CAP headings in rally navigation

CAP is the compass heading used in rally navigation. It gives a directional reference, usually shown as degrees, so riders can confirm the direction they should be travelling.

A heading can be useful in open terrain, ambiguous junctions or areas where tracks are faint. It can confirm that the bike is pointing broadly the right way even when the route feature is hard to read.

CAP should not be read in isolation. The strongest decisions combine distance, tulip shape, terrain, symbols and heading. If those signals disagree, it is a sign to slow the decision down and check your position.

Beginners can over-trust a heading, forget that terrain affects the route, or miss the difference between approximate confirmation and a precise instruction. Practice helps you use CAP as one part of the navigation picture.

Roadbook Ready includes CAP-focused practice so riders can connect headings with tulips, distances and route decisions before the event.