Course Timings
Instructor courses will start at 0930 on the first day, and generally run through until about 2200 on the first day as a night passage will be undertaken. There will be regular breaks throughout the day for lunch and refreshments.
RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor Joining Instructions
Getting to the Edinburgh Marine Academy
We are based at Port Edgar Marina, Shore Road, South Queensferry, EH30 9SQ. If you are driving then you can park in the main Port Edgar Marina car park where the parking is free.
If you are taking public transport, the train station at Dalmeny is a 15 minute walk and trains regularly depart Waverley or Haymarket, and Inverkeithing and the other Fife stations. There is a regular bus from Edinburgh City Centre which stops at the end of Shore Road by the police station.
When you enter the marina, follow the pedestrianised road on the seaward side of the large buildings. Follow the road along past the Bosuns Locker boats and Scotts Restaurant. We are at the end of the road, in a large blue building and the office overlooks the Marina.
Accommodation
There is plenty of accommodation in South Queensferry. There are B&Bs in the village, or a Premier Inn up the hill by the M90 junction. if you need any more assistance finding accommodation then please contact us.
Cafes and Local Shops
There are two cafes (‘Scotts’ and ‘Down the Hatch’) at Port Edgar where you will be able to buy lunch and refreshments throughout the day. These do get very busy during the summer, so we recommend that you book ahead. Alternatively bring a packed lunch or you can use the local shops in Queensferry.
Please note that the cafes and restaurants are subject to COVID restrictions, so contact them in advance for info on opening hours etc.
What to Bring to your Instructor Course
Please ensure that you bring the following with you to the course:
G19 – Powerboat Instructor handbook with pre entry section signed by the trainer who completed it.
G20 – Powerboat Logbook
G108 – Advanced Powerboating Handbook
G13 – Powerboat Handbook. This is useful, but not essential.
Pencil, pens, rubber, paper to make notes
Anything else that you feel is necessary or useful (i.e. props for discussions, plotters, dividers, red headtorches etc)
Course Structure
The course will be delivered by an RYA Powerboat Trainer, and during the course you will be given all the necessary training to be able to run Intermediate, Advanced, Tender Operator training courses at your own usual RYA recognised training centre. The course will cover the principals of instructional techniques, course planning, learning and teaching styles, briefing and debriefing techniques, use of visual aids, assessment of students learning, theory subjects, preparation of boats and equipment, and teaching methods for both day and night training sessions.
Pre requisites
Please ensure that you have all the prerequisite paperwork and it is in date before attending the course. If you have any concerns about any of this then please contact us to discuss.
RYA First Aid certificate or equivalent
RYA Powerboat Level 2 certificate
RYA Advanced Powerboat Course Completion Certificate and Advanced Exam
RYA Advanced Commercial Endorsement (required to teach Advanced Course in coded vessels)
Valid RYA Powerboat Instructor
RYA Membership number
Completed RYA logbook
Presentations
During the course you will be required to deliver a number of short presentations and practical sessions to the other candidates. This is to ensure that you have the techniques and knowledge to allow you deliver the course effectively. Topics will be taken from the RYA Advanced and Intermediate Powerboat syllabus (found in the G20), and should be delivered at to a RYA Advanced Powerboat standard.
You will have access to any teaching tools you require, such as whiteboards, projectors etc, and you will be given time to prepare these presentations during the course. It would be well worth familiarising yourself with the topics in advance and ensuring that you understand them in full.
Possible topics could include:
IRPCS inc lights and shapes
Weather,
Course to Steer
Estimated Position,
Tides,
Passage Planning,
Tides and Tidal Curves,
Buoyage,
Pilotage techniques.
We will discuss these in greater depth on the course, so apart from familiarising yourself with material please do not spend too much time preparing presentations in advance.
Safety at the Edinburgh Marine Academy
Your safety whilst onsite is our primary concern. You will receive a full brief on the first day of the course, and thereafter a daily briefing and course plans for any multi day course. Please ensure that you follow all directions issued by your instructor at all times.
Covid Update
As per the current government coronavirus guidance, we will be ensuring that all training courses are delivered with your safety and that of our staff in mind. Updated training procedures include reduced course numbers to allow social distancing, availability of hand sanitiser and other PPE where required, and enhanced cleaning routines.
Please ensure that you bring face masks and any other personal protective equipment that you feel is required for your own use. Please could you also make sure that you do not have any Covid symptoms such as fever, headache, or a cough, before you attend the course, and if you do then contact us for a reschedule.
