Anyone done the RYA Radar course recently?

beancounter

beancounter

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Stargazer came equipped with radar. Since all I know about Radar is that he was a character in MASH, up to now I've ignored The Thing. I did poke it's "On" button last weekend, out of morbid curiosity, and the green & black screen glared balefully at me....

I believe ColRegs require radar to be used if fitted, so I suppose I'd better learn how to use the beast. Is the RYA course good? Are there other means (Interactive CD/book etc)?

What does the team think?
 
John,
I had an hour with Des Purcell (Crouch Sailing School) before my ICC, as radar was new to me (2005)
I have a book called Radar Afloat, and the manual for my JRC1800.
Also got some good advice on S'Butt for Radar Plot blanks (there are quite a few variations)
I suggest you go out to somewhere near Pye End and anchor off. Switch set on and play with the Rain & Gain, at a range of 0.5miles. You will be able to see all the buoys around, and an outline of the shore.
Keep increasing the range and follow the big steel floating things coming into/out of Harwich.
Note that the different ranges all need tuning to get the best definition.
Keep reading the manual as you do this to confirm what you are reading. Make a few plots and take the bearings/ranges, closing etc.
Accept glass of red from Mrs B, and continue.

When confident, repeat while moving, say parallel to, but not near the shipping channel, to get an idea of how to change variable bearings.

Keep reading to confirm etc.

Then go out with someone who has one and reconfirm.

If you have another course like VHF booked, then ask the Instructor if he can give you some time after it.

Or, you could pay 80-100 quid for a course. of course.

I am a convinced practitioner now.
 
Try contacting Sara Hopkinson who runs instruction courses from Pin Mill. She's known for VHF but I'm pretty sure she's offered radar courses as well. She works part-time at Suffolk Yacht Harbour - they'll have her phone no.

By the way, saw you out on the Orwell over the weekend - you seemed to be enjoying yourself.
 
[ QUOTE ]
By the way, saw you out on the Orwell over the weekend - you seemed to be enjoying yourself.

[/ QUOTE ]

We were! (I hope we waved at you!)
 
It seems a revisiting of Rule 7 is warranted:

"Risk of Collision
a. Every vessel shall use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if risk of collision exists. If there is any doubt such risk shall be deemed to exist.
b. Proper use shall be made of radar equipment if fitted and opeational, including long-range scanning to obtain early warning of risk of collision and radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects.
c. Assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information."

...Not optional, then. Mandatory.

And to get an idea of what happens to yachts when the approach to the ColRegs and use of radar is less than sufficient :

Collision between container ship and yacht

[ QUOTE ]
Wahkuna
....her skipper estimated that the radar contact ...would pass 1.5 miles ahead as a result of his action. This assessment, however, was based on only a visual interpretation of the radar display because none of the crew knew how to use the radar's automatic plotting facilities, and a manual plot was not undertaken. Consequently, the yacht skipper's actions were also based on scanty radar information, which contravened Rule 7(c) of the Collision Regulations. After making the assessment that the container ship would pass ahead, it is apparent that a radar lookout was not maintained. Had it been, it would have been evident that the container ship was closing rapidly, and avoiding action could have been taken sooner.

2.5.3 Knowledge and training
It is imperative, whenever radar equipment is fitted on board any type of vessel, that watchkeepers are fully versed and trained in its use and capabilities. The fitting of radar and ARPA, without knowing its limitations or how to use it, can contribute to accidents.....

[/ QUOTE ]
To quote an Extra Master Mariner of some experience....
"Yachties with radar fitted are accidents looking for somewhere to happen...."

There are lots on here who will blithely recommend a cavalier approach to this. After your hand-bearing compass, your radar is your best aid to avoiding collisions - and your most expensive. It seems plain daft not bothering to learn how to use it to keep you, and your boat, from becoming a discussion point on here.

