Navigating is the act of directing a vessel through water, and it requires both sailing and steering. Sailing is the process of propelling a vessel through the water using wind or other forms of propulsion, while steering is the act of controlling the direction of the vessel. The term 'navigates' can be broken down into two crossword solutions: sails (5 letters) and steers (6 letters). Together, these two words describe the act of navigating a vessel.