Clone of Training overview | Little Ship Club

Draft Structure for Training Section of Club website

0.0 Club home page

This is the responsibility of the Rear Commodore Marketing, not the Training Committee. The “Training” button needs to be much more prominent than at present (March 2015) and a future design for the Club’s home page needs to reflect this requirement.

1.0 Training section front page

This essentially the “A World of Expertise and Experience” page from the model proposed earlier. It contains a modest amount of text, the primary objective of which is creation of demand rather than delivery of course information. Below it there should be prominent active spots (clickable logos) for “Help” and “Enter the Training Hub”.

1.1 Training Hub main page

This was entitled “Welcome to the Training Hub” in the model. Very little text is need except that the tone needs to move from demand creation to reassurance and advice. Below it there should be a group of clickable active spots in the form of a multi-element hub-and spoke structure. The final graphical design is a matter for the Rear Commodore Marketing but it is worth noting that Graham likes the hub structure shown in the model and Caroline likes the “lifebuoy” motif of the central Help button. It is worth considering page 2.5.13 in this context.

1.2 Help main page

The Help main page is hierarchically level with Training Hub main page. The purpose of this is to allow the easy future development of a sub-class of individual help pages, were the need to do so to be identified. Example text is given in the model. The page needs to contain a mixture of reassurance and information. It needs to contain three clickable active spots as logos for “Frequently Asked Questions”, “Return to the Training Hub” and “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly”. This last-mentioned item is intended to activate the user’s e-mail client with a New E-mail screen with the recipient already populated with “training@littleshipclub.co.uk”. This is an all-purpose e-mail account along the lines of marketing@litleshipclub.co.uk

1.2.1 Frequently Asked Questions

These are often of limited value but we might consider whether it would be worthwhile.

2.0 RYA shore-base courses main page

This page needs to offer a short introductory text, primarily of a marketing nature. The page needs to contain four prominent graphical elements: a list of RYA shore-base courses (clickable); a “Help” active spot; a “Return to the Training Hub” active spot; a “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” active spot. It will be necessary to ensure that Essential Navigation and Seamanship is not included, since we do not offer it, and that we do not claim to offer the “full range”, only “all the shore-based courses with the exception of Essential Navigation and Seamanship”. A short paragraph outlining Essential Navigation and Seamanship, pointing out why we do not offer it, may be appropriate.

2.01 Dayskipper

The sub-page needs to contain an overview of the course, a summary of subjects covered, the price and the duration. Since we do not offer Essential Navigation and Seamanship, we need to make it clear that we cater for complete beginners. There need to be active clickable links for “Book now”, “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.02 Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore

The sub-page needs to contain an overview of the course, a summary of subjects covered, the price and the duration. In view of the recent laxity of the RYA in allowing syllabus drift, the overview needs to make it clear what the rationale for the Yachtmaster Coastal shore-based course is. There need to be active clickable links for “Book now”, “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.03 Yachtmaster Ocean

The sub-page needs to contain an overview of the course, a summary of subjects covered, the price and the duration. The overview needs to make it clear why the Yachtmaster Ocean course is still a very useful, relevant and interesting course, despite the advent of GPS. It needs to be made clear that we have an assortment of sextants and books to supplement the RYA material. There need to be active clickable links for “Book now”, “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.04 First aid

The sub-page needs to contain an overview of the course, a summary of subjects covered, the price and the duration. It needs to be made clear that we have the necessary practice equipment and that our First Aid Instructor is a former healthcare professional [needs correction? not sure exactly what Sylvia did but fairly sure it was directly relevant to first aid]. There need to be active clickable links for “Book now”, “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.05 VHF radio (Short Range Certificate)

The sub-page needs to contain an overview of the course, a summary of subjects covered, the price and the duration. It needs to be made clear that we can either teach or examine (but not both) and that a photograph and fee will be needed for the certificate. There need to be active clickable links for “Book now”, “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.06 Diesel engine

The sub-page needs to contain an overview of the course, a summary of subjects covered, the price and the duration. It needs to be made clear that we have a Diesel engine for demonstration purposes. There need to be active clickable links for “Book now”, “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.07 Radar

The sub-page needs to contain an overview of the course, a summary of subjects covered, the price and the duration. There need to be active clickable links for “Book now”, “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.1 Practical workshops main page

This page needs a short summary text, mainly of a marketing nature. It will be important to emphasise that these workshops are exclusive to the Little Ship Club. Below, there needs to be active clickable links to each of the following sub-pages.

