Fowey Maritime Centre RYA Advanced Powerboat, Day and night Course

RYA Advanced Powerboat, Day and night Course

To teach boat handling, seamanship, pilotage and navigation up to the standards required to drive a planing powerboat safely by day and night in tidal coastal waters with which the candidate may be familiar. The ratio of students to instructors should not exceed 6:1 (using two boats). The course will be conducted on a planing boat powerboat with lights conforming to the IRPCS. Students must wear a minimum 150 Newton lifejacket with a DoT approved light for the night exercise.

Duration

2 days

Minimum age

17 years old

PRACTICAL

Preparation for sea

Can:

• Prepare the powerboat
• Carry out fuel and engine checks
• Stow and secure gear

Boat handling

Knowledge of:

• Differences for a twin engine vessel

Understands:

• Characteristics of various hull forms and propeller configurations
• Action to be taken in rough weather

Can:

• Demonstrate a practical understanding and correct use of power trim and trim tabs
• Demonstrate an awareness of the effects of wind and tide when manoeuvring, including:
• Steering to transits
• Turning in a confined space
• Berthing in various conditions of wind and tide
• Picking up and leaving a mooring buoy
• Demonstrate the use of an appropriate length kill cord at all times

Passage making and responsibility as skipper

Understands:

• The importance of pre-trip planning
• Planning and making coastal passages, taking into account the relevant navigational hazards, the type of boat and the strengths of the crew
• Chart plotter and radar, their advantages and limitations

Can:

• Carry out pilotage plans and pilotage for entry into or departure from harbour
• Use leading and clearing lines, transits, back bearings and soundings as aids to pilotage
• Use GPS and understand its limitations in pilotage
• Navigate using soundings

Meterology

Knowledge of:

• Terms used in shipping forecasts; including the Beaufort scale, and their significance to small craft

Understands:

• Sources of forecast information and interpretation of forecasts including synoptic charts
• The significance of meteorological trends

Rules of the road

Can:

• Apply the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea

Use of engines

Knowledge of:

• How to change a propeller
• Propeller diameter and pitch
• Propeller ventilation and cavitation

Understands:

• Checks to be made before starting, during running and after stopping for diesel and petrol engines
• Periodic checks on engines and electrical system including spark plugs, water filters and pump impellers
• How to bleed the fuel system (diesel), change filters and pump impellers, transmission belts
• Spares to be carried

Emergency situations

Understands:

• Correct action to take in emergency situations
• Fire prevention and fighting
• Hull damage/watertight integrity
• What to do in a medical emergency
• Towing and being towed
• Helicopter rescue procedures
• Use of flares
• Search patterns

Can:

• Pick up a man overboard in all available conditions

Night cruising

Can:

• Take charge of a powerboat at night, including leaving and entering harbour
• Demonstrate ability at keeping a proper lookout and identifying lit and unlit marks by night