module 1 - planning and arriving - agwe' sailing · bareboat charter clinic module1 - planning...

Authored by Captain Ed Mapes with Captain Grant Headifen,

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BarEBoat CHartEr CliniCModule 1 - Planning and Arriving

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Contents

INtroductIoN .......................................................................................3

M1.1 thE tyPEs of chArtErs ..............................................4

M1.2 Good cAPtAINshIP ..........................................................6

M1.3 ArrIvAl At thE BAsE ................................................... 15

M1.4 ProvIsIoNING .................................................................. 16

M1.5 frEEzEr ANd frIdGE MANAGEMENt .................. 19

M1.6 GENErAtors..................................................................... 20

M1.7 fIshING ................................................................................. 21

M1.8 KIds ........................................................................................ 23

M1.9 locAl ArEA fAMIlIArIzAtIoN ................................... 24

M1.10 vhf oPErAtIoNs ............................................................. 25

Cover Photo Courtesy of Beneteau

Bareboat Charter ClinicModule1 - Planning and arriving

this material forms part of the NauticEd Bareboat charter clinic and is Not for public distribution. NauticEd is the World’s Most Advanced online sailing Education and certification company.

© NauticEd. All rights reserved. http://www.NauticEd.org

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IntroduCtIon

How exciting! You’re going on a chartered vacation and one thing is for sure, you’re going to have the time of your life. We’re not sure if there is anything better in life than commanding (or even crewing) on a charter boat in a beautiful sailing destination. And if you do think there is a few things better, then you can probably even incorporate those things on your charter cruise anyway.

Many sailors express to us trepidation about taking that first leap to a unfamiliar destination on an unfamiliar boat. Well, that’s exactly what this clinic is for. We’re here to first tell you to “just do it”. you can start out in very simple places like the British virgin Islands where the islands are only a few miles apart and navigation is essentially by sight and with a few rudimentary map skills. there are plenty of anchorages, your cell phone will work and the charter base is usually only 30 -45 minutes away by speed boat if you require assistance. the Greek islands also have many sailing destinations whereby the islands are insight of each other. sailing the croatian coast is very popular where the islands and ports are bustling with excitement and fun. the New zealand coast is best described as tranquil beauty. the Baja Peninsula in Mexico while wonderfully dry and arid on top, is teeming with sea life underneath. swimming with whales will be a complete highlight of the trip. the more southern islands in the caribbean will have you so relaxed that you’ll be questioning the existence of stress. the cultural experience of corsica off the southern coast of france is truly a memorable experience. And all of these are at your fingertips once you get into chartering. We don’t think Nike will get to upset at us when we reiterate – Just do It!

this clinic will give you valuable tips and key learning’s to make your trip and your crew’s trip even more enjoyable. so much so that you’ll start to venture out to other awesome destinations in the Mediterranean, the caribbean, the south Pacific, Pacific Northwest, southEast Asia etc.

Please enjoy this course and most of all – enjoy your charter experiences and consequently - your life! Make friends – be happy.




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M1.1 the tyPes of ChArters

tHere are two tYpes of sailing charters; captained and bareboat. the captained charters have a professional captain on board to navigate and operate the vessel, and usually a chef to oversee provisioning, prepare meals, tidy up the galley, and assist in sailing. Bareboat charters are those without professional assistance; the chartering party is entrusted to manage all phases of boat operation. Charter companies demand proof of the captain’s nautical abilities and experience to be reasonably certain that the boat is in good hands. unlike rental car companies, in most cases, and even with the larger charter companies, the boats are privately owned by people just like us, and unnecessary wear and damage to the boats does them a great disservice. so please be kind to your boat.

there are various means to prove one’s sailing abilities to the charter companies;

y sailing certifications from nationally recognized sailing associations y demonstrating maneuvers under sail to a charter representative y local training and documentation in your home base and y by taking courses like this from NauticEd

all certifications will need to be backed up with a reasonably extensive practical sailing resume listing the size of vessels that you crewed upon and/or captained, dates and locations sailed, types of boats owned, previous charter experience listing the charter company.

NauticEd Ed offers an online practical experience tracking logbook so that you can list and store your sailing experience. At the home login page, you will find a tab called “Experience”. there you will fill out your sailing and boating experience. At anytime after that you can print out or email to charter companies your experience logbook summary. Alternatively, you can give the charter company your email address and your secret logbook code (which you create in your NauticEd Profile tab when you login to NauticEd). charter companies can then look you up on NauticEd at http://www.nauticed.org/student_verification. the online logbook is free to all NauticEd students




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We even offer an iPhone app and an Android app so that you can update your sailing experience whilst on the dock instead of trying to remember to add to your experience on the computer when you get home, tired from a great day out sailing.

We are certain that anyone chartering a bareboat on a vacation fully intends to take great care of the vessel; hopefully the information in this clinic will help you become a safer and more knowledgeable sailor and have a safer and more enjoyable vacation/holiday.

to quote Jim carey – “Alrighty then – lets get started!”

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nauticed/id326119851?mt=8

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/productivity/nauticed_lvpg.html?nav=area




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M1.2 Good CAPtAInshIP

Being a good captain on a bareboat charter is a real skill. It is very unlike being a good captain on a military or commercial ship or even a captain in a local yacht race. the biggest reason is that not only are you on vacation but eVery one eLse Is ALso on VACAtIon. so you’re there to ensure that they have a fantastic time. that they will come back and that they will come back with you.

so we’ll cover a few rudimentary leadership skills that will help you and every one enjoy their vacation.

When people are led by good captains they do not even remember that they were lead. that means they just remember that the vacation went off with out a hitch and the boat seemed to work itself, yet somehow, every one contributed.

Good leaders make people feel comfortable in any environment. your confidence and promotion of a good time for everyone will help people feel comfortable through out the trip.

obviously as every one will tell you, your job #1 is to ensure the safety of the ship and crew, however following closely behind that comes the job to ensure that everyone onboard is feeling comfortable with you and the vessel. so let me shout this out load and clear. No shoutING or yEllING.




