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Aeolian Islands · The most flexible way
A small RIB is the most independent way to spend a day around the islands: you pick the route, stop wherever the water looks best, and set off again when you feel like it. Here you will understand when you can drive one yourself and when you need a licence, and what to plan for before you cast off.
How it works
The first question everyone asks in the Aeolians is the same: do I need a licence? The answer depends on the horsepower of the engine. Up to 40hp you can drive the RIB yourself, with no boat licence, as long as you stay within the distance from shore that Italian law sets. It is the format most people choose for a day among the coves.
Above 40hp you move into faster, larger boats, and those need a boat licence. If you do not hold one, and most international visitors do not, there is a simple way round it: take the same RIB with a skipper on board, and he does the driving. The budget changes, the day does not. This is why, for a first time here, a skippered boat or a guided tour is often the easiest call.
What to plan for
The average market prices we see across the islands, split between driving yourself and a boat with a licence. They vary by season and availability, and they climb in August.
The most common self-drive day out. Where you set off from matters a lot: Lipari has more boats and the best prices, Panarea has fewer and higher demand.
More speed and more room, to stretch the legs between the islands. It needs a licence, or the same boat with a skipper on board.
These are average market prices: we track the Aeolian market regularly, and they vary by season and availability. At Lipari the average cost of a no-licence RIB runs from around 140 to 300 euro per day for the boat. Get in touch for a tailored proposal, at no cost to you.
Where to set off from
If you can pick where to collect the boat, Lipari is almost always the right move for a RIB. It is the island with the most operators, so you get the widest choice of boats and, thanks to the competition, the clearest prices in the archipelago. From here you are minutes from the white pumice beaches and half a day from Salina.
The other islands have a different charm but less choice on the water. From Panarea the RIBs are few and pricier, because the island is small and much in demand. From Vulcano you set off close to Lipari and the mud baths. Want to see the lava flow from the sea? The base for Stromboli almost always calls for a skipper, because the trip is long and demanding.
What the price covers
The advertised price is not always the final bill. Here is what to expect when you collect the RIB.
The item that surprises people most is fuel: it is almost never included. Consumption depends on the route, a day of stops among the coves costs less than a long run at speed. Always ask for the weather policy in writing before you pay a deposit.
Questions about the dinghy
Not always. A RIB up to 40hp you can drive yourself with no boat licence, staying within the distance from shore set by Italian law. Above 40hp you need a licence, or you can take the same boat with a skipper on board who drives for you. Since most international visitors do not hold the Italian licence, a RIB within the 40hp limit or a skippered boat is usually the easiest choice.
You pay it at pick-up, in cash or as a hold on your credit card, and it comes back in full if the day ends with no damage. For a no-licence RIB it is lower than for a more powerful boat with a licence. The exact amount is set by the operator, so it is worth asking for it together with the quote, to avoid surprises when you set off.
It depends on the size. The common no-licence RIBs carry four to six people comfortably. Larger ones with a licence take eight to ten. The maximum is written on the boat's papers, and keep it in mind when you split the cost: the more of you on board, the less each person pays.
The next step
Give us the date, how many of you there are, and whether you would rather drive yourselves or have a skipper on board: we reply with the options that best fit the current price, no strings attached and at no cost to you.
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