New Boat - So now what?

[eastgreen]

hello, and thank you all in advance for this....

I have wanted a boat for ages. I have hummed and Ha'd, tried to forget about, but still always wanted one. A couple of days ago I said to **** with it, and bought one. Sure you only live once, make hay while the sun shines and all that.

The question however is, what now? What do I need to keep me covered by law, keep me safe, and where can I use it? (probably questions I should have asked you all first before I bought it, but better late than never hopefully)

The boat I bought is a Microplus 571. It's 20ft long, 2 berth, a 75 hp mercury outboard, and a 15 hp mercury spare outboard. It has a road worthy trailer and winch. It has GPS, a fish finder, bilge pump, navigation lights and just about everything else that I think it should need - but then what do I know.

Do any of you have any advice you can give me as a first time boat owner? Saftey courses perhaps, boat maintenance courses maybe (it all works fine now but you never know), basic navigation course (though I do a lot of mountain climgibg so know how to work GPS), rules of the sea course?

Is marine insuarnce compulsory? Am I correct in saying that a Boat Safety Certificate is only for inland waters. Is that compulsory?

I read somewhere I need a licence and training in the use of a VHF radio. Is that correct?


Guys and Gals, I am a complete newbie to this, so forgive my ignorance. Any help would be greatly appreciated

thanks again for now

[Violet]

Eastgreen

I bought my first proper boat last year - slightly smaller than yours. I've also at long last got a mooring for her down at Dartmouth after trailing her everywhere for a year.

The first thing that I would do is get her insured. You want to make sure that you telle the insurers where she is kept and if you are putting her on a mooring, where, even if it's a visitor's mooring. You also want third party cover in case you run someone over whilst on her (hope to god this never happens) but you need cover. I have got mine insured the full works. I think that it's worth it.

Sounds as if you have all the basic GPS and nav. gear. First time out, make sure that your radio works. Get life jackets - enough for everyone. I've got four adult and four kids jackets. Get yourself some flares.

Ensure that you get both engines serviced properly by someone who knows what they're doing at least once a year. I reckon as good a time as any is just before the Spring. You can always tinker around with your own maintenance during the year.

Make sure that you have a decent anchor and the correct length of rope and chain.

Get your trailer checked regularly and spray the trailer down with fresh water after its been immersed in sea water. Watch the bearings. Grease them up regularly. See the advice on the boat section maintence on this site.

Check your auxillary on a regular basis. There's a temptation not to touch it because you always use your main engine. I find that using the auxillary to do some trolling is a good time to test it out.

My main advice is to plan ahead when you are going to use her. For the first year or so, don't be too adventurous. For the first year I've never gone more than a mile offshore. You need to get used to her and get confident in boat handling. You can go on a course if you like but I think that so long as you use commonsense you'll be fine.

Start paying a small subscription to the RNLI. They may save your life one day.

Always check the weather forecast before you go out. My main tip from one year's experience only is if you are in any doubt over anything, err on the side of caution. Don't take the mickey out of the sea otherwise you won't live to regret it.

And the other thing - have fun, but welcome to the world of saying goodbye to any spare cash you ever had. It's worth it though

[eastgreen]

excellent - thanks for the advice Violet

so how much does mooring her at Dartmouth cost (just as an example)? I live near bury st edmuds so I would be thinking of mooring her somewhere along the east coast more than likely. Any suggestions?

How much does insurance cost and which company did you use?

How much on average are launch fees?

I will indeed donate regularly to RNLI like you suggested. I know where you're coming from there.


all the best

[Fisher_Nick]

a good insurance is third party bargan/basic (not sure) boat insurance. if you visit your nearest boat repair/spares/service place they should be able to give you the details

VHF you have to have a license to use it, but you can buy without for some reason.
It carries a fine if you are found using it without a license, although if there's an emergency i don't think there would be questions asked but the license and training you learn to use it properly, just in case you may need it.

[bigads]

Put boat insurance into google and see what you get.....

