Advice for a beginner

[SK1]

Hi,

I am thinking of getting a small boat, but have no idea where to start. I don't want anything fancy - something small, portable, safe, able to get me & my friend in, & suitable for Lochs and inshore.

Also - no idea what the rules are around this. Do I need training, or to get a license?

Many thanks for any advice you can give.

[donegaldan]

Consider doing RYA Level 1 and Level 2 (Powerboat i assume)
Some form of navigation course,
First aid (would be responsible)
Marine Radio certificate (illegal to operate one without)
Marine Insurance

A friendly person with good local knowledge that can go out with you, and show you your area, and the ropes.

As for boats, I'f you ask that question here i guarantee you will have plenty answers for your first time boats, mine was a little 4 meter searider.
The rest of the ribnetters will add their 10 cents in that conversation.

Sometime we can go over on courses, etc, but if its not in your blood and not in your background, sometimes paying for courses is the only taught exposure you can get to the subejct.

Hope this breaks the ice and some of the others add their bit.
Happy boating
DonegalDan

[jake 4589]

Best advice I can give is ..........................SAVE UP THOSE ££££££S

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by jake 4589

Best advice I can give is ..........................SAVE UP THOSE ££££££S

Plus expect everything to cost 3 times as much!

[Polwart]

Your first question is probably SIB or RIB? Which will depend on where you want to use it, where you want to store it, the sort of weather you might go out in, the number of people who will be on it, your budget, etc

[SPR]

Forget about RYA Powerboat Level I, the RYA level II covers all of Level I in more detail.

If you find a club, or know people with boats try them out first.

Make sure you buy Life Jackets! and remember useless unless worn!


regards

S.

[willk]

Originally Posted by donegaldan

marine insurance

:d

[9D280]

Hello & welcome!

It sounds like you may be new to boating, as opposed to just new to ribs. As Pol says, there are many differnet flavours of inflatable boat out there, and what works for me might not work gfor you or the next person.

Assuming you are totally new, yes, I'd second the RYA L2 powerboat as a good start. The rest of the list will depend what you are planning.

For example, if you are planning on cruising the midlands canals, a VHF is going to be a waste of cash. Likewise if you are pottering around small local lakes, a course in offshore navigation is also going to be up there with the chocolate teapots.

The other good thing about the course is they will probably take you out in various different powered craft, so will giove you an idea of what's out there.

have a trawl round the forums, and you'll get a feel for what can & can't be done. If you are looking smal & light, a SIB might be a better bet, and for a starter there are plenty of new packages out there at not silly prices. If it;s just two of you, a 2.5-3m SIB will be suffiicient. If / when you get more adventurous, you can use it to fund the next size up!


As for licences etc, you dont need one, but the L2 is worth doing. You mat need to register the boat depending on the lake / loch, (e.g windermere / Loch Lomond being two famous examples) however for the sea, no reg. required. I'd sugest 3rd party insurance as a minimum. Whether you go "fully comp" or not will depend on your views on the likellihood of it getting nicked vs the extra premium.

[Lets go boating]

powerboat 2 is a real good starter, one thing i will mention is that, if you do the course on inland waters it will not count if you go on te sea with it, so i would advise to do it on the coast and then that will cover you for both, its maily so you can learn how tides work and various bits and bobs, and then once you have done that get somebody to go out with for the first time just for if you forget anything, as it can be alot to tak in in the period of a 2 day course such as a level 2.

cheers mf

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by Martha Focker

powerboat 2 is a real good starter, one thing i will mention is that, if you do the course on inland waters it will not count if you go on te sea with it, so i would advise to do it on the coast and then that will cover you for both, its maily so you can learn how tides work and various bits and bobs, and then once you have done that get somebody to go out with for the first time just for if you forget anything, as it can be alot to tak in in the period of a 2 day course such as a level 2.

cheers mf

Whilst "MFs" comments are right - in reality the PB2 course doesn't "count" for anything anyway unless you are wanting to hire a boat somewhere. The certificate will state it was performed on inland waters, I'd be surprised if the instructor didn't cover tides etc if he knew you were planning to use it at sea. Even places like the school at the tall ship in the centre of Glasgow (who's name I forgotten - but the Principal, Gregor, posts on here with the name Speedy) count as "Coastal" though. When I did my course with him I took my own boat along and we used it on the end of the second day for launch and recovery, and some of the practical stuff - which was great to get experience under a watchful eye with the actual set up I was going to use. I'm sure that any of the specialist schools (like Ian at SeaSkills on here [based in Oban and N Berwick]) would be equally flexible. A larger training centre like Port Edgar, Cumbrae or one of the Sailing Clubs may not be able to be so flexible if they are putting 12 students through a course at once.