As supposed that no one in their right mind tries to cross the Atlantic or for that matter any ocean only using this work, this work is dedicated to sailing on small freshwater or at least near and in sight of a shore.

Plan your Journey

Always check a nautical chart¹ of the area where you are about to sail, row or motor before you leave. If possible take a recent map with you, just to know where there may be shallows or restricted areas.

Tides and Current

Also check tides, perhaps check the tide currents by sailing several days on the same stretch before undertaking an expedition to the next bay. The tides are surprisingly regular, just add 25 minutes after each high, so they are some 50 minutes later the next day. This goes for European sea and ocean tides, check local conditions before taking sail. The change in tide will cause flow around land ends or between islands.

Rivers are notorious for flowing, actually any river just exists by transporting water to the sea. Even when there are no rapids a river can have a significant flow, at least take into account sailing with the flow will get you way faster then trying to sail up against the flow. Also land ends, breakwaters and dams perpendicular to the shore and in bends of the river can be a hazard for small vessels.

Weather

Before you set sail check the local weather. A predicted change in weather should be given your attention, specially if the prediction includes thunder or storm. Best way is to not be caught by such events during your journey. Even when motoring you should check the wind direction, it is at least a fast way to orientate yourself. You also do not want to ground on the lee shore by being blown the last meter. By motoring along the windward shore you will have less waves anyway.

Rules

On rivers and canals the narrow passage space requires rules for where to pass. Always take the starboard shore side to pass. If the other vessel is big compared to yours give it any space it might need, chances are they can not change course or even can not see you at all. If a collision is imminent you still should do anything to avoid it! A buoy may not be touched, colliding with it is your offence, the buoy is not to blame. Unless you are familiar on a stretch of water do not sail at night. Any vessel, even anchored should carry an all around shining white light after sunset. Larger vessels ² sailing after sunset, should carry a green light on starboard visible from ahead until twentytwo and a half degrees after passing, 22.5° abaft beam. The same angles go for a red light on port bow. A white light should be visible in the remaining segment, 22.5° abaft starboard to 22.5° abaft port.

|
red _|_ green ___
/ \ \ 22.5°
white

Note that this also enables you to recognise the direction of any vessel after sunset.

Check local rules regarding safety equipment! Most often safety gear available and at least in reach for each crew member and passengers is required.

Unless you have negotiated with the harbour authorities you can not use any free box. Most often harbours have a visitors quay, report to the authorities even if you just plan to do some shopping. Fenders and other harbour furniture are not to be used as docking facilities. Just grounding to the dam behind the fenders may be allowed, still report to the harbour authorities for clearance. The harbour office is recognisable by a flag pole, also a weather station on the roof and a clear view of the port entrance from the office is likely.

Landmarks

A basic orientation are landmarks, keep an eye on the cliff, lighthouse, city scape, bridges at regular intervals. Try to estimate the time it takes to sail from one landmark to the next and try not to overestimate your destination. Also note you can see your own motion as two distant landmarks come closer, then further away from eachother. If you are rowing and looking abaft you can use landmarks to stay on course.

Wind and Sun

The wind and sun can be used to orientate your direction, though perhaps they are more temporary then a compass. Wind and sun do not change in a few minutes. Also your wake can be used for these short term directional indications. This may not prevent you from beeing lost, you at least know you are not sailing in tight circles.

Other Vessels and Objects

If the background of an object does not move you are about to hit it. In case of a vessel try to take starboard, in case of a single buoy try to keep on the free, open water side. A series of buoys is to be avoided at all times, chances are a line connects them and most often the area behind them is restricted for some reason ³. Stakes often signal fishing nets try to stay clear. Even if there are no nets under water the stake is fitted in the ground, a shallow is something you also should avoid.

Lost

If you are at sea and you have no idea where you are, no land or buoys anywhere, you have a problem. A compass does not help you very much, it will tell you where north is. Keep any direction, do not change course more then a few degrees. No compass but a watch and not at the equator you can determine North or South. Northen hemisphere; aim the twelve at the sun, halfway between the short hand and the twelve is South. Best chances are to look for birds, clouds or other vessels, if you are still relative near a shore those will indicate a sensible direction.

Another place to get lost is in a swamp. Many estuaries have small creeks islands and shallows all looking the same. Reeds and willows block your horizon at the shore and tides change wide waters into mudbanks. The only realistic solution is to follow the water current, either down if it gets low tide or there is no tide at all, or follow the current up when the tide is rising. Always go to the widest water you see, eventually you will reach civilisation or the sea.

Perhaps your smartphone has a build in Global Positioning System and though out of range for phone calls, can tell you verbally in what direction the nearest harbour is.

Buoys

Buoys can be used to recognise where you are, provided you know their numbers or have a chart at hand. There is however a colour code that can be used to navigate. Channel buoys, marking the fairway in a channel, river, lake or between underwater banks in an estuary. The buoys are placed at least close enough to eachother to just see two in good weather conditions. Staying between the buoys reduces the risk of grounding, however as you are probably not sailing a commercial vessel staying just outside the buoy line is probably the best solution. A sailor returns home with a bleeding heart. This is just a reminder to know port bow is red going home, somewhere inland. The chanel buoys are red on port bow and green on starboard, sailing upstream,

Other buoys you may encounter are less informative without a water chart, there are isolated danger buoys; part black and part red, probably a wreck underwater; stay clear. Some are marking safe water ahead; part red and part white. There are buoys for things regulatory like districts these buoys are yellow, you definitely need that chart for using these. Others you can plan to come by and help recognise the route you had planned, these are bifurcation buoys; part black and part yellow, now only remeber if this was just an island or the side arm of the river you had planned to follow.