BASIC BOATHANDLING

Cut off date for Applications : - 16th February 2008
Cost :- £95

The Basic Boat Handling course provides the member with little or no boat handling experience, theoretical and practical instruction in the safe handling of small powerboats at sea.

REQUIREMENTS
Current S.A.A. membership.
Current S.A.A/BDSG Course Manual, see page 2.
No diving qualification needed.

QUALIFICATION AWARDED
Qualification book and wall certificates.

Course Length
The SAA basic Boat Handling Course is of two days duration with a theory and practical exam at the
end of day two.

However, it is possible to hold the theory sessions at different times and venues prior to the practical
sessions and assessments. There must not be over one month’s break between the theory and
practical sessions. All candidates must receive the course books prior to the start of training.

Course Examination
The course examination will consist of:

• Ongoing oral assessment by instructors.
• A practical assessment which tests a candidate’s ability to control a small powerboat and to carry out specific tasks and manoeuvres.

Course Outline
Theory Skills:

The Boat Handling Course

• Outlines the course content, domestics/logistics and timetable.

The Boat and its Equipment

• The component elements of the boat and its equipment.

Owner and Driver Responsibilities

• To make candidates aware of their obligations, as owners or drivers of small boats, to other water users in particular or the public in general.

Boat Handling Basics

• A briefing of the safety issues and handling concepts that a candidate will put into practice in the practical sessions.

Examination

• Oral and practical.

Course Debrief

• Further training opportunities.

Practical Skills:

Boat “Walk Round” Familiarisation

• To put classroom work in the context of the actual boat to be used for practical lessons.

Voyage Planning Exercise 1

• Practical exercise of voyage planning discussed in ‘Owner and Driver Responsibilities’ lesson.

Sheltered Water Handling

• Candidates to become familiar with basic boat handling techniques in a benign environment.

Voyage Planning Exercise 2

• Candidates to prepare a voyage plan for the subsequent boat handling exercises.

Open Water Handling

• To introduce additional manoeuvres in sheltered water and extend practice of previously learned manoeuvres into less sheltered water.

Anchoring and Diving

• To further consolidate general boat handling skills and to introduce new skills requiring precision boat handling and management of crew assistance.