LEARNING THE ROPES WITH A CUSTOMISED INSTRUCTION COURSE
The initial Nautical Training sessions always begin with underpinning skills and knowledge of navigation. Trip planning and forecasting are also the basis of any training day on the water and understanding weather conditions better to avoid windy weather.
Every vessel has its own idiosyncrasies. Becoming familiar with your vessel comes with practice. Every training activity and procedure should be documented and practiced repetitively in calm conditions, until you are more confident and have a better understanding of the capabilities of your vessel and those of yourself and your crew.
Practising emergency procedures for fire onboard, person overboard, engine failure and personal injury on a regular basis will further reduce anxiety and can ensure a far better outcome in a real-life emergency.
To book a customised training session, contact karla at www.nauticaltraining.com.au
JAMES AND GULIA CARR
James and Gulia booked in for their first Nautical Training session to learn more about their new Chaparral 270 Signature (2011), and about safety on the water and how to do close-quarter manoeuvring without a bow thruster. After stepping up from a jet ski, James wanted to build his confidence at the helm. Gulia had “a fear of falling in” and wanted to learn safe crew practices and gain confidence with the docking procedures. During their first training session, the VMR was called to our rescue, giving the couple the opportunity to run through some valuable emergency procedures resulting from a minor engine fault.
TRAINING SESSIONS ON: vessel familiarisation, trip planning, knots lines and hitches, manoeuvring the boat, docking, anchoring, navigating from Hope Harbour to Tipplers and back.
HIGHLIGHTS: Understanding and finessing throttle control; investigating a few alternatives for sequencing the dock lines; and agreeing on a procedure that works best for our boat, marina berth and personal capabilities.
CHALLENGES: Berthing the boat efficiently and controlling the bow.
DOMINIC CHOI AND MISSY HOLC
Dominic and Missy booked their training sessions to familiarise themselves with their first boat purchase, a Four Winns V288 Twin, and to gain confidence in all aspects of boat ownership particularly in docking. The training sessions were conducted at Marina Quays, Wave Break Island, Gold Coast Seaway, and The Spit. They greatly appreciated Karla’s knowledge of all aspects of seamanship, as well as her local knowledge of the Gold Coast waterways, which they consider invaluable to a beginner.
TRAINING SESSIONS ON: vessel familiarisation, trip planning, knots lines and hitches, close-quarter manoeuvring, docking, anchoring, navigating the southern Broadwater and bar crossing, including provision of comprehensive training materials.
HIGHLIGHTS: Gaining confidence with each lesson in using the boat safely
CHALLENGES: Docking our vessel into our berth with adverse wind and currents.
Published in print October-December 2021
