boat licence

[baitmate]

hey, in like a month or so i'm going for my boat licence, and i was wondering what kind of boat my test will be done in, does it change? or does it make a difference to what kind you can drive? i'm a little nervous about it, so if you could help point me towards what will be waiting i'd appreciaite it cheers baitmate! (i have a 12ft tinny with and evinrude 15hp)

[Mac_Attack]

Mate i would have no idea your going to have ask someone who did it recently as pract test was only brought in recently. I did mine 2 years ago and that was when it was just a theory test! Ahh the good old days ::)
Cheers Nick 8-)

[BaitThrower]

Did mine a few weeks ago at Archies at Morningside. Boat was a 5m centre console with a 150Hp Honda on the back. I wouldn't worry about the practical mate. All you have to do by law to pass is perform a figure 8 on the water... that's it! That's about all we did. There was 5 of us onboard and we just took turns at steering the boat, basically. The Brisbane river was choppy as all hell so we really didnt do much else that day. It's a piece of cake mate. the rest of the day was all the theory and then the exam, which is easy too :)

it makes no difference what size boat you do the practical in as to what size boat you can drive with your license. Your RMDL license is generic and will cover you up to really large boats in fact.

[baitmate]

oh thanks champ!'s yeha i was a bit worried, the theory test isn't too hard is it? like its only in the last 4 or so months that i have really got into it.

[BaitThrower]

Easy mate... Most of the answers you will know straight away. Any you don't just lookin the book and scribble them in :-) At least thats what we did. Hard to fail really!

[Mac_Attack]

oh thanks champ!'s yeha i was a bit worried, the theory test isn't too hard is it? like its only in the last 4 or so months that i have really got into it.

as long as you study that booklet then you will be fine remember as soon as you pass thats it ou never have to do it ever again ;D
I think the first paryou must get them all right and then the second part you can get three wrong!
Cheers Nick 8-)

[baitmate]

thnaks fellas, that helped alot. one more thing tho, where do i get a book and is there any practice tests, i no there is for driving. cheers!

[Fish Guts]

hey,

get a hold of the 'small ships manual'. you can pick it up from most qld transport offices and most chandleries. it will have all you need to know. no practice tests in it thou, but a must have.

cheers


fish guts

[baitmate]

thanks mate i will!
cheers baitmate

[BILLY THE KID]

all state boat licensing at manly . i done mine through them . test in a 6mtr stabi - craft with twin 150s :P awesome thing to drive

[BaitThrower]

Or check the MSQ website. You can download the full Boatsafe workbook from there free of charge. Basically has everything you will need to know.

[reddybayfisher]

baitmate.....did mine about 9months ago...I booked and rocked up on the day...the instructor was very good and presumed I knew nothing...I asked a lot of questions - which helped fill in the gaps for me....it doesn't matter what size boat you do the test in - at the end of the day it is the instructors job to give you a license based on you being able to be safe on the water....if you still aren't confident after the day course - get out on the water in your boat but take someone who is experienced to give you some pointers and get them to pass on some knowledge....hope that helps...
Cheers

[garman1]

Boat Test - NSW Maritime (http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/########.html)

Try using this test and try out your knowledge after reading up on your theory books

Gaz

[Simmo2]

Mate,
Its a competency based assessment. Not really that hard at all.
Listen to the 'lecture', browse through the book.
When it is 'exam' time, dont think of school exams!! It may be all quiet and 'heads down', but put up your hand and ask a question if you are unsure!! That is OK!
The idea is that you get a basic and safe understanding about boating. Some of the stuff maybe totally irrelevant to you now.....but there may be a time that the question you found hard in the 'exam' comes up in real life....and YOU will know the answer!!

As for the practical, I think that the figure 8 is the norm, but I think they can/should throw in a MOB situation too... (they did with me when I did a QLD lic. from the old MSB one)

[QF3 MROCP]

baitmate, what area are you planning to do the test in? The bay is a big place!!

Don't forget, if you plan to have a VHF radio on board, you need to sit for a radio operator's certificate.