[sabretooth]

porthcawl insurance are very good, my 17' is £140, with a brand new 6hp 4stroke aux engine.
VHF i would say is a must as if you do have a problem you speak to everyone listening, mobile goes to one person.

marina fees vary, i pay £1000 per year (direct debit so get charged), but i think it is worth it to be able to just go if the weather gods are kind.
dave

[Tony H]

Hi eastgreen, as regards training check out locally anyone who teaches the RYA powerboat level 2 course very usefull! alot of launch sites are now making this qualification compulsory and no doubt more will follow. You mention you can use GPS thats great but i would strongly advise you to learn at least basic navigation using traditional methods cos you never know when your electrics might go t*ts up. as metioned get a set of lifejackets (not bouyancy aids) of the correct newton rating. At the moment its compulsary to have a licence for a marine VHF however this is going to be abolished in October,but to use a VHF you will still need to pass an operators qualification. One of the best pieces of advise i can offer you is seek out a boat angling club they will provide you with a wealth of invaluble knowledge regarding fishing marks,tips cotacts etc. Hope this helps

[blueskip]

Hi Eastgreen you have had some very sound advice there, in lieu of 40yrs boating experience, then the RYA2 will give you a really good grounding in what to, & what not, to do.
If you are desperate to get your sea legs, ask at a boating club for a volunteer to come out with you on your first couple of trips, (if you weren't so far away I would come with you), you may even get a volunteer from the forum!
The VHF licence is compulsory before you can transmit, but as everybody will say, if you break the law, & survive to pay a fine, thats a result!
Mercs are good engines & reliable, but sometimes they can be "individuals" when starting from cold, if you can afford it, have them serviced by a reputable marine engineer (fancy a run to Caernarfon) Chrisp is the mechanical guru on the forum!
Otherwise you have the rest of your boating life in front of you, it has been said that owning a boat is like standing in the shower, tearing up $50 notes, that's rubbish! its only $20 notes!

[eastgreen]

Some great advice there from all of you. Many thanks. I have a lot to learn so keep em coming. :clap3:

And I am desperate to get her out in the water :boat: but not desperate enough to ignore the dangers of not knowing what I'm doing. :giveup:

[wavelength]

we use porthcawl insurance-one of the reasons being tht the prop. Steve Knipe is a boating person and lifeboat crew so he knows what you are talking about when you talk boats to him!

[Dave.S]

Hi Eastgreen

I use to live on the edge of Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire so I suspect the East Coast is where you are looking.

I use to trail my boat from Sandy to Felixstowe many weekends, (2hrs each way on the A14) and launch in the Deben at Felixstowe ferry.
WARNING!!!
If you go there be VERY VERY careful as the charts are way out for the sandbar.
It keeps moving and getting shallower, check out this web site Deben Entrance (http://www.debenentrance.com/homepage.html) :blink:

You could always go up the river but the fishing is not that great unless you like loads of little crabs. :boat:

The other slipway would be Levington, it is a steep slip and you lower the trailer by a steel rope on the trailer, rope already on the slipway, with your car on the flat ground above. Suggest visiting before taking your boat to check it out.

If you need any pointers/marks when you get out give me a shout.

The best solution is to join the local club as they will normally be only too happy to talk/help you. :)

Check out my web site for other ideas regarding what to carry on the boat, it is not meant to be a definitive list but it is a start. See link below.

Others have given some very good advice, I have just added my two cents worth.

Take care and enjoy yourself, no fish is worth loosing your life for. :giveup:

Dave

[ed2]

Dad and I did the Powerboat level 2 course, and our VHF course, so we are fully licensed to use the VHF. (I ain't until I am 16 :nonono: )

TAKE these courses. They are amazing fun, but also teach you little things you wouldn't think of yourself; pull away from harbour sides (when tied up against walls) in reverse, why? to keep the blades of the engine away from the wall :)

VHF - wouldn't have a clue how to use the DSC function, but after a one day course, I know all there is to know about using it. (I'm not trying to boast, just encourage the courses)

As mentioned, get life jackets for everyone and maybe a few spare. Try to get automatic gas inflation jackets. These won't set you back too much, especially when you weigh them up, against your family member's life. Go for at least 150 neutons for adults. Dad's is 175 and is good for him.

Remember a good first aid kit to have on board - bandages, plasters, etc.

If you decide not to go on the course, then a MUST (in my opinion) is the following book:

"RYA Practical Course Notes - Powerboating PBPCN"

Not too sure, but will probably set you back £10-£15. It is full of little tips and advice, and is a bargain to have. It offers very well explained information, with brilliant diagrams and the like.

It contains:

1. Parts of the boat
2. Types of boat
3. Engines and drives
4. Controls
5. Ropes
6. Engine checks
7. Trailing
8. Launching
9. Boat handling
10. Wind and currents
11. Mooring and anchoring
12. Man overboard
13. Leaving and coming alongside
14. Crew work
15. Heavy weather handling
16. Collision Regulations
17. Lifejackets and clothing
18. Safety
19. Navigation, pilotage and tides
20. Wather
21. Safety boats
22. Towing
23. Mark laying

Hey, did you guys know; if you are stranded out at sea, and another boat user comes along and tows you using their rope, they by law have a claim to your boat!! To get around this, use your rope, not theirs. If they still insist, tell them to F-off. Weird, but true!! Little things like that from the course are interesting and great to know.

