superyacht PWC Instructor info hub:

PWC Safety Course:

Syllabus:

Personal Equipment	Stopping Distances
Introduction to PWC	IRPCS Theory
Essential Safety Information	IRPCS Practical
Familiarisation & Controls	Planing Speed
Balance & Trim	Deep Water Reboarding

Syllabus Levels:

KNOWLEDGE OF the subject:

The subject will be briefly explained. Familiarisation during the course and information on where to find out more.

UNDERSTANDS the subject:

The subject will be covered in greater depth. The student will be asked to demonstrate a basic understanding and go away from the course able to develop further their own skill in this area. Confirmation of understanding of the subject may be achieved in a number of ways during the course.

CAN demonstrate a level of proficiency in the subject. The subject will be covered in greater depth, including background theory, practical demonstrations by the instructor and repeated practice by the student until they can demonstrate good skills in this subject.

Practical session safety briefing:

Safety - key safety considerations for the session
Aim of the session
Area of operation / exercise
Distance away from you / the buoy, between each PWC etc
Direction of travel (i.e. if using box course or carrying out Man overboard / Coming alongside)
Speed - what speed to you want them to go?
Signals - clear hand signals i.e. stop, engine off, speed up, slow down, come to me, return to yacht

Check student understanding

Ask open questions check your students understanding of both the session key points and safety briefing, start your questions with:

Who
Where
What
Why
When
How

Personal equipment:

Key Points:

Impact Buoyancy Aid
Wetsuit / Wetsuit shorts (internal injury prevention)
Foot / Eye protection
Sun screen / Hydration

Introduction to the PWC:

How a PWC operates:

Key Points: Jet engine operation, how it works?

Parts of a PWC:

Key Points: Bow to stern identify key parts of PWC

Familiarisation & Controls:

Key Points: Killcord, Throttle, Steering, Direction of turn when in reverse, Effects of wind/ tide

Session:

Attaching killcord & starting engine
Practice turning engine off and re-starting
Practice going into and out of Neutral

Practice figure 8 course adjacent to 2 x buoys in Forward

Practice figure 8 course adjacent to 2 x buoys in Reverse

Teaching PWC Stopping Distances:

Aim: Students to understand how long it takes for a PWC to stop at displacement and planing speed.

Example Session:

1) Student rides from Buoy A to Buoy B at displacement speed (approx 8 knots), on arrival adjacent to Buoy B student puts PWC into Neutral or turns engine off. Student observes distance PWC takes to stop.

2) Student rides from Buoy A to Buoy B at planing speed (approx 15 knots), on arrival adjacent to Buoy B student puts PWC into Neutral or turns engine off. Student observes distance PWC takes to stop.

DEBRIEF: Discuss differences in stopping distances with student

3) Student rides from Buoy A to Buoy B at planing speed (approx 15 knots), on arrival adjacent to Buoy B student applies deceleration system (iBR / RiDE). Student observes distance PWC takes to stop.

4) Student rides from Buoy A to Buoy B at planing speed (approx 15 knots), on arrival adjacent to Buoy B student applies deceleration system (iBR / RiDE) in order to stop adjacent to Buoy B.

DEBRIEF POINTS:

What were your students experiences?
Why do they think they took X distance to stop?

Points to draw out:

Effect of speed & additional awareness
Weight / design of PWC hull & how they influence stopping distances
Wind / Tide effects on stopping distance

I.R.P.C.S. Theory

Theory:

Teach rules using whiteboard / teaching aids including:

Good Look out
Safe Speed
Head On situations
Crossing situations
Overtaking
Sound signals (day light, clear visibility)
Local Byelaws
Courtesy to other water users

Check student understanding on completion (re-cover where necessary).

I.R.P.C.S. Afloat

Session Aim: Students to take correct early and obvious action when presented with IRPCS situations afloat.

Course Layout: Box Course

Session Exercise: 1, 2 or 3 PWC to ride around box course at displacement speed with a minimum of 1 leg of course between each PWC.

Once all PWC are comfortable traveling around the box at a speed you deem safe and reasonable (and is definitely displacement!) then instructor will integrate into the box course (on rescue boat or PWC).

Instructor will create IRPCS situations to check students ability to take correct action including: