Conflicting information about driving a boat at sea

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Benjibob22

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I’m finding it quite confusing as to what I actually need to drive a boat at sea in uk waters, some sites say you don’t need anything and others say you need to register your boat on the uksr, it needs to be named, insured.. needs a bss etc, can someone please just tell me what I actually need to drive my boat in the sea in the uk.. I’ve a leisure 17 sailing yacht I’m restoring and I want to make sure if I can actually use it once I’ve restored it as I’ve no information about it, only the name it was once called and the meta data from the guy I bought it off… any help is really appreciated, thanks, don’t hate me coz I’m new lol im a boating virgin lmao
 
Under about 80 feet long you can buy any boat and sail/motor it around at sea with no qualifications, no registration, no radio licence and no insurance. That is at sea.... Fortunately most people are sensible, and don't set off to sea in a 70 foot high speed power cruiser never having "driven" anything before but a small car. without some experience and/or training.

Harbours and marina mooring suppliers usually want to see insurance, but they will not check anything else. Inland waters ie rivers and canals have much stricter requirements. Legally you only need to register the boat if going out of UK waters.

The first actual qualification I got nearly 50 years ago was Yachtmaster Offshore, but I'd been sailing a lot before then, on dinghies and small cruisers. I believe sailing a dinghy is a pretty good way to learn: get it wrong and you swim. When you stop swimming regularly and have read up a bit about navigation you're ready for gentle coastal cruising in a Leisure 17.
 
Benjibob22 said:
I’m finding it quite confusing as to what I actually need to drive a boat at sea in uk waters, some sites say you don’t need anything and others say you need to register your boat on the uksr, it needs to be named, insured.. needs a bss etc, can someone please just tell me what I actually need to drive my boat in the sea in the uk.. I’ve a leisure 17 sailing yacht I’m restoring and I want to make sure if I can actually use it once I’ve restored it as I’ve no information about it, only the name it was once called and the meta data from the guy I bought it off… any help is really appreciated, thanks, don’t hate me coz I’m new lol im a boating virgin lmao
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Congratulations - Leisure 17 is a nice little boat.

You aren't legally required to have any paperwork to sail in UK coastal waters. That's right - nothing for the boat, and nothing for you. But...

Insurance: Not required to sail, but most marinas and harbours will want third party cover. It would make sense to have it anyway - putting a scratch in a fussy owner's pride & joy could be expensive! I'd recommend Basic Boat: Basic Boat liability insurance-small boat liability insurance-boat insurance £85

Registration: Not needed unless you go foreign

BSS: Not needed unless you're keeping it on the inland waterways

Name: Not strictly needed for coastal waters, but most harbours will want to see a name. Some might even have rules about where on the boat it should be painted.

Radio: if you have a VHF radio aboard, then the boat will need a Ship's licence, and you will need an operator's certificate (course and exam needed). A radio isn't essential, but depending where you sail could be useful.

Your competence: No paperwork needed in UK. No "driving licence" etc. But you'd do well to get some tuition. A local sailing club is a good place to start. A dinghy course is a good place to start, but you'll want some navigation skills as well - Dayskipper would be good. Not legally required, but it would be good to gain the skills that are taught on that course.

Welcome to boating.... or at the moment, welcome to boat restoration! I hope the project doesn't take too long, and you can get out on the water soon.
 
Black Sheep said:
Congratulations - Leisure 17 is a nice little boat.

You aren't legally required to have any paperwork to sail in UK coastal waters. That's right - nothing for the boat, and nothing for you. But...

Insurance: Not required to sail, but most marinas and harbours will want third party cover. It would make sense to have it anyway - putting a scratch in a fussy owner's pride & joy could be expensive! I'd recommend Basic Boat: Basic Boat liability insurance-small boat liability insurance-boat insurance £85

Registration: Not needed unless you go foreign

BSS: Not needed unless you're keeping it on the inland waterways

Name: Not strictly needed for coastal waters, but most harbours will want to see a name. Some might even have rules about where on the boat it should be painted.

Radio: if you have a VHF radio aboard, then the boat will need a Ship's licence, and you will need an operator's certificate (course and exam needed). A radio isn't essential, but depending where you sail could be useful.

Your competence: No paperwork needed in UK. No "driving licence" etc. But you'd do well to get some tuition. A local sailing club is a good place to start. A dinghy course is a good place to start, but you'll want some navigation skills as well - Dayskipper would be good. Not legally required, but it would be good to gain the skills that are taught on that course.

Welcome to boating.... or at the moment, welcome to boat restoration! I hope the project doesn't take too long, and you can get out on the water soon.
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That’s a great answer! Thankyou! I’m so happy now i know this for sure, I now know I can carry on with it and I will actually be able to use it, I was so scared i had bought a dud boat I wouldn’t be able to use, so far it’s cost me around £200 and a fair bit of elbow grease, I’ve cleaned it and primed it ready for a coat of marine paint as it was so yellowed it looked awful, it had been sat in a marina dry for years and years. Had so much muck and leaves and other detritus inside it and out… there are no sails or mast or boom though so I’m stuck on what I’m doing with that, I was planning on fitting an outboard and just using that but I read you HAD to have a mast with it too if it was designed for one.. is that so? Or can I use it solely with an outboard? I was thinking I’d fit a wheel somewhere to steer it and use a kit to connect it up. Seen a mechanical one around £150 on eBay, I’ll be popping a 5hp engine on to it when I get around to buying one lol.. or would it be advisable to fit a mast boom and sails too? Struggling to find one though.. I’m very new to this and I am planning on doing a little course of some kind as I think I’d be daft to go out without any training whatsoever.. I mean I’ve driven boats but mainly on lakes and a tiny orange boat we rented in the sea at Cornwall, thankyou for your reply, very much appreciated..
 
ProDave said:
If you have any specific questions about the L17 I may be able to help, that is what I sail.
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As a matter of fact I do have a question if you wouldn’t mind helping me, There is a ballast in the bottom of the boat as you will know lol and the lad told me it was automatic? He told me It somehow fills itself to keep the boat on the correct water line.. is this true? (I don’t see how if it is) Anyway Mines full of water now and it’s got a lot of detritus in there that I need to somehow clean out, there’s 2 holes in it tho, one is raised and is under the middle of the cockpit area, the other hole is level and closer to the cooking area.. both central left to right, if that makes sense to you, is that correct? (I don’t have any pictures of that part just yet so unfortunately I can’t post one right now) thanks bud, sorry if I sound daft here, I’ve a fair bit of learning to do, a fair bit of restoration to do too lol,
 
Benjibob22 said:
As a matter of fact I do have a question if you wouldn’t mind helping me, There is a ballast in the bottom of the boat as you will know lol and the lad told me it was automatic? He told me It somehow fills itself to keep the boat on the correct water line.. is this true? (I don’t see how if it is)
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That seems like a load of nonsense.

Our L17 has bilge keels (twin keels) I am not sure if they were all twin keel or if there was a fin keel version. The twin cast iron bolted on keels are the ballast of the boat. Actual level in the water will be affected by what you load into the boat, as with most boats.

It has a self draining cockpit which means the cockpit floor is above sea level and drained with 2 drains out to the transom.
 
ProDave said:
That seems like a load of nonsense.

Our L17 has bilge keels (twin keels) I am not sure if they were all twin keel or if there was a fin keel version. The twin cast iron bolted on keels are the ballast of the boat. Actual level in the water will be affected by what you load into the boat, as with most boats.

