Pete ‘Stokey’ Woodall is one of the world’s most respected ocean racing teachers, specialising in astronavigation and weather. He set up Britain’s first ocean racing school – International Ocean Services (I.O.S.) – and has sailed over 300,000 miles, including 30 transatlantic crossings. His jobs have included skippering for the Greek Royal family and teaching astronavigation to Ellen MacArthur and Emma Richards.
Stokey Woodall has made a living teaching celestial navigation for several decades and has seen interest rise steadily over the past five years. He says "People want to get back to basics, back to nature and are starting to realise we need a system that doesn’t involve electronics."
Stokey provides a comprehensive training curriculum in all aspects of ocean sailing, however celestial and weather subjects are his forte.
REFER TO STOKEY'S WEBSITE FOR FURTHER COURSE AND TRAINING DETAILS
ATLANTIC PLANNING
The Atlantic Circuit - 2 Day Shore-Based (also available as an online course) - If you dream of doing a Trans-Atlantic crossing then this one day seminar will be invaluable. It aims to be informative with practical advice, guidance and some top tips that you won’t have read in the books. Stokey Woodall, who has traversed the Atlantic some 31 times to date and has a wealth of ocean sailing knowledge and experience, will be your host. The content will include stunning visual presentations and will be delivered in Stokey’s own inimitable style with humorous anecdotes added for good measure.
CELESTIAL NAVIGATION COURSES
Astro for Beginners - 3 day course - This course is ideal for someone new to the subject or just wishing to brush up. The course will give both theoretical and practical insights to the fascinating art and subject of celestial navigation. For those people wishing to obtain the R.Y.A Ocean Yachtmaster theory qualification, there is an optional 2 day add on to complete it. Ventnor/Shanklin are the main venues for this course and both locations are on the Southern stretch of the island’s coastline that boasts a tropical micro climate. This Coastal region with its unique Micro climate is often blessed with wonderful star viewing skies due to the lack of light pollution in this area. The course is designed not only to be educational but also great fun.
Advanced Astro - 5 day course - Ideal for super yacht captains or people wanting to take their celestial skills to another level, this advanced celestial course will cover the theory behind this wonderful skill, and where you will be taught how to reduce sights for the Sun, Stars, Planets, and the Moon. You will also be shown how to make your own chart and plot using plotting sheets sold by Imray and designed by Stokey. You will discover a day in the life of a real celestial navigator by Star Planning and Compass Checking for errors using the heavenly bodies. The tutor for this course is always Stokey so you will benefit from his life time Knowledge and experience as a real ocean sailor. The final day can either be done on a ferry to St Malo, or in Ventnor/Shanklin, and you will be shown how to set up a sextant and practically shoot and reduce real celestial bodies with the real up-to-date Almanac and tables. On completion, a certificate will be awarded showing that you have completed an advanced course and level in celestial navigation.
ASTRO ON THE SEASHORE
Astro Theory/Practical 2 day course - A wonderful add on for anyone needing to brush up their theory and also wanting to put it into practice. This is a very practical “Hands On” course with both night and daytime sights. See how it is really done with expert tuition by Stokey one of the world’s leading ocean navigators and teachers of the subject. The first day will be spent revisiting the theory and then joining a Brittany ferry in Portsmouth Harbour early evening to sail to either St Malo or Caen. During the crossing a star plan will be produced for the morning stars and hopefully (weather permitting) we will take the sights, reduce them and plot the results. There will be 2 hours run ashore in St Malo before the return crossing, nice time for a croissant and coffee in the old walled town. On the return crossing we will spend the time doing a Sun run Sun set of sights and discuss Compass checks before our arrive back into Portsmouth.
RYA PRACTICAL ASTRO COURSE
Astro Theory/Practical 2 day course - A great little course for any person that has already done the RYA theory course and now wants to get fully conversant with the requirements needed to complete the RYA course. This is a practical “Hands On” and informative course with tips from Stokey you will not find in a book. A must day that will help guide you through both the practical & oral elements of the RYA Ocean Yachtmaster. The course covers sight planning, theoretical sight procedures, sextant checks and morning/noon/afternoon sun sights. You will make a chart and plot the sights reduced that day. There will be general discussions on proposed qualifying trip, weather, planning and the presentation of relevant material for the oral exam.
