Boat licence advice

[Alex9797]

Hey all,

I am looking for somewhere for my wife to gain her boat licence as part of a birthday gift. We are based in Brisbane but are happy to travel a bit. The main criteria is that the practical competency component is worthwhile. In other words I don't want her to turn up at some dam in a 12 foot tinny and get a licence.

It would be great if anyone who has recent experience , good or bad, with training companies could provide some feedback.

If it wasn't for the fact that WW3 nearly breaks out every time I try to give her the wheel and gently explain the subtleties of boat control ( I'm sure this never happens to anyone else ;D ) I would provide some of the practical practice. That and the fact that I am not the exactly the best boat handler myself just adds to the stress levels :-[

many thanks

Alex

[staddie_local]

well look here first
http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/qt/msq.nsf/index/rec_licence

then here:
http://www.boatlicence.au.com/brisbane.htm

[themisses]

I need to get mine too. Let me know how you go. Gold Coast would be good. :)
Cheers Kim.

[marlinqld]

In brisbane I can highly recommend Australian Boating College. They work out of Raby Bay. Boat is around 20ft i think.......

Mike

http://www.abcboating.com/html/brisbane_to_bribie.html

[Alex9797]

Thanks guys,

maybe we should organise a girls only day to gain the old boat licence. On the other hand maybe not such a good idea, too many stories to be told ;)

Alex

[Loco_Pez]

I did my licence with this mob http://www.myboat.net.au/ at the Spit VMR & was very pleased. #Did the practical in the 6m shown on the web site & also did my jetski licenece at the same time.

[Loco_Pez]

Thanks guys,

maybe we should organise a girls only day to gain the old boat licence. On the other hand maybe not such a good idea, too many stories to be told ;)

Alex

How to turn getting a boat licence into a spectator sport :) :)

[aussiefool]

I need to get mine too. Let me know how you go. Gold Coast would be good. :)
Cheers Kim.

Kim you live in NSW yes????
If so you do not have to do a course just drop into the NSW Waterways in Beryl st at tweed heads and sit the test
Aussiefool
Andrew

[seafarer3]

Mayo's Marine Training....
Jacob's Well...at the VMR base...

Very Very Good

Cheers
Scott

[themisses]

Hi Andrew,
The Captain told me that the rules changed as of 1 July 2006. You now have to do a 1 day boat saftey course before you can sit for your licence. I wil have to check, maybe he just doesn't want me to drive it?? :-/ :-/ ::) ::)
Are you fishing tomorrow?? Still trying to get there early enought to catch up.

Alex,
That would be great!! We wont gossip to much. ;D Let me know.
Cheers Kim. :)

[aussiefool]

Hi Andrew,
The Captain told me that the rules changed as of 1 July 2006. You now have to do a 1 day boat saftey course before you can sit for your licence. I wil have to check, maybe he just doesn't want me to drive it?? :-/ :-/ ::) ::)
Are you fishing tomorrow?? Still trying to get there early enought to catch up.


Cheers Kim. :)


come to think of it he is correctyou will have to do a one day course now, sorry about that. Yep I'll be down there again tomorrow after todays effort. Only one Tailor landed and 3 dropped and a good solid bump from a Jew. See you then with luck
Andrew

[aussiefool]

Kim and any other N.S.Welshman/woman there is the link to the NSW waterways site as you can do it online if needed

http://www.waterways.nsw.gov.au/boatingsafety.html

Still like the Qld' idear though
Andrew

[themisses]

Cheers Andrew!! If we can drag our sorry arses out early enough we will bring the fishing gear down. MMMM tailor for breakky.
Kim.

[aussiefool]

No for tea tonight battered in a light crispy batter with home made coleslaw and home made chips yumo [smiley=book2.gif] [smiley=chef.gif] [smiley=sick2.gif] ;D

[themisses]

We'll be there by 6pm. ;D ;D ;D ;D

[idiotfisher]

;D my girl got her licence before me ,not bad i just sit back,get the lines ready and drop the anchor, i got my licence just days before the new rules ;)

[aussiefool]

now 6.35 and tea's cold :-[ oh well all the more for me and the boss

[slyman]

I got mine through AllState Boat Licensing in Manly harbour, but they also have centres up and down the coast from the border to the gulf. All day course 8am till 5pm with an hour break for lunch and an hour on the water for practical. $140

http://www.boatlicensing.com.au/

and they do gift certificates!! ;D

[seatime]

you can do your licence in a 5.7m Fisher here:

http://www.aabseq.com

regards

[backhoe]

My wife did hers through Horizon SHores. Australian Boating CollegeI think it was. Found them to be OK

[Feral]

In brisbane I can highly recommend Australian Boating College. They work out of Raby Bay. Boat is around 20ft i think.......

