Local. Experienced. Fully Compliant.

Boat Pilot is owned and operated by a lifelong boatie who built a business career before coming back to the water. You get the owner, every time.

Founder Story

This isn't a franchise. You're dealing with the owner, every time.

Boat Pilot is run by Brendon van Ras, a Redlands local who has been on the water his entire life. He grew up fishing, water skiing, and boating on Moreton Bay, before evolving to big game fishing and ultra remote fishing trips and adventures. He obtained his commercial marine coxswain ticket over 15 years ago.

His career was spent in maritime sustainment, working with the Australian Navy and major shipbuilding sustainment organisations. He went on to build and later sell his own consulting business, but through all of it, he never stopped boating.

A lifetime on the water gave him a clear view of how recreational boat and jet ski training should be done, and where it often falls short. He started Boat Pilot to do it properly: compliance-first, unhurried, and built around getting nervous first-timers genuinely confident and safe on the water.

Commercial coxswain certificate

Obtained 15 years ago and maintained continuously. The commercial licence required for all BoatSafe-accredited trainers and assessors.

Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

The nationally recognised training qualification that enables professional delivery of accredited courses. Required by Maritime Safety Queensland for all BoatSafe providers.

BoatSafe accredited

Accredited by Maritime Safety Queensland as a BoatSafe Training Organisation - covering both RMDL (boat) and PWC (jet ski) practical training and assessment.

Boat Pilot launches at Redland Bay

Purpose-bought vessels selected specifically for ease of handling and beginner-friendly training. First sessions run from Redland Bay boat ramp.

The Vessels

Built for training. Not borrowed.

Both vessels were purpose-bought for beginner training: chosen for ease of handling, stability, and a genuine teaching experience on the water.

Training boat: RMDL practical sessions

Training jet ski: PWC sessions

How We Do It

Three principles that guide every session

These aren’t marketing words. They’re the decisions we made when we set this business up – and they show up in how every session is run.

Compliance is the whole point

The rules Maritime Safety Queensland set exist because boats and jet skis can seriously injure people. We follow every requirement – time minimums, manoeuvre segregation, competency standards – without exception. Our students leave knowing they can genuinely handle a vessel safely.

Confidence before assessment

We won’t put a student through their assessment until we believe they’re ready. If you need more practice, we give it to you. The cost to us is time – but the cost to you of going through an assessment you aren’t ready for is failing, losing confidence, and having to come back. We’d rather avoid that.

You're a person, not a slot

We take single students. We operate seven days. We’ll phone you to confirm jet ski timing. We answer questions before you book. A lot of people are nervous before their practical assessment – we know that, we take it seriously, and we don’t rush anyone through to fill the next spot.

Accreditation

BoatSafe Accredited Provider

Maritime Safety Queensland’s BoatSafe program is the state’s official framework for recreational boating licence training. Only providers who meet MSQ’s strict standards – including lesson plans, competency assessments, time requirements, and audit readiness – can be accredited.

What accreditation means for you

Your training and assessment is delivered by someone MSQ has approved, audited, and authorised to issue Statements of Competency.

Compliance as the foundation

Boat Pilot was built from the ground up with full compliance as the core of how we operate. Every session meets MSQ’s requirements in full: correct time allocations, all required manoeuvres conducted properly, and assessments run to the standard that earns you a Statement of Competency that will hold up.

Free Re-Sit Policy

If you don't pass the first time, your re-sit is on us

Some students do fail. It’s usually not lack of ability – it’s nerves, an off day, or a specific skill that just needs a bit more time. When that happens, we won’t charge you for another session. Your first re-sit with Boat Pilot is free.

How the re-sit works

You complete your session. If you don't pass the theory or practical assessment, we advise exactly what you need to work on – specific knowledge areas, specific skills, specific manoeuvres.
We book you back in for a re-sit session, subject to available spots. No charge, no drama.
If you don't pass a second time, we'll talk about whether additional paid training would help before your next attempt.

Our approach to re-sits

Most operators charge full price for a second attempt – around $150 to $300. We think that’s the wrong incentive. We’d rather spend the extra time getting you confident on the first session than have you come back anxious and out of pocket.

Ready to book your session?

Choose your licence type and pick a date. We’ll send everything you need to prepare.