Boating Insights

The ocean is the language of us all, evoking a sense of universal connection and shared passion, especially for those who love boating, sailing, or any water-based activities. It represents a vast, communal playground that transcends individual experiences and cultures. The sea speaks a shared language through the winds, waves, and tides, uniting people in their love for water and exploration. In this episode, we explore how you can continue to explore, learn about, and respect the marine environment. It's crucial to recognise the ocean's role not just as a playground but as a vital, life-sustaining part of our planet. We'll share practical tips to help you minimise your impact while maximising your enjoyment of the ocean, ensuring its health and preservation for future generations. Ready to take the plunge? Visit our online course page to learn more and join our community of responsible watercraft enthusiasts. 

Join us in this episode as we delve into a fundamental insight: the key to unforgettable boating adventures lies in understanding the diverse expectations of everyone onboard. Picture yourself at the helm, surrounded by a varied group with their own desires and interests. These aspirations range from chasing thrills to yearning for tranquillity. Bridging individual expectations with collective enjoyment fosters a vibrant community of boating enthusiasts bound by shared passion and camaraderie. Listen now to look at making your days on the water a perfect ten for everyone onboard.

Do you have a new boating adventure starting to form as an idea? The more adventurous and challenging the plan, the more planning you need to undertake. A significant factor in trip planning can be how much of the skills development you do for yourself and how much is suitable for the others you go boating with. By strategically planning your training regimen and effectively navigating team dynamics, you'll set off feeling confident, prepared, and united with your fellow boaters. This episode looks at setting up your pathway to ensure you get out there feeling ready and adequately prepared for the trip of a lifetime. Create a Logbook skills assessment account here > Learn more about courses for your next adventure here >

This episode of Boating Insights explores the shift from paper to digital navigation, highlighting recent announcements by the UK and Australian Hydrographic Offices. Join us as we discuss the evolving trends in eNavigation and the impact on maritime practices. From the convenience of digital systems to the enduring relevance of paper charts, we'll take you through the challenges and opportunities of this transition. Learn more: aabboating.com/21st-century-navigator

In this Boating Insights episode, we're sharing practical tips inspired by elite-level sports to help you unlock the path to your ultimate boating experience. We keep it straightforward, breaking down individual skills you can easily apply to all your boating activities—no unnecessary frills, just solid advice. Your ultimate boating experience is within reach — with Boating Insights!

In the boating world, preparedness is paramount. This episode provides valuable insights into optimising communication equipment, such as distress beacons, DSC-equipped radios, and satellite phones. Discover essential tips and tricks for using these fantastic devices effectively — Prioritise safety for you and your crew by being better equipped to handle emergencies at sea. Listen now and enhance your seamanship toolkit with this vital knowledge.

This podcast is here to preserve and enhance your navigation skills at sea while embracing the potential of electronic navigation systems. In this episode, 'Electronic Navigation Skills,' we delve deep into crucial techniques for seamlessly uniting electronic navigation tools with traditional seamanship expertise. Listen now to discover the secrets of mastering both the old and the new in maritime navigation.

In this episode of "Boating Insights," we delve into the age-old saying, "I wish I knew then what I know now!" Join us as we uncover some hidden gems of boating – those parts of the boat you might not fully understand, items you've brought on board but never used, and essential knowledge for your crew in case the skipper is unavailable. We're here to demystify the secrets of your vessel, ensuring that your boating experience is enjoyable but also safe and informed. Online Skipper Course >

This episode celebrates the simple joy of being out on the water. Sometimes, amidst the hustle and bustle of life, we forget to take a moment to savour the beauty of our surroundings and the sheer pleasure of being afloat. So, this episode is dedicated to all of you who have ventured out onto the water – whether it's a serene lake, a meandering river, or the vast open sea. We want to say 'well done' for making that choice and reconnecting with the world around you. Join us as we dive into the importance of appreciating the environment, embracing the tranquillity of the water, and cherishing the incredible moments that come with it.

