Superyacht Watersports Instructors (SYWI)

About SYWI

Imagine being the go-to watersports instructor on board a superyacht, guiding guests through thrilling activities and creating unforgettable experiences. SYSA is thrilled to partner with the renowned UK watersports guru Matt Crowhurst to offer this course. Matt has over 25 years in wake, surf, skate and ski as well as, more recently, wake foiling and his career on the water has amassed multiple National and European titles. Alongside his riding time Matt has been coaching professionally for over 25 years and training instructors, coaches and drivers for near 15 years all over the world which, over the past 10 years has also involved lots of time spent on super yachts as lead wake/surf/ski coach while also training crew aboard many well known yachts too.

Our senior instructor Matti Buys, has 19 years of competitive watersports experience, 8 South African National titles and a 3rd place finish at World Championship. Together, they are the perfect candidates to ensure all our students leave as safe, knowledgeable and confident watersports instructors.

SYSA has also handpicked a select few instructors from South Africa, all equipped with international watersports instructional experience and knowledge to help our students get maximum value from their watersports experience and provide support to our senior crew in delivering a cohesive, concise training program.

What will you learn?

This 5-day intensive course is carefully designed to elevate your skills in two essential areas:

Boat Driving Development (2 days)

Improve boat handling skills on inboard vessels commonly seen on watersports-intensive super yachts.
Master the art of towing wakeboarders, tubers, waterskiers, and wake surfers.
Learn the nuances of launching, retrieving, and docking these vessels.
Understand the ballast set-up, pre-checks, and the use of various cruise control systems in watersports operations

Watersports Instructional Abilities (3 days)

Develop instructional skills tailored for wakeboard, waterski, and the popular wakesurf disciplines.
Gain hands-on experience in driving, instructing, and demonstrating.
Learn the safest, simplest, and most efficient techniques to help novices in watersports.
Engage in collaborative learning, sharing inputs and insights with peers to enhance the training experience.

Who is this course for?

This course is tailored for individuals who are passionate about the superyacht industry, watersports, and delivering exceptional guest experiences. To participate, you should have a basic level of wakeboarding proficiency – comfortable getting up, riding, and crossing wakes.

Yacht Professionals:

Current yacht crew members seeking to add value to their skill set.
Deckhands aiming to enhance their boating and watersports proficiency.
Yacht captains and mates looking to ensure safer and more skilled watersports operations onboard.

Resort & Hospitality Staff:

Resort watersports instructors aiming to upskill.
Hotel and resort staff members wanting to diversify their recreational offerings for guests.
Beach club managers and staff seeking to provide enhanced watersports experiences.

Watersports Enthusiasts & Professionals:

Individuals seeking to enhance their boat driving skills, specifically on inboard vessels.
Watersports enthusiasts aiming to improve their towing capabilities.
Anyone interested in becoming a professional watersports instructor on superyachts.
Current instructors or watersports professionals looking to upskill and adapt to the challenges of super yachts.

Cost R12 000

Why should you consider this course?

In the fiercely competitive landscape of the superyacht industry, new crew members must possess skills that are not just valuable but uniquely tailored to our sector. A recurring grievance among seasoned professionals worldwide revolves around the inadequacies of training centres in producing proficient tender operators and water sports experts. Recognising this gap, we are committed to elevating the standards of tender operators to an unprecedented level, supplementing our existing internationally approved tender licenses with our innovative water sports instructor program.

Our comprehensive approach ensures that our crew receives well-rounded exposure. Through our PW and Powerboat courses, we’ve familiarised them with twin outboards on large ribs and jet drives. Now, with our new water sports instructor program, we’re taking it a step further, introducing inboard vessel training that closely mirrors the craft they’ll be operating within our industry. This initiative has been bolstered by our collaboration with a globally acclaimed water sports instructor meticulously chosen by super yachts to provide precise onboard training.

Adding to our arsenal of expertise, we’ve selectively assembled a team of top-tier instructors from around the world, all recognised elites in their respective domains. Our proactive engagement with captains and crew agencies across borders has yielded overwhelmingly positive feedback on the value and impact of our experience-based training approach. Now, our dedicated team of professionals are primed to impart their knowledge and skills during an intensive 5-day training period.

At SYSA, we’re not just raising the bar; we’re revolutionising the very fabric of superyacht education. Join us in this transformative journey where knowledge, proficiency, and excellence converge over five dynamic days of immersive training.