Sailor, author, historian and seamanship guru Tom Cunliffe it to lead a new short course at the Boat Building Academy (BBA) in Lyme Regis – a Traditional Navigation masterclass equipping sailors with the skills and confidence to find safe passage at sea without any electronic assistance.
Tom, 79, has traversed the Atlantic from the Arctic to the South Atlantic, and travelled east to west as far as you can go, shaping how generations of sailors learn, think, and talk about seamanship.
During the five-day Trad Nav course, he will guide participants in how to use the time-honoured systems of position fixing, course shaping and tidal effects to enable them to reach safe harbour if electronics fail, and drawing on his vast historical knowledge will share how Trad Nav has and continues to serve as a vital link to the centuries of maritime heritage which connect modern seafarers to the wisdom, discipline and craftmanship of traditional sailing.
“I’m thrilled to be offering a Trad Nav course at the BBA,” he said.
“Not only for the chance to share some of these timeless skills with others, but also to return to the BBA – a place which is so committed to one of my other passions – beautiful wooden boats.
“Trad Nav was vital during the entirety of my life at sea from 1969 until the mid-late ’90s when GPS became realistically available. Trad Nav did everything. There was no alternative, nor did we need one.
“Electronic navigation is now part of everyday life for sailors. But electronics do have the tendency to go ‘Fut!’ when you least expect it, particularly so in the many still-unreliable communication spots around the world, and when this happens, it can leave you alarmingly unaware of your position and at the mercy of your surroundings.
“Trad Nav enables you to take out a chart, a paper log, and simple instruments tested over hundreds of years to identify where you are, and any possible hazards, so you can plot a course to a safe haven.
“What makes our course at the BBA particularly attractive is that unlike other Trad Nav courses we will be using paper charts featuring real world locations in the UK and on the Continent. These charts use true hydrography and geography and are digitally compliant with GPS coordinates, enabling real life pilotage at sea.”
Tom continued: “For me personally, having the ability to use techniques used by Captain Cook is also a deeply joyous thing, which makes me feel aware not only of my position on the water, but also in the world. Even in this fast-moving, modern world I think it has huge value and appeal, whether you are a new or experienced sailor who wants to be best equipped if the lights suddenly go out, or you are interested in the history of it.”
Commander Tim Gedge, who founded the BBA in 1997, agreed with the importance of having a fail-safe in times of emergency: “Having taught yacht navigation from the days before technology began to take over and having seen the consequences for people at sea without the basic skills, I am convinced that a proper understanding of traditional navigation methods is essential.
“Total electrical failure on an unpleasant night crossing to France and without any backup, left one skipper I was mentoring in despair. My personal chart, properly marked but hidden from him showed us exactly where we were.”
The BBA offers hands-on professional and hobbyist training in wooden boat building, furniture-making, and marine crafts through a variety of courses ranging from one-day short courses to its flagship 40-week residential boat building programme.
The Trad Nav course takes place from 16 – 20 November, for more information and to book please visit: Traditional Navigation – Boat Building Academy and Furniture School
