2012 Dates

Syllabus

Passage planning

• Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the motor cruiser, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy
• Understands fuel consumption at various speeds and can calculate fuel required for passage including reserve
• Aware of the effects of fouling on boat speed and fuel consumption
• Knows customs procedures

Preparation for sea

• Is aware of safety equipment for offshore passages
• Can prepare a motor cruiser for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment, fuel and engine checks

Pilotage

• Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of soundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations
• Can pilot a motor cruiser by day and night.

Passage making and ability as skipper

• Can take charge of a motor cruiser and direct the crew
• Can organize the navigation, deckwork and domestic duties of a motor cruiser on passage
• Aware of the significance of meteorological trends
• Is aware of crew welfare on passage
• Can use electronic navigational equipment for pre-planning and undertaking a passage and can update when underway, especially the use of waypoints and routes.

Passage making and ability as skipper

• Understands the use of radar as an aid to navigation, pilotage, collision warning and collision avoidance

Boat handling

• Can control the boat effectively in a confined space including all berthing and unberthing situations in all conditions of wind and tide
• Can berth and unberth in simple situations using one engine on a twin engine boat and the use of lines whilst doing this
• Avoids excessive use of power

Adverse weather conditions

• Preparation for heavy weather and handling in strong winds
• Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility

Emergency situations

• Recovery of man overboard
• Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter rescues

Award

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical tidal course certificate and the recommendation appropriate for the RYA International Certificate of Competence together with advice on the correct MCA Practical Examination to aim for.

Option

This course runs on our twin engine Haines 35 over a period of up to five days. The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal practical examination can be booked to be included in, or follow on, from the course.