POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Moving from a Jetty
ONE
KEY POINTS
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Check for presence of others on and in the water
Crew safety
Clear the jetty, no scrubbing of sides.
Maintain slow speed to keep wake to a minimum
One hand gear one hand steer.
Be constantly aware of others.
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Emphasis on control, damage limitation and respect for others.
Hands inside boat, boat balance and trim, communication, hold
on.
Effect of wake.
Powerboat is most manoeuvrable; gives way/gets out of way
to/of all others.
Establish “Ethos” of respect.
“Constant lookout” Col’. Reg’s, Maritime Law,
Maintain course
Travelling in a straight line
forward and reverse
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Pick a transit
One hand gear one hand steer.
Windage
Boat speed and momentum
Advise crew of changes in boat speed
Engine position against wheel position
Maintain keeping a constant lookout.
Transit on land or water distracts from looking at hands.
Encourage use of neutral /tick over to appraise situations
( Useful later when in Rescue situations)
Accelerate and decelerate, note effect of wake on boat,
Introduce “Pooping”.
Study/observe/watch the wake.
Windage; Travel with, against and across the wind note how
boat and course is affected
Note how increasing speed in reverse increases risk of pooping
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Steering
Low speed exercises
TWO
KEY POINTS
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Pivot points
The bow goes one way the stern goes the other
One hand gear one hand steer
Look to see water is clear to make turn before
turning.
Advise crew of intention to turn and in what
direction.
NO tight turns at High Speed, to be discussed
more fully later.
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Note how pattern of wake changes as boat begins to turn and
continues to change as turn becomes tighter. Bottom of boat
flattens surface of water. Explain pivot point and how this
influences amount of Boat swing in both forward and reverse.
Stress the usefulness of this when close quarter manoeuvring.
Steer around a mark, note how speed and steering need to be
constantly adjusted in order to maintain proximity.
Introduce/reintroduce “Preferred Gear is neutral “ when slow
manoeuvring. Challenge to develop skill, use oar as distance
gauge, try forward and reverse.
Set up a figure of eight course and try forward and reverse.
Aim to steer the boat around not Swing.
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Return to Jetty
THREE
KEY POINTS
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Assess activity in Jetty area
Reduce speed to slow
Assess wind strength and direction
Advise crew of intention and maintain
communication.
Approach jetty at ninety degrees engage neutral
assess momentum and at approx one half boat
length apply full lock and short burst of forward
gear returning immediately to neutral whilst
maintaining lock.
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Exercise requires concentration. Drivers need to assess fully
prevailing conditions and to maintain good control of boat
speed in order to judge momentum and boat carry.
Minimum speed required around jetty area and constant
lookout for others on/in the water. One hand gear one hand
steer and good use of neutral and short injections of tickover,
allowing momentum to carry the boat forward.
Success is achieved by a “Gentle” parallel park with the engine
maintained in the face outward lock ready for departure.
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Picking up a mark and holding
off (60secs)
FOUR
KEY POINTS
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Holding off
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Make time to assess conditions, wind strength
and direction.
Approach into the wind
Move from forward gear tick over to neutral
allowing momentum to carry boat forward
Aim for boat to come to a stop with the mark
against or very near to a forward cleat.
Allow boat to fall away into reverse to leave mark
Position boat downwind of mark. Position should
be close enough to see the mark but not close
enough to over run. Hold position for 60 seconds
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Wind as friend. Allow the wind to act as brake. Stopping well
away from the mark and making a practice approach allows
time to assess wind strength and to adjust boat speed.
When slow manoeuvring work between neutral and tick over
Encourage drivers to bring boat alongside mark and throw a
loop around. Score out of 10
Challenge drivers by using exercise to “Greet the Mark” using
forward and reverse and making use of any wind. Touch the
bow of the boat to either side of the mark. Explain how this
could be more easily achieved if there was a tide or current
running. Use it to develop close handling skills for extracting in
the event of a rescue. Make use of neutral/tick over and
continually assess conditions and try to develop feel for the
way the boat responds to handling.
Allowing the boat to fall away and leaving the mark astern
reduces opportunity for Prop to foul mooring line.
Holding off requires fine tuning of use of forward gear and
neutral. Good awareness of Windage works here Patience and
feel are developed in this exercise.
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Anchoring
The need to anchor a boat
does not happen regularly at
Ripon. It may be necessary
however when attending a
Lee Shore rescue particularly
if the wind is exceptionally
strong.
