RYA powerboat level 2 / VHF SRC
Discussion
OldGermanHeaps said:
Anyone done these courses?
Got any revision tips to prepare for beforehand, doing them at the end of the month?
The RYA have many books and ebooks to help you such as this one on marine radios and others on boat handling.Got any revision tips to prepare for beforehand, doing them at the end of the month?
https://www.rya.org.uk/shop/pages/products.aspx?pr...
Worth memorising the phonetic alphabet!!
I run PB2 courses or "The art of driving fast boats, slowly"
My advice to students is to have a look on youtube for details of what happens on a PB2 course so you know what to expect.
Also watching some of the videos on basic navigation, tides & tide tables, "lights and shapes" and the Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea" to get a basic understanding of these, as it will help greatly when its covered on the PB2 course.
If you get the chance and time allows, try the test maneuvers in both planing and displacement craft as a lot of centers just run the courses in a planing boat (normally a RIB) and it will enhance your skills to understand the handling differences with displacement boats.
My advice to students is to have a look on youtube for details of what happens on a PB2 course so you know what to expect.
Also watching some of the videos on basic navigation, tides & tide tables, "lights and shapes" and the Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea" to get a basic understanding of these, as it will help greatly when its covered on the PB2 course.
If you get the chance and time allows, try the test maneuvers in both planing and displacement craft as a lot of centers just run the courses in a planing boat (normally a RIB) and it will enhance your skills to understand the handling differences with displacement boats.
I've done both too.
The VHF course covers protocol for emergency procedures and radio etiquette but that's all you need. Practice on the radio helps and you'll need to remember to show everybody on board how to send a distress message.
PB2 is a walk in the park if you have any familiarity with boats, all you need to prepare for that is a couple of hours reading round basic navigation and meteorology and collision regulations. Like the SRC course there's loads of video on utube and when I took the exam it was a multiple choice that was almost impossible to fail. No certificate or weekend course is going to teach you much about boat handling in tight spaces with fighty winds or tides pushing you where you really don't want to be - that's really only something you'll learn by experience.
Might be worth seeing if you can add the ICC qualification to the Powerboat course - that is the one that is increasingly being required for chartering abroad and I believe is now essential for non-tidal waters in Europe. Quite unnecessarily the RYA have deliberately limited the life of the ICC they've authorized themselves to issue and you'll need to re apply for a new one every five years for which of course the RYA will cheerfully take more money off you.
The VHF course covers protocol for emergency procedures and radio etiquette but that's all you need. Practice on the radio helps and you'll need to remember to show everybody on board how to send a distress message.
PB2 is a walk in the park if you have any familiarity with boats, all you need to prepare for that is a couple of hours reading round basic navigation and meteorology and collision regulations. Like the SRC course there's loads of video on utube and when I took the exam it was a multiple choice that was almost impossible to fail. No certificate or weekend course is going to teach you much about boat handling in tight spaces with fighty winds or tides pushing you where you really don't want to be - that's really only something you'll learn by experience.
Might be worth seeing if you can add the ICC qualification to the Powerboat course - that is the one that is increasingly being required for chartering abroad and I believe is now essential for non-tidal waters in Europe. Quite unnecessarily the RYA have deliberately limited the life of the ICC they've authorized themselves to issue and you'll need to re apply for a new one every five years for which of course the RYA will cheerfully take more money off you.
its cheaper to join the rya and get the icc for free than it is to just apply for the src seperately so thats what I plan to do, but yes it is a scam, like renewing your cherrypicker ticket or all the other bs recurring costs/time drains you need to undertake. its laughable, the one thing that would really make a big difference to safety and reducing deaths in this country would be to make the driving test much harder and make you resit it every 5 years, but no, once in a lifetime is enough, yet for niche activities wjich would barely make a blip in annual injuries/deaths and you have a big expense/time drain on a regular basis.
I have done RYA Radio Cert. If you don't know it make sure you know your phonetic alphabet 100% before you go. My missus & I did it together and despite being ex army she had forgotten most of it so refresher in the car going to the training.
I have PB1 which I did years ago on a reservoir near Heathrow. Great day out and good fun.
I have PB1 which I did years ago on a reservoir near Heathrow. Great day out and good fun.
Hi I've done a few RYA courses and taught some.
Just buy this, this is the only book you will ever need, about £8.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reeds-Skippers-Handbook-M...
The RYA sell loads of books and training aids, all pretty similar. PB Level 2 is all about the boat, and a bit of planning. Enjoy it!
Just buy this, this is the only book you will ever need, about £8.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reeds-Skippers-Handbook-M...
The RYA sell loads of books and training aids, all pretty similar. PB Level 2 is all about the boat, and a bit of planning. Enjoy it!
OldGermanHeaps said:
Anyone done these courses?
Got any revision tips to prepare for beforehand, doing them at the end of the month?
I did PB2 a few weeks ago. Not a great deal to it really. It really is an exercise in teaching you that you've got a long way to go before you should be let loose with a powerful boat. Got any revision tips to prepare for beforehand, doing them at the end of the month?
I did the International Certificate of Competence as well, so I can now take my inexperience to a far away country and hire a boat over there, instead of crashing into things in my own country.
picked a great coulple of days for it, cold and pissing it down.
Had a blast though.
https://youtu.be/1zXPAEEHRzA
Had a blast though.
https://youtu.be/1zXPAEEHRzA
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