RYA Advanced Powerboat Course

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.

2 days

Candidates should be competent to the standard of the Intermediate Powerboat Certificate, with a thorough knowledge of navigation and chartwork to the level of Day Skipper Shorebased.
You are also required to hold a First Aid certificate and VHF operator's certificate.

17 years old

The Advanced Powerboat course is aimed at experienced amateurs and professional powerboaters. It is a challenging course and gives students the chance to develop their capabilities and knowledge in a variety of areas. A key aspect of the course is the planning and execution of two passages - one by day and one by night. Equally, given that candidates are likely to be undertaking longer passages in less favourable conditions, a key feature of the course is developing the capability of the skipper to manage the crew and the boat, and making decisions in challenging situations.
During the course, the folowing is covered:

Practical:

• Preparation for sea
• Boat handling - use of power trim tabs, action to be taken in rough weather, hull forms and propeller configurations, effects of wind & tide, turning in confined space, berthing, steering to transits and in buoyed channels.
• Passage making and responsibility as skipper
• Pilotage - passage plans, leading & clearing lines, use GPS and understand limitations, navigate using soundings.
• Meteorology - shipping forecasts, beaufort scale, synoptic charts & meteorological trends.
• Rules of the road
• Use of engines - changing a propeller, periodic checks, bleeding system, spares to be carried
• Emergency situations - action to take, fire prevention & fighting, medical emergencies, towing, helicopter rescue procedures, use of flares & search patterns.
• Night cruising