Going back to sea

[Swanrad2]

I'm off back out as the skipper on my own boat for the first time in three years this summer. Can't wait - except for one niggling doubt....

When reading a thread earlier about secondary port calculations, thought I'd test my memory on navigation. Can't remember a thing (appears most of my nav for the last two years before my gap-years, was either satnav of eyeball, which makes matter worse). Deviation and variation - all a blank, I had some stickers on my plotter but can't remember how to use them. The entire vector diagram/tidal/leeway thing - a blank....

So should I get my books out or rely on 'falling off a log' principal?

 

[jac]

Get the books out. Especially if you have any that have some practical exercises so you can test yourself. One evening doing that at home and you'll be fine !!

 

[Seajet]

Good sailing schools do ' refresher courses ', covering the points of the level required and generally getting one back up to speed without the hassle & cost of an actual exam.

Alternatively, could you crew for a friend at the beginning of the season and treat it as if you are The Navigator ?

 

[Swanrad2]

Good sailing schools do ' refresher courses ', covering the points of the level required and generally getting one back up to speed without the hassle & cost of an actual exam.

Alternatively, could you crew for a friend at the beginning of the season and treat it as if you are The Navigator ?

I've always liked you Seajet

 

[Seajet]

Well that's two of us then; it's a start !

 

[obmij]

Good refresher is complete yachtmaster by Tom Cunliffe.

Practically - for me anyway, tide times, secondary port calcs and tidal heights are taken care of by printouts from easytide.com (and there are plenty of apps available if you don't like paper). The most important factor - direction of tide locally - is set out on an hour by hour basis in 'cruising anglesey and adjoining waters'

Sack variation and deviation. If your compass is 90 degrees out you'll soon realize and will compensate accordingly. Chances are you can't steer that accurately (I can't anyway)

All will be cool, just keep it simple and don't go overboard on the detail (or overboard at all!)

 

[Angele]

Good sailing schools do ' refresher courses ', covering the points of the level required and generally getting one back up to speed without the hassle & cost of an actual exam.

Do they? Something different to (and cheaper than!) the original course? I can't say I have ever come across one.

From the OP's description, I think we are talking theory here. I know some schools do "own boat tuition" - in which you are basically paying for exclusive use of an instructor for a day to come on board and show you whatever you want to be shown. Some offer a two day course, but that is probably lumping you with others doing the "start yachting" course. But a targetted theory refresher is a new one on me.

If you have done the courses and still have all the materials, then I would have thought you can get yourself back up to speed quite quickly. Perhaps chuck in one of TC's books (as suggested by obmij) and you are home and dry - unless reading it on board that is

Edit: I wouldn't favour the falling off a log approach. Falling off a log is unlikely to put you on the rocks or aground with the tide rapidly receding.

 

[Seajet]

A bit of a long story, but when I had the opportunity to do the YM Offshore practical it was some years after I'd done the theory bit at night school; when I mentioned this the excellent but sadly now gone Solent School of Yachting suggested I do a weeks' refresher then the week course proper and exam; it worked out ideal, especially as I wasn't paying !

That was late 1992 but I have seen other schools ( sorry don't remember which ) mention refresher courses since; makes sense really.