Sailing Thread - Yachts / Boats / Dinghies etc

[Supine]

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[gentlegreen]

I see they do online and on-the-water courses at Bristol's yachty place - quite steep though - £150 for the very basics.

Leisure - Bristol Maritime Academy

 

[Chilli.s]

The one I did was at a tec college, the teacher was ex Bristol harbormaster. Several evenings, RYA certificate. GPS and navigation software has made a lot of difference i'm sure.

 

[DownwardDog]

How does one learn navigation and the rules of the sea. ?

If you have anything bigger than a bathtub then you need the dreaded permis bateau in France. In the onerous process of acquiring this you will be orally examined on your knowledge of maritime regulations by an 'expert'. To prepare for this one reads a series of books called the "Codes Vagnons". Somebody once told me there are 34 volumes of this which seems unlikely but there is a reason so many French people register their boats in Belgium...

 

[twentythreedom]

How does one learn navigation and the rules of the sea. ?

Not that I'm ever going to be piloting anything of any great draft, or paying for posh moorings in a "port de plaisance", but who knows, I may be forced into such places by the weather or misjudging the tides.

I've been watching boats navigate Audierne's sand-banky harbour and realising just how much there is to learn.
I certainly don't know how to read this map - certainly in terms of estimating the actual depths at a particular stage of a particular tide...

View attachment 134569

Spoiler: live webcam

RYA Day Skipper theory course

 

[High Voltage]

How does one learn navigation and the rules of the sea. ?

From memory it seems to involve a lot of shooting people if/when they get a bit arsey

 

[StoneRoad]

I gather that Whitehaven are having their PYBO event(s) tomorrow.

Anyone else ?

 

[twentythreedom]

Haven't heard of anything round here, although the National Sailing Academy at Portland will probably be doing something at a guess

 

[spitfire]

So, as someone who has family connections in the south of France, (Miss Fire), is there anything I can get in the UK that gets me round the permis bateau?

I've looked at hiring boats a couple of times but 4hp isn't really worth it.

 

[twentythreedom]

So, as someone who has family connections in the south of France, (Miss Fire), is there anything I can get in the UK that gets me round the permis bateau?

I've looked at hiring boats a couple of times but 4hp isn't really worth it.

RYA Day Skipper, which gets you an ICC (International Certificate of Competence) valid in France, for yachts etc

Not sure if there's any lower level of permit just for dinghy use or whatever - the RYA will be able to advise, I'm sure

 

[gentlegreen]

It seems I could do that in Bristol - quite expensive though and I don't remember stuff if I don't use it on a very regular basis, so I will have to pick stuff up by osmosis for the time being from Youtube.

i just ordered a cheap boat compass for my bike

And I just found this :-

DATA.SHOM.FR

I fancy what I'll do when I get established on the coast is first buy a cheap surfy kayak and learn how not to drown, then scale up to a fishing kayak - staying close-in.
You can even fit sails to kayaks
That will give me a framework to hang the training on.
Doing it in French will be a challenge

 

[gentlegreen]

My compass has arrived from China.
Does convention not have the arrow pointing North ?
Also in spite of the adjustable mount so it can be mounted vertically with only half the sphere visible, it's clearly designed to be read from above or they'd have put the markings on 180 degrees out...

 

[twentythreedom]

More naughty yachtsmen importing cocaine

Two men charged over cocaine seized from boat in English Channel

 

[StoneRoad]

Beat me to it - not just charged, but appearing over video link ...

Pair in court over 'huge haul' of drugs

 

[twentythreedom]

Beat me to it - not just charged, but appearing over video link ...

Pair in court over 'huge haul' of drugs

If you see the picture of the yacht in Newlyn it's really bows down, obviously some serious cargo onboard!

 

[pseudonarcissus]

I went sailing for the first time in years yesterday....not much wind but a nice day out

 

[Supine]

My compass has arrived from China.
Does convention not have the arrow pointing North ?
Also in spite of the adjustable mount so it can be mounted vertically with only half the sphere visible, it's clearly designed to be read from above or they'd have put the markings on 180 degrees out...



View attachment 139784

I'm pretty sure the arrow always points north

 

[twentythreedom]

I went sailing for the first time in years yesterday....not much wind but a nice day out

Looks fantastic where, what boat etc?

 

[pseudonarcissus]

My compass has arrived from China.
Does convention not have the arrow pointing North ?
Also in spite of the adjustable mount so it can be mounted vertically with only half the sphere visible, it's clearly designed to be read from above or they'd have put the markings on 180 degrees out...



View attachment 139784

in that picture, if you are standing with the compass in front of you, you are on a course of 085, ie the number closest to you is east(ish). That's how ships' compasses work. It's not that the magnet has flipped polarity or anything.

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm pretty sure the arrow always points north

I've started taking it apart now with a view to reversing it

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Looks fantastic where, what boat etc?

Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. A colleague's home fitted-out boat, probably about 30'.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

I'm pretty sure the arrow always points north

that's correct, the arrow is N. gentlegreen if its mounted in front of you, say on the handlebars of your bike, the closest number to you, and the easiest to read, would be 000

 

[Supine]

I've started taking it apart now with a view to reversing it

Whether you want it to point north or south remember the boat or other surroundings also skew it's reading.

Wouldn't want you to get lost at sea!

 

[twentythreedom]

Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. A colleague's home fitted-out boat, probably about 30'.

Beautiful

 

[pseudonarcissus]

more

 

[twentythreedom]

Jammy bastards

 

[pseudonarcissus]

I've started taking it apart now with a view to reversing it

I guess that's pretty much how Columbus discovered America, so good luck

 

[twentythreedom]

Just use Navionics (or similar app) on your phone / tab. I never look at my boat's actual magnetic compass. No need. (Although it's essential equipment and I'd never be without one)

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm watching the webcam on the Pointe du Raz, Brittany. :-

Spoiler: webcam

I just watched a little boat sail through a narrow gap.
Not the wildest part of the "Raz du Sein", but still looks hairy.

Would they have been using a motor even though the sail is up ?

 

[StoneRoad]

They could have been going "with" the tide, as well as using the sail. I doubt that something like that has much in the way of engines - I thought that it had an outboard over the transom, but it is actually a small rubber tender.