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some quick pointers to ensure every one has a great time.

y Give up the helm time to others when practical and safe. y don’t be the supreme commander, you can do that with a rubber ducky in the bathtub at

home by yourself. y Involve everyone in the sailing process (if they want) y don’t always be teaching and preaching but offer to show, help, teach. y you’re not there to impress everyone that you can sail, instead impress people with these

leadership skills instead. you’ll be liked better. y Make the dinners and do the dishes more than every one else y let others participate in the navigating y there is no need to stay on schedule. If the others are having fun shopping in a cute little

port or laying on the beach let them stay. It’s their vacation. y read up on the local area with a travel book like frommers and discuss the area and

highlights of things to do with everyone. y Plan the trip so there is only 3-4 hours of sailing everyday. And plan to stay in a port or two

for a full day. y Keep the boat tidy and clean. Every morning do a wash down of the boat, start the process

yourself and I bet others will just join in. After a few days they will self start the wash down.

we can assure You tHat if you pour the drinks, cook breakfasts and dinners, swab the decks, speak calmly and confidently, tell the jokes, go ashore to buy supplies before everyone gets up, give up the helm, be knowledgeable about the area and make good suggestions and just relax on the schedule, then everyone will remember you as being the Best CAPtAIn eVer.

the next two sections are two articles written by Grant headifen, founder of NauticEd and uscG 50 toN Master Mariner. he illustrates the point of calm and confident leadership.

skIPPerInG And LeAdershIP By Grant headifen, usCG Master Mariner and founder of nauticed

i was in tHe BaY of Islands new Zealand sailing with my friend Patrick. he’d picked me up at the dock 4 days earlier in his dingy and we rowed out to his new Zealand built 9.8m ross sailboat. once everything was stowed we sailed off the mooring buoy while he was announcing that the prop shaft was bent and that while we could charge the batteries for the week we would not be using the engine for motoring. the ross is fitted with a self tacking jib so we could effectively maneuver around harbors under the jib sheet only. he liked to use the jib for maneuvering because the center of pressure is so far forward that it increases the turning moment. thus turning the boat is almost instantaneous. Also when approaching a mooring buoy from upwind (if need be) the jib lines can be released and the sails are instantly deflated unlike a main sail




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which must be dropped which takes time.

on one particular morning, we set sail to leave the harbor after dropping the mooring buoy. the winds began to push us around before we could gain boat speed and thus flow of water over the rudder in order to control the boat. Patrick leaned over to me and quietly and calmly said “hey Grant would you walk up to the front of the boat, because see that boat over there, we are going to hit it and I just want you to fend us off a bit please”.

consequently I walked up the front of the boat and fended off. We then set out to have yet another great day of sailing and exploring the beautiful Bay of Islands. I have never forgotten the calm tone of the voice that he used. I have now incorporated that into every order that I give on a boat.

Another time I was in a race series in Galveston bay. the owner of the boat was a yeller and he could never figure out why he could only get guys and never women to come on his boat. the women being smarter than us would always say they don’t have to put up with the

yelling. Me being the insensitive one was just keen to get out on the water when I didn’t own a boat. But I always remember being confused about what to do when he was yelling an order and we always came in around last. then one day he brought on board an ex-Navy submarine captain who was to be the skipper for the day. As the boat began to come to complete shambles during a gybe while flying a spinnaker the navy captain just began to calmly go down his list of things to do to bring the boat back together. We had the boat back going again with only a few seconds lost. As I turned back to the captain to smile I saw blood dripping from his hand but his face was fast and steady looking out for traffic and ensuring the rig was behaving properly. Now that’s a skipper!

When taking people out sailing for the first time and invariably they begin to get worried as the boat heels, I’ll say to them. “I’ll make you a deal, anytime you think about being worried you look at my eyes and if you see fear in them I’ll allow you to be fearful, but if I’m smiling away and having a great time, then I want you to enjoy the day. deal?” Now of course the trick is to never let fear creep into my eyes but that comes with experience. Every captain will swear to you that they are not a yeller. But I wish I could put a tape recorder next to them. Now the excuse is always “well we were in danger and so I had to yell to get attention”. Wrong!

your part as a skipper and leader is of course to first ensure the safety of the boat and crew. your ability to lead a crew through a dangerous situation will be greatly increased if you remain calm yourself and to




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give clear and decisive instructions. the second part of your job is to ensure the crew and passengers are having an enjoyable experience. It’s not just about you. they are on your boat because they want to experience sailing with you. I’m firmly convinced that the sport of sailing would be 5 times larger if it wasn’t for yelling captains.

your commands will be carried out twice as effectively without question if you calmly call the name of the person and ask them to do a specific job. “Bob, would you please pull that blue line there in about 2 feet”. there is just no need for “pull it pull it pull it”. “Jane, see that line caught under the hatch up there, well it could break the hatch if you crank on the winch any more so stop winching please. Mary please go forward and unclip the line from under the hatch. thanks everyone.” “Grant would you walk up to the front of the boat, because see that boat over there, we are going to hit it and I just want you to fend us off a bit please”. the classic way to catch yourself yelling is if you find you are repeating your commands: “stop stop stop” or “release it release it release it” then you’re definitely, no question, without a doubt a confirmed yeller.

there is no need to repeat a command – let me repeat, there is no need to repeat a command. humor aside, you will alienate your crew and they will lose respect for you if you yell even once on a week long trip. don’t do it.

As skipper you automatically are given the power and control of the ship. your crew will listen to every command you give. Now, it’s not the military and so some discussion regarding decisions and orders may need to take place but hey, you’re only doing 6 knots. At that speed, in the 1 second it takes to give a clear order you’ve only traveled 10 ft and if you’re that close to something traveling at 6 knots then there are some other courses that you should take, not your crew. remember that your reputation as a good leader is on the line every time you are in command.

