The aim of the course is to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a yacht safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night. By the end of the course, the student is expected to have demonstrated their ability in the following areas.
- Passage planning
- Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capabilities of the yacht, navigation, provisioning (food equpment etc), weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy
- Knows customs procedures
- Preparation for sea
- Can prepare a yacht for sea including safety briefing, delegating responsibilities, equipment/engine checks, watch keeping and stowage.
- Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages
- Pilotage
- Can pilot a yacht by day and night
- Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of soundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations
- Passage making and ability as skipper
- Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew
- Can organise the navigation, deckwork and domestic duties of a yacht on passage
- Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends
- Is aware of crew welfare on passage
- Can use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes
- Yacht handling under power
- Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power
- All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide
- Yacht handling under sail
- Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space
- Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide
- Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing
- Adverse weather conditions
- Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds