RYA Diesel Engine and Boat Maintenance Course

Who is this course for?

This two day course is geared towards the average boater who wants to know how to complete essential maintenance and get a better understanding of a boat’s engine, stern gear, domestic water and basic electrical systems – without specialist tools. By the end of the course you’ll be able to carry out basic servicing, fault finding and maintenance to keep your boat in good order. The aim is to give you confidence by understanding your boat’s systems better and to save money on maintenance!

Within the course you’ll also cover the RYA Diesel Engine Course syllabus, so you’ll be issued with the RYA Certificate of Attendance.

Note: We do offer two other more detailed courses for Electrics and Plumbing for those who want to expand on the content of this course.

What does the course involve?

In a mixture of classroom and workshop sessions you’ll be taken through all the different course topics by our highly experienced and qualified instructor. A substantial part of the course is hands-on, so you can expect plenty of practical experience working on engines and other boat systems (so don’t wear your best clothes!)

We deliberately restrict numbers to six students on each course to ensure that you get plenty of time ‘on the tools’.

The course will cover the following topics:

• Diesel Engine, theory and operation
• The Fuel System, operation, service and maintenance
• The Air System, requirements and maintenance
• The Cooling System, types, operation and service
• The lubrication System, service and maintenance
• Other engine adjustments
• Basic electrical system, operation, service, maintenance, basic fault finding and testing.
• Basic tools and spares
• Drivelines and stern gear, service and maintenance
• Domestic water systems fault finding and maintenance
• Hull Protection, Paintwork Maintenance and leaks through fittings
• Winterising

Our training classroom

Our dedicated training building at Debdale Wharf is a purposely configured part classroom and part workshop. As well as having a number of running engines for you to ‘break and repair’, it also has specially designed basic water and electrical installations for you to investigate and work on. The classroom area has all the teaching props and visual aids required to help you throughout the course.

Have your own boat?

Great. During the course you’ll be encouraged to discuss your own boat and any issues you may have with it. It’s really helpful if you bring along any pictures or documentation that you have of your boat and its systems.

After the course, we encourage you to contact your instructor if you ever need any further advice on any maintenance challenges! We know our students like to talk directly with the instructor who taught them.

When do the courses run?

We schedule a number of these courses throughout the year. You can view the full list of dates on our booking calendar. If demand is high enough, we can add extra course dates. Please just get in touch.

What’s provided (& included)

• The RYA Diesel Engine booklet
• RYA Diesel Engine Course certificate of attendance.
• Fully qualified RYA Instructor
• Endless teas, coffees and biscuits
• Free parking

What you need to provide

• Your lunches
• Comfortable and protective clothing
• Sturdy suitable footwear

Here’s a few common questions

• Do I need any previous technical knowledge? No. This course is suited to all levels of experience.
• Do I need to bring any tools? No. Our workshop is equipped with everything you’ll need.