Once you venture onto the ocean, or even a medium-sized lake, you need navigational equipment and skills. Navigational equipment for a kayak contains just four items: chart, waterproof chart case, marine compass, and Nav-Aid (to quickly translate direction on your chart into compass direction). All are available in our Paddling Store. If you have questions about how to use these items, visit us and ask!

Navigational skills, on the other hand, come from instruction and practice. Learn the basics during our two-hour navigation classroom session on May 25. This class covers reading nautical charts, using a compass and Nav-Aid, using tide and current tables, and planning your trips.

Back up your class with reading material, like David Burch's excellent Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation, also available in our Paddling Store. Written specifically for kayakers, this book offers a more in-depth look at navigational techniques than is possible in a two-hour class.