Intermediate Powerboat – on our boats

Key Course Details

Duration: 2 days

Time: 9am to 5pm

Group Size: 3 per boat

Min Age: From 16

Price: £323 to £340

General

Intermediate powerboat

Course Aim: To teach powerboating up to the standard required to complete a short coastal passage by day. In essence this course aims to introduce those boaters who have previously stayed ‘close to home’ to travel that bit further and undertake short coastal passages.

Course Duration

2 days from 9am to 5pm.

Instructor to Student Ratio

The RYA teaching ratio is one Instructor to three students to one boat. We will often run multiple boats on courses though.

Prior Experience Required

Candidates should be competent to the standard of Level 2 (including the coastal endorsement). Whilst the course does include time on developing your boat handling we will not have time to develop basic techniques. It is recommended that attendees acquire a First Aid certificate and VHF operators certificate either before or after attending the course.

Minimum Age

16. Children over 16 (and under 18) can attend a normal course at any time but we must have the parent/guardian’s specific permission  – please call to discuss.

Course Dates

Between March and October we run Intermediate courses on our boats at least every month but for groups of 2 or 3 are always happy to schedule dates to suit your diary.

If you are a commercial or governmental organisation or a group of people then we can organise a course to suit you.


Why choose Powerboat Training UK for your Intermediate Powerboat course?

Our boats ~ with 7.8m and 6.8m Ribcrafts as our main teaching boats we have invested considerably so that you get to use quality kit in great condition. Each RIB is fully equipped for training up to Advanced level and are fitted with Icom and Garmin electronics. These are perfects boats for coastal passages and make great teaching boats for the Intermediate course.

Our location and teaching facilities ~ Poole Harbour is a truly amazing teaching location – so much so that the RNLI and the Royal Marines base their training operations here. Our classrooms are well resourced, professional, clean and tidy.

Likewise our base in Lymington at Aquasafe Powerboat School is at Lymington Yacht Haven which like Cobbs Quay is a large marina with a huge range of craft. Our classrooms are well resourced, clean and professional.

Our Instructors ~ we ensure that our instructors are teaching 100% ‘Best Practice’ and have a process whereby we constantly review their sessions to ensure that you get the most productive experience from your time with us. All teach because they love boating and we work with them to constantly ‘upskill’ their qualifications and experience.

Our history ~ we started the school over ten years ago and have grown a reputation for delivering on our promises. Our clients range from individuals with their own craft to organisations such as Sunseeker, the RNLI and we were awarded the RYA Training contract by Dorset Police for the London 2012 Olympic events in Weymouth.

We are also very proud to have written the RYA Powerboat Handbook for the RYA and 2014 saw the launch of the RYA Advanced Powerboat Handbook.

G13_&_G48_RYA_Powerboat_Handbook

What is included in the course price? ~ when you undertake your Intermediate Course on our boats then the price you pay includes Fuel (often charged as extra at the end of courses by schools), and free use of waterproofs (once again often charged as an extra). Price includes VAT too – yet another common extra.

Does the course price represent good value? ~ remember in life you pretty much get what you pay for. We don’t pretend to be the cheapest but the course will be on well maintained first rate craft, and run by instructors guaranteed to teach current best practice. We have great facilities in a large marina offering a great all-round experience. Check out the other relevant pages on this website to see what we mean.

Course pricesThe higher price quoted in the ‘Key Course Details’ section above is the price per head for 1 person, for 2 persons the per head cost reduces by 2.5% and for three people by 5%. The price shown is inclusive of VAT.

If you are interested in training on your own boat then follow this link – Intermediate Powerboat – on your boat


Some of the offers available when buying this course include…..

Special Offer No1!! Book and pay for your VHF Course at the same time as you book the Level 2 course and only pay £75 for the classroom based VHF course (including course pack). (Usual cost is £100, you also need to pay the RYA Fee which is £60). Alternatively you can choose the Online version of the VHF course for £65 – you will still need to come in for the assessment. We run VHF Courses every two weeks so fitting you in will never be an issue – we run these courses in Poole and Lymington.

Special Offer No2!! We also offer the opportunity to book the classroom based and online versions of the RYA Dayskipper Theory Course when booked alongside this course. The Dayskipper Theory course is a great way to really develop your theory skills and over the 5 days of the classroom course really ensure a strong understanding of the theory areas needed to make coastal passages. Its £295 for the online course and £360 for the classroom based course (discounted from £395 – a great deal!

The Course

Reflecting a demand for a course to follow naturally on from Level 2 the RYA launched the Intermediate Powerboat course. This course is taught by Advanced Centres on craft must meet the RYA’s revised minimum standards. The course lasts 2 days and is a very popular course and naturally builds on the basic building blocks of skill created and developed in the Level 2 course.