Mike

http://www.abcboating.com/html/brisbane_to_bribie.html

Yep me too.
Did mine with them a few weeks back, at Redcliffe, they do courses all over the place. Check out their web site for a course near you.
www.abcboating.com
or ring 3841 4570


Be aware your missus will probably come back knowing a lot more than you do!

[bert]

Try Archies at brekky creek got mine there not only learned alot but had a great day .

[brush]

G'day, We came up to the best [Weather] state in1988 and had to get a Boat licence to do what we had been doing for 25 years prior to coming up here. I suppose that is progress,. What crapps me off is,, that here in QLD we were tested and got our licence FOR LIFE!!! It now appears that Boat Licences will run the same time period as car Licences.
Another Smile'n Beatty RIP OFF
Cheers Brush

[Chimo]

Hi Brush

Qld boating licences were for 5 yrs then this changed to being issued for life, or they used to be.

The Boat Licence is linked (although nothing shows on the actual licence) to the Car/ Heavy Vehicle Driving Licence or whatever you hold.

If you loose one you loose both (DUI etc) but as far as I know there is no test or charge specific to the boating side of things.

If this changed when did it change?

Thanks

Cheers
Chimo

[seatime]

G'day, We came up to the best [Weather] state in1988 and had to get a Boat licence to do what we had been doing for 25 years prior to coming up here. # #I suppose that is progress,. #What crapps me off #is,, that here in QLD we were tested and got our licence # FOR LIFE!!! # # It now appears that Boat Licences will run the same time period as car Licences.
Another Smile'n Beatty RIP OFF
Cheers #Brush

brush, maybe you've been given a bum steer somewhere along the line.
boat licences in Qld are for life, when you next have your motor vehicle licence renewed your RMDL (recreational marine drivers licence) will appear on the new licence.
each 5 yrs, or whenever you renew your licence the RMDL will be automatically renewed also, free of charge.

I conduct boat licence training and testing for a living.

regards
Steve.

[seatime]

chimo types faster than me #:P

the RMDL has only recently been appearing printed on your car licence, as will a PWC (personal water craft/jetski), if you have one.

[Chimo]

I do not type fast ;D ;D I'm very biblical about my typing thankyou 8-)

[Chromedome]

Hey alex, My missus just got hers at Archies Boat license Centre at Morningside a couple of weeks a go. Now unfortunately she knows everything and is real quick to tell me what I've been doing wrong all these years.

[mowerman]

All State Boat Licensing at the Coast guard at Manly.

All day course with a hour or so on the water. Very comprehensive.

The day I went it was blowing up to 25 knots. 4 to 5 foot chop heading out to Green. The Kiwi built 5.9m Stabicraft handled it superbly.

Give em a go.

[HarryO]

Archie Harding (Archies) regularly has groups of ladies,
(for license testing, that is) and also student groups..

A man of much wisdom and patience..

Worth a chat...

[Fat_Chilli]

The boss did hers a few months back with ABC Boating College Horizon Shores and thought it was great.

[TOPAZ]

Hi all!
Hope this doesn't tread on too many toes, but as an ex-NSW Licence Tester for the Coastal Patrol in Melbourne, I know how much volunteer groups rely on such things for income, so, if you have a volunteer group conducting Licence Testing wherever you are, (Coast Guard, Coastal Patrol, VMR etc.) how about supporting them by utilising their services. You will receive quality training, and will be supporting their overall programs with your $$$.
Just a thought.

[snapperm8]

yup i think the go is abc boating
www.abcboating.com/html/brisbane_to_bribie.html

have a look and see where ur port is
its a whole day coarse costs $150 and then around $35 from the transport department to get it on paper.

