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Skippers, help your memory with this handy guide.

Copyright © 2007 Gordon Tuffley
gtuffley@bigpond.com ,
PO Box 59 Cardwell, Queensland, Australia, 4849.
Tel +617 4066 8242
Fax +617 4066 8245

Let's face it, as a skipper there's a lot you have to remember.  You need a working knowledge of navigation, the wind, sea and tide, not to mention radio, signaling plus search and rescue.

The Skipper's Aide Memoire is a pocket sized handy reference of the facts and figures you need as a skipper. So when you need to look up a particular signal or transmit a radio message, you can pull this cockpit guide from your pocket and find what you need to know in the quickest time. And timely information can make the difference between a good outcome and disaster.

Pocket size. 
Quick reference to signals, lights, rules, emergency formats.

Picture yourself out on the water. You're getting this flag signal from another boat. It looks serious but you don't know what it means. You reach into your pocket and pull the Skipper's Aide Memoire -- in a few seconds you learn that the signal means "You are standing into danger"!  You take immediate action.  Your passengers are impressed.

Later that day, you come across a disabled boat. The skipper says the motor gave out, and doesn't know why. His radio isn't transmitting so he can't contact anyone. You consult your handy Skipper's Aide Memoire and send a PAN PAN message for him.  Why not a MAYDAY?

At only US$9.95 this guide represents outstanding value for money. No responsible skipper should be without one. The Skipper's Aide Memoire is backed by ClickBank's guarantee.

An official looking plane circles you twice, flies across your bows at low altitude opening and closing the throttle, and heads off.

Are you in trouble?  You pull out the Skipper's Aide Memoire from your pocket, find Section 4 on Search and Rescue signals, and read page 5.

Parts of pages 11 and 12 of Section 5 (Radio) of the Skipper's Aide Memoire

MAYDAY is only for grave and immediate danger to the vessel.  Urgent assistance, but not immediate danger, requires PAN PAN.

You use the PAN PAN format (lower on page 11) and get help promptly.  The Coast Guard compliment you over the airwaves at the end of the rescue.

It's not you, but someone else in trouble.  You follow the plane's direction.

You find your friend's boat overturned and everyone is alive but getting very tired.  You found the information, and you rescued them.  How good is that!