Offshore Skipper

Is Offshore Skipper for you?

Offshore Skipper is for sailors who already have experience skippering day passages and are ready to stay at sea longer, sail through the night and venture further from shelter.

You should already be comfortable planning and skippering coastal passages, managing a crew and making decisions about weather, navigation and the safe operation of a cruising yacht.

You don't need to have completed Inshore Skipper if you have gained equivalent experience elsewhere, but you should have sailed at least 1,000 nautical miles, including at least four days as skipper.

The focus now shifts from completing a day passage to managing the yacht, passage and crew continuously over an extended period.

What you'll learn

Over six days aboard Siren's Song, you'll develop the practical skills and judgement needed to plan and skipper longer coastal and offshore passages, including overnight sailing.

Plan and execute passages of 24 hours or more
Prepare the yacht for extended coastal and offshore sailing
Assess rigging, machinery and safety equipment before departure
Interpret marine weather information for longer passages
Make decisions about departure timing, route and safe havens
Understand the influence of ocean currents on passage planning
Work with tides, including secondary ports where appropriate
Plan and manage crew watches
Manage fatigue and the changing demands of sailing through the night
Provision and plan meals for an extended passage
Navigate and maintain situational awareness day and night
Manage the yacht and crew as conditions change
Understand offshore emergency and distress communications
Make sound decisions when immediate assistance or shelter may not be readily available

The Offshore Skipper Experience

Offshore Skipper is a six-day, five-night liveaboard course aboard Siren's Song, sailing in coastal and offshore Tasmanian waters.

You'll live aboard throughout the course and take increasing responsibility for planning and skippering an extended passage. The course includes two nights at sea, allowing you to experience the changing demands of running a yacht continuously through day and night.

You'll plan the route, assess weather and conditions, prepare the yacht, organise the crew and watch system, manage navigation and make decisions as the passage develops.

Training remains practical and hands-on, but at this level the emphasis increasingly moves towards judgement, anticipation and self-reliance. You'll take turns acting as skipper and experience the responsibility of keeping the yacht and crew functioning safely over an extended passage.

Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Location: Coastal & offshore Tasmanian waters
Yacht: Siren's Song

Before you start

Previous skippering experience is required.

You should already be comfortable planning and skippering day passages and taking responsibility for a yacht and crew in coastal waters.

Before starting Offshore Skipper, you should have sailed at least 1,000 nautical miles and completed at least four days as skipper.

You don't need to have completed the earlier Tasman Adventures levels if you have gained equivalent experience elsewhere.

This course is about extending existing skippering skills into longer passages, overnight sailing and waters further from immediate shelter.

By the end of Offshore Skipper

You should be able to plan and skipper multi-day coastal and offshore passages, including overnight sailing, in conditions appropriate to your experience, yacht and crew.

You'll be able to prepare for an extended passage, interpret weather and routing information, organise watches, manage navigation and crew welfare, and make sound decisions as conditions develop.

You'll also have a clearer understanding of the additional responsibility that comes with sailing further from shelter — where good preparation, conservative decision-making and looking after your crew become increasingly important.

Tasman Adventures Sail Training – Level 4

OFFSHORE SKIPPER

Is Offshore Skipper for you?

What you'll learn

The Offshore Skipper Experience

Before you start

By the end of Offshore Skipper

You'll be ready to keep the passage going when the sun goes down.

Ready to go further?

Tasman Adventures Sail Training – Level 4

OFFSHORE SKIPPER

Is Offshore Skipper for you?

What you'll learn

The Offshore Skipper Experience

Before you start

By the end of Offshore Skipper

You'll be ready to keep the passage going when the sun goes down.

Ready to go further?

This website uses cookies.