BOAT MASTER

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Course Requirements

Experience required prior training: None

Certification required prior training:   VHF/SRC
Minimum age required:  16 years old
Equipment requirements: Power boat up to 16 m long, able to plane
Suggested number of training hours:  25 hours (including 6 h practice)
Who can run the training: ISSA Instructor
Who can do the examination:  ISSA Instructor
How to submit the application:  To authorised ISSA school only
Qualifications obtained after the course:  Skipper power boats:
– up to 12 m long (with inboard our outboard engine)
– day time
– conditions up to 6 B degrees
– up to 10 mile from shore

Knows the basic terminology of a power boat:
° Bow;
° Stern, aft, etc.
Can fill up the water and fuel tanks;
Can operate the engine;
° Start is;
° Switch it off;
° Check operation of cooling system;
° Check oil level;
° Top up engine oil;
° Check cooling fluid level;
° Top up cooling fluid level;
° Find bottom valves;
° Recognize the breakdown of impeller in cooling system and possibly replace it;
° Check whether alternator is charging batteries when engine is working.
Knows elementary equipment of yacht:
° Echo-sounder (location, operation, typical errors);
° Log;
° Steering system;

Skills and knowledge required for a Boat Master Boat’s construction

Can combine two lines of the same and different diameter;
Can make:
° Bowline;
° Fast a line on a cleat;
° Fishermen’s bend;
° Coil mooring lines;

Can:
° Pass, take, make fast on cleat, let go mooring lines;
° Throw mooring lines;
° Describe different ways of taking a mooring.

Handling fenders

Can:
° Fix the fenders using adequate knots;
° Effectively apply the manouvering fender;

Operating the anchor

Can:
° Prepare the anchor for weighing;
° Select safe location for staying at anchor;
° Apply rules for safe anchoring (4xdepth, anchor alarm/watch);
° Distinguish different types of anchors and their characteristics.

Safety

Can:
° Perform the safety briefing:
– How to move on deck;
– How to apply personal safety equipment (harness, jackstay, etc.);
– Apply distress signalling equipment (pyrotechnics, flags, etc.);
– Different methods to send distress signal;
– Make a distress call with help of VHF;
– Knows procedures to be applied in restricted visibility;
– Basic knowledge about SAR procedures (RIB, helicopter);
– First Aid Kit (location and content).

Handling boat under power

Can:
° Launch and recover a boat;
° Manouver a boat under power;
° Approach a MOB;
° Take a berth/leave a berth (longside, stern-to, bow-to);
° Weigh anchor.

International Rules for Preventing Collisions at Sea

Knows the navigation shapes and lights:
° Vessel not under command;
° Vessel restricted in ability to manouver;
° Vessel engaged in fishing;
° Vessel aground;
° Pilot vessel;
° Towing set
° Sailing yacht;
° Power driven vessel;
Knows the vessels’ priority at sea;
Knows how to proceed in a „close encounter” situation;
Is familiar and complies with the requirement for continues observation;
Is familiar with other legal obligations of a skipper and crew;
Is familiar with and understands after-collision rules applicable at sea.

Navigational Aids

Knows, understands and is able to recognize lateral and smaller channel marks at day time in system IALA A and B;
Knows, understands and is able to recognize cardinal marks and other navigational marks (safe water mark, isolated danger mark) at day time;
Is able to use the list of marks and symbols used on charts (eg. Chart 5011);
Is able to apply navigational publications when planning a port’s entry (pilot books, almanacs, navigational plans);
Knows and can recognize light characteristics of Lighthouses/navigational marks.

Terrestrial navigation

Knows and understands the basic terms from geography:
° Latitude;
° Longitude;
° Magnetic pole;
° Geographic pole;
° Earth’s magnetic field;
Knows the basic types of sea charts, their construction and application:
° Mercator’s projection chart (how is it constructed, spreading of parallels, construction parallel)
° Passage charts, coastal charts, plans;
Can read elementary information from a chart that is crucial for safe sailing:
° Depths;
° Distance;
° Navigational obstacles
° Navigational marks;
Can read charts/ plot latitude and longitude;
Knows and understands the phenomenon of Earth’s magnetism, variation and deviation;
Can use a compass;
Can make use of various bearing lines;
Has general information about tides and tide-related dangers.

Electronic-based navigation

Knows how the GPS system works;
Can enable and check the elementary settings of GPS and plotter;
Can set and read adequate course on GPS;
Can plot a position on a chart taken from a GPS;
Knows what is AIS, ARPA, VTS.

Meteorology

Knows the Beaufort scale and its meaning for small craft;
Knows sources of meteo information and how to use them;
Has the basic knowledge about high, low pressure areas, fronts;
Can recognize cumulonimbus clouds;
Understands meteo messages (including those broadcast by radio coastal stations)
Can take meteo factors into consideration when planning a passage in a coastal zone:
Has the habit not to leave harbour without valid weather forecast.

Other

Environmental friendly approach and respect to other yachtsmen and women;
Knows and applies basic pro-environmental rules;
Knows and applies social friendly approach at sea and in harbour.