A BeAutIfuL dAy Gone WronGBy Grant headifen, usCG 50 ton Master Mariner and founder of nauticed

You’re getting onto tHe Boat. It’s a beautiful day the breezes are light and you’ve got some friends joining for a potentially fantastic day of sailing. you check all the operating systems on the vessel and then cast off. everyone is smiling. how many times has this happened? I imagine quite a few and even better, more than likely, the day went without a hitch. But what if….?

he’s a story that could have ended up a lot worse. fortunately it didn’t.




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the day starts out as above and continues with a fantastic lunch anchored in a cove. on the sail back to the dock things go from a winch handle in the water to a potential near death situation. the floating winch handle goes over the side and the skipper executes a simple MoB to get back to the handle. one of the skipper’s guests is leaning over the side of the boat to scoop it up without the knowledge of the skipper. the guest falls overboard and now there’s a winch handle and a person in cold water. the man in the water has had two open chest surgeries and a potential heart problem and the water is cold. the skipper throws in 3 floating cushions for flotation aid. Now there is a winch handle a man and three cushions in the water. the skipper now executes another real MoB maneuver. once tacked around and nearly back to the MoB another guest decides to save the person and jumps in the water. Now there are two men and a winch handle and three cushions in the water. the skipper has someone tie off a dock line and then throws the dock line to the closest person. the dock line was not tied on as directed and now we have two men, a winch handle, three cushions and a dock line in the water. Now the wife of the skipper jumps in. Now we have two men, a winch handle, three cushions, a dock line and a wife in the water. Meanwhile, the inexperienced guests still on board the boat are shouting crying and freaking out. can you imagine this situation? It’s pretty bad!

fortunately, all ends well with another boat coming by to help out and picks up the original MoB while the others climb back on board and pick everything in the water except the original objective, the floating winch handle and a sinking dock line.

how would you handle this situation? how could you have prevented it? What can you learn?




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insiGHt #1.A full crew briefing at the beginning of every journey. the briefing for a day/evening cruise can be as short as pointing out the location of the following:

y life jackets y flash light y Air horn y Boat hook y throwable cushions y throwable lines y And an MoB discussion which goes like this. “If we happen to have any one go overboard

I need everyone to be quiet and follow my directions exactly. I’ve done recoveries many times and I know what to do.”

the story continues: the skipper asks me to come out for a retraining on MoB. We go out and I discover one fundamental mistake and here it is. our fake MoB which is a life size head and shoulders of a Barbie doll filled with foam is in the water and we’re executing what would appear to be a perfect MoB maneuver, by the book. Except we have a piece of plastic in the water and the skipper is yelling at his wife to “rElEAsE thE JIB shEEt– No Not thAt oNE thE othEr oNE hurry uP. lEt Go thE MAIN shEEt No Not thAt oNE thE BluE oNE. No No No looK Its thAt oNE”.

insiGHt #2.In essence the skipper was creating the panic. no wonder everyone was jumping in the water. As a skipper in a MoB situation your command of the crew is paramount. you must use a calm loud voice and inform your crew that you know exactly what to do and that you need everyone’s help to be quiet and listen to your commands.

Make your commands sound like requests directly to people’s names. Examples: “Jim, I need you to help me out and be quiet and do exactly as I say. thank-you.” “Mary, keep your eyes on Bob and continue pointing at him. No matter what goes on the boat do not take your eyes of him. thank-you.” “Bill, see that cushion there and throw it over board now please” “Everyone, I have done this many times before. I know what to do. I need you to be quiet and please listen to my commands and do exactly as I say”.

during a situation, people get flustered and confused. you have to push their reset button. one way to do that is to have them look at you. “Peggy, look at me. oK now do you see that blue line I am pointing at. yes good. Now pull it in about 3 feet. Excellent. thank-you”.

continuing in our story, I was able to point out about how he was flustering his wife when only there was a piece of plastic Barbie in the water. What if it was real? he quickly realized this and began speaking in a language that was calming rather than creating panic. the rest of the training went smooth except when I pointed out to both of them that what if he went in the water. At this point they both became very serious. she has to learn to get back to him by her self. 10 MoB maneuvers later she had it down cold.




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the best thing we all learned was that during the tack she should completely let go the jib so that it just flaps while she sailed all the way back to her husband. this left one less thing to do. Getting back to her husband on the main only was simple after she practiced it the 10 times.

insiGHt #3.here’s the biggest disaster. What if you go overboard with a totally inexperienced crew? We suggest a complete briefing to an inexperienced crew before you leave the dock on how to turn the boat into wind, douse the sails and turn on the engine and to approach you from a downwind position. this means leaving access to the engine keys, Ie your pocket is not the best place for these. you should pick the most able bodied and calm person to be in charge should you go over board.

MoB is a serious and probable occurrence on your boat. Assume that it will happen in your sailing career and the time to practice recovery in not when someone is in the water. Peoples’ lives are in your hands. And you’re not immune yourself from going overboard.

insiGHt #4.Practicing MoB recovery is actually fun and done correctly can keep your crew entertained on a fun day’s outing. We recommend that you practice an MoB maneuver at least on every 3rd or 4th outing. the recommended procedure is given in the skipper Course and is repeated here for your convenience.

It is prudent to use your engine to get back to your MoB as fast as possible. Even in small waves, a person can be lost in as little as 100 ft (30m).

the following is a diagram showing an MoB whilst beating to windward.




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MAn oVer BoArd

1. MoB happens

2. Immediately announce “Man overboard”. Get life ring and anything else that floats over board. hit the MoB button on your GPs. Appoint a dedicated watch person. Gain control of crew.

3. Ensure no lines are overboard. start engine. head into wind and begin a crash tack.

4. tighten up the main sheet. Maintain control of the crew. Act decisively with your crew. It is imperative that you lead the crew.

5. furl the head sail.

6. head back down wind towards your MoB.

7. Get throw lines ready and cleated to boat. determine if a Mayday call on channel 16 is appropriate.

8. If the wind is strong you’ll need to approach from down wind.

9. Bring the boat around.

10. Ensure boat and crew are ready for pickup.

11. head towards your MoB from down wind.

12. Bring the boat alongside. If you don’t have a rear transom on your boat you’ll need a block and tackle to get your MoB on board. Be aware that pulling a person out of the water is virtually impossible.




