CruiserPort University Offers “Navigation for Husbands & Wives” at Newport International Boat Show
CruiserPort University is bringing its popular couples’ seminar, “Navigation for Husbands & Wives,” to the Newport International Boat Show. This focused two-hour class, presented in a relaxed setting at the Newport Blues Cafe, is designed to build confidence and promote teamwork on board. The seminar is ideal for couples who want to share responsibility for safe navigation and enjoy cruising together with greater competence and calm.
The mini-course runs from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, and is tailored for both new boaters and more experienced skippers who want a concise primer on current navigation tools and best practices. Instructor Bob Sweet, a seasoned navigator and the author of The Weekend Navigator, GPS for Mariners, Using GPS and Using GPS with Charts, leads the session. Sweet also consults for OceanGrafix and brings practical, real-world experience to the classroom.
Sweet’s seminar serves as a comprehensive “quick-start” guide to practical navigation. Topics covered include cruise planning, route plotting, underway navigation, position verification and cross-checking, and how to balance electronic tools with traditional paper charts. The class emphasizes simple, reliable techniques—how to use electronic chartplotters and GPS while maintaining essential paper-chart skills, and how to read and account for tides and currents when planning and executing a passage.
Attendees will learn actionable skills they can use immediately: plotting a safe course, identifying navigational hazards, confirming position with multiple sources, and adjusting for tidal set and current. Sweet demonstrates easy-to-follow checks and short procedures that make it more likely both partners can participate confidently in route planning and decision-making. The seminar also highlights team communication, watch rotation, and shared responsibilities to make cruising safer and more enjoyable for couples under power or sail.
Registration options are flexible. Sweet’s navigation seminar is one of eight individual CruiserPort classes available for single-session purchase at $60 each. For those planning to attend multiple sessions, a VIP pass offers access to all eight classes at a substantial savings, providing an efficient way to expand seamanship, systems knowledge, and onboard skills. Note that two additional offerings—Nigel Calder’s “Diesel Engines: Maintenance & Troubleshooting” and “Troubleshooting Marine Electrical Systems”—are full eight-hour courses and are not included with the VIP pass.
CruiserPort is organized by the team behind TrawlerPort but is open to a broader audience: cruisers and aspiring cruisers on a range of vessels, from powerboats to sailing yachts. The program focuses on practical, hands-on learning that helps boaters of varying experience levels become safer, more confident mariners.
The Active Interest Media Marine group publishes several well-known boating magazines, including Soundings, Sail, Power & Motoryacht, Yachts International, Anglers Journal and PassageMaker. These publications support CruiserPort programming and help connect boaters with resources for continued learning.
For additional details about CruiserPort scheduling and class descriptions, visit the PassageMaker website and use the CruiserPort option in the site’s menu. The site includes full course listings, instructor bios, and registration instructions so you can plan which seminars to attend at the Newport International Boat Show.
Whether you are new to boating or looking to refresh navigation basics and the latest technology, “Navigation for Husbands & Wives” offers practical, partner-focused instruction that improves safety, communication, and confidence on the water. Attending this seminar is a solid first step toward shared competence at the helm and a more enjoyable cruising experience together.