Hands-on Zodiac training, scheduled when you’re ready.
Tell us when you’re free. When four students line up on an overlapping window, we pick a date and run the course. No guessing, no fly-by openings.
Hands-on Zodiac Operations
A practical course that complements Small Vessel Operator Proficiency certification by applying theoretical knowledge in real‑world settings. Curriculum and class size are concentrated to maximize time on the helm — the gold standard for improving boat handling skills.
We run it for new boaters with or pursuing SVOP certification. You come away with confidence operating a small commercial vessel and the essential seamanship, navigation, and emergency handling skills that don’t come from a classroom.
- Duration
- One day, 6.5 hours
- Class size
- Up to 4 students
- Instructors
- One per course
- Vessel
- 19 ft Zodiac, 60 hp tiller
- Tuition
- $450 per student
Course completion certificate
Proof of hands-on training, issued at debrief.
What you’ll take home
Three focus areas, woven through every hour of the day.
Operate with confidence
Reinforce SVOP concepts with real-world practice. Get comfortable on the helm of a small commercial vessel before you need to be.
Stay safe in real conditions
Pre-departure procedures, radio checks, weather and tide interpretation, and emergency response — not as a quiz, as a habit.
Seamanship that holds up
Line handling, essential knots, beaching, launching from shore, and weight balance across a loaded boat.
The day, hour by hour
- 11.0 hr
Safety & Pre-Departure
- Course orientation & PFD inspection
- Zodiac-specific safety walkthrough
- Weather, tide, float plan, radio check
- 21.5 hr
Basic Vessel Handling
- Helm controls & low-speed maneuvering
- Turning radius, pivot point
- Station keeping
- 31.5 hr
Navigation & Situational Awareness
- Practical digital navigation
- Buoys, markers, COLREGS compliance
- Lookout technique & hazard ID
- 41.0 hr
Applied Seamanship
- Line handling & essential knots
- Beaching & launching from shore
- Weight balance, passenger management
- 51.0 hr
Docking & Close-Quarters
- Dock approach with wind & current
- Pivot turns
- Securing & departing with spring lines
- 60.5 hr
Debrief & Feedback
- Instructor review of individual performance
- Next steps: ROC-M, DVS, additional hours
- Industry contacts
One instructor, one day. Every student on the helm.
Our captains, local to the Salish Sea, have honed their expertise in some of the most trying conditions on earth. Antarctic winds, Great Bear Rainforest swells, and fast-current estuary boat handling supplement strong backing in classical training. Together, the classical training of our instructors includes Master 60 tonne Unlimited and associated proficiencies, Senior Polar Guide, and the Canadian Coast Guard’s advanced boat training course — Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training (‘RHIOT’).
The course-day is tailored to suit your goals and prior experience before we cast off, which enables self-directed skill acquisition catalyzed by expert advice.
Tell us your goals in advance
Once you’ve confirmed a date, share your prior experience and attention areas — we’ll tailor the day.
Signal your interest
Tell us when you’re open. When four students line up on an overlapping window, we’ll email you a proposed date to confirm. No payment yet, no account needed.