RYA level 2 instruction in solent ?

[matiboy]

Who can provide this tuition in solent area (warsash area even better )? After 10 years of boating wouldnt mind having a go at this ?

I note wavelength are charging 150 quid up north, yet oceanpro down south want 245 quid

would prefer to pay the lower if pos

thoughts please

[Richard B]

Talk to David Robson at Aquapower:

www.aquapower.co.uk

Highly recommended.

[DJL]

You could try New Dawn Dive. They operate out of lymington.

Contact Richard Rimmer on 01483 211103

£150 for PB2

[matiboy]

new dawn dive are a stones throw from where I live, always thought they were a dive shop only

cheers

[dmoore]

The price for a RYA2 seems to be very high. When I bought my RIB a couple of months ago I looked into getting a RYA2 for me and the missus, total cost £520 (East Coast)

so I came up with a radical solution - I coded my own boat and registered it with a RYA sailing school that I am a partner in and hired an instructor (local RNLB helm) total cost £260

Now I can offer power boat training as well - bonus! and very willing to do a RIBNET deal if anyone wants to put a course together for the east coast or Solent area (I have access to a 8M inboard diesel RIB in Portsmouth)

[Viking]

Ocean pro use excellenrt trainers as do International Rib Services in Lymington, Southampton Water Activities Centre and Stormforce coaching are all excellent. I have been trained by three of these schools and found them superb

The South carries some high overheads in terms of rent and rates which makes the costs dearer, the schools have to operate from RYA approved classrooms carry the appropriate insurances and are restricted to only three Students per boat

Another way of getting a reduced price is to wait until the day before the course and find out if a spare place is available, if it is offer your 150 pounds then.

Another trainer worth checking out is Paul Glatzel in Poole, I think he runs an excellent operation also.

The important thing about training is to make sure the instructor really has the experience to teach you properly, and the school has a long association with powerboating.

[John Kennett]

Originally posted by Viking
The important thing about training is to make sure the instructor really has the experience to teach you properly, and the school has a long association with powerboating.

Agreed! If you want to get the most from a course, then look for an instructor who really uses RIBs and you should learn plenty on top of the (very basic) RYA syllabus.

Many schools offering RYA courses are still geared towards powerboats as nothing more than rescue boats for dinghies, and their instructors may have very limited experience of real ribbing.

Better still, as you already have a fair bit of experience, find an instructor who will provide a bespoke RIB cruising course for you. This could easily include an assessment for level II, but would be much more useful.

Of course, if you just want the certificate then just find the cheapest available because you're very unlikely to fail.

John

[Paul Glatzel]

I agree with John particularly with regards to the Instructors used. As a general statement the cheaper schools tend to be local authority type operations with (at least for level 2) Instructors for whom powerboats are not a passion but a job secondary to areas such as windsurfing/dinghy sailing. I did my own level 2 course at such a school on the South Coast and looking back realise we covered a fraction of what can be achieved on Level 2. That said there are exceptions to the rule and Dave's school undoubtedly is one.

As to cost it does vary place to place and logic suggests running a Solent/Poole based operation will have higher running costs (Instructors costs/classrooms/mooring costs etc) than some other locations, that said (without wishing to appear critical) I think £245 is quite steep and £200 is nearer the mark.

I agree that David Robson runs a good operation as does Phil at Oceanpro

On a final note a question for 'dmoore' - I'm intrigued by the set up you refer to re coding & running and being able to offer RYA courses. When you refer to coding do you mean MCA Cat 4 type coding as achieving that for the money you refer to (and paying an Instructor) would be unbelievable.

Paul Glatzel ~ PowerboatTrainingUK, Poole

[badbaws]

There isna place in Lymington ...West Solent..Powrboat school or similar name....Don't have a number with me...The instructor I did my courses with is called John Bonnie...saw him at the boat show two weeks ago...excellent trainer...Ask for him or I will get phone number when go back home at weekend....
Alex

[wavelength]

seems to be some confusion here.
the term trainer and instructor is not interchangeable in rya powerboat qualifications
a powerboat instructor may have only a level 2 himself and may be qualified to teach just inland or both inland and coastal.
They may be able to teach rescue boat ticket.

An advanced instructor can teach level 2 coastal/inland and the advanced course and may be able to teach rescue boat.

Powerboat trainers is selected by the RYA from advanced instructors (with rescue boat ticket ) and invited onto a trainers' course run by the RYA itself. Those who pass the 3 day "perisher" course (horizontal snow during most of my first one)are appointed by the RYA to teach/assess prospective instructors at all levels-some of us also do training schools inspection.
After appointment we are "invited" to sample the delights of yet another trainers course on a regular basis-fail it, or not be actively teaching, and your appointment can be withdrawn.

I also share GEDs concerns over some instructors with no sea time in (see seperate thread).

