Cold weather clothing

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With OneOcean practical courses running twelve months of the year the question of appropriate clothing for students on our courses is one that arises all the time. Over the years we have advised our students to wear thermals, in several layers, with an outer layer covered with waterproofs.

This was fine until the Mecal the certifying authority for our charter sailing vessel Tiger 2, insisted that all charterers wore an immersion suit approved to ISO 15027:1 (Constant Wear Immersion Suit).  We were left with a simple choice: either purchase enough immersion suits for every student, making sure we have enough different sizes to fit all, or not to run any sailing courses between 1st November and 1st March nor when the sea temperature was below 10ºC.

I decided to pull the February course and reschedule for late March when the sea temperature would be higher than the required 10ºC.

In the event, my students, all of them wonderful, stated that they wanted to buy the immersion suits for themselves and wanted the course to continue. I purchased my own and negotiated a small discount for each of my four students.

I have to say I AM impressed. The Fladen Rescue System One Piece is warm, comfortable, very easy to wear whilst working the deck, and after eight hours in the open and inclement elements not one of us were cold in any way. They are not breathable so there is a likelihood of sweat forming on the inner when working hard but essentially I have to say this kit puts all my labelled sailing clothing in second place as far as kit for cold weather, winter and inclement weather kit is concerned. I can see myself using this all year round and at a price of just under £100 anyone who sails in UK waters should include it as part of their kit.

 

OneOcean’s sister company OneOceanTec now sells Fladen products so take a look at the Fladen Rescue System One Piece at https://www.oneoceantec.co.uk/product-category/fladen/





14th January 2016 – RYA Radar Course

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Three students attended our first Radar Course for 2017 and it is always challenging to fulfil the different requirements that each student brings to the classroom. Two commercial skippers and a yachtsman who sails for pleasure.

The course essentially is the same: How to switch on your Radar and get a picture, how to tune your picture and understand the picture and most importantly what actions to take in restricted visibility and the limitations of radar.

Following the theory of radar the students spent most of the course using the radar simulators and very quickly came to understand why it is so important to know how to use radar.

Rule 19d suddenly has greater meaning, plotting a manual plot is a revelation and a new skill which the students go away with.

The key to the radar course is practice: I always tell my students to go and practice what they have learned so that it becomes second nature to them.

Maybe this raises the query whether the radar course should be run over two days? Theory and simulators on day 1 and a practical on day 2?





9th – 13th January 2016 RYA Day Skipper Theory Course

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5 days of navigation theory can be quite an undertaking for anyone who is not familiar no confident with charts, buoyage, rules of the road, safety, not to mention being in a classroom environment with exams!!!

At OneOcean Sea School our aim is to educate, inspire learning through explanation, demonstration, instructing and coaching. Having been through the RYA scheme ourselves understand what it is to be a student in a learning environment.

Each day we run through a part of the syllabus giving the student the opportunity to do exercises relating to each part of the syllabus. By the end of the course the student is tested on these in the form of two assessments, general assessment covering Rules of The Road, Safety, Pilotage and Meteorology, the second paper covering Chartwork. Nothing too onerous or taxing.

It is a most enjoyable course, worth taking if you have done your Powerboat Level 2 Course or RYA Competent Crew sailing course and look to progress your skills and enjoyment of seafaring.

So, well done to Kate and James on completing their Day Skipper Theory Course. Excellent students who grasped the concepts quickly.





5th-6th January 2017 Powerboat Level 2 Course

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The first course of 2017 was heralded with exceptional conditions on the 5th with sunny yet freezing conditions.

Freezing pontoons were a major hazard and getting the boat ready for sea was an extra challenge in the icy conditions.

But it was worth it. Sun, smooth seas and negligible wind made for perfect training conditions.

Chris enjoyed his premium 1:1 training and barely noticed the cold.

Close quarter manoeuvres in Cardiff Bay were undertaken with a hint of warmth from the sun. We were joined by an old gaff rigged sailing vessel and one plucky motor cruiser who came over to Mermaid Quay for a winter run.

