North

North is the primary cardinal direction used as a reference for marine navigation, shown as 000° or 360° on a compass rose. Courses, bearings, chart orientation and weather directions are commonly described relative to north, either as true north or magnetic north depending on the navigation system in use.

For boaters, north is fundamental to setting a Heading, reading a Compass, and interpreting Wind Direction. A northerly wind comes from the north, while a northbound course takes the vessel towards the north. Confusing true and magnetic references can create course errors, especially on longer coastal or offshore passages.

In PredictWind forecasts, routing and GRIB displays, north helps orient maps, wind arrows, swell direction and route legs consistently. When using Weather Routing, checking north-up chart views and direction references helps ensure forecast conditions match your intended track and onboard instruments.