International Yachtmaster Training Sailing Courses
The International Recreational Crew Certificate is divided into 6 modules, module 2 gets us under way and you will be learn about safety on board a boat and the use of the life raft and first aid kit, fire extinguishers, flares, life jackets and safety harnesses. What clothing and footwear is suitable for the varying conditions met while sailing. Seasickness and it’s symptoms, cause and prevention. How various equipment works including: battery selector switch, bilge pumps, cabin lights, cooker & butane/propane gas, heads and water pumps together with general housekeeping rules. You will learn a very basic theory of how a diesel engine works and maintenance procedures such as checking the level of the oil, changing the oil, changing filters, ensuring the flow of cooling water to the engine and how to change impellors. You will be taught how to keep a good and effective lookout, which should be maintained at all times, while under way. You will take a look at basic navigation, course plotting, nautical charts, safe passage conditions, tides and currents and weather forecasts.
On the practical side, module 3, you will learn how to coil a line and secure it to a cleat, tie a number of knots and use the winches. You will learn how to secure the boat for sea and then how to leave a berth, once under way you will undertake the duties of a lookout, learn how to hoist and set the sails and while helming the boat go through tack and gybe routines. You will anchor the boat and go through man overboard recovery drill.
Module 4 is theoretical and you will look at the International Regulations for Collision Avoidance or the “rules of the road”. Specifically looking at lights, shapes, and sound signals. You will look at some more sail handling techniques, there is more work with charts and compass and to conclude you will take a look at marine customs, etiquette and manners.
The next practical module includes safety checks and look at the through hull fittings, engine warning lights and alarms and the emergency fuel cut off. You will learn deck seamanship with more docking and mooring routines. More sail work, bending on, hoisting, lowering, reefing mainsails, handling sheets, lines, halyards, outhauls and sail trim. You will learn more skills at the helm, tacking, gybing, sailing a triangular course, sailing a compass course and heaving to.
Module 6 looks at both theory and practise of Dinghy/Tender handling. You will learn the different types of tenders, engines, spares and maintenance and safety equipment. On the practical side you will learn to row , how to move under power, launch and recover and transfer to and from the dinghy to the boat or dock.
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Salt Removal critical for Preventing Marine Corrosion
Every year $massive amounts of boating equipment is destroyed by salt corrosion. The salt water boating environment with prolonged salt water spray, salty winds & salt water contact is tough for any equipment to combat. Effective salt removal is vitally important if you don’t want to watch your expensive equipment fail.
Salt is tenacious in its ability to stick to surfaces, combine this with its capacity to absorb atmospheric moisture and it doesn’t matter how dilligent you are in trying to get rid of it, a small amount will be left behind establishing a salt corrosion zones which will end up destroying what ever gear it has stuck to. So comprehensive salt removal is essential, otherwise your expensive boat, plus if you love fishing, your much loved game fishing reels will slowly be eaten away. Even your hooks & lures will suffer, quietly rotting away, then the is your expensive marine electronics!.
A lot of the salt corrosion goes on out of site, your meticulous cleaning with fresh water often flushes salt into unseen places that are out of sight. Now the salt starts its corrosive cycle, quietly binding up the surfaces it is in contact with.
So what is the answer to salt removal?
The key to efficient salt removal is salt neutralisation; making the salt inert so it has no reactivity and removing the salt crystals that can bind up rigging, winches and fishing reels. This is best done with powerful salt neutralising solutions, that react with the salt coating the seen and jamming the unseen surfaces, chemically changing it to stop the salt’s corrosive tendencies.
The most effective products for doing this is Salt-X SX50 & Buster 50, they are concentrated, water soluble and neutralize salt as soon as applied. SX50 & Buster 50 have the ability to wick into cracks and crevices de-naturing the salt hiding there and halting the corrosive ability of the salt residue. An additional advantage is the coating that is left once SX50 & Buster 50 have air dried. This provides the surface with enhanced protection and makes salt removal easier next time round. It also leaves important lubricants intact, unlike other solvent based products!
So if you are committed to removing salt from your marine motor, start using SX50 & Buster 50 and halt the salt corrosion that is quietly eating away your investment.
Boat Party
Boating is all about fun, and fun is all about hanging out with friends and chilling on the water with some camp beer. Part of boating is camping and, well, part of camping is beer and parties. In fact, many of the visitors to the campgrounds and lakes around the United States are party animals with camp beer and these young boaters are having the time of their lives on lakes such as Lake Livingston and Lake Havasu. There are some fun things party animals with camp beer can do:
Party animals with camp beer can float some of the most popular bodies of water in the United States. Most U.S states have ample opportunity for young boaters to relax and float on houseboats, powerboats or any other type of water vehicle. Houseboats are especially popular among the young lake boating crowd because party animals with camp beer often take their party from the campfire to the water. Houseboats allow boaters to move about with plenty of room, and the larger boats sometimes replicate a land party.
