Course Descriptions—Advanced Piloting

Advanced Piloting Description

 

This all-new course continues to build coastal and inland navigation skill, allowing the student to take on more challenging conditions – unfamiliar waters, limited visibility, and extended cruises.  GPS is embraced as a primary navigation tool while adding radar, chartplotters, and other electronic navigation tools.  As with Piloting, the course includes many in-class exercises, advancing the student’s skills through hands-on practice and learning.   Topics covered include:

 

· Review of skills learned in Piloting

· Advanced positioning techniques such as advancing a line of position

· Other electronics:  radar, depth sounders, autopilots, chartplotters, laptop computer software, etc.

· Hazard avoidance techniques using electronics (e.g., “keep out” zones in GPS)

· Collision avoidance using radar and GPS

· Working with tides: clearances, depth, effects of current

· Piloting with wind and currents

· The “Seaman’s Eye” – simple skills for checking that one is on course