RYA Power Boat Level 2 Direct Assessment Description
Direct assessment for experienced powerboat drivers
Note that the Power Boat Licence that we can issue at Llandegfedd is for Inland waters. We cannot provide a coastal endorsement, as we have no tide or currents. (If you are going to show the licence in the Mediterranean, they might not mind, but you do need to be aware of this). You also have to provide a standard passport sized photograph. We register the license with the RYA who now keep a long term record.
The club will additionally provide guidance on using the boats at Llandegfedd, handling and stowing them in the garage/container etc. We should also cover towing, such as weights, lighting and driving licences.
The candidate should have the equivalent of at least one full season's powerboat handling experience.
The candidate must complete the Practical Exercise described below, and provide satisfactorily answer questions on "Section B".
Section B, Theory
The Candidate must have Knowledge of
- Types of craft: advantages and disadvantages of different forms with respect to sea keeping ability
- Engines and drives: advantages and disadvantages of Outboard, inboard and outboard drives, single and twin screws, choice and use of fuels
- Siting of fuel tanks, venting, priming fuel lines, batteries, wiring, fire extinguishers
- Familiarisation with controls
- Routine engine maintenance checks, basic fault diagnosis
- Checks, refuelling
- Launching and recovery
- Starting, both cold and warm
- Trim and tilt settings, shallow water
- Close down procedure
- Advice to inland drivers about coastal waters
- Use and limitations of GPS
- Application of local byelaws, especially about commercial shipping
- Sources of weather information
Understands
- Awareness of other water users
- Communication with other craft - hand and sound signals
- Man Overboard
- Disabled craft
- Emergency action, preventing sinking
- Adrift - alternative means of propulsion
- Anchoring
- Towing and being towed
- Fire precautions and fire fighting
- Ropework
- Distress signals and the Mayday call
Can
- Use the Collision Regulations, and...
- Apply IRPCS, principally rules 5, 7, 8, 9, 12-19
Practical Exercise
The practical exercise detailed in the diagram shows the manoeuvres required to be demonstration during the practical assessment. Candidates are expected to show that they understand the principles of each manoeuvre. Failure to successfully complete a manoeuvre at the first attempt will not necessarily result in overall failure, but a timely awareness of the need to abort an exercise and try again is important.
The Direct Assessment is typically a half day course, and will use the Club's RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boat) and the Jenneau. The full course for those who have little or no experience of boat driving is a 2 day course. The end results is that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate similar skills to those listed above.
Now what do I do?
Contact the Power Boat Instructors and negotiate a date for an assessment. You can now contact our Power Boat Instructing Team, via email, PBI@llandegfedd.org - and one or more them should respond to you. They have a backlog of people to cover, and will want to find dates when there can be small groups assessed together. If you can agree the date for your course, you can go to WebCollect and sign up for the course. The cost, timings and other details will be shown there. You can also pay on line through Web Collect.
If you have any general power boat queries, contact our Power Boat Instructing Team, PBI@llandegfedd.org - and one or more them should respond to you.
If you want general training advice, please contact our Training Principal Sarah Green.
