NESW
Courses
Advanced Offshore Course

Long-Distance Passages

Master offshore sailing: passage planning, weather routing, safety systems, and celestial navigation — everything you need to cross an ocean with confidence.

5 Visual Diagrams
5 Available Now
Advanced Offshore
$129USD
Enroll Now — $129

What You'll Learn

Six Core Offshore Modules

Passage Planning

Chart your route from harbor to harbor: waypoints, depths, traffic separation schemes, and ports of refuge.

Weather Routing

Read GRIB files and pilot charts, time your weather window, and avoid troughs and fronts offshore.

Safety Systems

EPIRB, jacklines, tethers, life rafts, flares, and MOB procedures for deep-water passages.

Celestial Navigation

Sun sights, star sights, LAN, and running fixes with a sextant — your GPS backup offshore.

Watch Systems

Dog watches, Swedish watches, and 2-to-4 crew rotation schedules that keep everyone rested.

Provisioning

Calorie planning, water budgeting, fuel calculations, and offshore stores for a 1,000-nm passage.

Course Diagrams

Visual Learning Resources

Interactive diagrams designed for offshore sailors — built to study before departure and reference underway.

Diagram 1 of 5

Passage Planning Chart

Newport, RI to Bermuda (~630 nm) with waypoints, the Gulf Stream axis, Bermuda High pressure routing, and alternate ports of refuge.

Open full screen
Course line with waypoints (WP01–WP03)
Gulf Stream axis (2–3 kt northward set)
Bermuda High — weather routing zone
Diagram 2 of 5

Watch System Diagrams

3-hour watches, 4-hour dog watches, and the Swedish rotation — six systems compared for 2-to-4 crew offshore passages.

Open full screen
Crew A — 3-hour / 4-hour watch blocks
Crew B — offset rotation
Dog watches (1600–2000) — daily rotation
Diagram 3 of 5

Heavy Weather Sail Plan

Progressive reefing stages from full sail (0–15 kn) through first reef, second reef, and storm trysail configuration (35+ kn).

Open full screen
Full sail — 0–15 knots
First reef — 15–25 knots
Second reef — 25–35 knots
Storm trysail — 35+ knots
Diagram 4 of 5

Safety Equipment Layout

Top-down plan view of a 42-ft bluewater sailboat showing approved positions for life raft, EPIRB, jacklines, life rings, flares, emergency tiller, fire extinguishers, and first aid.

Open full screen
Life raft, life rings, fire extinguisher, first aid
EPIRB, VHF/DSC radio
Jacklines (fore-aft, both sides) + flares
Emergency tiller — cockpit locker
Diagram 5 of 5

Navigation Fix Diagram

DR (dead reckoning) vs GPS cross-check, running fix from two bearings, COG/SOG vectors, and the cocked-hat triangle explained for offshore navigation.

Open full screen
DR position (dead reckoning)
COG / SOG vector
GPS fix (confirmed position)
Running fix / current vector
NESW

Long-Distance Passages

Ready to sail offshore?

Get the full course — five illustrated offshore diagrams, passage planning tools, and watch schedule references. New diagrams included at no extra charge.

$129Enroll Now — $129

One-time purchase · All future diagrams included