Powerboat licence
Discussion
Hi all. I’ve had experience of speedboat type craft for around 20 years but this had all been self taught and although I’ve taken ribs etc a few miles out to sea I’ve never really done anything serious.
So if I wanted to get a cruiser and head further afield what licences or certificate would be recommended? Ultimately I have a dream to own a boat in Spain so would like to know if these certificates are transferable?
Thanks for any advice.
So if I wanted to get a cruiser and head further afield what licences or certificate would be recommended? Ultimately I have a dream to own a boat in Spain so would like to know if these certificates are transferable?
Thanks for any advice.
Knowledge you'll need offshore and for anything more serious than blatting about on a RIB on a sunny afternoon isn't covered in PB2 which is nothing more than a very basic introduction to powerboating.
You'll need at least a sound understanding of weather, the ColRegs, and have the ability to navigate and passage plan competently in tidal waters as well as a VHF ticket and knowledge of engine maintenance and emergency repairs.
Apart from VHF you can learn all that online or you may have enough experience to have it covered already but don't rely on a weekend PB2 course to tell you everything you need to know.
You'll need at least a sound understanding of weather, the ColRegs, and have the ability to navigate and passage plan competently in tidal waters as well as a VHF ticket and knowledge of engine maintenance and emergency repairs.
Apart from VHF you can learn all that online or you may have enough experience to have it covered already but don't rely on a weekend PB2 course to tell you everything you need to know.
As above, RYA level 2 gives ICC, but this is only up to 10m, so you may need something else depending on what your intending to do.
I did it a few years ago so we could hire boats. Having been around sailing boats, and motor boats all my life, I still learnt a few things and it was a fun couple of days.
I would start with this, chat to the instructor and get a bit of guidance from him depending what you want to do and how big.
I did it a few years ago so we could hire boats. Having been around sailing boats, and motor boats all my life, I still learnt a few things and it was a fun couple of days.
I would start with this, chat to the instructor and get a bit of guidance from him depending what you want to do and how big.
audi321 said:
Yeah thanks Powerboat 2 was what I was thinking too. I just didn’t know If there was anything more suitable these days.
Cheers
There are also ‘intermediate’ and ‘advanced’ RYA PB courses - I assume you need the PB2 first. They look pretty good but guess it just depends how much you need. Cheers
The neat little hierarchy of courses the RYA have cornered the entire training market with suggests Powerboat Advanced is what you'd need for offshore passage making.
You can skip the intermediate levels to get there depending on ability and experience - for sail and after a conversation with an RYA examiner I jumped from having no qualifications at all straight to Yachtmaster which was quite a big ask, but later on I needed PB2 as well for some voluntary work I do and that gave me a unique perspective on how basic the PB2 course really is.
Any course is no substitute for experience but they're all a good grounding in finding out where you need to be and what you don't know yet. .
You can skip the intermediate levels to get there depending on ability and experience - for sail and after a conversation with an RYA examiner I jumped from having no qualifications at all straight to Yachtmaster which was quite a big ask, but later on I needed PB2 as well for some voluntary work I do and that gave me a unique perspective on how basic the PB2 course really is.
Any course is no substitute for experience but they're all a good grounding in finding out where you need to be and what you don't know yet. .
garyhun said:
Wouldn’t day skipper practical and shore based be a good combination?
I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
What are your thoughts on a DS for motorboat owners out of interest? Would you still think a pb course was needed for handling, MOB stuff too? I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
garyhun said:
Wouldn’t day skipper practical and shore based be a good combination?
I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
Coastal skipper is probably more appropriate for longer and more challenging passages which I think the OP wants, but in any case CS is marketed for sail and not power which the RYA strives to keep a very clear distinction between in customer's minds because that lets them sell a whole lot more courses. I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
I'm not sure how any of the RYA/UK qualifications have been affected by Brexit and what is acceptable now in any case in Spain where the OP wants to base. There was some noise from the RYA a few years back about everybody wanting to charter and possibly operate abroad needing to have an ICC as well as CS or above, which naturally they'd be more than happy to sell to anybody who'd already got the right pieces of paper but that had all gone quiet when I last chartered in Croatia.
