Arbtalk.co.uk | Discussion Forum for Arborists

Just wondering if anyone out there in arb land does any powerboating?

I am taking my RYA level 2 powerboat course next week and quite frankly having received the course info am bricking it . Work are putting me through it so i can use the powerboats round reserviors and lakes for doing survey work.

I have no previous experience of boating at all! theres a days training and a days assement, also im not sure what happened to the level 1 course, obviously to basic for a complete novice.

any words of encouragement greatly appreciated

PS slightly concearned in the training manual it shows you the light sequences for all the diffent types of ship, not sure im going to find many minesweepers on reseviors in the midlands!

I did my day skipper last year, now got my marine vhf course done too. had to do all the light recognition and tonnes of safety stuff like that. imagine you'll have to do the same.

Do you have to do all the chart work too?

When i got there they decided to tell me I needed x number of extra bits and pieces that they could conveniently sell me.

the lights thing, theyre not bothered about tugs, minesweepers etc.

its more a case of identifying a vessel at anchor, which way theyre pointing, whether its under sail or power, and size of vessel. All stuff for if you're out there at night. Nothing to worry about really!

Charlie,
Assuming it's an inland water ticket, then it's a piece of cake, honestly. The company I used to work for put about 20 people through over the years and I can't remember anyone NOT passing (and I would not let some of them cross the road on their own!). The navigation lights and buoy systems are for coastal work (you may have to be able tell if a boat is coming or going by the red/white/green light combination). The rest is a few knots, driving without hitting things and man over board procedure. If they have any tiller operated boats i.e. no steering wheel, get as much practice, they need a bit more feel to be smooth in them.

The hardest thing I found was the slow speed moves and 3 point turn in a combined space.

Have fun and read the notes, if you can drive a car with bad brakes then you can drive power boats.

i've been thinking about getting a mid-size Orkney fishing boat

Spot on! Did mine years ago and Charlie says "not rocket science".

If you are surveying trees near water or on the waterline in lakes & reservoirs of the midlands, then a powerboat is a chocolate teapot and is not suitable for the job besides being total overkill!

A small inflatable rib like an Avon ranger with a short shaft 10hp outboard motor would be much more suitable and quite fast once on the plane, they have a shallower draft so you will get a lot closer to the shore with the motor down, and if you rise the motor you can use 2 ores to get the final bit to land, a rib with 2 men + kit in will draw <4” of water with the engine up & when on the plane at speed <8” & they are much more manoeuvrable at any speed.

have to agree on that actually. That would be the right tool for said job

YHA powerboat level 2 is apprently the required level of competency required to use a rib for work with a passanger, its ribs i will be using not a 600hp powerboat (i think the course name is a little misleading, sorry)

i will be using for work, (and looking to get one of my own) a 3m rib with a c.10hp outboard so i can sneak into the corners of the res's and lakes easily, sorry i should have clairified that :wave:


cheers for saying its not rocket science makes me feel a bit more at ease, could have done with a bit more info relating to what is/isnt covered but being im not paying for it i wont complain

first day of the course done, all good, just me and two instructors so im getting the full treatment, been out on the boat for 5hrs and feel absolutly shattered my arms really ache badly just above my elbows using a 20ft rib with 80hp outboard which is pretty quick