Small Vessel Navigation Using Weather Information Training

Learning Outcomes

• Apply meteorological principles to interpret weather charts, forecasts, and real-time observations for small vessel navigation.
• Analyze the influence of weather systems (e.g., cold fronts, coastal lows, and sea breezes) on sea state and vessel handling.
• Evaluate weather-related risks and make informed decisions to alter course, speed, or seek shelter.
• Demonstrate the use of instruments such as barometers, anemometers, and radio weather broadcasts for continuous weather monitoring.
• Implement safe passage planning that incorporates weather windows, tide and current interactions, and local weather phenomena.
• Communicate weather-related navigation decisions effectively with crew and shore-based support.

Target Audience

Skippers, deck officers, and crew members operating small vessels (e.g., fishing boats, yachts, and coastal patrol craft) in South African waters. It is also suitable for maritime students and recreational boaters seeking to enhance their navigational safety.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. However, participants should have basic familiarity with small vessel operations.

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Hands-on practicals are essential to develop proficiency in using weather information for small vessel navigation. Learners will engage in simulated navigation exercises, weather chart interpretation, and passage planning using real and simulated data to build decision-making skills.

Practical Activities

• Weather Chart Interpretation and Route Planning — Learners interpret synoptic charts and satellite images to plan a safe route for a small vessel, considering wind, sea state, and weather hazards. (4h)
• Simulated Navigation with Real-Time Weather Updates — Using a navigation simulator, learners navigate a small vessel while receiving live weather updates and must adjust plans accordingly. (4h)
• Emergency Scenario: Weather-Related Incident Response — Learners respond to a simulated weather emergency (e.g., sudden storm) and implement contingency plans including mayday procedures. (4h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.