EU Boatmaster (Flanders) cheat sheet

Under CEVNI, a power-driven vessel proceeding downstream has right of way over one proceeding upstream in narrow channels unless local rules state otherwise; the upstream vessel must give way early and clearly.

Red-white-red vertically striped buoys and signs mark a fairway junction or bifurcation: red-white-red on the side of the main channel, red-white-green on the secondary channel.

A blue board with a white arrow pointing left or right means 'recommended channel to the left/right'; a blue board with a white number means a maximum speed in km/h.

A square blue sign with a white 'P' permits berthing; a yellow-and-black crossed square prohibits anchoring, mooring, or making fast.

CEVNI sound signals: one short blast = 'I am altering course to starboard'; two short = 'to port'; three short = 'I am operating astern propulsion'; four short = 'I intend to turn'.

A red flag by day or red light by night shown from a vessel indicates it is carrying dangerous goods; keep well clear and do not smoke nearby.

On Belgian inland waterways the starboard-side bank is normally marked with red buoys and the port-side bank with green buoys when proceeding downstream, matching lateral IALA convention.

A vessel must not overtake where a red-and-white 'no overtaking' sign is displayed; overtaking is normally permitted on the side indicated by the sign's arrows.

Stopping distance in still water is roughly proportional to the square of speed; halving speed cuts the stopping distance to about one quarter, so speed control is the primary manoeuvring tool.

A single-screw vessel with a right-handed propeller kicks its stern to starboard in forward gear and to port in reverse; use this to plan docking approaches.

In a crosswind, approach a berth at an angle into the wind and let the wind push the bow or stern alongside; never approach dead downwind with speed.

Pivot point of a vessel under way lies roughly one-third of the length from the bow; when going astern it moves toward the stern, changing the turning geometry.

Bow thruster effectiveness rises with speed through the water only up to a point; at zero speed thrust is maximum relative to the hull, so use it before the boat gains way.

When picking up a mooring buoy in current, approach from downstream and stem the current; the vessel should arrive nearly stopped with the buoy on the windward or upstream bow.

Spring lines set before the engine is used to 'spring off' a quay let the bow or stern swing out while the vessel pivots against the line; use fenders on the pivot side.

A vessel turning in a narrow channel should use the widest available section and account for drift; announce the manoeuvre with four short blasts under CEVNI.

A lifejacket must be worn by everyone on deck on small craft and by children under 12 on Belgian inland waters where the vessel is not fully enclosed; check the CE marking and buoyancy rating.

Man-overboard drill: shout 'man overboard', throw a lifebuoy, mark the position, slow and turn back on a reciprocal course, approach from downwind, and recover with the engine in neutral.

Fire aboard: stop the engine, shut off fuel and gas, close hatches to starve the fire, use the extinguisher aimed at the base of the flames, and head for the nearest bank.

A 1 kg dry-powder extinguisher is the minimum for small craft in Belgian inland navigation; larger vessels require extinguishers sized to the engine room volume.

Abandon-ship sequence: don lifejackets, take the liferaft or dinghy, send a MAYDAY on VHF channel 16 or call 112, and stay with the vessel if it remains afloat.

A throw line or lifebuoy with 30 m of line should be within reach of the helm on any vessel over 7 m, ready for immediate use.

Carbon monoxide from petrol engines and stoves is odourless and lethal; ventilate cabins and never run a petrol engine in an enclosed space.

Emergency numbers in Belgium: 112 for all emergency services; the maritime rescue coordination centre for the Scheldt estuary is reached via VHF 16 or 112.

Under way at night, a power-driven vessel shows a masthead light forward, a second masthead light aft and higher (if over 50 m), sidelights (red port, green starboard) and a sternlight.

A vessel at anchor by night shows an all-round white light where it can best be seen; by day, a black ball in the forepart if the vessel is over 7 m.

A vessel not under command shows two all-round red lights in a vertical line by night and two black balls by day.

A vessel constrained by her draught shows three all-round red lights in a vertical line; a vessel engaged in fishing shows red over white.

Crossing situation in sight of one another: the vessel with the other on her starboard side is the give-way vessel and must avoid crossing ahead.

Head-on meeting: both vessels alter course to starboard and pass port-to-port; one short blast each confirms the intention.

Overtaking vessel keeps clear at all times; the vessel being overtaken must hold course and speed unless collision risk demands otherwise.

Sound signals in restricted visibility: one prolonged blast every two minutes for a power-driven vessel making way; two prolonged blasts with a one-second interval for a vessel stopped.

Beaufort scale: force 3 = 3.4-5.4 m/s (gentle breeze, small wavelets); force 6 = 10.8-13.8 m/s (strong breeze, whitecaps, small craft should seek shelter).

A falling barometer of more than 1 hPa per hour signals an approaching depression and rapidly worsening conditions; a rising barometer after a front means improving weather.

Sea breeze develops on sunny afternoons as land heats faster than water; it blows from sea to land and can reach force 4-5 by mid-afternoon on the Belgian coast.

Spring tides occur at new and full moon, giving the largest tidal range; neap tides at quarter moons give the smallest range.

Rule of twelfths for tidal height: in each sixth of the tidal period the rise is 1/12, 2/12, 3/12, 3/12, 2/12, 1/12 of the total range.

In Belgian coastal waters tidal streams flood toward the northeast and ebb toward the southwest; the stream turns roughly at high and low water with a lag of about an hour.

Fog forms when the dew point is reached by cooling; visibility below 1 km requires reduced speed, sound signals and radar watch where fitted.