One major point is - DO NOT OVERLOAD ANY BOAT.


Taken from RYA course notes book


An overloaded boat will:-
Perform badly
Be difficult to manoeuvre
May become dangeriously unstable
May easily be swamped by waves
be more likely to suffer a man overboard


Sorry to blab on!! :)

[eastgreen]

Yes Dave.S - I live south of Bury St Edmunds now (must change my avatar from cambridgehsire to suffolk), so East Coast is most likely where I'll be heading for starters anyway.

Any other info you can give me about slipways and maybe the location of a relatively inshore mark or two, would be brilliant. Your site offers some really good advice, I read pretty much the lot. thanks

ed2 - I will definitely do my vhf certificate before launching for the first time. I also plan to have someone along with me for the first couple of times who should know what he's doing - he's been in the US Navy for nigh on 40 years!!
I'll try and do the powerboat 2 course before I ever attempt to head out without Mr Navy



supposed to go and pick the boat up tomorrow. 500 mile round trip or thereabouts. wish me luck

[ed2]

Be sure to check the bearings are alright - the last thing you want is your wheel falling off!!!

[Dave.S]

Hi eastgreen

Check out Boat Launch (http://www.boatlaunch.co.uk/) web site as they give some idea of what slipways are about and there condition.

If launching at Levington be carefull when getting to Harwich docks, those container ships look huge when you are in a small boat! :giveup:

Might be interested in this site Braintree Boat Club (http://www.braintreesac.co.uk/Boat_Section/Boat_Section.htm)

Will send you some marks by pm.

Hope went well in collecting the new "baby"

dave
:clap3:

[eastgreen]

disaster!! Ed2, it wasn't your boat and trailer was it? :unsure:

left home about 6.30, arrived at sellers house just after 11. Checked the boat and trailer out (inc bearings) as best I could, paid the man, and drove about 4 miles down the road before a wheel fell off the trailer. (4 wheeled trailer btw). Tried to limp to the nearest garage to get off the road and make some repairs, but suffered a blow-out on one of the other wheels (the side from which the other wheel fell off). I was nearly in tears!! Luckily I had one spare wheel, and managed to get a (very) nice guy who stopped to go back and retrieve my fallen off wheel. Luckily I had taken a truck jack with me as well. Got the boat up on the jack and fixed the wheels on as best I could. Limped to the nearest services. Thankfully no-one had been injured or no damage caused to any other cars.

Prior to sale assurance had been given to me that boat had been serviced in June 2005 and boat only used once since. Saw copy of paperwork. Given assurance that trailer would be checked prior to my arrival, tyres checked and changed if necessary. He was aware how far I was coming from. Looks like that didn't happen

1.30pm
Called my breakdown company (through admiral insurance). They said they couldn't help, my policy didn't cover it!!! God damn it!!! Got my mate to call the AA (he's a member). They got someone out to have a look.

3.15pm

The AA man said the stub axel on the trailer had gone and needed replaced. The AA then sent a truck to pick up the boat. Great I thought.........


4.30pm

AA truck arrives. Trailer 6 inches too wide to go on truck. Head in hands now. What the **** am i going to do?? Call seller and leave voice message asking for assistance. Dont expect reply.

5.30pm

Another recovery truck arrives. £175 + vat just to lift the trailer and boat onto truck and take it to yard. £1.25 a mile to tow boat to my place (+ return journey) = 500 miles and a lot of money!! Panic now. Seller calls. He actually seems genuinely sorry and apologises. Seller agrees to get a mechanic sent out to the spot at his expense to have a look.

6.00pm

mechanic comes out. Agrees trailer needs work. Speak to seller who agrees to repair trailer at his cost. Great!!! I agree to pay recovery charges


8.00pm

meet seller at mechanics workshop. Get written confirmation from him that he is liable for trailer repairs and that he is reponsible for safe storage of my boat. Seller suggests that he may be able to tow the boat half way to my place next weekend.

Mid-night

Back home. Thank goodness. never want to see another boat or trailer again!!


today

More positive. Ok I had a terrible day, and shelled out an extra £200. But at least I am going to get a fully roadworthy trailer now. After all, by agreeing to repairs seller is admitting responsability for it. Hopefully



The boat by the way is great. Seems in good condition to me, just needs washed more than anything. But we'll see..........................


