Newsletter

Example itineraries of 5 day and weekend Competent Crew courses

Competent Crew course over 5 days

Monday

09.00h Arrive at Amsterdam
Meet the instructor, collect food and move onto the yacht to settle in
Stowe away all provisioning and personal kit
Instructor's safety briefing and yacht familiarisation talk
Introduction to deck gear, ropes and rigging and various parts of the yacht
Engine start controls and rigging/slipping of mooring lines and fenders
Slip mooring and motor down giving everyone a chance to steer the yacht under power
Practice coming alongside and leaving various pontoons with everyone rotating jobs
Short sail to an anchorage or mooring buoy giving everyone the chance to raise sails and control them using the sheets
1300 Lunch. Discuss the use of liferafts
Practice the basic points of sail with each person having the opportunity to helm or control sheets
Practice putting in and shaking out reefs
Practice headsail changes or furling
Sail to overnight destination practising what a crew member should do in the event of a Man Overboard situation
1830 Enter a new harbour and moor up. Stow sails and tidy up on and below deck
1900 Debrief on day's events whilst dinner is cooking in oven
2000 Supper followed by a trip ashore to a local pub

TUESDAY

0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
1000 Prepare the yacht for sea and undertake a passage to an anchorage for lunch. On route each crew member will experience helming the yacht on different points of sail
Learn how to tie the basic knots used by sailors and when they are used
Prepare to enter anchorage. Learn how to prepare the anchor and foredeck in anticipation of arrival
1400 Lunch at anchor
Set sail for evening destination learning the basic collision regulations on route
1730 Arrive at a new harbour and prepare supper
Debrief the day's events
1900 Depart for night sail exercise which will familiarise each crew member with light characteristics of buoyage and ships and additional safety procedures needed at night
2300 Arrive at destination

WEDNESDAY

0900 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
1030 Carry out some more manoeuvring under power using pontoons and mooring buoys
1200 Lunch at mooring buoy
1300 Depart mooring buoy for sail to evening destination. Practice tacking, gybing and general sail trim on route
Practice steering a compass course and maintaining a lookout
1700 Arrive at new harbour. General discussion about emergency procedures
1830 Dinghy rowing drills followed by debrief on the days events
1930 Supper followed by a trip ashore

THURSDAY

0800 Showers ashore, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
1000 Practice pile moorings in harbour
1130 Set sail for lunch time destination practicing Man Overboard on route. Practice taking sights with the hand bearing compass and keeping a look out
1330 Lunch at anchor
1500 Depart for evening destination with discussion on route about weather and some more information on collision regulations
1900 Arrive at destination and anchor for the night
Supper followed by row ashore

FRIDAY

Competent Crew course over weekend - note 3 weekends required

FRIDAY

20.00h Arrive at Amsterdam
Meet the instructor, collect food and move onto the yacht to settle in
Stowe away all provisioning and personal kit
Instructor's safety briefing and yacht familiarisation talk
If the weather is good and everybody is on time you will set sail for a short trip to a nearby harbour otherwise go ashore for evening meal and drink. A good chance to break the ice and have a relaxing evening before setting sail the next day. It's a good idea to have a late afternoon snack before coming down as you may not be eating until later on the first evening

SATURDAY

0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
Recap safety procedures on deck. Introduction to deck gear, ropes and rigging and various parts of the yacht
Engine start controls and rigging/slipping of mooring lines and fenders
Slip mooring and motor down the river giving everyone a chance to steer the yacht under power
Practice coming alongside and leaving various pontoons with everyone rotating jobs
Short sail to an anchorage or mooring buoy giving everyone the chance to raise sails and control them using the sheets
1300 Lunch at a mooring buoy or anchorage. Discuss the use of liferafts
Practice the basic points of sail with each person having the opportunity to helm or control sheets
Practice putting in and shaking out reefs
Practice headsail changes or furling
Sail to overnight destination practising what a crew member should do in the event of a Man Overboard situation
1830 Enter a new harbour and moor up. Stow sails and tidy up on and below deck
1900 Debrief on day's events whilst dinner is cooking in oven
2000 Supper followed by a trip ashore to a local pub

SUNDAY

0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
0900 Prepare the yacht for sea and undertake a passage to an anchorage for lunch. On route each crew member will experience helming the yacht on different points of sail
Learn how to tie the basic knots used by sailors and when they are used
Prepare to enter anchorage. Learn how to prepare the anchor and foredeck in anticipation of arrival
1200 Lunch at anchor
Set sail for Amsterdam learning the basic collision regulations on route
Clean up yacht followed by debrief and issue of certificates
1600 Depart Amsterdam