Handy Hints for teaching the Practical Powerboat sessions:
Instructor Position (Powerboat Level 1 & 2):
Always positioned to have easy and quick access to throttle AND killcord
A couple of important things that will help you teach your students:
ALWAYS keep one hand on the throttle & one hand on the steering wheel/tiller
STEER then use GEAR during slow speed manoeuvres
Before excecuting any powerboat manoeuvre, consider the following (P.A.M.E.) :-
Plan - Consider how you are going to complete the manoeuvre taking into account any hazards, the wind, tide & where you want to end up. Prepare the boat & brief the crew accordingly.
Approach - Consider your angle of approach, speed & any hazards according to the wind direction & strength and tide direction & strength.
Manouevre - Excecute the manoeuvre i.e. Coming alongside, Man overboard, Picking up a mooring etc
Escape - Always have an escape route! If things don't go according to your plan then you MUST have a way to rectify the situation; whether it be to manoeuvre into a different area, drift away from an object or stop the exercise completely - if you follow the 'Plan-Approach-Manoeuvre-Escape' method then there should never be a reason for an evasive reaction.
Engine Starting Procedures:
K.N.I.G.H.T.S. A useful acronym to help you and your students remember the process:
K - Killcord (attached around the leg, above the knee)
N - Neutral (in Neutral before starting)
I - Ignition
G - Gears (does the engine engage in forward & reverse)
H - Hot
T - Tell-tale (is the tell-tale running? - the water will be hot/warm when the engine has been running a while)
S - Steering (turn the wheel lock to lock to check for any restrictions/issues)
Teaching 8-11 year olds - Dual Killcords
There's no need to install a dual kill cord set up to your boat unless you run regular youth training and feel it is of benefit - you can set up a dual kill cord simply by using two kill cords.. see photo to the right for Mercury and Mariner Engines, and exert from RYA Wavelength below for Yamaha, Evinrude etc engines:
Worth also checking the integrity of any kill cord.. those with a thread core tend to be best..