QM-10 QuartermasterLeadership Instructors: George Crowl

Course Outline  a. Teach the Ordinary and Able piloting requirements to a crew.  b. Know the methods of fixing a boat's position in limited visibility.

QM-10a a. Teach the Ordinary and Able piloting requirements to a crew.

Techniques  Generally, follow the order of the requirements  However, teach 24-hour time before Zulu time  Have nav kits (plotter, dividers, 0.5 mm pencil, eraser, calculator)  Plotters are preferred over parallel rules  DR calculators are OK if available, are faster  USPS Bowditch Bay charts are inexpensive

Techniques (2)  Additional instructors ratio 1:6 or 8

Equipment Needed  Lesson plans and/or PPTs for ORD-10, ABL-10 (as desired)  White board  Pre-planned routes with fixes for exercises

Teaching EDGE  Lacks two things – objectives, motivation  You have to supply both  Objectives – simply put – the requirements  Motivation – why should a Sea Scout want to pass an advancement requirement?  YOU have to provide the motivation – how it will be used, it may be fun to do, whatever will persuade the Scout to do it  Give a pre-test? You may be able to sign them off as complete with part or all of it

Teaching EDGE (2)  Four main steps  Explain  Demonstrate  Guide  Enable

Explain  “How do we measure a course between two points?”  Put dividers on the two points  Lay plotter snug to dividers  Slide plotter “bulls eye” to longitude line  Read angle on plotter  Select correct one of two shown l

Demonstrate  Instructor shows how  Pick two points 4-6” apart  Put dividers on points  Lay plotter next to points  Slide along until bulls eye lines up on longitude (vertical) line  Look at angle circle, note direction numbers are increasing  Select lower 10°

Demonstrate (2)  Interpret the single digit between 10° lines  Lay down your dividers, gently  Draw the line between the two points along the plotter edge  Write the true course on your log and chart  Insure that if you are going east, the number is between 0° and 180°

Guide  Have Scouts practice manipulating dividers  One hand to hold dividers, one to move plotter  Guide plotter bulls-eye over longitude line  Interpret to 1°  Select correct hemisphere for value  Learn how to use latitude lines for north-south courses

Enable  Do a “ground mission” using charts and giving them all the inputs to put on the chart and log  Do an actual sail on a larger (26'+) boat with GPS and hand bearing compass  Take fixes, alter heading into turning points and destination

When do You Pass the Scout?  Policies vary between ships  Author's opinion: if the Scout can repeat the correct solutions to the problems posed, and reacts correctly on the water, s/he has met the requirements for piloting. If it is not used, it will be forgotten. If you have no large boats, you may need to use ground missions.  Other skills, perhaps knot tying, should be demonstrated several times by the Scout before passing.

QM-10b b. Know the methods of fixing a boat's position in limited visibility.

GPS  First choice  Not normally affected by visibility  Gives very precise position (less than 10 meters)  “Highway” function will keep you on desired course  Will calculate reasonable ETAs

Radar  Radar's primary use in limited visibility is collision avoidance  Radar can also be used for fixing  Range & bearing from known point  3-bearing fix  3-range fix  Radar reflectors

Radio Direction Finder  Device gives bearing of radio station  Can use commercial radio stations  Charts identify radio towers of some stations  Plot bearing(s)  Mostly used at sea

Sound  Close to shore, with high hills, sound will echo  Sound travels a mile in five seconds (1125 ft/sec on a standard day)  Time the return sound, divide seconds by 2, is distance to reflecting surface (which may be behind the shore)

Depth Meters  Depth finders / fish finders will show bottom depth  Charts will show water depth (MLLW)  In many places a depth contour is like an LOP

Actions to Take in Fog, etc.  SLOW DOWN  Keep good DR positions  Monitor GPS, radar, etc., constantly  Increase watch, ahead and astern  Listen for other traffic, horns, sea noise, etc.  Take all available fixes  Maintain planned course

Questions? 