Advanced Seamanship and Navigation

This capstone unit builds on foundational sailing skills and focuses on advanced vessel handling, emergency response, and multi‑modal navigation. Students will integrate seamanship techniques (knots, anchoring, mooring), equipment and maintenance checks, weather and performance analysis, and both electronic and celestial navigation to manage complex on‑water scenarios.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze weather data, wind shifts, and sea state to develop safe sailing strategies and make go/no‑go decisions for varied conditions including heavy wind, waves, and downwind planing
• Apply advanced seamanship techniques—including specialized knots, anchoring methods (choice, deployment, retrieval), mooring practices, and emergency hull protection—to secure, maneuver, and recover vessels in variable environments
• Demonstrate navigation competency by plotting and executing courses using electronic navigation tools (GPS, navigation apps, chartplotters), night and reduced‑visibility procedures, and basic celestial navigation
• Evaluate vessel readiness, equipment needs, and cost/value decisions and execute appropriate emergency responses—engine troubleshooting, abandoning ship, crew recovery, and damage control—while selecting suitable boat types for intended use