advanced powerboat courses

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• Professional qualifications
• powerboat-advanced

RYA Powerboat Advanced Professional Qualifications

RYA powerboat courses are primarily for those using small powered craft such as RIBs, dories and sportsboats that don't generally undertake long or offshore passages.

The types of commercial craft requiring this level of certification are typically: charter fishing boats, small passenger launches, thrill ride operators, harbour patrol launches, construction site safety boats etc. If you will be using larger boats with accommodation and the capacity to cruise or work further offshore you are likely to need a certificate within the motor cruising programme such as Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Offshore. There are two types of Advanced certificate:

a)  A course completion certificate awarded by a training centre on successful completion of a two-day training course

b) A certificate of competence awarded by the RYA/MCA on successful completion of an exam

If you need a Powerboat Advanced certificate in order to work on board a commercial craft subject to the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed. You can then work on commercial vessels up to 24m in length, operating in category 3, 4, 5 and 6 waters - that is up to 20 miles from a safe haven. Please note: it is only possible to commercially endorse an RYA/MCA Powerboat Advanced Certificate of Competence (option b above). The only exception to this is if you were awarded a course completion certificate (option a above) prior to 1 January 2005, in which case you may obtain a commercial endorsement without having to pass the exam.

Chieftain Training

RYA & STCW Courses – Sail, Power, Super-Yacht & Workboat

RYA Powerboat Advanced

Who is the rya powerboat advanced  course for.

So, you want to go fast, travel at night, handle waves and integrate your boating with the digital world? The RYA Advanced Powerboat course covers all this and a whole lot more. If you think it’s time you took your boat further afield or out in more challenging conditions, then this intensive and fun two days should help bring you up to scratch. Advanced students are a mix of leisure and commercial powerboat skippers.

HOW LONG DOES THE RYA POWERBOAT ADVANCED  COURSE TAKE?

2 days, including a night navigation, planing speed exercise on the first evening.

DAY 1 HOURS

• Day 1 Start Time- 0915
• Day 1 Finish Time- 3 to 4 hours after dusk (2000 in December, much later in June)

DAY 2 HOURS

• Winter – 0915 to 1600
• Summer – A shorter day as we will have covered more of the syllabus the preceding day

 RYA POWERBOAT ADVANCED COURSE ESSENTIAL PRE REQUISITES:

• RYA Powerboat Level 2
• RYA Intermediate Powerboat  (or equivalent experience)
• Navigation knowledge up to RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased
• RYA First Aid   or STCW Elementary First Aid
• RYA SRC  or higher level GMDSS cert

COURSE CONTENT

The course embraces the use of digital resources for passage plan and safe navigation. It also includes advanced boat handling, planing-speed navigation, night pilotage, rough weather handling, search patterns and emergency actions.

WHAT RATIO IS THE RYA POWERBOAT ADVANCED COURSE TAUGHT TO?

There is a maximum of three students per boat and per instructor.

• Two days and a night of instruction
• Use of our RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat)
• All fuel and consumables
• Loan of a life jacket (fitted with light)
• RYA Advanced Powerboat Certificate
• Free (on street) parking
• Tea & Coffee

NOT INCLUDED

• Wet weather gear (can be hired for £5 a day)

CAN I ADD A COMMERCIAL ENDORSEMENT TO THE RYA POWERBOAT ADVANCED CERTIFICATE?

If your Advanced certificate was issued before 1 January 2005 it can be commercially endorsed as a certificate of competence. If however your Advanced certificate is dated on or after this date you need to progress onto the RYA/MCA Advanced Powerboat Certificate of competence which can be commercially endorsed .

The commercial endorsement will allow you to operate commercially operated powered craft up to 24m, (assuming relevant experience) up to 20 miles from a safe haven by day and night with no weather or seasonal restrictions.

