Watchkeeper/Flotilla Skipper Syllabus
- Professional trainers
- Challenging cruising area
- Tropical climate
- Broad range of yachts
- Affordable prices
Overview
The IYT Watchkeeper syllabus is set to give you a broad range of knowledge required to take command of the boat in fair weather, in daylight hours in sight of land. It covers all the subjects required to prepare the boat, plan the passage, instruct the crew and command the vessel at sea.
The syllabus separates theory and practical instruction and subjects covered in theory are then put into practice in the next practical session on a yacht. The course includes at least one night out at sea under way where ships lights and buoyage lights can be experienced.
During the crew course you will cover and log at least 130 Sea Miles on a variety of yachts.
Syllabus
Command
- Importance of taking command of the watch
- Brief your crew and answer questions
- Ensure they are rested and fit for duty
- Ensure they have adequate food and sleep
- Be prepared to call the Captain if in doubt.
Nautical Knowledge
- Naval Architecture
- Centre of Effort
- Centre of Lateral resistance
- Lee Helm, Weather helm, Balance helm
- Hydrodynamic lift
Ropes and Rope work
- Types of ropes, qualities, advantages and uses
- Learn to tie an know the use of the following knots:
- - round turn and two half hitches, clove hitch, figure of eight stop knot bowline, reef knot, rolling hitch and sheet bend.
Basic Rules of the Road
- Study Rules 4-19
- Collision avoidance, lights, shapes and sounds afloat
- Identification of collision targets
- Actions required by stand on and give way vessels
Introduction to Weather
- Weather identification, squall recognition, line squalls
- Visibility issues
- Cold weather, hot weather
- Lee shore
Navigation
Students will plan all the details of an actual passage of a period including night sailing to be carried out during the following practical session including:
- Course consideration of hazards, tidal gates, daylight hours etc.
- Waypoints located and plotted
- Bearings calculated for each waypoint including allowance for variation
- Distance between way points
- Time to reach each waypoint at estimated average speed
- Total journey time
- Expected tidal currents during the passage
- Expected wind during the passage
- Calculate probable impact of current and wind direction on proposed course and journey time
- Estimated position plotting
Charts and Compass
- Chart symbols
- Light identification
- Leading lights
- Plotting courses and position
- True North – Magnetic North
- Variation and Deviation errors
- Course, Track, Bearing and Heading
- Tides – Tide Tables, Currents, rip tides, tidal gates
- Electronic aids to navigation.
Sails and Sail Handling
- Reefing systems
- Furling systems
- Sail selection, battened mainsail, storm sails, spinnaker, Genoa, ghoster, screecher etc
- Decision to reef or unreef
- Balance the boat
- Sail Trimming
Boat handling under sail/power
- Effects of wind, tide and currents
- Commands to crew for all basic maneuvers
- Man overboard (MOB)
- Anchors and Anchoring
First Aid
All following topics are discussed together with the recommended remedy for first aid provider. Substantial review of treatment for cuts, bleeding, broken bones, heart attack, stroke, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, bites, eye injuries, near drowning, choking.
Additoinal practical
On the practical section each student will take the role of Watchkeeper for a portion of an extended cruise.
Vessel safety checks
- Hull and Rig Checks
- Machinery and systems checks
- Instrument checks
- Safety equipment checks
- Spare tools and equipment
- Fuel and water – capacity and state
- Provisions, menus, galley equipment
- Course plan lodged with responsible person
Sails and sail handling
- Slab Reefing, furling reefing – in mast reefing
- Storms sails and their advantages
- Spinnaker, MPS and poling out
Sailing Vessel Handling Skills
- Helming
- Tacking and gibing with crew
- Coming alongside under power with crew
- Pickling up a mooring with crew
- Heave to
- Anchoring and retrieving
- Short handed sailing
- Safe haven
- Sea room
- Leeward shoreline
- Heavy weather issues
- MOB, anchoring, pick up a mooring buoy
Related topics:
Sent by Stephan Stall's wife, just out the gate and feeling like a Captain again.
Sent to us by Jason, taken off Ko Mak during 2006 flotilla. "It makes those G&T's taste so much better".
Big sky, from our base at Ko Chang, taken by Royal Siam View Photographer.
Ko Mak Resort Bungalow, sometimes its nice to stay ashore, sent by "French John".
Ko Mak Resort Restaurant, excellent fresh seafood, sent by "French John".
Ko Kham Resort, "I just did not want leave", said Dave Fosset, UK.
