RYA Radar

Cruising boats increasingly have radar on board. The International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea state that if you have a radar, you must know how to use it.

Radar is probably the most versatile of all electronic navigation aids, but the best results are only obtained when you know how to use the controls correctly.  It is not an all seeing eye, and can easily mislead those who do not understand its controls, allow for its limitations, or interpret its picture.  This course will give you a solid grounding in how to adjust the radar set and use its various controls effectively to improve the safety of the vessel and its crew.

Course Booking

We don’t currently run this course.  We hope to deliver this course in the future and will update this page when courses are available.

Course Details

Pre-course Practical Requirements: Some basic navigational knowledge
Pre-course Theory Requirements: Some basic navigational knowledge
Course duration: 1 day
Minimum age: 16 years but under 18 year old will only be accepted if accompanied by a responsible adult
What’s Included: All course materials including the RYA book ’An introduction to Radar’
Cost: TBC
Exam: Multiple choice question paper
Award: RYA Radar Course Completion Certificate

Itinerary

1 day practical course from 0850hrs to 1720hrs.

What to Bring

Notebook and pen.

Course Content

Basic understanding of Radar, propagation and conditions that give rise to abnormal propagation

Setting up the radar and use of;brilliance, contrast, gain, range & tuning)

How to measure bearing and range

Position Fixing by Radar

Sea clutter and rain clutter

Radar reflectors, (passive & active)

Navigation

    • Racons
    • Radar ranging
    • Position fixing by EBL and VRM
    • Clearing ranges & pilotage
    • Parallel indexing

Collision Avoidance

      • Relative motion
      • Auto plotting aids
      • IRPCS rules 5 (look-out), 6 (safe-speed), 7 (risk of collision) and 19 (restricted visibility)
      • Assessing risk of collision
      • Closest point of approach
      • Plotting and assessing the course and speed of another vessel
      • Applying Rule 19
      • The practical limitations of small craft radar
      • Auto plotting aids

Next Step

Go and practice what you have learnt.