Standing orders
Each shift there will be “standing orders” on the desired course — where we want to go for the next shift or two, based on destination, weather, and seas, after discussion with the crew.
We target a standing-orders briefing twice per day — at 06:00 and 18:00, weather permitting.
Course keeping
- Steer a heading that keeps us on course; adjust for wind and waves as needed
- If a change of more than 10° to our course is needed, notify the captain
- Sometimes weather and seas dictate a change — feel free to make it, but notify the captain if more than 10°
- Check every 15 minutes that you are on course — adjust as needed
Autopilot modes
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Heading Hold | Holds a heading, but is subject to wind, waves, and current |
| No Drift | Steers on a line to the desired heading; accounts for current, wind, and waves |
| Navigation | Steers on a line to the next waypoint, then turns to the next |
Zoom in/out on the chart plotter. Hit navigation “reset” on the chart plotter to get a new line to the next waypoint.