Aim: To teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a motor cruiser (at least 7m LOA) safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night.
- 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 strateqy
Understands fuel consumption at different spreeds and can calculate fuel required for the passage including reserve
Aware of effects of fouling 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 sounding, 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 the motor cruiser and direct the crew
Can organise the navigation, deckwork and domestic duties of a motor cruiser on passage
Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends. Is aware of the 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 - Radar
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 various conditions of wind and tide
Can berth and unberth in simple situations using one engine on a twin-engined boat. Use of lines during this
Avoids excessive use of power - Adverse weather conditions
Preparation for heavy weather and handling in strong winds
Navigation and general conduct in restricted visability - Emergency situations
Recovery of man overboard. Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues
