I would like to buy a fishing/leisure boat.

rotters

rotters

rotters

Soldato
Joined
14 Nov 2004
Posts
5,446
Location
Hayle, Cornwall
but am a complete novice. where the heck do I start and do I need a license of any sort?

this is going to be a log of me learning, buying, progressing, sailing! fishing!!!!

we went out fishing today, just mackerel for 90 mins and it was brilliant...guess what we had on the bbq this evening?

mack.jpg



teach me!!
 
I'm no fishing expert, but I can give you a good steer on selecting a suitable boat, but we'll probably need a bit more to go on i.e budget, where you intend to use the boat, how far out to sea you might go.

But for starters you don't need a license to own and use your own small motor boat at sea other than any harbour duties you might have to pay depending where you use it. RYA level 2 or similar might be worth looking at tho if your a complete begginer to boats.
 
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It'll be out of hayle, not very far out to sea, budget is a good question, we will be splitting costs between 3 of us. Maybe upto £4k. Is that enough for a decent little motor boat?
 
At £4k youre going to be fairly limited in terms of choice, without looking at ancient stuff.

For inshore/fair weather use I would suggest looking along the lines of a Dell Quay or a Dory of some description, they are robust boats, trailable and would make a good platform for fishing in terms of seats and storage.

I'm not neccesarisly saying get 'This boat', but here is an example of the type of thing you might get around that budget.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17ft-Dory...4286821?pt=UK_Power_Boats&hash=item2c65ab4f65

You could look at RIB's as well like an Avon Searider, great hull but at £4k it would probably be a bit of a nail, plus it won't be nearly as comfortable or spacious for fishing.
 
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Owning a boat is a big commitment. You'll spend more time fixing or doing the odd job than fishing. Also anything that has the word 'marine' to it double the price of onshore stuff.
 
For now I was thinking of some kind of rib and trailer combo, keeping it on our driveway as we have a slip way just down the road in the harbour.
 
Handy? As in boat savvy...no I'm a complete novice, or handy as in free to offer a helping hand, yeah sure...what do you need?
 
I don't need anything mate, but if you are all capable with your hands - why not purchase a project instead?

My boss is mad over boats so he can give me the names of places tomorrow but you can pick up what would be deemed project boats reasonably cheap.
 
Be prepared for big bills. I share my main boat with 2 mates and it makes it more bearable but it makes my car look very inexpensive by comparison. If you are highly mechanically gifted and have a lot of time could be less of an issue. I don't begrudge it at all, as it is one of the best ways you can possibly spend your time, but go into it eyes wide open.

(that said I am running a 350 in mine;) which is never going to be economical)
 
Did you get one? Just make sure it has a good outboard, at the price your looking I would think your going to get a 90's 2 stroke with a boat but they are good if you find a well looked after one, my rib has a 20 plus yr murcury outboard 135Hp, I've never had a Problem with it, only had the boat about 9 months but out every week all over the place in any weather hence the reason I got a Rib I can't sink the thing lol.. I've had the nose go completely underwater in a storm and she still goes like a rocket :)) best money I've ever spent.

Your best bet is get a rib that has good tubes with a old outboard that's been looked after as the main money you spend on buying the oat is on the motor, it'll be a old motor but they are really good if running ok to start with and make sure it's cooling ie water coming out the tail with a good flow, then if you like it that much you can get a modern motor in the future its cheap to get you started and invest in a NEW spare motor incase the main ever breaks,, I just got a brand new Yamaha 2.5Hp for £599 with 5 yrs warranty :) it just makes me feel safe if the main beast breaks down. I only paid £3800 for my boat and it's a nice boat :)
 
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This is her plus the new outboard all in was £4500 with slipway bills.. It was a little dilapidated but after 4 days none stop work it come up like new :)

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Save your money and go out on charter boats. you'll pay between £40 and £70 for a day out fishing. The skipper will normally be an expert you will help you every step of the way. He'll take you to the best fishing marks and wrecks. In Cornwall you have some awesome shark fishing in the summer. There will be a toilet, and hot drinks all day, and shelter if it rains on the boat. It will be more stable than a 17ft dory and get you further out to sea.

You can hire tackle, but £200 should be enough to set yourself up.

When your done for the day you take your fish and go home. no packing the boat up, cleaning the boat towing the boat, refuling the boat, maintaining the boat, washing the boat ect ect.
 
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neilw said:
Save your money and go out on charter boats. you'll pay between £40 and £70 for a day out fishing. The skipper will normally be an expert you will help you every step of the way. He'll take you to the best fishing marks and wrecks. In Cornwall you have some awesome shark fishing in the summer. There will be a toilet, and hot drinks all day, and shelter if it rains on the boat. It will be more stable than a 17ft dory and get you further out to sea.

You can hire tackle, but £200 should be enough to set yourself up.

When your done for the day you take your fish and go home. no packing the boat up, cleaning the boat towing the boat, refuling the boat, maintaining the boat, washing the boat ect ect.
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£40 and £70 to go charter boating for a day? You must not have been for a while. You're looking at £100 for wreck fishing these days from Newquay and also Brighton/Littlehampton. It's not realistic anymore, such a silly price. Half the skippers I talk to often want me to book for two half days aswell, meaning you get half the amount of time fishing because you spend four hours of the day travelling out to the decent wrecks!

Oh, and not to mention most of the bloody wrecks in the channel and off Cornish waters are ridiculously over fished and have been trawled to oblivion.
 
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