You can start your training by waking yourself up at 2am and driving around in the hosing rain staring out of the window for a few hours - a good simulation of a night search (of which you will do plenty). Or, wake up at 2am, have a coffee and prepare a load of kit then try to go back to bed (good simulation of a cancelled night job)
Sadly, there is nothing to prepare you for the 200 -mile transit out into the Atlantic, opening the cabin door to look at the 30 -50 ft waves and the boat you are going to be winched down to pitching, rolling and heaving in a very alarming fashion - how are you with motion sickness by the way?
I wouldn't want to be accused of sugar-coating it - it probably is the best job in the world but it takes balls of steel. Just glad I always got to be up the front in the warm and generally dry cockpit.
Good luck
