On-Water Boat Handing Refresher Course

Companion Article & FAQ

Course overview and background

Many people have their boat licences but don't have the confidence to drive a boat. After a while of not using the skills they will naturally decay.

We offer a refresher course which is a subset of our standard boat licence course.

You can study the online theory to brush up on your rules of the road and local regulations

Then, join us at the boat ramp for a hands on practical course.

Course Outline

You will be sharing your course with up to four other students, some of who will be doing their boat licence and some their refresher. The hands on practical content is the same.

We will look at:

• Boat dynamics and the effect of wind
• Setting up the boat and using the boat controls (steering, gears and throttle)
• Driving at slow speed forward and reverse
• Picking up moorings
• Driving at high speed
• Scanning for traffic and planning/managing other boats
• Anchoring and beaching
• Docking the boat

It's a very hands on course and you will get to do each skill at the helm of the boat.

It's also a very relaxed course - we assume everyone is new to boats and we start with the basics.

By the end of the course you will have driven the boat slowly and at speed. You will have picked up a mooring and even docked the boat.

Its a great way to build your confidence and to practice your skills.

Course FAQ

Can I attend this course if I do not yet have a boat licence?

• Yes, you can but it may be better for you to just take the NSW Boat Licence course with us.

Can I attend this course multiple times to gain more confidence?

• Yes, but we would encourage you to go practice some of the skills you learn after the first refresher if you have access to a boat.

I have done a theory only course with another company and they tell me I must fill out a log book to complete my licence. Does this course count toward log book sign-offs?

• Not normally as you need to do three seperate trips to complete those logbooks. While you could do the refresher three times to achieve that goal, you might be better off just taking our NSW Boat Licence course and getting it all done on just one day/trip.

Can kids attend this course?

• Yes, but only if accompanied by a parent, adult friend or adult relative. You can see the general approach we take with kids in this article: Can My Kids do the Boat Licence Course