River Canal Rescue launches boat maintenance training courses

servicing a boat engine

River Canal Rescue (RCR) is expanding its service offerings with a new training facility at its Staffordshire headquarters, targeting boat owners marina, and boatyard staff. 

The facility will offer specialised two-day courses – which run over weekdays – in boat and engine maintenance. Sessions will cover critical skills, including diesel engine care, propulsion systems and electrical troubleshooting. Initial course offerings include the boat and engine maintenance course, and the electrical session, which covers the Boat Safety Scheme and legislative requirements.

The first maintenance course is scheduled for 18-19 February 2025, and the electrical session will launch in April 2025. Priced at £300, the course will also include an additional fee for materials, and RYA certification is an extra £15. 

Experienced RCR engineers Kerry Horton and Dave Bull will lead the maintenance courses, and senior electrical specialists Andy Spencer and Kim Masters will support the electrical training. 

RCR managing director Stephanie Horton comments: “We’re frequently contacted by customers who are keen to learn more about their boats, so we decided to make the resources and space available to meet this growing demand. Our new training facility will give boat owners confidence in their ability to identify key components, locate faults, and, where possible, fix them.

stephanie horton portrait in front of RCR logo
RCR managing director Stephanie Horton

“We additionally appreciate businesses face challenges when recruiting experienced staff, so to help them meet the changing needs of inland waterways’ users, it makes sense to share our wealth of experience gained over 25 years, which includes award-winning apprenticeship training and exposure to numerous scenarios.”

Course participants will receive a comprehensive RCR maintenance manual and a course completion certificate. The facility also offers tailored training for marina and boat yard staff, focusing on advanced technical skills, including gearbox repair and injection system analysis.

RCR is additionally offering personalised one-on-one engine maintenance sessions, during which an engineer provides on-boat instruction in basic servicing techniques. 

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