Back to Basics Part 8: Going Further Afield

Paul Glatzel discusses essential points to bear in mind when considering travelling further in your boat.

In this series of ‘Back to Basics’ articles, we’ve covered all the areas necessary to enable you to head off a bit further afield. In this article, we’ll look at how to start getting some trips under your belt, where to go, how to plan, and how to make sure that you have a safe and enjoyable time.

Being a bit more adventurous in your boating doesn’t have to mean you do a huge number of miles as it could be just exploring further upriver, around a headland into a bay you’ve never visited before or doing a sneaky trip behind an island in your local harbour.

As with anything afloat, whatever you want to do, it all starts with some planning, so fire up those Savvy Navvy or Navionics apps. When I’m considering going somewhere new, I get these apps open and start to check out the area I’m looking at. First of all, I look at the depths and any hazards in the area – rocks, wrecks or significant changes in depth that may give rise to rougher water. Alongside this, check out Google Maps and the satellite overlays you can add to Navionics and Savvy Navvy. A satellite view shouldn’t be used for navigation, but it does give you an alternative view of the area you’re looking at and helps to visualise what you’ll see when you visit. Quite often you’ll also get a bit of an insight into where the best anchorage area is simply from the presence of other vessels there. (See pic2)

Depending on where you are going, it could make real sense either to go with another boat or have an instructor on board for the trip. Going with another boat and more experienced skipper is a great way to do it, but do ensure they actually do know what they are doing. Another boat also gives you a bit of backup in case you have an issue.

One of the issues you’ll need to look at closely is that of tides. Of course, you need to determine whether there is enough tidal height to get where you want to go, but the tidal stream could really impact your passage too. The flow around headlands can create challenging and even dangerous conditions – especially if wind is opposed to tide. Navionics is really good for tidal flow visuals and it clearly shows when the flow around a headland is slack or with wind to make it safer. You’ll want to create a plan that includes a route on your plotter, a pilotage plan if you are entering or leaving a harbour, and some notes about safe places, the weather and the tide.

Going further afield may also mean ensuring that the people you take are up to it. If it’s likely to be a bit rougher, are the youngsters going to enjoy it? Are any older passengers fit enough? If in doubt, change the plan or choose a nicer day. Weather is obviously a key factor and you’ll need to look across a few sources. My go-to app for weather nowadays is ‘PredictWind’ as it gives results from eight weather models rather than just one. I also check out the Met Office’s inshore waters forecast, but do bear in mind that to understand this, you’ll need to ‘translate’ and comprehend the meaning of the words used in the forecast. (See Pic 4)

Travelling further afield also means you need to be a bit more self-sufficient. Carry food and water, make sure you have tools and, if relevant, some spares (e.g. belts for the engine, filters, etc.). Being able to call for help and also look after an injured person is key. Do your VHF radio and first-aid courses, carry a decent first-aid kit and make sure that you have life jackets, that those on board are wearing them properly fitted and particularly that they know how to deploy them if needed. Be sure to do a safety brief as well. Go through the lifesaving kit on board – the life jackets, as previously mentioned, but also fire extinguishers, and how to react and deal with a person-in-the-water situation. It’s always a good idea to prepare a checklist of all the things you want to cover just to ensure you don’t forget anything.

One of the most difficult things for a skipper is knowing when to say no. The pressure is always on to go for it, but if you have an issue with the boat, the weather is less good than you wanted or perhaps some of your crew are a bit unsettled, don’t go. It’s never easy to say no, but it’s always the right decision.

So get that research done, do your plan, get everything together and go explore! Keep safe and have a great time afloat!

Illustrations in this article are by Pete Galvin and are taken from the RYA Powerboat Handbook/RYA Advanced Powerboat Handbook, available in print or e-book from the RYA shop: rya.org.uk/shop.

Check out Powerboat and RIB TV where Paul Glatzel and Tom Montgomery-Swan discuss all aspects of getting afloat. Paul Glatzel is an RYA powerboat and personal watercraft trainer and wrote the RYA Powerboat Handbook and the RYA Advanced Powerboat Handbook. He runs Powerboat Training UK and Marine Education in Poole and Lymington (Powerboat Training UK & Marine Education).

Back to Basics Part 1: The ‘COLREGs’

Back to Basics Part 2: Interpreting your Charts and Chartplotter

Back to Basics Part 3: Tides

Back to Basics Part 4: Buoys and Pilotage

Back to Basics Part 5: Boat Handling

Back to Basics Part 6: Marina Handling

Back to Basics Part 7: Dealing With Emergencies

Back to Basics Part 8: Going further Afield

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