Riviera Sea School are giving away a Powerboat Level 2 course every day of the Antibes Yacht Show,

April 12th 2012 – April 15th 2012

All you need to do is contact the team at RSS to enter, for more details click here

Don’t miss out, enter now before its too late!

Terms & Conditions apply, Good Luck!

With our Powerboat Level 2, Personal Watercraft Proficiency & Personal Watercraft Instructor courses now running from Port Vauban in Antibes we are more accessible than ever.

For further information on our courses, dates & availability call us now:

0033 6 17 26 60 36 | info@rivieraseaschool.com

Kicking off on the 12th April 2012 – 15th April 2012 you will find RSS and its team at the Arches,

Arch 2, Bastion Saint Jaume (V2)

Watch this space for RSS’s Antibes Yacht Show Competition!

Details to follow soon.

A new RYA course which has been designed for anyone using an RYA qualification or Certificate of Competence (CoC) working professionally as a skipper or crew. The RYA Professional Practices and Responsibilities (PPR) will be a pre-requisite for anyone applying for or renewing a commercial endorsement.

Dates

- From the 2nd April 2012 all new applicants will be required to take the PPR course.

- From the 1st June 2012 if your certificate is due for renewal you will be required to pass the PPR course.

Information

- PPR will be an online course course allowing you to complete the course in a location and time that suits you.

Course Content

- Correct manning requirements, requisite skills and management of commercial vessels.

- Compulsory carriage, maintenance of safety equipment, risk control and operating procedures.

- Ensuring the vessel is legal for the work being carried out, legal environmental obligations, planning and situational awareness.

Costs

- The cost will be 31 pounds plus VAT to be made payable to the RYA.

Further information to follow shortly, in the meantime please so not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions

Tel: +33 (0) 6 17 26 60 36 | E-mail: info@rivieraseaschool.com

The RYA has now has released new and updated documentation for Superyachts running the ‘Introduction to Personal Watercraft safety scheme.’ For all related documents please click here. This year the RYA has released new guidance notes to assist with Superyachts writing their Operating Procedures:

Guidance notes for “Writing Training Centre Operating Procedures as part of your Safety Management System”

Should you have any questions regarding the scheme please don’t hesitate to contact us to speak with one of the Riviera Sea School team. The School’s Principal, Sam Kemble-Taylor, is an RYA PW Trainer and Superyacht Inspector thus perfectly placed down here in the South of France to assist you and your crew for the 2012 season. Please click here for further information.

OTHER NEWS FROM THE RYA

RATIOS for teaching PW safety are: 1 instructor can supervise 3 sit-down machines with a maximum of 2 students on each machine; or if using stand-up’s, an instructor can supervise 3 machines with one person on each.

Instructor first aid certificates have an expiry of 3 years, however, the STCW first aid certificate can be accepted past 3 years for PW Instructors on board Superyachts, providing evidence is given of the certificate holder being updated on EAV (Expired Air Ventilation) and CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation).

Keep an eye out for our January Special Offer, coming soon!!

From all the team at Riviera Sea School, may we wish you a very merry christmas and

remember to watch this space for fantastic special offers and lots more useful information in the New Year!

By: Riviera Sea School, your Sea School in the South of France

Here at Riviera sea school we are often inundated with requests for onboard crew training outside of the French Riviera. Along with its simply stunning coastline and more available berth space Italy has become a hot spot for Superyachts cruising the Med. This year alone we have found ourselves visiting ports such as San Remo, Imperia, Genoa, La Spezia & Viareggio (just to name a few) to conduct onboard tuition for crew and guests alike. Here are some of the more popular courses we run as onboard tuition:

RYA Personal Watercaft/Jet Ski Instructor course
RYA Powerboat Level 2 course
RYA VHF Short Range certificate

For a full list of RYA courses available to your yacht please click here

There are many advantages to having an Instructor visit your yacht to conduct crew training. Here are just a few of the benefits:

- A much more costs effect method of RYA training
- Flexible course dates
- Crew remain onboard so can assist with watches and other duties
- Crew become familiarized with the yachts tenders and individual idiosyncrasies
- Training is specific to your crew
- No time/money is wasted on travel or accommodation
- Crew bond and learn how to work in a team thus grow in confidence

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you wish to discuss crew training for your yacht. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

As a bit of a helping hand, Riviera Sea School’s Principal writes about the changing role of a superyacht tender driver and offers some key points to think about before taking your owners/guests out for a trip.

The role of a tender driver is constantly changing as the tenders themselves continue to evolve. Gone are the days of a superyacht having one or maybe two simple inflatables tenders used for basic shuttle runs to a from the shore. Tenders are now much larger, better equipped and able to travel much long distances thus encouraging guests/owners to take more adventurous trips away from the safety of the yacht.

Experience and ongoing powerboat training are of paramount importance. Not only for the safety of your passengers but consider the fact that your tender could be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds itself. A prime example of such expense is the recently launched MY Exuma which homes an impressive fleet of these ‘new age’ tenders, including: an amphibious vehicle, a hovercraft, two tenders, respectively measuring 21ft and 14ft, two electric land scooters, two Seabobs and a Sea-Doo RXT 250 jet ski.

Keep in control and ensure a safe and comfortable trip for your passengers whatever equipment you may have on board with our following pointers:

Sitting pretty,

Don’t overload the tender, think about safety and comfort. If you need to make two trips then do so. Almost all tenders will have a CE marking which will include information on the maximum number of persons to be carried giving no excuses for an overloaded tender. Ensure that weight is distributed evenly and appropriately before taking off.

Mind the gap,

Help your passengers on and off the tender. It is not an uncommon sight to see passengers attempting a death defying jump to shore before the tender has come to a stop. Try to ensure that your passengers remain seated until it is safe for them to disembark. If you are having some difficulty in convincing them feel free to share the following clip (not for the faint hearted!)

Respect the elements,

Unfortunately the elements are out of our control so try to use them to your advantage and if possible travel into the wind when berthing and therefore using it as a break.

Wind and spray,

When your guests are on their way to their favorite restaurant the last thing they are going to want is to arrive drenched in salty sea water. If possible position your guests on the opposite side to the wind to minimize the risk of them getting wet.

Provisions,

Even on the shortest trip don’t forget a cooler bag with some drinks and towels.

Keep in touch,

Ensure that you carry out regular radio checks so that other crew know where you (and the guests) are at all times. With all the modern methods of communication available to us going awol is not acceptable.

Scout out the area,

There is not always time to do this but if possible try to get out in advance to determine the best route, where it is safe to drop off and pick up, walking distances to and from the desired destination and above all, is it legal for you to use the area.

Take charge,

At the end of the day if you are at the helm you are responsible so be prepared to take control of the situation. Of course, politeness towards you guests/passengers is paramount but you may be required to take a firmer approach from time to time. Common incidents usually include, overloading of the tender, dangerous drop off points and speeding, which brings us on nicely to our last (but not least) point of the day….

Keep within the law,

Rules and regulations are there to keep you safe. Ensure you are up to speed with IRPCS and all the local rules and regulation for the area. Being pulled over by the locals to be given a hefty fine will not please your guests despite your perfectly honed tender driving skills keeping them dry!

For further information on powerboat training in the South of France please do not hesitate to contact one of our team. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

For further information on the Guardiennage & Yacht Delivery packages Riviera School have to offer please contact us and arrange to speak with one of our dedicated team.