Course Outline
• Duration: Weekend (Friday 20:00 – Sunday 16:00)
• Format: Combination of Classroom theory + Night & Day Practical Sailing
• Prerequisites: RYA Day Skipper standard or equivalent sailing experience
Friday Evening (From 20:00)
• Arrival & Welcome: Meet your skipper and fellow crew.
• Weekend Briefing: Safety overview, course expectations, and initial boat orientation.
Saturday Morning to Early Afternoon (Classroom)
• Weather & Synoptics: Understanding heavy weather systems, forecasting, and reading micro-climates.
• Yacht Preparation & Rigging: Securing the vessel, storm rigging, and heavy weather safety checklists.
• Passage Planning in Tough Conditions: Selecting shelter, identifying lee shores, and managing emergencies.
• Crew Management & Medical: Strategies for managing severe seasickness, cold exposure, hypothermia, and fatigue.
• Navigation & Radar: Understanding COLREG Rule 19 (Conduct of vessels in restricted visibility) and applying radar for collision avoidance.
Saturday Late Afternoon & Evening (Practical On-Water Session)
• Setting Sail: Transitioning to the water for dusk and night operations.
• Night Navigation & Radar: Real-world application of radar tracking and Rule 19 in reduced visibility / dark conditions.
• Night Manoeuvres: Practicing night passage-making and Man Overboard (MOB) recovery in the dark.
Sunday (Full Day Practical On-Water Session)
• Storm Sails: Hoisting, fitting, and trimming a storm jib.
• Depowering & Reefing: Advanced reefing techniques under sail in dynamic conditions.
• Heavy Weather Handling: Steering through chop, managing helm load, and maintaining vessel stability.
• Close-Quarters Control: Executing controlled marina berthing, coming alongside, or picking up a mooring buoy in tough wind and tide conditions.
• Course Debrief & Wrap-up: Return to Chatham Marina for 16:00 departure.
Master tough conditions, build true offshore confidence, and command your yacht when the wind picks up.
Why Book This Course?
Heavy weather can turn a relaxed passage into a high-stress challenge if you aren't prepared. Whether you’re planning offshore passages or are simply looking to expand your comfort zone, this intensive weekend is designed to bridge the gap between textbook theory and real-world heavy weather seamanship.
Hosted on our classroom (Dutch Barge) at Chatham Marina and on the waters of the Medway and Thames Estuary, this course gives you the tactical knowledge, practical hands-on skills, and mental preparedness needed to handle high winds, rough seas, and poor visibility with complete composure.
You’ll learn how to prep your boat, protect your crew, and execute key storm manoeuvres safely and efficiently.
Please Note: While we cover comprehensive heavy weather tactics and seek out challenging conditions where safe, mother nature is ultimately in charge. We cannot guarantee specific wind strengths or stormy weather on any given weekend; however, all practical and theoretical modules will be fully delivered using simulated scenarios and specialised heavy weather rigs regardless of the forecast.
