Swiss Boat Skipper Theory (Kat. A/D) cheat sheet

Give-way vessel: take early and substantial action to keep well clear; stand-on vessel: hold course and speed, but must act if collision cannot be avoided by the give-way vessel alone.

Head-on meeting: both vessels alter course to starboard and pass port side to port side.

Crossing: the vessel with the other on its own starboard side is give-way; if risk of collision exists, the give-way vessel passes astern of the stand-on vessel.

Overtaking: the overtaking vessel keeps clear at all stages; the overtaken vessel keeps course and speed.

Power vs sail: power-driven vessel gives way to a vessel under sail (except NUC, RAM, fishing, restricted-draught, and vessels constrained by their draught).

Two power-driven vessels: the one with the other on its starboard side gives way; a vessel meeting a crossing vessel from port keeps clear.

Inland waterways: keep to the starboard side of the fairway where safe; a vessel proceeding upstream generally gives way in narrow channels.

Risk of collision: assume it exists if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change.

Narrow channel: keep as near the outer limit on the starboard side as is safe and practicable; avoid crossing if it impedes a vessel that can only navigate within the channel.

Masthead light: white, 225° arc, visible 5 nm (vessels under 50 m) or 6 nm (50 m and over).

Side lights: red port 112.5°, green starboard 112.5°, visible 2 nm (under 50 m) or 3 nm (50 m and over).

Stern light: white, 135° arc, visible 2 nm (under 50 m) or 3 nm (50 m and over).

Power-driven vessel underway: masthead light(s), side lights, stern light; under 12 m may show an all-round white light and side lights.

Vessel at anchor: all-round white light where best seen; by day a black ball in the fore part.

Vessel not under command: two all-round red lights in a vertical line; by day two black balls.

Vessel aground: anchor lights plus two all-round red lights in a vertical line; by day three black balls.

Sound signals in fog: one prolonged blast = power-driven vessel making way; two prolonged = stopped, no way; one prolonged + two short = sailing vessel, NUC, RAM, fishing, towing.

Distress signals include MAYDAY on VHF Ch 16, red parachute or hand flares, orange smoke, SOS by any means, and arms raised and lowered slowly.

IALA Region A (Europe, including Switzerland's inland waters): red can buoys are port-hand marks when entering from seaward; green conical buoys are starboard-hand.

Lateral marks: port-hand red can, starboard-hand green cone; shape and topmark match the side (can = port, cone = starboard).

Cardinal marks: yellow and black, with two cone topmarks; N = both cones up, S = both cones down, E = base-to-base, W = point-to-point.

Safe-water mark: red and white vertical stripes, single red sphere topmark, white light with occultations or Morse A.

Special marks: yellow, usually a yellow X topmark; indicate areas, pipelines, swimming zones, or administrative boundaries.

Isolated danger mark: black with one or more red horizontal bands, two black spheres topmark, white light group Fl(2).

Emergency wreck mark: blue and yellow vertical stripes, yellow cross topmark, alternating blue and yellow flashes.

Chart symbols: depth soundings in metres (or feet) at chart datum; rocks awash shown by a cross with a dotted outline; a star or circled cross marks a drying rock.

Pivot point of a single-screw vessel lies roughly one-third of the hull length from the bow when going ahead, and near the stern when going astern.

Prop walk: a right-hand propeller kicks the stern to starboard in forward gear and to port in reverse; use it deliberately for docking.

Stopping distance: a planing hull needs several boat lengths to stop; approach a berth at the slowest speed that still gives steerage way.

Anchor scope: 3:1 to 5:1 chain or rope for normal conditions, 7:1 or more in strong wind or swell; use the anchor type suited to the seabed.

Setting the anchor: drop, pay out scope while reversing slowly, then take a transit to confirm the anchor is holding before leaving the helm.

Weighing anchor: motor slowly up to the anchor to break it out vertically; never drag it up by the windlass alone.

Turning in a narrow channel: use spring lines or a bow thruster; the stern swings more than the bow when going astern.

Mooring: bow and stern lines plus springs prevent fore-and-aft movement; breast lines hold the vessel alongside.

Beaufort scale: force 3 = 7–10 kn (gentle breeze), force 5 = 17–21 kn (fresh breeze), force 7 = 28–33 kn (near gale).

