The two groups of water users who need tuition most, according to James Stevens, training manager of the RYA, are beginners and the owners of small powerboats.
It was to meet their needs that the new Basic Navigation and Training Scheme was devised.
“People are less attracted by a five-day course than a two-day one,” he said. And for some people, even two days is not easy, so the course was “written with distance learning in mind,” he said. “I see this being probably our most popular shore-based course - all over the world.”
He was speaking at the launch of the first distance learning version of the course, launched by Ocean Training, “worldwide leaders in maritime distance learning”, at the Southampton Boat Show.
The new course was hailed by Ocean Training as the first of a new generation of “e-learning” using 21st century techniques.
“It will be on an Internet platform, which will appeal to young people who are really locked into that thinking.”
There is no exam at the end of the course, but students are given a certificate to show they have completed the course - and their progress will be assessed on line.
Even though the course is delivered on line, clients still receive a box with everything they need to complete the exercises, from the RYA training chart and Almanac, to A4 plotter and dividers, and even a pencil, as well as the RYA Basic Navigation and Safety booklet: “This is a superb book!”
“It is a comprehensive package,” said principal Ted Miley “We have experimented over the last few years. Our boxes go all over the world.”
He said he had received course work on the same day from the south and north poles.
“That is the benefit of distance learning: we span the whole globe.”
But of course most of their clients are much closer to home. And Ted believes the new course will “bridge the gap between the novice and those who are interested in developing further.”
The Basic Navigation and Safety course is supposed to take 15 hours, compared with 50 hours for the theory courses for Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster.
Ocean Training's interactive course CD includes more than 50 animations “to help the whole learning process.”
The cost of the new course is £175. “We think that with all the navigation tools it is a very good buy,” said Ted. He rejected the idea that distance learning courses are expensive.
“Students have the use of their own tutor at any time if they need any help. And obviously a lot of input goes into the production of this sort of thing. I couldn't estimate the number of hours that has gone into preparing this course CD.”
James Stevens said distance learning had increased by 20 per cent last year, across all the RYA courses. One reason was that students could fit the study in over a period to suit themselves, as long as it was within a year.
For more information visit www.oceantraining.com
