RYA Power Boat Level 2 training course

[danilo]

I am looking to complete RYA Power Boat Level 2 training course before I go boating overseas in August, can anyone please recommend a good RYA approved centre (leading to ICC tidal version certificate) that's not too far from London?
Also I have seen various prices for this course advertised some of these almost double, so what should be a normal price for it?

Thanks

[Steve_B]

Danilo

Depends on what you consider not too far from London is.

I can recommend Powerboat Training UK in Poole. It's just over an hour from London and a fabulous location to do the training.
Price will depand on whether you do the training on your own one-to-one or as part a of small group(3) and whether you use your own boat or the school's.

Sorry if that sounds a bit like "how long is a iece of string"

http://www.powerboat-training-uk.co.uk/

[John Kennett]

Better still, why not keep it in the RIBnet family and support one of our trade members:

Doug Stormforce
www.stormforce.biz

Jimbo
www.daviescoaching.co.uk

Solent Ranger
www.mendezmarine.co.uk

tim griffin
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

John

[Jimbo]

Cheers John, although it's worth me pointing out before I get jumped on that my company, Davies Coaching, isn't recognised to run RYA Powerboat Courses, however we supply instructors and boats to other schools. We can arrange a PB2 through our Partners Haslar Sea School, and we do also supply boats and Instructors to Stormforce Coaching.

[C2 RIBS]

Looking on forums, if you were inclined there is a course with a vacancy advertised by Solent Ranger this weekend- may be a last minute deal to be had. I am not linked to any training school
http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?p=253922#post253922

All those listed by John above are good schools and can be recommended

[Solent Ranger]

Originally Posted by danilo

I am looking to complete RYA Power Boat Level 2 training course before I go boating overseas in August, can anyone please recommend a good RYA approved centre (leading to ICC tidal version certificate) that's not too far from London?
Also I have seen various prices for this course advertised some of these almost double, so what should be a normal price for it?

Thanks

We have a course running 7th/8th July. We have two boats running and have a space. Email to info@mendezmarine.co.uk

[danilo]

All, greatly appreciated for the info and the links, will go through these and try to book with one of the rib.net supporters.

[Rogue Wave]

Just because somebody povides Ribnet with an income stream doesn't make them a better Powerboat School or a more experienced powerboat man. Although of the approved contractors I'd recomend Tim Griffin everytime



Also I've always believed that you'll get more from a school that is dedicated to Powerboats than a sailing school which has powerboat training as an income stream.

I used to be a trainer and corporate boat driver in the Solent The guys from Aquawaves were some of the few people whom I genuinely thought were better than me. (bstads). They don't post on this forum but they have been running ribs for about ten years and they run a fine Rib on their training course from the very nice Hythe Marina.

http://www.aquawaves.com/rya.htm


Dave from Yarmouth is another Bstad who's record speaks for itself. His water patch is for my money the most interesting. (powerbaot 2 courses are restricted n the distance they can travel from their base

http://www.aquapower.co.uk/

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Just because somebody povides Ribnet with an income stream doesn't make them a better Powerboat School or a more experienced powerboat man. And anyway, I don't like Doug

Fixed for you

John

[Doug Stormforce]

Danilo

As already mentioned their are several powerboat schools who post on here.

Although we all offer broadly the same course we vary in the boats we use, the age of the boats, the electronics fitted to the boats, the price, what’s included, accessability and the experience of our instructors.

I suggest you give a couple of centres a call and discuss what it is you want to do. There are quite a few of us based in the Solent.

I don’t think personally that a centre that offers sailing and powerboating delivers an inferior product. (Does a pub serve you sub standard lager because it also offers food?) I think the two products compliment each other.
If we did not believe this we would have remained a powerboat school and never have expanded into the sailing market.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

Does a pub serve you sub standard lager because it also offers food?

Doug - not wanting to stir up trouble here (well actually there is nothing like a good ribnet argument!)... but pub's main product is the beer, the food is a product line extention. Generally pub-grub might not be as high standard as in say a good restaurant where the food is the primary product line.

