Based at Aqueduct Marina on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal in South Cheshire, Mary Gray Narrowboat Training offers the RYA inland waterways helmsman certificate along with ICC and CEVNI examination.

 Training takes place on one of our two very well appointed and easy to handle hireboats.

The area in which we operate is ideal for confidence building and experience and includes both narrow locks and a broad staircase, plus a busy canal junction and challenging winding holes.

Courses are designed for complete beginners or experienced boaters.

Courses can be held on your own boat on any canal or river. Please phone or mail to discuss prices for this option

 

Syllabus

Deck Work
Common nautical terms
Handling lines and fenders
Throwing a coiled rope
Knots - clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, bowline, boatman's hitch.
Securing to bollards, rings, cleats and mooring stakes.
Helmsmanship and Boat handling
Loading and weight distribution
Steering in a canal or river. Control of speed.
Inter-action, canal effect, bank and bottom effect.
Prop effect.
Turning, 'winding' and reversing.
Mooring and moving off from the towpath.
Recovery of man overboard.
Personal Safety
Identification of risks - including Hypothermia
Use of lifejackets and buoyancy aids.
Avoidance of personal injury, including crushing of limbs when fending off.
Special risks to children.
Boat Safety
Fire hazards, particularly gas and petrol.
Use of fire extinguishers.
Watertight integrity.
Re floating after grounding.Loss of steering and fouled propeller

Engines
Engine care. Checks to be carried out before starting and while running.
Routine periodic checks.
Locks
General understanding of maintenance of levels.
Operation of locks.
Tending lines in locks.
Safety in locks. Man overboard in locks.
Bridges and Tunnels
General understanding of operation of bridges and tunnels.
Collision Avoidance
'Defensive boating' techniques. Overtaking slower boats. Passing oncoming boats
Bye-laws and local regulations, including traffic signals, signs and priorities.
Awareness of other National and Local regulations.
Care of Environment
Avoiding damage to boats, banks, flora and fauna.
Pollution avoidance.
Consideration for other water users.

 

Your instructor, Andy Bell has been involved and enjoying canals and boating for nearly 30 years since hiring his first narrow boat. Working now with Georgina Ford  and Mary Gray Narrowboat Holidays he is able to offer advice and instruction on many aspects of inland waterway cruising, boats and boat handling including single handing boating and wide beams.

For anyone considering boating in Europe the International Certificate of Competence (the ICC) is a legal requirement. To obtain the ICC you will need to produce an RYA Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of a relevant course.

Many European waterways are busy routes for commercial traffic and to navigate these routes with safety you will need to know CEVNI which are the rules, signs, signals etc used by all skippers.

The ICC and CEVNI may also be taken with us.

We are also in the position of being able to offer you the opportunity to practice your new found skills. Either Mary Gray or Lizzie May may be available for hire immediately after your course or at a later date so that you may enjoy a few days boating while building your confidence and ability. We are pleased to offer a discount any boat hire following completion of the RYA Helmsman Course with us. For two people on a course a discount of 10% would apply and for one person a discount of 5%.

 

Booking

 

 email:-

 office@marygray.co.uk

 

Telephone :-

 07984 455231 or 01270 525043