Preparing for Advanced C of C

[skiffysam]

Hi all, newbie here.

I am a Dinghy and Powerboat Instructor (both coastal) but based near Oxford at the moment.

I am preparing to take my Commercial Advanced exam at the end of the month.

I am a Day Skipper Sail, and I have taken the RYA Advanced Powerboat Course.

I am looking for a little guidance as to what I need to be swatting up on.

I have been going over day shapes, night lights, buoyage etc, as well as plotting a few course to steers and some pilotage plans.


So am I going over the right things? Is there anything else I should be working on? Last but not least any advice?

Thanks very much

[C2 RIBS]

Is this the advance powerboat commercial exam?

[kawasaki]

Originally Posted by skiffysam

Hi all, newbie here.

I am a Dinghy and Powerboat Instructor (both coastal) but based near Oxford at the moment.

I am preparing to take my Commercial Advanced exam at the end of the month.

I am a Day Skipper Sail, and I have taken the RYA Advanced Powerboat Course.

I am looking for a little guidance as to what I need to be swatting up on.

I have been going over day shapes, night lights, buoyage etc, as well as plotting a few course to steers and some pilotage plans.


So am I going over the right things? Is there anything else I should be working on? Last but not least any advice?

Thanks very much

Hi newbie!
Although it doesn't seem you are too new ref your Qualls
As a Powerboat Instructor your day shapes and bouyage shoud be well sorted
You should be able to plot an EP and DR should be no prob.
Don't forget 'variation' some peeps do in the 'heat of the moment'!
Some of the theory is 'tick box' multi question stuff, so that should be no prob ref your experience

You have done the 'Advanced Course' so the night time stuff should not be a Prob
But if you have not done a lot of night time 'miles' be careful when you do your passage plan , to get the flashing sequences correct in case that stuff confuses you

Make sure you know how to distinguish and point out the differences and what they mean etc between 'isophase', occulting, group occulting' etc
It may be that you have to take the helm or the nav bit, half way through the night time passage
So make sure you know where you are twofold
IE
You know where you are ref 'Your Plan' and if the case may be with 'other's' plan, if yer gets me drift
You may be asked to be the Navigator or helm bod half way through the 'passage' (pends on how many peeps are doing the Exam) so you need to know where you are at that stage to pass on the info to the next helm or navigator.
You may need to prepare a 'Safety Brief' .
Some people find this a hard thing to do in front of 'Peers' if not used to doing so
Your boat handling will be ok I imagine
You won't be asked to do anything 'unusual'!
Chill ----- and as well as---listen carefully as to what is asked of you
Cheers
K

[kawasaki]

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Is this the advance powerboat commercial exam?

Yer got me thinking?
I thought it was!

[skiffysam]

Yes it is the advanced powerboat commercial exam!

kawasaki thanks very much for that! Really useful.

[C2 RIBS]

Safety briefing- know what MCA standard brief shows
http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga07-hom...s_annex_12.htm

demonstrate you are in charge- i.e ask others if they understand and also what you wish them to do and make sure they understand before moving.
MOB methods
Weather charts- what do they mean and what isobars can show

[kawasaki]

Originally Posted by skiffysam

kawasaki Really useful.

Feck me
That's a Compliment!
swmbo reckons I,m a useless terwat

[tim griffin]

As Kwackers and Ian have said all I would add is .
You will be expected to find either a unlit mark or x mark the spot on the chart . Make sure you use all or as many methods of navigation to find said place if you over rely on one ie speed and distance then your chances of finding it are greatly reduced.

I would recommend a work up prior to the exam as the greatest failure rate comes from those who just jump in and do the exam , with a work up you can iron out any weak areas and perhaps see things done in a different way that you use

Good luck and let the forum know how you get on.
Tim

[speedy]

The full syllabus of the commercial exam is in the back of the powerboat logbook at least that will give you a comprehensive list of what you will be examined on.

[speedy]

Has everyone heard about the new addition to the commercial exam coming in next year? In fact all of us that already have the cert will be required to do it as well.

[chris.moody]

I did my adv. powerboat course during the early part of this year, and also aim to do the C of C exam during the winter (easier as the night part can be done at a sensible time of day). This will then be commercially endorsed so that I can work commercially next season.

I don't own a rib, but I do lots of yacht sailing (can I admit to that here?) so the navigation part is not a worry. I am a powerboat instructor and also do lots of rescue boat work in ribs so close quarters manoeuvring and all the pb2 & safety boat syllabus is also fine. The theory side will also not be a problem.