Jaguar steve said:
garyhun said:
Wouldn’t day skipper practical and shore based be a good combination?
I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
Coastal skipper is probably more appropriate for longer and more challenging passages which I think the OP wants, but in any case CS is marketed for sail and not power which the RYA strives to keep a very clear distinction between in customer's minds because that lets them sell a whole lot more courses. I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
Ok. More specifically I’m thinking of buying something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MacGregor-26X-Trailer-S...
Initially to learn in and around the UK with a dream to take to Spain in a few years to moor up and trot around the Mediterranean.
Initially to learn in and around the UK with a dream to take to Spain in a few years to moor up and trot around the Mediterranean.
Badda said:
garyhun said:
Wouldn’t day skipper practical and shore based be a good combination?
I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
What are your thoughts on a DS for motorboat owners out of interest? Would you still think a pb course was needed for handling, MOB stuff too? I’ve done those and my PB qualifications and feel the DS stuff is what you want for longer offshore passages.
I did all my DS stuff when I had a cruiser and then did PB when I got my RIB.
audi321 said:
Ok. More specifically I’m thinking of buying something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MacGregor-26X-Trailer-S...
Initially to learn in and around the UK with a dream to take to Spain in a few years to moor up and trot around the Mediterranean.
The Mac Gregor is a RCD cat C boat which means its certified for use on lakes and sheltered coastal waters only. Initially to learn in and around the UK with a dream to take to Spain in a few years to moor up and trot around the Mediterranean.
Your original post suggested you intended to get serious and that's not the ideal choice in my view for getting serious with, as cat C boats don't have the stability nor are they intended to safely cope with wind and sea conditions often found offshore. We're not talking seriously heavy weather either here, cat C maximum saftey limits are force 6 wind and/or 2m wave height.
You'll need a well equipped and very sound cat A or B yacht for offshore - not some lightweight weekend trailer-sailer.
Jaguar steve said:
audi321 said:
Ok. More specifically I’m thinking of buying something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MacGregor-26X-Trailer-S...
Initially to learn in and around the UK with a dream to take to Spain in a few years to moor up and trot around the Mediterranean.
The Mac Gregor is a RCD cat C boat which means its certified for use on lakes and sheltered coastal waters only. Initially to learn in and around the UK with a dream to take to Spain in a few years to moor up and trot around the Mediterranean.
Your original post suggested you intended to get serious and that's not the ideal choice in my view for getting serious with, as cat C boats don't have the stability nor are they intended to safely cope with wind and sea conditions often found offshore. We're not talking seriously heavy weather either here, cat C maximum saftey limits are force 6 wind and/or 2m wave height.
You'll need a well equipped and very sound cat A or B yacht for offshore - not some lightweight weekend trailer-sailer.
You also have to bear in mind that in an attempt to be all things to all men the MacGregor isnt very good at anything.
We had one in part ex a few back, and whilst I didn't take it out of the marina (not by sea anyway!) I did put it on to it's trailer. When I flicked through the manual to check what I had to do to prepare for
putting it on a trailer, it makes a note that you car must not be 'feeble'!
putting it on a trailer, it makes a note that you car must not be 'feeble'!
If you do buy a boat, please do wear a life jacket and the kill cord in all conditions!
I had a nasty accident in mine - no kill cord (idiot) but fortunately a jacket or I wouldn't be here now. 12 months later a close friend and his daughter had an accident and both died (no kill cord).
I do pop up in these threads with boring regularity to say the same thing, but I made a promise to myself when Nick died to be a bit of an evangelist for kill cords.
Boats are huge fun - but if you end up in the water accidentally, it's often life changing.
I had a nasty accident in mine - no kill cord (idiot) but fortunately a jacket or I wouldn't be here now. 12 months later a close friend and his daughter had an accident and both died (no kill cord).
I do pop up in these threads with boring regularity to say the same thing, but I made a promise to myself when Nick died to be a bit of an evangelist for kill cords.
Boats are huge fun - but if you end up in the water accidentally, it's often life changing.
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