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 AFLOAT SKILLS - Basic Outboard


You must be able to:

  1. Demonstrate (on shore) the correct method of putting on a personal flotation device (PFD) while in the water; 
  2. Demonstrate the correct method of boarding a boat from a dock or a beach and storing equipment brought on board; 
  3. Demonstrate the correct method for starting an outboard engine while observing proper safety practices; 
  4. Demonstrate an alternate starting system for an outboard engine. 

Manoeuvring Under Power

You must be able to:

  1. Manoeuvre an outboard powered boat from and to a side dock correctly under the following wind and current conditions:
    a) Wind/current parallel to dock
    b) Wind/current away from dock
    c) Wind/current towards the dock;
  2. Bring the boat to a mooring buoy and successfully retrieve the mooring lines; 
  3. Manoeuvre a boat under varying sea and wind conditions with the wind from the following points:
    Ahead Astern Abeam Quarter
  4. Set anchor in water more than 3 meters deep so as not to drag when tested under power of half-throttle astern; 
  5. Weigh anchor and get boat ready and underway; 
  6. Demonstrate skipper's actions/commands from the time a member of the crew falls overboard without warning, until the crew is safely recovered. Consider the crew overboard wearing a PFD and able to assist him/herself.
    Include the following minimum actions:
    a) Sound alarm,
    b) Deploy marker and buoyant object(s),
    c) Appoint and maintain a lookout;
  7. Demonstrate the basic principles of handling a boat under adverse weather conditions such as zigzagging while heading broadside to the waves and while heading into the waves. 

Making Fast and Snugging Down

You must be able to:

  1. Secure the boat for a prolonged period of time preventing excessive motion and correctly placing fenders while broadside to a dock, in a slip with pilings and with flexible stern moorings; 
  2. Demonstrate a landing on a beach and bring the boat ashore; 
  3. Tie each of the following knots, bends and hitches within 30 seconds:
    Bowline Reef knot Round turn & two half hitches
    Figure eight Clove Hitch

    Double sheet bend.

Docking a single sterndrive or outboard. 

Docking the most popular drive systems are, as it turns out, the most difficult. Without learning the key to reverse, you could spend summers figuring out why your boat does not behave, as you expect.

Doug reveals the "key", you need to know to dock your Single Outboard like a pro.

   Dock Your Single Sterndrive or Outboard

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