It has a self draining cockpit which means the cockpit floor is above sea level and drained with 2 drains out to the transom.
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I thought as much, mine is also the twin keel cast iron bolted version. But there is a compartment in the lowest part of the boat under the cockpit and I’ve got water in it… but I’ve no idea of it’s purpose lol… I’m going to suck the water out and try clear out as much of the rubbish as I can with a wet/dry vac.. maybe I plug the holes? When I’m next with the boat I’ll get a pic and post it maybe you will get a better sense of what I mean. Should be Sunday I’m back with it, Thanks again :)
 
johnalison said:
Not having ever driven a boat, I wouldn’t know.
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Really. I drive a boat all the time. Language is to convey meaning and the OP did that quite successfully.

I bet you tell your guests off for going to the toilet or the bedroom too. And I bet I have more guests.

Thankfully others have written far more useful and welcoming posts.

Seriously, what was the intent behind your post? Trying to show you are clever?

Welcome to boating benjibob2!!
 
Black Sheep said:
Congratulations - Leisure 17 is a nice little boat.

You aren't legally required to have any paperwork to sail in UK coastal waters. That's right - nothing for the boat, and nothing for you. But...

Insurance: Not required to sail, but most marinas and harbours will want third party cover. It would make sense to have it anyway - putting a scratch in a fussy owner's pride & joy could be expensive! I'd recommend Basic Boat: Basic Boat liability insurance-small boat liability insurance-boat insurance £85

Registration: Not needed unless you go foreign

BSS: Not needed unless you're keeping it on the inland waterways

Name: Not strictly needed for coastal waters, but most harbours will want to see a name. Some might even have rules about where on the boat it should be painted.

Radio: if you have a VHF radio aboard, then the boat will need a Ship's licence, and you will need an operator's certificate (course and exam needed). A radio isn't essential, but depending where you sail could be useful.

Your competence: No paperwork needed in UK. No "driving licence" etc. But you'd do well to get some tuition. A local sailing club is a good place to start. A dinghy course is a good place to start, but you'll want some navigation skills as well - Dayskipper would be good. Not legally required, but it would be good to gain the skills that are taught on that course.

Welcome to boating.... or at the moment, welcome to boat restoration! I hope the project doesn't take too long, and you can get out on the water soon.
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All the above. Even if you decide not to get any tuition, at least learn the basic "rules of the road" so that you can safely avoid other boats (and help them to avoid you.)
 
Benjibob

Assuming this is not a wind-up, can I make a suggestion to you, a plea even. It is evident from your questions thus far and the total lack of insight displayed that you are starting from a knowledge base that is below that of many novices. You need to associate yourself with people who are already into sailing. I've no idea where you are based, coast or inland, but you would be well advised to join a club, or some other sailing organisation, wander into a local boat-yard or a pub used by yotties, anything to get you into conversation with people who are a bit more used to the sea. Try to wangle an opportunity to blag a ride with them. The sea can be a dangerous place where things can quickly go wrong if you do not understand the basics about tides, currents, weather, rules of the road etc, - talking to others will give you a handle on the gaps in your knowledge that you can then address through training, or experiencing it or just reading up on stuff.

Looking at the range of RYA courses on offer and the descriptions of what they cover will give you a good clue as to what you will need to address. Sailing a small boat at sea can give you some wonderful experiences but it can also lead you into disaster if you do not have a clue about the potential pitfalls. Get talking to people who are associated with the sea.
 
It might sound a bit perverse that the licencing requirements for a VHF radio are much stricter than for an actual boat, but that's the wonderful thing about sailing!

Legally, you need nothing, but I would strongly advise 3rd party insurance, and to also get a VHF radio (you will need a course & licence for this, unless you keep it only for dire emergencies)

People on here will have all sorts of opinions on the value of various courses, but if you are planning on sailing (or setting it up for sailing) then some sort of basic dinghy sailing course would be ideal to give you an idea of how to set sails for the various points of sailing and so on (and dinghy courses are much cheaper than yachting courses).
Another option would be the RYA Start Yachting course, which covers things more relevant to bigger boats but would definitely be useful at least to give you an idea of how a sailing boat "should" be sailed. It'll also give you an idea of any other areas you might want more training in.

Or if you're lucky, you might have a friend or two who have a bit of experience who can give you some pointers
 
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