Theory Session
- Types of craft. Hull types and characteristics
- Engines and drives
- Engine operation and maintenance
- Safety and Seamanship including personal safety, lifejackets and buoyancy aids, flares, first aid kits
- Anchoring, including types of anchor, stowage, depth of water, preparation, check holding, weighing anchor
- Towing disabled craft
- Fire precautions, extinguishers, blankets
- Rules of the road (International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea)
Practical Session
- Preparation of a boat for sea including local regulations, safety equipmenmt, loading, CE marks, use of kill cords, launching and recovery from trailers.
- Ropework and knots including bowline, round turn and two half hitches, clove hitch, sheetbend.
- Boat handling including steering controls, starting and stopping, low speed handling, turning in a confined space, effect of wind on the boat, high speed planing, trim tabs and power trim, S turns, U turns, stopping from speed, displacement craft handling ahead and astern, carrying way.
- Securing to a mooring buoy including preparation of mooring lines, methods of approach in various conditions, crew communication, making fast.
- Berthing alongside including preparation, fenders, methods of securing ropes to cleats, making fast and importance of ‘taking a turn’ on a cleat or bollard, use of springs.
- Man Overboard including initial actions, keeping casualty in sight, recovery manoeuvre, propeller risk, final approach and recovery.
