The focus of this course is on the planning of long passages, with particular attention to tides, pilotage and weather. A must for:
- all skippers who have been day sailing in coastal waters and want to adventure in longer passages, by day and by night and in tidal waters.
- all those that aim at taking the Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore practical exam.
Course type: Theory
Duration: 2 Weekends (2 days + 3 days)
Location: Classroom course
Included: 40 hours tuition over 2 weekends, Training pack (RYA Yachtmaster theory Handbook, RYA training charts, Training almanac, breton plotter, dividers), Coffee and snack during the breaks
Not included: lunches, overnight stays
The course takes place over two weekends, with sufficient time in between to study. The focus of the course is on the planning of long passages, including pilotage in and out of harbours. We will refresh all the basic elements of navigation (lights, buoyage, COLREGS, course to steer, etc). Then we will spend quite some time on tides and tidal streams, secondary ports, passage planning, pilotage and weather. Finally we will carry out a number of exercises using the training charts and almanac included in the training pack.
At the end, we will go through three exam papers to obtain the 'Yachtmaster Shorebased certificate'. This is an essential step to then proceed to the Yachtmaster practical exam...
You can book directly online by first choosing your preferred dates below and then clicking the 'Add to cart' button. Or you can also give us a call or send us an email with your desired dates. We will then get back to you with a confirmation. Once you book the course, we will send you the course pack (containing the RYA Handbook, RYA training charts and almanac, Breton plotter, dividers) so you can start browsing through. We will also send you the detailed joining instructions.
For a more detailed summary of the course Syllabus please scroll all the way down
999,00 €
Final price
Any questions or doubts? Contact us:
+43 664 88360842 or info@white-wake.com
Position
- Dead reckoning and estimated position
- Satellite-derived position
- Use of waypoints to fix position
- Basics of Radar operation, Radar fixes
- Techniques of visual fixing, fixes using a mixture of position lines
- Relative accuracy of different methods of position fixing
- Areas of uncertainty
The magnetic compass
- Allowance for variation
- Change of variation with time and position
- Causes of deviation, allowance for deviation
Tides
- Causes of tides – springs and neaps
- Tide tables – sources, tidal levels and chart datum
- Standard and secondary ports
- Tidal Streams
- Sources of tidal information
- Tidal stream information in sailing directions and yachtsmen’s almanacs
- Allowance for tidal streams in computing a course to steer
- Tide rips, overfalls and races, tidal observation buoys, beacons etc
Lights and Buoyage
- IALA Buoyage
- Characteristics of lights, using lights as navigational aids.
- Rising and dipping distances
- Light lists
Pilotage
- Harbour regulations and control signals
- Methods of pre – planning
- Clearing lines, Use of soundings, Transits and leading lines
GPS and chart plotters
- Principals of operation and limitations of use
- Raster and vector charts
- Datum
- Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source and keeping a record of position
- Importance of paper charts
- Principles of operation and limitations of use of Echo sounders
Logs (speed and distance measuring)
- Principals of operation and limitations of use
- Deck Log
- Importance of the log as yacht’s official document
- Layout of log, hourly and occasional entries
Meteorology
- Basic terms, the Beaufort scale
- Air masses, Cloud types
- Weather patterns associated with pressure and frontal systems
- Sources of weather information
- Ability to interpret a shipping forecast, weather fax and weather satellite information
- Land and sea breezes, Sea fog
- Use of a barometer as a forecasting aid
Rules of the road
- A deep down into the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
Safety at Sea
- Personal safety, use of lifejackets, safety harnesses and lifelines
- Fire prevention and fire fighting
- Distress signals
- Coastguard and Boat Safety Scheme
- Preparation for heavy weather
- Liferafts and helicopter rescue
- Understanding of capabilities of vessel and boat knowledge of stability
Navigation in restricted visibility
- Precautions to be taken in fog
- Limitations to safe navigation imposed by fog
- Navigation strategy in poor visibility
Passage planning
- Preparation of charts and notebook for route planning and making, and use at sea
- Customs regulations as they apply to yachts
- Routine for navigation in coastal waters
- Strategy for course laying, Use of waypoints and routes;
- Use of weather forecast information for passage planning strategy
- Sources of local and national regulations
Marine Equipment
- Responsibility to minimise pollution and protect the marine environment