Frequently asked questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions our RIB charter guests ask.
If your question is not answered below, please get in touch.
What qualifications do I need for a bareboat RIB charter?
To rent one of our RIBs for a bareboat charter your designated skipper must have at least 3 years of experience driving a similar vessel.
Alternatively, you can charter if you are an RYA Coastal Skipper and provide a boating CV.
These are stipulations made by our insurance company.
If you don’t have the required qualifications you may be interested in booking an Assisted RIB Charter.
What is a skippered RIB charter?
If you don’t have the necessary qualifications to rent one of our RIBs for a bareboat charter, or you are looking forward to enjoying a libation with lunch, then a skippered charter is perfect for you.
Our qualified skipper will drive the RIB and help you to enjoy your time onboard.
A skippered RIB charter is suitable for up to 7 guests per RIB.
Can I charter a RIB to go out on my own?
To rent a RIB for a bareboat charter you will need to have at least two people on board for safety reasons.
We do offer an Assisted RIB Charter for guests that could rent a Bareboat but need an extra pair of hands onboard. Click here to read more.
Can I reduce the insurance excess?
The excess on both RIBs as a bareboat charter is £2500. This is the maximum you will be liable for in case of an accident.
We hope that most trips go without a hitch but if a member of your crew inflate a lifejacket or lose a piece of equipment then we will need to charge you the cost to repair or replace.
We offer the option to reduce your excess from £2500 to £1250 for a non-refundable payment of £75 per day – to do this, tick the box on the booking form.
Is a last minute RIB charter possible?
The sun is shining and there is nowhere you’d rather be than on the water, not a problem give us a call and if one of our RIBs is available we’d be happy to arrange a last-minute charter.
Prior to your arrival at the marina, you will need to allow time for;
- Completing the online booking form
- E-mailing / WhatsApp through your identification if Bareboat (Driving licence or ID card, Passport, Certification cards)
- Arranging payment via bank transfer.
If you think you are more likely to be last-minute in your decision to rent a RIB, we have a pre-booking form that allows us to pre-qualify your qualifications and hold your details on file.
This makes booking a last-minute RIB charter much quicker and easier.
Contact us and we can get 50% of the paperwork completed upfront.
Where can we travel on the RIB?
Our RIBs are based at Hamble Point Marina. The marina is located at the mouth of the River Hamble and it’s the closest mainland marina to Solent Water.
You can enjoy trips across Solent Water between the Witterings and the Needles.
This will offer you a wide area to explore. You can enjoy trips to the Isle of Wight
Can we beach the RIB to go ashore?
No – our RIB’s are not allowed to go shallower than 2.0m. Charterers and skippers are asked to employ a minimum 1.0m safety margin when calculating safe water depth for normal operations. You are therefore to operate the vessel with no less than 3.0m (10 feet) of water, when motoring. The depth alarm on board will remind you at 2.0m when you must return to deeper water.
What does the price include and what is extra?
We don’t want you to have to pull out your calculator, so we’ve made it easy.
The rate that you see online or if you have asked for a different location, the quote we send via e-mail, is the full rate for renting one of our RIBs. This includes all safety equipment, fuel and VAT where applicable.
Extras you may incur when on the water could include short-stay costs of mooring in a marina. If you are stopping for lunch, expect to pay circa £14 to cover your visit.
If you are visiting another MDL marina you won’t have to pay. When you radio ahead let them know that the RIB is kept on Hamble Point Dry Stack and that will cover your stay. So you can visit Mercury Yacht Harbour, Port Hamble Marina, Ocean Village Marina, Sparkes Marine or Hythe Marina without having to pay extra.
If you pick up a mooring buoy in Newtown Creek you may be paid a visit by the National Trust who maintain the buoys and look after the area. If you are not National Trust members they ask for a small donation to help them to maintain the mooring field.
Weather - what happens if the weather on the day is bad?
We will be closely watching the weather prior to your trip.
We want all of our guests to enjoy a safe and fun time when they are out with Bluetooth RIB Charter.
If the weather is due to be unfavourable on the day of your charter, we will contact you the day before to see if you would like to reschedule your trip.
Do you have a link to Solent Weather & Tides?
