INTERNATIONAL YACHT TRAINING WORLDWIDE

NAVIGATION MASTER CERTIFICATE

COURSE SYLLABUS and FRAMEWORK

Overview
This is a comprehensive 4 day course covering instruction for navigation. This course contains the
same information regarding navigation as the ‘Recreational Yachtmaster Offshore’ and the
‘Professional Master of Yachts Limited’.

This is an in-depth course and relays the knowldege that all vessel captains/skippers should aspire
to gain, whether for recreational or professional use.

Scope: comprehensive high level shore based navigation module incorporating

subjects including chartwork instruments, distance, the compass, position,
dead reckoning, tidal calculations, pilotage, passage planning,

Objective: The expected learning outcome is that the student understands theory and
practical applications of navigation.

Entry Standard: There are no prerequisites for attending this course

Certificate and/or Documentation: To be issued after successful completion

Maximum Class Size: 16 to 1 in class subject to classroom size.

Candidate/Instructor Ratio: 16 to 1 in class subject to classroom size.

Specific Staff Requirements: Instructors will be appropriately qualified to IYT requirements.

Teaching Facilities and Equipment:

Facility: IYT Member School’s classrooms

Course Equipment: As needed and

PowerPoint Projector and computer
Television and VCR
Whiteboard or Blackboard
Chartwork Equipment and Charts

Teaching Aids:

Visual Aids: PowerPoint presentation Slides and Videos

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Textbook(s): IYT Textbook

IYT PowerPoint Presentations

Reference Books: Admiralty or local versions of the following:

1 Sailing Directions
2 Tide Tables
3 Tidal Stream Atlases
4 Nautical Almanac
5 Navigational Tables

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Exam Policy

A written examination will be given before the end of the course.

A grade of 70% or higher is required for a pass.

There is no formal Practical assessment for the Navigation Master Course.

Syllabus

1. Introduction
2. Chartwork Instrucments
3. Charts
4. Distance
5. The Compass
6. Position
7. Dead Reckoning
8. Radio Procedures
9. Tides & Currents
10. Course to Steer
11. Pilotage
12. Passage Planning
13. Electronic Aids to Navigation

Depth of Knowledge

One of 4 levels of Depth of Knowledge will be required for every subject within each training level,
these levels are Introductory, Outline, Working and Complete, and the level for each is defined
below:

Introductory
The material is introduced to the candidate without the knowledge having to be retained. The
candidate is shown how to carry out certain tasks or exercises, and is made aware of the correct
and safe way of carrying these out.

Outline
The candidate will need to demonstrate an outline knowledge of the syllabus and should be able
to carry out basic tasks the correct and safe way with some supervision.

Working
The candidate will need to demonstrate a working knowledge of the syllabus and be able to carry
out tasks without prompting, in a correct and safe way.

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Complete
The candidate will need to demonstrate a thorough and complete knowledge of the syllabus and
be able to carry out all the tasks without prompting or hesitation in a safe and correct way.

Depth of knowledge competency requirements

The candidate must be able to demonstrate a basic working knowledge of the syllabus.

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Course Timetable

Training Areas Area Objective Lecture Hours

Student and Instructor Introductions: Familiarisation with

Scope of Programme subject matter and scope of course 0.5

Familiarise students with Tide & Current calculations and the

various publications that the mariner can use to assist them in
Tides and Currents the computation of Tides & Currents 8

Passage & Pilot Planning Familiarise Students with Passage and Pilot planning 2

Piloting: Charts, Navigation Familiarise students with Charts, Navigation Publications,

Publications, Notice to Mariners Notices to Mariners, aids to navigation. 1.5

Familiarise students with process to calculate Distance,

Distance, Speed, Time Speed Time 1.5

Magnetic Compass/Error Familiarise Students with the Magnetic Compass and the
Correction concepts of variation and deviation 1.5

Determination of Compass Given a TRUE course, the students will be able to determine
Error by Terrestrial magnetic and compass courses by applying variation and
Observation deviation. 1

Bearings, use of, opportunities Familiarise students with determining positions from bearing
and Problems from objects onshore. 1.5

Piloting: Dead Reckoning and Familiarise students with determining positions using the
Estimated Position dead reckoning method and Estimated Position 2

Piloting: Course to Steer to Familiarise students with process of calculating Course to

counteract current and leeway Steer to counteract current and leeway. 2

Piloting: Determining Set and Familiarise students with the process of determining Set and
Drift of the Current Drift of the current. 2

Familiarising students with electronic means of navigation

Piloting: Electronic Navigation including Loran C, RDF, GPS, Fathometers, Chart Plotters 2

Total Hours (4 day course with exams) 25.5

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