Joining & Training

Joining

We welcome people from all walks of life, you do not need to have any previous maritime experience or training. Any member can train at their own pace in the many nautical, engineering, operational and management skills required to operate the service whilst backed-up by practical experience ashore and afloat. For example:

Seamanship

One of your achievements as a member in the MVS could to train and become a seamanship Volunteer Officer; skippering one of our large vessels using skills such as navigation, course plotting, crew management and ship handling.

Engineering

A ship or motor vessel without an engineer or engineering support will soon be in trouble. With us you can train to become an engineering Volunteer Officer and learn skills required to run, manage and maintain a ship's engine room.

Operational Support

Vessels and engineering are nothing without people to organise and manage things such as command and control, communications, fuelling, transport and many more. Lead by our operations Volunteer Officers, this is what our operational support staff do and more.

Management

Perhaps you have other skills that can help us and an interest in nautical matters. The management of the MVS including fund raising, financial matters and websites underpin all that we do as a service. Maybe you could help?

RYA Training CentreTraining

However, training between the branches is actively encouraged with the aim of broadening the knowledge of a member without diluting their primary specialisation.

The training programmes include recognised Royal Yachting Association qualifications such as:

  • RYA Essential Navigation & Seamanship Course
  • RYA Day Skipper Theory Course
  • RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore Theory Course
  • RYA Diesel Engine Course
  • RYA Marine Radio Short Range Certificate Course
  • RYA Radar Course

Members can also train with materials produced by the MVS covering:

  • Safety at Sea
  • First Aid - achieving Elementary, Appointed Person and MCA qualifications
  • Fire Fighting
  • Establish and Maintain Radio Communications
  • Launch and Recovery of Boats
  • Operation of Inboard and Outboard Motors
  • Boat Handling
  • Vessel Repair and Maintainance
  • Chart Work and Navigation including use of navigation equipment
  • Emergency Response such as polutions, incidents and afloat patrols
  • Operations room skills including Command and Control
  • Use of meteorological information
  • Operation of craft electrical systems including fault diagnosis and rectification
  • Large craft engines and auxiliary systems
  • Control of berthing and berthing parties
  • Small ship command and handling
  • Deck and Engineering watch keeping
  • Beach Master

Members progress through the various levels in their own time dependent on the amount of time they can commit to their training.

Previous experience in either a professional or voluntary capacity will be taken into account towards qualification, providing suitable documentary evidence of such experience can be provided.

Training takes place at units in the evenings and at weekends both ashore and afloat.

In addition to the smaller inshore craft operated by most MVS Units, the Service operates sea-going vessels around the UK coast for extended training periods including trips to the Channel Islands and France.