| Frequently Asked Questions |
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You sure have some questions… Let us ask and answer some for you. 1. I don’t speak Polish. Will I be able to communicate with people aboard? Don’t worry about the language. There is no language barrier for those who want to communicate. A bit of English would be an advantage; like in other countries, also in Poland English is spoken at least at the basic level. For participants of the Inland Skipper Certificate course, we prepared an outline in English and in French. The exam is in English. 2. How shall I understand the commands? Will I be supposed to carry out orders I don’t understand? There is just a handful of basic sailing commands, and they are all translated into English and French. The captain aboard will adjust his orders to the crew profile. Don’t worry about communication: sailors always manage to communicate. 3. Does a sailing certificate issued in Poland give a license to sail seas and inland waterways in other countries? A sailing certificate is like a driving license, and the rules of water traffic like the highway code. The Inland Skipper Certificate issued by Polish Yachting Association is valid on all inland waterways. However, if you really want, you can have international documents issued once you have passed the certification exam. The Inland Skipper Certificate issued by Polish Yachting Association gives a license to:
The sailing course is a fixed camp. We live in a resort in Ryn. You are free to choose between sleeping in a cabin or on the boat. Here’s a typical day schedule.
The luggage room on the yacht is limited. Don’t take bulky frame backpacks. A sailor bag is the best solution, but you can take any other type of soft bag, or a soft backpack. Shiny shoes, trapper shoes or high-heeled shoes cannot be worn aboard. If you want to take shoes of this kind, remember they will only be of use ashore. 7. What can be of use, though is not necessary?
Sure. If you let us know at registration that you are a vegetarian, we will be able to provide vegetarian food for you. 9. I want to go to the camp with friends. Can we be together on the yacht? Sure. Just let us know you want it. 10. Is there some age division in the crews? Rather not. Except for the situation where a group of peers want to be together (see question 9). 11. Are the crews composed of both girls and boys, or are there separate male and female crews? The fair sex shares the boat with the sterner one :) 12. Do all the yachts stick together when sailing? No. Usually we sail in little groups of 2-3 boats, but there are also boats sailing on their own. 13. Are the yachts equipped with lavatories? No. We use port lavatories and showers. 14. Shall I have to wash myself in the lake? We tend to make night stops at ports, where you can use washbasins, showers and toilets. However, a few nights of camping in the open are planned, which means we use the lake as the bathroom for the night and morning wash. 15. Is there a possibility of going to church on Sunday? Yes. We spend Sundays in bigger towns, where a church is open to those who want to go to mass on Sunday. 16. Shall I have a possibility of recharging my mobile phone on the camp? There is a mobile phone recharge service in each port and in each bigger marina. The fee is 1 or 2 zlotys, approximately. 17. How much pocket money should I take? What are the prices in Masuria? Don’t take too much money: much enough to buy what you need, but little enough not to regret if you sink it all… Here are some rough prices: toilet 1 zloty, shower 2 zlotys, beer 5 zlotys, ice-cream 3 zlotys, coca-cola 3 zlotys per liter. 1 euro = 3.90 zlotys. 18. Is a swimming card necessary? No, it isn’t. All the participants are tested for basic swimming skills at the beginning. 19. Shall we play football, volleyball or basketball? Is a ball needed? We always try to provide some sport activities ashore. Balls are provided, so you don’t need to take any. |