This episode helps you build the skills in the seamanship toolbox for everyone onboard. Learn how to identify the most useful areas to develop for yourself and your crew and plan simple, engaging and effective training sessions to try when you are next out on the water. Click here to access "Logbook" -Identity which aspects of your skippering you are confident in and establish a pathway to prepare for your adventures! The Online Skipper Course is the recommended training course we have suggested to help build on the skills mentioned in this episode > Click here to learn more.

Nick Olson joins us from Predict Wind for this episode of Boating Insights. Predict Wind is a leading weather forecasting and routing company that provides accurate and reliable weather information for boaters.  The episode focuses on the following: Different models and accessing local weather data The interplay between routing and observations Using options like Iridium with GRIB files Use of currents in routing models To learn more about our weather and seamanship training courses, click here.

Having an MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) programmed into your AIS (Automatic Identification System) or marine radio is essential for: Safety and Identification: The MMSI serves as a unique identifier for your vessel, allowing other vessels and maritime authorities to identify your boat quickly. In emergencies, the MMSI helps rescue services locate and assist you quickly. AIS Communication: AIS transponders use the MMSI to exchange crucial information with other vessels and shore stations. This communication enhances situational awareness, especially in busy waterways or areas with high maritime traffic. Our guest expert for this episode of Boating Insights is Linda Berryman, whose role at AMSA involves providing specialist advice on distress alerting, communication and safety systems. You can apply for an Australian MMSI number by completing an MMSI application online at www.amsa.gov.au/mmsi Click here to learn more about radio courses and licencing options >

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) provides a search and rescue (SAR) service for Australia. Their search and rescue region covers the Australian continent and large areas of the Indian, Pacific, Southern Oceans, and Australian Antarctic territories. This region is nearly 53 million square kilometres (one-tenth of the Earth's surface) and borders the search and rescue regions of 10 other countries. For this episode, we are joined by Linda Berryman, whose role at AMSA involves providing specialist advice on distress alerting, communication and safety systems, of which she has over 20 years of experience. Linda joins us to discuss some of the huge developments that have just taken place for marine safety, providing the boating community with some of the greatest technological advancements in over 30 years. SHOW NOTES The Search and Rescue maritime desk can be contacted on a 24-hour helpline 1800 641 792 or 02 6230 6811. Also, consider using your marine radio to communicate with the Coastguard, Water police, or nearby vessels and communicate your nature of distress and the assistance required. 406 MHz distress beacons must be compliant with the Australian and New Zealand standard, AS/NZS 4280.1 (EPIRB) or AS/NZS 4280.2 (PLB), and programmed with the Australian country code ‘503' to be registered in Australia > list of beacons currently available to be registered in Australia and New Zealand. Click here to learn more about marine radio, passage planning and sea survival training courses we offer.

For this episode we are going to be looking at if you may be missing a trick with your boating, you'll not be surprised to hear there is a core focus on safety for this one. The ideas are based around one of the founding principles of all of our training: I HEAR I FORGET > I SEE I REMEMBER > I DO I UNDERSTAND. This link takes you to learn more about our e-learning courses that are available for you to enrol and start learning today.

We are looking at the opportunities that can arise from the unpredictable nature of boating. It's all the mindset, a huge part of the attraction of boating should ideally be the opportunity to never stop learning and to keep your mind and skills sharp in an unpredictable environment that rewards you for being well set up and prepared. Whether your boating is short day trips or ocean voyaging, the mindset of spinning problems into opportunities should help keep you safe and having more fun whenever you're out there.

