Sailing with Attitude's Sailing Courses

COURSES & WORKSHOPS - Level 2 - Coastal Skipper - Yachtmaster Offshore

1 - Coastal Navigation - 2 - Marine Meteorology - 3 - Passage Planning - 4 - Seamanship Nautical Knowledge

Coastal Navigation course

"A good navigator gathers information from every available source, evaluates this information, determines a fix, and compares that fix with a predetermined 'dead reckoning' (DR) position. A good navigator constantly evaluates the ship's position, anticipates dangerous situations well before they arise, and always keeps 'ahead of the vessel'. He/she must also understand the basic concepts of the many navigation systems used today, evaluate their practicality in specific circumstances and outputs accuracy, and arrive at the best possible navigational decisions." (Bowditch)

Being competent in all forms of navigation is essential. It has been proved so many times that reliance on GPS only can be a disaster in the making. There will be many instances where visual observations are indispensable to safe pilotage, which is the most challenging form of navigation for example.

It is a requirement for the Coastal Skipper Certificate and the Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate.

Syllabus

• Positions and Directions on the Earth's Surface

• Navigational Publications

• Fixing the ship by all available means

• Visual and audible aids to navigation (Colregs)

• Tide Theory and practical execises (set, rate, drift). Secondary ports. A very important part of this course!!

• Leeway

• Sextant: understanding, use. Horizontal and Vertical sextant angles.

• Practical Navigation

• Electronic navigation and wheelhouse equipment

• Emergency Navigation

• Examination.

Duration: 2 x 1 full day (1 week apart) + internet interactive homework (shorebased and onboard classes). A practical session is included. Course notes supplied on DVD (pdf format).

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Cyclone Isbella - the wall of the cyclone	500 Hpa map for mid-range forecasting

Marine Meteorology course

An accurate appreciation of weather signs and prognostics, the ability to read and understand meteorological instruments, the understanding of weather reports and charts, and a necessary knowledge to put these into an overall picture can sometimes be a matter of life or death to the mariner.

The purpose of this course is to help you develop the knowledge and the ability to make relevant observations to be able to forecast cahnges likely to happen within 2 to 3 days, at time longer. This is not a substitute to offical forecast, however, many students have reported they have been able to assess changes with a great deal of precision on their own. Most of the course is based on visual presentations, both videos and stills, showing the evolution of weather systems, from early stages to the event. All visuals have been recorded while onboard to make it as realistic as possible. There will be a lot of theory to back up the visuals.

Material projected on screen in classroom

Course Syllabus:

• Weather Elements - Meteorological concepts - Instruments

• Air masses

• High and Low Pressure Systems - Fronts - Troughs - Ridges

• The "Weather Map" - Special maps (500mb)

• Winds - Cloud - Fog

• Waves

• Visibility

• Tropical Revolving Storms

• Weather Services

• Practical observations gathering and forecasting

Duration: 2 x 1 full-day theory classes (one week apart) followed by a period in which students have to complete assignements to put things into practice, then another half-day class to assess results and address issues. Students are required to make their own observations during the course. Notes supplied.

We use a lot of visual material in this course to re-create on screen the sequences of meteorological events

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Passage Planning workshop

In this workshop you will learn to put all elements of meteorology, navigation and seamanship together to plan a safe passage. This will include strategies and vessel/crew preparatuion

Duration: 1 session of 4 hours each + homework

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Seamanship/Nautical Knowledge workshop

Good seamanship is primarily about self-sufficiency and the ability to adapt to any situation in a calm and efficient manner. Seamanship is about attitude! It is so vast a field that learning and practising it will take a lifetime. This course aims at teaching you some of the fundamentals by breaking the notion of seamanship into several sections - keeping in mind that there is no substitute for experience.

The training is extensive and very technical including in great details: the vessel, stability, engineering, steering mechanisms, emergency procedures and repairs at sea, heavy weather preparation and handling, ropework and more.

Duration: 1 full-day session + homework. Notes supplied.

Note: The schedule of this workshop is flexible to match training requirements with weather conditions.

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