Hello newbie here

Lucifer

Lucifer

New Member
Joined
4 Oct 2010
Messages
18
Location
Northampton a long way from the sea
Visit site
Hi guys I am new so please be gentle with me. I have recently bought a Wilson Flyer and moored it up at cardiff bay. I am hoping to travel down at the weekends and get some fishing done.
This is only my second boat first being a Marshan with a 150 Johnson, so am pretty new to boating. My brother lives in Newport and will pop down to Cardiff during the week to keep an eye on the boat.
We are hopefully going out this weekend for the first time, but we are a bit scared about going through the locks though.
Steve.
 
Hi Steve

The locks at Cardiff are pretty straight forward, they work on a traffic light sytem. Call Barage control on 18 before entering. Good weekend for practicing, very small tides. Good luck with the fishing, I gather the cod are back.
 
WhiteMischief said:
Hi Steve

The locks at Cardiff are pretty straight forward, they work on a traffic light sytem. Call Barage control on 18 before entering. Good weekend for practicing, very small tides. Good luck with the fishing, I gather the cod are back.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that I will give it a wurl on Sunday. I have never used the radio before but how hard can it be?
I hope the cod are back have not caught any of them for years.
 
May be best to give them a call first then on 02920 700234 I think. You need a VHF licence to use a VHF. Lots of places around will do them in a 1 day course. Personally I wouldn't want to going too far without one
 
WhiteMischief said:
May be best to give them a call first then on 02920 700234 I think. You need a VHF licence to use a VHF. Lots of places around will do them in a 1 day course. Personally I wouldn't want to going too far without one
Click to expand...

Ok good idea to call them and thanks for the number. One of the guys on the pontoon I am moored at looked at my radio last weekend and says I don't need a licence and that it was the same as his and he did'nt have one, but the chap I bought the boat off said I did need one, so a call to them will be done today.
Cheers.
 
I suspect there could be lots of confusions about this, I know the regs where changed a few years ago. If the VHF is not a portable handheld the boat needs a ships radio licence too, but this is now free and can be done on line. No doubt loads of people aren't licenced. I believe you can listen and use it in emergencies without a valid licence. I did mine at compass sea school last year, a bit more to it than you might think, well worth it. That reminds me, my daughter is old enough now, think I'll put her through it too.
 
WhiteMischief said:
I suspect there could be lots of confusions about this, I know the regs where changed a few years ago. If the VHF is not a portable handheld the boat needs a ships radio licence too, but this is now free and can be done on line. No doubt loads of people aren't licenced. I believe you can listen and use it in emergencies without a valid licence. I did mine at compass sea school last year, a bit more to it than you might think, well worth it. That reminds me, my daughter is old enough now, think I'll put her through it too.
Click to expand...

Just spoke to them and they say technically yes you do need a licence but they have no idea who has one and who does not so they answer all calls, but you can also call them on the number you gave me to use the locks, so I'll make sure my mobile is charged. :cool:
 
You need the operators license (quick course one evening) then the free boat license.
As for barrage just keep in the buoyed channel and head for flatholm after passing the pier.
 
Lucifer said:
Just spoke to them and they say technically yes you do need a licence but they have no idea who has one and who does not so they answer all calls, but you can also call them on the number you gave me to use the locks, so I'll make sure my mobile is charged. :cool:
Click to expand...

Welcom to the forum.

Just to be clear, if you have a radio on your boat you must have a licence for it from Ofcom. You can get one online from the Ofcom Web site. it is very straight forward. Failure to have a licence for the radio can lead to a fine of up to £5,000.

You also need a VHF DSC short range operators cetificate in order to use/transmit on your VHF radio. This is a one day course and will cost about £100 plus the cost of the certificate. If you don't have an operators licence then that's another lot of potential fines if you get caught transmitting on your VHF radio. There are two exceptions to the need to have an operators licence. You can transmit on the radio if you are being supervised by someone who holds an operators licence and you can trasmit in an emergency.

It's up to you but I've heard that Ofcom have started clamping down. On the other hand I haven't heard of anyone being prosecuted but it might be a big bill if you get caught. :eek:
 
Do the 1 day VHF course.

It's was a really good day, I learnt so much about safety.

It's an absolute must, you will learn so much.

Besides once you have done the course you will have a licence and know the correct way to call up the coastguard or any other boat. Giving the info they need quickly and in a concise way.

It's not all about the radio, it covers other emergency and safety issues.

If you use the vhf you have to have one by law.
 
Oceanis is correct. Whether you get away with it or not isn't the issue. The ships licence makes sure you are registered so if you get in to difficulty the authorities have pre-populated info about you so can deploy the most appropriate assistance and the operators licence teaches you how to use the equipment properly. :-)
On a lighter note, welcome to the forum. Penarth is my home town although I moor in Portishead. Don't corners on anything to do with safety and you'll have a great time. Good luck with the fishing most of my experience has been river/canal and I have just moved to Portishead, one of the reasons being that I want to get more coastal experience so I suppose I'm a newbie in this particular environment so you are not alone. Lol. Good luck and all the best.
Davnic Row
 
Have now registered with ofcom and have a radio licence, but that only allows me to have it installed on the boat, I am not allowed to use it untill I have a certificate of competance. So I have sent a few emails out enquiring about the course for that and power boat level 2.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top