In this episode, Neil takes you through the essential items he will always pack into a boating kit bag. Depending on the season, activity and location you are boating in, you will want to adjust what you carry, but this list will help to get you thinking about what you already take and see if there are any tweaks to your list that you can make.  Learn more about this topic with our Safety & Sea Survival eLearning Course aabboating.com/sssc

When you plan a passage, it's crucial to ensure you set up your plan to be dynamic so you can easily adjust for updated departure and arrival times. This episode takes you through how to manage avoidable slippage with your departure timing and the considerations for your ETA changing while you are on a passage. Online Skipper Course - Strategies for successful passage planning and implementation RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship - Navigation and meteorology for local adventurers RYA Day Skipper Shorebased - Navigation and meteorology for coastal explorers RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Theory - Navigation and meteorology for blue water skippers

When you are out at sea, many scenarios can arise where you may need to know and transmit your position. You may also need to be able to receive, record and navigate a position to assist. This podcast examines your options for getting a quick and accurate position. We also provide some ideas to help upskill people who are boating with you to assist with this to keep you free to manage the boat and any other situations that need your attention at that time. what3words > Learn more about our course here.

Without leaving your comfort zone, you can't develop your skills. This podcast has five ideas that you can implement to help to leave your boating comfort zone and keep developing your skippering skills. You can use the links below to learn about our courses, logbook and ABB TV. > Courses > Logbook > ABB TV

This episode of Boating Insights will help you to prepare for the voyage of a lifetime. John Hembrow joins Neil to share some of his extensive knowledge. John has been full-time cruising since 2009, created the Down Under Rally in 2014, and has led a range of yacht rallies in the SW Pacific and Australia since then. Learn more about the Down Under Rallies and membership Learn more about the Blue Water Skipper Course Package

Changing some of the habits you have onboard can significantly impact the skill development of all involved. This episode takes you through some of the options you have for implementing changes through a typical day on the water that can help you explore more destinations, average more days on the water and avoid the issues that can come with skill fade and perishable knowledge. The training courses we mentioned in the episode are all on this link aabboating.com/learn

For all coastal boating adventures, you will likely need an understanding of the tide. This Boating Insights video podcast episode takes you through some essential considerations to help make tide your friend. The episode begins by looking at the potential impact of the tide on a passage plan. The tidal situation can impact the flow and depths, or both. There are other localised impacts, such as on/offshore winds, heavy rain and flooding. You must know how to check and interpret how the range of the tide/tides compares with the mean spring range in your location. It is also essential to confirm the quality of information on apps and whether it relates to verified information from official sources. Finally, in case of grounding, always know if the tide is flooding or ebbing. We teach tides from an introductory to an advanced level with our internationally recognised RYA training courses. Each course builds on the knowledge gained in the previous course. 1) RYA Essential Navigation & Seamanship Course: aabboating.com/navigation 2) RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Course: aabboating.com/day-skipper 3) RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Course: aabboating.com/yachtmaster

When boarding a boat from the land, a dinghy or the water, there are many details you can adjust to make it easier and safer for all involved. As part of this episode, we look at some ideas if you accidentally find yourself in the water whilst boarding to help make sure you can get back on board or onto the dock again.

In this episode, we catch up with David Hows, the founder of Ocean Sailing Expeditions and the Ocean Sailing Podcast. David's a self-confessed sailing addict who loves introducing new people to his love of all things - sailing. David shares fantastic information about the options for gaining offshore sailing experience, training crews for emergency procedures at sea, buying boats overseas and some of his favourite destinations, which you can only reach by boat. The Sea, Safety and Survival Course David recommends for all participants joining them for offshore passages is on this link. Learn more about Ocean Sailing Expeditions and the Ocean Sailing Podcast - Click Here

This episode looks at some of the key need-to-know features of your marine electrical system. We go through the options of how you generate and store power on board, understanding the amount of power being used at all times, and how to avoid accidentally wasting power or avoiding being caught out by the batteries being run flat and not available when you need them.

For many boats, toys are a key part of the activity. This episode takes you through some of Neil's favourite boating toys, for swimming, fishing, towing, snorkelling, and paddle boarding, with tips on how to avoid your boat becoming overrun with toys and keeping everyone safe whilst you're using them.

Finding ways to make your boat safer and easier to use should always have a positive impact on how often and safely you can use your boat. This episode takes you through some of the options you could use to help keep the boat running smoothly and simplify your job of skippering and maintaining a boat.

