MCA Coding

[Guest]

Looking through the MCA website, would I be correct in assuming that getting a boat Red Coded is not much use for charter, and that Yellow is the code to go for?

More to the point, is there much financial sense in going through the exercise for a boat on the South Coast? Anyone here have any experience of running skippered charter in this area?

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[Observer]

Red code not much use as operation restricted to fair weather, daylight and not more than 20 miles from nominated departure point.

Yellow code is the one but be prepared to spend loadsa dosh. No financial sense at all in most cases. May end up with small contribution to running costs but that's about it. Not sure about skippered charter of 29' Targa. Most people going for that size will want bareboat I'd guess. Also have you checked out required qualificatons for skipper?

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[Guest]

Ah, not thinking of the Targa, although if I could get three together, then there may be another idea there. Any idea on rough costs to get a 'standard' mobo coded?

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[Gtdog]

If you have a vessel in the solent all you require for commercial charter would be a local boat liscence from Portsmouth (QHM) or Southampton (VTS) each require a minimal ammount of additional equipment, and are easy to acheive.

To get our School boat from this to a cat2 cost me £9,000.
Unless you realy need a cat 2, dont bother, it would take years to re-coup the costs, especialy at todays prices. I can charter in both a Fairline Phantom 46 and a Targa 43 for less than a grand.
Typicaly a price for a 34-40 would be about £350 per day, to charter in.
The best you could hope for from a customer would be £6-700.
If you want more details PM me.

George.

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[Observer]

So much depends on the boat but these are some of the items which will/may need attention.

Liferaft (may have anyway) with Solas B
Cradle for liferaft
Extra lifejackets (one for each crew + 2 spare)
Extra engine space fire insulation
Replace fuel lines
Additional cockpit drainage
Companionway washboards
Portlight/window blanks
Operating manual
Upgrade bower anchor
Kedge anchor
Smoke alarms
Additional fire extinguishers
Additional flares
Water containers
Gas alarm
Bilge pump alarm
Coding survey/inspection and certificate (£450 for 30')
Stability test and certificate

And so on.

Probably need to allow £5k for a 30' boat although much may have been spent anyway. Lots of time and attention to detail needed as well.


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[Renegade_Master]

"for a boat on the South Coast? Anyone here have any experience of running skippered charter in this"

Do you mean this Sun Coast (Del Sol) ? Took a lot of time and money to get two boats MCA coded, although we had a head start on the Sealine as that was already a coded charter boat, the Fairline 50 took most of the time & money.

Up and running now and getting lots of Sea School bookings, plus some charter enquiries. Reckon it will take years to "make money" in the sense that the boats themselves cost a fortune anyway. Only consolation is that I was gonna buy a boat anyway, so you could say recouping that expense will never be realised.


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>