Our second day was a passage from Cardiff to South Cardiff South Cardinal then a sharp turn to port for Monkstone Island then to North Cardiff for a run home. The conditions on the Friday could not possibly be as good as the Thursday, but a coastal passage with what seemed to be the whole of the Bristol Channel to ourselves was a great thrill. Chris, again in his element demonstrated his ability to pick up a man overboard several times prior to the passage was rewarded with a 15Nm passage then a run for the barrage before dark.

Having covered 20Nm over two days this was a great way to bring in the New Year!

 




3rd October 2015 – One Day Sailing Taster

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Fantastic Sailing on OneOcean’s One Day Sail Taster. Saturday 3rd October 2015.

OneOcean ran our first Sailing Taster Day on Saturday 3rd October on Tiger 2, a Bavaria 37, with skipper and principal Meuryn Hughes and 5 budding sailors on board: Richard, Martin, Christine, Nick and Andrew. The forecast was for poor visibility in the morning with light and variable conditions.

We decided to run on an ebbing tide west towards Nash Point. Following the initial welcome tea, coffee and nourishing croissants the crew were taken through a full safety briefing covering every aspect of safety from lifejackets to liferafts to using fire extinguishers to sending a mayday by radio.

By 1030hrs we were singled up and ready to depart Penarth Marina. We locked out of Cardiff Barrage at 1100hrs and ventured out to a smooth sea with calm conditions; visibility was moderate and lifted as the sun rose higher. Ideal conditions for novices, though for some a little more wind would have made the day a perfect day at sea.

We sailed with the ebbing tide running west towards Barry. A loose fender demanded a quick MOB recovery exercise which enthralled everyone on board and demonstrated how things can change quickly in a blink of an eye. The fender was retrieved without drama and the whole exercise was noted with great interest to all those on board.

We ran through a series of tacks whilst in Penarth Bay in order to show the crew how responsive Tiger 2 was, and soon we found ourselves west of Sully Island. the decision not to anchor for lunch was unanimous and we headed west of Nash Point where winds remained light and variable throughout.

At 1500hrs we decided to run for home and headed out to the mid channel to find more wind. Though the wind was forecast to be NW we found mostly the wind from the south and west and used it to make good progress on our return.

A run around the islands of Flatholme and Steepholme was abandoned when poor visibility returned and we wondered if the engulfing fog would force us to navigate blind in to Cardiff. In the event, visibility remained poor but we were able to make out the sector lights in to Cardiff and a safe return to Penarth Marina for 2100. The crew thoroughly enjoyed the day having got a great taste of sailing at sea in pleasant conditions.

We look forward to running this one day sail taster on a monthly basis so if you are interested then email us for the next scheduled sail.





Scope of the ICC

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The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Inland Transport Committee Resolution 40 (hereafter called Resolution 40) International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft (known in the UK as the International Certificate of Competence (ICC)) is documentary assurance from one government to another that the holder meets the levels of competence laid down in Resolution 40. It is NOT a qualification.

The resolution states that the ICC may be issued by a government to its nationals and residents who are operators of pleasure craft in the waters of other signatory countries, on condition that it accepts the requirements and conditions set out in Resolution 40. This means that a UK ICC should allow UK Citizens and bonafide UK residents to navigate pleasure craft to or in the waters of foreign states that participate in Resolution 40, without the need to comply with those states’ laws, particularly their national certification requirements which in many cases are compulsory.

The UK is one of only a few countries which have fully accepted Resolution 40. Many countries have not adopted Resolution 40, some still apply Resolution 14 which Resolution 40 was intended to replace. Others only apply Resolution 40 in part or with caveats attached. In reality, however, the ICC is more widely accepted as proof of the holder’s competence. Spain, Greece and Portugal for example, have not adopted Resolution 40 but are still most likely to ask visitors for an ICC.

Some states may accept UK (RYA) ICC as an alternative to their national qualification on their nationally flagged vessels, but this should NEVER be assumed. The onus is on ICC holders to determine its acceptability by foreign states.

The ICC was never intended to be an alternative to individual national qualification requirements. The advice to anyone planning to charter abroad is to obtain from the charter company (preferably in writing) details of the certification they require, what cruising area this is acceptable for and that this certification will also meet the requirements of the relevant authorities in the area concerned.

The RYA through the European Boating Association, is working towards wider acceptance of Resolution 40 and conformity in its application. Once Resolution 40 is universally adopted, the ICC may then become more like an international driving licence in application for visitors.