RYA Powerboat Training / Ocean Sports Tuition

[bestman]

I have been messing around in boats for a while, but the only qualifications I have are Day Skipper / VHF licence.

I’d like to become proficient in handling my 4.8m Ribcraft when conditions are testing and make informed go / no go decisions on longer passages.

A ‘Powerboat Intermediate Course,’ in my own boat sounds like a good plan.

Does that sound sensible?

And does anyone have any experience of Ocean Sports Tuition operating out of Southampton?

Many thanks

[ChrisxsRIB]

Ocean Sports are a fantastic company to train with. Andy has been in the business for a while and uses top equipment.

100% recommend them.

[bestman]

Cheers Chris

[ChrisxsRIB]

I’d drop Andy a call or email and discuss what you want to learn. He’ll either suggest an RYA Course or possibly another option.

[bestman]

I spoke to him today - sounded spot on - just doing my due diligence!

Thanks again

[paulbrown22]

You already have Day Skipper theory/shorebased, or the practical certificate on a sailing or motor yacht? If you've completed a yacht practical course there will be some repetition from what you've already done, or if it's the shore based theory, that's perfect, and something you'll be able to put into practice on the course.

The Powerboat Intermediate course is roughly the equivalent of the Day Skipper courses in the yacht world, but obviously on a smaller powerboat, and covers similar skills/techniques. Given it's only 2 days instead of the 5 days for the yacht scheme practical courses, you won't spend quite as much time on each aspect, especially things like passage/pilotage planning/execution, but it is a great course as an introduction to day cruising in a smaller powerboat. And if you can do it on your own boat, I always think that's a good idea, so you really get the advice and practice on the vessel you will be using by yourself.

I can't speak to Ocean Sports specifically, but good to see some recommendations above!

[bestman]

Cheers Paul,

I did the Day Skipper practical - what about the Advanced Powerboat?

[paulbrown22]

For the Advanced Powerboat course obviously a big focus is on how to safely plan and then execute a night passage at planing speed, and various/knowledge skills useful for that situation, along with some more advanced boat handling and other bits.

I guess it depends on how much experience and confidence you have in RIB's. I don't know if you did Day Skipper by sail or power, but especially if by sail or a slower motor yacht, there's quite a big difference in suddenly zooming around the Solent in pitch black at 20 knots and trying to keep track of where you are going!

[Noble95]

In the process of doing some training with Andy and he is fantastic. Very knowledgable and friendly and a great teaching style.

[Iankristy]

Bear in mind for the advanced PB exam(you don’t need to do this to do the course) you have to show minimum ‘sea time’ which depends if you have done your pb2 or not. If you have I think it’s 20 days, 2 of which as skipper, 400 miles and 12 night hours. If you aiming for this it’s a good idea to keep a log of days/ nights out which will make it easier [emoji106]

[gtflash]

Originally Posted by paulbrown22

You already have Day Skipper theory/shorebased, or the practical certificate on a sailing or motor yacht? If you've completed a yacht practical course there will be some repetition from what you've already done, or if it's the shore based theory, that's perfect, and something you'll be able to put into practice on the course.

The Powerboat Intermediate course is roughly the equivalent of the Day Skipper courses in the yacht world, but obviously on a smaller powerboat, and covers similar skills/techniques. Given it's only 2 days instead of the 5 days for the yacht scheme practical courses, you won't spend quite as much time on each aspect, especially things like passage/pilotage planning/execution, but it is a great course as an introduction to day cruising in a smaller powerboat. And if you can do it on your own boat, I always think that's a good idea, so you really get the advice and practice on the vessel you will be using by yourself.

I can't speak to Ocean Sports specifically, but good to see some recommendations above!

Using your own vessel is a great idea. My pb2 was near the beginning of my boating life and in a 4.5m rib. After the corse I oozed confidence in my then 7.5m until I came to park it like I’d been taugh in the smaller boat. I can’t explain how much of a d%*k I looked after bragging about my training.

I wonder how much cheaper it is in your own boat?

[paulbrown22]

Originally Posted by gtflash

I wonder how much cheaper it is in your own boat?

It usually depends how many of you would be taking the course on your own boat, as typically tuition on your own boat is a fixed price per day/course, whereas taking a place on a course that a centre is running on their boats you would usually pay per person, and would expect to have other people on the course with you.

