Practical sailtraining | Offshore Yacht Charter

1) Routing and tactics based on:

– Weather forecasts
– Expected current and waves
– Tide
– Examination of the sea charts, pilot and almanac
– Refreshing of the difference between compass and true bearing
– International regulations for preventing collision at sea and ship sounds and signals

2) Navigation

– Making waypoints and routes
– Plotting the position in the chart and fix a compass course during sailing
– Fill in the logbooklet
– Using the A.I.S.
– Using the radar (Solas approved type)
– Keeping a sharp look out and taking compass bearing on other ships
– Identifying beacons and lights when we approach a harbor at night

3) Boat handling and sailing

– Extra attention fore(quick) line handling
– Sail trim
– Reefing
– Throwing lines at the dock (or pontoon)
– Explanation of how to make use of springs

4) Sailing with nature and anticipating
Nature really decides how the sailing trip goes, there are factors which are difficult or impossible to estimate in the harbor, such as:

– Windforce and direction
– Wave height and direction
– Current due to wind

Furthermore the weather forecasts are not always right. Therefore we will make a prediction ourselves, using weather charts and with studying the clouds and barometer.

Sea miles and RYA courses

On some of these sailtraining courses we will sail through the night and we will divide the crew and passengers in watches. These sailing courses are ideal for sailors who want to make sea miles for example RYA courses or their Yachtmaster.

– When to reef?
– Staysail reefing (on the foredeck)
– Storm Tactics
– heave to
– Setting the Try-sail *
– Drogue release **

* We ‘d rather put in an extra reef instead of setting the try-sail, why you may find out during the sailtraining. However, this is a nice back-up sail as for the mainsail is torn, or to prevent this.