The covers on a boat are usually there to protect the boat, crew or both. Having covers set up correctly and making them simple to use will save money on maintenance and simplify the setup and pack up time whilst providing excellent protection. This episode takes you through the steps you can take to look after existing covers, adapt them to make them easier to use, and consider critical areas when purchasing new or replacement covers for your boat.

Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacons which are usually referred to as EPIRBs play a huge role in the safety of a modern vessel. This episode looks at if you need to carry one, the differences between GPS and non GPS enabled models, considerations for your registration and why it's important, what the differences and similarities between a Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) and an EPIRB are, stowage and the adaptations for your boat set up if you are single or short-handed.

Boating Holidays can be some of the most fantastic opportunities to enjoy being out on the water. This episode looks at the destinations, the different options available including bareboat charters, skippered charters, flotilla holidays, live-aboard boating courses and the options available for having a sail guide or skipper join you onboard.The course we mention in this episode is the Online Skipper Course: aabboating.com/online

Deckee is an app for the boating community. It can help you to stay safe and informed on the water and to get official aids and information from maritime agencies. Mike McKiernan the founder and CEO of Deckee joins us today to explain how they are simplifying access for the notice to mariners around the world and some of his favourite features for using the app on the water.

How can you factor in taking a break for your passage as a local adventurer, coastal explorer or blue water skipper? This episode looks at some of the ideas you can build into your passages now so that if you need to help manage fatigue, seasickness or a maintenance issue at sea you have some transferable skills to draw on.

When you are looking at qualifications and training for young people in the marine environment, the list can quickly become quite extensive and confusing. In this episode, we help you understand how to evaluate what courses may be applicable and useful for a teenager and young adult, that will be enjoyable to study, useful, achievable, internationally recognised and explain which qualifications will not expire.

When you head out on a coastal passage there will need to be a junction point built into your passage plan, where the boat and crew adjust into the pilotage mode to prepare to enter the harbour, river or anchorage you are heading to. This episode looks at some of the factors to consider for selecting a junction point, what the actions you would need to take in the lead up to arriving there, as you arrive and what your plan is if things don't unfold as you are expecting as you arrive at the junction.This episode is ideal for local adventurers, coastal explorers and blue water skippers.We have packages for training all of these levels, click here to learn more.

Getting a good sleep at sea can make a huge difference to how enjoyable and safe a multi-day passage will be. In this episode, we look at the bigger picture for your sea berths including setting them up. This includes the standing orders for when to wake up the skipper and how to convert your boat from a liveaboard cruising configuration to being in an on passage configuration with sea berths set up properly.

It can often feel that there is no time to think things through under pressure. Every time you guess without taking the time to think through the next steps, you have a 50% chance of hopefully making the right decision. You also have a 50% chance of making the wrong decision.One wrong decision can have a knock-on effect quite rapidly at times. Always try to take the time to think steps through and find a way to stabilise a situation, so these things are not getting worse. This will hopefully allow you some time to come up with a plan and brief your crew on what is required of them.This is a major benefit of training so that you gradually increase the number of experiences you have skippered and the equipment you have used. It will help you to grow a collection of transferable skills that you can draw on during an emergency at sea. Hopefully, these experiences help you avoid even finding yourself in an emergency at sea.

When you turn the key and nothing happens, depending on a number of factors, the next few minutes could have a huge impact on the outcome of your scenario. One of the most common errors is to rush straight into fixing the issue without taking stock of the current situation, where you are, the traffic around you, managing your immediate hazards such as lee shores, rocks, bar crossings, breaking waves, shallow water etc. This podcast helps you factor in potential engine failure into your passage planning from local adventuring right through to blue water skippering.

This episode examines the details that can help make your first overnight passage safe, enjoyable and a positive learning experience so that they start well and just keep getting better and better. Through the episode we look at people, skills, the boat set up, the timing of watches and departure, how to get enough rest, managing food and hydrations, setting up your clothing for the conditions, safety considerations, navigation. We look at the tools you need to make sure you are properly prepared to master this skill and ensure passage are not limited by daylight.