Thunderstorm squall lines can bring gusts of force 8 or more; reef early and head for shelter when cumulonimbus builds on the horizon.

Reserve buoyancy is the watertight volume above the waterline; it determines how much additional weight a hull can carry before swamping.

Metacentric height (GM) measures initial stability: a small positive GM gives a stiff, jerky roll; a large GM gives a tender, slow roll; negative GM risks capsize.

Free surface effect: liquid in partly filled tanks or bilges shifts the centre of gravity and reduces effective GM; keep tanks full or empty where possible.

Load line and maximum load must not be exceeded; overloading raises the centre of gravity and reduces freeboard, both of which increase capsize risk.

Bilge pumps, a bailer, a bucket and a first-aid kit are minimum equipment on small Belgian inland craft; a fire extinguisher and lifejackets per person are mandatory.

Hull materials: steel requires cathodic protection and regular paint; GRP needs gelcoat inspection for osmosis blisters; aluminium needs isolation from dissimilar metals.

A vessel's length overall (LOA), beam and draught determine which locks and bridges it can transit; check the CEMT class of the waterway before planning a route.

Through-hull fittings below the waterline must have seacocks that can be closed in an emergency; a hull breach is contained by closing the affected valve.

Pre-start checks: fuel level and water separator, coolant level, oil level, raw-water strainer, belt tension, and that the blower has ventilated a petrol engine compartment.

Overheating is usually caused by a blocked raw-water intake, a failed impeller, a slack belt or low coolant; stop the engine and investigate before continuing.

A diesel engine that will not start usually has air in the fuel line after running dry; bleed the low-pressure circuit at the filter and injector pump.

Battery charging: alternator output should read 13.8-14.4 V at the battery with the engine running; below 13 V indicates a failed alternator or regulator.

Battery isolation switch must be off when working on the electrical system; use fuses or circuit breakers sized to the cable and never bypass them.

Propeller fouling by rope or net causes vibration, overheating and loss of thrust; stop the engine immediately and clear the shaft only when it is fully stopped.

Fuel system: keep water out of diesel, change filters at the specified interval, and never refuel with the engine running or a stove alight.

Cooling water tell-tale on an outboard should show a steady stream; absence means stop immediately to avoid impeller and powerhead damage.

Discharging sewage is prohibited in Belgian inland waters; use pump-out stations or holding tanks and retain waste until proper disposal.

Grey water and bilge water containing oil must not be discharged overboard; use absorbent pads in the bilge and dispose of oily waste at a reception facility.

MARPOL Annex V prohibits dumping plastics, garbage and oily rags at sea or in inland waters; sort waste and use port reception facilities.

Antifouling paint must be chosen for the local rules; copper-based antifoulings are restricted in some inland and coastal areas because of toxicity to aquatic life.

Refuelling: avoid spills, use a funnel or absorbent collar, and report any spill to the waterway authority; a small spill can contaminate a large volume of water.

Engine emissions: modern four-stroke outboards and common-rail diesels meet stricter emission stages; two-stroke carburetted engines emit more hydrocarbons and are being phased out.

Noise limits apply to inland craft; excessively loud exhausts are prohibited, and engine compartments should be insulated to reduce noise at the bank.

Washing a boat with detergents over water introduces phosphates and surfactants; use fresh water and a bucket, and wash ashore where possible.

CPR ratio for adults is 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths at 100-120 compressions per minute; for children, start with 5 rescue breaths then 15:2 if trained.

Recovery position: place an unconscious but breathing casualty on their side with the head tilted back to keep the airway open and prevent aspiration.

Hypothermia: move the casualty to shelter, remove wet clothing, insulate with dry blankets, and warm gradually; do not rub the skin or give alcohol.

Burns: cool with clean cool water for at least 10 minutes, cover with a sterile non-adherent dressing, and do not burst blisters or apply ointments.

Fire classes: A = solids (water, foam), B = flammable liquids (foam, dry powder, CO2), C = gases, D = metals, F = cooking oils.

A CO2 extinguisher is suitable for electrical fires and engine rooms but must not be used in confined spaces without ventilation because it displaces oxygen.

A fire in a fuel line or engine room: stop the engine, shut off fuel, close hatches, use the fixed or portable extinguisher through the access port, and do not open the hatch fully.

Drowning rescue: reach, throw, row, go - only enter the water as a last resort and take a buoyant aid; begin CPR immediately on a non-breathing casualty.

The Belgian boatmaster certificate (vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs) is issued after theoretical and practical examination; it is required for vessels over 15 m or with engine power above 20 hp on inland waterways.

The International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft (ICC) is required for most Belgian inland waterways and coastal waters; it is issued on production of the boatmaster certificate.

Vessels must be registered with the Belgian shipping register and carry a certificate of registry; a hull identification number (HIN) is required for craft built after 1998.

Third-party liability insurance is compulsory for all motorised craft on Belgian inland waters; minimum cover is set by regulation and the certificate must be on board.

The CEVNI regulations apply to all inland waterways in Belgium; the Rijnvaartpolitiereglement applies on the Rhine and the Scheldt regulations on the Western Scheldt.

A vessel must carry on board its registration certificate, insurance certificate, boatmaster certificate and, where applicable, the CEVNI certificate of conformity.

Alcohol limit for boatmasters in Belgium is 0.5 g/l blood alcohol (0.22 mg/l breath); stricter limits apply to professional boatmasters.

Accidents must be reported to the waterway authority and, where injury or significant damage occurs, to the police; an accident report form is kept on board.