Being able to competently handle a boat starts before we even step foot on a boat! As the saying goes "Proper preperation prevents p*ss poor performance". So what kind of things do we need to think about?
How about:
Tides - What time can we can leave? This is especially important in tidal ports like Fleetwood. When should we aim to be back? Can we use tidal streams to our advantage and save fuel going somewhere? If we're in a sailing yacht fighting into the tides can often be impossible, so planning for tides before departure is essential.
Weather - Is the weather going to be suitable for what we're aiming to do? Is it worth delaying the trip or this leg of the journey? If it's windy it will probably be rough - is our boat and crew capable of dealing with the weather?
Restricted visability - Is there going to be fog or precipitation? Does our boat have a Radar? If so, do we know how to use it for navigation and collision avoidance?
Boat preperations - Have we serviced our engine recently? Have we got enough fuel and done our pre-start checks? If we're going further afield have we got enough food and water (victualing)? Are all the systems in good repair?
Luckily the RYA has developed a range of navigation and specialist courses, most of which we deliver at Fleetwood Sea School:
So why not book your place on a course today?: www.fleetwoodseaschool.com
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