Teaching the Coxswain Course

1. Teaching the Coxswain Course

2. Content • CFT module • Course structure • Course content • Attendance • Assessment • Theory • Practical

3. The CFT Diver Cox’n • Has been assessed as competent to drive a motor boat in the context of diving • Has attended the CFT Diver Cox’n course • Instructed in theory and practical aspects of boat handling by a qualified Diver Cox’n Instructor • Has completed the required experience log under the guidance of a Diver Cox’n Instructor and Club Diving Officer • ensure experience of various conditions to develop skills, knowledge and confidence • Present for Diver Cox'n assessment within 2 years • Assessment during normal club dive • Practical and theory assessment

4. The Course • Pre-requisites • be at least 16 years of age • present a Certificate Request Form duly signed by their Club Diving Officer • Aims • The aims of this course are to provide the basic knowledge and skill necessary to handle motor boats safely and correctly

5. Organisation and Instruction • Organised by RDO (Diver Cox’n Instructor ) • Course Director will be minimum Moniteur** (Diver Cox’n Instructor ) • All assisting instructors qualified to Diver Cox'n Instructor standard • May be organised at club level : • A written programme outlining the course dates and venue • Instructors names and designated lecture topic • A list of candidates by name and CFT number • The CFT approved fee • Requires RDO approval and insertion into COMS • Attendance • Full attendance at all theory and practical sessions are required to successfully complete the course

6. Course Content • Theory • Ten Lectures • Practical • 20 exercises learned under the direction of a Cox’n Instructor • Must be completed during the course • The full program of instruction must be completed before the Student takes control of a boat in the normal club activities • Instruction in each of these exercises to be logged in the Diver Cox’n training log and signed by a Diver Cox’n Instructor • This should constitute at least two hours of dedicated instruction outside of normal club diving

7. Theory • Theory to be completed before practical exercises • Evening or weekend lectures: • The Boat and its Equipment • Responsibilities of the Owner/Cox’n • Outboard Engines and Controls • Anchors, Ropes and Knots • Tides and Navigation • Weather • Voyage Planning • Practical Powerboat Handling • Covering Divers • Emergency Situations

8. Waterwork • Boat equipment check • Boat Launch • Start / Stop the Engine • Pick up a buoy • Holding off from a fixed point for 30 seconds • Coming alongside a pier • Steer by compass • Steer by transits • Steering “blind” • Shot line deployment • Towing disabled dive boat • Reverse figure of eight • High Speed Driving • “S” turns • “U” Turns • Man overboard • Turning on a warp • Anchor deployment • Coming alongside another boat • Recover boat

9. After the Course • Once all instruction is complete: • Student Cox’n may take control of the dive boat during normal club dive under the direct instruction of a Diver Cox’n Instructor and complete five each of diver drop offs and diver recoveries • Thereafter, the Student Cox’n may take control of the dive boat in normal club diving provided that the Student is always accompanied on board by a qualified Diver Cox’n and log the required Cox’n experience as shown in the Diver Cox’n Experience Log

10. Diver Cox’n Assessment • Demonstrate the knowledge and competence to plan and prepare a small boat for open sea diving • Handle the boat and crew to provide safe and reliable cover for divers in the water and, in the event of an emergency, be capable of dealing with the situation • Pre-requisites: • Be at least 16 years of age • Have completed the Diver Cox'n course and practical instruction within the previous two years – log to be presented • Have completed the Diver Cox’n Experience Log • Have the Certificate Request Form duly signed by the candidate, the Club Diving Officer and the Course Director • Have current CFT membership card

11. Assessment Organisation: • Club Diving Officer happy that Student is ready • Contact Regional Diving Officer • agree a location and date for assessment • RDO arranges an external Assessor (at least Diver Cox’n Instructor and Moniteur** grade) • One candidate per boat trip may be assessed • Candidate to remain dry throughout the assessment • Assessor may dive provided a qualified Diver Cox’n is on board throughout

12. Examination Details • Practical Skills during an actual Club Dive • Take full responsibility for the launching, operation, control and recovery of the dive boat during a normal diving day • drop off, cover and pick up of divers in usual diving weather • During this dive excursion, any of the practical skills may be assessed • Demonstrate competence to operate the boat in the confines of a harbour or sheltered area • Effectively handle an “emergency situation” • Theory • Demonstrate the knowledge to effectively handle emergency situations together with chart work, ropes & knots and theory, as per the Diver Cox’n Course ALL PARTS MUST BE PASSED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ASSESSMENT

13. Running the Course • Instructors: at least Diver Cox’n Instructor Grade • Lectures: 5:45 hours • Projector & laptop • Visual Aids • Waterwork 3:00 hours (at least) • Maximum 3 Students : 1 Instructor ratio • Complete all exercises • Demonstrate only as necessary • Keep safety in mind

14. Lecture Duration • Theory Lessons 5:45 • The Boat and its Equipment 0:30 • Responsibilities of the Owner/Cox’n 0:30 • Outboard Engines and Controls 0:30 • Anchors, Ropes and Knots 0:30 • Tides and Navigation 1:00 • Weather 0:30 • Voyage Planning 0:30 • Practical Powerboat Handling 0:45 • Covering Divers 0:30 • Emergency Situations 0:30 • Practical water work 3:00 (at least)

