Powerboating - Sat/Sun 9/10th May 2009

Introduction

Following on from last September's rather damp success, here's the next step in our quest to get wet - the opportunity to get your RYA Level 2 powerboat certificate over a full weekend's course! If you're signed up to this event, you need to download and fill in this form - water_application_2009.pdf - and return it to Rich on Thursday 13th March. For the purposes of form completion, the "event title" is "Poewrboating RYA L2 weekend - 9th/10th May". You'll be an expert boat captain by the end of this! You'll get to master: pre-start checks, starting and stopping, trim, figure of eights astern and ahead, picking up a mooring. holding off, MOB, leaving and coming alongside, anchoring, turning in own length, high-speed manoeuvres. You'll also earn some theory: types of craft and engines, powerboat equipment, weather forecasts, tides, trailering and launching boats, landing and storing of boats, ropework, charts/maps, using buoys to navigate, what to do in emergencies. If you fancy doing this just to enjoy a weekend on the water, learn some stuff about boats, and gain an official powerboating qualification then great - sign up now! Total cost is £80. If you're coming you'll have paid a £20 deposit to Rich by now. If, however, you're doing this to get the ability to hire a Scouts powerboat yourself - please read on. What follows is very important.

The Scouts Powerboat Permit Scheme

To hire a Kent Scouts powerboat yourself, on your own, you need a Scouts Powerboating Permit. This course is the first step towards that gaining that permit. The whole process goes like this:

• Step 1 - Gain RYA Level 2 powerboating qualification - by attending (and passing!) this RYA L2 course on 9th/10th May 2009
• Step 2 - Log some powerboating experience - by attending various powerboating events over the summer. For example, drive the safety boat at a Scouts sailing event, go on a cruise to London, etc.
• Step 3 - Attend Scouts permit assessment day - in September 2009

The more experience you log in Step 2, the "better" your Permit will be. If you only attend one additional event over the summer, you will get a permit that is quite restricted - for example, you'll only be allowed to take a boat out to certain places, and in certain weather conditions. The more experience you get, the more "open" your permit will be - allowing you to sail practically anywhere, in practically any conditions. Obviously you can start with a basic permit and improve it over the years... Note that this is slightly more involved than simply turning up to a one-weekend course. The good news is that you could use this for the Skill section of your Duke of Edinburgh - because you're learning a new skill over a period of time. But - if gaining your Permit is your ultimate aim - you do need to appreciate there's an additional level of commitment involved. Also, note that if you hold a Permit but you're under 18, you'll need a Leader to accompany you on any voyage that you do. As permit holder, you'll be the one in charge of the boat, but you'll need a leader to be in the boat with you.

Who's paid up?

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