[Ribald]

I did my L2 & Adv with Dave in 2001. He is a true RIB school. Very good especially as the wind did not drop below F5 the whole time (inc the night excercise ) I was staying on the Island during the course but one of the others was B&Bing which Dave arranged nr Yarmouth. His descriptions of the breakfasts served were amazing . Sounds like just the place for one K (Trencherman) Hart.

[Richard B]

Yes - David has some good friends with a B&B - Sandy Lane Guest House at Colwell Bay. Lovely place, superb breakfasts, very friendly people.

I had a similar experience to you (not quite a blowy though) and I clearly remember drifting only 20metres away from Mid-Shingles Buoy which kept disappearing in the huge swell as David calmly explained how we were going to find the next waypoint.

One of his favorite phrases is "We're open all year"

[thewavehumper]

My understanding of the RYA examining system and instructor accreditation are thus.

A cerificate can only be irecommended by an RYA qualified instructor and can only be issued by the Principal.

There are two levels of RYA qualified instructor. Power boat instructor and advanced power boat instructor.

PBI (powerboat instructor) can teach/examineapprove the folowing:

Powerboat level 1 and 2 Planing and dsiplacement craft
Safety course ( if the instructor has the safety boat driver certificate)

The RYA stipulates at least 5 seasons powerboating experience
plus the holding of an advanced powerbaot certificate.

Or I seasons experience if you are proffesionally employed on the water. You the take a three day course and then if you pass the assesments the RYA will issue the ticket


After his and I believe with a bit more experience you can then apply for the advanced powrboat instructors course which I think is another three days, ( I may be wrong on this one re time, cos I haven't done it yet)

This then qualifies you to instruct and reccomend Advanced powerboat level certificates be issued by the Schools principal. You can have an assistant teacher but they must be accompanied by a qualified instructor..

Sorry for turning pedantic

Matiboy. Having thought about the original start of the thread , and presuming you do most of your Ribbing is done in the Solent I think it could be a good idea to go and get trained by Wavelength.

There are four reasons for this suggestion
Dave is very good and you'll be doing it in unfamiliar waters to you which is good experience
if you already have loads of driving experience I'd also discuss the possibilities of a powerboat 2 exam and and advanced traing course
It would seem the breakfast are really good
They no loger put Southerners in the stocks anymore.


Regards
Stuart

[Jelly]

I can really recomend doing the Advanced course in a strech of water you are not familiar with, it makes you think harder and use the skills you are learning as aposed to knowing the unlit bouy you are looking for at night is in so and so bay south side x meteres off the rocks.
The same can be said for the safety course, but local knowledge of the area you are working in helps ( the embarisment factor of running aground with a multiply tow is high )
Well thats my 2 penny worth
Jelly

[John Kennett]

Doing the course somewhere different is also good as it opens up a whole new cruising area. Make the most of your instructor who will invariably be a good local guide!

Another powerboat school to consider is Jon Clift in Salcombe who specialises in running RIB courses over and above the RYA syllabus. The south coast in Devon and Cornwall also happens to be one of the best cruising grounds in the country (IMHO of course!)

John

[Richard B]

JK - Jon Clift has sold the powerboat side of the school. It's still running, I believe that the new Prinncipal is one Jon's former instructors, and a couple of new boats there as well. I'm waiting until he has a new twin engined boat to go for some one-to-one tuition and pick up local knowledge in the way that you've described.

http://www.powerboats-salcombe.co.uk

Rich.

[GraemeCooper]

As there are already many advertisements, would like to add that we can also offer PB 2 training, in North Wales.

As has been mentioned before we are dedicated to RIB training - using Avon RIBs, not just Powerboats as an add onto sailing etc.

As for expeience I personally have been in powerboats for around 35 years, and hae been around RIBs just about since their conception.

[wavelength]

Thanks wavehumper but U may have got your daves mixed up - I think the one mentioned earlier with the big breakfasts etc was on the solent.
We are always pleased to see people (well most of them anyway) but its a long way to come up from the solent at this time of year and it does make it expensive. For those who are down there Paul is a nice guy with a good reputation, and whilst I dont know the other dave he sounds good to me!
Now about the stocks. It is not true that we no longer put southerners in the stocks. I have one in t'stocks from last weeks advanced course at t'minute and 'es not coming out til t'whippett has finished with 'im. After that, and when i've found t'cloth cap, I'm off t'coronation street, on t'other side o t'cut, on t' bike t'corner shop for t'black puddings but will ave t'watch t'cobbles cos they knock ell out o't'tyres. I is saving uupp for t'new fangled newmatical ones as tis said they give a softer ride-bit like a deep V eh.
Dave ('airy northener)(borrowed keefs brackets) M

[thewavehumper]

I.ve been getting my Dave's mixed up ever since I saw Dave Gormans tele program. Perhaps we could have a Charabanc outing to sample some rough stuff this winter, i am certainly up for some.