MONDAY
- 0900 Arrive at classroom and check in
- Welcome and issue of wet weather gear
- Board the motorboat and stow away personal kit and receive a brief tour around the boat
- Instructor's safety briefing covering where and how to use all onboard safety equipment
- Explanation of lifejackets including how and when they are used. Tour of outside deck including training on how to move around safely and basic line handling procedures
- Talk through of pre departure checks including engine checks and the spares that should be carried
- Engine start procedures
- Practice how to slip lines and leave the pontoon followed by a motor down the river with each student having the chance to take the helm. This will give everyone the chance to refresh the basics.
- Plan a short trip to lunchtime stop at anchor practicing steering a compass course and maintaining a lookout on the way
- Discussion on where to anchor and how the crew ready the anchor and it's gear
- 1300 Drop anchor and learn how to ensure the boat is secure. Have lunch
- 1400 Learn how to weigh anchor and head to evening destination. The instructor will skipper the passage and demonstrate MOB procedures on route with each student getting the chance to have a go.
On route each student will have the chance to fix their position by visual means such as taking bearings.
- 1730 Arrive at evening destination and learn how raft to other vessels or secure to a town wall
- 1800 Discussion about different types of craft and hull forms and the difference between planing and displacement craft. Discuss the different drives such as outboard, inboard, shaft, single screw, double screw and so on and how handling and performance varies with each.
- 1900 Go ashore for dinner
TUESDAY
- 0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
- Complete pre departure checks including engine checks
- Slip mooring and motor down the river giving everyone a chance to steer the boat under power
- Practice coming alongside and leaving various pontoons with everyone rotating jobs
- Practice turning in a confined area
- Short trip to a mooring buoy for lunch. Learn how to approach a mooring buoy for given wind and tide conditions. Crew rotate either driving or working on the foredeck to pick up buoy. Learn how to secure to a mooring
- 1300 Lunch at a mooring buoy. Discuss the use of liferafts and how to handle emergencies such as fire or flood or injury to a crew member
- 1400 "Skipper of the day" plans a short trip to evening destination that involves a cross tide situation. Revision of basic collision regulations on route.
- 1730 Arrive at evening destination
- 1800 Debrief the days events
- 1900 Go ashore for dinner
WEDNESDAY
- 0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
- Complete pre departure checks including engine checks
- Slip mooring and get under way giving everyone a chance to steer the boat under power
- 1130 1st "Skipper of the day" plans a short passage to the lunchtime destination which will include entry to a harbour where tidal height is critical.
Practice MOB on route including proper observation of casualty, correct turn and awareness of propellers
- 1330 Lunch at anchor. Discuss maintenance issues such as prevention of common faults, the importance of periodic engine checks, how to clean filters and fuel consumption
- 1430 2nd "Skipper of the day" plans a passage to a night time destination.
- 1500 Depart for evening destination with discussion on route about weather and the factors that affect boat stability
- 1900 Arrive at destination
Debrief the days events
- 1930 Go ashore for dinner
THURSDAY
- 0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
- Complete pre departure checks including engine checks
"Skipper of the day" plans a trip to an anchorage for lunch taking into account tide, wind and pilotage information from charts and almanacs. The instructor will demonstrate what makes a good passage pilotage plan.
- 1300 Lunch at an anchorage or mooring buoy
- 1400 Depart mooring buoy and motor back towards Hamble practicing MOB on route. Discussion on route of GPS and its limitations
Clean up boat, return wet weather gear, followed by debrief and issue of certificates
- 1600 Depart Hamble
*All itineraries are examples and do not form any part of the contract
