WEST COAST BOATYARD ASSOCIATION


Upcoming events

    • 28 Mar 2023
    • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    • Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport (Steveston Room) - 3099 Corvette Way Richmond, BC V6X 4K3

    NMEA Basic Marine Electronics Installer Course

    The Basic Marine Electronics Installer Course is suitable for marine electronic installers, engine mechanics, boat builders, riggers, product designers, surveyors, etc. This is an introductory course in marine electronics installation that clarifies and defines competent installation practices. MEI installation topics include General Knowledge, Displays & Boxes, EMI, coaxial cables, antennas, AIS, marine VHF radios, trolling motors, shallow water anchors, LED lighting, Stereos, transducers, radar, heading sensors, and NMEA data interfacing. All students must pass a 50-question multiple choice certification test. An MEI certificate is an indication of a working knowledge of NMEA’s 0400 Installation Standard.

    Pre-requisite: NMEA DC Electrical Overview
    All students must complete & pass the “NMEA DC Electrical Overview” on-line presentation & test in order to qualify for MEI certification.
    This online course can be done at the student's leisure, but must be completed before the MEI class. This gives students a basic understanding of the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) basic electrical practices that a marine electronics installer must know before connecting DC power to any piece of marine electronic equipment.  The NMEA DC Electrical Overview class can be accessed by clicking here

    WCBA or NMEA Member Price $450 CAD

    Non-member Price $650 CAD

    Full details and registration at Basic MEI Course

    WCBA members: Call NMEA at 410-975-9425 to register at member price of $450 CDN 

    To join WCBA  please click here: Join us


    • 29 Mar 2023
    • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    • Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport (Steveston Room) - 3099 Corvette Way Richmond, BC V6X 4K3

    Basic NMEA 2000® Network Course

    The Basic NMEA 2000® Installer Training is primarily targeted for the beginner or those who have been installing NMEA 2000® but would like more information, clarity, and an opportunity to share ideas with others who have installed NMEA 2000® networks. Topics include: cables, connectors, specifications, physical planning and documentation, power sources and distribution, voltage drop calculations, data messages (parameter group numbers), connecting to other data sources, network setup, and troubleshooting. You will take from this class the near-term and long-term benefits of NMEA 2000® certified equipment, accepted installation practices for NMEA 2000® backbone cable and products; including selection of cable, power application point, and alternatives that make it work best. You will also have sufficient working knowledge of NMEA 2000® so you may successfully troubleshoot problems when they arise and correctly identify/repair/replace the faulty device(s) or network cabling problems. 

    WCBA or NMEA Member Price $450 CAD

    Non-member Price $650 CAD

    Full details and registration at Basic NMEA 2000 Network Course

    WCBA members: Call NMEA at 410-975-9425 to register at member price of $450 CDN 

    To join WCBA  please click here: Join us

    • 30 Mar 2023
    • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    • Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport (Steveston Room) - 3099 Corvette Way Richmond, BC V6X 4K3

    NMEA Advanced Marine Electronics Installer Course

    The Advanced Marine Electronics Installer Training (AMEI) is for a Marine Electronics Installer who wishes to achieve competency in advanced topic areas and concepts. An Advanced MEI certificate is an indication that an installer has a working knowledge regarding commissioning of a boat and installation of complex marine electronic devices. Topics include Marine Computer Installations, Data & Ethernet, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), VHF, DSC, SSB Installations, Non-Magnetic Heading Sensor Installation, Antenna Placement / Satellite Communications, AIS, Radar and Autopilot Installations.
    PLEASE NOTE: This is an advanced class that requires field experience of installing complex marine electronics systems.  If you have not installed the electronics equipment listed in the topics below, the test will be extremely difficult to obtain a passing grade. Since 2019, the average pass / fail rate of the AMEI exam is 75% of students.
     
    Pre-requisites: 
    There are 2 main pre-requisites for the AMEI Course:
    1. Student must have taken and passed a classroom basic MEI course and have a basic MEI certificate issued from NMEA.
    2. All students must have at least one year of field experience installing marine electronics before NMEA will issue an AMEI credential.
    a. If the student already does have this field experience, it needs to be verified in writing by the student's employer.
    b. If the student does not yet have this field experience (for example they are a new hire, graduate, new to the industry, or apprentice), they will be eligible for their AMEI credential exactly one year from the date of issue on the MEI credential.

    Please note that any student can take the AMEI class and test at any time. As a marine electronics installer, field experience is the best independent teaching tool. This requirement eliminates the possibility of good test takers with no field experience.

