rya level 2 assessment

Doghousekeeper said:
No reason why PB2 should not be done as a Direct Assessment, and no reason why there shouldn't be some preparation for that assessment.

However, if spending 2 days doing it, it does seem a little strange not to be doing it by continual assessment as part of a training course.
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I did BB2 last year and there was no real feeling of continuous assessment but we did have an RYA inspector with us for the 2 days. At the end of the course we spent an extra 90 minutes ashore going over buoyage as one guy just didn't get it. After he had it drummed into him we all got our certificates.

I reckon it's a good course. As a Rag and Stick man it was worth the £200 to spend a weekend blasting around in RIB.
 
I did it with the sea cadets, we had an instructor teaching us stuff at our local river but to be properly rya assessed we had to go to a rya approved centre, 50 miles away.

We did have a written and a practical test. we had to get over 80% in the written to pass and do practical stuff safely.

But it was just a test the intructor and assessor had made up, even though the assessor said he could go get proper test papers.

Anyway I passed and got my certificate, but my level 1 is for planning and displacement, but my l2 is only for displacement, does this mean i still have to have an adult with me if I drive a planning boat?
 
mollykins said:
Anyway I passed and got my certificate, but my level 1 is for planning and displacement, but my l2 is only for displacement, does this mean i still have to have an adult with me if I drive a planning boat?
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Ignoring the "oddness" of the testing/assessment arrangements and the bizarre addition of a written paper where there is no need for one (presumably gives the instructor that extra bit of power - would he really have "failed" you if you only got 79% and his 'oral questioning' suggested you had just misunderstood/misread a question, rather than not knowing the idea): you have probably been misinformed of what a PB2 certificate is for.

Firstly, it has no special status or legal meaning (unless commercially endorsed - which is a whole other topic). Without ever doing any "training" you can get on a boat and drive it - provided you have the owners permission. So you could, if I chose to let you, drive my planing powerboat with or without supervision, with or without the certificate that you already have.

Secondly, PB certificates issued to "children" are endorsed to say that they should be used under supervision - but that has no special meaning either - its simply guidance to the "boat owner" or the child's parents that the RYA isn't saying it is appropriate to let your child drive this boat unsupervised. There could be insurance implications if a minor with an "endorsed" certificate crashes a powerboat when not being supervised - but it wouldn't be illegal.

You'll certainly find it harder to rent a planning powerboat using a Displacement PB2 certificate; and many clubs would want to see you undertaking at least some form on informal assessment if not the PB2 assessment itself before handing over the keys to club boats.

Finally - if you were ever to decide to go for an Intermediate or Advanced PB2 course, the safety boat course, dinghy instructor course etc where a PB2 is expected then you might find that a "displacement endorsed" certificate will not be enough. If you do decide to do that sort of training - I'd look for a centre where the emphasis is on the learning and hands on practical experience (with a low student:instructor ratio) rather than on formal "assessment" and "testing".
 
tinkicker0 said:
Wrong. We took a formal assessment at the end of the course, recapping everything we had covered, only without any advice from the instructor.

Thats with both courses, one on Grimwith Reservoir and one at Whitby.

however it did not have a feel of a test like a driving test, more a "lets see you do this" type thing.
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I did my level 2 (inland) at Grimwith in 1994. It must have changed as we didn't do an assessment over and above being observed in control (allegedly) of the dory/rib trying not to sever limbs on casualties (fenders). I've not been in control of a powerboat since (Well engine on in a few yachts now and again maybe), so I'm a qualified liability these days.:rolleyes:

Tim
 
RIB_imposter said:
Ignoring the "oddness" of the testing/assessment arrangements and the bizarre addition of a written paper where there is no need for one (presumably gives the instructor that extra bit of power - would he really have "failed" you if you only got 79% and his 'oral questioning' suggested you had just misunderstood/misread a question, rather than not knowing the idea): you have probably been misinformed of what a PB2 certificate is for.

Firstly, it has no special status or legal meaning (unless commercially endorsed - which is a whole other topic). Without ever doing any "training" you can get on a boat and drive it - provided you have the owners permission. So you could, if I chose to let you, drive my planing powerboat with or without supervision, with or without the certificate that you already have.

Secondly, PB certificates issued to "children" are endorsed to say that they should be used under supervision - but that has no special meaning either - its simply guidance to the "boat owner" or the child's parents that the RYA isn't saying it is appropriate to let your child drive this boat unsupervised. There could be insurance implications if a minor with an "endorsed" certificate crashes a powerboat when not being supervised - but it wouldn't be illegal.

You'll certainly find it harder to rent a planning powerboat using a Displacement PB2 certificate; and many clubs would want to see you undertaking at least some form on informal assessment if not the PB2 assessment itself before handing over the keys to club boats.

