The Bristol Maritime Academy

5.0 Average rating: Read reviews

The Bristol Maritime Academy is a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Recognised Training Centre operated by a highly experienced and dedicated team. We work closely with all of our clients and assist them in becoming well-trained and skilled operators, be they marine professionals or leisure enthusiasts.

The Bristol Maritime Academy is the only RYA coastal training centre based in the Bristol Harbour, providing you with the perfect training location, whether you need inland, river or coastal courses.

Quality of safety, training, staff and equipment are key to our packages and our flexibility ensures that customers always receive the highest quality training that they are looking for.

Superyacht Training

We offer Bespoke Crew Training delivered globally to Superyachts including marine and watersports training to meet with owners, captains and management companies needs. We also offer a full RYA Personal Watercraft (Jet-ski) Instructor training service at your location including all documentation and support.

STCW Training

We are now offering the STCW95/2010 training package as part of our Superyacht Crew Training. Working on a super yacht is an exciting career option, leading to travel and adventure opportunities worldwide. The STCW95/2010 training packages to work on a commercial vessel, which includes all of the essential codes of conduct. Key skills such as Sea Survival, Fire Fighting and Ship Security are taught giving you the necessary skills and qualifications to kickstart your career in this prestigious industry. 

STCW Training Centers

The Bristol Maritime Academy have their training center located in Bristol, United Kingdom.

Terms and Conditions

View the training school's Terms and Conditions.


Customer Reviews

The Bristol Maritime Academy reviews as published on Google:

  • Steve Morrison

    Steve Morrison

    Average rating: 3 weeks ago

    What a great weekend we had on the Power Boat Level 2 Course. Excellent instruction from Sam. I was pleased to find it covered so much more than I had expected. I now feel confident and comfortable on the water with a power boat. Highly recommend if you wish to improve or learn boating skills.

  • Carey Huscroft

    Carey Huscroft

    Average rating: a month ago

    I took the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course this week with Bristol Maritime Academy. What a great experience! Kat, our instructor, is extremely knowledgeable & skilled, patient, encouraging and very nice as well! She tailored her coaching to each person and took the time so everyone on the course learned and practiced every skill.

    The Bristol Harbour was a great place to learn skills and the trip down the Avon into the Bristol Channel was exciting! I'm already planning more classes with them - first aid, sea survival, and offshore safety. I am very happy that I went with Bristol Maritime Academy for my course!

  • Claire Howe

    Claire Howe

    Average rating: a month ago

    RYA Powerboat Level 2.
    A brilliant hands on course with some classroom learning. We spent more than half our time on the water. Plenty of opportunities to ask questions. The course really improved my knowledge and confidence. The trainer was excellent. I’m looking forward to practicing my new skills.

  • connor hardy

    connor hardy

    Average rating: 2 months ago

    I recently completed the Power Boat Level 2 course and had an amazing experience. Cat, our instructor, was not only a brilliant teacher but also made the learning process enjoyable and interesting. The course covered everything from map reading, course plotting, and knot tying in the classroom to practical skills like parking, man overboard rescue in the Bristol Channel, and tight u-turns between moored boats.

    The entire experience, including going through the lock, driving under the suspension bridge, and navigating the channel, was a lot of fun. The course was thorough and delivered in a professional manner. I highly recommend it to anyone interested – it was absolutely worth every penny.

  • JohnyJohn Johny

    JohnyJohn Johny

    Average rating: 2 months ago

    Loved the powerboat lvl 2 course. Kathryn was a great instructor, very knowledgable and passionate about what she does, so you can expect good quality training! Great manouvers guidelines! Nice boat with strong 100hp engine on. They put strong focus on practical knowledge, so there is a bit of theory to learn but majority of time is spent on the water which is fantastic. I took my course in Bristol so it was a great trip on a boat aswell where one can enjoy the view of the city from channel. Its totally different experience!
    Thanks Kathryn!

  • Kelly Knight

    Kelly Knight

    Average rating: October 11, 2023

    We did RYA Powerboat Level 2 over the weekend. Highlights included locking out of the floating harbour with the Matthew and and cruising under the Clifton Suspension Bridge on the way to Portishead. Kat was a fantastic instructor and the boat and kit were great. I would definitely recommend this course with BMA in Bristol.

  • K Lam

    K Lam

    Average rating: October 11, 2023

    Highly recommend if you want to get a taste of driving a power boat while enjoying Bristol's beautiful scenery. The course is very well organised. Coach Rhys is very professional and patient, making sure that you master every essential skill :)

  • Chris Williams

    Chris Williams

    Average rating: October 5, 2023

    Eight if us did the Defra 1 course with Annex H and thought the whole thing was fantastic. The office based element was well paced and taught us a lot, and the practical training was a huge amount of fun and gave us a lot to think about. I would highly recommend Bristol Maritime and this course to anyone who works near water.

  • hobbitfeet67

    hobbitfeet67

    Average rating: September 13, 2023

    Fantastic day of theory and practical learning. Well paced, and instructors had a wealth of real life knowledge and experience. Highly recommend this course to everyone who is taking to open water.