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MoB ConCerns

y Be especially careful of speed in approaching the MoB. Maintain steerage. y currents and tides may be deceptive and cause the vessel to drift. y Be aware of propeller when close to MoB. y use throw lines or poles – or whatever – to assist the MoB. y since many new vessels now have, rear transoms - use this for recovery. y When the MoB must be raised over the side and lifelines, physical strength will be needed.

If several crew members are involved, their safety is now also a concern. y Be especially careful before any crew member jumps into the water to facilitate rescue

efforts y once victim is on board, proceed with drying and warming. If hypothermia has set in, follow

medical advice as suggested in the medical manual. y following MoB recovery determine whether additional medical help is required before

proceeding.

Many people recommend not turning on the engine, however we do. With the propeller way under the boat there is little chance of injury from the prop. the greatest chance of injury is from cold water or losing the person due to getting too far away and so using the engine is the quickest way back to your MoB. your boat is more maneuverable and you don’t have the chance of overshooting your MoB if you didn’t get the sails down fast enough.

In summary the stories here illustrate the importance of showing your confidence in being able to handle a situation in a calm manner with a commanding yet confidently spoken voice tone. you get this confidence by practicing the maneuvers, whether it’s backing into a slip or a real MoB situation.




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M1.3 ArrIVAL At the BAse

it’s an exciting time. You’ve just arrived, your crew is showing up, others are loading supplies onto their boat, boats are zipping in and out of the harbor. you’re on vacation!

typically, you’ll receive a local area familiarization briefing by the charter company and a boat familiarization by your boat check out guy. More on this later. you’ll probably need to sign all sorts of paperwork. And depending on your sailing resume you may need to be prove your competency to the local base captain.

the charter base typically has a small locker room that you can store stuff temporarily while you’re roaming around and before you can put your stuff on the boat.

the next job to do is to stock the boat and head on out.




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M1.4 ProVIsIonInG

manY cHarter companies can stock and provision your boat before you arrive. this is a good idea for the basics but there is usually little imagination in the food that is supplied. so we recommend allowing the charter company to provision for basics but plan on a trip to the super market for the sometimes delectable local foods and cheeses. there is typically a large super market close to the charter base. But check with them before you arrive via phone or email. even in non english speaking countries, most people who will answer the phone at the charter base speak pretty good english.

Also it’s a good idea not to go overboard on provisions. on most islands that you’ll visit during the trip you can get extra provisions and ice, so don’t buy too much. for those that are used to ice in their drinks however, the Mediterranean is definitely lacking in ice machines so get used to one cube in your drink. there are often other remote places like Baja and Belize that have limited ability to re-provision. so definitely find out that information before you head out. once while in the remote Baja region, we pre-arranged for a dive master to come out with their dive boat and meet us to lead a dive about 3 days into the trip. We also cleverly arranged for him to bring us more ice at the time.

Anecdote

onE tiME wE lost about $200 worth of groceries into the water in a marina. the shopping cart that we used to bring the groceries onto the dock took off and headed for freedom. It was dismay but much to the cheers of 60 people watching the episode in the marina restaurant. slightly embarrassing. don’t worry we didn’t dare dive into the marina water to save any of it. Watch out for freedom seeking shopping carts.




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here’s a list of extra things to make sure you provide for your boat:

y Matches y trash bags (big tough ones) y zip lock bags y salt and pepper y tP (probably more than the charter company

provides) y Paper towels y More bug repellent y sunscreen y cheap little hand towels y rum (for your guests of course)

once on the boat, the charter company will provide a check list, however also check these simple things that may not be on their check list:

y Wine opener y coffee maker y cooler that does not have a leaky drain. very Important! y the charter company will probably supply all your bedding but it’s a good idea to check

each cabin is supplied

things to bring from home

y little 12v dc to 110v Ac inverter if you want to charge ipod, cell phone etc that need 110 volts.

y some boats do have inverters or generators but do you really want the noise of a generator just to charge a cell phone?

y A 12 volt splitter. this allows multiple 12 volt plugs to allow multiple devices to be charging at one time. very important if you’re taking more than a few people on the trip. Everyone thinks their cell phone/iPod is more important than everyone else’s. you’re a hero when you pull one of these devices out of the bag.

y European to American style plug adapter. (Many charter boats are made in Europe and thus have round style Ac plugs. check this but most of your chargers these days take 230 or 110 volts input so you’ll just need an adapter and not necessarily a transformer)

y iPod/cd’s y hand held GPs. Many charter boats have a GPs. some don’t and some will be broken

when you arrive or will break some time during the trip y cruising Guide and Anchorage Guide y A local area travel guide like frommers etc.




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y Many times the charter co. will provide masks, snorkels and fins, however if you bring your own you’re guaranteed to have a good set.

y digital camera with extra memory sticks. y cheap little hand towels. the charter co. will give each person two towels for the whole

week. so these little towels can serve as face and hand towels and then finally as floor wiping towels.

y Book of knots and short piece of line - for entertainment of the crew. y deck of cards. y other fun stuff - we really have fun on our charters and we get into the mood.

on a catamaran, a good suggestion is to use a used towel as a floor mat just inside the doorway to the saloon. this eliminates sand and grime being tracked into the saloon area and through out the boat.

don’t bring from home

y A hard suitcase: there is just no room on the boat for it. Ensure you send out an email to your crew prior to the trip informing them of limited space and not to bring suitcases. Instead bring pack down and away duffle type, soft bags. sometimes there is room at the base but they really don’t appreciate every charterer wanting to store bags in their small locker room for a week. (In that email we recommend that you recommend this charter clinic to your crew as well. they’ll learn lots of tips to help improve your experience as well.)




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M1.5 freeZer And frIdGe MAnAGeMent

freezers are tYpicallY top loading and very deep. take from home 4 -5 fabric shopping bags to stow similar items in the freezer. In doing this you can pull out each bag and get to what you want in seconds rather than digging to the bottom. Invariably you’ll lose stuff to the bottom of the pit only to find it at the end of the week when you’re checking off the boat.

