RYA Advanced Pilotage Syllabus

Passage planning

Understands:

  • Victualing
    • The importance of identifying ports of refuge
    • Publications required
    • Strategy
    • Customs procedures

Can:

  • Calculate the fuel required, including reserve
    • Plan a coastal passage

Preparation for sea

Understands:

  • Safety equipment for offshore passages

Can:

  • Prepare a motor cruiser for sea
    • Give an effective safety briefing

Pilotage

Understands:

  • Tidal considerations
    • GPS limitations in pilotage

Can:

  • Prepare a pilotage plan with consideration of soundings, transits, clearing bearings, back

bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations

  • Pilot a motor cruiser by day and night

Passage making and responsibility as a skipper (Daylight Hours)
Understands:

  • The significance of meteorological trends
    • The importance of crew welfare, safety and control on passage

Can:

  • Take charge of a motor cruiser and direct the crew
    • Organise the navigational, deckwork, and domestic duties of a motor cruiser on passage
    • Organise watch-keeping
    • Integrate the use of traditional and electronic aids to navigation

Radar / AIS

Understands:

  • Advantages and limitations of AIS and Radar

Boat handling

Understands:

  • Characteristics of various hull forms and propeller configurations

Can:

  • Control the boat effectively in a confined space, including all berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide
    • Berth and unberth in simple situations using one engine and lines (on a twin engine boat)
    • Avoid excessive use of power
    • Demonstrate a practical understanding and correct use of power trim and trim tabs

Adverse weather conditions

Understands:

  • Action to be taken in rough weather
    • The importance of boat control in waves and positioning to minimise the possibility of injury
    • Preparation for heavy weather and handling in strong winds
    • Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility

Emergency situations

Knowledge of:

  • How a vessel may be asked to assist in a search

Understands:

  • Actions to be taken when abandoning to a liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues
    • What to do in a medical emergency
    • Towing and being towed
    • How to issue distress by all available means

Can:

  • Recover a man overboard dummy in all available conditions

Night Cruising

Can:

  • Take charge of a motor cruiser at night, including entering and leaving harbour
    • Demonstrate the ability to keep a proper lookout and identifying lit marks and nominated positions by night

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