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RYA Advanced Powerboat CoC Prep Course & Exam

The RYA/MCA Advanced Powerboat exam is a practical test of skippering ability by day and night in the type of craft applicable to the National Powerboat Scheme  

  3 day course £3 9 5 (plus £208 exam fee payable to the RYA)

Given our commitment to keep prices as low as possible, in the current economic climate we reserve the right to cancel & reschedule any course which is not fully booked

Exam Syllabus

Preparation for sea

Preparation of vessel

Safety brief

Stowing and securing gear for coastal passages

Engine operations and routine checks, fuel systems, kill cord

Fuel system, bleeding, changing filters and impellers

Boat Handling

Hull forms and their handling characteristics, propeller configurations

Knowledge of action to be taken in rough weather

Significance of tidal stream on sea conditions

Steering and power control through waves

Understanding and correct use of power trim and tabs

Towing under open-sea conditions and in confined areas

Strategy up and downwind and in heavy weather

Awareness of the effects of wind and tide when manoeuvring, including:

Steering to transits and in bouyed channels

Turning in a confined space

All berthing and un-berthing

Picking up and leaving a mooring buoy 

Recovery of man overboard

Awareness of ground speed and ability to hold the boat on station

Responsibilities of Skipper

Skippering the vessel with effective crew communication

Preparing the vessel for sea and for adverse weather

Tactics for heavy weather and restricted visibility

Emergency and distress situations

Customs procedures

Courtesy to other water users

Passage making and Pilotage (your chart work and theory knowledge should include:)

Charts, navigational publications and sources of navigational information

Chart work, including position fixing and shaping course to allow for tide 

Tidal heights and depths

Buoyage and visual aids to navigation

Instruments, including compasses, logs, echo sounders, radio navigation aids and chartwork instruments

Passage planning and navigational tactics

Understanding the importance of pre-planning

Planing-speed navigation, pre-panning and execution

Use of eectronic navigation (GPS & Radar)

Pilotage techniques and plan for entry into or departure from harbour

Use of leading and clearing lines, transits and soundings as aids to pilotage 

Navigational records

Limits of navigational accuracy and margins of safety

Lee shore dangers

You should be able to enter and depart from a charted port by day or night. Your examiner will give you a pilotage exercise and ask you to explain your planning. You will need to be aware of the problems of collision avoidance and how to determine your position by night. 

5. Meteorology

You should be able to use weather and tidal information to predict likely sea conditions and make passage planning decisions.

Definition of terms including the Beaufort scale, and their significance to small craft 

Sources of weather forecasts

Weather systems and local weather effects

Interpretation of weather forecasts, barometric trends and visible phenomena 

Ability to make passage planning decisions based on forecast information

Rules of the Road

You should be able to apply the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. You should be able to identify vessels by day or night.

Candidates will be expected to know what safety equipment should be carried on board the vessel, based either on the recommendations on the RYA website or the Codes of Practice for the Safety of Small Commercial Vessels. In particular, candidates must know the responsibilities of a skipper in relation to: 

Fire Prevention and fighting

Hull damage/watertight integrity

Medical emergency

Towing and being towed

VHF emergency procedure

Explanation of helicopter rescue procedures

Use of flares

Man overboard - recover methods and associated hazards

Sector search 

Lifejackets

Pre-Requisites

Documented minimum sea time completed on a seagoing powerboat in the last 10 years:

30 days at sea, which may be reduced to 20 days at sea if an RYA Advanced Powerboat course completion certificate is held. 

2 days as skipper

800 miles, which may be reduced to 400 miles if an RYA Advanced Powerboat course completion certificate is held

12 night hours

Knowledge to the level of Yachtmaster Offshore Theory

A GMDSS compliant Marine Radio Operators Certificate such as the RYA Short Range Certificate or higher.

An RYA First Aid Certificate or STCW First Aid Certificate

Advanced Powerboat course completion card ONLY IF claiming reduced seatime detailed above

Photographic ID card or document, such as passport or driving license . 

What's Included

2 days instruction on Maverick, our Humber Ocean Pro 6.8 

1 Day hire of Maverick for the Advanced Exam

Use of lifejackets and wet weather gear

What To bring with you:

Any medication you need

Cash/Card for lunch and evening meals

Exam application form (if paid exam fee through RYA website )

Course Dates

Contact us if dates are unsuitable, or no dates are showing

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Advanced Powerboat Syllabus

Aim: To teach boat handling, seamanship, pilotage and navigation up to the standards required to drive a planing powerboat safely by day and night in tidal coastal waters with which the candidate may be familiar.