Certainly when I've looked before, if you are just having own boat tuition for yourself (i.e. 1 student), it's typically cheaper to go on a course using the centres' boats. Depending on the exact pricing of each centre, if you have 1 or 2 relatives/friends also wanting some instruction and you're happy for that to be on your boat, then somewhere around 2 students you start to see a cost benefit, and definitely with 3 students.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by gtflash

Using your own vessel is a great idea. My pb2 was near the beginning of my boating life and in a 4.5m rib. After the corse I oozed confidence in my then 7.5m until I came to park it like I’d been taugh in the smaller boat. I can’t explain how much of a d%*k I looked after bragging about my training.



I wonder how much cheaper it is in your own boat?

This is why I always encourage people to go to a school with a mixture of boats. I know it would not be favourable with a lot of schools but the idea that one certificate covers a 3.5m tiller steered SIB to a 9m twin engined rib, or a shaft drive is a failing of the system (yes I know the certificate has endorsements for planing/displacement etc - but the reality is most schools are teaching in 5-6m single engined ribs and not providing any exposure to very different boats).

It’s bad enough at PB2 level - but you can actually become an instructor and never have used twin engines or a tiller... then teach people with those!

The same is probably true of car driving instructors who teach manoeuvres using “tricks” that work well in the exact model being used for the test - rather than understanding how to apply to a smartcar/SUV/sprinter van - but at least there you have the same controls!

[gtflash]

Originally Posted by Poly

This is why I always encourage people to go to a school with a mixture of boats. I know it would not be favourable with a lot of schools but the idea that one certificate covers a 3.5m tiller steered SIB to a 9m twin engined rib, or a shaft drive is a failing of the system (yes I know the certificate has endorsements for planing/displacement etc - but the reality is most schools are teaching in 5-6m single engined ribs and not providing any exposure to very different boats).

It’s bad enough at PB2 level - but you can actually become an instructor and never have used twin engines or a tiller... then teach people with those!

The same is probably true of car driving instructors who teach manoeuvres using “tricks” that work well in the exact model being used for the test - rather than understanding how to apply to a smartcar/SUV/sprinter van - but at least there you have the same controls!

I loved my pb2, the instructor and boat. No disrespect intended, But you are so correct. We were taught a variant of ferry gliding, which resulted in us moving the single engine boat sideways a significant difference to a mooring, through steering and using the prop talk. I have rarely managed to achieve this on my own boat and more through luck than skill when it has happened . On reflection we used a specific spot in Yarmouth marina at a specific time of day and tide. We stopped everything to achieve this little task because all the local conditions were perfect for that scenario.

Back on topic. How do you prove sea time for advanced? What’s the difference between advanced and instructor? I’d also love further training. Possibly from father Xmas.

[paulbrown22]

Originally Posted by gtflash

Back on topic. How do you prove sea time for advanced? What’s the difference between advanced and instructor? I’d also love further training. Possibly from father Xmas.

Instructor and Advanced are completely different things.

Simply put, Instructor is all about teaching at Level 1/2. The pre-requisite is that you hold an RYA Level 2 certificate (and first aid), and have around 5 season's boating experience, so are pretty competent in basic boat handling and navigation/theory to the level needed for Level 2. The focus of the Instructor course and qualification is then on how to teach the Level 1/2 skills and courses, how to structure sessions, teaching models, giving feedback, etc., such that upon successful completion you can teach Level 1/2 courses at RYA centres. So whilst you would obviously get a lot of feedback on your own boat handling/knowledge during the course, don't expect to be going off learning about night navigation techniques, advanced pilotage, etc. during the Instructor course.

Advanced (and/or Intermediate) are courses to increase and extend your own personal boating skills and knowledge, and at a very simple level Intermediate essentially looks at skills and techniques needed for longer cruises by day, and Advanced covers skills and techniques needed to safely plan and execute passages at speed by night.

The Advanced course itself doesn't have any sea time requirement, it's a learning/training course, but you should be confident boat handler, and have a reasonable theory/navigation knowledge somewhere around the shore based Day Skipper/Yachtmaster levels. To take the separate RYA/MCA Advanced Exam, yes, there are recommended minimum sea times/miles, to ensure you have sufficient knowledge, experience and competence to be able to succeed, as the exam is just that - a practical exam, not a teaching session! My previous examiners have wanted to see log books, talked through my experience, passages, etc.

[Iankristy]

Re log book at the back of the pb2 booklet there is(or at least used to be) a log. Just note down what you do as you go. Your instructor who puts you through the exam will have a look through and a chat about it. They’re not gonna try catch you out. As an aside the advanced course was great fun and the exam was fairly challenging, in a good way though! A good tip for exam is do with others and not on your own like I did. Several hours of only me and a how do is say....challenging....examiner was an experience I will not forget [emoji23]