The Advanced Powerboat Course will take all of your experiences and knowledge and provide a platform for you to show your capabilities during the day and night. This course is a really fantastic stage of development from leisurely boating only in daylight hours to artfully navigating on a powerboat regardless of the time of day or visibility. A combination of up to date electronic navigational aids and traditional chart navigation will be discussed and used. The syllabus below outlines the knowledge required to undertake the advanced course. Please contact us to discuss the knowledge and experience that you have if you have not already passed the coastal or yacht master theory course.
Advanced Powerboat
Day One Morning
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:
- The importance of boat control in waves and adequate seating to minimise the possibility of injury, 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 maneuvering, Including:
- Steering to transits in buoyed channels, turning in a confined space, Berthing in various conditions of wind and tide, Picking up and leaving a mooring buoy, Demonstrating the use of an appropriate length kill cord at all times, Pick up a man overboard in differing conditions
Passage making and Responsibilities of a 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 plotters and radar, their advantages and limitations
Can:
- Organise the navigation, safely and welfare of the crew during a powerboat passage, Navigate at higher speed using a range of techniques, Use electronic navigation equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints routes and XTE, SOG, COG,BTW,DTW
Pilotage
Can:
- Carry out pilotage plans and pilotage for entry into or departure from a harbor, Use leading and clearing lines, transits, back bearings and soundings as aids to pilotage, Use GPS and understands its limitations in pilotage, Navigate using soundings
Night Cruising
Can:
- Take charge of a powerboat at night, including leaving and entering harbor, Demonstrate ability at keeping a proper look-out and identifying lit and unlit positions by night
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 systems including spark plugs, water filters and pump impellers, Transmission belts, Spares to be carried
Emergency situations
Understands:
- Correct action to take in emergency situations, Fire preventing and fighting, Hull damage / watertight integrity, What to do in a medical emergency, Towing and being towed, Helicopter rescue procedures, Issue distress by all available means, Search patterns, The danger of cold shock and immersion hypothermia
Meteorology
Understands:
- Terms used in shipping forecasts, including the Beaufort scale, and their significance to small craft, Sources of forecast information and interpretation of forecasts including synoptic charts, The significance of meteorological trends
Can:
- Interpret a synoptic chart, Use and interpret forecasts to make decisions about passages
The dates for the advanced courses are available here.
The Advanced course is the stepping stone for many to commercial endorsement and professionally skippering, the details of the certificate of competence are here in this link.