POWER BOAT COURSE – WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?

So you’ve seen people out on the water or you’ve been out yourself. Maybe you’ve been on a sea safari and been given the bug. But what is involved in taking a power boat course, what does it cost and what do you need to know first?

All good questions we hear a lot at Get Lost Sailing. The good news is that for between £250 and £300 you can get a RYA power boat level 2 certificate (PB2) and you don’t need any experience beforehand. So how will your two day power boat course go?

Whilst there is no set order for a power boat course (PB2) this article will cover everything you can expect to do in an assumed format. Things will be slightly different wherever you go as tides, weather, venue and other things all have a bearing on the two days.

As with most courses in life you can expect a similar start. You will be welcomed to the school and given a housekeeping talk on where things are such as toilets, lunch times and then you will fill out the medical forms. Then you will have to give the blind date answers!

What’s your name? Where are you from? Why are you here? And, what experience do you have?

Don’t let any of this worry you. It’s just an ice breaker. There is bound to be one person there that has single handedly sailed to Jupiter while collecting data that saved the world but they will have to do all the same things you do. If they are any good then you will learn loads just by watching them as well as having a go yourself. There is a maximum of three students to one instructor allowed on this course so you won’t be overwhelmed.

Following introductions you will get straight into the first theory sessions. There won’t be any hanging about during the two days as there is a lot to cover and practice.

You will need to cover types of clothing appropriate for going on to the sea as well as the differences between buoyancy aids and lifejackets. Then it’s down to where the boat is moored to look at the equipment on board and to carry out the boat checks that need to be done before launching.

Now we get on to the exciting bit. Into the boat with the instructor to have a go yourself and familiarise yourself with the controls. This is a really relaxed introduction and there is nothing to worry about. The instructor will be next to you so as to coach you through it and you can take your time to get comfortable. By the end of this you and your class mates will be able to go forwards and backwards as well as do a figure of 8. This will show you how the boat behaves and spins so you can carry out more complex manoeuvres later.

After this comes your first challenge. Hold the boat still in the water while the wind and the tide attempt to make you look as silly as possible by dragging or pushing you around. You’ll get the knack of this pretty quickly so you will then use these new skills to ‘hold off’ of a fixed point. Holding off means to maintain a steady distance from a fixed object. The instructor may well use a buoy or a stake to hold off from but this is when you get to prove yourself. This is a great step forward for a lot of people.

Next you will try and turn the boat in a confined space. You’ve seen how it handles now and had a glimpse of the effect of the elements. Just take it slowly and listen to the teaching points from the instructor. This is a great exercise for you as you see the benefit of everything so far pulled together.

The next step will probably be coming alongside. This will be because you have had a busy morning and it’s time for lunch. Once everyone has completed this exercise expect the lunch break to be as short as the instructor can make it. 20 – 40 minutes max. There is still a lot to do.

As you are all back at the base you can cover a quick bit of theory before going back on the water. You could look at buoyage or tides as you will need this information for later on in the course. If you are worried that you may have too much to take in over the two days, you could get ahead on these subjects beforehand. The RYA has some good introductory info on tides which you can see by clicking the picture:RYA Tides

And we have included a link to a buoyage crib sheet here to help you before your power boat course starts:

GET LOST SAILING – PB2 BUOYAGE CRIB SHEET (1)

Once back on the boat you will have to leave the pontoon. If you didn’t cover it while taking turns coming along side then this a great opportunity to practice springing off. This is a technique for using the engine against a secured rope so as to swing one end of the boat out. This will sometimes make leaving an easier thing to do.

Once away you will possibly go and pick up a mooring or cover anchoring. Both of these manoeuvres include stopping the boat and allowing for wind and tide. So they are just variations on what you have already practised that morning. You will feel great with your practical achievements after this first day.

Before you leave for the night there is likely to be another theory session on either buoyage or tides depending on what you covered at lunch. You can also expect a little bit of homework to check what the tides and weather forecasts are for day two. This will help save time in the morning as you will have the information ready for the first session.

After the first day expect to sleep well. You will have learned an awful lot of new practical skills and theory knowledge. The fresh air will have done you the power of good so get to bed at a reasonable time and don’t arrive the next day with a hangover!

You can expect a prompt start on the morning of day two. You will review the weather and state of tide as you will be planning a passage and going on a trip.

The other theory you will need to cover before hand includes collision regulations, bye laws and passage planning. Once complete you can then get in the boat again and practice following your intended route and using the compass to steer the right course. As you will probably be one of three students, expect to plan a third of the journey each. You can then stop at the end for a packed lunch and review how the journey went. On the way back, as you are already compass followers by now, you could be introduced to the GPS to follow. This is a great piece of equipment and the fact that you can now follow both gives you great confidence on the water.

You will also have to practice your turns and stops at speed and be introduced to the technical changes to the boat in order to drive it safely.

Before you finish lessons for the day there will be practice of recovering a man over board. This is such an important skill that I hope you never need to use but it is brilliant to practice. Your instructor won’t expect you to take turns in the water so don’t worry! You will possibly use a fender tied to a rope or another improvised device to mimic your casualty. This section of the day will also include use of the radio and how to send a mayday. Again these are great skills to have with you on the water.

Before putting the boat away you will be involved in turning it around properly as this is an important part of your boating life. Tasks to be done include rinsing the boat with fresh water, removing any rubbish and refuelling.

Your still not done here. You will have one final push for your brain to cope with at the end of the power boat course. Theory to cover off includes types of hull shapes, and engine types. You will also need to cover launching and recovery as well as hypothermia and cold water shock. These are nice things to end on and can involve a walk around the boat park or some videos.

And that’s it. Whilst this isn’t set in stone you can expect to cover all of the content over the two days. It is a great thing to do and although not a legal requirement you can clearly see the benefit gained in doing the RYA power boat course. Once you have completed the PB2 you can apply for an International Certificate of Competence which will let you drive power boats abroad on your holidays.

We hope you have found this useful and it has persuaded you to take the plunge and fulfil what for many is a lifelong dream. It’s more accessible than you may think so have fun. Just one final reminder about your upcoming power boat course. A power boat course is not a turn up only course. In order to pass you have to demonstrate that you can carry out the tasks that the power boat course has in the syllabus. Good luck!

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Noel Hutchinson

Noel has been sailing and boating for many years. He holds a commercially endorsed YM certificate and advanced power boat certificate. He is also a RYA instructor for dinghies, multihulls, power boats and personal water craft. When not on the water he will be walking his dogs, climbing or skydiving. Anything to put his phone down! (But GoPros are ok).