2.1.1 Boat Electrics course

2.1.2 Ropework Workshop (Little Ship Club edition)

The text, which should be of an informative nature (and differentiating it from the Braided Rope Workshop), needs to point out that the Workshop is primarily intended for Club members but is available to non-members [at a premium price? Point for discussion?]

2.1.3 Braided Ropework Workshop

The text, which should be of an informative nature (and differentiating it from the Ropework Workshop), needs to point out that the Workshop is primarily intended for Club members but is available to non-members [at a premium price? Point for discussion?]

2.1.4 Basic Seamanship Workshop (Royal Navy edition)

This sub-page is essentially a marketing device, pointing out that it is only available to Royal Navy training units. There need to be active clickable links for “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” and “Return to the Training Hub”.

2.2 Seamanship rallies main page

This section needs some careful thought and development. There is obvious scope for running more seamanship rallies than we do presently. Developing the programme depends on the availability of skippers to bring their boats and be willing to ship trainees as crew. Michael intends to encourage this. The main responsibility rests with the Sail and Power Committee, presumably, although input from the Training Committee would be useful. There needs to be a prominent active clickable spot which takes the user to whichever page does duty as the seamanship rallies main page (or the Skippers and Crews main page).

The minimum content would be a calendar and a summary of subjects intended to be covered for each event, together with a booking link (or booking links on individual rally pages).

2.3 Skippers and Crews main page

Not a great deal of text is required here. The tone will be a combination of marketing (we have an active rally programme) and information (who sails; where; when; how to make contact). There needs to be a prominent active clickable spot which takes the user to the Skippers and Crews main page.

2.4 Library main page

Not a great deal of text is required here. The tone will be a combination of marketing (the Library has been 80 years in the making; we have an excellent Library team) and information (scope of library contents relevant to training; availability of book reviews; how to contact the Hon. Librarian). There needs to be a prominent active clickable spot which takes the user to the Library main page.

2.5 On-line Learning Centre main page

This is the section which, ultimately, would need some development effort but which we can start to populate straight away. The page structure reflects our training offering overall but allows flexibility for change.

The On-Line Learning Centre main page needs to explain what it contains and why users ought to look at it.

The criteria for selection of subjects, as mentioned earlier in the draft electronic delivery architecture (Caroline and IS, November 2014) are that the material:

• addresses a deficiency in an RYA syllabus OR
• amplifies a subject which is only superficially addressed in an RYA syllabus OR
• sheds light on a subject which provides a fundamental underpinning but is not strictly necessary to the practical application of knowledge OR
• is a subject of obvious curiosity to the alert student OR
• is excluded from an existing class-based course due to a rigorous focus on essentials or limited classroom time but which is nevertheless frequently encountered elsewhere.

The strategic aim behind providing such material is to give substance to the claim that training at the Club is better/ more extensive/more rigorous than elsewhere. This backs up our aim of being aspirational and offering something which is superior to that which might be offered elsewhere.

2.5.1 Dayskipper supplement

– Dayskipper Revision Guide (already written)
– Dayskipper practice questions (partly written already)
– Rule of Twelfths
– Triangle of forces
– Scale of latitude
– Meaning of True North
– [Can we address the new RYA requirement for including stability by this means?]
– Environment?