[Rogue2]

Archie's

He was great. I did mine at redcliffe but he does days all over the place.

:)

[seatime]

Hi all!
Hope this doesn't tread on too many toes, but as an ex-NSW Licence Tester for the Coastal Patrol in Melbourne, I know how much volunteer groups rely on such things for income, so, if you have a volunteer group conducting Licence Testing wherever you are, (Coast Guard, Coastal Patrol, VMR etc.) how about supporting them by utilising their services. You will receive quality training, and will be supporting their overall programs with your $$$.
Just a thought.

TOPAZ,

as a MSQ approved licence tester, and an active VMR member, I can advise you that in Qld, volunteer groups do not conduct boat licence training and testing.
by definition, volunteer rescue groups are non-profit organisations, and therefore can not be an approved BTO (BoatSafe Training Organisation), which are for-profit organisations.
rescue groups are a RTO (Registered Training Organisation).

BTO's, in many instances, only use the AVCG and VMR facilities to conduct the training, i.e. training rooms and emergency services pontoons.
these are agreements made with the individual units, and no payment for use of facilities is allowed.
the pontoons are not to be obstructed from use by emergency vessels (rescue or water police, etc) only pick-up and drop-off of students.
the arrangement will work well in most instances, as new boaties are being introduced to the services offered by the rescue groups when they are there getting their licence.
hopefully they will join up also.
some BTO's will offer free membership to the rescue group where the training is conducted.

that was all long winded, I admit, but I just wanted to clear it up for all readers.

regards
Steve.

[TOPAZ]

Steve,
My observations were made on the basis of what occurs in Victoria, where the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard IS a R.T.O., and their courses are accredited for the issue of a Victorian Boating Licence. What happens is that on completion of the accredited course, students are issued with a certificate, which, when presented at a VicRoads office, entitles them to a Boat Drivers Licence WITHOUT the need to sit the Marine Board exam.
I was not aware of the Qld. situation.
Prior to the introduction of the Victorian Licence, The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol (of which I was State Senior Officer) conducted NSW Licence Exams every Sunday, and the charge for sitting the exam was income for our Division. (We were a GST registered organisation with Tax-Exempt status.)

Unfortunately, that all came to an end when the Vic Licence was introduced, and directly resulted in the demise of RVCP in Melbourne.
At least I now have time to go boating!

[shubeej]

hey alex, i think that kellogs is issuing licences in cornflakes packs judging by the way people seem to drive on the water.
shubeej

[subzero]

Topaz, mate that is terrible news to hear. :'(

Things are tough up this neck of the woods as well, without members willing to put in many hours of fundraising their are a lot more units that are facing major problems.
Its sad to say that this user pays effects training, insurances etc for volunteer groups as well, and with VERY LIMITED support from local/federal governmeant the writing may be on the wall for some other units as well.
Rescue Groups enjoy extremely good support in Ausfish by the members, but generally when the shite hits the fan, many of the irresponsible boaters are to mean spirited to do what you, I, and most in here would consider to be the decent and right thing. Some people have the attitude, "why should we pay, you are only volunteers".
I got sick of begging for money to put fuel in the boats, that is one of the main reasons why I am no longer an on water active member and stick to running radio courses for the public.... the way I see it is if i am not prepared to put in the effort shaking the tins, then I shouldnt get to reap the rewards of being out on the water.

Topaz, enjoy your fishing mate

Cheers Lloyd

[Alex9797]

Now now John,

you promised not to spill the beans about my professional yet somewhat unorthadox approach to anchoring at slipping sands ;D ;D.

as you know I'm always right its the other mad ba#@stards that are in the wrong ;)

thanks for all of your suggestions now I will just have to narrow it down a bit. What a shame that the VMR groups are unable to provide the training.


cheers

Alex

[freddyfish]

Hi

Do your self a favour and go to Archies. He is one of the funniest blokes I have ever met.

Very comprehensive course and actually fun and interesting to boot.

Cheers
Brad

[brush]

Steve, Thanks for the info. Some low life P***ks broke in to our C/Van at Dubbo and stole my Wallet which had my paper boat licence in it .
When we got back to Qld and on the way thru Miles I went to the State Govern, offices to get new licences. The office there told us that the new rules were as I explained.
Cheers Steve
Brush