Finally - if you were ever to decide to go for an Intermediate or Advanced PB2 course, the safety boat course, dinghy instructor course etc where a PB2 is expected then you might find that a "displacement endorsed" certificate will not be enough. If you do decide to do that sort of training - I'd look for a centre where the emphasis is on the learning and hands on practical experience (with a low student:instructor ratio) rather than on formal "assessment" and "testing".
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Fully endorsed as per the above! If you would like help or more information then PM me, alternatively contact the RYA Training Dept.
 
Yeah I know it's not a legal requirement to have one to drive a boat, but if you were to buy a boat, would the insurance be cheaper if you have a rya qualification? seeing as it shows you are, or should be competant?
 
mollykins said:
Yeah I know it's not a legal requirement to have one to drive a boat, but if you were to buy a boat, would the insurance be cheaper if you have a rya qualification? seeing as it shows you are, or should be competant?
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Molly, it depends on the insurance company, but showing that you have done a boat handling course can make a difference.
 
mollykins said:
Yeah I know it's not a legal requirement to have one to drive a boat, but if you were to buy a boat, would the insurance be cheaper if you have a rya qualification? seeing as it shows you are, or should be competant?
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As newbie when I first bought my boat, I had two options from the insurance company's point of view:

1. Take along an experienced skipper to show me the ropes for the first 12 months.

2. Get the relevant bits of RYA paper to cover the type of use the boat would be put to and dispense with the skipper.

So, unsure of how the boat would be used, did the L2 powerboat inland, did the L2 powerboat at the seaside for the coastal endorsement, Did the CEVNI test, then got issued with the RYA ICC for inland and coastal waters.
The insurers were then happy to let me loose on the general boating population without an old salt smoking a pipe sat alongside.



Solitaire

Have an apology to make. Asked SWMBO about the test and she said I did all the excercises again because we finished the course contents very early due to already having done the same excercises on the inland PBL2, she said the instructor was just kind of letting me practice a bit more (play).

All I could remember was holding station by a buoy with the instructor at the front, stopwatch in hand, hence falsely remembering it was a test.

SWMBO did not take part in this other than as ballast and got her certificate anyway.

Was all puffed up about it and convinced I was right, until SWMBO deflated my balloon :o

My faulty memory of the day's events, sorry.
 
tinkicker0 said:
Solitaire

Have an apology to make. Asked SWMBO about the test and she said I did all the excercises again because we finished the course contents very early due to already having done the same excercises on the inland PBL2, she said the instructor was just kind of letting me practice a bit more (play).

All I could remember was holding station by a buoy with the instructor at the front, stopwatch in hand, hence falsely remembering it was a test.

SWMBO did not take part in this other than as ballast and got her certificate anyway.

Was all puffed up about it and convinced I was right, until SWMBO deflated my balloon :o

My faulty memory of the day's events, sorry.
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No worries, but stop digging when you say that SWMBO got the certificate anyway, even though she was acting as ballast!!

There are many schools who take great pride in offering a good course at a high standard. Probably the reason that the UK has avoided compulsory certification. A good school will not be a cheap deal as they invest in equipment and instructors. I have received pm'S from people who don't stick their heads above the parapet like I do, but are as equally as passionate about maintaining a high standard of training.

The PB2 course should not be an arduous task, but should push the student to a level of understanding that ensures a degree of competency and basic skill.We say that in no way can we turn students into expert boat handlers over two days, but we can show the basic techniques that they can then build on. It should also be fun, after all the majority of people doing PB2 want to walk away feeling confident, not that they simply have a bit of paper in their hand. It is a voluntary scheme and as long as standards are maintained then it will remain so. If anybody feels that the course they have done has left them feeling negative then they should contact the RYA and the school will be investigated.

The RYA monitors this forum and I have had communication with the RYA today as a result of this post. They will follow up all reports and look to maintain standards. All RYA schools are inspected every year but it is a snap shot so as long as they fulfil the requirements on the day then things will move on.

We are passionate about what we do. our instructors are as well. This applies to all good schools so like anything itself, if it's too cheap then think again.
 
Still think we are at crossed purposes Solitaire. I shall attempt to word it a bit better than my previous poor effort.

Not in anyway trying to denigrate the professionalism of the instructors or the contents of the course. The whole thing was a very enjoyable and low key affair and the instructors were very affable and professional.


Nor did I mean to say that SWMBO sat there and did nothing, yet gained her certificate.

I meant to say that according to the missus we had both completed the course elements to the satisfaction of the instructor and because the training was still fresh from the previous course, we did all the maneuvers pretty much first time.

This meant we finished very early, so the instructor had me practicing some more, specially the running back into harbour holding the boat on the crest of a wave and the 30 second buoy station keeping exercise.

According to SWMBO this was all done to give value for money and was done voluntarily by the instructor as we had finished early and he was ensuring we had the full two days.

This was what I mis remembered as the separate test.

SWMBO felt she did not want to do much more practice than was strictly necessary as she only took the course in case of emergencies.


Fancy letting me off the hook now? I've sweated buckets :)
 
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