• Module BN00 "Briefing"
  25 pages of briefing notes
• Enclosed with your letter welcoming you to your course and giving guidance on how to get started, you will receive: Centaur Sailing Limited's CD-ROM, a paper version of RYA Training Chart 3, electronic versions of RYA Training Charts 3 and 4, Breton type of plotter, MOD pattern 8 inch heavy brass pencil holding compass, RYA Training Almanac and Admiralty Chart 5011.
• A list of all the documents on your CD-ROM including the course modules listed below and other resources included on the CD-ROM.
• A list of the items you'll need to get for the course, i.e. a 2B pencil, pencil sharpener and soft white eraser.
• Advice on how the "self-marked" and "instructor-marked" questions should be approached.
• Advice regarding printing the substantial course notes.
• A briefing on the theory and practical courses in the RYA Cruising Scheme, how they relate to each other and how they connect with the examinations for an MCA/RYA "Certificate of Competence".
• Module BN01 "Basic Terms and Anchoring"
  49 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Use the correct nautical terms related to manoeuvring a vessel.
• Explain how to select an anchorage.
• Explain how to anchor, i.e.
• choose which anchor to use according to differing types of seabed.
• decide how much scope of chain/warp to deploy.
• Making sure your anchor (and vessel) stays put!
• Module BN02 "Chart Familiarisation"
  128 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 4 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Explain what information is available on an Admiralty chart and in an almanac.
• Use Admiralty Chart 5011 and the RYA Training Almanac to look up the meaning of symbols and abbreviations used on Admiralty charts.
• Plot a position on an Admiralty chart by means of latitude and longitude coordinates using a Breton type of plotter.
• Explain what is meant by a “Nautical Mile” and how to calculate distance on an Admiralty chart using a pencil-holding compass.
• Explain what is meant by the term “Knot”.
• Draw any bearing line on an Admiralty chart using a Breton type of plotter.
• Use both the paper RYA Training Charts and the Admiralty RYA Electronic Chart Plotter to find buoys.
• Module BN03 "Buoyage"
  51 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 1 hour for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Describe the difference(s) between buoyage in IALA Region A and IALA Region B.
• Recognise lateral buoyage and safe water marks by day, and decide what action is necessary to avoid any hazards indicated by them.
• Recognise cardinal buoyage by day, and decide what action is necessary to avoid any hazards indicated by them.
• Recognise isolated danger marks and special purpose marks by day, and decide what action is necessary to avoid any hazards indicated by them.
• Use both the paper RYA Training Charts and the Admiralty RYA Electronic Chart Plotter to find buoys and lights.
• Module BN04 "Position Fixing"
  127 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Explain the term “Variation” and calculate the value for it in a particular position.
• Explain simply the term “Deviation” and be aware of how to calculate the value for it on a particular heading.
• Apply variation to convert true bearings into magnetic bearings and magnetic bearings into true bearings.
• Plot a position on both a paper and an electronic chart from: a visual 3 point fix, a bearing and contour fix, a transit and bearing fix, or by passing a charted object.
• Plot a GPS sourced position on a paper and electronic chart from: latitude/longitude co–ordinates, range and bearing from a waypoint.
• Explain simply the limitations associated with, and care required, when using GPS.
• Module BN05 "Tides"
  86 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 4 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Explain simply how tides are caused and their effect on leisure boaters.
• Decide if there is sufficient clearance for your boat to safely pass over shallows and/or hazards by calculating whether there is sufficient height of tide with reference to the appropriate Standard Port.
• Decide at what time it is safe to pass over such shallows and/or hazards.
• Decide the most favourable “window” of time to make a short passage with reference to tidal streams.
• Module BN06 "Pilotage"
  69 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Prepare a simple pilotage plan for safe harbour entry/exit allowing you to be on deck to skipper the vessel, and all the crew to be on deck as well assisting in the safe pilotage of the vessel i.e. no one below at the chart table.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a “graphical” compared to a text-based, i.e. a written list, type of pilotage plan.
• Explain how to use transits, sectored lights, head bearings, back bearings and clearing bearings to remain in safe water when in close proximity to hazards.
• Module BN07 "Passage Planning"
  93 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises in this course module.
• Prepare an inshore passage plan that satisfies the requirements of SOLAS 2002 regulation 34.
• Create GPS “Waypoints” and build them into a “Route” using the Admiralty RYA Electronic Chart Plotter.
• Print out a basic Passage Plan based on the Route just built using the Admiralty RYA Electronic Chart Plotter.
• Module BN08 "Collision Regulations"
  124 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Explain the basic rules about watchkeeping, safe speed and determining risk of collision.
• Explain simply the priorities between different types of vessels.
• Identify a basic range of vessels by “day shapes” shown during the day.
• Identify basic vessel manoeuvres by their sound signals.
• Explain simply how to decide what action to take to avoid a collision.
• Module BN09 "Meteorology"
  38 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 1 hour for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Simply explain the Beaufort Scale and conditions associated with each “Force” & decide whether to put to sea based on a Weather Forecast.
• Explain the sources for weather information and the terms used in them.
• Describe the implications of wind on sea state and how tide and land can be utilised for a more comfortable passage.
• Module BN10 "Safety"
  72 pages of notes, worked examples and exercises.
  To get the most from this course module, students are advised to allow approximately 2 hours for the study and completion of all the exercises.
• Describe the clothing and equipment necessary for personal safety aboard leisure craft and their tenders/dinghies.
• Describe the main safety equipment likely to be found aboard leisure craft and outline their purpose.
• Explain how immediate assistance may be called in the case of grave AND imminent danger to life.

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