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Yachtmaster Ocean Theory

The Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course covers the following topics:

• Astronomical Navigation

How to fix your position (and check the compass) the 'old fashioned' way - with a sextant. Before about 1990, this was the only method available, so this section was extremely important. Now, for most skippers, it is the 'back-up' method.

• Satellite Navigation Systems

Now the primary means of position fixing. This section explains how GPS operates.

• Great Circle Sailing

For long distance, rhum line (constant heading) sailing does not give you the shortest distance, so this section explains this, and tells you about different projections used for long distance navigation.

• Meteorology

World-wide climate, and hurricanes.

• Passage Planning

How to plan and prepare for ocean passages.

• Passage Making

Practical advice on watchkeeping and other routines on passage.

• Communications

Different communications systems and what they can do for you - including how to get relevant weather forecasts.

Aztec Sailing Ocean Theory

This section will, in future, contain all the theory that the Shorebased Course would contain under each of the above headings.

For the time being, however, it only covers Astronomical Navigation - which is probably the bit that most people find 'hardest', and is certainly the bit that the Shorebased Course spends most time on.

As with the other theory, it is NOT NECESSARY to attend a Shorebased Course unless you wish to. This is true even if you wish to obtain the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Qualification. What matters is your knowledge, and for the qualification this is tested by means of an oral examination by the Examiner.