Try free

Training

Booking software for Powerboat schools

Theory in the classroom in the evening, the on-water session at the marina on Saturday with four students and a boat, and the sessions grouped before the assessment.

No credit card · Ready in 5 minutes

The challenges facing powerboat schools

  • The on-water session takes four students and a boat

    It is not a slot, it is a hull and an instructor. A fifth sign-up accepted by mistake, and somebody is left on the pontoon on a Saturday morning.

  • Theory in the classroom in the evening, practice at the marina on Saturday

    Two places, two formats, two durations in the same week. One list of slots cannot serve both without a mistake.

  • The assessment gets prepared in grouped sessions

    The dates are fixed, and everything hangs off them. What is not booked in advance no longer fits into the three weeks before.

  • The block of hours gets used with no record

    Five hours of practice paid, three done. Without history attached to the student, the count is held in memory and gets argued at enrolment.

  • The weather decides the trip, not the classroom

    A blow cancels four students at once, and they have to be moved. One message to everyone beats four calls.

How Kagenda helps

  • The problem

    The on-water session takes four students and a boat

    With Kagenda

    Every session in one place, by day, week or month.

    One central calendar

  • The problem

    Theory in the classroom in the evening, practice at the marina on Saturday

    With Kagenda

    Each service gets its own slots: some in the morning, others late in the day.

    Hours per service

  • The problem

    The assessment gets prepared in grouped sessions

    With Kagenda

    Book a whole course of sessions at once, one after another.

    Recurring appointments

  • The problem

    The block of hours gets used with no record

    With Kagenda

    History, preferences and follow-up notes gathered on one record per client.

    Client records

  • The problem

    The weather decides the trip, not the classroom

    With Kagenda

    Confirmed, moved or cancelled — both you and the client are told.

    Email notifications

The features that matter to you

  • 24/7 online booking

    Clients book from your page, even while you are with someone else or closed.

  • One central calendar

    Every session in one place, by day, week or month.

  • Hours per service

    Each service gets its own slots: some in the morning, others late in the day.

  • Recurring appointments

    Book a whole course of sessions at once, one after another.

  • Client records

    History, preferences and follow-up notes gathered on one record per client.

  • Email notifications

    Confirmed, moved or cancelled — both you and the client are told.

  • Custom fields

    Ask your questions at booking time: reason, history, expectations.

  • Deposits and payments

    Take a deposit at booking time and get paid online before the session.

Practical guide: Powerboat schools

  1. Each boat is a resource with its number of places. Four students, four sign-ups, not five.
  2. Two separate services, "shorebased theory" and "practical afloat", with their places, durations and slots.
  3. Pre-assessment sessions booked in one go, as soon as the date is known.
  4. The block attached to the student's record: the hours used read, they do not get argued.
  5. Weather cancellation from the diary tells all four students in one operation, with the new date.
  6. A "course aimed for, can swim, medical declaration" field at enrolment: the file is complete before the first trip.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a powerboat course cost in the UK?

Around £250 to £400 for an RYA Powerboat Level 2 over two days, £500 to £750 for a Day Skipper practical, and £250 to £400 for a shorebased theory course. Set your own prices.

What do you need to run a powerboat school in the UK?

Recognition rather than a licence, and the distinction matters. There is no compulsory certificate to drive a powerboat recreationally in UK coastal waters, which is why courses are sold on competence and on foreign requirements — the International Certificate of Competence is what many European countries and charter companies demand, with the CEVNI endorsement for inland waterways. To issue RYA certificates you must be an RYA Recognised Training Centre, inspected annually against standards for instructors, ratios, craft and safety cover. A training vessel carrying students for reward is a small commercial vessel requiring Maritime and Coastguard Agency coding and survey. Add third-party insurance, enhanced DBS checks if you teach under-18s, and the Adventure Activities Licensing scheme where you do.

Can I limit the number of students per trip?

Yes, by declaring each boat as a resource with its places.

Can I manage theory and practice in the same diary?

Yes, as two services with their own places and durations.

How do I track a student's practical hours?

The block attaches to their record and the balance updates itself.

How do I tell a group when a trip is cancelled?

From the diary. Each student gets their own message.

Ready to simplify your bookings?

Create your account in minutes and let your clients book online starting today.

No credit card · Ready in 5 minutes