PB2 or own boat tuition?

paradave

paradave

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 Dec 2019
Messages
469
Visit site
The good news: collected my new Merry Fisher 805 at the weekend and successfully navigated from Poole to Portsmouth in changing seas. The boat behaved beautifully.
The bad: my low speed control is abysmal. It’s my first taste of a shaft drive and stern to mooring and I bady need tuition.

so which would be more beneficial don you think? I have No formal motorboat qualification but have owned a stern driven cuddy for a few years prior.
 
As you say You're not a complete novice, so you understand the fundamentals, so I think all you need is practice in your own boat to get used to the different way it handles, prob no point in getting tuition imo. You'll get used to it pretty quickly I reckon
 
I’m doing my PB2 in May. I’ve owned a 40’ shaft drive cruiser for 15 years and self taught (well, learned on my previous stern drive twin).

I’ve just bought a Chapparel 180SSI in Corfu, so I’m now actually required to hold a qualification! I would go for the PB2, as it includes an element of theory and law too. It can be used as the basis of an ICC too from what I understand. You will of course have a chat with your chosen trainer, so you can discuss your concerns with low speed handling with a view to them focusing some time on your individual requirements.
 
I would recommend a days own boat tuition tbh. Someone whos taught on a 805MF before. Or at least a morning spent pontoon bashing with someone who knows what to do.
I was rubbish when i first started mooring and coming alongside a pontoon, the level 2 course i did was in a RIB which handled totally differently to my current MF645 which is much more affected by the wind.
It comes with practice, but you will save a lot of anguish if you get yourself a bit of training. Nice boat btw :)
 
In my case I did PB2 to get my insurance cover but it was no help whatsoever with handling my own boat. However its a qualification so defo worth having ( for ICC too) So my answer would be do both.
 
I was self taught and over many years gained sufficient experience. Some years ago I sent my son and son in law on a two day ICC course on a Sealine S38 (The course may have had something to do with Sealine down on the Hamble) I was amazed and to be honest a little shocked how proficient they were after two days.
 
I’ll come back and let you know soon. Finished my PB2 today and I thought the practical handling went rather well (I can see a big fall coming!) It will be very interesting to see over the next few days when I jump on my (new to me) Searay 240. The course covered a lot of different things and was generally very interesting and makes you realise what areas you ought to improve on IMHO.
 
If I had a choice looking back I wouldn't do PB2 on my boat as the course is not about personal tuition handling your own boat its about theory into practice, and in my case my skills weren't good enough on my new to me boat. However on a rib I passed the course no probs .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top