COASTAL SKIPPER TIDAL SYLLABUS

 The aim of the course is to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a cruising yacht (7 to 15m LOA) safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night.

1. Passage planning

• Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigations, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy
• Knows Customs procedures

2. Preparation for sea

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

3. Pilotage

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

4. 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 a 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Adverse weather conditions

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

8. Emergency situations

• Recover a man overboard under power and sail
• Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues