Our boys did the VHF course last year aged 14 and 15. Both received the fully fledged licence which were stamped 'NOT VALID UNTIL AGE 16'.
One is now 16 and both are able to use the VHF should they need to. The Searider will be fitted with a Navman 7100. I need to be able to keep tabs on them when they're over at St.Mawes in the summer, trying to impress the young posh totty.
Mollers has answered question 1. You can do the training, and pass the test, before age 16 but "Authority to Operate" requires age 16
Q2: Yes, you can do a conversion - but our experience here has been that most people benefit from doing the whole course (amazing how much gets forgotten from the previous training!)
They send you out a PDF that is about 10 modules that you follow then go through a test at the end of each module. It takes about 20-30 mins to do each module properly and if you fail the test then you go back and do it again. once you have completed all the modules under your own steam you phone up the Tutor at Ocean training and he runs through some stuff and effectively does an oral test over the phone.
The best thing about this is that for multiple students it is very cost effective and you keep the modules so that if you have more students come along you can get them upto speed quite quickly. Also find it quite useful if you ever need to give them a refresher!
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Chris Stevens
Yes the upgrade course is available with some centres, a good option if you are happy with the VHF knowledge or happy to do a little reading/refreshing before the course.