Many refrigeration systems require that you run the engine twice per day to get the freezer and fridge cold. you’ll need to do this for about 45 minutes at 1500 rpm. Keep in mind that if you do 45 minutes of motoring in a day then you can miss one of these. running the engine while at anchor is a bit of a hassle to your crew who are wanting to swim or quiet time early in the morning so just be aware of picking the most opportune times for everyone to have the engine on.

Many other modern refrigeration systems don’t require the engine, they run off electricity from the battery banks – which require charging – guess how - yup from the engine – so there’s not too much getting away from running the engine. In any case try to make best use of the engine while motor sailing rather than in a beautiful quiet and tranquil bay.

sidE notE: In the NauticEd skipper course we learned not to run the engine whilst the boat is heeling. the water intake can rise out of the water and prevent cooling water to get to the engine.




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M1.6 GenerAtors

some cHarter Boats Have generators. these are small diesel engines that convert fossil fuel to dC electricity that is stored in the battery banks and AC electricity that is used to run the air conditioning, microwave and AC outlet plugs around the boat. they are slightly less noisy than the main drive engines. typically they should also not be run when heeling the boat. When installed they can be used to charge the batteries or run an air conditioning system. Luxury!

A generator is a fairly simple system and will have a start/stop switch and another switch to change the power source between shore power and generator. since the engine is diesel, in cold climates, you’ll nee to preheat the cylinders with a “Preheat” toggle switch. the electricity supply to the boat typically switches over automatically from the battery banks to the generator once it is on. other than special instructions from the charter base, there is not too much more you need to know about the generator system than presented here.

depending on how much you run the generator, you’ll need to check the oil level. IE every day if you are running it every day.




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M1.7 fIshInG

Bring a fisHing rod and reel with 20 lb. break strength line. even if you’re not typically a fisher, few things in life are better than catching a fish for your crew, cooking it and serving it that evening. It will increase your hero status. Also from home, bring a tube of Wasabi sauce for tuna if you catch one. Many of the local grocery stores don’t sell Wasabi and a tuna can make your sushi lovers eyes pop out when they see $300 worth of sashimi in front of them.

While you should take a couple of lures from home or buy them at your next local boat show you should really plan on using lures that you buy at the local port area. local lures catch local fish.

don’t BrinG sHarks on board, no matter how small (or big). We let this below one go!




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Many chartering areas contain marine parks. In these areas fishing is strictly prohibited with serious fines. so check your maps as you’re sailing around and also check out before you head out whether you need a fishing license or not at the local base.

At the local base – buy a local fish identification chart. one time while fishing off the dingy just before dark we caught and threw a bunch of fish back because they looked too ugly to eat. turns out they were known by the locals as the best eating fish in the local area. fortunately we’d kept a few and from our Id chart left on the sailboat we learned this and were able feed 2 boats that night. the next night we caught 10 squid and had the most delicious calamari dinner. Wow! We were heroes!

Before you head out, make sure you have a fishing rod holder and some ability to fix it to the railings or stantions.

learn to tie the fishing knot. Nylon or dacron line is intolerant of any other knot.

http://www.dummies.com/WileycdA/dummiesArticle/tying-the-fisherman-s-Knot.id-373.html

And the yucky part for some – learn to fillet a fish. there are some very neat ways and some hacking ways. don’t serve up hacked up fish fillets.

http://www.fishingcairns.com.au/page17-1.html

Print out these pages from these sites and take then with you.

catching the fish. you’ll need to stop the boat once a fish is on-line. there are a couple of ways to do this, the easiest is to heave to. IE tack the boat but not the head sail - leave it back winded. then let out the mainsail. Now as the boat comes to a stop, slowly turn the wheel all the way to windward and lock it. the other is to furl in the head sail and loosen off the main. or you can even furl both main and head sail. you’ll need to ensure that your crew can do this as you’ve got potential dinner to attend to.

And finally, try to be the one and only captain who hasn’t backed up over the fishing line and wrapped it around the prop. reel it in BEforE you get into port.

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/Tying-the-Fisherman-s-Knot.id-373.html

http://www.fishingcairns.com.au/page17-1.html




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M1.8 kIds

if You’re considering a cHarter and considering taking your kids - do It.

Kids have been sailing the high seas for thousands of years. yes, there are some safety things to think about but why deny your children the very zest of life. I’ve meet hundreds of people at boat shows who say they are going to wait until their kids get older, then take them. My belief is that kids should just think that sailing and getting in and out of the dingy and going ashore and fishing and all that there is to offer are just part of the way life is. Broaden their horizons when they are young. Build their self esteem by letting them drive the dingy, pull on lines, and involving them in the running of the boat. Get them to learn the sailing vocabulary. IE name 10 things on the boat.

some other considerations:

y spend some time prior to the trip getting a very comfortable life jacket y long sailing days aren’t really too kid friendly y one person at all times has to be 100% responsible for keeping the kid in sight y Pick your crew that will be kid friendly




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M1.9 LoCAL AreA fAMILIArIZAtIon

once You’ve arrived at tHe charter base, the company will give you an extensive briefing on the local area, where to sail, where not to sail, and they’ll also give you a recommended route to take for the time that you have allotted. they’ll point out danger zones, submerged objects and reefs, key Vhf radio signals, key phone numbers, key AM/fM radio stations for weather forecasts, local repair facilities and what to do in case repair is required as well as good local watering holes and restaurants. they are a wealth of knowledge so listen carefully and take good notes because 3 days into the trip you’ll be so relaxed you’ll forget much of the stuff they told you. review your notes each morning regarding the island/area you’re in.




