The Sea School P/L www.bluepeteraustralia.com ACN: 168709251 CREW BOOKLET (Sea School Certificate Level 1) Contents: Hopes and Concerns Crew Roles Program Outline Weather Tides Waves Minimal Impact Navigation COLREGS Terminology Points of Sail Tacking and Gybing Anchoring Knots Reflections 1
Acknowledging the traditional owners of Quandamooka Country, we intend on travelling with care and respect on the land and sea. Please take a minute to think about what you would like to experience on the expedition, and what you hope to avoid! HOPES CONCERNS How to maximise them How to minimise them 2
Crew Roles On the boat and at camp, there are a number of important roles to play, make notes about your experience of these: Colour Boat Camp White Helm Communicator Blue Navigator Planner Green Sheet hand Environment, toilet Yellow Sheet hand Galley Orange Team care Safety Red Boatswain Equipment Black Lookout Communal space 3
Make some notes and drawings about what we plan to do on the expedition: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch 4
Make some notes and drawings about where we went on the expedition: 5
Weather and Tide Forecasts www.bom.gov.au is the primary source for all weather predictions seabreeze.com.au has an easy to read graph for weather and tides Record the forecast weather and tides: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Tide times and heights: Tide times and heights: Tide times and heights: Tide times and heights: Tide times and heights: Forecast wind and weather: Forecast wind and weather: Forecast wind and weather: Forecast wind and weather: Forecast wind and weather: Actual wind and weather: Actual wind and weather: Actual wind and weather: Actual wind and weather: Actual wind and weather: Or draw a graph like this: Wind Speed Days of the expedition 6
Tides Understanding tides can help a lot with our planning, so learn the: Causes of tides Spring and neap tides Tidal range and chart datum Tide tables at http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/projects/ntc/qld_tide_tables.shtml What are some of the important aspects of tides that will affect our expedition planning? 7
Waves The factors influencing wave formation: Wind speed Fetch Time Currents Depth Wind against current (tidal flow) can cause waves to steepen dramatically. Waves travelling in the same direction as the current will be flattened out. What did you learn from steering and watching the waves? 8
Minimal Impact Leave no trace principles Recycling Compost Rubbish Toileting What have you noticed about the way other people care for the environment? Why do you think it is important to minimise our impact wherever we go? 9
Navigation Charts are different to maps because they show the detail of the water depth. They are available at https://webapp.navionics.com/ We need to understand about: Distances Symbols Latitude and Longitude Compass Rose Aids to navigation Compass work: Parts of a compass Taking bearings Sources of error When would we need to fix our position and what are several ways we could go about doing that? 10
Buoys, marks and beacons lateral marks Isolated danger special marks cardinal marks flashing lights at night Cross channel Port lateral Starboard lateral Cardinal Marks 11
COLREGS (collision regulations): Rules of the sea include: Everyone should keep a lookout and avoid collisions Which boat gives way Lights and sound signals Which boats should give way to others? 12
Sailing Terminology Parts of the boat and sails Directions and movement Wind and waves Forward and aft? Tacking and gybing? Heaving to? Luffing? Windward and leeward? True and apparent wind? Come up and bear away? 13
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Tacking and Gybing Tacking or working to windward Sail close hauled look around call ready to tack tacking steer towards the wind hard over back the jib through the turn release the jib sheet trim the new sheet and set new course Gybing or jibing Beware of uncontrolled gybes look around call ready to gybe sheet in the mainsail gybe-ho steer away from the wind ease on main and jib sheets set new course 15
Anchoring Types of anchors Rode and scope Allowing for tidal range Swinging room Techniques for setting and releasing 16
Sailors Knots Consider: Application/purpose Reduction in rope strength Ease of tieing/undoing Minimum tail length (10x diameter) 1. Reef knot. Used to join two ropes of equal diameter. Remember, left over right, right over left. Check that you have two interlocking loops. Named for the use of this knot to reef sails Not recommended for many other applications (can come loose if worked) 2. Clove hitch. Used to secure the end of a line around a solid object Self- locking although may slip if the object is smooth Check that the tails each exit the knot on opposite sides Back it up with extra half hitches 3. Figure Eight. Used as a stopper knot to prevent the end going through a pulley or eye (eg. Jib sheet) Better than the overhand knot for all applications Also used to begin creating a double figure 8 loop using the rethread technique 3. Double Figure Eight. Used to create a secure and strong loop Can be hard to undo when tensioned Variations include rethread, double and triple bunny ears 17
4. Round turn and two half hitches. Used to secure the end of a line to an object. Friction on the round turn provides the strength of this knot Able to be released under tension Useful for abseil ropes, towing lines, general purpose 5. Bowline (pronounced bo-lin). Used to create a loop that will not slip. Remember that the rabbit jumps up through the hole, runs around the tree and hops back down the hole! Able to be undone easily when unloaded Impossible to undo while still under load Very useful eg at the clew of a sail 6. Sheet Bend. Used to join two ropes of unequal diameter Start by making a bight in the thicker rope Easy to undo Simply make a second turn to make a double sheet bend Useful for joining ropes of different diameter More useful knots to learn: 7. Highwayman s hitch 8. Double Fisherman s knot. 9. Rolling Hitch 10. Prussic knot 11. Truckie s hitch 12. Tape knot 13. Zeppelin Hitch Google animated knots to learn more 18
Reflections: 19
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