Now that you know how to take a bearing and plot a course, the next thing you will need to figure out is where you are. Usually, you can do this well enough by keeping track of where you started and where you went, but sometimes this is not enough. By taking a single bearing you can get a rough idea of your position; by taking two bearings, you can pinpoint your exact location.

We start by taking one or two bearings as in figure below. Using the two known positions is called "Taking a Fix".

1. Take a bearing to an object (lighthouse in figure above). Example of 300º Magnetic.
2. Adjust the field bearing to a chart heading by adding or subtracting for the variation. Example of 13º west variation for a heading of 287º true in figure below.
3. Put the front corner of the compass base on the item you took the bearing to (lighthouse).
4. Rotate the compass base until the lines (orienting lines) in the housing are parallel with the north/south (meridian) lines on the map. Don't rotate the dial, move the whole base, so the heading stays the same.
5. When the lines are parallel you are someplace on the line with the one edge of the compass, as in figure below.
6. By repeating this with another object (island) you can pin point you position where the two lines intersect. If you couldn't take a second bearing, then you must guess the distance to the object (lighthouse) and you have an approximate location.

1. Take a bearing to an object (lighthouse in figure at top of page). Example of 300º Magnetic.
2. Put the center of the Nav-Aid© (where the bearing line comes out of it) on the point you took the bearing to (lighthouse).
3. Rotate the Nav-Aid© until the magnetic lines you have drawn on the Nav-Aid© are parallel with the north/south (meridian) lines on the chart and north points to north on the chart. If you are closer to a east/west line you can use the perpendicular line you drew instead of the north/south lines.
4. Pull the bearing line across 300º on the inner ring of the Nav-Aid©.
5. If you took only one bearing, you are somewhere along that the bearing line. Using the mile marks on the Nav-Aid© bearing line, you can estimate the distance to the object for an even better idea of your position.
6. If you took two bearings, repeat steps 3 and 4 on the second object (island). Your exact location is the point where the two lines intersect.

Using a Nav-Aid© is the quickest and easiest way to plot a course. Remember to change the magnetic line on the Nav-Aid© for the area in which you are paddling, as well as the mile marks on the bearing line for the chart you are using. You'll find it convenient to secure the Nav-Aid© to the deck of the kayak and tuck it under the bungie cords when not in use.