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M1.10 Vhf oPerAtIons

knowledge of use of a Vhf is not only mandatory for safety but some governments require a Vhf knowledge certification before you can charter a boat in their waters. this section serves as that Certification. once you complete this Bareboat Charter Clinic your nauticed Certificate will include a Vhf endorsement that you can use to show the Charter Company and the harbor Master in those waters.

as skipper of a vessel fitted with communication equipment you have legal responsibilities regarding radio watch. these responsibilites are listed here on the usCG site at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pagename=mtWatch. they essentially mean that you must maintain a radio watch on the proper channels (listed below). And the reason is simple - already countless lives have been saved because a responsible mariner was keeping radio watch and was able to aid in the rescue. unfortunately, lives have also been lost when mariners did not keep watch. It’s serious business.

fortunately, a vhf is simple to use and there are only a few things to know.

the best source of information regarding this is the united states coast Guard. therefore the below information is mostly reproduced from them.

But first - a little relevant humor - watch this youtube video http://youtu.be/gmotpIvxji8

f stAnds for frequenCy

In radio communications, there are a few acronyms that you should be armed with:

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtWatch.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtWatch.

http://youtu.be/gmOTpIVxji8




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y Mf - Mid frequency. operates in the range of 300 khz to 3Mhz. one hertz (hz) means the wave oscillates at a rate of once per second so 3 Mhz means at a rate of 3 million cycles per second.

y hf - high frequency. operates in the range of 3 Mhz to 30 Mhz. Mf and hf are typically used for radio telephones. single side band radios operate in the hf range. Because hf waves are able to bounce off the earth’s ionosphere, hf radios are typically used for carrying signals over long distances although they are susceptible to atmospheric and solar nominatives. single side band was invented in the 1910’s and is a method of treating the wave to reduce the power requirements for transmission.

y vhf - very high frequency - operates in the range of 30 Mhz to 300 Mhz. the wave propagation characteristics make for short distance communication and extends slightly further than line of sight. vhf is less likely to be affecte by environmental interference. the Marine vhf range has been designated as 156 Mhz through 174Mhz.

an HF single sideband radio

the effective transmission distance is based on the height of the transmitting antenna, height of the receiving antenna and the curvature of the earth. An approximation to calculate the line of sight horizon distance on earth in miles or kilometers respectively is:

y √(1.5*antenna height in feet) or √(12.7*antenna height in meters). thus for an antenna at the top of a mast say 30 ft (9 meters) high the distance is only 6.7 miles (10.7 km). that’s not far! the range is of course extended for receiving stations who have high antennas like the coast Guard this can be up to approximately 20 miles. still not far!




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dsc stands for digital selective calling and is done via Mf, hf or vhf. It is primarily intended to initiate ship to ship, ship to shore and shore to ship voice and data calls. dsc can also be to individual ships, groups or “all stations”. Each dsc equipped ship, or group is assigned a unique 9 digit identity number. dsc distress alerts are a pre formatted distress message.

rAdIos thAt you need

tHe advantage of a vHf radio is that many people including the usCG monitor the Vhf. thus you’re likely to receive help from a coordinated effort of vessels close by. Just taking a cellular phone is not your best line of safety. Who are you going to call? Who are they going to call? how do they know who is close by you in the area?

therefore, before you purchase anything else, make sure you have a dsc enabled vhf marine radio. A vhf marine radio is the single most important radio system you should buy. It is probably also the most inexpensive. If you plan to travel more than a few miles offshore, as seen in the distance example above, plan to purchase an Mf/hf radiotelephone or mobile satellite telephone, an emergency position indicating radio beacon, or EPIrB, and a second vhf radio or cellular telephone as well. Mobile satellite telephones are becoming more common and more inexpensive. the mobile satellite will provide easier and clearer communications than the Mf/hf radiotelephone, but the hf radiotelephone will receive high seas marine weather warnings from NoAA.

rAdIo WAtCh keePInG reGuLAtIons

if You Have a vHf-fm radio, there are certain regulations in place for monitoring/listening to your radio. And it doesn’t matter that you are a non commercial ship operating for pleasure and minding your own business. the rules state that in general, any vessel equipped with a Vhf marine radiotelephone must maintain a watch on channel 16 (156.8Mhz) when ever the radiotelephone is not being used to communicate.

In doing so - it is quite likely that sometime in your maritime future, you could save lives.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtEpirb

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtEpirb

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/




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squeLCh ControL

tHis control filters out static. With the unit on, turn the dial until the static sound just disappears. If you turn it too much the unit will filter out voice as well and you will not hear any transmissions.

trAnsMIssIon PoWer

You sHould alwaYs use tHe lowest (1 watt) setting first. this reduces the broadcast distance and keeps overall interference down.

ChAnneL 16

cHannel 16 is internationallY recognized and designated as the calling and distress frequency channel.

MAydAy! MAydAy! MAydAy!...sendInG A dIstress CALL

distress calls are initiated on Channel 16 because they should be heard by many boats, as well as the Coast Guard and other shore stations within range. If you receive a distress call, cease all transmission. All vessels having knowledge of distress traffic, and which cannot themselves assist, are forbidden to transmit on the frequency of the distress traffic. they should, however, listen and follow the situation until it is evident that assistance is being provided. transmitting may resume after hearing an “all clear” (silence fini).

you may only have seconds to send a distress call. here’s what you should do:

ProCedure for dIGItAL seLeCtIVe CALLInG (dsC) dIstress ALert

visit the dsc page on the uscG site

a distress alert sHould Be transmitted if, in the opinion of the Master, the ship or a person is in distress and requires immediate assistance.

A dsc distress alert should as far as possible include the ship’s last known position and the time (in utc) when it was valid. the position and the time may be included automatically by the ship’s navigational equipment or may be inserted manually.

the dsc distress alert is transmitted as follows:

1. tune the transmitter to the dsc distress channel (2 187.5 khz on Mf, channel 70 on vhf)2. If time permits, key in or select on the dsc equipment keyboard

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=dscproc




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y the nature of distress, y the ship’s last known position (latitude and longitude). this will be automatic if your dsc

is connected to your GPs y the time (in utc) the position was valid, y type of subsequent distress communication (telephony),

in accordance with the dsc equipment manufacturer’s instructions;

3. transmit the dsc distress alert4. Prepare for the subsequent distress traffic by tuning the transmitter and the radiotelephony

receiver to the distress traffic channel in the same band, i.e. 2 182 khz on Mf, channel 16 on vhf, while waiting for the dsc distress acknowledgment.

