Two days on the water, a few rescue drills,
and not a single sunk boat – I’ll take that as a win.
I’ve only gone and got my RYA Level 2 Powerboat Handling licence — and what a couple of days it’s been! If you’re going to spend a weekend learning something new, being out on the water driving a powerboat has to be one of the better ways to do it.
The course was fantastic: hands‑on, practical, and full of those “this is actually happening” moments. Not only did I pass, but I also managed to avoid sinking the boat even once — which I feel deserves its own certificate. I even rescued “Dave,” our designated man‑overboard dummy, more times than I can count. He didn’t say much, but I’m sure he appreciated it. Although there was a good chance he knew what the photo of the licence would look like an figured I’d soon be appearing on a wanted poster!
The real highlight came the day after the course, when I had the chance to take the boat out solo for the first time (with shore support just a radio call away). Being able to provide safety cover for our open water swimmers from the helm felt like a brilliant next step — a mix of responsibility, excitement and pure enjoyment.
Again, a massive thank you to Leon Fryer at Swimyourswim for giving me the opportunity to take the course and for making the whole experience such good fun.
