Galway Bay Sailing Club

RYA Advanced Coastal Skipper Navigation

Some of the highlights of this course are the advanced Weather Forecasting, Running Fix, Using Radar for Pilotage, Advanced GPS System use & Planning Passages around Tidal Gates…for us, its about learning…not just passing an exam!

This is an intensive course covering advanced navigation techniques, meteorology & advanced forecasting & advanced GPS Navigation all of which build towards Coastal Passage Planning using the A.P.E.M. model.

These topics will be examined during the Yachtmaster Practical with each student producing a 60NM Passage to be quizzed on…can’t wait!

The RYA Yachtmaster / Coastal Skipper Navigation course builds on the knowledge gained on the shorebased Day Skipper course.

The course is delivered over 13 session , 12 are classroom based and 1 zoom based and delivered over 3 weekends

Description

The Course will run over 3 weekends and cover the following:

Weekend 1 Sat Jan 25th & Sunday Jan 26th

• Session 1 – Charts & Buoyage | Publications | Pilotage
• Session 2 – Tidal Theory & Streams | Collision Regulations (IRPCS)
• Session 3 – Magnetic Variation | Position Fixing
• Session 4 – DR & EP | Day & Night Pilotage

Tuesday Jan 28 th @ 1900 Online via Zoom

• Session 5 – (Online via Zoom) Meteorology & Forecasting

Weekend 2 Sat Feb 1th and Sun Feb 2nd

• Session 6 – Electronic Navigation | Advanced GPS Use
• Session 7 – Radar | Safety Systems (AIS – EPIRB – Navtex)
• Session 8 – Course to Steer | Safety, Stability & Seamanship
• Session 9 – Tidal Heights, Tidal Curve & Secondary Ports

Weekend 3 Sat Feb 8th and Sunday Feb 9th

• Session 10 – Coastal Passage Planning – A.P.E.M. (Direct Preparation for Yachtmaster Practical)
• Session 11 – Navigation Exam
• Session 12 – Collision Regulations Exam (IRPCS)

Prerequisites

We recommend revising 4 areas of the Day Skipper Navigation course if you have done it or something similar.

• Collision Regulations – Know your Vessel Lights, Sounds & Shapes.
• Tidal Stream Set & Drift – Have a system to work out Tidal Stream info from Diamonds & Atlas.
• Estimated Position & Course-to-Steer – Make sure you understand the difference between the techniques.
• Tidal Curves – Be comfortable doing Standard Port Tidal Curves.

Check out our YouTube Playlist for some good “how to” videos & look at the course structure below.

Course Pack

As part of the Course you will be supplied with your Yachtmaster Packs which contain…

• RYA Training Charts & Almanac
• Yachtmaster Navigation textbook
• Course Questions

Things you will need to Bring

You will need a Portland Plotter & Dividers

You can buy these from
1. Galway Maritime in Galway
2. Sunset Watersports in Sligo
3. Marine Parts in Dublin

You will also need – Pencils, rubber, sharpener, pens, notebook, rough work paper, calculator.

Schedule and Duration

This course will take place over 3 weekends in addition to 1 Zoom session which will take place midweek on line

• Jan 25th and 26th
• Jan 28th Zoom session evening time
• Feb 1st and 2nd
• Feb 8th and 9th

This in class part of the course take place at the Galway Bay Sailing Club in Rinville, Oranmore, H91 W678.

Instructor

The course will be instructed by Dave O'Connor of Wild West Sailing a fully experienced, accredited and approved RYA instructor.

Check out Wild West Sailing REVIEWS & see what our Clients say about us!