Please note

On successful completion of Royal Yachting Association Courses, each attendee's name, email address, date of birth, certificate number and date of issue will be shared with the RYA through a secure web portal on www.rya.org.uk. The data will be stored on the RYA’s central database. This information allows the RYA to record your qualification, to update any records they may hold for you, and to verify or replace your certificate if required. For further information on how the RYA will deal with your data, please see the RYA’s Privacy Policy at www.rya.org.uk/go/privacy. Please note you must bring a passport sized photograph for your certificate to be issued.

It is recognised that occasionally people have good reasons to learn on their own boat. Examples include if the boat is adapted for accessibility needs, or if the learning objectives can only be met at a particular location. We will discuss your needs and reasons for requesting own-boat training, considering the following factors:

• The Kinver Boat School route has been chosen to create the best learning experience. It includes a well spaced range of canal features, allowing people to progress from the basics through to more advanced manovers.
• The timings and distances of the route are well practiced and ensure everything is completed within the time we have together.
• The route is regularly risk assessed with potential and actual hazards spotted and reported to CRT immediately they become apparent.
• The school boat is set up for learning, with space and comfort in mind.
• The principles on how a boat operates and handles are the same, so learning on one narrowboat is transferrable to another.
• Training courses work best with at least two or ideally three students. Own-boat training for one person will usually mean a student is left on the boat on their own while the instructor operates a lock/bridge, which is not ideal.
• As we cannot invite other students onto a course run on your boat, the cost per person is likely to be higher if there are fewer than three students.

A half day experience will give you a chance to experience a slice of canal life in beautiful Kinver. The half day route may be one way; don’t worry, we’ll drive you back to your start point. We provide hot and cold drinks and a snack. After a safety briefing and getting to know the boat, you can have a go at controlling the boat and at crewing. We’ll take the boat through at least one Lock and Winding Hole. For operational reasons, there must be a minimum of two people on this experience.