News from the SCT team this week, and it’s welcome reading for anyone looking to take the next step in their wheelhouse career. The centre has opened bookings for its five-day Bridge Watchkeeping and Navigation course — the key rung on the ladder for commercial fishermen aiming for their Under 16.5m Skipper’s ticket.
Normally run out of Newlyn, the course is shifting east for this block, with Looe becoming the temporary training hub. That move puts the classroom within easy reach of crews working the coast between Rame and the Lizard, giving those further from Mount’s Bay a chance to train without the long drive west.
The programme runs over five intensive days, aimed squarely at anyone taking a navigational watch and for skippers running boats under 16.5m outside the 20-mile limit. Better still, it’s currently grant-funded — a rare chance to pick up a qualification that genuinely opens doors without the sting of full fees.
SCT are encouraging interested fishermen to get in touch with the office for details, dates and funding guidance. A good opportunity for working crews to sharpen their charts-and-compass skills before the winter weather truly sets in.
