Powerboat Instructor Skills Assessment

This is a mandatory requirement ahead of the Powerboat Instructors course.

Assesses your boat handling skills and your theory/background knowledge.

Candidates for the Pre-Assessment will be expected to demonstrate competence in:

  • Hold off a mark
  • Pick up and secure to a buoy
  • Moor alongside up/downtide
  • Turn using warps
  • Turn in a confined space
  • Recover a man overboard (dummy)
  • Stop and start the engine
  • Planing speed runs including figure 8 and ‘U’ turns
  • Theory including charts, tides, buoyage, colregs and pilotage

The Powerboat Instructor course is ideal for:

  • Those looking to teach the Powerboat Level 1, 2 and Safety Boat* courses at a registered RYA Training Centre.
  • *PBIs must hold the RYA Safety Boat certificate in order to teach the course.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Candidates should have logged at least five seasons’ experience of powerboating, preferably in a range of boat types and sizes.
  • For those who use powerboats as an integral part of their normal full-time occupation, this period is reduced to one season.
  • Assumed knowledge Candidates will hold the RYA National Powerboat Certificate (Level 2) and a valid First Aid Certificate of a type approved by the RYA. For more details on acceptable First Aid qualifications see here. 
  • Instructors wishing to teach the Safety Boat course must hold that level of certificate themselves
  • It is recommended that attendees hold a VHF/SRC operators certificate. 
  •  

Assumed Knowledge:

  • Candidates should be competent as a minimum to the standard of Level 2 (including the coastal endorsement) and will be required to demonstrate a range of practical and theoretical skills and knowledge from any aspect of the RYA Powerboat Level 2 Syllabus.  

This assessment runs at various times over a half day period.

Minimum duration: 4 hours

16 years old.

 This course operates with a maximum of 3 students per instructor/vessel

Skills Asssessment costs £100p/p

Book for 2 people or more and save 5% off the total price

Bundles are available – contact us for more details

Course Publications – Students MUST have access to these publications during the course:

  • RYA Powerboat Logbook (Ref G20)
  • RYA Power Schemes Instructors Handbook (Ref G19) –
  • RYA Start Powerboating (Ref G48)

If possible undertake the assessment 3-6 weeks before the Instructor course.

Should you be given an action plan from the skills assessment this gives you time to brush up on any highlighted areas. This is valid for 6 months.

We also schedule assessments for the day before an instructor course in case you can’t make it any sooner.