Lessons learned. Get trailers serviced regularly. Don't take it for granted, your safety depends on it. I'm just thankful all this happened on little quiet roads rather than half way round the M25!!

[coffee boy]

wot a pain in the rear ! but sounds as if it may of been a lot worse still lots of good times ahead :)

[ed2]

Not mine. We had a little trouble, in that the jockey wheel became dislodged and fell to the road at 50 :O

Dad was in tears, thought the boat had smashed by the way it sounded :P

Unlucky, but hopefully she will be worth it :)

[Dave.S]

Hi eastgreen

Sorry to hear tales of woe.

Good to hear the seller accepts some responsability.

What boat did you buy?

Love to see a picture sometime.

Dave

[eastgreen]

here you go dave - the only picture I have at the minute. Yes I know this isn't a pure fishing boat but there is no way I would have got away with buying a boat if it was!!! Hopefully it will suit my purposes for now until I get more experience anyway.

just need to get her home now, give her a name, and get her cleaned up and ready for a summer of adventures

The interior is the worst part of her, but I am really really looking forward to making her look good

[blueskip]

That's a nice looking craft Eastgreen, you will have lots of good times in that, & she has sufficient "meat" about her to give you confidence from day1, a good choice of boat, now enjoy all the work that goes with it.
blueskip

[eastgreen]

thanks for the vote of confidence blueskip. that's just what I needed someone to say given the problems so far

:bb:

[lucky]

Nice looking boat eastgreen - I'm sure your going to have a lot of good times in it.

[Dave.S]

Hi eastgreen

As the others have said, nice looking.

Even has a bit of a Warrior 175/195 look about her at the stern.

Have fun and watch that grin increase as you spend time making her look good and it will be all your own work. :boat:

Look forward to reading some reports when you get her on the water.

Dave
:)

[eastgreen]

hooray!!! The seller of the boat got the trailer fixed - 4 new stub axles and bearing units - £450 for the parts alone according to him. so looks like I got a bargain there now. Drove the boat home on sunday - 250 miles - without problem. She's now in my driveway. I can't wait for the weekend now to test everything and get working on her. My birthday yesterday - what a present!!

:yahoo:

[blueskip]

Great news Eastgreen, glad the owner stood his promise, not many would! Now the work begins, you will learn more about your boat from working on her, than you will by sailing in her!
Think about what you want to do in her, if you are going to do mainly anchor down & fish static, then you will be looking to maximize cockpit space & arrange either fold-up seating, or drop down seating, or use your tackle boxes as removable seating. If you are going to be a family cruising boat with the odd bit of fishing/trolling thrown in then you rig for that.
Its very important to have a definite idea about what you will be using it for, before you renovate something, then find that you will be "slinging it" after 2 trips!
I (think) I have Cleavage as I want her ( for now), but in the back of my mind is the idea that I might just put a roof on that spray dodger? But I know that she is strictly for fishing, & that's priority 1, but Mod 3 could well be just around the corner with that roof.
Matey you will never be finished working on it, but it does help if you draw up a positive plan of action, so that you dont waste time & money restoring a part of it, only to find out you can do without it!
blueskip

[Salar]

Matey you will never be finished working on it,

I have owned Salar for over 11 years and I am still tinkering. All part of the fun!

[eastgreen]

To be honest Blueskip she is almost ready to go from what I can tell. Sure she could do with a lick of paint, sure she could do with new cushions, but really that isn't going to stop me!!! As for useage, I imagine that initially everybody and their dog will want to come for a 'cruise' on her, but after that she'll mostly be for fishing. :yahoo:


I have been given a wire cable type of thing that I think is supposed to be some kind of fail-safe if the trailer gets disconnected from the car. Can anyone tell me what to do with it? Is it supposed to fit to the braking system perhaps?

If you don't know what I'm wittering on about I will post a photo of it tomorrow

Does anybody use an automatic power driven winch for their trailer btw? Was just thinking about getting one of those......

Let the tinkering begin ;)

[Salar]

I have been given a wire cable type of thing that I think is supposed to be some kind of fail-safe if the trailer gets disconnected from the car. Can anyone tell me what to do with it? Is it supposed to fit to the braking system perhaps?



