RYA powerboat level 2

BOG RAT · 20 January 2009, 14:56

Hi all
It's my birthday soon & my wife asked what I might like as a gift, so I thought RYA powerboat level 2. SO -
Can any-one tell me who the closest contact to me, (wrexham North Wales) might be, to take me through this course, I think it's about time I took it any way & she's paying!! Good EH?
Do I need to buy any books before the course?
How many days is the course?
What do I need to take along?
Do you use your own boats?
Is the pass rate quite high, What I mean is. On a level from 0 to 10 how difficuilt is it? (harder than a car driving test??)

Thank you. Steve.

Nos4r2 · 20 January 2009, 14:58

Talk to David Manning-1st wave ribs.

JSP · 20 January 2009, 15:04

If David can't help there's Jono http://www.professional-powerboat-training.co.uk/ but he's a bit further out.

Northern Tim · 20 January 2009, 15:33

Dave and Jono are both nice guys and I'm sure can be recommended!

Alternatively, I did mine at Plas Menai near Caernarfon (www.plasmenai.co.uk).

As for your other questions:
It's a 2 day course.
The only book you need is a RYA powerboat logbook (some centres will provide this).
You'll probably want to take your own kit - many centres provide it but in my experience, your own will be better.
Most centres will use their own boats for their own piece of mind although own boat tuition is available. Bigger centres will give you experience in a variety of craft.
The pass rate is fairly high.

Give Jono or Dave a call and chat to them - both are very helpful.
Have fun!

doggypaddle · 20 January 2009, 18:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by

Alternatively, I did mine at Plas Menai near Caernarfon ([URL="http://www.plasmenai.co.uk"

www.plasmenai.co.uk[/URL]).

A

Me too I can Highly recomend them. Best price i could get at the time too,

RAD · 20 January 2009, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOG RAT

Hi all
It's my birthday soon & my wife asked what I might like as a gift, so I thought RYA powerboat level 2. SO -
Can any-one tell me who the closest contact to me, (wrexham North Wales) might be, to take me through this course, I think it's about time I took it any way & she's paying!! Good EH?
Do I need to buy any books before the course?
How many days is the course?
What do I need to take along?
Do you use your own boats?
Is the pass rate quite high, What I mean is. On a level from 0 to 10 how difficuilt is it? (harder than a car driving test??)

Thank you. Steve.

Take along a change o clothes, don't wear jeans, an coat and layers of clothing, more layers is better than one thick jumper.
2 day course
You can use your own, best if you use there boats
Pass rate - as long as you are sensible, you shouldn't have a problem, 16 year old can do the course and pass.

Enjoy it, its great fun and you will learn a lot.

tonymac · 20 January 2009, 19:30

Its a great course.
Did mine last year along with my son (25) and daughter (17). All of us passed.

Did the course with Redbay Powerboating and Charles Stewart was fantastic. Talk about coolness and patience! Especially when we were taking his beautiful boat up river out of the sea in a very narrow channel!

Charles provided us with everything. Down to lifejackets. Wear sensible shoes, bring wets and not jeans. Layers are best rather than big jumpers.

I got my own boat a few weeks later and Charles took me out on it to check me over and check the new boat. What a service!

The two day course was great fun and a lot of learning.

treerat · 21 January 2009, 20:34

One of the cheapest ways to take the course is via your local Adult Education. Check them out as around here they regulary run courses.

Andy

Poly · 21 January 2009, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by treerat

One of the cheapest ways to take the course is via your local Adult Education. Check them out as around here they regulary run courses

Whilst that may be the case - its worth asking serious questions when you talk to prospective "schools". In my experience big council run centres tend to use large classes (perhaps 12 people on a course) spread across a few boats, often with relatively young/inexperienced instructors... you'll get through the course, you'll cover the syllabus etc and you will be competent. When I did mine I ended up with a small school and actually had one-to-one tuition (still used 3 different boats over the 2 days). Which meant we could focus on what I was crap at and be much more brief on stuff I already had experience of (e.g. knot work on a course with 12 people can waste a chunk of time, I could already tie all the knots). Even with 3 people on a course (which is what I think a lot of the smaller commercial schools often run) you will get more time focusing on YOU than with the same instructor ratio in a big class.

9D280 · 23 January 2009, 10:38

The other advantage of using the centre's boats is that you'll get experience in different craft and get a better appreciation of the differences - When I did mine (errr back when it was called the "sportsboat certificate"

) We used a SR5.4 with twin 30s, an Avon W500 (Huge SIB) with a tiller 30, an SR4 with a single 30 and a clinker built workboat with a single cyl diesel! (I also got the "displacemnt craft" section signed off!) Can you tell they had "bulk bought" their engines?

On the opposing side of that argument, if you use your own, you wil be more familiar with it's handling, but personally I prefer the variety approach, and reckon that you'll know your own boat, so practice in something different - it can only improve your skills.

DM · 28 January 2009, 13:19

Thanks Nos but due to commercial work, I don't think we'll be doing much leisure training til the summer. I refer all our enquiries to Plas Menai or Wavelength.