Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
I stand corrected, yes you only legally need the exam, however I wouldn’t like to do the exam without having done the course, especially as a beginner
RYA Courses
- Thread starter Nosealegsyet
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I stand corrected, yes you only legally need the exam, however I wouldn’t like to do the exam without having done the course, especially as a beginner
[70521]
Well-Known Member
I sail and did my Powerboat II at the weekend.
The course is designed for people with zero knowledge of theory or practical experience, you can do the course from the age of 12.
The instructor was really good, even an old salt like me learnt one or two different way of doing things. Personally, I found doing 30 knots bl00dy terrifying but I am not a speed freak and will be pleased to take the sailing boat out. I get excited if we reach the dizzy speed of seven knots through the water.
What the course did teach me was why people in powerboats have no idea of the havoc they are causing boats in a mooring field - they just don't have time to look behind them to see us sloshing about spilling out tea/coffee/beer/wine or gawd forbid single malt whisky.
The course is designed for people with zero knowledge of theory or practical experience, you can do the course from the age of 12.
The instructor was really good, even an old salt like me learnt one or two different way of doing things. Personally, I found doing 30 knots bl00dy terrifying but I am not a speed freak and will be pleased to take the sailing boat out. I get excited if we reach the dizzy speed of seven knots through the water.
What the course did teach me was why people in powerboats have no idea of the havoc they are causing boats in a mooring field - they just don't have time to look behind them to see us sloshing about spilling out tea/coffee/beer/wine or gawd forbid single malt whisky.
Nosealegsyet
Well-Known Member
Interesting- I am looking forward to knowing if the speed is going to frighten me or not , amongst many other things i will learn.
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
Interesting as I have been teaching PB2 for a couple of years and the 3 schools I have taught with have each briefed me not to exceed 20 kts. A few reasons for this, clients can feel safe at 20kts yet it is still fun, as an instructor we have the experience and knowledge to drive far in excess of this however an inexperienced newbie probably has not yet got that experience. At 30 kts it can all go wrong very quickly
[70521]
Well-Known Member
An interesting comment. I think we were fortunate as conditions were ideal a smooth sea and a F2 when we were doing the high speed work. The three students on the boat were experienced sailing skippers and the Instructor knew us, as the club is also a training centre. Perhaps he was comfortable taking us up to 30 knots knowing we were not "hot head" boy racers?
Totally agree about things going wrong at 30 knots, I though pots were hard enough to spot at seven knots, at 30 you need to really consecrate!
Nosealegsyet
Well-Known Member
Ive just passed the VHF exam, in front of an examiner, first of all you do the course online, and then you have to do a knowledge test at the endof the online course ,providing you pass that you then book in with an RYA examiner, which is another £60.00. And I passed 92%......Dead Chuffed.......
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
Supposed to be a thumbs up but it would seem I have my emoticons disabled
Nosealegsyet
Well-Known Member
lol! ive got enough emotions for everyone ! thankyou
TwoHooter
Well-Known Member
Well done!
This afternoon there was a Mayday (grounding on the Bramble Bank) and the RT procedure was very good, mainly between Solent Coastguard and a vessel offering to assist the casualty. That's the fourth Mayday I've listened to, always good to hear the theory becoming reality even if it does mean that someone's day has gone a bit pear-shaped.
My only advice is from my own experience. I would encourage you to save some of your tuition money for own-boat tuition and try to do as much learning as possible on your own boat. Every boat is different and as a novice you will find it very valuable to have a professional exploring your boat's performance alongside you. This may have been said already, if so sorry for duplication, I've only just started reading the forum again after a long gap.
This afternoon there was a Mayday (grounding on the Bramble Bank) and the RT procedure was very good, mainly between Solent Coastguard and a vessel offering to assist the casualty. That's the fourth Mayday I've listened to, always good to hear the theory becoming reality even if it does mean that someone's day has gone a bit pear-shaped.
My only advice is from my own experience. I would encourage you to save some of your tuition money for own-boat tuition and try to do as much learning as possible on your own boat. Every boat is different and as a novice you will find it very valuable to have a professional exploring your boat's performance alongside you. This may have been said already, if so sorry for duplication, I've only just started reading the forum again after a long gap.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
Agreed re tuition etc.
Re the mayday, i didnt hear it so there may be more to it, but unless someone had fallen in, running agroung on the bramble bank is not normally a mayday situation. Pan pan at most, maybe just an advisory call to vts. So was proceedure really followed?
TwoHooter
Well-Known Member
The casualty pressed her Distress button (we got the alarm on our VHF) and that's what triggered the Mayday response. Coastguard must have elected to keep it a Mayday until resolution. Not sure coastguard ever made contact with casualty. What we mostly heard was traffic between coastguard and a vesel standing by to render assistance if necessary until the lifeboats (2 of them) arrived. I agree with you, if it's just a grounding on mud or sand and OK to float off again on the next tide and the weather is OK and nobody hurt or ill then the most I would do is a Pan call, perhaps not even that. Isn't Mayday supposed to be for imminent danger to life? Nosealegsyet will know better than me, he's just done the course!
Elessar
Well-Known Member
lookout because he's a she though I'm sure she'll be able to give us the latest update!
TwoHooter
Well-Known Member
Oh dear, I'll be ejected from the forum, banned for sexism 
(I did make the vessel feminine though, against current convention. Does that help?)
(I did make the vessel feminine though, against current convention. Does that help?)
Elessar
Well-Known Member
Oh dear, I'll be ejected from the forum, banned for sexism
(I did make the vessel feminine though, against current convention. Does that help?)
Not for me to say. You’ll have to see how she reacts when she reads this!!
Nosealegsyet
Well-Known Member
Oh dear, I'll be ejected from the forum, banned for sexism
(I did make the vessel feminine though, against current convention. Does that help?)
lol! that made ma laugh.....First time ive been able to offer anything to this forum, rather than take! Mayday is for immenent threat to life or vessel. So it should of been a Pan Pan call.
Now on Day Skipper Theory...... thought I was doing ok till I got to tidal streams....Jesus it just isn't sinking in....So ive got someone who is going to explain it to me face to face.
and then I think I will be fine.
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Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
That is the problem with online courses compared to a classroom.
I have not done the shorebased day skipper due to previous experience but jumped straight in at coastal. So am not quite up to date with the cylabus. It used to be 4 days for Day and 5 days for Coastal.
The Day requiring an understanding of tidal streams with the Coastel being a working knowledge.
mm42
Well-Known Member
Try 45+, at night. That focuses your mind.
Rocksteadee
Well-Known Member
Seeing as most smuggling was done at night so that was when we patrolled.
One one occasion I was in a boat which hit a submerged railway sleeper. Took the gearbox and half the leg of a Mercury XR2 race engine straight off
Another boat a couple of weeks later hit a submerged chest freezer, the corner of which was sticking up out of the deck