Passage planning:
- Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy.
- Know Customs procedures.
Preparation for sea:
- Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages.
- Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks.
Pilotage:
- Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of surroundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations.
- Can pilot a yacht by day and night.
Passage making and ability as skipper:
- Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew.
- Can organise the navigation, deckwork, and domestic duties of a yacht on passage.
- Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends.
- Is aware of crew welfare on passage.
- Can use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes.
Yacht handling under power
- Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power.
- All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide.
Yacht handling under sail
- Characteristics
- Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space.
- Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide.
- Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing.
Adverse weather conditions
- Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds.
- Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility.
Emergency situations
- Recovery of man overboard under power and sail.
- Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues.