Diesel Engine and Radar courses

[CLOUD9]

Thinking of getting a bit more education. Has anybody done the basic RYA diesel engine course? Im thinking that it might be a good idea to invest a day as a bit of a refresher, but one day doesnt seem long to impart much useful info. (perhaps Im just a bit slow?) Did anyone find it useful?

Also ought to get some radar tuition really. any recommendations for both/either in South Devon?


Thanks
Rick

 

[Nick_H]

I had the RYA diesel course on my own boat, so not only did I learn the stuff but also knew exactly where it was on my boat (in fact we virtually serviced one of the engines!). Didn't cost me any more, but I think that was only 'cos some others dropped out.

 

[atlowers]

Nick Vass an instructor recommended a course for diesels with a guy called Andy Knight at bicton college budleigh salterton. He said it was very hands on and practical and even involved getting a tractor started when bindfolded in a race situation with other pupils to duplicate boat situations as part of the course. sounds bizarre but fun I have the contact No s if you pm me I can send you it if interested. I have never spoken to him as I will be donig a course closer to home.

 

[duncan]

kill 2 birds with one stone and watch closely when you get your engines serviced.

Tell the guy you want to learn; make the tea and strike a balance between learnign in case and looking like you are intending to do him out of next years service.

Radar - switch it on and play with it a lot in good conditions. Then at night.
Finally in poor conditions (where you actually need it).
2 Issues -
1. slelecting range and tuning
2. Being able to comfortably relate what's on the screen to what's happening. This can in theory be learnt but 50 hours of constant use/reference will stand you in good stead. I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest 'better'.............

 

[Greg2]

Don't know about the diesel course or anyone in South Devon but I did the RYA Radar course a few weeks ago and reccomend it. The level of background knowledge provided was useful but learning to plot other vessels to establish whether or not they will hit you in fog was well worth it.

 

[Frontier]

My radar just shows a load of mush. OK so maybe I should do a course, but I would like to see it show the world around me first. I could not make out any boat, mostly moored yachts, but a couple were just up ahead.

Any tips on fine tuning. apart from read the book! I left it onboard, I know I will not get a chance to look at it before I go out again, then I will fiddle with the radar while trying to keep a lookout and steer.

 

[BrendanS]

best way to learn anysort of electronics is to sit and play. Take the boat out into middle of Solent - not middle of marina - go to neutral and drift(usual caveats apply). then twizzle buttons and knobs, press buttons, and move settings up and down in all combinations and find out what it does to display, Then try to get diplay to show things you can actually see. Then imagine trying to find correct settings in dark and when boat all over the place, and try again.

after that, you'll find a course more useful, as you'll have questions to ask

 

[Frontier]

Yeah, tried it last time I was out, but it was only our 2nd trip down to the sea from Chi, and no time to stop because I didn’t want to be out in the dark (sound like a pansy now )

So much stuff to get used to, VHF, Chart Plotter, depth, buoys, the actual channel itself, making sure the crew are all present ever few mins and “which way is that yacht going to go?”

I fiddled with the sea scatter control and the range, but it still seemed to just scan around and show large grey blobs.

As you say I need to stop somewhere and fiddle with it. Maybe it’s not working.

I am an electronics engineer by trade so I will be ashamed of myself if I have to read the book /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Thanks

D

 

[BrendanS]

usual thing, ask someone to come out with you once or for a few times. Amazing how many will volunteer.

Everything falls into place after you've been taken places a few times with someone who knows area and can point things out to you. Not just the really obvious stuff, but the things that someone who knows the area well, and knows how to use vhf, depth sounder etc etc without thinking about it.

Will give you much more confidence. It's how I learnt, before I went on to take courses and sailed through them