If its a thin wire, it is to connect to the brake so if the hitch comes undone it applies the trailer brake so it doesnt go flying off. The chances of it actually stopping gently in a straight line and not go flying off and smashing into soming if that happens are minimal though :unsure:

[Audrey S]

Eastgreen

this is only my opinion, and if you don't agree with it thats fine, but the first thing you ought to do is get rid of the curtains, Fishing boats don't have curtains,


























Not even if you sold the idea of owning a boat to your wife, by saying something akin to " Look love, it'll be like having a caravan, but on the water"

hth

Regards

Ubd

[blueskip]

That wire is there to prevent your trailer & boat going "walkabout" if it jumps off the tow hitch, if the trailer is "braked" it might work, but as Salar said, the chances of a controlled stop are miniscule, your best bet is to lock the the tow hitch with a lock, or nut & bolt, to stop any possibility of it jumping off the ball. My tow hitch is an old one with a hole drilled through it so that it locks once the hitch is on the tow ball, mind a substantial chain from trailer to car would help to stop a total disaster.
Power winches! I wouldn't be without mine, got a mate of mine who worked for Lufthansa to bring it back from the States, I have an ordinary hand winch that I put on for travelling, & the electric winch goes on for recovering, I had a plate made so that the mounting holes on both are identical, 2 secs to switch them over!
They are for sale on e-bay for about 40 quid, but I hear that the clutches on them dont last long, but always worth a try, & you wont know until you try, I wouldn't be without mine, otherwise I would have to hand winch Paid4 in as well as the boat!
blueskip
PS I think the curtains are "sweet".

[eastgreen]

Eastgreen

this is only my opinion, and if you don't agree with it thats fine, but the first thing you ought to do is get rid of the curtains, Fishing boats don't have curtains,






















Not even if you sold the idea of owning a boat to your wife, by saying something akin to " Look love, it'll be like having a caravan, but on the water"

hth

Regards

Ubd


:notworthy funny you might say that, but the curtains are gone, long gone. That was the first bit of tinkering I did!!!!

[eastgreen]

That wire is there to prevent your trailer & boat going "walkabout" if it jumps off the tow hitch, if the trailer is "braked" it might work, but as Salar said, the chances of a controlled stop are miniscule, your best bet is to lock the the tow hitch with a lock, or nut & bolt, to stop any possibility of it jumping off the ball. My tow hitch is an old one with a hole drilled through it so that it locks once the hitch is on the tow ball, mind a substantial chain from trailer to car would help to stop a total disaster.

I thought that was what the wire was for, I just don't know how to attach it properly. I think they're a legal requirement too aren't they? I'll have to have another fiddle with it.

I'll also have to take a look to see if I can get some way of locking the trailer to the tow bar as you suggest.

Bought a wheel clamp the other day from Argos for £30. They are rubbish. Don't waste your money. Doesn't even cover the wheel nuts properly. Bought a hitch lock from Halfords - doesn't fit my trailer!!! £50 down the drain already!!

Who was it that said that owning a boat was like standing in the shower ripping up fivers? Wise words indeed!!!


thanks for all your help once again


One last question. I have managed to get the VHF radio working, I think.....I haven't heard anyone speaking on it yet so I need some way of testing it properly - any idea how I can do that without towing it in range of the coastguard!!!

thanks again

[paid4]

They are for sale on e-bay for about 40 quid, but I hear that the clutches on them dont last long, but always worth a try, & you wont know until you try, I wouldn't be without mine, otherwise I would have to hand winch Paid4 in as well as the boat!
blueskip
PS I think the curtains are "sweet".



Right that's it - I'm buying a bloody pair of chesties

[blueskip]

Eastgreen do you have any boating mates nearby? if not have a look on e-bay for a cheapo hand held VHF, it never hurts to have a spare radio (you can buy one with the refund from Halfords)! Or do you know anybody who will lend you one for an hour?
You can then send "er indoors" down the road to test it, but for Christ's sake not on CH16 or 67! you can go through all the channels on the hand-held testing both sets at once, & its one of the few good investments you can make.
blueskip

[Shropfisher]

" Hey, did you guys know; if you are stranded out at sea, and another boat user comes along and tows you using their rope, they by law have a claim to your boat!! To get around this, use your rope, not theirs. If they still insist, tell them to F-off. Weird, but true!! Little things like that from the course are interesting and great to know. "
A recent court ruling stated that if the boat is not un seaworthy and no immediate threat to life or property, then no salvage can be claimed, so if you have an anchor and your not being driven onto a breaker etc, then no one can claim salvage..

[blueskip]

Hey Shropfisher what course is that? "Level 2 Barrack Room Lawyer"? What's with this red writing? It looks like my returned exam paper, to become a member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters:thumbdown
blueskip