Boating class STEP 1

Captain Kevin Pisani

3 steps

• Send a copy of my card - email to Captain Kevin or bring it to the water class
• Class today
• Class on Friday

Class review

• Rules of the road
• Boat hulls and operation
• Crossing wakes
• Wind effects
• Nautical charts
• Emergency procedures, breakdowns and towing
• Checkout process (N/A for virtual class)

If you don't feel comfortable after the class, reach out to Kevin so more classes can be arranged for extra training.

The Skipper

Guess what!!? That's you. 😮

Be a weather expert. Apps to check:

• Sailflow
• Windy
• Wunderground

The day before and morning of your trip.

Lateral aids

Mark the sides of a channel. Keep the boat in between red and green buoy/beacons

• Red : Even numbers (Right)
  • Red - Right - Returning from sea
• Green : Odd numbers (Left)
  • Green - Right - Out to the sea
• Red and Green : Channel junction

Numbers

• Numbers increase as you travel inland
• Numbers decrease as you travel to the sea

Symbols

• 🔳 Square: bay
• ⚪ Circle: no wake zone
• 🔶 Diamond: danger, don't go near
• 🔶 Diamond with cross: exclusion zone (clearly defined areas)

Marinas are no wake zone. Forward Idle speed only.

Puget Sound Vessel Traffic System

Yellow buoys: marks the center of the North/South bound lanes

📻 Marine VHF channel 14 - Vessel Traffic

• 📻 If you hear other people talking on the vessel traffic, they're really near you.

• Recreational vessels should cross at 90 degree angle

Nautical Charts

• Diamond with the circle on the base.
  • Y' S': Yellow.
  • R'2: Red

Nautical Charts Apps

• List of Apps

• Navionics (Garmin)

Collision Regulations (COLREGS)

Always use International rules here in WA

YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD

• You must comply with the rules!
• You can only break the rule to avoid a collision!

Avoiding collisions

• Danger zone: 112 1/2 degrees

Sound signals

• Starboard turn (right): one short blast

• Port turn (left) - two short blast

• Five or more short blasts: DANGER

Be whale wise

Zero tolerance. Respect the wild life!

bewhalewise.org

Engine cut-out switch (ECOS)

• Put it around your leg.

Vessel Hull Types

There are three major hull types for vessels:

• Displacement hull
  • The complete hull remains in the water at any speed
• Semi Displacement hull
• Planing hull
  • Only part of the hull remains in the water
  • Slow speed
  • When plowing, it produces large wake and uses lots of fuel
    • it's also a lot of fun for wakeboarders 🌊🏄

Crossing wakes

This is the #1 reason people get hurt.

See it; Say it; Slow down; Stay straight.

• Alert everyone. We're crossing a wake, brace yourselves.
• Reduce the speed to approx. 3500 rpm
• Attack it using the rule of 45 degrees, if it's a small wake.
• If it's larger, go heads on, slowly (don't go neutral, keep the engine going)

Wind effects

Keep your boat moving. Crab the boat.

Docking and Casting off

Take into consideration wind and current and compensate.

Docking

Casting off

Forward

Reverse

INGA process

• In gear
• Neutral
• Glide
• Assess

Nautical Charts

You need to know how to read nautical charts. You need to understand the measurements, the basic colors and what they indicate, contour lines, landmarks.

1 fathoms = 6 feet = ~1.8 meters

Charts:

• ⚪ white means we're good
• 🔵 blue means be careful
• 🟢 green means you need to call your insurance 🙃

• Download US chart no 1.

NO-GO AREAS:

• Entrance to Eagle Harbor
• San Juan have hazards
• Alki Beach

Emergency Procedures - Breakdowns and Towing

• Life threatening? - Call 911.

• Action call? Call coast Guard on 📻 channel 16 using VHF radio.

• Non-life threatening? Call the dock master using your phone.

  • Don't get off the board
    • If you have to, think about how will you get back into to boat?
  • Put on your safe vest. Ask everyone aboard to do the same.
  • Weird noise? Turn off the engine.

  DO NOT TOW ANOTHER BOAT! NO EXCEPTIONS!

Good practices

💸 Tips 💵 are a standard in the marine industry - for outstanding service.