This episode offers some insights into the wider decisions that can lead into making choosing where to keep a boat and how that develops over time. Some of the considerations we look at include, the first year of boat ownership, the maintenance, costs, insurance, ease of use and the factors which can affect your skill progression.

Setting up your boat, your crew and yourself for successful passage making requires planning and an ongoing evaluation of what went well and where the areas to improve are. In this episode, Neil takes you through some of the main areas that you can help yourself prepare as a skipper or crew member. The podcast looks specifically at the consideration you might make regarding navigation, boat checks nutrition, hygiene and development.

The first year of boat ownership can be both daunting and exciting. This episode looks at some of the key ways to avoid making potentially expensive mistakes in your first year and how to keep making sure you are getting out on the water and having fun. Enjoy!

Most vessels carry a range of safety equipment, either through the personal choice of the skipper or due to the requirements they need to comply with within the areas they are boating. This episode helps you to understand when a marine radio, EPIRB, PLB, flare, V sheet, mobile phone or combination of these might be the most appropriate tool or tools to use for different situations you might have to manage over time.

The vessel navigation forms a huge part of any trip planning and implementation. In this episode we look at how you can use electronic and paper charts, tools and guides to appraise, plan, execute and monitor whilst your next adventure.

This episode will help you to look at the considerations that go into choosing a boat, mooring, crew and being clear on what you want to achieve from your boating.

This month's podcasts looks at the range of courses and services we have at Above and Beyond Boating to help achieve your next boating goal. The episode looks at the Log Book, skills and vessels management system, ABB TV and the range of E-Learning courses we have ready to support you to take your next steps.Logbook: https://logbook.members-only.online/get-startedCourses: www.aabboating.com/learnABB TV: www.aabboating.com/abb-tv

This podcast has some ideas for helping you make 2021 count for your skill development and help you to be better prepared should you find yourself trying to manage a situation such as tricky marina spot, a person overboard, steering failure or even clearing a wrapped propeller.

In this episode Neil is joined by John Naylor to look at the steps involved and options available as a skipper or crew member to get involved in offshore yacht racing and in particular how you could take part in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

When you are setting up your boat for bluewater cruising it's important to balance the investment in self-sufficiency and the ability to remain off of the grid with what is going to work for you to be able to maintain and afford. This episode of Boating Insights explores some of the key areas to think about in terms of making your boat and the crew self-sufficient to remain off the grid whilst exploring the world.aabboating.co.ukaabboating.com

This episode looks managing perishable knowledge and preventing skill fade. Through the episode Neil provides ideas and strategies for managing your practical and communication skills, understanding your own vessels equipment and using logbook to set up a maintenance program for your skills. Remember to tag @aabboating when you a practicing your skills for an opportunity to win a complimentary Online Skipper Course.aabboating.com/online/aabboating.co.uk/online

Kate Fortnam is the Campaign Manager for The Green Blue a joint environmental program between the RYA and British Marine. In this episode we catch up with Kate to get some advice on how to create an awareness of the environment around you and how to reduce any impact from your boating activities.Green Blue Website: https://thegreenblue.org.uk/Fuel Whistle: https://www.deckhardware.com.au/accessories/barton-fuel-whistle/

The International Certificate of Competence (I.C.C.) is often referred to as the Mediterranean Boat Licence. Unlike an Australian Boat Licence, yachts are not exempt from this and it is a requirement even for privately owned vessels.For very experienced skippers, the I.C.C. can be completed as a one-day assessment. Candidates can be assessed on their own or with another person. A Day Skipper Practical Course is the pathway for skippers who are seeking training prior to gaining an I.C.C.Once you pass either the I.C.C. assessment or a Day Skipper Practical Course, you apply to the RYA for the I.C.C. certificate. The I.C.C. from the RYA is valid for 5 years. You do not have to complete the test after this time, all you are required to do is renew the licence by paying a fee direct to the RYA.International Certificate of Competence: aabboating.com/iccRYA Day Skipper Shorebased: aabboating.com/day-skipperAsses your skills: https://logbook.members-only.online/get-started