Free Sailing & Boating Video Lessons — VHF, COLREG, Navigation
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Free Sailing & Boating Video Lessons

Short, practical lessons for skippers — VHF radio and distress procedures, COLREG rules and lights, anchoring, chartwork and position fixing, buoyage and tides. Filmed by a working sailing school, free to watch.

By Askolds Hermanis, Founder & Sailing Instructor — SkipperCheck / Nautica, since 2008

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VHF Radio & Safety

Mastering Marine VHF Radio (course preview) Mastering Marine VHF Radio (course preview) Read the full guide → How to Make a MAYDAY Call How to Make a MAYDAY Call Read the full guide → Distress Signals by Radio Distress Signals by Radio Distress Pyrotechnics & Flares Distress Pyrotechnics & Flares EPIRB — Emergency Position-Indicating Beacon EPIRB — Emergency Position-Indicating Beacon

COLREG & Navigation Lights

COLREG — Rules of the Road (full walk-through) COLREG — Rules of the Road (full walk-through) Read the full guide → Basic Navigation Lights Basic Navigation Lights Read the full guide → Lights of a Towing Vessel Lights of a Towing Vessel Read the full guide →

Anchoring

Types of Anchors Types of Anchors Before Anchoring Before Anchoring Anchoring with One Anchor Anchoring with One Anchor Anchoring with Two Anchors Anchoring with Two Anchors Anchors 180° from Each Other Anchors 180° from Each Other

Chartwork & Position Fixing

Reading Nautical Charts: Introduction Reading Nautical Charts: Introduction Chart Types and Scales Chart Types and Scales Chart Depths and Dangers Chart Depths and Dangers Reading Charts & Nautical Publications Reading Charts & Nautical Publications Estimated Position Estimated Position Running Fix Plotting Running Fix Plotting Position Fix: Compass Bearing & Visual Range Position Fix: Compass Bearing & Visual Range Position Fix: Distances & Compass Bearings Position Fix: Distances & Compass Bearings Using Transits to Check Compass Error Using Transits to Check Compass Error

Buoyage (IALA Marks)

Cardinal Marks: Introduction Cardinal Marks: Introduction Cardinal Marks Cardinal Marks Lateral Marks Lateral Marks

Tides

Chart Datum & Tide Heights Chart Datum & Tide Heights Causes of Tides Causes of Tides Tides Explained Tides Explained

Seamanship

Using a Lead Line Using a Lead Line
Go deeper

These lessons pair with our in-depth written guides: Short Range Certificate (SRC) · COLREG Rule 18 · Rule 23 — vessel lights · Rule 24 — towing lights · How to send a Mayday. Practise it all in the COLREG/AIS bridge simulator.

🎓 Ready to certify? The online VHF/SRC course includes the bridge simulator and a free Skipper Refresher.

See the VHF/SRC Course →