Introduction to the RYA Powerboat Instructor Course
Once you have gained enough experience on powerboats you can take it pro and become a RYA powerboat instructor. This will give you the responsibility to take students to sea and start them on their boating journey.
It’s a great feeling when you teach people the same first steps that somebody taught you.
The first rung on the instructor ladder is becoming a RYA Powerboat Level 2 instructor.
How to Become a RYA Powerboat Instructor
In order to become an instructor you need to meet the following requirements:
- hold a RYA Powerboat Level 2 certificate.
- hold a valid RYA first aid certificate.
- have either 5 years powerboating experience or if you work on boats full time, one seasons experience.
- be 16 years old or over.
- pass the instructor skills assessment day
The Instructor Skills Assessment
The skills assessment is based on Powerboat Level 2 skills. The intention is to make certain that you can drive the boat to the standard required. It makes sense that you should have the skills in order to teach the skills.
Assessments are conducted by an RYA appointed Powerboat Trainer. He will assess you and make a decision about whether or not you can attend the instructor course.
During the assessment you will have to demonstrate your ability to:
- hold off a mark or stationary object
- pick up a mooring buoy
- moor the boat both up and down tide
- turn using warps and spring off
- turn in a confined space
- recover a man overboard dummy
- stop and start the engine
- carry out high speed manoeuvres including figure of 8 and U-turns
The RYA Powerboat Instructor Course
So long as you prove your ability to to drive a boat you will be accepted onto the instructor course. The course will take you three days to complete. Contrary to what you might think, the course isn’t about boat driving. The course is about how to teach. You will have to be demonstrating good boating driving skills as part of delivering training sessions. Otherwise how could you give your customers good value?
Specifically, during the course, the Trainer will be training you in some good teaching methods. These will help you to break down practical skills into teachable chunks so that you can deliver good sessions on the water.
They will also be teaching you how to prepare theory sessions for the classroom. This will include things like preparing visual aids, using a white board and presentation skills.
Another important part of teaching is giving constructive feedback. You will be taught methods of giving praise when things go well. You will also be taught how to delver criticism in a constructive and acceptable manner.
To demonstrate your progress throughout the three days you will have to deliver teaching sessions. You will give a theory session in the classroom which will be delivered to your peers. You will also teach practical sessions on the water to your peers and to the RYA Trainer. All of these sessions will form part of a continuous assessment as you learn and develop new skills.
The Complete RYA Powerboat Instructor Course Syllabus
The subjects included in the course are as follows:
- the theory of teaching – principles of practical instruction
- delivering theory subjects
- preparation and effective use of visual aids
- lesson and programme planning
- teaching styles
- practical driving
- reviewing and feedback skills
- the standards required by the RYA
- assessing student ability
- structure of the RYA National Powerboat Scheme
- developing student skills along a progressive pathway
- the requirements for running an effective school
During the course you will be demonstrating that:
- knowledge of the subject of powerboating
- ability to deliver effective teaching sessions
- skills to demonstrate all elements of the RYA Powerboat Level 2 syllabus
- ability to deliver at least one theory session ashore
- be able to demonstrate safety awareness for themselves and students throughout
Course Moderation
On the last day, a second RYA Trainer will be there to moderate the course. So what does this mean?
The second Trainer won’t have been involved with the course. His or her job is to ensure that they agree with the pass / fail decisions of the first Trainer. They are a check to ensure everything is fair and that the RYA’s standards are being upheld.
The second Trainer will be looking at the same things as the first one. So you can expect to demonstrate teaching sessions for them as well on the last day.
Once You Are Qualified….
After you pass this course you will be able to represent the RYA and your training centre. You will be out there on the water teaching the Powerboat Level 2 course and starting people on an amazing hobby.
Your instructor certificate will last for 5 years if you maintain an up to date first aid certificate during that time.
How to Become an RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor
This is the next step after your initial instructor qualification. It’s considered the pinnacle of instruction in the RYA Powerboat Scheme.
Once you have gained this qualification you will be entitled to teach both the Intermediate Powerboat and the Advanced Powerboat courses.
In order to qualify to attend the course you must:
- you must already be a existing powerboat instructor
- hold an advanced powerboat course completion certificate
- hold any one of the power Certificates of Competence. Either the Advanced Powerboat COC or a Yachtmaster Power COC.
As advanced courses are taught on commercially coded boats, you will need to be a commercially endorsed skipper.
The RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor Course is conducted over two days and one evening. It will include a night exercise which will be conducted in darkness.
The Advanced Instructor Syllabus
- practical boat handling in a variety of situations
- daytime navigation theory and practical
- navigating in darkness theory and practical
- meteorology
- collision regulations theory and application
- use of engines including twins
- emergency situations including search patterns and helicopter rescue
- boat and crew management both day and night
- effective delivery of all aspects of the course