Sian
Fantastic experience led by friendly, efficient and interesting people.



This one-day practical course is designed to give you a solid introduction to powerboat handling and safety. Whether you're new to boating or looking to refresh your skills, our course will provide you with the essential knowledge and confidence to operate a powerboat safely and efficiently.
Key Details
Launching and Recovering:
Learn the essential techniques for launching and recovering a powerboat from and onto a trailer using slipways. We'll guide you through the process of setting up your boat before launching, discuss potential challenges, and demonstrate both driving and winching methods for recovering your boat.
Preparation of Boat:
Discover the critical pre-launch checks that ensure safe boating. We’ll cover everything from checking that all necessary equipment—such as fenders, anchors, flares, fire extinguishers, and spare fuel containers—is present and in good working order, to ensuring that navigational equipment is operational.
Boat Handling:
Get hands-on experience with the basics of safe boat handling, including using a kill cord, starting and stopping the engine, and steering. You'll also learn about engine trimming, how to handle the boat at high and low speeds, and the effects of wind and tide. We’ll practice manoeuvres like picking up and mooring a buoy, docking alongside a pier, pontoon, or wall, and safely securing the boat. We’ll also cover towing another boat in case of an emergency.
Shore-based Learning:
In addition to practical skills, the course includes essential theory. We’ll discuss the importance of lifejackets and buoyancy aids, learn the key knots used on boats, and explore local bylaws, insurance considerations, and the importance of being aware of other water users.
Our course is held at Menai Bridge, North Wales, a stunning location offering sheltered waters ideal for training. The proximity to the Menai Strait provides both challenging and rewarding learning experiences. Our classroom is conveniently located just minutes from the pier, making it easy to transition between shore-based and practical sessions.
No prior boating experience is required to enrol in the RYA Powerboat Level 1 Course. This course is perfect for beginners or anyone looking to gain a fundamental understanding of powerboating.
We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, enjoyable training experiences. Our instructors are not only RYA qualified but also possess extensive local knowledge of the Menai Strait and North Wales coast, ensuring that you receive the best possible training tailored to the unique conditions of our location.
We are an RYA-accredited training centre, meaning we adhere to the highest standards of instruction in-line with the RYA’s guidelines. Our courses are recognised and respected worldwide, providing you with a qualification that opens up opportunities wherever your boating adventures may take you.
Ready to book? Click below to secure your spot and start your powerboating journey today!
The RYA Powerboat Level 1 Course is a one-day practical introduction to powerboating. It covers essential skills such as launching, recovering, basic boat handling, and safety procedures. It’s designed for beginners or those with minimal boating experience who want to gain confidence on the water.
No prior boating experience is required. This course is perfect for complete beginners or those who want to refresh their basic skills.
Please bring suitable clothing for a day on the water, including waterproofs and warm layers, as the weather can be unpredictable. Also, bring your own lunch or plan to purchase it locally. We provide all necessary safety equipment, including lifejackets and buoyancy aids.
Yes, the course is suitable for children as young as 8 years old, provided they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. It’s a great way for young people to learn boating basics in a safe environment.
You will be training on our RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats), which are well-suited for learning due to their stability and ease of handling. These boats are specifically maintained for training purposes and equipped with all necessary safety gear.
Safety is our top priority. If the weather conditions are unsuitable for safe boating, we will reschedule your course for another date. We will contact you as early as possible to inform you of any changes.
Yes, upon successful completion of the course, you will receive the RYA Powerboat Level 1 certificate. This certification is recognised worldwide and is a great first step towards more advanced boating qualifications.
The course starts at 9:00 AM and concludes around 5:30 PM. We ask that you arrive a few minutes early to meet your instructor and get settled in.
While the RYA Powerboat Level 1 course gives you a solid foundation in powerboating, it’s an introductory course. For those looking to gain more independence and skill on the water, we recommend progressing to the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course, which covers more advanced techniques and theory.
Fantastic experience led by friendly, efficient and interesting people.
The instructor/guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable, and we had great fun on the boat
We loved our boat trip, water doughnuts and speeding along 50mph + was great fun. Our skipper was lovely, very knowledgeable and enthusiasm shone through. Want to come back and see the puffins next year... although this was my soul reason to book this trip it really did not disappoint…
The Rib Tour was amazing! Exhilarating ride on the rib combined with fascinating facts about the coastline and the birds on puffin island. Highly recommended, will be booking the bridges tour next.
Exhilarating but also really informative. A great experience all round and highly recommended
Brilliant! Loved when Jason put the RIB into ‘sports mode’. Perfect mix of adventure and information. Beautiful scenery, great morning in the water. Cheers guys.
What a great experience. Our skipper, Jason, was great. Good chat, very knowledgable and really pushed the boat. The boat is an impressive thing which really moves. Great experience! Will be back to do the other tour.
Excellent!
Splendid trip!.....Captain was very knowledgeable.
We really enjoyed the boat trip to Puffin Island (2 August) - the people before us saw 2 puffins but even though we didn't it was still an exhilarating, (fast at times) and informative trip.
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