Advanced Powerboat Course

Run over 2 days and a evening (night exercise), the Advanced Powerboat course is designed to teach boat handling, seamanship, pilotage and navigation up to the standards required to drive a planing powerboat safely by day and night in coastal waters. 

Addresses areas such as night navigation, using on-board electronics, rough water handling and search patterns – a great course! 

Courses all use our Raymarine Axiom plotter and Quantum Radar as part of a #digitalfirst planning and pilotage methodology.

Courses usually run Between mid September and End March

The Advanced Powerboat course is aimed at the more experienced powerboat handler and assumes you can handle a powerboat very well as it is about developing your skills rather than starting them! It also assumes you understand navigation to the level of Yachtmaster/Coastal Skipper Theory (although you don’t actually need the qualification). We would always suggest that we have a chat with you about your experience before you book the course to ensure that this is the best course for you

Run over 2 days and a evening (night exercise), the Advanced Powerboat course is designed to teach boat handling, seamanship, pilotage and navigation up to the standards required to drive a planing powerboat safely by day and night in coastal waters. 

Ability at the end of the course: 

  • To be able to plan and execute coastal trips and return to a familiar port by night.

Syllabus:

  • Preparation for Sea
  • Boat Handling
  • Action to be taken in rough weather
  • Passage making and responsibility as Skipper
  • Pilotage
  • Meterology
  • Rules of the Road
  • Use of Engines
  • Emergency Situations:
    • Towing and being Towed
    • Helicopter Rescue procedures
    • Search patterns
  • Night Cruising

Aimed at experienced leisure boaters and those seeking to work commercially the Advanced Course can be followed by the Advanced Examination.

The pinnacle of the courses within the RYA powerboat scheme the Advanced Powerboat course suits:

  • Experienced leisure users who tend to boat throughout the year keen to develop their understanding of areas such as rough water handling, search patterns and helicopter rescue. The opportunity to develop the capability to navigate at night is always a significant area of interest to attendees.
  • Those keen to work commercially will almost certainly want to attend the Advanced Powerboat course before attending their Advanced Powerboat Examination as the course is a way to ensure that they are ‘doing it right’ and in a manner that is likely to prove acceptable to the examiner.
  • Existing Powerboat Instructors keen to develop onto become an Advanced Powerboat Instructor will need to undertake the Advanced Course as one of the steps towards becoming an APBI.
  • Existing commercial users operating at a level below the Advanced level will often use the advanced courses as a form of ‘Continuing Professional Development’ (CPD). to ensure those skippers continue to develop their skills
  • The course assumes you can handle a powerboat very well as it is about developing your skills rather than starting them! 
  • Candidates should be competent to more than the standard of the Intermediate Powerboat Certificate.
  • It also assumes you understand navigation to the level of at LEAST Day Skipper Theory ideally you will be at the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster offshore theory standard
  • It is strongly recommended that candidates hold a first aid certificate and a VHF operators certificate.
  • Courses usually start at 0900 and will finish around 3-4 hours after it gets dark on day 1 to accommodate the night exercise. 
  • Day 2 starts at 0900 and we aim to finish by 1700 – please check your booking confirmation for details

Minimum Duration: 2 days including a night passage

17 years old

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

  • Passport Photograph – essential for us to issue your certificate.
  • Your certificates/Powerboat Logbook i.e. RYA Intermediate certificate, VHF-SRC, Theory certificates

If you are looking to achieve a Commercial Endorsement at Advanced PB level you will need to conduct the Advanced Certificate of Competence (CoC) Exam.

Please note that the Advanced Powerboat Course CAN NOT be commercially endorsed

Looking to work commercially?

Read more about powerboating from our blog