BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment

The BSAC Diver Coxswain assessment is an examination of boat handling knowledge and practical skills.

To enter the BSAC Diver Coxswain Assessment, you must have completed the BSAC Boat Handling course [or equivalent] and logged at least 5 hours driving experience.

The course consists of three elements – voyage planning, practical boat handling and seamanship theory.

Voyage Planning

During voyage planning, you’ll demonstrate planning a day trip, checking weather, tidal predictions, equipment preparations and fuel planning.

Practical Boat Handling Session

Next we move into the practical session, where you’ll be assessed on a full range of handling skills. This will include startup procedures, loading the boat, slow maneuvers such as steering on a compass bearing, coming alongside another boat, turning and stopping at a buoy.

Then you’ll be assessed on medium and high speed maneuvers such as trimming, approaching a wave and turning. You’ll also be required to demonstrate some general seamanship skills such as anchoring, deploying and recovering a shot line, droping off and picking up divers, man overboard procedures and rough water handling.

Seamanship Theory Assessment

Finally, the diver coxswain assessment concludes with a theory testing your seamanship knowledge.

Here are a few example questions:

• On a chart, how would you identify a lighthouse and what information does the symbol provides?
• What’s the procedure is two vessels are on-course for a head on collision?
• What is the rule of twelfths and how does it work?

Once you’ve passed the diver coxswain assessment , you’ll be qualified as a BSAC Dive Coxswain, and have the option to apply to the MCA for an additional 10 metre coastal water powerboat handling license [for UK nationals only].