  • Dan Roddy

    Dan Roddy

    Average rating: September 11, 2023

    Did the two day Outdoor First Aid course. Not my first, er, first aid course, but defintely the first time I've left feeling like I know what I would need to do in an emergency. Well delivered, appropriately paced and clear in what our goals were. Not paid for by work, I chose this myself and would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone wanting to feel more confident going outside for work, or as I do, to go have fun in the hills.

  • Guy Brady

    Guy Brady

    Average rating: September 5, 2023

    RYA Power Boat 2 Course (2 days)
    I can not recommend this course enough. Our instructor Catherine was highly professional, really helpful, and made the whole process fun. She is one of the best instructors I have come across in years.
    My colleagues in the other boat also gave very good feedback about their instructor. It has exactly the right balance of class room work and practical boating skills. Thanks for a great weekend course.

  • Catherine Shepherd

    Catherine Shepherd

    Average rating: August 11, 2023

    Excellent course - really nice mix of theory and practical. The instructors tailored their approach for all ages and experience - I was with my 14 year old son and while we were with three other adults he was made to feel very much part of the course and really enjoyed all of it. Katherine, our instructor, was very (very) calm and clear and gave positive feedback and encouragement while always showing you how you could improve. Would highly recommend.

  • Alison Mair

    Alison Mair

    Average rating: August 4, 2023

    What a fantastic place. The course content was delivered by an excellent tutor in a simple no nonsense fashion. Easy to understand and retain information. The venue is good with free all day parking. Cannot recommend it highly enough

  • Peter Hayes

    Peter Hayes

    Average rating: July 16, 2023

    Took the one day RYA VHF SRC course with them and it was excellent. Great tutor, Dave, with bags of experience at sea. Friendly people, good location and facilities. Learnt so much and was successful with the exam. Highly recommended

  • StephenP

    StephenP

    Average rating: May 21, 2023

    The course was very well organised and informative. Jack ran the course and has huge experience as a captain of super-yachts and clearly has great skills in teaching. There was a good balance of practical boating and classroom technical leaning. I would recommend the course as a great experience to start your power boat futures.

  • Steve Randell

    Steve Randell

    Average rating: March 23, 2023

    I attended the YRA Powerboat Level 2 out of Portishead Marina.
    The course was great fun and very informative.
    The instructor ( Catherine ) was very patient and cool headed, she explained everything extremely well and even gave us a small history lesson in the Avon Gorge!
    All in all a great 2 days and I highly recommend the Bristol Maritime Academy for this qualification.

  • Paul Gilbert

    Paul Gilbert

    Average rating: March 22, 2023

    Attended RYA first aid course here. Our instructor Kat was excellent and very knowledgeable, making the course highly interactive and hands on. The best first aid course I’ve attended by a long way.

  • Mike Harrison

    Mike Harrison

    Average rating: February 20, 2023

    Excellent intensive Day Skipper course with Andrew Smith over two 3-day sessions, interestingly presented and engaging. Now looking forward to my practical. The location was handy with convenient parking and staff at BMA were helpful too. Back for my VHF course in a couple of weeks.

  • Rachel Kaden

    Rachel Kaden

    Average rating: December 1, 2022

    Really and thoroughly enjoyed this outdoors first aid course. Learnt a lot and felt so confident. Kat was an excellent trainer and was full of knowledge to answer all of our questions and not afraid to double check something if she was unsure of all of our many many questions. She took all of our individual reasons for being on the course into consideration and related it to the information she gave us. Thank you so much, I feel so ready to keep people safe in potentially hazardous environments.

  • Diddy

    Diddy

    Average rating: October 30, 2022

    I did an RYA Day Skipper Theory course at Bristol Maritime Academy. It was really well run, the instructor (Andrew) was excellent, and it's a lovely building and location. Highly recommended.

  • KT Os

    KT Os

    Average rating: October 18, 2022

    The Outdoor First Aid course was extremely informative and very applied. Katherine the instructor was brilliant. I highly recommend.

  • Kamila Jast

    Kamila Jast

    Average rating: October 10, 2022

    Very good and practical powerboating course with knowledgeable instructor, patient, passionate about passing on knowledge and making sure that one actually gains practical skills to do it independently. I'm coming back to do 2 more courses.

  • Jack Brooker

    Jack Brooker

    Average rating: August 30, 2022

    Brilliant RYA training course. Very informative and very friendly instructor. Will be back when I need to refresh my certificate.

  • Chris Green

    Chris Green

    Average rating: August 12, 2022

    Very thorough and comprehensive. Thank you.

  • George Lewis

    George Lewis

    Average rating: August 8, 2022

    RYA powerboat level 2 course in Bristol harbour. Did the course over the weekend with a view to an ICC for hiring purposes abroad. Whilst we benefited from fantastic weather and I only met the single trainer, I would recommend both the course and BMA for any novice powerboaters. Friendly, informative with a flexible accommodating approach. See the sights of Bristol and the Avon gorge while you're at it!

