Power Cat Training

[robertgeller]

Maybe you can help? I am wanting to get some basic training on a power cat so that I can do a bareboat charter. I would like to pay someone to work with me for a few days on basic GPs/Chartplotting, Docking, anchoring etc. I have 30 plus years boating experience in Bays and Lakes but on smaller boats. I am having trouble finding a Power Cat to train on. How different would practicing on sailing Cat without sails up? I can travel to Florida or anywhere else. Does anyone have some ideas for me?

[JPA Cate]

Phone around to the the power boat squadrons, they'd know where training can be found.

Ann

[robertgeller]

What/Where can I find power boat squadron...THX for replying so quickly!

[robertgeller]

I found the power squadron on line. THANKS AGAIN

[JH22]

As far as maneuvering and docking Power cat and a sailing cat will be just the same. Open water power cat will have more speed otherwise very very similar.

[robertgeller]

Thanks... I think I will have more luck with finding sailing cat to train on.

[GhostLake]

If you didn't already solve this problem, we used Domonic from premiumcaptains.com (his company) for training on our new power cat. He also does sailing and has experience with a number of different boats.

Mine was a crew of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) and we spent a very intense 6 days working with him. The charter companies and more importantly the insurance companies know him very well, so his official approval goes a long way with most people in South Florida.

We've done quite a bit of distance since working with him and I've been pretty impressed by how prepared we were or by how much we are now able to do things intelligently on the fly.

[mako]

Why don't you find a similar-sized cat for sale in your area (sail or power) and contact the seller? Tell them you want to hire them for half a day. Put a few hundred bucks in their pocket. Someone will grab at that.

[robertgeller]

thanks for your replies...very helpful

[GhostLake]

Originally Posted by mako

Why don't you find a similar-sized cat for sale in your area (sail or power) and contact the seller? Tell them you want to hire them for half a day. Put a few hundred bucks in their pocket. Someone will grab at that.

I think the problem you will run into with this approach is that most of the charter companies won't accept this as enough experience to bareboat. I know ours wants to see either an extensive boating resume or know that you have been trained by someone they accept. YMMV, but there is no way you could get enough experience in 1 day to be able to safely charter a powercat.

[leecea]

Originally Posted by GhostLake

I think the problem you will run into with this approach is that most of the charter companies won't accept this as enough experience to bareboat. I know ours wants to see either an extensive boating resume or know that you have been trained by someone they accept. YMMV, but there is no way you could get enough experience in 1 day to be able to safely charter a powercat.

This was my experience with sailing charters - they wanted a resume, list of any qualifications attained, and two sailing references. You could ask what is needed from whomever you plan to charter from.

For sailing, there are ASA schools that let you charter from them after you "graduate". We used that to gain knowledge and experience. I don't know how it works for powerboats - maybe this link helps: https://americasboatingclub.org/lear...oating-courses

[BuoyCall]

Got the power cat bug now. More i look at them the more we are leaning that way. Need to go for a ride on one this year fir my self.