    WCBA or NMEA Member Price $450 CAD

    Non-member Price $650 CAD

    Full details and registration at: Advanced Marine Electronics Installer

    WCBA members: Call NMEA at 410-975-9425 to register at member price of $450 CDN 

    To join WCBA  please click here: Join us

    • 31 Mar 2023
    • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    • Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport (Steveston Room) - 3099 Corvette Way Richmond, BC V6X 4K3

    Advanced NMEA 2000® Installer Training

    The NMEA 2000® advanced course focuses on installations, setup, and diagnostic troubleshooting of moderately complex NMEA 2000® networks. The class is only taught in person and consists of a PowerPoint presentation followed by "hands-on” training. Students split into small groups at classroom work stations equipped with NMEA 2000® networks. The purpose of the hands-on portion is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in the ability to build, configure, backup network files, and evaluate network conditions using the diagnostic tools shown in the class. 

    Subjects Covered:
    The training class features NMEA 2000® certified products from  major manufacturers such as Furuno, Garmin, Navico, Raymarine, Maretron, and Actisense - including multi-function displays (MFDs), instruments and sensors of the same function which require instancing. This allows students to get familiar with the diagnostic tools used in the training and offered to students at special reduced pricing from the NMEA. Please note there is absolutely no outside test equipment allowed in the class by students.

    Pre-requisites: 
    There are 2 main pre-requisites for the Advanced NMEA 2000® Installer Training:
    1. Student must have taken and passed the basic NMEA 2000® course and have a basic NMEA 2000 certificate issued from NMEA.
    2. All students must have at least one year of field experience installing marine electronics before NMEA will issue an Advanced NMEA 2000® Credential.

    WCBA or NMEA Member Price $650 CAD

    Non-member Price $850 CAD

    Full details and registration at: Advanced NMEA2000 Installer

    WCBA members: Call NMEA at 410-975-9425 to register at member price of $450 CDN 

    To join WCBA  please click here: Join us


Past events

09 Dec 2022 OFA Level 1
17 Sep 2022 OFA Level 1
01 Apr 2022 Advanced NMEA2000 Network Course
31 Mar 2022 NMEA Advanced Marine Electronics Installer
30 Mar 2022 Basic NMEA2000 Network Course
29 Mar 2022 NMEA Basic Marine Electronics Installer
09 Dec 2021 OFA Level 1
18 Sep 2021 OFA Level 1
15 Sep 2021 Victron Energy Training - Vancouver
14 Sep 2021 Victron Energy Training - Sidney
12 Sep 2020 OFA Level 1
16 Jun 2020 OFA Level 1
16 Jun 2020 OFA Level 1
12 Mar 2020 Polishing Workshop with 3M
06 Mar 2020 Advanced NMEA2000 Network Course
05 Mar 2020 NMEA Advanced Marine Electronics Installer
04 Mar 2020 Basic NMEA2000 Network Course
03 Mar 2020 NMEA Basic Marine Electronics Installer
19 Feb 2020 Polishing Workshop with 3M
04 Nov 2019 Inflatable Boat Repair Course
11 Sep 2019 Fire Extinguisher Training for Boatyard and Marina Staff
10 Sep 2019 Fire Extinguisher Training for Boatyard and Marina Staff
29 Apr 2019 Fire Extinguisher Training for Boatyard and Marina Staff
19 Mar 2019 Airmar Certified Installer Training
01 Mar 2019 Advanced NMEA2000 Network Course
28 Feb 2019 NMEA Advanced Marine Electronics Installer
27 Feb 2019 Basic NMEA2000 Network Course
26 Feb 2019 NMEA Basic Marine Electronics Installer
25 Feb 2019 Fire Extinguisher Training for Boatyard and Marina Workers
13 Sep 2018 Fire Extinguisher Training for Boatyard and Marina Staff
12 Mar 2018 Conducting Marine Corrosion Surveys
08 Dec 2017 Advanced NMEA2000 Network Course
07 Dec 2017 NMEA Advanced Marine Electronics Installer
06 Dec 2017 Basic NMEA2000 Network Course
05 Dec 2017 NMEA Basic Marine Electronics Installer
23 Oct 2017 ABYC Electrical Course
09 Dec 2016 NMEA Advanced Marine Electronics Installer
08 Dec 2016 NMEA2000 Network Course
07 Dec 2016 NMEA Basic Marine Electronics Installer
16 Oct 2016 Certified Marine Service Manager Course

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