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Independent study · no certification. Details

Compass New Zealand is independent and is not affiliated with, approved by, or endorsed by Coastguard Boating Education, Maritime New Zealand, Radio Spectrum Management, or MetService. It does not award Day Skipper, Boatmaster, MVOC, or NZQA certification.

Compass New Zealand study companion

New Zealand Day Skipper Study Companion

Direct answer

Independent New Zealand boating preparation for equipment, handling, charts, weather, IALA Region A, Part 91, emergencies, and trip planning. Compass provides independent knowledge preparation only. It does not administer an official examination, award certification, demonstrate practical competence, or replace current instructions from an authorized provider or authority. Regional council bylaws, harbourmaster directions, and current notices must be checked for the operating area.

Price
$39.99 once
Course size
8 modules
Access
Lifetime access
Format
Independent online study companion
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Product tour

Try the revision loop here

This working, course-specific sample uses the same three primary steps and feedback timing as the revision app: learn the idea, use Practise for immediate help, then Test at the end.

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Learn · teaching first

Read the Boat as Connected Safety Systems

From Boat Components and Equipment

What you will learn

Use a repeatable walk-round to identify what each essential component does, where it is, what normal looks like and what evidence would stop departure.

Explanation

A list of nouns is not boat knowledge. The useful question is whether the learner can trace a system from its function to a real control, recognise an abnormal state and explain what will happen next.

Know the function and location of essential equipment. Treat boat parts as connected safety functions, not an isolated vocabulary list. Begin in one place and move systematically around the actual boat, outside and inside. Group what you see by function: keep water out, remove unwanted water, control direction, create propulsion, store and distribute energy, contain fire and fuel risk, communicate and recover people. The same part can support several functions, so record both its name and its job.

For each essential item use FUNCTION — LOCATION — NORMAL STATE — FAILURE CLUE — CONTROL — NO-GO TRIGGER. Point to the item or control; describe its expected condition or indication; identify one observable sign that it is damaged, unavailable or doubtful; and state the boat-specific isolation, fallback or no-go route. Do not invent a valve, switch, bung or procedure merely because another boat had one.

Give a function-first handover

A second person may need to stop the engine, call for help or begin dewatering if the skipper is incapacitated.

Sense check: A briefing is incomplete if the listener can repeat the name but cannot locate the item.

Common mistake

Memorising component names without tracing their safety function

Recap

  • Walk around one real boat in a fixed order.
  • Connect each item to function, location, normal state, failure clue and control.
  • Use approved boat-specific checks and record uncertainty.
More ways to revise

Flashcards, audio and interactive tools remain optional support inside the module; they do not replace the Learn → Practise → Test route.

Course route

Learn the knowledge, then take it afloat with an instructor

1Free

Boat Components and Equipment

Hull, deck, propulsion, steering, rig or machinery, safety equipment, stowage, checks, and matching equipment to craft and trip.

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2Full access

Handling, Launching, Berthing, and Anchoring

Wind, current, momentum, steering response, launching, retrieval, berthing, anchoring, mooring, crew preparation, and abort plans.

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3Full access

Charts, Position, and Basic Navigation

Chart symbols, latitude and longitude, distance, depth, compass directions, simple bearings, position sources, paper/electronic limitations, and a navigational log.

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4Full access

Tides, Weather, and MetService

Tidal heights and streams, forecast areas, wind against current, warnings, local acceleration, fronts, sea state, visibility, and go/no-go limits.

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5Full access

New Zealand Marks and IALA Region A

Direction of buoyage, IALA Region A lateral marks, cardinals, isolated danger, safe water, special marks, light characteristics, and local aids.

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6Full access

Collision Prevention, Part 91, and Local Bylaws

Lookout, safe speed, collision risk, basic encounter rules, lifejackets and navigation-safety obligations, the five-knot rule, and local bylaw checks.

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7Full access

Emergencies, Safety, and Skipper Responsibility

Skipper responsibility, crew briefing, person overboard, capsize, flooding, fire, grounding, towing, distress communications, cold water, and abandoning craft.

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8Full access

Knots, Trip Planning, and Practical Boundary

Suitable knots, rope handling, float plans, fuel and range, crew, communications, weather, tides, launching, return options, and the boundary between study and demonstrated skill.

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What the companion includes

Clear knowledge and practical boundaries

  • Original lessons and explanations
  • At least 18 explained questions and 12 flashcards per module
  • Three 40-question mixed knowledge assessments
  • New Zealand terminology, jurisdiction, and primary-source context
  • Practical-awareness prompts clearly separated from assessed knowledge

Not included

  • A Coastguard Boating Education, Maritime NZ, or NZQA certificate
  • Instructor-observed practical assessment or official oral examination
  • DSC or SSB within the current MVOC learning route
  • Copied manuals, charts, examination questions, or official diagrams
  • A substitute for current Part 91, bylaws, notices, or instructor guidance

Editorial record

Primary-source review

Original content is reviewed against current New Zealand course outcomes, maritime rules, radio guidance, and weather sources. Regional bylaws and current notices must be checked separately.