Helmsman course or not?

[Jstupot]

Hello,

I'm sure this may have been asked before so I apologise as I am a complete newby to the boating world.

My partner and me are due to buy a 58ft narrow boat subject to survey very shortly and we are wondering

wether to attend a Helmsman course prior to setting off or just jumping on board and working it out ourselves?

From the threads I have read on the forums there is a suggestion that it would be better to have the course done on your own boat.

From my point of view, if you can go on a boating holiday without taking a course, (I believe that you just get a run down before setting off?) then surely you can work it out as you go along. Then again maybe I'm wrong and my partner the sensible half is right in going and getting some professionals tuition.

All advise welcome please.

[Naughty Cal]

Only you can answer whether it is worth you taking a course or not. It is a very personal matter.

 

We had hired boats a lot before we bought our own boat and decided not to take any courses before picking up the boat. It worked for us.

 

On the flip side we know several people who are on paper far better qualified then us yet they are scared to take their boat off of their home berths.

 

You can't buy experience. You have to go out there and get it.

[Dave Payne]

If your just thinking of doing canals, then i wouldn't bother, you pick it up quickly.

 

Rivers though!

[Neil2]

These courses are not just about learning how to "drive" the boat, I've never met anyone who has done one and not learned something.

 

Yes you can pick things up as go go along, but it's easy to develop "blind spots" and bad habits.

 

As for hire boaters - considering the mayhem and sheer disregard, or ignorance of, etiquette and regulations I've seen on the canals in the past year or two I think there's a good case for some form of compulsory training. Completely impractical of course.

 

[Naughty Cal]

If your just thinking of doing canals, then i wouldn't bother, you pick it up quickly.

 

Rivers though!

Need treating with a little more thought and respect.

[Stedman II]

We've been hiring for years, and had a share for the last 8. We did the Helmsman's course a couple of weeks ago ahead of getting our own boat, and it was well worth it. We learned quite a few things even though we've been boating for over 30 years. It was particularly useful to spend an hour reversing under supervision! And we are told there is a discount to be had on insurance if you've got your 'ticket' (not put this to the test yet).

Edited October 27, 2016 by Stedman II

[Naughty Cal]

We've been hiring for years, and had a share for the last 8. We did the Helmsman's course a couple of weeks ago ahead of getting our own boat, and it was well worth it. We learned quite a few things even though we've been boating for over 30 years. It was particularly useful to spend an hour reversing under supervision! And we are told there is a discount to be had on insurance if you've got your 'ticket' (not put this to the test yet).

That rather depends what "ticket" you got for attending the course.

 

Given the cost of the course and the little boat insurance actually costs, any discount is likely to be measured in a few pounds.

[Peter X]

Doing a course, or getting some informal tuition from an expert, is a good idea but not essential. An alternative is to read up, e.g. the CRT boating guide, and try to get a boating friend to come along with you at first. What sort of initial journey are you planning, particularly where from and to? I ask because:

 

(1) At this time of year, especially if you need to move the boat some way, make sure you check for any planned winter stoppages on your route and how to get around them.

 

(2) The advice and any offers of help you get may depend on the area and whether you need to move along a river to get from where you're buying the boat to where you want it to be.

[K and S]

I think it would be a good idea to take the course. We have hired for years and I thought I was fairly competent until I got chatting to another boater at Tixall this year when I was explaining that my biggest problem is reversing, friendly boater man offered me some tuition. I learnt more in that couple of hours than I had in years of winging it.

[Naughty Cal]

I think it would be a good idea to take the course. We have hired for years and I thought I was fairly competent until I got chatting to another boater at Tixall this year when I was explaining that my biggest problem is reversing, friendly boater man offered me some tuition. I learnt more in that couple of hours than I had in years of winging it.

Getting advice from a fellow boater isn't paying to go on a course though.

[K and S]

Getting advice from a fellow boater isn't paying to go on a course though.

Get off with ya brains!

 

My point is getting advice/tuition from someone that knows what they are doing is the way to go. Paid or unpaid.

[Naughty Cal]

Get off with ya brains!

 

My point is getting advice/tuition from someone that knows what they are doing is the way to go. Paid or unpaid.

