Bareboat captain syllabus...

Take command of the crew
Understand the weather
Plan your passage
Understand seamanship
Captain the yacht

Overview

The IYT Bareboat Captain Certificate syllabus is set to give you a broad range of knowledge required to take command of the boat in fair weather, in daylight hours in sight of land. It covers all the subjects required to prepare the boat, plan the passage, instruct the crew and command the vessel at sea.

The Bareboat syllabus separates theory and practical instruction and subjects covered in theory are then put into practice in the next practical session on a yacht. The course includes at least one night out at sea under way in command, where ships lights and buoyage lights can be experienced. In addition the student will be required to command a short passage from alongside over a triangular course to a safe anchorage and be responsible for the entire passage and its planning.

During the Bareboat Captain course you will cover and log at least 130 sea miles.

Examination - there is a written multiple question test on the last day and the practical is by continuous assessment.

The goal of the IYT Captain course is:

"Be responsible for command of a vessel up to a maximum length of 50 ft /15 meters (either auxiliary powered sailing vessels or a power vessels - per certificate endorsement) and its crew in coastal waters up to a distance of 20 miles offshore in mainly light to moderate conditions during daylight hours".

Prerequisites

Candidates are required to have logged a total of 200 nautical miles and 10 days at sea and should have completed the IYT International Watchkeeper/Basic Flotilla Skipper Certificate or show evidence of successful completion of prior similar training courses provided by an accepted and accredited body.

What will I learn?

This course assumes that you know how a sailing yacht works already and have experience of being a watchkeeper on a sailing vessel for some period of time by day and night. This course covers all the subjects that will enable you to be a responsible Captain in command of a yacht crew by day. During the five days you will learn....

The responsibilities of the captain of a sailing yacht
How to plan a passage and plot a safe course and instruct his crew member on the passage hazards and undertake such a passage by day or night
A good knowledge of weather issues and tides and their effects on the passage planned
A complete knowledge on the rules associated with collision avoidance for sailing vessels and vessels likely to be encountered during the planned passage
The commands and responses expected to be given to the crew

Bareboat Syllabus

Introduction

Importance of taking command of the crew and watchkeepers
Introduce Watchkeepers, brief your crew and answer questions
Ensure they are rested and fit for duty
Ensure they have adequate food and sleep
Be prepared to call the Captain if in doubt

Taking over the vessel - check out

Hull and rig checks
Machinery and systems checks
Instrument checks
Safety equipment checks
Spare tools and equipment
Fuel and water - capacity and state
Provisions - Menus - galley equipment
Course plan lodged with responsible person

Meteorology

Sources of weather information
Personal observation
Fog
Anabatic and Katabatic winds
Cause of weather patterns
Cloud types
Global weather and winds
Weather patterns associated with pressure and fontal systems
Storm development and storm avoidance
Safe sectors of hurricanes and getting to them
Synoptic chart
Ocean currents
Fetch and wave action

Basic Rules of the Road

Study Rules 4-19
Collision avoidance, lights, shapes and sounds afloat
Identification of collision targets
Actions required by stand on and give way vessels

Passage Planning

Pilots and almanacs
Plotting courses and position
Consideration of tides - Tide Tables, Currents, rip tides, tidal gates
Electronic aids to navigation - GPS - chartplotter
Chartwork

Navigation

Course consideration of hazards, tidal gates, daylight hours etc
Waypoints located and plotted
Bearings calculated for each waypoint including allowance for variation
Distance between way points
Time to reach each waypoint at estimated average speed
Total journey time
Expected tidal currents during the passage
Expected wind during the passage
Calculate probable impact of current and wind direction on proposed course and journey time
Estimated position plotting

Anchors and anchoring

Types of anchors and their benefits
Chain and warp
Scope
Fouling
Tripping line
Setting the anchor
Lying to two anchors

Man overboard

Sailing procedure for MOB

Additional practical

On the practical section each student will take the role of Captain for one or more passages from leaving a dock or mooring to arriving at a marina or anchorage. The course includes a night passage to include leaving an anchorage and setting an anchorage at night. Students will be required to take the role of skipper during this training and demonstrate and emergency heave to, MOB retrieval and COL REGs and collision avoidance.