Maneouvering

[iain3915]

Hi, does anybody know where online there is a site with boat handling/maneouvering tips and basically all skills for a beginner

[Solent Ranger]

I suggest you look to do an RYA Level 2 powerboat course. Very different in real life!

[John Kennett]

Iain

A quick Google search for "boat handling" will find you lots of helpful stuff to read!

John

[Stuart M]

RYA Motor Cruising is a superb book (ISBN 0-9547301-1-9) IMHO and at £11 superb value.

HOWEVER as said above it is NO substitute for the Level 2 Course. In my opinion anyone "without experience" going onto the water without having done it is crazy!

[tim griffin]

I have just been given a cd rom by teach me interactive its quite good go to www.teachmetosail.com but I would also consider taking a course as well.

[John Kennett]

I'd recommend taking a course too, but it doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't take a boat out until you have a certificate. You may find that you get more from your course if you've already mastered some of the basics for yourself, as you can concentrate on the more challenging topics.

Background reading before a course is a good idea. It's even better after a course, because it will mean more once you've actually had a go!

Someone who is interested enough to read up on the subject may be a better candidate in the long run than someone who does a two day course then thinks they know it all.

John

[Ribald]

Would fully agree about the training.

In the meantime - http://mltsoftware.home.comcast.net/...m/docksim.html

[Alex Brown]

Another sim I can recommend is Motorboat Simulator by Stentec -

http://www.stentec.com/motorboatsimulator_i/

There's a variety of different types of boats on there to choose from including a twin jet rib - you can give it different wind/swell conditions too.

If you do get it, download all the extra packs for it, which give you places like marinas and extra islands to go around - parking (sorry, berthing) the biggest boat in the smallest space in a good breeze is great fun

However, you can't beat real experience though - ditto what everyone else has said about a L1 & 2 course......

-Alex

[freakwave]

Certainly I would do a level two course if its good handling you are after

[iain3915]

i have one booked, i just wanted to have some knowledge for when i go.I have had a tiller steer boat for 3 years and i am brilliant at handling it but the boat i do the PB2 on has a steering wheel so i thought i would do some research.

[Stuart M]

My first trip out of a river into the solent on a very calm day almost had both of us in the water - this after reading books and being used to the boat in the river on at least two dozen occassions. It was quite worrying when doing the level two how much we didn't know before. They same goes for the radio course. I think if youre going to invest in a boat (however small) then the cost of the course is fairly insignificant.

[John Gore]

There's no substitute for proper training so I go along with "do a level 2" course. However, if you want toread up about it beforehand I would suggest either "Powerboating" by Peter White published by Ferhurst or RYA Powerboat Handbook published by the RYA. There are a number of printing errors in the RYA book, but for basic handling techniques it should give you a taste of what to expect.