• Knowledge of Sea terms and parts of a boat, rigging and sails.
  • Sail Handling – fitting, setting, reefing and general handling of sails, use of sheets and halyards and their associated winches.
  • Ropework – coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and to single and double bollards, handling mooring warps, ability to tie and know how to us the following knots: round turn and two half hitches, bowline, figure of eight, clove hitch, single and double sheet bend, rolling hitch, reef knot.
  • Fire Precautions and Firefighting – fire hazards, fire prevention, extinguishers and actions to take in event of fire.
  • Personal Safety Equipment – rules and use of safety harnesses and lifejackets. Prevention of man-overboard risk.
  • Man Overboard – actions to be taken to recover a man overboard.
  • Emergency Equipment – marine VHF radio, distress flares, liferafts.
  • Manners and Customs – flags, ensigns and burgees, courtesy to neighbouring yachts in harbour, responsibilities of yacht skippers to protect the environment.
  • Rules of the Road – maintaining an effective lookout at sea, assessing collision risk.
  • Dinghies – loading, safety, handling a dinghy under oars.
  • Meteorology – weather forecasts – where to get them, the Beaufort scale for wind speed. Seasickness – can make an effective contribution to the crew even if affected by sea-sickness. (Note that sea-sickness is quite unlikely on the majority of weekend and 5 day courses which take place in relatively sheltered waters).
  • Helmsmanship and Sailing Skills – the principles of sailing and sail trim, sailing manoeuvres – going about and gybeing, points of sail.
  • Steering a compass course under sail and power, sailing close-hauled.