Marine reference guides
Quick reference cards for common marine knowledge. Bookmark these pages for use on board.
Beaufort scale
Full Beaufort scale reference — force, description, wind speed and sea state.
VHF channels
UK VHF channel guide. Channel 16, coastguard, marina channels and DSC.
Phonetic alphabet
NATO phonetic alphabet — Alpha to Zulu with pronunciation guide.
Navigation lights
What lights to show and what they mean when you see them.
Sound signals
Sound signals in restricted visibility and manoeuvring signals.
Mayday procedure
Step-by-step Mayday, Pan-Pan and Sécurité procedure for VHF distress calls.
Waterway markers
IALA buoys explained — lateral marks, cardinal marks, isolated danger, safe water and special marks.
Knots guide
Ten essential sailing knots — bowline, cleat hitch, reef knot and more with step-by-step instructions.
COLREGS — rules of the road
Right of way rules in plain English. Crossing, overtaking, head-on and the vessel hierarchy.
Compass correction
Convert between true, magnetic and compass bearings. Variation, deviation and the CADET rule explained.
Passage planning checklist
Structured pre-departure checklist covering weather, tides, safety gear and crew briefing. Printable.