Helmsman course tomorrow...

[theguitardoctor]

Decided to do the RYA Helmsman Course - I'm doing it as it lowers the insurance by a chunk and at £95 I thought "What the hell" as it's been years since I handled a boat, so I'm quite looking forward to it now.

 

It's all through Cheshire Cat training and they have a boat that needs taking in for paint, so it's a good opportunity as it's a full days route that encompasses rivers as well as canals, with a fair number of locks along the way.

 

I'm not sure how many members have done the course, but any passing wisdom is appreciated greatly..!!!

[Ray T]

IMHO it is worth doing.

 

Although I have a Yachmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence from another life I still learnt a few hints and tips when I did the Helmsman Course.

There are others on this forum who may rubbish it and say a certificate is no substitute for experience, which is true, but I feel you can always learn from a professional.

 

To me knowlege and experience is the better route.

 

Best Wishes and enjoy the day.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Ray T

[Myself]

It would be great to hear what you think of the course after, I'm thinking of booking in the very near future and would love to hear how it went.

 

Joy x

[Bimbly1]

My domestic line manager and I found the course to be well worth while. It covered most aspects and eventualities and gave an opportunity for practice and discussion.

[ditchcrawler]

I certainly will report back.

 

At the top of the list was that I wanted to do it....but also...

 

Not just for the experience, I'm one of those people who thinks you never stop learning and can always be shown a different, maybe better way of doing a task. You never know it all....

Have a look at this link

 

Edit to add I may have been a bit harsh as I now understand that the water levels were very low at the top end and the river was quite shallow.

Edited October 27, 2011 by ditchcrawler

[Jeanie920]

My partner and I went on an helmsman course earlier this year, before we took possession of our narrowboat, having never even been on a narrowboat before. It was brilliant. We learned such a lot in a day. I would highly recommend it

Jean

[GSer]

£95 for a day out boating, along with the chance of learning something? Bargain IMO

 

Have a great day

[JDR]

If you get a chance try going into a marina.Manouevering in a confined space on a windy day surrounded by other boats is imho one of the more testing aspects of handling a boat.Fuel pontoons aren't always in sensible places.Reversing is another good one to try while you have someone else on board to help.Try and get tips on single handed boating and use of centreline.How about using an anchor on a river?Not something I have ever had to do but would be a very useful skill to learn under supervision.

[cazberry]

I went with Cheshire Cat earlier this year and they were absolutely brilliant.

Linda has the patience of a saint ...never once took the tiller off me...taught me loads on a very windy day.

I feel so much more confident now!

Enjoy!

[ditchcrawler]

£95 for a day out boating, along with the chance of learning something? Bargain IMO

 

Have a great day

Very true, you would pay that much for a day boat and learn nothing

[Janet S]

I did mine a few months ago, and I'd very much recommend it.

 

Although we have several years of boating behind us, nothing was taken for granted and our instructor didn't take the tiller once. We had to do everything...safety procedures, weedhatch etc...absolutely everything.

 

I had to reverse 300 yards and bring the boat into the bank to moor up between two moored boats...backwards, and with an audience! I'd never even attempted to reverse before this...I always got my OCM to do it! It's given me so much more confidence. I'd also never winded a boat before...now I do it regularly without a problem.

 

Definitely well worth it!

 

Janet

[Pykebird]

Go fo it! I did mine years ago with a couple of friends and we had a scream, even managed to learn something as well. Plus it was an excuse to drive someonelse's boat into the bargain! I still manage to get it wrong though, usualy when is a crowd of people watching!

[smudge837]

Please report back. I am looking at doing a course, I spoke with a guy at the yard in Banbury; up Cheshire way works better for me.

[keble]

I did a one day course with Wild Cat, brilliant!

The greatest thing I learned was how to easily move the boat away from the bank (the so-called "stern off" manoeuvre).

That's something a lot of people struggle with

Hope yours goes well.

[RichardH]

Very true, you would pay that much for a day boat and learn nothing

 

Common sense indeed. We charge £110 per person and you can sense the sharp intake of breath at the end of the phone when you tell someone as if I have just asked them to sign over their life savings.

 

Compare this:

 

Landrover Experience Day - similar priced asset with an instructor £350 per person per day !

 

When folks have spent £100k on a new boat why do they pull a face at £110 for a day which may lower their insurance and teach them some skills which will keep their asset looking nice and shiny ?

 

I suppose for the same reason that they install a potty rather than a real toilet to save £15 every 3 weeks at a boatyard pumping their sewage out !

[ditchcrawler]

Very true, you would pay that much for a day boat and learn nothing

£86 for half a day on the Broads

[Myself]

Thank you, and so glad you had a great day.

Think I'll try booking up at Alvechurch as I've read some good reports and it's close to me.

 

Joy x

[Duchess Omnium]

I took the course a few years ago when I first got my boat. I think I would get a lot out of doing it again now that I have had some experience.

[Grace and Favour]

SWMBO and I have very recently thoroughly enjoyed 2 (yes - 2!) days river training with Ray from Trent Boat handling.

 

An excellent investment in time and money - and learned how to handle our 12' widebeam in different and difficult conditions - safely and accurately.

 

It was a superb basis for our future boating

[DandV]

Thanks Theguitardoctor for sharing your experience of the course. We will now both give doing the course next year when we are over, serious consideration. Will make a nice one day change from just looking at narrowboats and piloting an unfamiliar left hand drive car around unfamiliar roads.

 

Cheers

Auckland Don

[DandV]

Yes but ours will be a Renault Eurolease scam francais car with red french tourist plates.

I actually have done most of my extensive UK motoring in LHD vehicles, when I lived in UK in the mid 1970,s had an ex Dutch Post Office VW Kombi. This century have twice before had Eurolease Renaults in the UK.

The hardest adjustment is that NZ vehicles largely have the steering column mounted controls, indicator lights etc reversed.

 

Cheers Don

[cazberry]

So glad you enjoyed it...saw you setting off, we said 'hello'!

loving the boots by the way!!

Happy sailing

Edited October 28, 2011 by cazberry

[ditchcrawler]

I did my course a few years back with a member of CWF on his barge in France. We had a most enjoyable 3 days

[cazberry]

'young'...ooh what a gentleman!

yes that was me...was visiting a friend who works at the marina, def a very nice one.

good luck with the boat purchase