Requirements for taking SBDA:

This course single day course (day = roughly 6 hours) will be for those of you with previous boat handling experience. The cost of this being £155. For those without any experience at all the minimum time needed will be two days. The cost of this will be £200. These prices do not include the cost of registration with the BWS.

At the end of it you will receive you’re your SBDA award and your ICC award (which enables you to drive abroad). If we feel you need it the course may have to be extended at a cost relative to the amount of time needed to ensure you pass the exam, regardless of whether you started on a one or two day course. If you are ready and there is enough time the exam can be taken on the same day as the course.

Course content

We will cover everything in the SBDA candidate manual (so it’s necessary that you have read it thoroughly before starting the course). There will be about 3 hours classroom time and 3 hours practical. This is flexible depending on your previous experience. We will look at practical boat handling skills and driving for skiers/wakeboarders.

Exam

22 multiple choice questions on anything in SBDA Candidate Manual and another 14 multiple choice questions for your ICC award (also from candidate manual)

Practical

Involving boat handling skills and driving for a skier/wakeboarder.

Requirements for becoming Waterski Instructor:

As you can see from above, to become an instructor you need to have passed your SBDA. This doesn’t mean you can’t get the instructor’s course out of the way while also doing your SBDA course and examination. We suggest doing both in close proximity is best, as they obviously compliment each other. The 10 hours of logged instruction also has to be done before the instructor’s exam can be passed, but once again, if you haven’t yet done this, it doesn’t mean you can’t take the course.

The waterski instructor course will consist of a two day (day = roughly 6hours). The cost is £250 for both days. This includes the registration fee. Once again the time may need to be extended depending on how you progress and on whether we think you will pass the exam. The exam will be held on a different day to the course. Day one course, day two exam if ready.

Course Content

Requirements for becoming Waterski Instructor:

Requirements for becoming Wakeboard Instructor:

As you can see from above, to become an instructor you need to have passed your SBDA. This doesn’t mean you can’t get the instructor’s course out of the way while also doing your SBDA course and examination. We suggest doing both in close proximity is best, as they obviously compliment each other. The 10 hours of logged instruction also has to be done before the instructor’s exam can be passed, but once again, if you haven’t yet done this, it doesn’t mean you can’t take the course.

The wakeboard instructor course will consist of an extra couple of hours if done with the Waterski Instructor Course. The content will be roughly the same as for the waterski course, being able to teach a wakeboarder up to silver grade level plus a few extras. Such as insights and developments in the sport and driving tips specific to wakeboarding e.g. ‘double-ups’.

Exam

There are just two extra questions on the written test, obviously about wakeboarding. The practical will consist of you taking a wakeboarding lesson, for a beginner level and a slightly more experienced rider.

You can do either wakeboard or waterski as a standalone course for £250 or both combined for £360.

Before you take the instructors examination we will need to have proof of your, 10 logged hours of instruction, ‘First Aid attendance Course’ and that your level of waterskiing and wakeboarding is in the region of a Silver Grade standard.

For both the SBDA and Instructor’s courses/exams each of you will need to bring along a complete beginner in either wakeboarding and/or waterskiing (depending on what Instructor’s qualification you want to achieve). You will also need 3 passport-sized photos of yourself.