Intermediate powerboat 
Okay, you may have done your Powerboat Level 2 or might already be quite proficient at handling a powerboat on the sea so why would you even think about getting another qualification? 
As some people will know, amazing as it may sound there is still no legal requirement for anyone to hold a formal qualification for them to drive a powerboat up to 24mts/80GT, and go where they want here in the UK! 
But say you were wanting to do a coastal trip, e.g. just a relatively short passage say from Portsmouth to Cowes and it got a bit bumpy, or the weather took an unexpected turn, the fog came in, or the trip took longer than anticipated and the night started drawing in…. Would you feel confident that you could handle the situation and keep you and your family safe and calm? 
The RYA’s Intermediate Powerboat course, which also acts as a natural pathway to the Advanced Powerboat qualification, is the perfect springboard to give you that know-how and confidence out at sea. However, even with these type of courses readily available, sadly trial and error still seems to be the most common way for people to learn... 
In an attempt to overcome this some people may opt to have a more experienced, although not necessarily qualified, colleague onboard when going further afield for the first time, while others may class themselves to be ok, well until it goes wrong... We have all heard the anecdotes, often recounted as funny stories, of people having just got away with it, especially when an unexpected situation arose.  
Surely wouldn’t it be better to be able to go further afield without the need to having to take someone with you or follow someone who has been there before? As we know trial and error inevitably means mistakes and if those mistakes create a situation that has been a bit unpleasant or uncomfortable for yourself or family you won’t want to repeat it again in a hurry! 
With a bit more knowledge of planning and pilotage in those coastal areas, normally left for the more experienced skipper, would become much more accessible. This is exactly what the RYA intermediate course was developed for, not only will it give you the skills to go further afield but more importantly confidence out on the water too! 
The RYA Intermediate Powerboat course takes two days to complete and covers the practical use of pilotage and passage planning by day on coastal waters, using both traditional and electronic navigational techniques. It also tackles more advanced boat handling, such as wave management and tidal effect. 
There are no pre-requisite training required to be able to attend this course, however Boat handling to the standard of Level 2 with a coastal endorsement is recommended, the RYA also recommend that candidates hold a first aid certificate and a VHF/SRC operator’s certificate. 
The age limit for this course is 16 years up and covers the following: 
Latitude and Longitude 
The principles of GPS 
Sources of forecast information and the interpretation of forecasts 
Use a plotting instrument and plot a course 
Work out tidal heights for standard ports 
Interpret Lateral, Cardinal Bouyage & Special Bouyage Systems (IALA) 
Implement IRPCS, in particular the following rules, 5,7,8,9,13-17,23 
Use GPS waypoint navigation and determine Cross Track Error (XTE), Speed Over Ground (SOG), Course Over Ground (COG), Bearing to waypoint (BTW), Distance to Waypoint (DTW) 
Use a laminated chart afloat 
Use Pilotage to enter an unfamiliar port 
Explain how to make a VHF emergency call 
To help with the learning process we also have a specially prepared diesel RIB fitted with High Definition Radar, AIS and the latest in touch screen plotters 
Course Duration: 2 days 
Fro more information please contact the office 
True and magnetic bearings 
Bearing and distance 
Chart symbols 
Tidal diamonds and tidal streams 
Use of pilot books 
Position lines 
Use of marina locks 
Boat Preparation 
Boat Handling 
Passage Making 
Man Overboard 
CALL 02392 346075 / 07985 089973 (up to 10:30pm) 