ProCedure for Vhf ChAnneL 16 MAydAy:

If you have an Mf/hf radiotelephone tuned to 2182 khz, send the radiotelephone alarm signal if one is available. If you have a vhf marine radio, tune it to channel 16. unless you know you are outside vhf range of shore and ships, call on channel 16 first.

1. distress signal “MAydAy”, spoken three times.2. the words “thIs Is”, spoken once.3. Name of vessel in distress (spoken three times) and call sign or boat registration number,

spoken once.4. repeat “MAydAy” and name of vessel, spoken once.5. Give position of vessel by latitude or longitude or by bearing (true or magnetic, state which)

and distance to a well-know landmark such as a navigational aid or small island, or in any terms which will assist a responding station in locating the vessel in distress. Include any information on vessel movement such as course, speed and destination.

6. Nature of distress (sinking, fire etc.).7. Kind of assistance desired.8. Number of persons onboard.9. Any other information which might facilitate rescue, such as length or tonnage of vessel, number

of persons needing medical attention, color hull, cabin, masks, etc.10. the word “ovEr”

stay by the radio if possible. Even after the message has been received, the coast Guard can find you more quickly if you can transmit a signal on which a rescue boat or aircraft can home.




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For ExaMPlE: MAydAy-MAydAy-MAydAy thIs Is BLue duCk-BLue duCk-BLue duCk WA1234 MAydAy BLue duCk CAPe henry LIGht BeArs 185 deGrees MAGnetIC-dIstAnCe 2 MILes struCk suBMerGed oBJeCt need PuMPs-MedICAL AssIstAnCe And toW three AduLts, tWo ChILdren onBoArd one Person CoMPound frACture of ArM estIMAte CAn reMAIn AfLoAt tWo hours BLue duCk Is thIrty tWo foot CABIn CruIser-WhIte huLL-BLue deCk house oVer

repeat at intervals until an answer is received.

one thing to keep in mind is that you may know how to make a MAydAy call but your crew may not. therefore, print out and laminate one of the Mayday call pages presented below in the Appendix. Post on your boat near the vhf radio. you can even zip-tie the smaller one to your vhf mic cord.

; if you hear a distress call...

if You Hear a distress message from a vessel and it is not answered, then you must answer. If you are reasonably sure that the distressed vessel is not in your vicinity, you should wait a short time for others to acknowledge.

; MF/HF radiotelephone

Your vHf radio is intended mainly for short range communications, generally 5-10 miles, and at least 20 miles to a usCG station. to communicate at longer ranges, you will normally need a satellite telephone or an Mf/hf marine radiotelephone. hf Marine radiotelephone equipment normally operates between 2 - 26 Mhz using single sideband emissions. Mf/hf marine radiotelephones can also be used to receive high seas weather broadcasts, and by using a computer and a special interface provided by some coast stations, can provide Internet email.

; what to do if no one responds to your distress call

tune your hf radiotelephone to an hf channel guarded by the coast Guard, and repeat your Mayday call. Activate your EPIrB (Emergency Position Indicating radio beacon).

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=cgcommsCall




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; Calls other than distress

Urgency: “Pan-Pan, Pan-Pan, Pan-Pan” (PaHn PaHn). this in the International urgency signal and is used when a vessel or person is in some jeopardy of a degree less than would be indicated by Mayday.

safety: “sECUritY, sECUritY, sECUritY” (saY-CUrE-it-taY). this is the International safety signal and is a message about some aspect of navigational safety or a weather warning. you will most often hear this from the coast Guard. listen and take appropriate actions if necessary. for example, perhaps a navigational aid has drifted off station or a tornado watch has been issued.

GenerAL CALLs to other shIPs or shore

frequencies you May use as a recreational Boater (non commercial)

for hf, see the high frequency radiotelephone web page.

for vhf see the vhf channels page. Note carefully the channels you as a recreational non commercial boater can use to communicate. Each channel operates on a different vhf frequency. here is a summary.

y channel 09 - Boater calling. commercial and Non-commercial. y channel 16 -International distress, safety and calling. Any ships that are required to carry

a vhf radio, uscG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel. IE if you carry one you are required to maintain a watch.

y channel 68 - Non-commercial traffic y channel 69 - Non-commercial traffic y channel 71 - Non-commercial traffic y channel 72 -Non-commercial (Intership only) y channel 78A - Non-commercial traffic y special Note - channel 70 is for dsc calling only No voice is allowed. y WX1 through WX7 are weather broad casting channels. they are listen only. No

transmission is possible. the frequency range is slightly higher than any of the channels 1 through 88.

All others are for port operations, commercial traffic government etc. Note in particular, channel 70 is for dsc distress signals. No voice is allowed on channel 70. sometime’s you’ll see a A and B switch. A is typically used in the usA.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtHighFrequency

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtVhf




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ProCedure for CALLInG A shIP By rAdIo

You maY use cHannel 16 to call a ship or shore station, but if you do so, you must, must be brief! We recommend this same procedure be used over channel 9, if channel 9 is used as a calling channel.

For ExaMPlE: Blue duck: “Mary Jane, this is Blue duck” (the name of the vessel or MMsI being called may be said 2 or 3 times if conditions warrant) Mary Jane: “Blue duck, this is Mary Jane. reply 68” (or some other proper working channel)Blue duck: “68” or “roger” Both switch to channel 68 (as example). have conversation. end each turn with “over”. end conversation with your station name and “out”.

GLoBAL MArItIMe dIstress & sAfety systeM

vHf maritime cHannel 70 (156.525 Mhz) is authorized exclusively for distress, safety and calling purposes using digital selective calling (dsC) techniques. no other uses are permitted.

Channel 70 is used to send dsC only distress alerts, safety announcements and for calling purposes under the Global Maritime distress and safety system (GMdss). Many vessels are now equipped with dsC capability and are using channel 70 for this purpose. It is essential that this channel be protected.