/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
With respect bilbo,
beancounter is asking how to learn to use his radar, not avoid using it. It came fitted with the boat, and he hasnt had one before (and neither had I). If you are suggesting that the use of BLACK BOLD type and the use of the word mandatory is a precursor to a mandatory requirement to having an approved RYA certificate to operate the thing, then that sounds like mandatory licensing.
What we are trying to get at here is a reasonable way of learning how to use the instrument. This type of thread has come up before, i.e. if its fitted you must use it , therefore your insurance is invalid if you dont, dire warnings, dont go out to sea under any circs. Well, that just aint the case.
The Dew method of learning while using in safe place off to the side of a very well known container port traffic zone is a great way of observing the interaction, and developing an initial understanding. The method then goes on to recommend going out with someone who already has a good knowledge, and then by having an instructor after that if required. This is natural hedging of boat funds, and not to be confused with wantonly disregarding our wonderful IRPCS.
Yours in perpetual learning,

Jim
 
BB, I did say in my original post that I thought Radar use was mandatory if fitted. We didn't try it in our few outings at the end of last year as a) we stayed in the rivers b) the sun shone and c) we were getting to grips with everything else on the boat.

I was aware of the findings from the Wahkuna incident - one of the reasons why I want to learn how to use the kit.

No cavaliers on our boat....
 
I run a Radar Course at Bisham Abbey Sailing and Nav school near Marlow, Bucks. As well as teaching how to use radar in real, rather than theoretical, way, I put quite a lot of emphasis on how it can mislead you. I think the course is a good precursor to getting out on the water and using the thing (well, I would, wouldn't I), but Tim Bartlett's book, "Radar Afloat" is very good if you are the type who learns by reading.

I'm not a great fan of learning from the manual - most tell you what to do, but not why you should do it.

I also produced a web based course .. www.radartutor.com ... with a simulator, that covers the RYA syllabus and a bit more. As far as I know, no one has ever got to the end of it, and I don't have the time to re-write it! You're welcome to try that for free - send a PM for the licence code.

Whatever you do, learn to use the radar before you need to use it - and keep practising.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The Dew method of learning......is a great way

[/ QUOTE ]

So, Jim Dew, you are claiming some expertise in radar instruction? You are qualified in this by the MCA, perhaps, or by the Royal Navy? Even the RYA?

Well, you don't agree with me - and I don't agree with you. But my views are supported by qualification.

Yours?
 
Going back to your original question, I've used radar extensively on ships and boats and have some experience of teaching its rudimentary use to novices (including forumites)

FullCircle makes some good suggestions on how to get started, which if I read your post correctly is what you are trying to achieve

SWMBO is planning to do the RYA course, mainly because I find it difficult to instruct in her case (or is it the other way round?)
 
Thanks Tom,

I'm a believer in a structured approach to learning (I would be , wouldn't I, as I earn some of my pennies from training/lecturing). The read - play - ask an experienced/professional person approach sounds good to me....
 
bilbo,
Quals on this subject: None, and not intended to be, as you are well aware.

I am in instructor in other subjects none of which makes me an expert in any of them.
Flicking out regulatory bodies at your whim just makes you look like pompous. Which I dont think is the case in reality.

We must all bear the forum caveat in mind:

The advice you receive here is worth exactly what you paid for it.
 
A YM of my acquaintance invited a few of us along to join him on a RYA radar course; money changed hands and off we went at the end of it clutching a bit of rya paper. In as much as I'm not technically incompetent (I'm bashing this k'brd after all?), it all seemed fine and worth the effort. Learning to run a target vector is worth it alone as the mathematics (and i am a mathematician!) can be confusing.

However ... the one thing that no course will ever teach you is that you switch the bluidy thing on only when needed, eg in thick fog, and that frightens me because you never know whether the set is adjusted correctly for the current conditions and it was .. oh .. 4 months since last used etc. The onboard AIS helps an awful lot in this regard and is a bit of a confidence booster when you get a target where you expect it. The answer is to use it regularly and then you begin to get familiar with it but whether you can ever claim to be fully proficient (given the circumstances and irregularity of use) is, certainly in my case, unlikely ....
 
I came through the submerged barrier in the Solent Monday in lovely sunshine, and decided to blind nav my way through the gap using radar and gps just to keep my hand in. A worthwhile excercise which reminded me that I was a bit rusty and that all the kit worked well
 
night time is another good time to play with the radar, especially if you are not so confident of your night sailing skills.

As has been said, use of an AIS receiver alongside your radar is a good way to get to recognise the picture you are seeing.
 
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