Training 2

[Guest]

O.K. I've got a boat on the Thames and I believe that she should be suitable for coastal cruising (she's slow but reliable) but need training. Want to do Day Skipper theory but can't manage night school over the winter 'cos of other commitments. I am thinking of a correspondence course but am not sure whether it will necessarily be for me. BTW after the theory then planning on doing practical at a sea school before sticking my nose out into the estuary.

Has anyone done a correspondence based Day Skipper course and if so what did you think of it? Also with whom?

Ta

 

[martin]

I did the Capn M watts day skipper. Great for doin when you want but material is not so good. They have three diff words for everything and tend to use them all in a single paragraph just to keep you on the toes. Compared notes with chum who did night school, he said instructor had same problem, tended to loose the plot, smell of booze an contradict self. He said class tended to get together and solve probs as team behind tutors back.

In the end we concluded that all passed because they bought other books, talked to each other and worked it all out logically rather than actual teachin ability.

So, if your gona do that anyway just choose the cheapest and most convienient.

BTW the capn m one lets you submit yor exam from home as long as supervised by someone else.!!! I got the teacher across the road to validate mine...heh heh..funny...she smelt of booze a bit as she went home.

 

[Guest]

I did my Day Skipper theory with NMCC based at Birkenhead. It was some years ago now(about 10) and my overiding impression then was that the material needed updating to the current RYA syllabus and presenting in a more user friendly format.
My friend who did his course at night school, didn't cover half the topics that this course took me to, so if you want 'in depth' knowledge as opposed to just getting a certificate, then this course may be for you!
I would suggest that you did a practical course as well, because your efforts at the chart table then become a living reality, not just a mark out of 10 or 20 at the bottom of the page.
There are also courses available on CD-Rom's now, so this might be another option to look at if you can't get to night school or spare the time to do an 'intensive' course.