The Maritime School of the West Indies

Personal Watercrafts Page

Personal Watercraft Operator (PWC) : Courses

This is a one day theory and practical course designed to cover the requirements for the safe operation and maintenance of a Personal Watercraft.
As well as the theory component, the instruction will emphasize the practical applications of handling a PWC on the water.

Course syllabus

Safety & Equipment
Demonstrates correct use of life saving appliances and life saving equipment including:
Life Jackets, Flares, Life raft, First Aid Kit, Fire Extinguishers, Safety Harnesses, VHF Radio

Demonstrates a knowledge of emergency duties in event breakdown, towing another craft, other emergency or man overboard.

Basic use of VHF understands common radio terminology and regulations/licensing requirements

Is familiar with VHF radio equipment and demonstrates correct radio procedures/emergency radio communications

PWC theory and practical:
Can differentiate between types and their comparative advantages and disadvantages

Understands the concepts of jet drive engines,
Demonstrates safe handling of PWC and fuelling,
Has a general knowledge of the safety equipment and spares/tools to be carried
Can demonstrate basic maintenance and safety checks
Understands basic PWC operations, load constraints, weight distribution, stability, balance
Understands PWC handling, in different types of conditions, weather, other water users, swimmers etc,
Understands the importance of weather, and the effect on safe operations
Safety lookouts near swimmers, keeping a lookout, speed in anchorages.
Launch and recovery, stowage, transfer to and from a vessel, and dock, coming alongside, beaching and launching from beach and handling with wind and/or current effects.
Demonstrates ability to carry out visual checks and aids to monitoring engine condition, is aware of the contents of Tool kit, spare parts and service items

Launching and Recovery
Demonstrates safe launch and recovery procedures, understands the dangers of using launch ramps, control of trailer, ramp etiquette and other launching procedures from a larger vessel.

Anchors and anchoring
demonstrates a basic knowledge of different types of anchor and their advantages/disadvantages, correct scope for conditions

Nautical terminology
demonstrates a knowledge of terms and definitions:
Types of PWC, Parts of a PWC and equipment names
Relative direction, fore/aft, bows/stern, ahead/abeam/astern, port/starboard, windward/ leeward.

PWC Under power
Demonstrates and understands basic maneuvering, taking into account the effects of wind, tide and currents, Propeller effect when in gear ahead and astern, multi engines, effects of single engine and both engines.

Man Overboard Procedures
Demonstrates proper procedures for man overboard

Towing
Understand the legal requirements of towing.
Can demonstrate the correct signals and understands the requirement and the need for an observer when towing.

Ropework
Reef knot, Clove hitch, bowline, round turn and two half hitches and figure of eight.
Demonstrates the safe and proper procedures for handling of and caring for mooring ropes

Buoys, marks and charts and their symbols
Can demonstrate a basic understanding of charts and their importance with regard to riding a PWC
Demonstrates a knowledge of and the meaning of buoys and marks

Sources of weather forecasting and basic passage planning
Understands the need to obtain weather information and its importance in deciding whether to ride or not.


Basic Collision Regulations (Rules of the Road)
Understands the basic rules for collision avoidance, between sailing vessels, power and sailing vessels and power vessels and the need to keep right (starboard) side in channels
Demonstrates a basic knowledge of buoys, beacons and buoyage systems
Demonstrates a basic knowledge of lights, shapes and sound signals
Understands accident prevention as it relates to PWC

Care and maintenance of the PWC
Demonstrates ability to clean and maintain PWC in good and safe order

Protecting the environment
Understands the impact on the environment and other water users by PWC riders and demonstrates courtesy during operations

Please contact us for price and schedule