Are all PPR courses the same?

[prv]

I did the PB2 course this summer, and over the years I’ve already acquired all the other prerequisites to have it commercially endorsed. Driving boats is not my job, but there are rare occasions where the ability to legally operate a RIB over short distances for commercial purposes would be convenient. So I just need to do the PPR course and send everything off.

As I understand it, the PPR is entirely online and centrally operated by the RYA, but you still have to book in with a school to do it. My question is, does it make any difference which school you use, or should I just choose the one that’s cheapest and offers automatic online registration? Some of them advertise having instructors available to help, but I’m pretty confident of my ability to read things and regurgitate them into an online test so I don’t expect to need any assistance.

Cheers,

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

No difference. Its quite straightforward, needs a bit of digging to answer some questions. We have never had to answer student questions.

I reckon its a good way to understand how the commercial boating world works.

 

[prv]

Cheers. Booked in with the all-online one.

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

Top tip.

Its handy to have two devices open and logged on so that you can have the resources available on one and work the questions on the other. Not vital but saves a bit of faffing.

 

[prv]

Top tip.

Its handy to have two devices open and logged on so that you can have the resources available on one and work the questions on the other. Not vital but saves a bit of faffing.

Does it prevent you having both open at the same time on the one device, then?

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

No, it just saves a lot of switching around. Several of our people mentioned this after doing the course so Im passing that on.

:encouragement:

 

[prv]

No, it just saves a lot of switching around. Several of our people mentioned this after doing the course so Im passing that on.

Ah, fair enough. They probably didn't have 27-inch 5K monitors

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

Enjoy!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Ah, fair enough. They probably didn't have 27-inch 5K monitors

Pete

Single monitor is fine, I did mine with a laptop. As usual in this type of exam, using the pdf search function on key words in the appropriate legislation (which on my course was all made available as pdf) was worth it.

 

[prv]

Single monitor is fine, I did mine with a laptop.

I can put three A4-pages side by side at actual size on my monitor, so space for reference material alongside the exam really wasn't a concern

All done now, 100% on both tests :encouragement:. About to pop out and post all the bumph before I go to bed.

Another question while we're here - my ENG1 expires next summer, will almost certainly get renewed for the day job, but presumably I don't need to send off to get the sideline PB2 re-endorsed every time?

Cheers,

Pete

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Congrats! IIRC you must have a valid ENG1 (or other acceptable medical) for your commercial to remain valid, so like the First Aid certificate, you just have to have a valid one for the commercial to be used. So no, you do not need to revalidate the commercial, just keep the other bits of bumph current. That's my understanding.

 

[prv]

Congrats! IIRC you must have a valid ENG1 (or other acceptable medical) for your commercial to remain valid, so like the First Aid certificate, you just have to have a valid one for the commercial to be used. So no, you do not need to revalidate the commercial, just keep the other bits of bumph current. That's my understanding.

Yep, I know the medical has to be valid to use the cert, just checking on the admin procedures when the medical expires. Unfortunately due to a minor (and not particularly relevant) medical condition, the doctor only gave me a year on the ENG1, it would be a pain to have to send everything off again annually for a certificate I'm unlikely to use very often.

Cheers,

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

Yep, I know the medical has to be valid to use the cert, just checking on the admin procedures when the medical expires. Unfortunately due to a minor (and not particularly relevant) medical condition, the doctor only gave me a year on the ENG1, it would be a pain to have to send everything off again annually for a certificate I'm unlikely to use very often.

Cheers,

Pete

Ask someone who has passed the PPR course....

Joke, well done 100% is rare but Im in that cub too! :encouragement:

Hope you may inspire others to have a go even if not required for commercial reasons.

 

[laika]

Unfortunately due to a minor (and not particularly relevant) medical condition, the doctor only gave me a year on the ENG1, it would be a pain to have to send everything off again annually for a certificate I'm unlikely to use very often.

Unless you know you need range of more than 60 miles offshore, don't get an ENG1.
ENG1: have to find an approved doctor, go there, do extensive medical, any medical issue they'll have to write snail mail to your consultant and it'll be a huge fuss to deal with and best case scenario you get 2 years.
ML5: Your own GP does it and it's valid 5 years

 

[capnsensible]

Two tips when you are there for your ENG1.

#1. When the nurse comes into the busy waiting room with a plastic jar and says to you that she needs a urine sample, do not interrupt by saying 'OK but is there somewhere a bit more private I can do that?' before she gives you directions to the heads.

#2. When preparing for the eyechart test, do not relate the story of the Polish guy who when asked to read the bottom line said ' Read it! I know him and married his daughter.'

Apparently, an ENG1 is a bit serious....

 

[prv]

Unless you know you need range of more than 60 miles offshore, don't get an ENG1.

It’s not up to me, it’s a work thing.

I’m a software engineer who mostly works in an office, but I do occasionally need to visit a ship to work on the kit we supply. I don’t have any safety responsibilities when I do that, so legally don’t need a medical at all, but the ship’s staff aren’t always aware of such nuances when I come on board and it’s easier to have the tickets than to argue the toss on a strange bridge at 2am after a long flight (as last time I didn’t have the paperwork they were expecting). For similar reasons I also have basic fire-fighting, smoke escape, first aid, sea survival (RYA and commercial), and underwater helicopter escape, even though so far I’ve never flown in a maritime helicopter.

The one thing I don’t do for work is skipper or formally crew any kind of boat, hence the ticket I’m getting endorsed being a lowly PB2.

Pete

 

[prv]

Two tips when you are there for your ENG1.

Bit late for that, I’ve already had it a while

Apparently, an ENG1 is a bit serious....

Certainly it was more serious than the UK Oil and Gas medical I had (so I’m qualified to visit an oil rig should the need ever arise... hasn’t yet ). The rather vague and politely confused doctor administering that one spent a good part of the time showing me pictures of a yacht he was considering buying and asking my opinion.

(It was a small steel yacht that had been on the hard for some years with evidence of some deck leaks; I advised him to check carefully for freshwater corrosion inside )

Pete

 

[capnsensible]

Have done ten ENG1 now, goes with the territory.

However, many tides ago, a tad more interesting was the medical for service in submarines. They would be ready to remove bits like wisdom teeth and appendix in order to potentially avoid compromising a patrol. Really. We are talking 1970's here.....

 

[Kwik Decision]

Unless you know you need range of more than 60 miles offshore, don't get an ENG1.
ENG1: have to find an approved doctor, go there, do extensive medical, any medical issue they'll have to write snail mail to your consultant and it'll be a huge fuss to deal with and best case scenario you get 2 years.
ML5: Your own GP does it and it's valid 5 years

You're assuming your GP is interested in doing an ML5. Last year, I tried to get one; after a number of phone conversations with the receptionist I dropped a copy of the ML5 form in to the practice. The clearly overworked GP then skim read the notes on the first page, highlighted the bit where it mentions specific circumstances where an ENG1, which "can only be done by an approved doctor", is required, and said she couldn't do it. By then I'd lost the will to follow up, and booked to get an ENG1, with a doc who knew precisely what he was doing. Cost £80. It helps that I'm reasonably fit, and passed no problems.