• Practical Prepare the powerboat Carry our fuel and engine checks Stow and secure gear Differences for a twin engine vessel Characteristics of various hull forms and propeller configurations Action to be taken in rough weather Demonstrate a practical understanding and correct use of power trim and trim tabs Demonstrate an awareness of the effects of wind and tide when manoeuvring, including: Steering in transits and in buoyed channels Turning in a confined space Berthing in various conditions of wind and tide Picking up and leaving a mooring buoy Demonstrate the use of an appropriate length of kill cord at all times The importance of pre-trip planning Planning and making coastal passages, taking into account the relevant navigational hazards, the type of boat and the strengths of the crew Chart plotters and radar, their advantages and limitations Organise the navigation, safety and welfare of the crew during a powerboat passage Navigate at higher speed using time / distance Use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints, routes and XTE, SOG, COG, BTW, DTW Carry out pilotage plans and pilotage entry into or departure from harbour Use leading and clearing lines, transits, back bearings and soundings as aids to pilotage Use GPS and understands it limitations in pilotage Navigate using soundings Terms used in shipping forecasts, inclusing the Beaufort Scale, and their significance to small craft Sources of forecast information and interpretation of forecasts including synoptic charts The significance of meteorological trends Can interpret a synoptic chart Apply the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea How to change a propeller Propeller diameter and pitch Propeller ventilation and cavitation Checks to be made before starting, during running, amd afetr stopping for diesel and petrol engines Periodic checks on engines and electrical systems including spark plugs, water filters and pump impellers How to bleed the fuel system (diesel), change filters and pump impellers Transmission belts Spares to be carried Correct action to take in emergency situations Fire prevention and fighting Hull damage / watertight integrity What to do in a medical emergency Towing and being towed Helicopter rescue procedures Use of flares Search patterns Pick up a man overboard in all available conditions Take charge of a powerboat at night, including leaving and entering harbour Demonstrate ability at keeping a proper lookout and identifying lit and unlit marks by night

Advanced Powerboat Examination

• Preparation for sea Preparation of vessel Safety brief Stowing and securing gear for coastal passages Engine operations and routine checks, fuel systems, kill cord Fuel system, bleeding, changing filters and impellers
• Boat handling Hull forms and their handling characteristics, propeller confirgurations Knowledge of action to be taken in rough weather Significance of tidal stream on sea conditions Steering and power control through waves Understanding and correct use of power trim and tabs Towing, under open sea conditions and in confined areas Strategy up and downwind and in heavy weather Awareness of the effects of wind and tide when manoeuvring, including: Steering to transits and in buoyed channels Turning in a confined space All berthing and un-berthing Picking up and leaving a mooring buoy Anchoring Recovery of man overboard Awareness of ground speed and ability to hold the boat on station
• Responsibilities Skippering the vessel with effective crew communication Preparing the vessel for sea and for adverse weather Tactics for heavy weather and restricted visibility Emergency and distress situations Customs procedures Courtesy to other water users
• Passage making and pilotage Your chart work and theory knowledge should include: Charts, navigational publications and sources of navigational information Chart work, including position fixing and shaping course to allow for tide Tidal heights and depths Buoyage and visual aids to navigation Instruments, inclusing compasses, logs, echo sounders, radio navigation aids and chart work instruments Passage planning and navigational tactics Importance of pre-plannig High speed navigation, pre-planning and execute Use of electronic navigation (GPS & Radar) Pilotage techniques and plans for entry into or departure from harbour Use of leading and clearing lines, transits and soundings as aids to pilotage Navigational records Limits of navigational accuracy and margins of safety Lee shore dangers You should be able to enter and depart from a charted port by day or night. Your examiner will give you a pilotage exercise and ask you to explain your planning. You will need to be aware of the problems of collision avoidance and how to determine your position by night.
• Meteorology You should be able to use weather and tidal information to predict likely sea conditions and make passage planning decisions. Definition of terms incuding Beaufort Scale, and their significance to small craft. Sources of weather forecasts Weather systems and local weather effects Interpretation of weather forecasts, barometric trends and visible phenomena Ability to make passage planning decisions based on forecast information
• Rules of the road Application of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.  You should be able to identify  power and sailing vessels by night. Identification of types of ship by night is not required, but you will need a knowledge of the lights of tugs and trawlers.
• Safety Candidates will be expected to know what safety equipment should be carried on board the vessel, based either on the recommendations in RYA booklet C8, or the Codes of Practice for the Safety of Small Commercial Vessels. In particular, candidates must know the responsibilities of a skipper in relation to: Fire prevention and fighting Hull damage / watertight integrity Medical emergency Towing and being towed VHF emergency procedures Explanation of helicopter rescue procedures Use of flares Man overboard Sector search Lifejackets Life rafts