Powerboat Training/Learning the Ropes...

[Flamair]

Evening all...

As can be seen elsewhere on the forum, I have just placed a deposit on a small Avon 4.65m RIB. I am aware it isnt quite up to RNLI standards (!) but am keen to put it through its paces and get the most I can out of owning it.
I have messed about on boats for 35 years, on lakes rivers and the Broads. But, i would like to do a bit more and explore some if the Scottish sea lochs etc. In fact, something on the lines of Donny's journeys would be awesome. I am aware he is a very wise Sea Dog and knows his stuff. I however, do not, and am looling for advice as to the best courses to do (and recommendations of where to do them) to enable safe passage and good decision making skills.

I was taught a healthy respect for the sea as a kid, despite living a long way from the coastline. Any tips or advice hugely welcomed.

Many thanks gang.

[Bluestu41]

Originally Posted by Flamair

Evening all...

As can be seen elsewhere on the forum, I have just placed a deposit on a small Avon 4.65m RIB. I am aware it isnt quite up to RNLI standards (!) but am keen to put it through its paces and get the most I can out of owning it.
I have messed about on boats for 35 years, on lakes rivers and the Broads. But, i would like to do a bit more and explore some if the Scottish sea lochs etc. In fact, something on the lines of Donny's journeys would be awesome. I am aware he is a very wise Sea Dog and knows his stuff. I however, do not, and am looling for advice as to the best courses to do (and recommendations of where to do them) to enable safe passage and good decision making skills.

I was taught a healthy respect for the sea as a kid, despite living a long way from the coastline. Any tips or advice hugely welcomed.

Many thanks gang.

I recently did the RYA powerboat 2 course and really enjoyed it.
It taught me a lot, but I have very little experience.

[gpsguru]

Originally Posted by Flamair

Evening all...


I was taught a healthy respect for the sea as a kid,

That would be my advice to you, I have been ‘on the sea’ for over 60 years, and I can assure that the ‘sea’ doesn't take prisoners. Treat the sea with the utmost respect, and hopefully you will stay safe.

Skills come with experience, so the more time you spend on the water, the better your skills will be.

[Matt]

Some might say I have a fair bit of experience - but I still did a PB2 refresher 18 months ago since I'd managed to lose my older one and decided it'd be a fun day out and I might learn something.

It was well worth it - if you have a good instructor, there's always a bad habit to correct, or something you've forgotten that you can brush up on, or something you can practice outside of the normal "Getting from A to B".

I'd recommend it for everyone, along with also doing a day skipper theory course.

In my case I used Steve Gravells @ Tech Rec Coaching - and I would certainly recommend him to anyone.

[Poly]

For handling the boat the Powerboat level 2 course is the default entry level. If you think you are already more experienced than that then Intermediate or Advance Powerboat might make sense although lots of people who have boated for a while and do PB2 say they still learned a lot. Indeed I think without having had quite a lot of previous experience actually absorbing everything thrown at you on a PB2 could be hard.

Then comes the question of actually planning trips, especially trips from A-B in remote areas with tides etc. You are either looking then at Day Skipper Theory or Essential Navigation and Seamanship. The former tends to be a bit "sailing" oriented with the examples assuming you are doing 5 knots with a tide dragging you sideways, and a blooming great keel to get over the harbour entrance. Officially it is not a sailing specific course, and indeed is a requirement to be at that level for more advanced powerboat courses. The essential navigation course is a lot shorter though and won't go anywhere as detailed (but in a touch screen digital world being able to calculate secondary ports tidal depths and make three point fixes might be a somewhat outdated thing).

Donny's got a lot of knowledge of the tides and flows around the coast from his Kayaking buddies and its worth looking at their resources too - and I wouldn't be without a good pilot book for planning, Imray and CCC do them - they are written for yachties but useful for others too. And finally, if you've not discovered Artares Charts - for West of Scotland they are "marketed" for finding good anchorages etc but handy for knowing where the rocks are on the way to shore. I use the term marketed loosely there as they are a very small outfit surveying just the anchorages etc and their money is clearly spent on the software/hardware for surveys rather than their website!

[Matt]

Funnily enough I've recently decided the coastal and then offshore yachtmasters would be good things to have too.

[GuyC]

Originally Posted by Poly

Donny's got a lot of knowledge of the tides and flows around the coast from his Kayaking buddies and its worth looking at their resources too - and I wouldn't be without a good pilot book for planning, Imray and CCC do them - they are written for yachties but useful for others too. And finally, if you've not discovered Artares Charts - for West of Scotland they are "marketed" for finding good anchorages etc but handy for knowing where the rocks are on the way to shore. I use the term marketed loosely there as they are a very small outfit surveying just the anchorages etc and their money is clearly spent on the software/hardware for surveys rather than their website!

CCC - Clyde Cruising Club. The one I've got for the Outer Hebrides is very useful so I'd expect the others to be good as well.

I'd definitely second the Antares Charts. I use them with the Memory Map charts as you can install them on your PC and do planning to your hearts content. Bing Maps because it has Ordnance Survey and aerial views is good for planning also. Last but not least, Easytide is a good website for tidal info but it only does a week at a time since they went upmarket. I tend to use the Met Office site for weather / wind speed and direction but there are others available too.

Courses - PB2 as others have said. VHF course is also useful. I have bought a number of the RYA training books and they are good too.

[tinker]

Does a pb2 give you an ICC?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by tinker

Does a pb2 give you an ICC?

It fulfils the criteria to apply for an ICC.
I.e. PB2 is one of the qualifications recognised as proof of competence & allows you to apply for an ICC.

[Flamair]

Thank you so kuch guys for the info. I would certainly be looki g and the nav theory stuff too. I've held a Private Pilot's Licence for the last 22 years so understand the basics of nav. But obviously minus tidal effect.

I will be doing some phoning round and see what i can find!

I'm thinking a PB2 course as a starter. Followed by some nav stuff..[emoji106]

[Matt]

You’ll absolutely romp through it, I’m sure.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Flamair

Thank you so kuch guys for the info. I would certainly be looki g and the nav theory stuff too. I've held a Private Pilot's Licence for the last 22 years so understand the basics of nav. But obviously minus tidal effect.

I will be doing some phoning round and see what i can find!

I'm thinking a PB2 course as a starter. Followed by some nav stuff..[emoji106]

The PB 2 course includes basic navigation & chart work exercises. If you want to delve deeper into chartwork you could do the Yachmaster theory course, but this tends to be very WAFI based. Or at least it was when I did mine.

[Fenlander]

>>held a Private Pilot's Licence for the last 22 years

You'll be fine then with the experience of weather/navigation, responsible safety prep and a finesse of controlling something not totally predictable.

I believe folks have the potential to get caught out until the somewhat complex relationship between current/forecast weather, tide height changes, tidal flow strength/direction, water depth and the effect obstructions all have on wave conditions start to be second nature. Donny demonstrates this very well in some of his posts and videos discussing planning and enforced changes to routes.

As others say start with the PB2 then get out and build experience.