Author Archives

Kath Scott

Distress Messages – Calling a Mayday

Being able to raise the alarm in the event of a distress situation is critical. In some cases, where sailing inshore, you might still be able to resort to calling the emergency services using your mobile phone, but the most reliable method is by way of a VHF radio […]

VHF Radio Channels

VHF Radio Channels There are a number of VHF radio channels across the VHF spectrum that are designated for different uses. As leisure craft we only use a small number of the channels which are designated to particular types of radio traffic. Whilst some channels will be written […]

Phonetic Alphabet

NATO Phonetic Alphabet A spelling alphabet is used to spell parts of a message containing letters and numbers to avoid confusion, because many letters sound similar, for instance “n” and “m” or “f” and “s”; the potential for confusion increases if static or other interference is present. Distortion, […]

Introduction to Radar

An interactive session aiming to de-mystify what your radar is doing, how it works, most importantly what it CAN’T do and how to get the best out of it. There’s a quick quiz half way through so keep your pen and paper handy!

Introduction to Restricted Visibility

Getting to grips with what to do in restricted visibility is a critical skill for any skipper / crew – this Virtual Training session takes you through an introduction to what restricted visibility is, immediate actions to fix your position and avoid hazards, sound signals and avoiding a collision. There is a quick quiz at the end for you to test your knowledge.

Tides – Calculating the correct hour

Being able to correctly calculate the tide is a critical skill for any skipper / crew – this Virtual Training session takes you through the process of selecting the right standard port tide table in the almanac, interpreting the HW/LW data, drawing your tidal sawtooth diagram, calculating the correct hour to use for your tidal vector and interpreting the tidal diamond/atlas.

Course to Steer

Getting to grips with basic marine navigation skills is a critical skill for any skipper / crew – this Virtual Training session takes you through a quick revision of DR/EPs & converting Compass to Magnetic to True bearings. The session focuses on constructing a Course To Steer taking into account leeway and uses practical exercises using the RYA Training Chart plotter.

Dead Reckoning and Estimated Position

Getting to grips with basic marine navigation skills is a critical skill for any skipper / crew – this Virtual Training session takes you through navigation symbols, converting Compass to Magnetic to True bearings, Dead reckoning navigation and estimating your position. The session also looks at projecting an estimated position and uses practical exercises using the RYA Training Chart plotter.