equipment by a USCG 100 Ton Master. Capt. Peter Pisciotta is an active delivery captain (and welcomes
owners aboard for "teaching deliveries") so he knows the latest technology and can instruct you on all aspects
of your vessel.
Close quarter - in harbor maneuvering. Learn tips and tricks to handle
your vessel like a pro!
• Pre-departure check-out including engine room
• Departing a slip
• Side-tie landing (t-head)
• Adjusting turn diameter using back & fill
• U-turn in a narrow fairway
• Docking with wing engine (if equipped)
• Docking bow-to in a slip.
• Backing into a slip.
• Backing in a straight line
• Pump-out of holding tanks
• Heavy traffic and congested areas
• Dock lines – selection, use, order, care
• Wing-engine – close quarter maneuvers
• Twins - maneuvering with a dead engine
• Anchoring - site selection, deployment, retrieval
• COB (crew overboard) recovery in open ocean
• Aborted docking – recovering a bad landing
• Thruster techniques – tips and tricks
• Springlines – "Poor Man's Thruster"
5 days than in 5
years of previous
boat ownership!"
John Hinshaw,
June, 2004
Head out for a 3-day trip. Goal: to emulate cruising rigors as
closely as possible - lots of different venues to practice docking,
anchoring, and running at night (where prudent).
Specifically, you will learn:
• Radar
• Navigation
• Basic diesel
• Electronics
• PC-based systems
• Traditional pilotage (paper charts)
• Emergency procedures
• Weather prediction
• Bar or inlet crossings
• Clearing foreign ports
• Selecting remote anchorages
• Communications
• Care and feeding of crew - standing watch
• Cruising at night
• Fuel management
• Underway engine checks and trip logging
• Changing fuel filters underway
• Finding leaks
years of teaching means
you learn to handle your vessel in all
conditions, not just return to your slip.
Talk to your insurance agent and ask him or her: "What
would the underwriter think if I took 5 days of instruction
aboard my boat in the exact waters I plan to boat in?"
If you do not have adequate experience for the vessel you
are buying, your insurance company may require that you
spend time with a captain. This may be anywhere from a
couple days to several weeks or more if you have no prior
experience and intend to purchase a large yacht.
I have worked with many insurance companies to devise a
program that suits their needs. Most importantly, you will
learn a ton of skills in the process, even if you have good
prior experience. Whats more, SeaSkills is NASBLA
endorsed and a member of the NSBC (National Safe
Boating Council). Click here to see a sample report.
