day skipper is it worth it

Do it. I boated for about 18 years before taking the plunge and doing my YM practical earlier this year. You need some theory work under your belt before doing the practical, but for my money do the theory as a correspondence course. That means you can do it at your own pace and redo stuff as often as you like.

As for the practical, it's a must. Even after donkey's years boating, I still learned new stuff about boat handling (thanks to Skippermarv), even though I taught him that a bowline and a sheet bend are really the same thing. And how to spot a Danish submarine...
 
You have had some good advice.
Back to Your basic question however.
Yes imho it is worth it.
Forumites have given You some other options too.
Power boat level 2, nothing wrong with that course either.
One way to go , PB2 and Day Skipper shore based.
There is a new 2 Day Basic Nav course on the way from the RYA.
Sept is the proposed date.
Solitare is very experienced in these matters(well so He told Me, tee hee /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)! so His PM should give You good info.
In fact there is a heck of a lot of experience on this Forum.
There are also lots of peeps with different ideas, which is good.
So by the time this thread runs dry You will had tons of info.
You may wish You'd never asked!
Good to see that are considering a suitable level of training.
Makes the whole Lark more enjoyable too.
Good Luck /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
You have had some good advice.
Solitare is very experienced in these matters(well so He told Me, tee hee /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)! so His PM should give You good info.


[/ QUOTE ]

So much so that I even sent you to another school that was running the course you wanted - /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Made sod all out of it, except a friend /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Does anyone offer an assesment test to see what level course you should do, or what bits you are weak on and need a bit extra tuition on?
Would love for me and 'er to do coastal practical but do we need to do DS pratical first?
Is it possible to do CP and if not up to scratch get DS? Or the other way around?
Would like some tuition but unsure at where to pitch myself?
 
A Powerboat Level 2 will also let you have an ICC for power boats up to 10 metres.

However, the Powerboat Level 2 only demonstrates the ability to :
1. Start 
Give safety briefing including use of safety equipment
Has listened to weather forecasts
Pre start engine checks
Start engine
Check cooling
Knows fuel range
2. Depart from Pontoon 
Understands use of springs to depart from
lee wall/pontoon
Communicate with crew
Position fenders correctly
3. 360º Turn in Confined Space 
4. Securing to Buoy 
Communicate effectively with crew
Prepare warp
Choose correct angle of approach
Control speed of approach
Secure boat effectively
Depart from the mooring safely
5. Man Overboard 
Observe MOB or instruct crew to do so
Demonstrate correct direction and speed of approach
Make suitable contact with MOB
6. High Speed Manoeuvres [if appropriate] 
Use kill-cord if appropriate
Choose suitable area
Show awareness of other water users
Warn crew before each manoeuvre
Look around before S and U turns
Control speed on U turns
7. Coming Alongside Windward Pontoon 
Communicate effectively with crew
Show awareness of other water users
Prepare warps/fenders
Choose correct angle of approach
Control speed of approach
Stop boat in place required and secure to pontoon
Stop engine

Day Skipper will include all of the above, PLUS Navigation, Pilotage, Seamanship (Ropework, Mooring, Anchoring etc.), Safety, and Meteorology
 
[ QUOTE ]
In fact there is a heck of a lot of experience on this Forum.


[/ QUOTE ]

I may be biased but the most telling comments may be from me with 30+ years experience, wiggo with 18 years, and Flyer with 2 years, all saying we wish we had done the RYA training years ago, or as soon as we started.

Other comments are do it, you learn a lot and it's worth it.

So the concensus seems to be that it's worth it.
 
Had a river boat for a year and our sealine 215 for 2 years now.
We have been out in the Bristol Channel on about 10 day trips and over to Cardiff 5 times, went to Watchet once and broke down! Had to TX a pan pan, F6 - F7! (not forcast)
Did day skipper theory about 15 years ago, though missed the exam due to a stag weekend in Amsterdam!
Two years ago did RYA PB level 11 and ICC. Also read a bit and have gained lots of invaluable information on this forum.
There endeth my resume.
 
Oh yeh, I remember about the Amsterdam script You posted a few days ago!
Well You have quite a bit under Your belt, what with Pan Pan's etc.!
The Bristol Channel is no place to mess with and You will have had to understand about tides and stuff there.
Reckon with all that lot, dive in at the deep end My friend.
I reckon You will cope OK.
I seem to recall You were struggling to find an Establishemnt in Your vicinity which met Your needs.
Any joy?
Any decent School/Teach would be able to asses You quite easily.
I did the Power boat level 2 Tutors course without having done the Power Boat level 2 course itself!
I know that sounds daft but I had done 25 years of messing about the Menai Straits + Days skip and Yacht Master (shore based). Plus some other stuff.
I did the PB2 "retro" then sat in on a couple of PB2 courses as a spare part/helper.
Don't know off hand what the "Ladder" is, someone will tell us shortly, no doubt.
As said think You will be ok.
 
