Advanced Powerboat Instructor

[Lee B]

Hi all,

I am a powerboat instructor and commercially endorsed advanced skipper and am considering doing my APBI, but i was wondering as i am a student and the course is quite dear from a students point of view, i was wondering what i could expect as a daily rate with the APBI qual and if they run all year round as obviously it stays pretty light in the summer months. Am i more employable to a charter company with the APBI qualification or same as normal with my commercial endorsement. Ideally i would like to work between devon - solent area.

Thanks All

Lee

[BassBoy]

Lee, I'm a bit surprised that the usual suspects have not replied to a training question, but I'm sure they will be along soon. But, it may be that they don't want to spill the beans on their rates of pay?!

In my experience, it makes little difference to your remuneration, whether you deliver a level 1, or an ADV course. Very often, daily rates are set in stone, whether you are freezing your nuts off at 2230 on a night ex., or pottering about in the sunshine with a first timer!

Having said that, there are some RTC's that might recognise the greater skill level/physical effort/client fee involved in an ADV course. It might make you an extra tenner a day if you haggle hard.

Very often down to the number people on the course. If you are doing a 1:1, don't expect a big bonus, or if they have all paid a "discounted" price!

Apparently the economy is in 'recession', (whatever that means) so if you can get £100/day you will be doing well.

I can't comment on your 'attractiveness' to a charter company, but someone will.

If you can do your APBI, I would highly recommend it, but choose your 'trainer' carefully.


Best of Luck
BB

P.S. Most ADV courses tend to be run when the nights start getting longer. Nothing worse than doing one in mid June on a clear night with a full moon! (if so, take a blindfold!)

[Doug Stormforce]

The advantges of becoming an APBI are threefold

• You can run the Intermedaite and Advanced Courses
• You can teach off site own boat tuition (PBIs are not allowed to)
• You can become a Chief Instructor of an Advanced Centre

Ignoring item three for the moment the idea of being able to teach a wider range of courses at a wider range of loactions makes you more employable.

From an employers point of view all things being equal then an APBI is higer up my list than a PBI.

From an Instructors point of view I think that coaching at different levels and getting the chance to teach more advanced courses should make your work more varied and intresting. It should also push you out of the comfort zone.

Speaking purely on behalf of our centre we do pay Instructors a slighlty increased rate for teaching the Advanced Course (but only in recognition of the extra hours). Safetyboat and Advanced courses are paid at the same rate as Level 2. I think the vast majority of our PBIs are APBIs anyway.

[BassBoy]

Good to see Doug coming in with some good stuff as usual. (where is Paul et al?)

As he inferred, do your APBI for your own marketability but don't expect to be rewarded directly with pound notes for your new found skills/qualification.
Most night ex's on ADV will be completed in approx 3hrs depending on number of clients. Therefore this might just constitute an additional 1/2 day of pay (just!).

[tim griffin]

Have to agree with Doug on this .

You will be offered more work whether teaching PB2 Int or Advanced and because of the variety involved you will get more out of your teaching and job satisfaction.

You can also go on to teach Day Skipper Shorebased and Basic Navigation and Safety Course so more strings to you bow so long as you have done the shorebased course yourself. and attend the shorebased Instructors Course.
So go for it .
Tim

[BassBoy]

So, another vote for job satisfaction/marketability from Tim.
It might be worth knowing what percentage of courses run by your average Solent RTC are ADV's. I'm guessing that somewhere between 5-10% would be good going, but Tim and Doug could give you a better idea.
I'm not sure if Tim takes the same view as Doug on daily pay for ADV?

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

...
Speaking purely on behalf of our centre we do pay Instructors a slighlty increased rate for teaching the Advanced Course (but only in recognition of the extra hours). Safetyboat and Advanced courses are paid at the same rate as Level 2. I think the vast majority of our PBIs are APBIs anyway.

Looking back at my post it should have read "Safetyboat and Intermediate courses are paid at the same rate as Level 2".

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by BassBoy

It might be worth knowing what percentage of courses run by your average Solent RTC are ADV's. I'm guessing that somewhere between 5-10% would be good going, but Tim and Doug could give you a better idea.

I can give you the figures for the whole scheme (ie not Solent specific).

There are over 25,000 RYA Powerboat Courses run a year. Less than 10% of all courses are made up from Safetyboat, Intermediate and Advanced put together. The vast majority are Level 2 (inc. L1) and a few L1.

In reality some centres never run the more advanced courses at all while other specialise.

Don't forget there are also a few preparation courses for the Advanced Cert. of Competence (run by APBI) and then there are ICC direct assessments (run by PBIs)

[Rogue Wave]

It helps you het more training work but it doesn't cut much ice for boat driving work, in fact I've foumd it a bit embarassing offshore at times! It's very easy for the 'those that can do' banter to surface!

[wavelength]

in fact I've foumd it a bit embarassing offshore at times!

agreed-better to just keep quiet if possible - some who find out want me to do adv exams for them to get them from crew to skipper and then take it very personally and sulk when I refuse cos I know them too well (imagine their attitude if I did and then failed them).