Likewise if a sailing school are mainly a sailing school then its quite possible that their powerboat training is a product line extention and may not be as good as a dedicated powerboat school. To continue the analogy though there are of course crap restaurants too, and therefore there are bound to be poorer quality dedicated powerboat schools. Similarly there are some good gastro-pubs where you can get good food and great beer, so likewise there will be good RYA schools offering a bit of both (sailing and powerboats - not beer and food - that would be an excellent RYA school!).

A better criterion might be if they offer the full RYA syllabus (Level 1, 2, Safety, Int., Adv.) then they should be able to put together a half decent level 2 course. If they only offer say level 1&2, then perhaps they have a bit of a limited menu.

Like a restraunt/gastro pub - so much of it has to do with the chef! Some schools have a great guy at the top and if you get him you will do well. Sometimes the top guy has employed great people and even if he is not there you still get a good deal - other times when the head chef/principal is not directly involved you get an inferior product. So worth asking who will actually run the course you are doing, and see if they are as experienced as you want.

Of course sometimes it is good if people have wider interests in that can provide more experience - and with much of the theory overlapping I can't see how being able to sail could be a bad thing. On the otherhand since sometimes the rag-and-stick brigade see powerboats as inferior - that would be the type of school to avoid.

And lets not forget that afterall someone on a PB2 course is looking for 2 days introduction to powerboating. I have seen training in other environments (not RYA stuff, but sure it happens there) where the instructors want to go way beyond the basics (either to show off their own expertise, or becasue the basics are boring) and it doesn't work for beginners.

I think there are a few things I would be suggesting you can ask to stand a better chance of finding a good/better course: (1) how many students will be on the course/each boat etc; (2) how much of the time is afloat. Personally those factors put me off the large "classroom" style courses run particualarly by some of the large "institutions" but at the end of the day and RYA level 2 course should meet the same minimum standard.

When I did my course I had just acquired a new boat and the school suggested I bring it along to do some own boat stuff at the end of the day (this also meant they could do practical launch and recovery which as their boats are stored afloat wasn't normally something they do). That level of flexibility, tuning to MY needs impressed me.

PS> I don't know Doug or and of the south coast PBI's personally and this is a general observation on trying to find a good course rather than any comment on the people or organisations listed.

[Ian M]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

Danilo

I suggest you give a couple of centres a call and discuss what it is you want to do. There are quite a few of us based in the Solent.

Danilo,
I would go further than that. Do not rely on a phone call, go and see the centres, speak to the instructors, see what sort of reception you get. I suggest that this will give you are far better insight than a voice on a phone, who may have very little to do with the day to day running of the school.

[timw]

If you want an ICC near London, just do it on the Thames with Chas Newens Marine in Putney. Can't get much closer than that.

[danilo]

Originally Posted by timw

If you want an ICC near London, just do it on the Thames with Chas Newens Marine in Putney. Can't get much closer than that.

Thanks, will their course lead to "tidal" ICC certificate?

@Polwart, thanks for spending time to write your advice I enjoyed reading it.

[danilo]

BTW, did anyone have any dealings / experiences with Hayling Sea School in Sparkes Marina, Hayling Island?
Would you recommend this school?

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by danilo

BTW, did anyone have any dealings / experiences with Hayling Sea School in Sparkes Marina, Hayling Island?
Would you recommend this school?

We supply instructors, and on occasion boats, to Hayling Sea School. They have a smart classroom in Sparkes Marina, and you get to play in the beautiful Chichester Harbour on your course. They also run with smaller numbers (usually one boat with max 3 students, rarely two boats with up to 6), meaning you get a morerelaxed and personal environment.

Nigel, the Principal, knows the harbour initimately, and it's not uncommon for him to take you on a seal watching excursion, through various mudbanks and pools.

They use a 4.5m Tornado Rib with a 50hp Outboard Engine, which whilst smaller than a lot of other schools, is very presentable and easy to handle.

You'll find Rebecca and Nigel very helpful, and willing to be flexible and supportive.

[danilo]

Thanks Jimbo, that's great!
I might book with Hayling Sea School then as I would prefer to spend a weekend down south rather then doing it on the Thames.I will be boating on the sea, so it makes sense to do the course on the sea too.
Now just need to see if there any b&b in the area...

Regards
Danilo

[timw]

Originally Posted by danilo

Thanks, will their course lead to "tidal" ICC certificate?

Yes and the tidal range on this part of the Thames exceeds 4 meters

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Fixed for you

John

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