IYT Coastal Yacht Master

The syllabus

• Colregs in detail
• Marine Charts

Projections, depths, heights and datums, distance and symbols.
Latitude and longitude, position fixing, position lines.
Ships compass, plotter, depth sounder, speed log, deck log.
Direction, compass variation, deviation and error.

• Tides

Tide causes, tide terms, range, springs and neaps, tide tables
Tidal heights, standard & secondary ports, high and low water curves
Tidal streams, set and drift, diamonds, tidal stream atlas, computation of rates.
Dead reckoning, estimated position, course to steer, leeway, overfalls and races.

• Buoyage and Lights

IALA buoyage (A and B),
Lights, characteristics, sectored lights, ranges (visual, luminous and nominal), rising and dipping distances
Pilotage:
Pilotage planning, transits, clearing lines, leading lines, use of soundings.
Harbour regulations and signals.

• Meteorology

Basic terms, global weather pattern, highs and lows, air masses and fronts, frontal depression, synoptic charts.
local effects, fog, sea and land breeze, thunderstorms, katabatic winds. Weather forecasts and the barometer.

• Safety at Sea

Personal safety (lifejackets, harness and lifelines), distress signals, liferafts, safety management system.
Stability, heavy weather, restricted visibility, high traffic.

• Passage planning

Working up a plan, provisioning, before take off checklists, log set up.
Route planning, course shaping, charts prepared, GPS route set up, communication schedule, watch system organised.