1 knot = 1.852 km/h; 1 m/s = 1.944 kn; pressure 1 hPa = 1 mb.

Barometer: falling rapidly means approaching low pressure and worsening weather; a rise means improving conditions.

Wind veers (clockwise) with the passage of a northern-hemisphere cold front; backs (anticlockwise) ahead of a warm front.

Sea breeze: blows from sea to land by day (land heats faster); land breeze blows from land to sea at night.

Fog forms when the air is cooled to its dew point; advection fog over water is common when warm, moist air moves over a cold surface.

Thunderstorm signs: towering cumulonimbus, sudden wind shifts, temperature drop, and a rapid pressure fall.

Swiss lakes: föhn and bise (northeast wind) are typical local winds; föhn brings warm dry air and rapid weather change.

Life jacket: one per person, correctly fitted, with a whistle and light for night use; check the CO2 cylinder and firing mechanism on inflatable types.

Man overboard: shout "man overboard", throw a float, press MOB on the GPS, turn the bow toward the person, and approach from downwind with the engine in neutral.

Fire: stop the engine, shut off fuel, use the correct extinguisher class (A solids, B liquids, C gases, electrical); never use water on fuel or electrical fires.

MAYDAY: distress, spoken three times, vessel name, position, nature of distress, number of persons on board.

PAN PAN: urgency (no immediate danger to life); SÉCURITÉ: safety message (e.g. a drifting object).

Hypothermia: treat with dry clothing, slow rewarming, and no alcohol; severe cases need medical evacuation.

VHF Ch 16 is the distress and calling channel; Ch 70 is DSC only; Ch 13 is bridge-to-bridge in some regions.

Fire extinguisher: minimum one per boat, mounted and accessible; check pressure gauge and service date annually.

Pre-start check: fuel level, oil level, coolant, raw-water strainer, battery charge, and that the engine compartment is ventilated.

Run the blower (petrol engines) for at least 4 minutes before starting to clear fuel vapour.

Overheating: check the raw-water intake, impeller, and coolant level; a tell-tale stream at the exhaust confirms cooling water flow.

Battery: 12 V nominal; check electrolyte level on lead-acid, keep terminals clean and greased; a fully charged battery reads about 12.6–12.8 V.

Charging: alternator output should be 13.8–14.4 V at the battery; lower means a faulty alternator or regulator.

Fuel system: fit a water-separating filter, drain water traps regularly, and never fill petrol tanks while the engine is running.

Propeller: check for fouling, damage, and correct pitch; a bent blade causes vibration and loss of speed.

Winter lay-up: flush the engine with fresh water, change oil, fog the cylinders, and disconnect the battery.

Swiss boat licence Kat. A covers motorboats; Kat. D covers sailboats; a Kat. A/D combined licence allows both.

Licence required for motorboats with engine power above 6 kW (about 8 hp); sailboats over 15 m² sail area need a Kat. D licence.

Boat registration: vessels must be registered in the Swiss register of ships (Schiffsregister) and carry a registration number.

Minimum age: 14 for Kat. D, 18 for Kat. A (with exceptions for supervised training).

Environmental rules: no discharge of oil or fuel; use pump-out stations for black water; respect protected zones and speed limits near shore.

Alcohol limit on Swiss waters: 0.5‰ blood alcohol (0.05%) for recreational skippers; stricter for professional use.

Life jackets are mandatory for children under 12 and for anyone on open decks at night.

International: COLREG applies on the high seas; inland waters follow national rules (e.g. Swiss Binnenschifffahrtsverordnung).

Bowline: creates a fixed loop that will not slip; used for mooring and rescue.

Clove hitch: quick temporary attachment to a post or rail; can slip under load and should be backed up.

Round turn and two half hitches: secure line to a ring or post under load; easy to untie after strain.

Cleat hitch: figure-eight around the cleat with a locking turn; used for mooring lines.

Figure-eight knot: stopper knot at the end of a line to prevent it running through a block.

Reef knot: joins two lines of equal diameter; not for load-bearing or joining different sizes.

Rope care: coil in the direction of lay, store dry and out of sunlight, and inspect for chafe and UV damage.

Spring line: runs fore-and-aft to prevent the boat moving along the dock; breast line runs perpendicular to hold it alongside.