FIVE
KEY POINTS
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Communicate with crew
Prepare Anchor line and Anchor
Secure Bitter end
Make approach to anchor point in same way as to
picking up a mark.
Stop boat at a suitable point
Drop anchor
As boat drifts back pay out remaining warp
Engage reverse briefly to dig anchor in
Raising the Anchor may need the boat to be
driven toward the anchor. In this situation good
communication between helm and crew is
necessary to prevent boat overrunning the warp
and fouling the prop.
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Good communication is key in building a good working
relationship
Not all boat handlers are seamanlike! Checking that the warp is
not tangled is not just good practice it is sometimes necessary!!
Securing the bitter end is plain common sense!
Always assessing situations for conditions not only helps in
developing boat awareness but also helps maintain calm in
situations that can on occasions be tense.
Checking for purchase is essential especially if anchoring to
affect a lee shore rescue.
Anchor warps are long enough to have “Scope” this prevents
the warp from hanging vertically from the boat and allows the
anchor to lay along the bed encouraging better purchase. This
amount of scope should be born in mind when choosing
position for anchoring in Lee shore situations.
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Man Overboard
SIX
KEY POINTS
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Good communication with crew
Turn boat towards MOB in order to move prop
away from MOB
Continue turn into a wide arc
Decrease speed gradually
Remaining crew to maintain visual contact
Assess situation
Make approach against the wind
Aim to one side of MOB not directly at
Allow room to be in reaching distance of Mob not
come up against
Kill Engine when contact with MOB is made
Be prepared to abort and repeat exercise if
contact is not made.
Keep the boat between the MOB and the
propeller
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Visual contact is crucial. Good communication is essential,
Information such as locating position of MOB relative to boat
and reducing distance to MOB. “Contact”
Approaching an MOB is the same as picking up a mark except
that the MOB is not anchored so any current/tide is less
helpful. The wind however must be taken into account and
used to advantage. Sound assessment and good boat control
coupled with teamwork and good communication contributes
to the establishment of a calm and effective retrieval.
Approaches from upwind of the MOB are possible. In most
cases the risk of injury is less when the MOB is upwind of the
boat.
Kill engine unless there is a threat of serious danger!!
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Towing
Given the constraints of time
a simple tow from the stern
will be instructed.
SEVEN
KEY POINTS
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Maintain good communication
Prepare towline on Safety boat
Attach to bridle or if not available spread towline
between two points
Approach vessel to be towed
Approach is usually from downwind and towards
the bow. Pass the towline to the to be towed
boat
Make the line fast to the painter or pass through
a fairlead and tie to the mast of a dinghy
Centralise the rudder of the towed boat and raise
centre/dagger board
Seat crew of towed boat to rear to raise bow
when under tow
Move away gently to take up slack
Ease power when towline takes up load
Tow gently to safety keeping a close eye on
towed boat
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Communication between crews is crucial to a safe and effective
tow. Safety of all engaged in tow has to be considered.
When returning to a jetty, consider bringing the safety boat
alongside first and dragging the towed boat in when the safety
boat is secure.
Towing at speed is not advised. But if deemed absolutely
necessary then lengthen the warp to allow the towed boat to
ride the wake and not plough into it.
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
Control of Boat on the plane.
In most cases it should not be
necessary to travel at high
speed at Ripon. However
when conditions dictate a
need for prompt attention
then some awareness of boat
handling at speed is
necessary.
EIGHT
KEY POINTS
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Check kill cord
Communication
Position of crew in boat and balance and trim
Constant look out
One hand Gear one hand steer
Gradual increase in speed to raise hull over bow
wave
Ease back and trim engine up
Safe speed and crew comfort
Look all around before slowing down
Advise crew of change in speed
Reduce speed gradually, make slow turns to
either side to avoid pooping
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
It is imperative that the kill cord is attached at these speeds.
Having crew positioned to balance trim boat keeps boat stable
and encourages move to plane.
At these speeds it is important to be constantly aware of the
movements of other water users.
Regard must be given to the amount of wake and wave
disturbance generated at these speeds and the comfort and
safety of others respected.
Communicating any intention to make sudden changes in order
to prevent accidents especially MOB is an absolute requirement
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
NINE
KEY POINTS
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
TEN
KEY POINTS
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
POWERBOAT FAMILIARISATION
TOPIC
ELEVEN
KEY POINTS
COMMENTS/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES