Ship Happens RYA Power Boat Level 2 Training in Menai Straits North Wales 

People think "Let's get a boat, that will be fun " there's a lot more involved than they know. Training is essential for safety on the water. Good on you set the example.

Thank you so much for touring the Menai Straights area. My Grandfather served on ML167 (80 ft long) during WW1 and they were based the Menai strait. He often spoke of the area but never described it from the water as he was CPO in charged of engines and so I am sure he would have been below making sure the engines did not stop! Here in NZ I am completing a highly detailed model of ML167 at 20:1 scale, based on both the limited plans available and also on photos. There are no surviving hulls from these boats. I have modeled all the interior detail including the engines and galley stove, everything. The battery, radio and control gear is all contained within the petrol tanks! I am enjoying following your progress in preserving such an important piece of maritime history!

Well done, I remember doing my RYA level 2 in Brixham in the early 80s, it was well worth it. Was a dive boat skipper for many years and all that MOB training was vital.

Gemma's history lessons are a great addition to the video.

great to see that part of the world from the water. We drove around there and stayed at the Black Boy inside the walls of the castle. It's a mere 12,000 miles from our house so I don't think the Swellies is on our cruising plans, but never say never. You chose one of the most challenging places to get your RYA cert, which really is the best way. The Swellies in full ebb is a truly worrying sight for a sailing skipper. Thanks for the video. I have to say the mix of music and natural sound use was excellent.

Glad you guys are doing this! Because it's ALL so important for you and Sarinda.

Well done on passing your RYA L2 Powerboat Gemma & Simon. Menai straits one of my favourite places. Sailing to Caernarfon from R, Dee next week. Best Regards Len & Ged👍

So glad that you are taking this all seriously.

You went to Wales and didn't rain for 2 days, that has got to be a miracle. The Menai straight are really beautifull but treacherous in bad weather as a kayaker and not much of a salty. It's been some where I've stayed away from. Paul

What an excellent video! Great info about the training, but really good stuff about the Straits. And what beautiful weather, everywhere looked amazing. Made me want to get over there and enjoy the view!

That was so INCREDIBLE !!!!! Thank You for that fun !!! You two are so SPECIAL !!!!!!!

Brilliant! Well done guys, Richard is great teacher and you were so lucky with the weather - it's just stunning there.

Congratulations Simon and Gemma , you two will make great ship Masters I should say , seafaring is so much more than throttle and steering , operating a watercraft really is a huge responsibility and can be well rewarding when done correctly , proud of you guys for setting a positive example for others to follow. .. Catch ya on the flip side from Canada .. Cheers.

That was awesome! Thank you for sharing. It's beautiful there. And the history lessons were spot on. Thanks again.

Did a lot of kayaking courses around the swellies many years back, did all the navigation training for sea kayaking but also did whitewater style stuff. Difference was we went looking for the shallower bits where your whole intent was to avoid them!!. Oh and no engines 😊 Looked great fun, congrats on the passes

Howdy Gemma & Simon. Great weather, great scenery and excellent training with a pass. Well done guys. Cheers Keith

I visited the UK in the mid 80's and never made it back. Packed a lot into the 9 days we were there but would love to visit again someday before my time is up. Got to see Kendal in the north, Oxford, Stratford on Avon, Bristol, and 3 days in London. What a beautiful amazing country you live in. Love all the videos.

Another great vid. The raining is so critical. I was a member of the US Power Squadron, which provided training and also was a great social network. Was starting on my instructor training (I was also an AF Instructor for a decade) but ended up moving from California to central TX and at that time there was no USPS close. Now it is a bit intimidating being on the lakes because unlike the boats I was used to, which seldom cruised more than thirty five knots, there is an abundance of jet skies, bass boats and ski boats running about at twice the speed. Sadly chances are the majority of boats out there today have few actually trained. Somedays can be a real challenge. I've a couple of small cruisers, 1956 LoneStar 23" and a 1967 Chrysler 24' cruiser, both aluminum and waiting for me to refurbish them. You are knocking it out of the park with the great mix of work and info on the areas etc. Prefect use of background music as well. You've lots of friends out there. Thanks for your sharing so much with us all. .

That was great fun to watch and see what you had to do! I used to do boating with my parents back in the late seventies and we stopped in 1983! We all got our offshore yacht masters and that was really interesting to do! Good luck to you both with your course! I cannot wait to see the next level that you do! Well done to you both! 👍

That was a nostalgia trip and a half lol. We did our training in a 30ft workboat... The same workboat i subsequently lost in a Norwegian fjord (they all look the same) and had to get the helicopter out to find it. Happy days.

Excellent video! Nice to see maritime training done right! Spot on.

Thanks for all that you do!

A fan from Florida likes the Florida State hat!

Love the instructor wearing the old Florida State cap. Go Noles!

That was a really enjoyable video. Richard is a very kind and competent teacher and trainer. The both of you clearly joined the course with open minds and not with huge egos and worked hard at it. Success is always guaranteed for those who are willing to listen. It was really nice for this Welshman and a Gog (North Walian) at that to see familiar places, hear familiar place names and the subtle playing of the Welsh national anthem (Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau) stirred quite a few emotions for this 31 year Japan resident. You mentioned that at low tide that the Menai Straits is only as deep as 18inches in some places and indeed, this was used in bygone days by the drovers to take cattle across. Congratulations to you both on this important milestone on your journey with Sarinda.

I had boats on and off for 15yrs before I decided to do a Day Skippers theory and PB level 2. So wish I’d done them first, as although I knew how to handle a boat, It made me realise how little I knew.

You were lucky with the weather - I think it would be a totally different experience with a 20 knot wind and rain! Back to work you two!

Obviously he's a very patient and knowledgeable instructor. This is very helpful when learning technical skills. If you ever came to the west coast of Canada you need to see some of our flood channels like the Yucata rapids and the like. John Gibson can probably attest to this if he's ever experienced them. They will give you a thrill of a lifetime. Congrats on passing.

It's always helpful to have an experienced instructor. I am sure I need one. Thanks !

Congrats you two the adventure goes on 👍👏👏👏👏👏👏

Well done you two up and onwards to the next course

Nice work guys! Great to see you getting out on water a bit! Perfect weather for it too.

Thoroughly enjoyed watching your latest video guys, Wales is simply stunning and it’s castles the most impressive but not as impressive as your navigation skills and power boat sailing guys, very well done indeed

Well done you two!

Wow guys......you had a better time doing your pb2 than me. Did mine in river Humber in winter I was with 2 others which came in not so Ideal clothing, me and the instructor had full fladons on so was warm and dry.....the other two were not so didn't spend a great deal of time out Humber But as you guys found I learnt loads in classroom and slow boat handling.but it was a great weekend glad you enjoyed your time too.

Great video, we did our pb 2 with seawake a couple of months ago and had a great time .

Excellent lesson, well done

splendid view from your new office. LOL

Well done you two! 👏 That training boat/raft looked pretty awesome and way fun!

Well done Guys👍👍

It’s park you boat time, hope it won’t be to long before you are doing that all the time you’re dream achieved 👍😊

That was so lovely to watch. Thank you for sharing. Well done to you both.

Well done really enjoyed the experience and loved the history of the place which added to the enjoyment thanks guys

Wonderful video reminded me when i was in beaumaris, menai bridge and Bangor working for Ysbyty Gwynedd and menai strait was my Daily view in the morning and evening with low tide and its strong Wind

Did my power boat training in Bristol, this was a real nostalgia trip for me 😊

thank you , love north wales.

Well done - we're based on Anglesey, and spend a bit of time on the water ourselves. Great video.

brilliant looks like you had fun must make you want to crack on with your boat loved the brigde and Castle

Congrats on passing both of you, it is a lovely place Turquoise coloured water went through to Newborough warren beach which is on south side anchored there did you see it at night it all changes with shore lights and navigation lights getting mixed up you,ll get there just takes time all well worth it

Well that was Informative as always. What perfect couple of days you had. The instructor was very good and congratulations on passing. Onto the next course. Reading the comments. It looks like you have radio training next. That will be fun and you'll learn a lot. I understand from the comments that at night the boys are lit, so I imagine that's a whole different course. Great video and you two. Catch you Friday x

Great video again guys.

Looked amazing, well done!

Friend of mine did his RYA sailing course in that area, the scenery was wonderful and you made it so much more with the drone shots. Well done with getting through the course, keep up with Nav work in the evenings at home so it becomes second nature, get the kids involved as well. Be good if you can get some twin engine work as with practice I know you will find it easier to control harbour work and coming alongside. Congratulations, well done.

Congratulations with your enthusiasm you’ll get far, I hope you have as much enjoyment on your adventures as I did. Love the videos.

What an experience. Such a beautiful place.

That looks like proper fun!

Just subscribe to your channel this morning and looking back at some of your videos and this caught my eye, really enjoyed it you had some nice weather, we love Anglesey and are often there so it was great to see from the boats view. I'm not upto date yet but admire your dedication and hard work Well done 👏

Congrats!

Well done to you both.👍

Thanks for taking me back to Wales; the musical soundtrack was brilliant. Thanks again and, on your journey, I have punched every rivet with you guys. From New South Wales.

Brilliant you two 👍🏻

I subscribe to fewer channels now and I find that I skip through a lot of videos these days too however, I can honestly say that I watched every second of this episode and loved every bit of it too. Entertaining and educational as always. Thank you.

The water there is beautiful

> Thanks for a nice excursion thru some beautiful scenes. Son and daughter in law visit UK every year, now I see why. Greetings from Tx. captains.

Interesting vid. good to see a vid people can look at to see whats involved well done carry on.

Well done both of you

Congratulations 🥳👏

congratulations guys you have done well

Well done to both of you

Nice job Stevenson does! Telford does a good job too. Couple of People who did rippa work! Nice 1 m8s, congratz on PB2! You live an work in a rippa neck of the woods. Thanks.

Congratulations. Well done.

When I took small boat classes in Vancouver, they used a “modified” local chart that contained local training changes in military and commercial traffic. Needless to say if you did not carefully read the borders, details of the chart you would not pass when you reached your final destination! Thx

good vid thanks lee

Aww my favourite couple. And what a magnificent land you live in. Michelle. Gold Coast. Australia

Nice cruising😀

nice to see you out in a boat not sure about the nya course but then again i was apprenticed and time served on the thames and coastal always had arguments with nya trained captain cap wallies

Felicitaciones, un lindo video, continúen así. Une abrazo desde Necochea, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Well done guys

Wonderful video you both fill my heart keep it up yeah

The battle of denial was when lady Hamilton said not tonight Horatio 😂

Enjoy!

Plotting a course was the homework when I undertook the powerboat two course some years back, it gets interesting when buoys are physically missing from the water yet still on the charts ! Will the VHF marine radio course follow ? Well done guys, can't wait to see some rope splicing 😉

Spent 4 hours walking around the castle while on holiday at my wife’s birthplace Milford Haven. You looked if you had a great time. In Sydney Australia I think I will have to get a boat as we’ve had three floods already this year.

Where I come from in the United States. what you're in that black inflatable is a high-speed rescue or emergency/ law enforcement vessel basically used on the riverways and lakes on the ocean maybe two miles out away from Shore. my training consisted of the Maine Maritime Academy (4 years )to receive my 800 tons captain's license I know you're trying to increase your knowledge of being on the water maybe a good book for you would be Chapman's basic boating guide to start with

As usual Gemma you are the life and soul of the party! What a great video and great training. Such a great channel you are both creating! Well done! Is your offer of the funniest comment perpetual or was it just the one time?

How beautiful is that place

Just went to Google maps to see exactly where this took place. Great job y'all! It's described as being a shallow channel with strong currents.

A two day vacation!

Lekker man lekker 🇿🇦

Pretty cool video. Loved seeing the castle! Is there people living on the small island with 2 or 3 buildings and one tree?

In case you get confused about spelling. Always remember....... Whales are in the sea Wales is by the sea

Have you both ever hired a cruiser on the Norfolk Broads?. There are some good places to practice tidal manouvering, channel following, tidal timing etc etc. I would recommend you hire a 45ft cruiser from Richardsons to aquaint you with narrow rivers, and go from there. I say 45ft, because that`s the biggest hireboat you can get, so will give you an idea of size in relation to enclosed area`s.

Have you thought about using a polarizing filter on the camera when on the water. It chages the reflections bouncing off the water and let you see through the glare. Just be careful it ca go a bit mad on the cloudles skys.

Missed the wonderful bit of history about HMS Conway sinking in the straits.

I did not see it in the video do they cover "Notice to mariner" chart changes. IE missing buoy and marker light out, or other navigational hazards. These can be VERY important

You have practical exams for boat levels? here in The Netherlands can do level 1 and 2 just in theory.. (no idea how far they are comparable though) practical exams here are for commercial licenses only. (so far) haven't started yet , it's a lot to cram into my easily distracted head..

They worked out that that the building costs for these castles was the equivalent of sending someone to the moon.

next course is your radio license and getting your call sign

I was able to get my 27,000 pound river license when I was 16 at school.

Your back already?