Peter

[kevinnugent@westnet.]

Yeah, we did Man Overboard, a couple of figure eights and a dock and reverse in a straight line for 60 metres. It was pretty easy though, in about a 5m tinny. Easy to drive, and the instructor had a sense of humour.

You'll be fine.

Kevin

[datamile]

Exactly the same boat drill for me at cleveland.

The test is not really about boating, its about knowing the laws.

Speeds, bouys , passing, safety equipment.

Here's the qld link

http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Home/Licensing/Recreational/Boatsafe_course

[seatime]

all state boat licensing at manly . i done mine through them . test in a 6mtr stabi - craft with twin 150s :P awesome thing to drive

Allstate Boat Licensing & Training have 2 Stabicrafts for training and testing -
A 6 metre with a 150hp OB and a 7.6 metre with twin 150's OB's, or a 215hp Supercharged Seadoo for the PWC licensing.
There wouldn't be anywhere else to match that firepower!8-)

cheers
Steve

[MTAQ/BTAQ]

I am a boat licence provider and I have my students do a high speed run through a series of Lateral Beacons so they know which side of the "road" to drive on as well as how to deal with oncoming traffic or overtaking/being overtaken.

Also as we know, a vessel is much more difficult to control at low speed so I get them to do a man overboard (sorry, political correctness, should be crew overboard) also docking alongside a jetty.

All of this takes place on Moreton Bay not in the ideal conditions of a river.

This covers high and low speed controls - but nothing beats experience so my advice is to slowly build up skills in varying conditions before taking that trip to Moreton Island.

[Local_Guy]

i did my test 10yrs ago now... mine was in a small 3m tiller steer with a 15hp on the back....

apart from the theory, on the water i think all you need to do is the figure of 8, but you have to have the boat planning when doing the manovure.

it's not hard so don't stress too much.

[BaitThrower]

All of this takes place on Moreton Bay not in the ideal conditions of a river.



When I did the test on the brissie river, it was blowy as all h e l l and we were getting the boat airborne constantly, then slamming it back down hard :P

[seatime]

Not only does it get quite choppy in the river at times, it can get busy too, lots of vessels of various shapes and sizes, not as many beacons as a narrow channel, but a worthwhile environment nonetheless.
I've conducted courses in the Bris R - upstream & downstream, Logan R, Gold Coast, Sthn, Central & Nthn Moreton Bay, Nth Straddie and now running out of Manly. All areas have something different to offer, Manly and Goldy probably have more traffic, beacons and variation than other places.

regards

[BaitThrower]

yeah i dont think it really matters where you do your practical, because you are going to be boating in lots of different places that are nothing like the layout, geography, traffic level or beacon arrangement of where you di your prac.

[dnej]

Hey,gelsec,dont you do boat licence stuff ?
David

[seatime]

G'day David, yep, mostly I do the boat & jetski practical components on a Saturday out of Brisbane Coast Guard, Manly. All required competencies are covered thoroughly, it's a full day, 8.00am to 5.00pm, IMO the most comprehensive course available.

Allstate Boat Licensing & Training have 2 Stabicrafts for training and testing -
A 6 metre with a 150hp OB and a 7.6 metre with twin 150's OB's, or a 215hp Supercharged Seadoo for the PWC licensing. 38224432.

cheers
Steve

[Norto1]

G'Day fellas,
Is this only a QLD thing because I got my boat licence about 2 months ago in NSW and did not have to do a prac.
Cheers ,
Norto.

[Donny Boy]

Quite easy to get thru mate.
I'm a newbie myself.
Got mine at Horizon Shores about 3 months ago thru ABC...........
(Australian Boating College) Find them on the net. They're very good.
Cost $150, but i think it's the same everywhere.
The test is basically common sense and the prac was done in a 6m half cab with a 175 on the back.
I wasn't happy with my first attempt at docking, so they let me have another 4 goes at it...they were happy......I wasn't
You'd have to hit the dock at speed... and sink the boat to fail, and that's not gunna happen.

Good luck........you'll be right.