Your instructor will cover the following topics with you during your time with him/her:

Theory subjects such as: 

  • Navigation
  • Bearing distance
  • Charts, symbols & use of charts
  • Tides
  • Use of almanacs
  • Use of marina locks
  • Latitude & longitude
  • Principals of GPS
  • Sources of forecast information & interpretation of them
  • Use of plotting instruments
  • Buoyage
  • IRPCS
  • Waypoint navigation
  • Emergency situations

Practical subjects including: 

  • Boat preparation including kit
  • Crew preparation
  • Stowage
  • Boat handling including effect of waves
  • Rougher conditions
  • Awareness of wind & tide
  • Pilotage
  • Passage making including application of subjects covered in theory section
  • Man overboard recovery techniques

Broadly speaking the course divides into i) developing the core navigation skills to be able to undertake coastal passages ii) Using these skills afloat to undertake a passage/entry to a port safely.

Day one will tend to start with a bit of a recap on the theory side to see where you are relative to the level that we need to achieve during the course. You then go afloat and spend some time practicing and enhancing your close quarter boat handling skills. Once back in the classroom the instructor will look in detail at the areas of passage planning and pilotage so that you have the skills to put it into practice.

Day two will spend lots of time learning new skills such as the ways to use GPS to create effective and rapid position fixes in small open craft. You’ll use the skills developed on day one to plan and execute pilotage plans setting you up well to be able to use these skills where ever you choose to go boating.

The real benefit of of our training locations in Poole and Lymington becomes apparent when you undertake a course such as the intermediate course. There are so many channels and entrances in the areas that we can use to practice the skills that the course develops that it makes using these skills so much easier.

In 2013 new RYA rules upped the level of craft needed to run the intermediate courses and it became a requirement to use craft just like our 6.8m and 7.8m Ribcrafts with forward facing seats behind the console carrying significantly increased levels of equipment. We totally supported this decision as it means that the course is run on the type of craft that are really suited to the coastal passages that we are training for. All of our Ribs surpassed these new requirements for many years even before they were thought of.

Our Instructors that will deliver the course are all highly experienced Advanced Powerboat Instructors holding current Commercially Endorsed Advanced Powerboat Certificates. These instructors know the areas where we run these courses very well but critically have real first hand experience of making passages in small open craft so understand the practicalities and limitations of doing so.

This course is aimed at

Intermediate powerboat

Whereas Level 2 focuses on introducing boaters to short trips close to shore the Intermediate Course aims to take them further afield. The course perfectly suits:

  • Those who are quite new to boating and wish to build on the skills and knowledge gained in their Level 2 course. As a guide typically a 12 month gap is perfect however if after getting your Level 2 course you have got plenty of hours under your belt less than 12 months can be fine. Call to discuss if you are unsure.
  • The course is also perfect for those who have boated for years but want to expand their horizons. The Intermediate Course can ‘bolt on’ perfectly to many years of experience opening up new horizons and improving confidence and the enjoyment of exploring new places.
  • For those without their own boat the Intermediate course is a great way to get more time afloat whilst learning at the same time.
  • The course sets you up perfectly for chartering one of the Solent RIB Charter bareboat ribs.
  • We train as many people on their own boats as we do on our own craft for the intermediate course. If you have your own boat then as part of the course (weather allowing) we would aim to plan and execute a trip to the Solent or Weymouth (If running from Poole or elsewhere if at another venue).

To read more about the RYA Intermediate Powerboat course on your own boat follow this link – Intermediate Powerboat – on your boat

Syllabus

Aim: To teach powerboating up to the standard required to complete a short coastal passage by day.

Assumed knowledge: Candidates should be competent to the standard of the National Powerboat Certificate (Level 2) with Coastal Endorsement.

Within the RYA Powerboat Scheme the course contents of each course are taught to one of three levels. These levels are:

Knowledge of: The subject will be briefly explained. Familiarisation during the course and where to find out more after the course.

Understands: The subject will be covered in greater depth and you will be asked to demonstrate a basic understanding and go away from the course able to develop your own skill in this area.

Can: The subject will be covered in great depth, including background theory, demonstrations by the instructor and repeated practice by yourself until you can demonstrate good skills in the subject.

