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April 18, 2026
Tim Dowling: I’m all at sea … on a reservoir near Heathrow airport
At my age, I never thought I’d need another qualification. But here I am, grappling with knots and a man overboard in 35 mph winds
TL;DR
- The author undertook a Level 2 Powerboat Handling certificate course.
- The course was conducted on a reservoir in adverse weather conditions with winds gusting up to 35 mph.
- The author and his friend pursued the qualification because they were not allowed to drive a boat they hired on a previous holiday.
- Owning a boat in the UK does not require a competency certificate, but hiring boats abroad often does.
- Practical exercises included knot tying and a 'man overboard' drill using a buoy.
- The author felt the conditions were challenging and worse than expected for the time of year.
- He found the experience ironic, as he felt he demonstrated the opposite of competency during the course.