Overview of situations when it is safer to abandon ship, and when it isn’t. Learn to establish crew roles and responsibilities during an Abandon Ship procedure. Learn the types of personal survival equipment used. Overview of how a life raft is launched.
Where feasible, we will work directly with an expired life raft to practice deployment of it for a real-world experience (in protected waters).
Learn the basics of reading weather, including cloud identification, atmospheric pressure, pressure systems, and the Coriolis Effect. Learn where to find weather charts and surface charts, and how to read them. Review common on-board weather stations and how to use them.
We’ll perform this endorsement aboard our fleet vessel, providing students with an interactive experience of on-board systems.
Overview of types of spinnakers and when they are used. Learn how to set up and hoist a spinnaker. Learn to trim the spinnaker and use the spinnaker pole. Learn to safely drop the spinnaker and stow it.
Weather permitting, we will practice with on-the-water deployment and dousing of a spinnaker.
Heavy weather sailing tends to be characterised by high winds, large waves, and other adverse weather conditions that can make navigation and control of the boat difficult. Learn to prepare a boat ahead of time for possibility of heavy weather. Overview of establishing crew procedures, including personal gear, safety equipment, and movements around the boat. Learn sail reduction strategies to keep the boat under control and prevent overpowering.
We’ll perform this endorsement in local waters with a return to dock at the end of the class (no overnighters). Scheduling for this endorsement is weather dependent.
Learn close-quarters handling, including skills like coming alongside a mooring buoy or vessel, stopping in place, turning 360-degrees, and sailing off anchor. Learn sailing strategies you can use to sail through a tight anchorage or mooring field, under sail alone.
Practice preparing a passage plan including course, weather, current/tide considerations (workshop pre-work). Practice implementing the passage plan using a chart plotter and enroute weather reports. Practice navigation in restricted waters including approaches/departures. Review and practice visual navigation techniques. Undertake an offshore passage not less than 600 miles.
We will make passage inside the Sea of Cortez. Exact destinations may vary with student preference and local weather/water conditions.
Students may choose between the following two options:
Overview of what is a tide and what is a tidal current, and how these affect sailing, navigation, speed, entering/leaving harbours, and docking/anchoring. Learn about types of tides (high tide, low tide, spring tide, neap tide), and types of currents (tidal current, ocean current). Learn how to determine tides and tidal currents and consider them in your sailing.
Overview of different types of flares and signaling devices, and their uses. Learn the various situations for their use, when they would be necessary or vital. Learn how to inspect the condition of your flares, where to store them aboard for access, how many to have, etc.
Practice preparing a passage plan including course, weather, current/tide considerations (workshop pre-work). Practice implementing the passage plan using a chart plotter and enroute weather reports. Practice navigation in restricted waters including approaches/departures. Review and practice visual navigation techniques. Undertake an offshore passage not less than 200 miles, with 2 overnighters.
We will undertake a passage across the Sea of Cortez, arriving in Bahia Concepcion for a day of recuperation, before returning across the Sea for the second leg of our offshore passagemaking.
Overview of situations that lead to overboard situations, and how to reduce/eliminate incidences of overboard occurrences. Overview of what happens to an overboard person, and options for recovery given various weather and conditions. Learn equipment used to effect recovery attempts.
Weather permitting, we will engage in on-the-water scenarios and rescue device deployments.
Radar offers a significant aid to navigation and safety, showing objects around the boat even in darkness, precipitation and poor visibility. Learn how to operate radar equipment and understand the readouts. Learn how to verify readouts against reality and charts. Learn basic safety when working around radar.
Overview of different kinds of moorings, including piers & buoys, and considerations for using each. Learn procedure for preparing to moor, coming up on a mooring, securing the mooring, and assessing position of the boat on the mooring in relation to local surroundings.
Weather permitting, we will perform on-the-water mooring demonstrations.
Overview of practical navigation methods at sea (electronic and analog). Learn to determine your real-time position on the water, your speed, and direction of travel. Learn to get from point “A” to point “B” via waypoints. Learn to connect waypoints to create a navigational route. Overview of using landmarks for reference when in sight of shore.
This endorsement takes place in local waters with a return to dock (no overnighters).
Practice preparing a passage plan including course, weather, current/tide considerations (workshop pre-work). Practice implementing the passage plan using a chart plotter and enroute weather reports. Practice navigation in restricted waters including approaches/departures. Review and practice visual navigation techniques. Undertake an offshore passage not less than 60 miles.
We will undertake passages within the Sea of Cortez, checking out local islands, before returning back to our home port.
Review cruising keelboat diesel engine usage and effects. Practice preparing and starting engine and ensuring safe operation. Practice engine/rudder combination for operating under power. Practice engine-only operation in tight quarters (e.g., marina fairway). Practice maneuvering with prop walk.
Review standard docking procedures including line and fender configuration in various weather and current conditions. Practice hand signals and calling distances for safe and effective communication while docking. Practice docking and tying a sailboat in side-tie configuration. Practice docking and tying a sailboat in a slip. Practice docking tips-and-tricks using engines and rudders (e.g., using propwash to move perpendicularly away from/to a dock).
Review of basic operation of diesel engine and how it works. Review of key parts and terminology of marinized diesel engine, and what each part does. Overview of how to inspect each key part and perform basic maintenance. Discussion of common issues and how to troubleshoot.
This is the best training money can buy to get you started with a solid foundational knowledge for servicing and troubleshooting your diesel. A must for all boat owners!
Review basic operation of VHF, Radar, and AIS equipment and how these systems work together. Overview of limitations and important information about these systems. Review everyday radio operating techniques and emergency radio procedures. Review applications for radar use, safety, and reading display output. Review reading AIS output, transmitting/receiving, and using AIS with radar display and chartplotters.
Review anchor gear and effective anchoring techniques. Practice hand signals for safe and effective communication while anchoring. Practice planning for anchoring and weighing anchor. Practice anchoring in various tidal, current, and wind conditions. Practice effective use of anchor bridle. Review special anchoring situations (crowded anchorage, strong currents, multiple anchors, etc.)
We will perform various anchoring demonstrations in local waters.
Overview of different safety considerations for sailing at night versus during the day. Learn about setting crew shifts for managing tiredness and crew safety. Learn about the use of onboard equipment for monitoring boat surroundings, including radar and AIS.
We will do a crossing of the Sea of Cortez (approx. 19 hour sail), spending a day in Bahia Concepcion for recuperation, before returning across the Sea for a second night of experiencing night sailing!