Give-way vessel: take early and substantial action to keep well clear; stand-on vessel: hold course and speed, but must act if collision cannot be avoided by the give-way vessel alone.

Head-on meeting: both vessels alter course to starboard and pass port side to port side.

Crossing: the vessel with the other on its own starboard side is give-way; if risk of collision exists, the give-way vessel passes astern of the stand-on vessel.

Overtaking: the overtaking vessel keeps clear at all stages; the overtaken vessel keeps course and speed.

Power vs sail: power-driven vessel gives way to a vessel under sail (except NUC, RAM, fishing, restricted-draught, and vessels constrained by their draught).

Two power-driven vessels: the one with the other on its starboard side gives way; a vessel meeting a crossing vessel from port keeps clear.

Inland waterways: keep to the starboard side of the fairway where safe; a vessel proceeding upstream generally gives way in narrow channels.

Risk of collision: assume it exists if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change.

Narrow channel: keep as near the outer limit on the starboard side as is safe and practicable; avoid crossing if it impedes a vessel that can only navigate within the channel.

Masthead light: white, 225° arc, visible 5 nm (vessels under 50 m) or 6 nm (50 m and over).

Side lights: red port 112.5°, green starboard 112.5°, visible 2 nm (under 50 m) or 3 nm (50 m and over).

Stern light: white, 135° arc, visible 2 nm (under 50 m) or 3 nm (50 m and over).

Power-driven vessel underway: masthead light(s), side lights, stern light; under 12 m may show an all-round white light and side lights.

Vessel at anchor: all-round white light where best seen; by day a black ball in the fore part.

Vessel not under command: two all-round red lights in a vertical line; by day two black balls.

Vessel aground: anchor lights plus two all-round red lights in a vertical line; by day three black balls.

Sound signals in fog: one prolonged blast = power-driven vessel making way; two prolonged = stopped, no way; one prolonged + two short = sailing vessel, NUC, RAM, fishing, towing.

Distress signals include MAYDAY on VHF Ch 16, red parachute or hand flares, orange smoke, SOS by any means, and arms raised and lowered slowly.

IALA Region A (Europe, including Switzerland's inland waters): red can buoys are port-hand marks when entering from seaward; green conical buoys are starboard-hand.

Lateral marks: port-hand red can, starboard-hand green cone; shape and topmark match the side (can = port, cone = starboard).

Cardinal marks: yellow and black, with two cone topmarks; N = both cones up, S = both cones down, E = base-to-base, W = point-to-point.

Safe-water mark: red and white vertical stripes, single red sphere topmark, white light with occultations or Morse A.

Special marks: yellow, usually a yellow X topmark; indicate areas, pipelines, swimming zones, or administrative boundaries.

Isolated danger mark: black with one or more red horizontal bands, two black spheres topmark, white light group Fl(2).

Emergency wreck mark: blue and yellow vertical stripes, yellow cross topmark, alternating blue and yellow flashes.

Chart symbols: depth soundings in metres (or feet) at chart datum; rocks awash shown by a cross with a dotted outline; a star or circled cross marks a drying rock.

Pivot point of a single-screw vessel lies roughly one-third of the hull length from the bow when going ahead, and near the stern when going astern.

Prop walk: a right-hand propeller kicks the stern to starboard in forward gear and to port in reverse; use it deliberately for docking.

Stopping distance: a planing hull needs several boat lengths to stop; approach a berth at the slowest speed that still gives steerage way.

Anchor scope: 3:1 to 5:1 chain or rope for normal conditions, 7:1 or more in strong wind or swell; use the anchor type suited to the seabed.

Setting the anchor: drop, pay out scope while reversing slowly, then take a transit to confirm the anchor is holding before leaving the helm.

Weighing anchor: motor slowly up to the anchor to break it out vertically; never drag it up by the windlass alone.

Turning in a narrow channel: use spring lines or a bow thruster; the stern swings more than the bow when going astern.

Mooring: bow and stern lines plus springs prevent fore-and-aft movement; breast lines hold the vessel alongside.

Beaufort scale: force 3 = 7–10 kn (gentle breeze), force 5 = 17–21 kn (fresh breeze), force 7 = 28–33 kn (near gale).

