Being a Jet Ski (PwC – Personal Watercraft) instructor in South Africa can bring a whole new world of career opportunities along with an adventure. What’s more? You get to teach and influence people of different generations as you continue teaching them the ways of the sea. To be a jet ski instructor in South Africa, you will need a particular qualification. Are you interested in this adventurous career option? Then this article is for you.
Jet Ski Instructor Course in South Africa
The instructor course focuses on teaching various techniques and tips that revolve around what you have learnt in your RYA PwC and powerboat Level 2 courses. In this course, you will be supervised by another qualified RYA Jet Ski Trainer. They will observe and guide you as you prepare training courses and practicals for your students. Upon the completion of this course, you will be eligible to conduct a 1-day RYA Jet Ski Proficiency Course or a PwC Safety Course. This course lasts for 3 days. On the third day of the course, you will be accompanied by an extra moderator who will test your skills and knowledge. Think of this as a small assessment that will determine whether you are qualified to be an instructor.
To become an instructor, first, you will have to understand how to operate a jet ski. In other words, you will have to have the certificate as proof that you know your way around operating PwC. You have to be a minimum of 16 years of age to enrol in this course and you must hold the RYA PwC proficiency certificate. Furthermore, you will also require an RYA First Aid qualification certificate as proof that you will be able to handle emergency situations effectively.
Important: Make sure your First Aid certificate is valid as it has a three year expiry date. If it has expired, you will have to retake the First Aid course to be eligible for this course.
This course also does a pre-assessment to test your knowledge and experience to understand whether you are ready.
A Superyacht has many types of watersport amenities and ‘toys’ to entertain its guests. It is mandatory to have a certified PWC Instructor on board if they are operating commercially, which makes this certificate really important.
Preparations for the Jet Ski Instructor Course.
Not sure if you are qualifying to take this course? Make sure you follow this checklist as a self-assessment.
1. You must have completed the RYA Proficiency Course.
As mentioned above, this is a mandatory step if you want to enrol on the course. But for most training schools, having the certificate only is not enough. You should also possess experience in handling jet skis. This experience depends on the training schools you will be enrolling in. Some ask for 1-year experience, some are accepting not less than 2 years experience, and there are a few schools that require 5 years of experience as well.
Related: RYA Personal Watercraft Proficiency Training Course
2. First Aid Certificate complying with RYA standards.
Another mandatory document you must hold. Two important things to note here:
- Does my First Aid Certificate comply with RYA standards?
- How long till the certificate expires? Do I have to renew it soon?
This is what RYA covers in their First Aid course. Make sure your certificate meets these standards. You can also take the course prior to obtaining a First Aid certificate. However, your certificate will be on hold until you submit valid proof of owning an RYA-level First Aid certificate. Also, South African STCW first-aid certificate is also considered valid and accepted.
3. Good theoretical and practical knowledge
This is where your experience as a Jet Ski rider will come in handy. Even if a school does not ask for the experience, all of them will test your theoretical and practical knowledge to determine whether you are qualified. This is exactly why you should not rush for an instructor certificate right after you obtain the PwC proficiency certificate. Make sure you are ready for this and have enough knowledge. After all, you will be teaching other people and they will be depending on you to learn about PwC.
Related: High-quality shore-based courses that may prove useful to you
4. VHF course (recommended)
Knowing how to operate a VHF radio is a plus though hardly any school would ask for this certificate. But, it does give you an edge at enrolling in the course. To know more, please take a look here: Marine Radio Course
If you have further questions regarding how to become a Jet Ski Instructor in South Africa, we will be pleased to assist you. Please feel free to connect with us anytime. Looking forward to seeing you at the sea soon!