Powerboating for Teenagers on the River Thames in Caversham, Reading

Powerboating is hands-on boat handling: teenagers learn to take the helm of an engine-powered craft, manage throttle and steering, come alongside, pick up moorings and handle the boat safely in current and wind. At Neptune it underpins everything we do, because powerboats provide the safety cover for our paddlers, so young people see exactly why good boat handling and seamanship matter on a working river like the Thames.

Our powerboat training is aligned with Royal Navy Scout traditions and the RYA approach to boat handling and safety, giving teenagers a genuinely useful, transferable skill set. No experience is needed to start. Buoyancy aids and protective kit are provided, and every session is delivered by DBS-checked, qualified volunteer instructors working to Scout Association safeguarding standards, with strict supervision and safety briefings throughout.

Powerboating appeals to teenagers fascinated by engines, navigation and the responsibility of being in charge of a craft, and it pairs naturally with our Royal Navy affiliation as RN 83. We welcome young people from Reading, Caversham and across Berkshire to our base at Wychotes, The Warren. Sessions run Thursday evenings from 19:30 to 21:30, with the first two weeks free and membership thereafter at £22 a month.