  • Kate Fraser

    Kate Fraser

    Average rating: July 28, 2022

    Thorough and really valuable. Would highly recommend Kat ☺️

  • Peter Corcoran

    Peter Corcoran

    Average rating: July 1, 2022

    Well done Tim your a star. All the training was nicely paced for all of the group.

  • mark price

    mark price

    Average rating: December 27, 2021

    Excellent training programme for Powerboat Level2, various situations to give you a great learning experience, around the floating harbour, going through the lock and a long trip down the tidal river avon, then through the estuary and out to sea. Highly recommend for anyone looking to get trained for PB2.

    Thanks to all at Bristol Maritime Academy.

  • Mark

    Mark

    Average rating: October 4, 2021

    I did a powerboat course through Bristol Maritime Academy. The instructor, Dan, was incredibly patient, knowledgable and enthusiastic about boating. Very professionally run company. I would highly recommend to anyone.

  • Anton

    Anton

    Average rating: July 26, 2021

    Completed my Powerboat Level 2 course with Bristol Maritime Academy which they run from Portishead Marina and would highly recommend it. Absolutely amazing experience. Jordan is a top class instructor and knows his stuff! Thanks Jordan and BMA, I'll be back to do my PB Advanced once I've got some more experience!

  • Richard Dennys

    Richard Dennys

    Average rating: April 26, 2021

    I've just completed and passed my Powerboat 2 plus VHF RYA courses and successfully applied for my ICC (

  • Samantha Woodward

    Samantha Woodward

    Average rating: September 15, 2020

    Great set up here in the heart of Bristol.
    I managed to park right at the harbour office for free so that's great.
    Lucky for our small group of 3 we had great weather on both days.
    Jordan, our instructor was very calm and relaxing to be with and did not hesitate to go over each thing if you didn't get it right first time. An asset to the business!
    The boats were clean and well maintained and all the correct gear provided for us.
    I did my power boat level 2 and will get my ICC from this as well.
    Highly recommended

  • Jack

    Jack

    Average rating: August 5, 2019

    The receptionist was absolutely useless and non helpful. Seeing as the is a training establishment doesn't fill me with much confidence. Don't know if I was just unlikely but the simplest of tasks seemed impossible

  • Johnny Martin

    Johnny Martin

    Average rating: March 5, 2019

    Excellent training - I did the VHF course. I wouldn't hesitate to use again or recommend.

  • David Talbot

    David Talbot

    Average rating: January 27, 2018

    A great little training centre in a fantastic location. Friendly, welcoming staff and very knowledgable instructors who made what could have been a pretty dry couple of days safety and survival training fun.

  • Glen Travers

    Glen Travers

    Average rating: September 18, 2017

    Completed my Powerboat level 2 course and had a fantastic time, whilst learning lots of new skills. The instructors were great and all the equipment and boats were brilliant for what we needed. I would highly recommend both the course and Bristol Maritime Academy.

  • dave brook

    dave brook

    Average rating: July 29, 2017

    Amazing instructors, quality equipment and a fantastic experience completing the Level 2 Powerboat handlers course

  • Andy Lee

    Andy Lee

    Average rating: March 5, 2017

    This weekend just completed the RYA Powerboat Level 2 Course at Bristol Maritime Academy. Excellent Venue using both Bristol Floating Dock Area (protected area) and then the Bristol Channel (not so protected!!!! - including today's, rain, hail stones and very high winds!).
    2 Boats provided opportunity to swap boats, different sizes and different handling needed; course was well structured with classroom work, but a lot of water time.
    Chief Instructor Lilly is quite simply exceptional; excellent training style, provides really clear instruction, very supportive, firm hand when needed!, all with an energetic, bubbly personality.
    Instructor Charlie very good, good presentational skills, very confident and competent; patient and guidance as required.
    Used many RYA Training Schools in last 5 years for Sailing, Dinghy Training and now Powerboat - would really recommend Bristol Maritime Academy - I will certainly be back for more. Andy

  • Julian Zadarnowski

    Julian Zadarnowski

    Average rating: September 27, 2016

    Excellent 2 days on the water on the RYA L2 Powerboat course. Professional but relaxed style covering theory in the class room but mainly in closed water and then down the Avon to the Bristol Channel. Can highly recommend Bristol Maritime and will use them again

  • Iain Forster

    Iain Forster

    Average rating: September 12, 2016

    I recently completed an Offshore Powerboat Level II course with Bristol Maritime Academy. All the staff were very welcoming, the course was well structured and the instruction could not be faulted. A very professional, yet relaxed environment to complete the course. A very enjoyable course!

  • Stephen Martin

    Stephen Martin

    Average rating: August 15, 2016

    Fantastic place to do your level two powerboat training. Knowledgeable instructors who make it fun to learn, and a location that would be hard to better; harbour for slow boat manoeuvres and the Bristol Channel for higher speed turns and wave technique. Feel very confident about taking a speed boat out now. Thanks guys.

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