Powerboat Handling Level 2
Powerboating offers the best of both worlds, the leisurely pace of a gentle cruise and the thrill of zipping across the open water. RYA training will give you the confidence and skills to handle the boat safely and make the most of your time on the water, whatever your pace.
As well as courses for recreational boaters, RYA powerboat certificates are also used by professional open boat skippers who need to prove their competence or require professional qualifications for work.
So, whether you use powerboats for leisure, work, or in connection with another activity such as sailing or rescue, we have a course for you. Find out more about our powerboat courses below.
Birmingham & Midland Marine Services Ltd run two versions of the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course, a Leisure sector-oriented course and a Commercial / Blue-Light / Industrial oriented version for clients such as the Environment Agency, Search & Rescue, Safety & Rescue sector clients, either not operating on Category ‘C’ and ‘D’ Waters, or, for the purpose of attaining a commercial endorsement upon their licence.
This two-day entry level course provides the skills and background knowledge needed to drive a powerboat and is the basis of the International Certificate of Competence (ICC). It is also one of the two prerequisites for our ‘Inland Waters Rescue Boat Operators’ course.
Leisure training
is undertaken on a 1:3 instructor to candidate ratio aboard our well appointed Northcraft 5.4m Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) and reflects the standard RYA PB2 syllabus.
Focusing on low-speed close quarters handling, man overboard recovery, an introduction to driving at planing speed and collision regulations. The course covers both inland and coastal elements, taking place at our second training centre, an 18th Century ‘Grecian Temple’, adjacent to the 60 acre lake in the grounds (designed by the renowned landscape architect, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown) of a private, country estate; home of the occupying Family for some 900 years (www.chillingtonhall.co.uk).
Course content: Boat handling, securing to a buoy, anchoring, leaving, and coming alongside, man overboard
Ability after the course: Self-sufficient powerboater in the right conditions, aware of own limitations and those of craft
Included in the course fee:
- RYA PB2 training book
- RYA PB2 Photographic ID card upon successful completion. (Bring a photo!)
- Tea’s, Coffee’s
- All boat costs
- MCA, RYA, IWA, & RLSS Instructor
More information is available over on our Leisure section.
Commercial training
is run at a 2:6 instructor to candidate ratio, with two boats operating at the same time.
Training can be tailored to the clients’ specific requirements in terms of the types of vessels used, from centre console RIB’s to planing / displacement landing craft such as one of our three former Royal Marines Beach Assault Craft – Mk. 1 Rigid Raiders, to fast rescue and patrol inflatable vessels with commercial tiller steer outboard engines.
Additional content covering elements such as shallow-water drive, two-stroke outboard considerations, bank-launches and casualty management are included, providing a foundation level to both the ‘Inland Waters Rescue Boat Operator’s qualification and the Flood Rescue Concept of Operations DEFRA 4 Rescue boat Operator qualification.
Bookings are ‘closed courses’ only, three candidates per vessel / booking to a maximum of six candidates per two-day course.
For Maritime & Coastguard Agency guidance on training requirements, please follow the link below to view MSN 1853 (M)
Amendment 1
M Notice Template – MSF 5011 (publishing.service.gov.uk)
This notice describes the application of The Merchant Shipping (BoatMaster’s’ Qualifications,
Crew and Hours of Work) Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”). The 2015 Regulations
re-enact the Merchant Shipping Inland Waterway and Limited Coastal Operations)