Theory

Planning a day cruise

Knowledge of:

  • Use of marina locks (can be covered practically if appropriate)

Understands:

  • Latitude and longitude
  • The principles of GPS and chartplotters
  • Sources of forecast information and the interpretation of forecasts
  • Tidal heights at secondary ports
  • Use a plotting instrument and plot a course to steer (CTS)

Can:

  • Work out tidal heights for standard ports using a tidal curve
  • Navigate
  • Take true and magnetic bearings
  • Interpret bearing and distance
  • Interpret chart symbols
  • Interpret tidal diamonds and tidal streams
  • Use pilot books
  • Interpret Lateral and Cardinal buoyage
  • Implement IRPCS, in particular rules 5,7,8,9,12-19,23
  • Use GPS waypoint navigation and determine XTE, SOG, COG, BTW, DTW
  • Use a laminated chart afloat
  • Use pilotage to enter an unfamiliar port by day
  • Issue distress by all available means

Practical

The aim of the practical session is to put into practice the theory detailed above and to complete a passage, which shall include:

Boat preparation

Understands:

  • The importance of protective clothing and safety equipment
  • The minimum level of equipment for the boat
  • Considerations of equipment required for longer passages
  • Correct stowage of equipment

Boat handling

Knowledge of:

  • Effect of waves
  • Rougher conditions
  • Awareness of other water users
  • Mooring stern-to between posts or Med style

Understands:

  • The importance of boat control in waves and adequate seating to minimise the possibility of back injur

Can:

  • Demonstrate awareness of wind and tide
  • Moor alongside, in a marina berth (whereavailable)
  • Demonstrate the use of an appropriate lenght of kill cord at all times

Pilotage

Can:

  • Demonstrate a practical application of techniques for pilotage in local waters

Passage making

Understands:

  • The need for pre-planning, including advice in the event of having to return at night

Can:

  • Apply the lessons learnt in the theory section and successfully complete a practical passage
  • Fix position by traditional and electronic means

Man overboard

Understands:

  • Techniques for picking up a man overboard in differing conditions

Can:

  • Pick up a man overboard

Reviews

“Just wanted to drop you a line to thank you all hugely for the Intermediate course. When I got home Jo asked me what the best bit was and I really struggled to put into words all the great things we did. I really enjoyed the theory side and felt that I consolidated and built on what I had learned on Level 2, the passage to Yarmouth was awesome – being able to see the Needles up close was great – but I suppose it was the Instructors patience and knowledge that made it for me. Nye and Paul were always relaxed but totally in control but have such a huge amount of knowledge which they share in a really relaxed way. As Arnie said – I’ll be back!!. PS: Thanks to Viv – very smooth booking process”
Johnnie

“Just to say thanks for a fantastic Intermediate Course at the weekend, good to refresh on some handling skills and also cover some of the stuff from the Dayskipper theory on top of the new stuff. However, the sojourn into the bay in a very lumpy sea was by far the best bit, had a great time and really enjoyed the experience.

Congratulations on having Nye on your team – you seem to specialise in using really friendly people who know what they are doing and know how to put it across. I don’t think you could have found a better person to put me at ease, and the two other chaps on the course were good company too.”
Steve

“Thanks for the weekend, we had a great time. Our aim was to be able to go to the solent safely and head out on the berth holders cruises and we feel we can do so. Thanks to Martin for his help.”
David and Michelle on their Fairline 29

“Great course, great boats and great instruction – thanks”
James

“Not a good result on Wednesday. Tom now wants a big RIB and says nothing less than Harrier will do!!!!!! Joking aside a really beneficial course and I feel far more confident now”
Richard with his 16 year old son Tom

“And you call instructing a job?”
Nikki

Gallery

Intermediate Powerboat – on our boats - Book Now

Thank you for your interest in this course.

Hopefully the dates that we have scheduled work well with your availability. If the dates don’t quite work then we are always keen to be as flexible as possible so please contact us and we’ll see what we can do.

We’re always really keen to chat to you when you’re booking a course as whilst we are happy to take bookings through this system for your convenience – nothing beats chatting about boats and courses!

Don’t forget too that if you are an individual or company/organisation booking a few people onto courses then we may be able to schedule dates around you. Equally, for bookings some time in the future we can usually juggle our course dates if what we have scheduled doesn’t quite work for you.

Viv_on_phone

 

 

 

For information… When you make a booking using this system please be aware that we allocate you the places but the booking is provisional and subject to confirmation. We will review your booking and then you will receive a payment request from us, the payment you make will secure your place. You will receive confirmation from us at the latest during the next business day. For all courses we have a minimum required number for the course to go ahead.
 
Also…We have an automatic cutoff built into this system that doesn’t allow you to book within 48 hours of the course starting. We may still have places though – use the contact button to alert us to your interest.
 
And finally…Once you have finished the process you will receive a variety of emails. If you do not get any then please check your spam folder and if there is nothing there then please let us know.
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