RYA PRACTICAL COURSES

• Launching and recovery
• Preparation of boat and crew
• Boat handling – manoeuvring
• Securing to a buoy
• Leaving and coming alongside
• Being towed

The RYA Powerboat Level 2 course is taught onboard a powerboat (less than 7 metres in length) or our school Rib. The Course aims to teach self sufficient power boating at a basic level and is ideal for those new to boats or wishing to increase basic competence in safety, launching, mooring, anchoring and recovery, chart work plus basic boat driving skills. After the Course you should be self-sufficient in the right conditions and aware of your own limitations and other craft.
Your increased confidence will mean greater enjoyment for the family and friends at sea, as they will feel confident in you

• Launching and recovery
• Preparation for sea
• Boat handling – manoeuvring
• The basics of navigation
• Rules of the Road
• Man overboard drills
• Securing to a buoy
• Anchoring
• Mooring
• Pontoon work

Other RYA courses to consider alongside RYA Powerboat Level 2 practical are: RYA Basic Navigation and Safety Theory, 1 day sea survival and VHF radio course and First aid.  Please contact us if you have any questions about the course or safety equipment.

• Preparation for sea
• Boat handling – manoeuvring
• Mooring
• The use of wind and tides
• The art of navigation
• Pilotage
• Passage making
• Rules of the road
• Man overboard

Certification on successful completion of the 2 day course. We run a constant assessment and daily debrief to inform you how the course is progressing. There is no exam to pass at the end of this training.

• Passage Planning
• Preparation for sea
• Pilotage
• Passage making & ability as skipper
• Meteorology
• Rules of the road
• Use of engines
• Boat handling
• Adverse weather conditions
• Emergency situations
• Night pilotage

Please contact us if you have any question about equipment or the course.

No Advanced Powerboat Course completion certificates issued after 1st January 2005 will be commercially endorsed. Candidates from that date onward will require an exam.  However, course completion certificates issued prior to 1st January 2005 may be still be endorsed. 
The exam system follows the same system that has been operated for commercial Yachtmasters and Coastal Skippers since the Codes of Practice were first introduced.  The pre-requisite experience and qualifications for Advanced exam candidates will be as follows:

• Minimum 2 years relevant experience including night pilotage (as a guide: 30 days, 2 days as skipper, 800 miles, 12 night hours). For holders of the RYA Advanced powerboat course completion certificate this seatime is reduced to: 20 days, 2 days as skipper, 400 miles, 12 night hours).
• VHF/SRC operator’s licence
• Valid first aid certificate

On successful completion of the exam if you want to use your qualification commercially you will require a commercial endorsement.  Further details are available from page:  www.ryatraining.org, professional qualification section, commercial endorsement.

How do I arrange my advanced exam?

• Via the RYA website. You can book and pay for the exam. A RYA Powerboat Examiner will contact you to arrange a time and location.
• A Powerboat school (PHSS) can arrange it for you directly with the RYA.

You will need to provide the craft for the examination. This will either be your own craft or will (by arrangement) be a school craft.  Either way it will need to be totally seaworthy for night navigation very well spec’d with (as a guide) electronic navigation, depth sounder and the relevant safety kit for night passages. A detailed specification sheet will be available in due course.

The Powerboat Instructor (PBI) Courses are generally run on request and ideally with 3 people to spread the cost.  Using your own boat also keeps the fee down. Subject to instructor and assessor availability we’ll run the course on your preferred dates if possible.

Candidates must fulfil the following criteria before taking part in the 3-day instructor training course:

• Pass the PBI Assessment with your Logbook signed off.
• Minimum age 16 (no candidates will be accepted for training under this age)
• At least 5 season’s logged experience of powerboating, preferably in a range of boat types and sizes. For those who use powerboats as an integral part of their full time occupation this period is reduced to one season.
• RYA National Powerboat Certificate Level 2
• Valid First Aid certificate (either the RYA’s First Aid certificate, or one recognised by the Health & Safety Executive, covering the treatment of hypothermia and a minimum of six hours course length)
• Existing Instructors wishing to teach the Advanced course must hold that level of certificate themselves, already be a Powerboat Level 2 Instructor and attend a two-day endorsement course (Minimum age 17 years)

THE POWERBOAT INSTRUCTOR ASSESSMENT COURSE:  PBI Candidates must attend a minimum four hour session prior to the PBI course to demonstrate their suitability to a RYA Trainer to attend the instructors course.  The RYA guidelines contain an outline of the assessment and are available from PHSS.  In short please make sure you handling and theory are at least up to Level Two standard for the assessment.  The aim is to make sure suitable candidates go on to do the instructors course and give everyone the best chance possible of being successful.