2.5.2 Yachtmaster Coastal supplement

– Yachtmaster Coastal Revision Guide (already written)
– Yachtmaster Coastal practice questions (already written)
– Effect of barometric pressure on tidal height (bizarrely omitted from the syllabus)
– Sail trim (a long-standing omission with an erroneous fluid-mechanical explanation of lift generation promulgated by many books; alternatively cover in LSC Knowledge Base)
– Weather: a subject overdue for improvement in a number of areas, both theoretical and practical, and a large subject in its own right

2.5.3 Yachtmaster Ocean supplement

– A proper explanation of the transferred position line (poorly treated at Dayskipper and Yachtmaster Coastal
– Verniers (can be a mystery to non-engineers)
– Revision of the PZX triangle and the use of the haversine and half-log haversine formulae (to avoid reliance on sight reduction tables)
– Maximum/minimum latitude and limiting parallels in high-latitude sailing
– Ex-meridian observations (a favourite of Claud Worth but curiously omitted, apart from the special case of the Pole Star)
– Use of traverse tables and meridional parts

2.5.4 First Aid supplement

– There seems to be (understandably) widespread interest in medical matters in the population as a whole. Without seeking to turn Club members into doctors, perhaps Sylvia could make suggestions regarding those elements of elementary anatomy and physiology which would illuminate the basic techniques in first aid.

2.5.5 VHF radio extension

– Explanation of propagation and introduction to HF (and SSB) for ocean sailors and LF for Navtex and shipping forecast users
– Radiation patterns and construction of emergency antennae (very practical, this last item)

2.5.6 Diesel engine extension

– Richard to make suggestions?
– Potentially large amount of background engineering could be included but need to be selective
– Printable annual maintenance guide could be useful
– Printable troubleshooting guide could be useful
– Guides laminated in the Club office could be sold at modest cost

2.5.7 Radar extension

– Colin to make suggestions?
– Summary of AIS and related techniques

2.5 8 Boat Electrics extension

– Pete and Richard to make suggestions?
– Use of electronic instruments (or selectively add to Yachtmaster Coastal supplement)

– Stand-alone GPS units
– Plotting software on laptops
– Dedicated chart plotters
– Navtex
– Integration technologies (or dealt with under Boat Electrics?)
– Strategic availability of GPS systems (US vs Galileo vs GLONASS)

2.5 9 Ropework Workshop extension

– Include rope materials and constructions sections from Royal Navy edition
– Construction of reeving loop for halyards (only covered briefly in Braided Rope Workshop)
– “Big ship” techniques (Lighterman’s hitch, Carrick bend)
– The occasionally or rarely useful (Monkey’s fist, Sheepshank)
– Basic decorative (continuous hitching, simple Turk’s Head)

2.5.10 Braided Rope Workshop extension

– Richard to make suggestions?
– Internal structure of braided eye (in the course material but a useful differentiator for the website since it occurs nowhere else)
– Halyard reeving loop (instead of in Ropework Workshop)?

2.5.11 Odd Corners

– Anything from the former LSC Knowledge Base deemed to be useful but neglected

2.5 12 Fun

– Anything felt capable of providing a nautical diversion.
– In the 1930s, the Club Journal regularly included navigation and seamanship puzzles (there was a reader’s letters column which provided a vehicle for reply, absent from more recent editions)
– Anything to entertain members’ children and grandchildren (Highwayman’s hitch, for example)

2.5.13 Ask the Examiner

Now that we have James as a member of the training team, we are (probably uniquely) positioned to offer people the opportunity of asking questions which they normally would not get. The “E-mail our Rear Commodore Training directly” button offers an obvious vehicle for this.

2.6 Sea school partners main page

Not a great deal of text is required here. The tone will be that of a marketing page with some information about the locations and services of the sea schools mentioned. The main effort will be to identify sea schools with which to form meaningful partnerships. This is envisaged as a Commercial Committee responsibility. Links to sea schools need to have much better prominence than in the current version of the website (March 2015).

2.7 Evening talks main page

Very little text is required here. A short paragraph will suffice to make the point that evening talks are an important source of knowledge. The tone will be that of a marketing page. Below the text, there needs to be a prominent clickable active spot which re-directs the user to either the Club’s standard Social front page or the Evening Talks main page. The exact route of the re-direction is a matter for the Social function. Whether the Evening Talks section contains a reversing link back to Training is a matter for the Social function.

In the 1930s, lectures were reported to a high standard and the reports regarded as an important part of the Club’s training effort.

Ian Stewart
2 April 2015