; storm warnings?

tHe coast guard announces storm warnings and other urgent marine information broadcasts on Vhf channel 16 and 2182 khz before making the broadcasts on Vhf channel 22A and 2670 khz respectively. storm warnings and forecasts are also made by noAA Weather radio.

; MaYdaY radio Checks and other Hoaxes

a growing numBer of Boaters unsuccessful in getting a radio check on Vhf channel 16 are calling MAydAy to get a response. every hoax, including MAydAy radio checks, is subject to prosecution as a Class d felony under title 14, section 85 of the u.s. Code, liable for a $5000 fine plus all costs the Coast Guard incurs as a result of the individual’s action. since hoaxes can lead to loss of life, the Coast Guard and federal Communications Commission will work closely together, using when necessary fCC equipment capable of identifying the electronic signature of the offending radio. We ask your cooperation in helping us and the fCC remove hoaxes from the Vhf radiotelephone distress, safety and calling channel 16.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtDsc

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=GMDSS

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/




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; radio Checks

radio cHecks witH tHe coast Guard Communications stations on dsC and hf radiotelephone are allowed but not on Vhf.

; Federal Communications Commission (FCC) radio license information

an fcc sHip station radio license is no longer required for any vessel traveling in u.s. waters which uses a Vhf marine radio, radar or ePIrB, and which is not required to carry radio equipment. A license is necessary however for any vessel required to carry a marine radio, on an international voyage, or carrying an hf single sideband radiotelephone or marine satellite terminal. fCC license forms, including applications for ship and land station radio licenses, can now be downloaded from the fCC website.

sAteLLIte CoMMunICAtIons

currentlY tHe inmarsat organization, an international organization established by treaty, is the sole provider of worldwide maritime mobile satellite communications offering emergency calling capability. Coverage is available between about 70 deg n latitude and 70 deg s latitude. other mobile satellite systems are also becoming available, but these systems in general do not offer an emergency calling capability.

y for More Information... see the uscG site at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=gmdsssafteyNet

the PhonetIC ALPhABet

wHenever You are using voice to transmit letters you should use this international standard which corresponds words to letters.

Alpha Echo India Mike Quebec uniform yankee

Bravo foxtrot Juliet November romeo victor zulu

charlie Golf Kilo oscar sierra Whiskey

delta hotel lima Papa tango X-ray

http://www.fcc.gov/forms

http://www.inmarsat.com/

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=gmdssSafteyNet




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the yACht ChArter BAse

most of tHe time on a chartered vacation, you will be out of Vhf range of the yacht Charter Base If you want to communicate with them they will typically give your their telephone number. In most charter vacation destinations, your cellular telephone will work however international roaming phone rates apply which are Very expensive. you can easily save ten times the cost of this course by calling your carrier before your vacation and sign up for an international roaming deal. Be especially aware of pulling in data via your phone. Costs vary but are about $10 per megabyte. It’s best to turn data off. you can usually hit an internet cafe on one of the islands to catch up with important emails.

typically, your yacht charter Base will designate a channel other than 16 to communicate with you upon your imminent return to base. they will require you to call them on this channel when you are within about 3 miles of the Base. they will give you instructions as to which dock you should return your vessel to and other instructions. some times they will require a harbor captain to come out to your ship to steer you in. for example, in st. Maarten, the entrance to oyster Pond is a little tricky with breaking waves.

your conversation here would sound like the following.

switCH to dEsiGnatEd CHannElYoU: “XyZ Charter Company, this is Blue duck over”BasE: “Blue duck this is XyZ Charter Company. over”YoU: “XyZ Charter company, we are approximately 3 miles due south and retuningto Base. request docking instructions. over” BasE: “Blue duck, dock your vessel in slip Bravo five. stern to. over”YoU: “slip Bravo five. stern to. Blue duck out”(note, if you’re worried about “stern to” docking, take our Maneuvering under Power Clinic and never worry again)

other InforMAtIon VIA Vhf

Be sure to ask Your Charter base about which channel and times the weather forecast will be broadcast on. typically these are set at specific times everyday. obviously it is imperative that you be able to listen to these broadcasts. the harbor master in each port that you visit is also a good source for weather forecasts and weather maps.

nEws: once on a trip in the sea of cortez we were delighted to receive a broadcast of a completely biased and commented summary of the world news everyday at 9:00am by a local group of ex-pats living on their boats. check with your charter company - they’ll know what is going on via the vhf.

tHanks For CoMPlEtinG this module. Now log back into your account on NauticEd and take the associated test. Good luck!

Vhf dIstress CALL: MAydAy

tUnE to CHannEl 16

say the below slowly

MaYdaY. MaYdaY. MaYdaY. tHis is

________________________________________________ [vessel name & callsign]

MaYdaY ___________________________________[vessel name]

oUr Position is ___________ [Buoy no. or GPs]

tHE ProBlEM is ___________ [describe what happened.]

i rEQUirE ___________ [describe the assistance you require.]

tHErE arE ______ [number] PEoPlE on Board.

tHEY arE [ oK / INJurEd / ovErBoArd ]

wE arE a [PowEr / sail] Boat, _______ [size],

_____________ [colours]

oVEr.

release the button and listen for a reply.

repeat every 60 seconds until you get an answer.

NauticEd

VHF distress Call: MaYdaY

on Channel 16, say the below slowly

y MaYdaY. MaYdaY. MaYdaY. tHis is ____________ [vessel name & callsign y MaYdaY [vessel name] y oUr Position is ___________ [Buoy no. or GPs] y tHE ProBlEM is ___________ [describe what happened.] y i rEQUirE ___________ [describe the assistance you require.] y tHErE arE ______ [number] PEoPlE on Board. y tHEY arE [ oK / INJurEd / ovErBoArd ] y wE arE a [PowEr / sail] Boat, _______ [size], _____________ [colours] y oVEr.

release the button and listen for a reply. repeat every 60 seconds until you get an answer.

NauticEd

CUt oUt, laMinatE and ZiP-tiE tHis to tHE MiC Cord

module 1 - planning and arriving - agwe' sailing · bareboat charter clinic module1 - planning...

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