RYA-Advanced-CourseWe Run The RYA Advanced Course to order, whenever YOU want to do it. No minimum Numbers.

Aim: Feeling reasonably confident on a boat and looking for the next challenge? This is it, we will take you out on a boat and teach you some highly advanced skills such as night operation, and superior boat handling skills.

Assumed knowledge:
Candidates should be reasonably competent powerboaters with a thorough knowledge of navigation and chartwork to the level of the Day Skipper certificate.

You are required to hold a first aid certificate and a VHF operator’s certificate.

Duration: 2 days
Minimum age: 17

Practical
Preparation for sea
Can:

  • Prepare the powerboat
  • Carry out fuel and engine checks
  • Stow and secure gear

Boat handling
Knowledge of:

Differences for a twin-engine vessel
Understands:

  • Characteristics of various hull forms and propeller configurations

Action to be taken in rough weather
Can:

  • Demonstrate a practical understanding and correct use of power trim and trim tabs

Demonstrate an awareness of the effects of wind and tide when manoeuvring, including:

  • Steering to transits and in buoyed channels
  • Turning in a confined space
  • Berthing in various conditions of wind and tide.
  • Picking up and leaving a mooring buoy
  • Demonstrate the use of an appropriate length kill cord at all times

Passage making and responsibility as skipper
Understands:

  • The importance of pre-trip plannin
  • Planning and making coastal passages, taking into account the relevant navigational hazards, the type of boat and the strengths of the crew
  • Chart plotters and radar, their advantages and limitations

Can:

  • Organise the navigation, safety and welfare of the crew during a powerboat passage
  • Navigate at higher speed using time/distance
  • Use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints, routes and X-FE, SOG, COG, BTW, DTW*
  • XTE – cross track error, SOG – speed over ground, COG – course over ground, BTW – bearing to waypoint, DTW – distance to waypoint

Pilotage
Can:

  • Carry out pilotage plans and pilotage for entry into or departure from harbour
  • Use leading and clearing lines, transits, back bearings and soundings as aids to pilotage
  • Use GPS and understand its limitations in pilotage
  • Navigate using soundings

Meteorology
Knowledge of:

  • Terms used in shipping forecasts, including the Beaufort scale, and their significance to small craft

Understands:

  • Sources of forecast information and interpretation of forecasts including synoptic charts
  • The significance of meteorological trends

Rules of the Road
Can:

  • Apply the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

Use of engines
Knowledge of:

  • How to change a propeller
  • Propeller diameter and pitch
  • Propeller ventilation and cavitation

Understands:

  • Checks to be made before starting, during running, and after stopping for diesel and petrol engines
  • Periodic checks on engines and electrical system including spark plugs, water filters and pump impellers
  • How to bleed the fuel system (diesel), change filters and pump impellers
  • Transmission belts
  • Spares to be carried

Emergency situations
Understands:

  • Correct action to take in emergency situations
  • Fire prevention and fighting
  • Hull damage/watertight integrity
  • What to do in a medical emergency
  • Towing and being towed
  • Helicopter rescue procedures
  • Use of flares
  • Search patterns

Can:

  • Pick up a man overboard in all available conditions

Night cruising
Can:

  • Take charge of a powerboat at night, including leaving and entering harbour
  • Demonstrate ability at keeping a proper lookout and identifying lit and unlit marks by night