Patent ID: 7280914

Claim:
A navigational aid for a watercraft navigating a waterway comprising: one or more sensors in said watercraft for determining the position of said watercraft with respect to a nearby structure; a feedback device in said watercraft for updating a pilot of said watercraft as to said position; said feedback device is selected from a group consisting of a visual display and an audio device; said visual display displays a navigational chart showing a portion of said waterway being navigated by said watercraft; a computer located in said watercraft, said computer generating said visual display and/or providing said audio feedback; said one or more sensors are coupled to said computer in said watercraft; at least one of said one or more sensors is a GPS receiver in said watercraft; said visual display includes said waterway and said structure and further wherein a representation of said watercraft is overlaid on said display with a graphical indication of the distance of one or more points on said watercraft from one or more portions of said structure; and said overlaid representation of said watercraft represents the actual position and orientation of said watercraft with respect to said structure.