide range of features at an affordable price

Navigation
How good route planning works

FreeNauticalChart
The BSH gives its view – Interview with Thomas Dehling

Navigation while sailing: Learning to navigate at sea

Navigation by bearingFrom the chart bearing to the correct compass bearing

Offshore wind power‘He Dreiht’ now operational – the North Sea is getting busier

GPS failure on boardHow to determine your position

NavigationOhMyWind: Free weather planner with AI integration

AppsA comparison of the best weather apps – features and subscriptions

NavigationGNSS jamming; NATO tests sensor to counter GPS jamming at sea

Avoiding LegerwallWhat skippers can learn from the groundings off Norderney

HistoryLighthouses – More than just coastal romance

SicherheitNavigationswarnungen per App, mit Sea Alert europaweit

Bluecruise sailing appA wide range of features at an affordable price

NavigationHow good route planning works

​FreeNauticalChartThe BSH gives its view – Interview with Thomas Dehling

Navigation by bearing
From the chart bearing to the correct compass bearing

Offshore wind power
‘He Dreiht’ now operational – the North Sea is getting busier

GPS failure on board
How to determine your position

Navigation
OhMyWind: Free weather planner with AI integration

Apps
A comparison of the best weather apps – features and subscriptions

Navigation
GNSS jamming; NATO tests sensor to counter GPS jamming at sea

Avoiding Legerwall
What skippers can learn from the groundings off Norderney

History
Lighthouses – More than just coastal romance

Sicherheit
Navigationswarnungen per App, mit Sea Alert europaweit

Bluecruise sailing app
A wide range of features at an affordable price

Navigation
How good route planning works

FreeNauticalChart
The BSH gives its view – Interview with Thomas Dehling