Aye Aye Captain: Year 10s Skippers Ticket Voyage

June 21, 2024

This term, our Year 10 Outdoor Education students have been diligently working towards obtaining their Recreational Skipper’s Ticket through the Marine Education Boat Shed. Their journey has been rigorous but rewarding, covering theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential for safe boating.

Learning the Rules of the Water

The term began with students diving into the rules of boating and the responsibilities of skippering. Boating has its unique set of regulations, unlike driving a car, which can be quite complex and challenging to master. Students dedicated approximately 12 lessons to theory and 12 hours to practical training. After thoroughly studying these rules, the students had to pass a theory test with a minimum score of 85%.

Hands-On Training: The Exciting Part

Once the theory was in the bag, students transitioned to the hands-on training, which many found to be the most enjoyable part. They learned to start engines, navigate safely, adhere to navigation signs and buoys, perform emergency stops, and handle man-overboard situations. Each skill was crucial, finishing with a comprehensive practical assessment where students had to demonstrate their competence independently. To earn their skipper’s ticket, they can only lose a maximum of six points throughout this assessment.

This week, the students spent the afternoon at the Boat Shed undergoing assessments, with many successfully earning their tickets. The efforts are set to continue with another session scheduled for Saturday, offering more students the chance to achieve this significant milestone.

Our other two Year 10 Outdoor Education classes are thrilled to begin their skipper’s ticket training in Term 3, promising even more young skippers on the horizon.

Overcoming Challenges

The journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Here’s what some of our students had to say:

“Picking up a passenger who has fallen overboard is tough. There is so much to think about while also trying not to run them over.” – Addison

“There is so much to think about while saving a life.” – Milly

“Emergency stops are really hard, trying to get the balance of changing revs and gears to go from quite a high speed to reversing within two boat lengths.” – Connie.

“During the assessment, it is a mental battle not to get rattled when you make a mistake. Knowing you can only lose six points is stressful.” – Lilian

“Sideways rain makes it pretty tough.” – Jodii Laurence, Outdoor Education Teacher.

Congratulations to all our students for their hard work and dedication. We look forward to seeing more successes in Term 3!

Confidence, Featured, Resilience

Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.