ONLINE COURSES
Online Training - In an increasingly connected world where more and more can be accomplished through the Internet, one of the latest educational trends is online or distance learning. More and more people all over the world are choosing some online form of tuition. Companies offering the ability for their students to enrolled online is skyrocketing and may even become the prevalent form of learning someday. So, to this end Stokey spent many hours during the Covid lock-down period in re-designing his courses and material and is now offering this form of online training to his seafaring students.
All of Stokey's courses can now be partially or taken entirely online and cover Passage Planning, Celestial and Emergency Navigation, and Fun Astronomy.
RYA COURSES
Day Skipper Theory - This course is an introduction to chart work, navigation, meteorology and seamanship. You will learn how to figure out tidal heights and streams and how they affect your course. On the RYA Day Skipper Theory you will also learn the collision rules on how to identify the give way vessel and how to use dead reckoning and estimated position for accurate navigation. The first time you navigate successfully to a destination will give you a fantastic sense of achievement. Before attending the RYA Day Skipper Theory course it is essential that you have had some previous sailing experience.
Offshore Yachtmaster - This course develops on from the Day Skipper Course. It is intended for cruising yachtsmen, motor boaters, and power boaters, who are looking to undertake more complex passages, perhaps offshore, at night, or crossing the Channel. It is a demanding theory course covering advanced navigation techniques such as Position Fixing, Course to Steer, Passage Planning, Pilotage, Meteorology, IRPCS, Stability and Buoyage. By the end of the course the successful student will have a comprehensive knowledge of what is required to navigate to Yachtmaster standard, and will have passed 3 exams on chart work, meteorology, and IRPCS.
Ocean Yachtmaster - The RYA Ocean Yachtmaster is the final theory course in the syllabus. It is also the signature course offered by Stokey whose eminent students include Emma Richards, Ellen MacArthur, Barbara Harmer (the only female Concorde captain), Phillipe Kahn and John Howard Davies. This course is usually presented and taught in Ventnor/Shanklin on the Isle of Wight but can also be run worldwide. Teaching can be offered on a group or one-to-one basis. The RYA Ocean Yachtmaster theory certificate will be given to successful candidates upon completion.
WEATHER COURSES
Beginners Weather 1 day course - This course covers many aspects of practical marine weather, starting from the very basics and ending with all you need to plan your voyages or weekend outings, safely and efficiently taking into account the weather. This weekend course is intended to be both a practical and theoretical and aimed at the sailing fraternity. On completion it will certainly help you with your decision making whilst planning a voyage and once underway. No prior knowledge of weather is needed just the enthusiasm to learn.
ONBOARD TRAINING
Is a flexible solution allowing you to have Stokey onboard to run the RYA Yachtmaster/Ocean Course allowing crew to be able to do both the theory and practical elements of the course. He can also help organise the oral part of the exam as well. The is a new and great opportunity for you to build crew competence more cost effectively. By moving Stokey offshore to your sailing yacht or motor vessel, instead of training your crew onshore at his training facilities, you can reduce travel and compensation costs, and at the same time plan and align your training more effectively. You only pay travel expenses and a fixed day-rate for Stokey's time onboard. Training in their real life working environment will improve learning.
Whist onboard, Stokey is happy to give free talks to all crew after the evening meal. These talks will be climaxed by a stargazing Evening/Morning with a celestial tour called "A Walk Through The Heavens", something for all to remember long after the voyage is completed.
OCEAN ROWERS
Support and Training
Since the early days of Tom McClean and the late rower Peter Bird, Stokey has been closely linked to the world of ocean rowing. We have worked with many individual rowers and teams over the years and still do so. Our clients to date have included the likes of Tommy Tippets, Leven Brown, Matt Craighwell and the teams of Sarah G, La Mondial, Team Hallen and Artemis Investments. During the last three years I.O.S has weather routed the 5 fastest crossings of the Atlantic, with both the East and West records still standing an achievement we are justly proud of. We have become close friends with many of these great rowing characters and because of this special bond we have now decided to set up a new consultancy service to help others in their quest to row an ocean.
GUEST SPEAKING
His credentials as a writer are that he has lived and is a natural storyteller. He's sailed over 300,000 miles including 30 trips across the Atlantic, survived being ship wrecked in the Red Sea, been locked in a bordello in Caracas and was pursued by angry Argentinean sailors during the Falklands war. His English teacher, who said "you will not go far" would be proud.
