PPCDL Boat License - Sharing some pointers


maverick55

New Member
Sep 21, 2007
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Sg but soon the world.
Just thought of encouraging and helping more people pass their PPCDL & get their boat license. During one trip to Poly Marina to view the test site, I saw people crying after their practical test (must have failed) & grown men (in their 40s-50s) looking disappointed & some of these guys have failed twice already for their practical. I hope this “iuboating” site can save some people from continuous emotional trauma.

& on one of the websites (I think it was “REACH”), a lady was complaining that different instructors at different clubs teach differently during the PPCDL course. There is no standardization at all (unlike our driving tests for cars). Some do not even get the chance to view the Practical Handling Assessment Checklist which testers use to rate the people taking the practical test! I find that rather disturbing. Through this “iuboating” site, the aim is to help people out there start on a level-playing field & not get penalized because they do not know what is provided out there.

I just passed last Sat & learning the ropes of boating. Planning to get a boat some time next year. I guessed we’ve come a long way from “If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it” kind of mentality to boating, especially in the Western countries. But I discovered that many in Asia still have this connotation that boating is reserved for the super-rich like the Shaw family. My mum belongs to one of them. She was shocked to hear that I’m planning to get a boat. This was despite the fact that I have bought other even bigger-ticket items for the past few years! “iuboating” is set up also to change this traditional perspective. The only way is through education. I believe that boating should be for everyone, and not solely dependent on whether they have deep pockets. Though I’m not exposed to boating until only recently, I feel that boating should be enjoyed especially by people living in highly-stressed Asian societies (which is oftentimes a concrete jungle).

Thanks Shawn. I am still learning. And to all the experienced boaters out there, please help to share your experience at this site or email to iuboating@gmail.com for me to post your articles.

Why “iuboating”?
Because boating should be for u & I; boating should be for everyone.

Earth is 71.1% water. It should be shared and enjoyed by u & i.

Cheers.

iuboating
 

Hey thanks man. Set it up in 3 hours past midnight.
Will add more great stuff along the way. & need help from anyone here with wordpress experience.

Anyone here takes great photos of boating industry & hobby?
 

LOL! Shaw... You must have seen the Sea Shaw II at the ROS Yacht Club!! She is a really magnificent ship isn't she? But I have never ever seen her not moored by the end of the club, seems to be a trophy. But I've seen her crew cleaning and doing some shipboard maintenance.
 

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In any other country in the world you don't need a license to operate a powerboat.

That said, take lessons at different places for the best exposure. For your final 2 lessons, go and take lessons at the test venue - RSYC. Try to do you final lessons at the same time as your test (ie. if your test is at 10am, do your final lesson one or two days before at 10am). It is most likely that the wind direction and speed will be the same. This has a big impact on your mooring.

Finally, relax, but don't be overconfident. At the end of the day, your tester will decide your fate. Not your performance.

I know this because I took the test on the same day as my wife and her friend. I made the fewest mistakes, but my tester failed me. My wife and her friend messed up their mooring, and they had to re-do it many many times. Their tester passed them. They could not believe it.

In the end I had to go back and do it a second time and fortunately my tester was a reasonable guy.

It's all a big joke, but what to do, we're in Singapore so we LL.
 

In any other country in the world you don't need a license to operate a powerboat.
..............................................
It's all a big joke, but what to do, we're in Singapore so we LL.

Applies to playing golf as well. Here is test, test, test. Even my daughter is tested on her Art subject; how do we appreciate art when u get so stress up?
 

You're right. It is always at the same place every time I go to RSYC.
A trophy...

Anyone here with a RSYC membership?
 

Yes, we're in Singapore afterall.
My friend in Malaysia owns 2 boats & he doesn't even need a license to pilot them. But at times, I looked at him, I hope nothing bad happens. & I l don't think he knows how to chart a course or know about it!

So what's up so far after your family got the ppcdl? Care to share?

iuboating
 

Lest we get carried away with wrong connotations. Some definitions of boating to put things in perspective.

Digging a hole at sea and trying to fill it with money.

Enjoying 2 happy moments in life. The day you buy it and the day you sell it.

Those aside, boating can be reasonable if you're willing to put in some elbow grease and do maintenance yourself. If you're hopeless with a spanner, then, your only option is a deep pocket. Depending on the size of your boat/engine put aside 200 upwards for every trip, it should cover the repair that will bite.
 

Yes, we're in Singapore afterall.
My friend in Malaysia owns 2 boats & he doesn't even need a license to pilot them. But at times, I looked at him, I hope nothing bad happens. & I l don't think he knows how to chart a course or know about it!

So what's up so far after your family got the ppcdl? Care to share?

iuboating

PPCDL doesn't cover 'charting a course'. Just a bit about basic navigational markings and chart reading. No plotting.

We haven't used our licenses yet. But if our wakeboard boatman faints at least one of us can legally drive the boat. :bsmilie::bsmilie:
 

Thanks, heard these oftentimes.
That's why I'm gonna spend some time doing research before taking the plunge some time next year. Will document our journey along the way so as to share "what's next after getting Ppcdl?"

Today, read that COE shot up to $75,000+ for cars >1,600cc. Makes boating more viable in a way...
 

maverick55 said:
Thanks, heard these oftentimes.
That's why I'm gonna spend some time doing research before taking the plunge some time next year. Will document our journey along the way so as to share "what's next after getting Ppcdl?"

Today, read that COE shot up to $75,000+ for cars >1,600cc. Makes boating more viable in a way...

At least you get something like 10-14km a liter.

A boat, again depending on size n if you're a speed demon, 1km a liter is heavenly, 200-300m per liter is not unheard of. Diesels do better but needs much deeper pockets to buy and run.

A diesel engine will cost 4-5 times more than a petrol driven, repairs likewise.
 

maverick55 said:
Ok so you're into wake boarding! Any place to learn "charting"? Thanks

No magic here. Just need the marine charts, draw a line to you destination around rocks n obstructions and viola, you've just charted your course.

Thing left is how to keep to the line, that part is navigating. Make your life easy, get a gps chartplotter.

Google chartplotter or lookup Garmin, Raymarine, Lowrance, Navionics, C-Map.

Hookup a radar and you get nearby vessels overlaid and collision alerting Add AIS and you get a visual map of AIS equipped vessels. Get an autopilot n tie it to the chartplotter to ease your work, imagine holding the helm for 5 hours to reach Tioman. Tie it to Canbus equipped or electronically controlled engines and you get engine parameters display and alerting.

If you think camera bbb is trouble, this is disaster league.
 

Thanks qystan. You seem very familiar with boating, with the knowledge of gps & travel timing to places like Tioman.
Do you know of avenues to follow boats out to sea for the experience?
Am planning to get a 27-footer cruiser next year.
 

Thanks qystan. You seem very familiar with boating, with the knowledge of gps & travel timing to places like Tioman.
Do you know of avenues to follow boats out to sea for the experience?
Am planning to get a 27-footer cruiser next year.

Don't know of charters like what you're looking for.

Boating is fun and quite enjoyable, just that the weather needs some fixing. Good luck in your boating quest.
 

Thanks man. Will document my journey into boating, and hopefully avoid certain pitfalls here & there & help others to do the same likewise.
 

I took the theory close to 10 times. Pass the practical 1 time.

I think for the theory, you need to have a good grasp of the info. For practical, you need to show your tester that you are a 'safe' boater and they can be confident that you wont drink and boat.
 

thank god I passed mine 12 years ago at the SAF Yacht Club

one reminder ..... NEVER let the license expire and unrenewed ..... you will need to take the test ALL OVER AGAIN if you forget to renew it after x number of months/years