About Nav Rallies
Overview
The Martha Cove Chapter runs Nav Rally Time Trial events for power and sail on courses starting & finishing in Dromana Bay near the entrance to Martha Cove.
Check out the Events Calendar on our website and then head over to the Power HQ page for all the information.
The Martha Cove Chapter runs Nav Rally Time Trial events for power and sail on courses starting & finishing in Dromana Bay near the entrance to Martha Cove.
Check out the Events Calendar on our website and then head over to the Power HQ page for all the information.
What is a Nav Rally
A "Nav Rally" or Navigation Rally, also known as a “Time Trial” or “Predicted Log” event,
Boats start individually at their allocated start time,
It’s easy, fun, competitive and will improve boat handling and navigation skills.
A "Nav Rally" or Navigation Rally, also known as a “Time Trial” or “Predicted Log” event,
- is a fun competitive event for power and sail boats motoring under power.
- it is not a race.
- accurately navigate a defined GPS course at your chosen constant speed over ground
- try to arrive at each waypoint at the predicted time
- 1 penalty point for each second early or late at each mark
- winner is the boat with the least penalty points
Boats start individually at their allocated start time,
- Slower boats start first at 2 minute intervals
- faster boats have delayed starts to minimize prospect of overtaking slower boats.
It’s easy, fun, competitive and will improve boat handling and navigation skills.
Social Get Togethers Afterward
A Nav Rally event provides good socializing opportunities for guests and crew on board, and with other boats for a raft up or similar afterwards.
A Nav Rally event provides good socializing opportunities for guests and crew on board, and with other boats for a raft up or similar afterwards.
Nav Rally is popular at many clubs
Nav Rally events have a long history in many yacht clubs in Australia. It is especially popular at many Perth yacht clubs, where they call it Time Trialing.
It is also practised at clubs in Port Phillip, notably Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club and Sandringham Yacht Club.
South of Perth Yacht Club presents a good introduction to time trialing with a Video as practiced in WA. Their detailed practices are different from ours, but the concept is well presented.
Nav Rally events have a long history in many yacht clubs in Australia. It is especially popular at many Perth yacht clubs, where they call it Time Trialing.
It is also practised at clubs in Port Phillip, notably Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club and Sandringham Yacht Club.
South of Perth Yacht Club presents a good introduction to time trialing with a Video as practiced in WA. Their detailed practices are different from ours, but the concept is well presented.
Martha Cove Chapter Nav Rally Practice
We've researched and talked to other clubs in Port Phillip and in WA to see how they do it.
We've put together a modern, simplified variation to suit our needs:
Our emphasis is on fun, social events not hard core competition. With a view to participating with other Port Phillip clubs.
Learn about the details of a rally in the Nav Rally explanation document
The main steps to participate are:
We've researched and talked to other clubs in Port Phillip and in WA to see how they do it.
We've put together a modern, simplified variation to suit our needs:
- no sign boards or manned check points,
- GPS Course provided as .GPX file to load into your chart plotter
- Predicted Log Form provided with all leg distances, bearings, and times
- requirement to travel at constant speed over ground (compensations allowed)
- Self timing at each waypoint - each boat records its own times
- no intermediate check points between waypoints
Our emphasis is on fun, social events not hard core competition. With a view to participating with other Port Phillip clubs.
Learn about the details of a rally in the Nav Rally explanation document
The main steps to participate are:
- Enter the event via our SailSys online entry system and specify your boat, crew and compliance details
- Download & Familiarize with the Course details
- Choose your nominated constant boat speed 5-15 knots
- Receive your Log Form by email
- Download and load the route.gpx file into your chart plotter or mobile app
- Navigate the course according to the Nav Rally rules
- Accurately record the times you pass each mark
- Send your completed Log Form to the event officer for scoring
Nav Rally Courses
- courses typically 8-12 Nm designed to suit Nav Rally practices and boat speeds
- use "Virtual Marks" usually located 200 metres from corresponding physical marks
- keep clear from possible traffic in shipping channel and 5 knot speed zones along the beaches
Course Description Documents
Download course Description documents for details for each course and print in colour for you & your crew's easy reference on the day.
Download course Description documents for details for each course and print in colour for you & your crew's easy reference on the day.
- Course data is available on the Power HQ page
GPS Chart Plotter or Mobile Device App
You will need either a GPS Chart Plotter on your boat, or a GPS boating navigation app on your mobile phone or tablet.
Each Nav rally course is provided as a .GPX file which you can automatically load into your mobile app or compatible chart plotter. Or in the worst case, you can manually enter the Lat/Long coordinates of the waypoints into your chart plotter.
We've reviewed several mobile apps for suitability and report in detail with screenshots of some of them. If you don't have a suitable chart plotter on your boat these are very usable.
We suggest:
You will need either a GPS Chart Plotter on your boat, or a GPS boating navigation app on your mobile phone or tablet.
Each Nav rally course is provided as a .GPX file which you can automatically load into your mobile app or compatible chart plotter. Or in the worst case, you can manually enter the Lat/Long coordinates of the waypoints into your chart plotter.
We've reviewed several mobile apps for suitability and report in detail with screenshots of some of them. If you don't have a suitable chart plotter on your boat these are very usable.
We suggest:
- TZ iBoat or iSailor for iPhone/iPad - available from Apple App Store.
- Navionics Boating or iBoating for Android - available from Google Play.
- EasyGPS for PC - available from EasyGPS
