"Ahoy, Water Sweepers! Captain Percy here. Whether you're on a 14-foot skiff or a 30-foot center console, knowing how to navigate safely — and find where the fish are hiding — is one of the most important skills on the water. Let's dive in!"
Boat Navigation & Fish Finders
Whether you're on a 14-foot skiff or a 30-foot center console, knowing how to navigate safely and find where the fish are hiding is one of the most important skills on the water. Nautical charts show water depth, hazards, channel markers, shoals, and restricted areas — every boater should know how to read one, even if you rely on electronics. Modern chartplotters combine GPS positioning with digital nautical charts so you can see exactly where your boat is relative to channels, reefs, and shallow water in real time. Fish finders use sonar — sound waves — to show what's beneath your hull: water depth, bottom structure, baitfish schools, and game fish, all in near real time. But electronics can fail — always carry a paper chart backup and a handheld compass, because electronics lose power, GPS signals get blocked, and chartplotter databases can be outdated. Knowing the basics saves lives.