Yes of course, please click here to see the latest weather and tides in the Solent area.
What should we wear for our RIB charter?
One of the big conundrums of living in the UK is the uncertainty of the weather.
What to wear and bring along with you will depend on the weather forecast for the day.
We don’t supply wet weather gear so please bring your own if required.
However, even the sunniest of days on the Solent can be chilly when travelling at speed on a RIB.
Rather layer up and be comfortable than wish you’d packed your gloves or a hat (that won’t blow away at speed!)
Sunscreen is important even on overcast days as being out on Solent Water is a great place to catch some rays.
Please note that our RIB’s have jockey style seating so trousers and shorts rather than a skirt or dress will be much more comfortable.
Shoes wise, flat with non-slip soles are best. Deck shoes, sailing boots or trainers are great and leave your heels at home!
Click here for our suggestions on what else you might want to bring for your RIB charter.
What is the seating layout on Bluetooth and Happy Days?
Both RIBs have predominately jockey style seating for 6 passengers with a small bench seat in front of the console for 2 passengers.
The jockey seats are nice and comfortable but if you are usually a skirt or dress wearer we would advise shorts or trousers may be a more practical option for your time onboard the RIB.
Do you offer a Solent water taxi service?
If either RIB and our skipper are available then yes we’d be happy to offer a water taxi service.
Please click here for more details.
What time do RIB rentals start and finish?
Full day charters tend to run from 9-5 or 9.30-5.30. If we have both RIBs booked with different parties then we will stagger starts by 30 minutes. If you’d like to start later, please let us know and we’ll see what we can do to accommodate.
Half day charters are booked for morning, afternoon or in the summer months, early evenings. Timings will be 9-1 or 9.30-1.30 and then 1.30-5.30 or 2-6. This allows us a little time between charters to clean off the RIB.
What happens if I'd like to keep the RIB overnight?
If you’d like to enjoy a multi day charter and keep the RIB overnight we need to know where will be mooring her. You can of course bring her back to Hamble Point Marina and if you’d like to stay at another MDL marina we can arrange that for you. As we have Freedom Berthing, you won’t be charged to stay at another MDL marina overnight.
You won’t be insured to drive at night so she will need to be on her berth before sunset.
What if I need more than 16 seats? (or 14 for skippered)
We have really great working relationships with other local charter companies and by working together we can accommodate many more people that our own RIBs will hold. So we can arrange seats for as many people as you wish to bring with you – alongside commercially endorsed skippers if required.
Can you pick us up from anywhere?
Our RIBs and skippers are based at Hamble Point Marina and 90% of our charters start and end there.
We are able to pick you up from other locations across the Solent and these may incur an extra fee to cover any extra marina charges plus a cost to cover time and fuel.
In theory we can pick you up from most locations across the Solent that have a marina or pontoon that we are able to access. Some locations are tidal and not accessible at all times throughout the day.
Please get in touch to chat through options for being met at locations other than Hamble Point Marina.
What electronic equipment is onboard the RIBs?
Onboard each RIB we have the following electronic equipment:
- Raymarine depth gauge
- Raymarine Axiom touchscreen chart plotter
- ICOM DSC VHF
- Handheld VHF
- 12v cigar-style socket
Can I buy a gift voucher?
If you are looking for an original gift then a private RIB charter will not only offer the recipient something to look forward to. It will offer a great memory.
Please click here for more details on our gift vouchers.
Do you have children's lifejackets?
To comply with coding, both RIBs carry 10 adult lifejackets on board at all times.
If you are travelling with children we recommend that you bring your own lifejackets so that you know they will fit correctly.
We have a small selection of children’s lifejackets available so please let us know your child’s weight if required so we can ensure we have one that fits.
Are pets allowed on board?
Unfortunately, pets are not allowed onboard, sorry.
How do I book a RIB Charter?
The first step would be for you to get in contact with us. Let us know what date (s) you are interested in, how many people you are looking for and what type of charter you are looking for – taxi, skippered or if bareboat a little more about the skippers experience.
Once we have firmed up a date we’ll send you an e-booking form for you to complete. Once recieved we’ll send an invoice and when that is paid your charter is confirmed.