The OP is asking about a paid for course.

 

Who's puppet are you?

[Jstupot]

Thanks for all the quick replys. I suppose I haven't fully explained. I think one of us will eventually or even soon go on a Helmsman course. Our main concern is when we initially buy the boat and intend to head along the canal with hopefully very little or no locks to begin with, will we manage?

[Naughty Cal]

Thanks for all the quick replys. I suppose I haven't fully explained. I think one of us will eventually or even soon go on a Helmsman course. Our main concern is when we initially buy the boat and intend to head along the canal with hopefully very little or no locks to begin with, will we manage?

Yes.

[K and S]

The OP is asking about a paid for course.

 

Who's puppet are you?

I realise the OP is asking about a paid for course, I was just saying that tuition from someone that knows what they are doing is the way to go.

 

Blimey.

 

Puppet?

[Dave Payne]

Yes, take your time and think about everything you are doing, like i said earlier, its not that tricky on a canal, locks did scare me, but after doing a couple i was relaxed, just understand what the locks do, where the dangers are and take your time, dont let anyone rush you.

[Jstupot]

Thanks and yes that's what I thought, getting some help from someone with experience rather than paying for a course could be the best way to go. Maybe offer nice bottle of Scotch in return for some hands on tutalage from someone who actually lives on a narrow boat is the way to go.

Edited October 27, 2016 by Jstupot

[Dave Payne]

When you get your boat, post up here where you are and i would guess someone would be more than willing to come and show you ropes.

[Jstupot]

I knew the offer of a bottle of Scotch would draw them in!

[Jennifer McM]

We were in the same situation as you in August - and we decided to do the course, we believe it's worth it for many reasons, the main one being the confidence when you know the correct 'rules'. You'll be told how the 'read' the water especially in locks, what to do if there's a 'man-overboard, why you should always was your hands after handling ropes.... etc.

 

Met a 'confident' 20 odd yr old the other day who told me I didn't have to wind the ratchets down on the locks, he said to just let them go! We learnt on the course that dropping the ratchets, without winding them down could break the mechanism, causing expensive damage. It's best to use common sense if you come across 'helpful' advice.

 

We spent last weekend in a marina, and watched 10 hire boats go out. They all managed perfectly well with just a little bit of tuition, but I don't think I'd like to meet them in a sticky situation. Especially the one who thought he was handling a motor boat lol

 

I can only answer as I see it!

[b0atman]

People are taught to drive a car and given a test so training is not 100% based on the idiots on the road.

take it slow and make friends who are boaters .

[Sea Dog]

 

You can't buy experience. You have to go out there and get it.

You can buy the benefit of someone else's though. That's exactly what you'll get from a helmsman's course. Not only your instructor's experience, but also that of the folk who wrote the original course and those who amended it to the point it is at now.

 

The OP and his partner are clearly not confident in their abilities. They can either set off and wing it, get help from experienced friends or do a course. Yer pays yer money...

[MissMax]

Wish I took the course First time boating as well as twentieth time was blooming stressful. Only just stopped having jelly legs taking off from mooring.

 

The course also teaches you the boat basics. Handy in case the universe remembers your name.

[Naughty Cal]

You can buy the benefit of someone else's though. That's exactly what you'll get from a helmsman's course. Not only your instructor's experience, but also that of the folk who wrote the original course and those who amended it to the point it is at now.

 

The OP and his partner are clearly not confident in their abilities. They can either set off and wing it, get help from experienced friends or do a course. Yer pays yer money...

You do.

 

However we see time and again people who pay to go on these courses and at the end are not better off, in fact worse as they have paid for the course.

 

We have an RYA school in our marina, they are always out "teaching" people. These same people are still hopeless and clueless at the end of their "course"

[dmr]

Do it, you will learn a lot.

We reckon to get hit two or three times every year by "experienced" boaters who are unable to use reverse to stop their boats.

Its also rather sad seeing boaters on the Thames who are totally unable to throw a rope onto a bollard just a few feet in front of them.

Sadly too many boaters are just so over confident in their boating skills that they are unable to accept that they could learn anything more.

A good course is good fun too.

 

.............Dave