Motorboat skipper licence – we train you on the water
In short
RIBY.PL runs practical motorboat lessons for people who have a motorboat skipper licence but little practice. You hire a motorboat with a skipper-instructor and practise on open water, starting from the marina in Gdynia. The lessons are also useful after an exam taken on inland waters, as at sea the wind is stronger and the waves are bigger.
To be able to operate a motorboat or a jet ski with an engine power of more than 10 kW, you must obtain a motorboat skipper licence. And let's be honest – it is not one of the hardest stages of your life. The internet is swarming with offers of 2-day motorboat courses. During the course you will get a crash course in theory, see the vessels, go on board and spend a few moments doing so-called ‘manoeuvres’ around the marina. If you are lucky, you will go out onto open water to get the boat up on the plane. On Friday evening you arrive at the marina as a landlubber, and on Sunday evening you leave with your head held high as a professional with a licence in your hand.
The thing is, boating is exactly like driving a car. After the course and the driving test, it is hard to call you a master behind the wheel. As a rule, after the course you know the rules (at least that is how it should be), you can operate the car, and it is very likely that if you follow the traffic regulations, you will not create a danger on the road.
It is exactly the same on the water! Importantly, at sea you need to be aware that humility is the only safeguard against losing your health or life. Many forget this, and that is where misfortunes come from.
On land you have the chance to buy extra lessons – but who decides to get back behind the wheel with an L-plate on the roof when a driving licence is already in their pocket? There are also Safe Driving Academies, which have their own tracks where you can gain experience. Of course, you can – and indeed should – gain experience by practising what you have learnt. In other words: drive!
And again I will repeat what I wrote above: it is exactly the same on the water! However, it is hard to find further training in boating. Not everyone can (or wants to) own a motorboat. It is a little easier to become the owner of a jet ski. That is why we decided to meet the needs of those who need it.
Anyone who has obtained a motorboat skipper licence but has not had many chances to sit at the helm of a motorboat should consider hiring a motorboat with a skipper/instructor and booking practical lessons on open water.
What's more, we see in practice that lessons at sea are also useful for those who took their exams on inland waters. Conditions on the open sea are decidedly different. Stronger wind, bigger waves, open space, heavier traffic of other vessels, the need to learn the pilotage of the area. All this often adds up to the skipper being terrified and giving up boating.
We often have the opportunity to watch young motorboating novices. They have hired a motorboat or a jet ski, or worse still become its owner, they launch the equipment and set off on a wild spree on the water. Until the waves pick up! Then the fun begins in the marina, i.e. crashing into moored vessels and full-on showing off at the quay.
So we suggest firmly distancing yourself from this type of motorboater.
Do you have a motorboat skipper licence? Call us, hire a motorboat with our skipper, and we will show you how it should be done and guarantee practical lessons of the highest standard.
If you live in the Tri-City or nearby, you are of course in a privileged position. Firstly, you are
close to the marina in Gdynia (where we are based), and you can also choose the weather conditions in which you want to learn. The state of the sea depends on the wind direction. In our area a southerly wind means a flat calm – at least on the Gdynia side. Bigger waves may start roughly halfway to Hel.
But if the forecasts show wind from the north, north-east or east, it is almost certain that great fun awaits us on the Gulf. Then you need to dress appropriately (warm and waterproof) and be ready for a real lesson in handling a motorboat in difficult conditions.
And we guarantee that there is no other way to learn boating! You have to experience it first-hand. Just like a controlled skid: you have to get into one a few times to learn how to get out of it. At sea you have to jump ‘a few’ waves to start understanding them (rather than fighting them). Once you learn to ‘read’ the sea, high waves will be an opportunity for great fun rather than a reason to stay in the marina.
You can book such lessons on your own or with friends. It all depends on how much time you want to spend at the helm.
Invite your friends and acquaintances to your lesson. You will be training, and they will have a motorboat trip and a tour of the Tri-City from the water. Two birds with one stone.
Related posts
Cruise ships in the ports of Gdynia and Gdańsk
The advantage of a boat tour over a boat ride
Boat trip and the world's largest ships on the Gulf of Gdańsk
Boat trip – discover the Tri-City from a whole new perspective
Boat film shot by Trójmiasto.pl
See the Red Bull Air Race from the water – without traffic jams or crowds!
Frequently asked questions
When do you need a motorboat skipper licence?
According to the post, a licence is required to operate a motorboat or jet ski with an engine power of more than 10 kW.
Can I practise handling a motorboat at sea after the course?
Yes. Hire a motorboat with our skipper-instructor and book practical lessons on open water. You can bring friends – in the meantime they will explore the Tri-City from the water.
How does wind direction affect the waves around Gdynia?
A southerly wind usually means a flat calm on the Gdynia side. With wind from the north, north-east or east, there will almost certainly be big waves on the Gulf.