What is the best way to prepare for the adv. exam? Should I just hire a rib for a few days and practice the practical parts of the exam syllabus that I am less familiar with, or does anyone run courses specific to preparation for the exam?

I'm not expecting passing the exam to be a problem, but it would be time consuming and costly to fail and have to re take it.

Chris

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by speedy

Has everyone heard about the new addition to the commercial exam coming in next year? In fact all of us that already have the cert will be required to do it as well.

No - can you enlighten us ?

Chris - I did similar to you last year and the thing that I guess will always be the challenge is the night part. I just went out and practised getting used to it more and more.

I'd go out in the dark for fun quite a bit and cruising at 20knts up the solent in the middle of a big channel is very differant to finding a small unlit bouy...

As has been said have plan for everything and several of everything in your head at least that way if one thing doesn't work you have another option.

Being able to do everything to the letter is fine, but a better demonstration of skill is what you can do when things aren't going to plan .

[skiffysam]

Thanks everyone for the advice! All very useful.

Chris- Yes most schools will offer a work up to the course. Where abouts are you based?

[speedy]

Heres a link to the info on the RYA website with the info

Apparently its an online test.


Commercial Endorsements | Professional Qualifications | Learning | Courses & Training | RYA

We are currently developing an online training course to prepare commercial endorsement holders for the extra responsibilities of being a professional skipper or crew, above those needed for safe leisure boating. The course will cover the legal requirements, regulations, guidance and processes for managing the vessel and its crew. From April 2012 this will become a pre-requisite for anyone applying for their first commercial endorsement, and for those renewing their endorsement. Further details will be available nearer the time through RYA Magazine, our website and the marine press.

[tim griffin]

Originally Posted by speedy

Has everyone heard about the new addition to the commercial exam coming in next year? In fact all of us that already have the cert will be required to do it as well.

Yes a good thing in my mind to have this PPR should be fairly easy and will be run by schools that offer the RYA Interactive courses .
I am going to a meeting re this in Feb 2012 to gain some more info cost wise about £32 not bad I think sure some will disagree though.
Tim

[tim griffin]

Originally Posted by chris.moody

I did my adv. powerboat course during the early part of this year, and also aim to do the C of C exam during the winter (easier as the night part can be done at a sensible time of day). This will then be commercially endorsed so that I can work commercially next season.

I don't own a rib, but I do lots of yacht sailing (can I admit to that here?) so the navigation part is not a worry. I am a powerboat instructor and also do lots of rescue boat work in ribs so close quarters manoeuvring and all the pb2 & safety boat syllabus is also fine. The theory side will also not be a problem.

What is the best way to prepare for the adv. exam? Should I just hire a rib for a few days and practice the practical parts of the exam syllabus that I am less familiar with, or does anyone run courses specific to preparation for the exam?

I'm not expecting passing the exam to be a problem, but it would be time consuming and costly to fail and have to re take it.

Chris

I would do the work up as cheaper than hiring a rib for a couple of days plus you will see where if at all you need to improve .
Tim

[C2 RIBS]

Originally Posted by chris.moody

What is the best way to prepare for the adv. exam? Should I just hire a rib for a few days and practice the practical parts of the exam syllabus that I am less familiar with, or does anyone run courses specific to preparation for the exam?



Chris

I would suggest/recommend a course/prep course with a school who will focus you on weaker areas and also get you ready for the examination which is a written part followed by practical boat handling in daylight and then a prep period for night navigation, The examiner will probably be asking questions all the time whilst on the water also about the weather you can see/expect, day signs and then night lights (i.e what is the craft you can see over there? Lights only visible). Normally these are two days and two evening with the school boat and trainer/instructor followed by third day/evening with examiner for between 3- 6 hours depending on how many people on the boat taking the qualification

[tim griffin]

Chris drop me a line if you want to do a work up I can tailor the coure to suit you or if you want I have a work up 2nd and 3rd of Feb with the exam on the 4th
I am also a examiner so if you want to just do the exam let me know.
Tim

[skiffysam]

Well here is a problem, struggled to pass color blind tests on the dotted cards on a few of them, possible red / green problem.

Never had an issue seeing Nav Lights or differentiating the colours.

Is there any way around this / an alternative test or something?

Really want to work commercially in powerboats so this could be a real stumbling block.

Hope someone can help

Cheers

[tim griffin]

I am pretty sure someone else on here had a similar problem and I think they had a lantern test by a MCA approved Doc .
You will have to search through previous threads to find it though.
Tim