15. The Boat and its Equipment • Learning Objectives: • outlines the different types of boats used in diving and list the safety equipment required • Instructors checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • Items for demonstration • Flares • Oars • GPS • Safety Boxs • Students should have a knowledge of: • Types of Craft • Rigid Hull Inflatable (RIB) • Inflatable • Solid Hulls • Seaworthiness • Equipment • Engine • Trailer • Equipment in Boat • In Tool Box • In Sealed Emergency Box • First Aid Kit • Oxygen Cylinder and Kit • Care and Maintenance

16. Responsibilities of Owner or Cox’n • Learning Objectives • Legal & insurance requirements associated with boat ownership, towing and usage • Harbour and Local Authority by-laws • Salvage law • “Mariner’s Highway Code”. • Instructors checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • Students should have a knowledge of: • Insurance • Marine Insurance • CFT Public Liability Insurance • Safety Regulations • Towing and the Law • Construction and Use Regulations – Trailers • License to tow (as at Jan 2012) • Harbour and Local Authority Bye-Laws • Customs of the Sea • Salvage Laws

17. Outboard Engines and Controls • Learning Objectives • Overview of types of engines and controls used on modern dive boats • Instructors Checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • Items for demonstration • Engine (if practical) • Propeller (damaged ??) • Possibly conduct some of this lesson in the boat shed • Students should have a knowledge of: • Two stroke versus Four Stroke • Lubrication Systems • The Fuel System • Lower Unit/Gearbox Oil • Cooling Systems • Controls • Remote Controls • Steering • Engine Warning Systems • Safety Devices • Care and Maintenance • Spare parts and tools

18. Anchors, Ropes and Knots • Learning objective • Knowing how to secure a boat is vitally important • Anchors and anchoring • Ropes, shot lines, lazy lines • Knots • Instructors checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • Items for demonstration • Lengths of Rope for practice • Anchors • Students should have a knowledge of: • Anchoring • Anchors: • Anchoring Procedure • Hauling the anchor (Weighing • Sea Anchor • Ropework • Types of Rope • Shot Lines • Lazy lines • Knots

19. Tides and Navigation • Learning Objective • Overview effects of the tides • methods and tools used for navigation. • Instructors Checklist • Duration – 60 minutes • Practical items for demonstration: • Tide Tables • Compass • Chart, Parallel rule etc. • Students should have a knowledge of: • Tides • Spring/Neap tides: Tide Tables: • Chart Datum: Rule of Twelfths: • Magnetic North/ True North • Boat Compass: Deviation: • How to Steer by a Divers Compass: • Reciprocal Bearing: • Position Fixing & Transits • Charts and Chart work • The Earth • Latitude & Longitude • Chart • Definitions for Charts • Buoys and the Buoyage System • GPS

20. Weather • Learning Objective • Overview of the effects of the weather on diving activities. • Introduces sources of forecasts • Explains concepts behind weather fronts to enable the coxswain to make informed decisions on when it is safe to go to sea • Instructors Checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • Items for demonstration • Weather map • Students should have a knowledge of: • Weather Forecast • Weather Buoys • Sea area Chart and Weather Stations • The Wind • Movement of Air • Fronts • Fog • Sunshine • Rain • Weather Chart • Sample Weather Charts

21. Voyage Planning • Learning Objective • The need for voyage planning • Detailed description of all elements required to plan a safe and enjoyable voyage • Instructors Checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • Items for demonstration: • Dive Slate, Tide Tables • Emergency Plan etc. • Students should have a knowledge of: • Advanced Planning • Pre-departure planning, safety checks • Launching and briefing • Operation of boat at Sea • Post-Voyage Tasks

22. Practical Powerboat Handling • Learning Objective • Outline of the techniques used for handling powerboats at sea • A guide to learning certain techniques • Proficiency comes through regular practice. • Instructors Checklist • Duration – 45 minutes • Students should have a skill in: • Boat Launching & Departing • Turning on a Warp • Pivot Points and turning • Getting and Staying on a Plane • Turning on a plane • Handling Waves • High-speed Handling • Stopping • Picking up a Buoy • Mooring and Securing to a harbour wall • Towing a Disabled Craft • Picking up divers • Man Overboard • Coming alongside • Holding off • Rough-weather Handling • Recovering Boat

23. Covering Divers • Learning Objective • Extra equipment on the boat • Dropping off, covering and picking up divers • Safety aspects with divers • Dealing with missing divers • Instructors Checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • items for demonstration: • Dive equipment • O2 cylinder and kit • Diver’s down flag • High visibility gear • (SMB; hood; diver flag; etc) • Students should have a knowledge of: • Extra Equipment • Planning • Covering Divers At Dive • Picking up Divers • Picking up divers from a shot line • Picking up divers from a hazardous position (i.e. close to rocks) • Safety

24. Emergency Situations • Learning Objective • Coxswain’s responsibilities when dealing with emergency situations • Instructors Checklist • Duration – 30 minutes • Items for demonstration: • Flares • VHF Radio etc. • EPIRB • Students should have a knowledge of: • V.H.F. Radio – operation • Distress Calls • GMDSS Communications • Distress Signals • Flares • Disabled Craft • Capsized Craft • Fire at Sea • Man overboard • Divers Missing / Overdue • Missing Pair of Divers • Missing Diver • Accidents / Illnesses • Emergency Services

25. Summary • CFT module • Course structure • Course content • Attendance • Assessment • Theory • Practical

26. Questions ?