Thanks for the input, me and SWMBO on a coastal skipper practical it is then.
Probably have to go to Spain or somewhere else warm, SWMBO is fed up with lumpy sea and cold rain!
Our boat is for sale at the moment as we are looking for a bigger one, lets hope there's some money left after we,ve bought it (doubtful)!!
 
[ QUOTE ]

Probably have to go to Spain or somewhere else warm, SWMBO is fed up with lumpy sea and cold rain! !

[/ QUOTE ]
SWMBO been talking to Argonautical? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone offer an assessment test to see what level course you should do, or what bits you are weak on and need a bit extra tuition on?
Would love for me and 'er to do coastal practical but do we need to do DS practical first?
Is it possible to do CP and if not up to scratch get DS? Or the other way around?
Would like some tuition but unsure at where to pitch myself?

[/ QUOTE ]

With the exception of the Coastal Skipper and Yacht Master (oh and getting the Advanced Powerboat certificate commercially endorsed) all the other courses are an ongoing assessment. Where most get into hot water is on the Day Skipper practical course when we find that their theory knowledge is not up to standard. Day Skipper practical is just that, a practical course, so if the student has no idea of the concept of course to steer or establishing an EP then they are going to be issues during the course. Basic day shapes and light recognition is also better learnt prior to doing the practical.

The instructor cannot be expected over the duration of the course to be covering all these base elements.

If however, you feel you are up to a standard then look at doing the DS practical. When we get inquiries to do practical courses we ask these sorts of questions up front. We also limit the number on all our practical courses to 3 ( we can take more, but choose not too)as we believe that this offers the right balance of time over the 4 days. We make no apologies for being more expensive than some, but we also won't take the cash either. If we think that you are not ready then we will say so and suggest an alternative.

Today I received a call asking if we could do a Powerboat Level 2 course and follow that up with a PB2 Instructor course immediately thereafter. Yes, we could, but no we wont! After asking questions of the person it became evident that small boat experience was limited and to contemplate doing such a thing was doomed to failure. The person has loads of sail experience but limited powerboat knowledge and lives in Spain. He was going to be in the UK for a short period and wanted to pack it all in.

Now there is a forumite who approached me with a similar question - we did a Level 2 assessment. He passed, he then choose to "hire" the rib and get to grips with the finer points. He then did his PB 2 instructor course and passed. And recently did his first course. Maybe not what he thought he wanted on first approaching us, but has now achieved his objective. My point is that if we had done what he thought he wanted, we would just have sold a course and he would just be poorer!

At the moment you are stuck between boats, currently you could do PB 2 but then you want to go up in size. I would say that unless you are totally confident in your theory skills, do the Day Skipper Shore-based course in whatever forms suits you - evening classes, correspondence, 5 day intensive or over say 3 weekends. Then say to yourself, OK, I know understand whats required and look to do the Day Skipper practical - you will then put the theory knowledge into a real situation and will get far more from both courses in the end.

I'm sorry if this has gone on a bit, but there is not a simple solution that meets everybody's needs - no one size fits all! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
ha ha! I did read her the post /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

She can read but was watching some American house make over programme that makes people cry! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
That's kinda what I meant but I can't type as fast as You!
Don't You think Sneddons "history" is up to it?
What I meant was if He went to someone like Yourself and had an assesement.
Then if not up to Scratch ok. Go down the route You suggest.
Yep I agree the Instuctor cannot be expected to cover the very basic stuff.
But if Snedd has "boned" up a bit as He indicates + His experience of the Day Skip course would not an assesment be worth while?
I bow to Your greater experience on this subject.
However it seems to Me that if a pupil is keen and has more than an inkling it makes a heck of a difference.
What says You?
 
Solitaire, thanks for the information, much appreciated.
You have hit the nail squarely on the head!
Don't want to do a course that is to advanced for my (limited) knowledge. That would be a waste of money and I'd end up looking like a prat!
On the other hand, at the risk of sounding big headed, I don't want to do a course that would just cover old ground. I think something something in between DS theory and DS practical (or a combination) would be ideal. I need the knowledge and experience more than the certificate, although it would look good on the wall! I think I will look for a wekend theory course as the long winter nights seem a long way away(!?).
Is it possible to get hold of an old theory exam paper?
The results of my doing it, unrevised and without referring to notes or books, would be very enlighting and reveal the areas I need to brush on in order to pass a real exam.

Cheers, and thanx again /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top