1 knot = 1.852 km/h; 1 m/s = 1.944 kn; pressure 1 hPa = 1 mb.

Barometer: falling rapidly means approaching low pressure and worsening weather; a rise means improving conditions.

Wind veers (clockwise) with the passage of a northern-hemisphere cold front; backs (anticlockwise) ahead of a warm front.

Sea breeze: blows from sea to land by day (land heats faster); land breeze blows from land to sea at night.

Fog forms when the air is cooled to its dew point; advection fog over water is common when warm, moist air moves over a cold surface.

Thunderstorm signs: towering cumulonimbus, sudden wind shifts, temperature drop, and a rapid pressure fall.

Swiss lakes: föhn and bise (northeast wind) are typical local winds; föhn brings warm dry air and rapid weather change.

Life jacket: one per person, correctly fitted, with a whistle and light for night use; check the CO2 cylinder and firing mechanism on inflatable types.

Man overboard: shout "man overboard", throw a float, press MOB on the GPS, turn the bow toward the person, and approach from downwind with the engine in neutral.

Fire: stop the engine, shut off fuel, use the correct extinguisher class (A solids, B liquids, C gases, electrical); never use water on fuel or electrical fires.

MAYDAY: distress, spoken three times, vessel name, position, nature of distress, number of persons on board.

PAN PAN: urgency (no immediate danger to life); SÉCURITÉ: safety message (e.g. a drifting object).

Hypothermia: treat with dry clothing, slow rewarming, and no alcohol; severe cases need medical evacuation.

VHF Ch 16 is the distress and calling channel; Ch 70 is DSC only; Ch 13 is bridge-to-bridge in some regions.

Fire extinguisher: minimum one per boat, mounted and accessible; check pressure gauge and service date annually.

Pre-start check: fuel level, oil level, coolant, raw-water strainer, battery charge, and that the engine compartment is ventilated.

Run the blower (petrol engines) for at least 4 minutes before starting to clear fuel vapour.

Overheating: check the raw-water intake, impeller, and coolant level; a tell-tale stream at the exhaust confirms cooling water flow.

Battery: 12 V nominal; check electrolyte level on lead-acid, keep terminals clean and greased; a fully charged battery reads about 12.6–12.8 V.

Charging: alternator output should be 13.8–14.4 V at the battery; lower means a faulty alternator or regulator.

Fuel system: fit a water-separating filter, drain water traps regularly, and never fill petrol tanks while the engine is running.

Propeller: check for fouling, damage, and correct pitch; a bent blade causes vibration and loss of speed.

Winter lay-up: flush the engine with fresh water, change oil, fog the cylinders, and disconnect the battery.

Swiss boat licence Kat. A covers motorboats; Kat. D covers sailboats; a Kat. A/D combined licence allows both.

Licence required for motorboats with engine power above 6 kW (about 8 hp); sailboats over 15 m² sail area need a Kat. D licence.

Boat registration: vessels must be registered in the Swiss register of ships (Schiffsregister) and carry a registration number.

Minimum age: 14 for Kat. D, 18 for Kat. A (with exceptions for supervised training).

Environmental rules: no discharge of oil or fuel; use pump-out stations for black water; respect protected zones and speed limits near shore.

Alcohol limit on Swiss waters: 0.5‰ blood alcohol (0.05%) for recreational skippers; stricter for professional use.

Life jackets are mandatory for children under 12 and for anyone on open decks at night.

International: COLREG applies on the high seas; inland waters follow national rules (e.g. Swiss Binnenschifffahrtsverordnung).

Bowline: creates a fixed loop that will not slip; used for mooring and rescue.

Clove hitch: quick temporary attachment to a post or rail; can slip under load and should be backed up.

Round turn and two half hitches: secure line to a ring or post under load; easy to untie after strain.

Cleat hitch: figure-eight around the cleat with a locking turn; used for mooring lines.

Figure-eight knot: stopper knot at the end of a line to prevent it running through a block.

Reef knot: joins two lines of equal diameter; not for load-bearing or joining different sizes.

Rope care: coil in the direction of lay, store dry and out of sunlight, and inspect for chafe and UV damage.

Spring line: runs fore-and-aft to prevent the boat moving along the dock; breast line runs perpendicular to hold it alongside.