welcome cruisers ! secrets of a professional delivery captain & trainer captain doug dickinson

Welcome Cruisers !

Secrets of a Professional Delivery Captain & Trainer

Captain Doug Dickinson USCG Master & Trainer

March 2014Coastal Passagewww.coastalpassage.comcaptdougcp1@gmail.com

Qualifications:

USCG Master & Certified Trainer150K Sea Nm; 25 years experienceBSME, Design and Project Mgmt. Sea School Trainer-InstructorYacht Buyers’ Consultant/BrokerFormer Host - Boat Talk Radio ShowAble Seaman & PSC RatingSTCW, Ham Radio Op., PADI Diver

Anticipate...

then Adapt

Trip Planning – Some Secrets

Ask marina about shore power vs. your needs before arrival - i. e. 30A, 50A

Leave early and get in early on long run days; short daylight in winter months

Marinas close earlier, fuel & suppliesThey may have a courtesy car or bike; how far to the store and the hours?

Trip Planning – Some Secrets

Start a trip on a weekday, not a weekend – why?Make shorter runs the 1st couple of days, until you know how the boat is workingWhen WX permits, run in open water i.e. OffshoreAvoid busy or more populous areas on Holiday

weekends.

Trip Planning – More Secrets

Carry your common spare parts with you; pay for labor on the repairs only, saves time too

Talk to other cruisers and locals for detailsCall ahead early during the day for a planned

marina stop, ask for any services ahead of time.

Trip Planning – The Details

Carry Change for Coin Laundry & Tips for dockhands Skipper Bob’s Book is better for Inland WaterwaysNOT a substitute for Cruising GuidesIf cruising Bahamas, very few ATON use daylight for approachesPractice with a new boat, become accustomed to handling

KEEL OFFSET

Tips for Safety

Learn how to care for your fuel its your lifeline to smooth running Understand your equipment, even if you

are not the one fixing it Keep logs on all servive and $ over 200.00

Easy things you can do to improve your safety

Add an external speaker to your radio(s)Have extra dock lines; correct size & type for boatHave dock lines stored on deck near the locations

they are used & practice handling linesUnderstand the ‘Pivot Point’ ConceptHave an Airhorn within reach whenever underway

Emergency Boarding Ladder

Navigating in Todays Waterworld

Q: Do I really need paper charts ?

Answer: Yes - and here’s why: Software Cartography on GPS is very limited Aids to Navigation (ATON) can be non-existent Little or no landmark details on GPS charts Can’t see the ‘big picture’ the full route

Where to find Resources ???

America’s Great Loop Cruisers Assn. – the Loop Cruisers Forum - Blogs, Opinions, People, Places US Power Squadron – Nav. training, social groups Boat US – Crew, insurance, service providers Active Captain – Interactive and real time guides Doziers Waterway Guide; www.waterguide.com Salty Southeast Cruisers Net http://www.CruisersNet.net Talk to local captains Sea Tow & Tow Boat excellent

Tell me & I forget

Show me & I remember

Involve me & I Understand Chinese proverb

Where to find Resources ???

All Inland Waterways – Inlets, ICW, Locks & DamsUS Army Corps of Engineers ; USACE Get Local Knowledge from – Sea Tow, Tow Boat US,

Dockmasters, Commercial Mariners Look in Marinas for Maps, Charts, Brochures If you will need services, get their days & hours of

operation ahead of time - for fueling, docking, supplies.

Learn to use the VHF Radio – Your Key to Stress Free

Bridge Tenders on Ch. 9 in Fl. Ch. 13 going northAsk Sea Tow; Tow Boat for local Nav Info – they are locals! You can file a float plan too.Learn Securite, Pan Pan, and what to say if you

need help; Position, Boat’s Name and Description, No. of POB, and nature of your problem, distress.

Learn to use the VHF Radio – Your Key to Stress Free

Commercial vessels monitor Ch. 16 & 13 Ch. 13 is called ‘bridge to bridge’ 1 wattRadio Range is typically 20-30 miles on ‘base unit’

25Watt Caution Handhelds are good for only 1-2 Mi !You may hear them, but they may not hear you

Easy things you can do to improve your safety

Slow down in shallow water, and near inlets in ICW – most shoaling occurs here

Practice using all your safety gear, Flares, EPIRB, MOB, in the water with survival gear on

Keep paper charts at the helm, to compare to GPS

Anchoring & Line Handling

‘The Parking Hook’The SnubberThe Rolling Hitch

Services Offered Here:

Customized Training Programs Yacht Delivery Buyers Broker & Consulting

Marine Training Course – Tyndalls Session Topics(hrs) 1.0 (8hrs) Reference Materials

Charts, ATON, PlottingGPS, Depth Soundings

1.0 Marlinspike - Lines----------------------------------------------------2.0 (8 hrs) Tides, Currents, Wind Weather (WX) Patterns2.0 Radio Communications2.0 Safety Equipment

Handling Emergencies-----------------------------------------------------(4 hrs) Aids to Navigation Details Pre-Departure Checklist3.0 Docking & Anchoring-----------------------------------------------------4.0 (4 hrs) Rules of the Road4.0 Engines & Fuel Basics4.0 Cruise Planning, Etiquette, Protocol5.0 (2 hrs) Reviews & Understanding (quiz)---------------------------------------------------------------6.0 ++ (tbd) OWT Training 01/2013 Capt. Doug Dickinson, USCG Master & Cert. Trainer

Good Judgment –

comes from Experience –most of which comes from

Bad Judgment …

Relax

March 2014Coastal Passagewww.coastalpassage.comcaptdougcp1@gmail.com