New to boating

[rtw1]

Hi People

Can anyone help new to all this, wanting to buy a small motor/ speed boat, to tow and maybe leave moored for the summer.

Just by law or by commonsense what do you need to get started.
do you need insurance, tax, MOT, Radio.

Plus what weekly monthly, year maintenance will the offboard and baot need. weight up if i can afford it all.

Cheers

Robbie

 

[BrendanS]

Commonsense says insurance and radio. Also some sort of training, either informal or formal.

Rule of thumb is to allow a futher 15% of price of boat for additional items and work you'll need on the boat. This can cover basics like lifejackets, flares, fenders etc etc etc. as well as charts, gps, books etc.

Finding somewhere to leave boat moored can be expensive, where were you thinking of?

Basic maintenance depends on condition of boat, but allow several hundred pounds a year minimum if having outboard professionally serviced and other bits.

I've probably missed loads that others will now remind me of

 

[rtw1]

Thanks

Looking to get a 16foot boat with a appx. 70bhp motor, willing to do the work on it like cleaning and stuff like that. Just do not know anything about outboards what do you neeed to do to them maintenace wise.

Was thinking for mooring in a harbour, i live in Bangor NI so i have the Bangor Marina, but its a big job owned by Queys. So there is a small place about 10 15 mins drive from me, not looking for any extras on the peir to a place to tie up in the summer months.

I have a friend which has a boating lic thing with university but, the uni does all the other work, been about boats and radios alot and pick thing up fast.


The type of boats i have seen for sale are about £2000 to £3000, there is a group of 3 of us getting together to buy it so we can go out fishing in the summer . Thats why i was thinking of mooring it at the summer so we can all use it at a drop of a hat. But with me a the helm (lol) i would like things to go soomthly, so all the help, websites, and place will be great.

cheers
robbie

 

[hlb]

Think folk reacon 10% of boat costs for maintainance/ marina/fuel. per year. Sounds roughly right to me. Though of course you may be able to do alot of the work yourself. Having said that, boats need alot of maintainance and without the mechanics doing mine, I would never keep up. Mind I live 300 miles away, but I'm constantly mending little things on the boat when there and never have time for everything. Course you might not have all the costs in one year, just a blown outdrive £££££££££££ now and then. £100 grand boat. £10 grand a year sounds about it. Much more easy to spend £1000 on a £10,000 pound boat though!!

 

[gjgm]

think keeping it on a trailer and launching maybe a cheaper option. But start the costing with the safety, not the boat, if you see what i mean. If someone's selling up you might get the gear with the boat. But a radio (H/Held might do if your just along the coast,second hand), lifejackets each (£45), and you ll find some training a good idea. Thats not cheap,£350-500 for powerboat 1+2. Can you manage without? Maybe, but the water can be pretty busy, and people dont get pleased when someone is not aware what they are doing., and causes a problem. Its also comforting to know how to do some things, know what dangers there are etc; can be a bit daunting starting out otherwise. RNLI run a 1+2 hour check on your boat and equipment. might be agood idea first time to get an opiion. Its free;look on their webpage.
Otherwise, have great fun, and lets hope for a sunny summer