Bluewater Crew Rating

DRAFT We are working to develop a system of bluewater ratings.

These are the bluewater ratings:

Bluewater Crew. The crew rating indicates that a sailor is familiar with the boat and can assist the skipper in its safe operation.

Bluewater Skipper. (Details to come.)

Procedure

To become Bluewater Crew, you must:

• obtain the Provisional rating
• successfully complete a one-day Bluewater Crew Class
• in addition to the class, sail on the boat at least twice
• be endorsed by two skippers (including the class instructor)

Bluewater Crew Class

The Bluewater Crew Class will be taught on X Dimension, MIT's 43-foot yacht, over the course of a day. There will be a maximum of four students on board.

The optional textbooks for the class will be:

• Annapolis Book of Seamanship
• U.S. Sailing's "Basic Cruising"
• American Sailing Association "Cruising Fundamentals"
• ASA "Coastal Cruising Made Easy"

Sailors will be expected to learn and demonstrate understanding of:

• Basic operation of our 43-foot cruising vessel
  • Mooring approach and departure
  • Raising and lowering the mainsail, and unfurling and furling the foresail
  • Reefing the mainsail
  • Tacking/jibing a large vessel
  • Heaving to
  • Assisting with docking
  • Proper use of the head
  • Dinghy driving
  • Basic mainsail and foresail trim
  • Tying at least the following knots:
    • bowline
    • cleat hitch
    • round turn and two half hitches

• Safety information
  • Working with new sailors / passengers
  • Radio procedure
  • Safe use of winches
  • Location and use of fire extinguishers on board
  • Location and use of life jackets and inflatable PFDs
  • Retrieving crew overboard
  • Distress signals and location/use of signal flares

• Navigational skills
  • Familiarity with layout of Boston Harbor
  • Rules of the road
  • Coastal piloting using Boston Harbor chart
  • Understanding of lateral aids to navigation
  • Use of GPS receiver