RYA Radar

RYA RADAR COURSE AIMS:

This course can be delivered by online webinar or in the classroom. On both versions of the course you will practice various scenarios live on a PC Radar simulator.

Popular on both sailing and motor boats, Radar is an invaluable aid for pilotage, navigation and for collision avoidance. It is though only useful in the hands of a knowledgeable and experienced operator. This course provides the knowledge for you to then gain the experience.

RYA RADAR COURSE OVERVIEW:

Small craft radar is probably the most versatile of all electronic navigation aids. Over a day or 2 evenings of training we can teach you how to adjust the controls, interpret the picture and make use of the set for navigation and for collision avoidance. The course can be delivered to you by webinar with a simulator installed on your PC, it can be in our class room using our Radar simulators or can be on board your boat.

RYA Radar Course by webinar

To help you through lockdown we have re configured this course so you can join two webinars and receive the entire RYA Radar course in the comfort of your own home. Not only that but we have included a Radar simulator (usually £60) in the course fee so you can practice on your PC later.

RYA Radar Course at our classroom (after Covid 19 Lockdown)

Outside of lockdown most students join one of our regular classroom courses. The day is a mix of theory and of practical use of our PC based simulators.

RYA Radar Course onboard your vessel (after Covid 19 Lockdown)

If we run a bespoke course on board your vessel we will start with your on-board Radar and take you through its functions and tuning. We will then switch to a lap top simulator where the Instructor can reproduce scenarios and set bits of coastline, buoys and approaching vessels to appear on the screen as required. We will then return to your live radar set for a few more exercises. Onboard courses typically work with 1 or 2 students but can be extended to 3 or 4 if you have room on board for two lap top simulators, the Instructor and all of the students.

RYA RADAR COURSE CONTENT:

Basic understanding of Radar, wave propagation and conditions that give rise to abnormal propagation

Correct use of controls (brilliance, contrast, gain, range, tuning)

How to measure bearing and range

Target definition & discrimination

Spot size, pulse length & beam width

Target characteristics, size, shape, material

False Echos

Shadow sectors & shadow diagram

Sea clutter and rain clutter

Radar reflectors, (passive & active)

Navigation

Radar Ranging

Three point fixes

Fix by EBL and VRM

Parallel indexing

Collision Avoidance

Relative motion

Auto plotting aids

The implications of IRPCS rules 5 (look-out), 6 (safe-speed), 7 (risk of collision) and 19 (restricted visibility)

The practical limitations of small craft radar

Assessing risk of collision with another vessel

Assessing the closest point of approach of another vessel and determining whether it will pass ahead or astern

Plotting and assessing the course and speed of another vessel

Course Structure

YA RADAR COURSE DURATION:

Webinar – Two evenings 1800 to 2120 (UK time)

Classroom – 1 Day 0930 to 1700.

Useful Information

RYA RADAR COURSE PRE REQUISITES:

No previous radar knowledge is required

Basic understanding of navigation and collision regulations (Day Skipper level or above).

This course is aimed at sailors and power boaters of approaching Coastal Skipper level or Advanced Powerboat Level or above.

Many students on this course have seen and tried to use a radar set previously but not necessarily experienced a great deal of success.

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN OUR RYA RADAR COURSE:

RYA Radar Webinar Version of Course (2 sessions)

2 Evenings face to face webinar training with our Instructor and a small group

A lifetime license to the Lightmaster Radar Simulator (for Windows PC computers), usually £60.

Chieftain Radar Resources, sent digitally, (you will need to print before the course)

2 Chieftain chart extracts for the position fixing and pilotage exercises

4 Chieftain radar plotting Sheets

2 Radar plotting exercises

2 page Rule 19 and radar definitions sheet

After your course, by post (UK postage included, overseas postage is extra)

RYA Radar Course Certificate

RYA Radar Course Book

RYA Radar Classroom Version of Course (1 day)

Day of shorebased Training

Use of our PC based Training Simulators

RYA Radar Student book and plotting sheets

RYA Radar Course Certificate

Tea & Coffee

Free (on street) Parking

RYA RADAR COURSE RATIOS

The RYA requires centres to provide a radar simulator for every 3 students and an Instructor for every 12 students. We smash that ratio.

RYA Radar Webinar Ratio

maximum 12 students

Simulator is 1:1 and yours to keep

RYA Radar Classroom Ratio

maximum 8 students

Simulator is 1:1 or 2:1

While the class does not exceed 8. The class size is typically 3-6,and we will run the course with as few as 2 students .

RYA RADAR BY WEBINAR?

If you choose this option you should read the following terms first;

RYA Radar Webinar – Requirements

In order to join the webinar you will require;

Use of a desktop, laptop or tablet with reasonable broadband connection (smart phone is too small)

A room at home where you will not be disturbed by other household members

Ideally a webcam (this aids interaction between the Instructor and the group)

Access to a printer so you can print 10 sides of A4 “before” the course

A Windows computer to run the simulator (see details below)

RYA Radar Webinar – Simulator

All students must have the simulator in order to complete the course. As much as we are massive fans of Macs and iPads, the simulator is only available for Windows based PCs, it will work with any version of Windows from Windows XP to Windows 10. You can not book this course if you do not have access to a Windows computer to run the simulator.

Included in the course fee is a lifetime license to the Lightmaster Radar Simulator (normally £60 on its own). If you already have the Lightmaster Simulator installed on your PC then the course fee is reduced by £40 (use promo code “NOSIM” at time of booking).

If you are booking this course alongside another household member and intend to share the simulator then the course fee for the second student is reduced as per the above paragraph.

The simulator does not need to be installed on the same device as you use for the webinar, however it is easier if it is as you can then screen share with the Instructor when you have a question for him.