• Nautical terms, Ropework, Anchoring
  • Safety including on board safety equipment, fire precautions and firefighting, lifejackets, flares, VHF procedures, rescue by helicopter and lifeboat
  • International regulations for Prevention of Collisions at sea (Rules of the Road)
  • Definitions of Position, Course and Speed – latitude and longitude, courses and bearings, the knot.
  • Charts and Publications, Drawing Instruments
  • Magnetic Compasses, allowance for variation, awareness of deviation, use of hand bearing compass.
  • Chartwork including dead reckoning, estimated position, leeway, visual fixing, GPS (Satellite) positions, Waypoints, Course to Steer
  • Tides and Tidal Streams including level definitions, tide tables, tidal heights using Admiralty methods, tidal diamonds and tidal stream atlases.
  • Light=houses and buoyage including light characteristics
  • Meteorology including sources of forecasts, terminology, Beaufort scale of wind strength, highs, lows and fronts.
  • Passage Planning for short coastal passages, use of waypoints on passage, navigation discipline and records
  • Conduct in restricted visibility
  • Pilotage including IALA buoyage, transits, clearing lines and back bearings, sailing directions (pilot books) and pilotage plans
  • Protection of the marine environment