Party animals with camp beer can head to the campgrounds at many of the more popularlakes in America. Most lakes (such as Shasta Lake in California or Silver Lake in Florida) have campgrounds around the lake or at least offer camping units for boaters wanting to stay the weekend. Boat party with camp beer often make their boating experience last more then one day, and campgrounds are the cheapest, most fun option out there. Camping out at night and cruising the lake at night are popular options because they cost almost nothing (most campgrounds charge between $10-30 per day for ground usage). Plus, you really can enjoy the outdoors for everything it has to offer.
The article is collected by a roofing specialist who works on roofing and solar panel installing.
How to Practice Dog Safety While Boating
Does your dog go with you wherever you go?For lots of dog owners, their dogs go where they go because they are a member of their family, whether it’s on their motorcycle, in their tent, and of course, on their boat. However, boating can be quite dangerous for your dog, although at face value, it’s a safe and enjoyable activity. While boating, here are just a few tips to practice dog safety.
Life jackets are a necessity. Although it shouldn’t happen, the sad truth is that many dogs drown each year. Your dog doesn’t have the ability to let your know he’s getting fatigued and as much as our beloved dogs love to please us, they might not say anything even if they could. A well fitting life jacket could make the difference between life and death.
From Great Dane size to tiny toy dog size, life jackets come in every imaginable size for dogs. To keep the jacket in place , make sure it has at least two fasteners around your dog’s torso , and one around the neck. To enable you to pull your dog back onto the boat, it helps to also have handles on the back.
You dog should be able to swim and favor the water. Not all dogs are able to swim, despite common belief. Have you ever seen a bulldog in the water?They are like a sinking brick. Many other breeds are not able to swim and don’t like being in the water.
Introduce the concept of boating to your dog gradually. Your dog might not like the notion or wearing a life jacket, and the movement of the boat may be a little disturbing. Let them wear their life jacket at home and give them treats before you introduce them to the boat. Don’t leave the shore the first time on the boat with your dog. They should get used to the motion of the boat on the water, so just let them run around on board.
Make sure you have plenty of fresh water. You dog will get thirsty from the sun and fresh air, not to mention the exercise. Deter your dog from drinking from the lake by having plenty of fresh water. Poisonous to dogs, water polluted with Blue-Green algae is very dangerous .
Both water and air temperatures should be monitored. Canines can die from hypothermia, just like humans, if their body temperatures become too low and they become hypothermic. And just like the air temperature being too chilly , it can be too hot as well. Make sure your dogs have a place to avoid the sun’s strong rays since some dogs can sunburn. Take a few minutes to put on sunscreen if your dog has short hair and light skin.
Here’s a few other considerations to think about dog boating safety
Have you pondered where your dog will go to the bathroom? Ensure your dog has an a designated space on the boat to go to the bathroom if you are not going back and forth to shore. And just in case, be sure you carry a first aid kit for your dog. Lastly, make sure to keep your dog out of the way of other boats and watercraft. It is not worth the risk , although a brightly colored PFD may help other boats notice your dog in the water.
Boating with your dog is possible . A few precautions, a little additional time to ensure they’re cosy on the boat and on the water and a bit of planning go a long way. Dog safety while boating is possible. Have a marvelous time!
Boat Speakers - A Tip For Your Boating
Boat audio speakers, like car mp3 player for car or plasma TV at home, are good equipments for entertaining or enjoying music when you are out as boating brings lots of joys, and lots of people want to listen to good music while off shore. Although many sound systems match boat design, the choice often proves difficult. Boat speakers are in fact the only solution for creating an audio system in a wet environment. The weather impact is considerable particularly in the salty moist sea environment, and the boat speakers have special sealed drivers and waterproof cones to endure rough usage.
The cutout size makes a very important feature for boat speakers, and this is the first consideration you should have in mind. The size usually narrows down search since the boat speakers have to fit in replacement of other older speakers. Moreover, besides the cutout size, pay attention to the depth of space behind the speaker. The resonance of the sound only improves when there is enough enclosed air around and behind the boat speakers.
For flush mount boat speakers, you may have to cut new holes for installation, which means that you’ll have to make some prior measurements. The larger the space, the better the sound quality, although the direction of the boat speakers has a role to play in the matter. In case you can’t make any holes to fit the speakers, you can choose box boat speakers that already have enough air space inside. As for the number of speakers, that only depends on how large you want to make the system.
The purchase of boat speakers depends on the shopper’s ability to recognize quality. For deep bass and high clears, you need exquisite quality, since the mid-range frequencies are not that difficult to reproduce. High-tech devices will certainly provide a realistic sound on the boat. In general lines you can choose from dual cone speakers, component speakers, coaxial speakers and sub-woofers. The product usually requires adjustment to individual needs.
One further element essential for the choice of the boat speakers is power handling. Power handling depends on the amplifier not on the volume. Plus the quality of the sound is not impaired if the boat speakers can absorb the shock of the bouncing waves. From this point of view, horizontal boat speakers are more advantageous than vertical ones. The wiring and the position of the boat speakers also deserve great care, but with step-by-step instructions, installation is possible.
