For the more ambitious skipper to improve their skills, take charge and learn to make full use of the boat on longer, more complex passages.  You will enjoy the comfortable and yet fully resourced Bavaria 38' with ample living space to make your course exciting but relaxed.

 

It is virtually essential to have attended the equivalent shore based course and have a good standard of sailing experience.  An important aspect of this course is learning to take command and made decisions resulting in relaxed, well-planned passages and a happy crew.  In our experience, a past in yachting to have confidence to deliver instructions is a must.

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• Experience required: 15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours

 

Become truly competent in your own sailing vessel. This course provides comprehensive scope to ensure you are a confident skipper.

 

Don’t expect to coast through without making the occasional error – learn you strengths and weaknesses and gain knowledge from your mistakes. By the end of the course you should be ready to build on your experience and work towards a Certificate of Competence.  BH Marine staff are known for being supportive and positive to all clients, so we will help you polish your strengths and build on your weaknesses.

 

The course can be taken in tidal or non-tidal waters and your certificate will be endorsed accordingly.

 

It is assumed you will have boat handling to the standard of the Day Skipper, a practical motor cruising course and navigation to the standard of the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster shorebased course. This course will allow you to be able to skipper a sailing cruiser on coastal passages by day and night.

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The course consists of:

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• Passage planning taking into account conditions. 

• Preparation for sea, including selection of sails, engine checks and stowage.

• Pilotage, including leading and clearing lines, transits and soundings.

• Passage making and ability as a skipper including:

  • Taking and plotting visual fixes

  • Use of electronic navigation equipment for position fixing

  • Use of waypoints

  • Working up DR and EP

  • Estimating tidal heights and tidal streams

  • Working out course to steer to allow for tidal stream, leeway and drift

  • Knowledge of IALA buoyage

  • Maintenance of navigational records

  • Use of echo sounder and lead line

  • Use of radar

  • General handling including steer and sail trim

• Planning for adverse weather conditions and meteorology

• Emergency situations including MOB and recovery with use of sail

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At BH Marine, we are confident that you will fully flourish with the course, allowing you to open up and even broader sailing experience with safety and skill at the fore.