Articles

These articles are largely reproduced from ones that the school has written for Powerboat & RIB Magazine. We have also written for other publications over the years and those are included here too.

Berthing made simple

Learning how to properly birth your powerboat is definitely the most challenging aspect when it comes to powerboating. It is a skill that has to be learnt and practised over time. To help you along, Paul Glatzel has put together … Continued

Keeping Safe

Theres nothing more important when you’re afloat than keeping you, your crew and your friends/family safe. But how can this best be done? Instances such as the tragic events in Padstow just over a year ago highlight the need to … Continued

Lets go Boating: Getting Afloat

As I’ve mentioned in articles before, boating doesn’t need to be an expensive pastime. Of course, if you flash the cash on the Sunseeker stand at the boat show they’ll only be too happy to relive you of your hard-won … Continued

Lets go Cruising

If you are one of those boaters that hankers after getting afloat, exploring new places and anchoring up in a scheduled bay a little off the beaten track, then Paul Glatzel’s insight into the world of cruising herein is just … Continued

PINK PANTHER

What can I say…? Music blaring all the time… dancing and singing to our hearts content… having a celebratory drink when we got into each port… But it wasn’t just these features that made ‘Round Ireland 2013′ outstanding – it … Continued

TOP HAT

Having taken part in the Great British RIB Rally in 2010 and completed a circumnavigation of the UK mainland, the opportunity to ‘fill in the gap’ by circumnavigating Ireland was too good an opportunity to miss.

Navigating over longer distances

As is the norm with such events, it is the responsibility of each individual boat’s skipper to plan his/her route between the start and finish point each day, taking into account the various navigational challenges along the route. Of course, … Continued

Man Overboard

The recent publicity surrounding kill cords generated a really valuable focus on the need to wear them and on how best to attach them to the person driving. While there is no question that kill cords are an essential safety … Continued

Chartplotters and Pilotage

Paul Glatzel tries to steer us through the various navigation options available to us today and create a realistic and practical way to navigate when close to shore. Just about every other discussion on a web forum nowadays concerns using … Continued

Developing Core Boat-Handling Skills

Paul Glatzel looks into the factors that influence how a boat handles and what you can do to improve your skills. Being able to put a boat alongside a pontoon confidently and safely in any conditions is a great skill … Continued

The Olympic Fleet

2012 will live forever in the memory as an amazing sporting and boating year. The spectacular Thames Pageant for the Queen’s Jubilee got the marine festivities rolling and the Olympics presented another great opportunity to see boats of all sorts, … Continued

In the Thick of it

Navigating you boat in fog can be one of the most challenging (and scary) experiences you will ever face as a boater. Knowing what to do and how best to keep your crew and boat safe in fog is a … Continued

Explore, Dream, Discover

There’s no doubt that having a 60ft Sunseeker can be wonderful. You get to experience that James Bond moment; passing boats always give you a glance; and mooring stern to in a Mediterranean port with drinks brought to you by … Continued

Survival at sea

One of the most sobering TV programmes of recent years reminded us of the events of the Fastnet Race in 1979 when 15 sailors died during a race in August of that year. Any boater watching that program would have … Continued

Time to Change

As winter turns to spring, for many of us it’s the time when thoughts turn to careers, job satisfaction and generally improving out quality of life. No doubt this year is no different and many people are thinking about how … Continued

Explore, Dream, Discover!

Theres nothing more important when you’re afloat than keeping you, your crew and your friends/family safe. But how can this best be done? Instances such as the tragic events in Padstow just over a year ago highlight the need to … Continued

‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY’

Whenever you hear these words a shiver is guaranteed to run down your spine because whatever there reason for the call someone out there feels their life or someone else’s is in real danger. However many times you hear these … Continued

Top of the charts

Theres nothing more important when you’re afloat than keeping you, your crew and your friends/family safe. But how can this best be done? Instances such as the tragic events in Padstow just over a year ago highlight the need to … Continued