boat Skippers Ticket?

[mr_mike]

Anyone here got a skippers ticket? I'm wanting to get a boat for fishing nothing crazy just a small aluminium, center console boat, ~40hp outboard that i can easily beach launch.

Whats involved in getting the ticket? Is it like most other tickets you get to operate machinery (ewp/fork etc) and most of it is just common sense or is there more to it?

cheers mike

[Lump]

check this if you havent allready
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/19098.asp#how_do_i

[Tom]

2 day course. Practical test and theory test from memory. Easy as to pass and once you've got it, have it for life.

[Big Cam]

I did it a few years back, roughly 150 dollars and about 4 hours. 2 hours on theory and 2 hours practical. We did it at pinjarra in the river in a dingy. I'll dig out the details if you want.

[crabman]

There are some cowboys out there and there are decent ones. I was lucky enough to have gotten a SA one years ago and transfered to WA for 20 bucks. Had no idea what markers meant etc, know it all now though as I only went out with mates that new the rules to learn off of. System is floored and pointless. There is a guy that runs one in rocko where you dont even do the practical test if that tickles your fancy. Will attempt to find his details.

[thommo]

i did mine with a guy out of hillarys his house 5mins from the harbour. got his details out of the newspaper/quokka i think. $150 half a saturday to do it

[2jzlux]

Dont pick the black test it is the hardest one.
Make sure you read the book before you go because its mostly about what the signs mean and who has the right of way.
I did mine on a jetski so it was pretty easy, supposed to do an emergency stop but told the dude you cant smash the jetski in reverse while going forward so he just said when he dropped his hand to back off the throttle.
Was also funny when he fell off the jetski trying to give us a demo on how to do things.

[crabman]

What's actually involved in the practical part these days?? I thought it was just pull up to a jetty then leave.

[sprint347]

I did my 'TL3' at school 14 odd years ago, automatically qualified for the skippers ticket lol

[Satan]

What's actually involved in the practical part these days?? I thought it was just pull up to a jetty then leave.

pre start checks, passenger instruction etc
launching
retrieving person from the water
emergency stop
pop the boat up and tie off

from memory, probably something I've missed

[1JZNOSHIT]

pre start checks, passenger instruction etc
launching
retrieving person from the water
emergency stop
pop the boat up and tie off

from memory, probably something I've missed

spot on, and as cam said a 2hr theory/2hr prac and you are done :)

[Tom]

My bad, the guy I did mine with was a two day course so I thought it may be standard.

2 day course also involved a bit of fishing and skurfing :P

[mARC]

What's actually involved in the practical part these days?? I thought it was just pull up to a jetty then leave.

I did mine a few years ago but the practical involved:

- Equipment check;
- Simulated call to coast guard;
- Pick up person fallen off boat (they used a float);
- Emergency Stop;
- Pick a point in the horizon and drive in-line with it; and
- Mooring a boat, securing it to a jetty and leaving.

Theory involved the guy going through the book with us then doing the multiple choice test.

As mentioned above one day for theory (a few hours), next day for practical 'they don't need to be done concurrently and cost was $150 per person.

Pretty logical and straight forward.

[Doctor Chimargo the Dog]

My bad, the guy I did mine with was a two day course so I thought it may be standard.

2 day course also involved a bit of fishing and skurfing :P

You just hung around for 2 more days... ;)

[SINISTR]

I did my skippers ticket last week on wednesday (booked it on monday) - $165 as it was only two of us at the time and that included $20 for boat hire.
I bought my boat the friday before but wasn't confident to use that yet - easier as he's got it on the water already.

I used this guy: http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-Boats-Jet-Skis-boats-jet-skis-other-SKIPPERS-TICKET-W0QQAdIdZ331114955
Robbie at Winora Boat School (if you get 4+ people its $99). He's doing the test at Mt.Henry Bridge in Mt.Pleasant.

I booked a 4pm session straight after work and was done by 7pm - total novice (i steered a boat for about 10mins when i was 15).

Before the theory test Robbie took us through the main points, calling the coast guard, safety equipment on the boat at different distances from the shore, radio calling stations etc.
Multiple choice test its actually pretty detailed, theres 6 different tests (colour coded) and each has a few cheeky questions so as said - read up on the book, alot is common sense but there's some detailed questions Eg: calling channels on each radio type, how long will a boat stay afloat if capsized etc. all in the book however. Its not difficult if you did a bit of study, and the black test isn't that bad - guy and girl got 28/30.

Practical - we did a series of manoeuvres
- line two markers up (i had lamp posts on mt henry bridge) and keep that for 30 seconds allowing for wind and current
- simulated man overboard remembering which way you need to turn after he falls out (propeller away from the buoy) and that you have go against the wind/current when picking up
- emergency stop - from throttle to neutral to reverse and stop the boat within 2 lengths
- pulling up at the jetty allowing for the current again and wind etc, tying the boat to the jetty.

As i said - took me 3 hours in total for 2 people, you just use common sense and its pretty easy - the rest comes from experience on the actual water.

hope this helps you.
Mike

[mARC]

total novice (i steered a boat for about 10mins when i was 15).

Not to harp but I'd thoroughly recommend bringing somone experienced out with you till you get a feel for the water as things can go pear shaped very quickly without much notice and the support line is a lot less responsive in times of need.

Always bring spare parts out with you as well 'spark plugs, fuel lines, oil, spare CB and areal, tools, manual engine cord etc etc', a sea anchor would also be a bonus as well as normal anchor.

[Sully]

I did my 'TL3' at school 14 odd years ago, automatically qualified for the skippers ticket lol
Does this automatically qualify you??? Think I did my TL3 way back in school days as well!

[ovaxitd]

With tl3 u needed to transfer it before a certain date about 4 years ago. But call up and ask. Can't hurt.

[Sully]

Interesting. Cheers for the heads up! Could save a bit of dicking about.

[Mikelp]

If you read some of the skippers book they give you it's easy enough.