Contents

Getting started

1: Basic principles

Powerboat types

Hull shapes

Displacement hulls

Semi-displacement hulls

Planing hulls

Cathedral hulls

Catamarans

Parts of the boat

Propulsion systems

Outboards

Inboards

Inboard/outdrives

Waterjets

Buying a powerboat

Transporting and launching trailable powerboats

Trailing abroad

Planning

Recovery

Knots, ropes and running rigging

2: Preparing to sail

What to wear

What to wear offshore

Safety gear

Lifejackets

Use of lifelines

Kill cord

Safety briefing

Essential equipment & safety briefing

Getting onboard from dinghy and dock

Dinghies

Offshore motor cruisers

Rules of the road

Shipping

Sound signals

3: First voyage

Boat handling and trim – mooring and anchoring

Pivot points

Prop walk/wash

Turning – twin shaft, outboard or outdrives

Outside elements

Trim

Trim adjustors

Fenders

General notes on mooring

Rafting up on a buoy

Tripping line

Using a windlass

Choosing an anchorage

Speed

Tides and weather

Tidal height and flow

The combination of wind and tide

Clouds – what are they and what do they mean?

Frontal systems and weather maps

High-pressure systems and their interaction with low-pressure systems

Fog

Sea breezes

Wind shadows and funnelling

Basics of navigation

Nautical charts – there is no substitute

Chart projections

Title information on charts

Chart corrections

Reading positions

Measuring a course on a chart

Electronic navigation techniques

Buoys, lights and how to use them

Compass corrections

Magnetic variation

Magnetic deviation

Applying compass corrections

Compass heading example

Checking your compass

Position fixing

Satellite navigation system fixes

Electronic pilotage techniques

Visual fixes

Three-point fixes

Transit fixes

Using depth contours

Radar range fixes

Tidal flow calculation

Tidal diamonds

Logbooks, dead reckoning and estimated position – keeping track of progress

Plotting a course to steer

Journey times and estimated times of arrival

Relationship between water track and ground track

The running fix

‘Where am I?’ and ‘Where am I going?’ – The 6 minute rule

Tide tables

Secondary ports

Pilotage

Clearing bearings

Use of depth contours

Approaching the port

Detailed pilotage plan

Back bearings

Passage planning and execution

Alternative ports

Calculating the overall tidal influence for an individual leg

Radio etiquette

VHF channel allocation

Testing your VHF

Calling other vessels

4: Safety at sea

Passage planning

Navigating in restricted visibility

Preparation

Contouring

Speed and distance:

Boat handling in heavy weather

Stability

Tactics in large waves

Towing

Tug

Towed vessel

Towing

Standby

In harbour

Fire prevention and control

Galley

Electrical

Engine room

Cabins

Outside elements

Fire fighting

Abandon ship

Man overboard

Recovery of Casualty

What to do if you are overboard

Treatment against hypothermia

5: Glossary of terms

Glossary of terms

Acknowledgements