Get started with powerboating with NauticEd’s FREE online Navigation Rules for Powerboats, or become a competent powerboater with the Skipper Large Powerboat Course – a comprehensive online powerboating course for beginner to intermediate powerboaters wanting to learn how to operate larger powerboats greater than 26ft. Or upgrade to the Bareboat Charter Master for Powerboats Bundle of online courses to also master multiday and near-coastal powerboating as well as charter powerboats on vacations.
Is It Hard to Learn How to Drive a Boat?
Like most things in life, learning how to drive a boat comes down to understanding how it works and getting real-world experience. It’s that simple.
If I picked a random person off the street and told them to steer a boat in open water, they’d probably do just fine. But put that same person in a marina, ask them to dock the boat, or navigate a tricky current? There’s going to be damage. Guaranteed.
If someone tells you “driving a boat is just like driving a car,” they’re lying to you. The only real similarity is that both have a circular wheel. Boats interact with the world around them—wind, current, tide—in completely different ways.
A friend of mine is a former fighter pilot who saw combat. I once asked him what’s harder: landing a jet or docking a boat. Without hesitation, he said docking a boat is way harder. When you’re driving a car in 50-knot winds, you probably don’t even notice. In a boat? That same wind can make things terrifying.
So what does it take to learn how to drive a boat?
Three things:
- Theory Knowledge
- Practical Skills
- Experience
1. Theory Knowledge
This is the studying part—how boats actually work, how navigation works, how to read wind and current. Too many people think they can just hop on a boat and figure it out as they go. That mindset will make the whole process take way longer. If you know ahead of time what maneuvers exist and how they work, you’ll be better prepared when you’re on the water. So yes—do some studying before you ever step on board. You’ll be glad you did.
2. Practical Skills
This is where you get hands-on experience—but with structure. Going out with a buddy who owns a boat isn’t always the best way to learn. Those trips often turn into booze cruises, and many self-proclaimed “captains” only earned that title by writing a big enough check. The best thing you can do is find a school or instructor and learn the right way. Can you figure it out on your own? Sure. But following a structured path will save you a lot of time—and stress.
3. Experience
No shortcut here. You just need reps. Like anything else, experience builds confidence. You wouldn’t want your eye surgeon to be on their first operation, right? Boating is no different. The more situations you experience, the more prepared you’ll be for the unexpected.
So, is it hard to learn how to boat?
I’m not going to say it’s easy. But if you follow the path of building your theory knowledge, developing practical skills, and stacking experience, you’ll get there faster—and safer.
Skip that path? Learning to boat will be hard. And when you hit a tough situation (and you will), it’s going to scare the hell out of you.
Get started with powerboating with NauticEd’s FREE online Navigation Rules for Powerboats, or become a competent powerboater with the Skipper Large Powerboat Course – a comprehensive online powerboating course for beginner to intermediate powerboaters wanting to learn how to operate larger powerboats greater than 26ft. Or upgrade to the Bareboat Charter Master for Powerboats Bundle of online courses to also master multiday and near-coastal powerboating as well as charter powerboats on vacations.
Author
NauticEd is a fully recognized education and certification platform for boating students combining online and on-the-water real instruction (and now VR). NauticEd offers 7 online powerboating courses, +24 online sailing courses, a free sailor’s toolkit that includes 2 free courses, an international network of boating schools and instructors, and six ranks of certification – all integrated into NauticEd’s proprietary platform. The USCG and NASBLA recognize NauticEd as meeting the American National Standards. Learn more at www.nauticed.org.
