Motor cruising courses are appropriate for vessels that are designed for cruising in coastal or offshore waters – or equivalent commercial applications where there is usually an accommodation space, and either the vessel has twin engines (shaft or outdrive) or is more than 10 metres long (with any propulsion configuration).

However, If you are only interested in vessels of under 10 metres with a single-engine (such as a RIB with an outboard motor – or a small angling boat with a single-engine, or a small sports cruiser with a single steerable outdrive), then it would be more appropriate to attend an RYA Powerboat Course rather than a Motor Cruising course. Elite Sailing has now partnered up with Guardian Marine Training services to offer Powerboat courses, now allowing you to get all your training needs under one roof.

The standard motor cruising course for beginners is the RYA Helmsman course. This is a 2 days practical course aboard a motor cruiser. If you have no previous experience then you should start here. It’s also a very good course if you want to be able to crew a motor cruiser but have no plans to go on to skipper qualifications. However, if you already have experience in driving and berthing a motor cruiser and know about all the safety precautions, preparation for sea, engine checks, ropework, etc then you can bypass the helmsman course.