I attended the RYA First Aid course yesterday. The facilities are very good with plenty of parking. Our trainer (Alan) was very experienced with plenty of real life examples to enhance the material.... See more
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STCW & RYA Marine Training Centre based in Hamble, Southampton, Greenwich and Helensburgh. The company delivers a wide range of Sea Survival, First Aid, GMDSS, engineering, navigation, maritime security and powerboat courses for super-yacht, workboat and leisure boating crew and masters. Sailing and powerboat students will find we offer the widest range of shorebased, marine radio, yacht maintenance, engineering, first aid at sea and navigation courses of any RYA Training Centre. The centres are equipped with first class resources and training aids for GMDSS, marine engineering and survival training.
Contact info
Chieftain Training, 26 Compass House, Ensign Way, Hamble, SO31 4RA, Southampton, United Kingdom
- 02382 000525
- info@chieftain.training
- chieftain.training
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Did my gmdss roc here found the…
Did my gmdss roc here found the instroctor reall good on the ball real would experience pushed you in the right direction told you where you needed to brush up an just maid the course as good as it can be

Reply from Chieftain Training
RYA Diesel Engine course is a must
The hands-on approach mixed with clear explanation pulled the whole course together.
The instructor (John) is clearly very knowledgeable and experienced - he willingly shared this together with some very useful professional ‘top tips’ - over and above the curriculum.
A very informative & enjoyable day.
Very professional
Very professional, great coaching and instruction.
A well designed and executed course
A well thought through course, delivered by a very experienced instructor, and supported by a wealth of tools and materials.
There was a lot of flexibility on day 2 to apply the knowledge in class on topics of the students’ choice. So some people designed and built parts of projects that they want to do after the course. I designed some circuits and checked them out with the instructor, then practiced fault diagnosis. They even have a simulated boat electrical system that they break and disable in various ways, which I then had to diagnose.
A tremendous balance of theory and practice. Thanks Chieftain.
fantastic training course fully hands…
fantastic training course fully hands on to help you overcome any problems you may be having on your boat / campervan
Good course content
Excellent amount of content but sometimes a little hurried due to lack of time. It would have been better to have an extra half day to make lectures and lunchtime a bit longer, however I have learned alot and it was definitely worth the money.
Great Diesel Engine day 2 course
This is my 2nd course with John and, as with previous, a great course delivered very professionally and engaging. I'll no doubt be back for more.
Oceans online course was effective
Oceans online course was effective, invigilator at exam in Southampton was very helpful, despite having to fly in to the UK for this the process worked well in all ways.
Quality Instruction with plenty of practical scenarios
Have taken several courses with Chieftain Training and will consider returning for more. All RYA/STCW/yachting/boat related.
12v Electric course
I have just finished a 2 day course. I have a relatively new boat with modern equipment and wanted to come away with practical skills and knowledge.
The standard of handouts was poor and the teaching style haphazard and unfocused without a clear syllabus.
The trainer is only familiar with older simple systems. NEMA networks were not covered and for example he had never heard of a combined tank and electric display such as a phillipi or simarine poco.
I can now look for and find faulty equipment and short circuits and rewire faults but that’s about it. If you have a boat built in the past 15 years or so this is not the course for you.

Reply from Chieftain Training
Good, practical, friendly
Diesel Engine Maintenance L1&2. Good content, good instruction, knowledgeable teacher with loads of relevant experience. Practical sessions on the engines were so much better than staring at a schematic diagram or YouTube vid. Proper hands on teaching.
The perfect add-on to the RYA Diesel course
Friendly, experienced and helpful trainer, he set an excellent learning vibe with the right pace for the participants on the day. A wide range of engines and other mechanical equipment to work on, good range of tools, small class size = lots of access to the trainer.
The course carries on from RYA Diesel, getting into a bit more detail and focusing on fault finding and resolution. There were two main themes to the day: things to help with fault finding, and things to help with routine maintenance. This worked perfectly for me and what I wanted from the day.
At one point the trainer takes a working diesel engine and "breaks it" in various ways. You then get to diagnose and fix it, with support from the trainer. I loved this approach, it really helped me learn.
Engine maintenance course
Very informative, but also engaging instructor
RYA Marine Diesel Engines.
A friendly atmosphere, reasonably well equipped, good instructor, and felt satisfied that most of my expectations and objectives were met. There was a glitch with regards to receiving joining instructions for the day, which I felt could have been sent earlier on and without me having to raise awareness about the lack of info.
Master 200 prep week
Nice team, clear instructions, good facilities. We had Roger for our MCA masters 200 prep week and he was a great instructor/teacher/guru, loads of hugely valuable experience and knowledge and a good laugh
Trainer with a lot of knowledge and experience
Great experience and nice people. Open conversationsm experience sharing.
Pristine service for your needs
Not many centres offer 2 days of preparation & exam alongside an advanced course, so it was great to get it done in a whole week. I am someone who doesn't retain information well if the learning is broken up, so this was perfectly suited to me.
Instructors there are all welcoming, and want you to do well. They know the waters, so well that it makes the learning process easier. Thanks for everything!
Highly recommend!
Excellent course with great instructors
Powerboat level two instructor course
I completed a powerboat level two instructor course. The course is well planned and professional. Doug was an excellent instructor.
Professional explanation
Professional explanation, training and book.
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