You have dreamed about owning your own boat for years. No more 9am to 3pm charter trips booked months in advance in potentially unsettled weather and uncertain prospects. Not to mention the fees.
Whether you have a 10ft dinghy you row from the shore or an offshore cruiser the world is now your oyster, but be warned, owning your own boat will be expensive. There is a lot to learn and lots of experiences to enjoy or endure. It always surprises me that if you have the cash you can purchase a boat and use it without any knowledge, training, insurance, or indeed, common sense.
Your knowledge base can be easily improved by simply reading stuff; whether it’s about safety, the weather, seamanship, boat handling or navigation there is lots of information on tap. Your quest for knowledge will depend on your type of boating; whether it’s a dinghy launched from the beach or a twin engine power boat. Although theory is great there’s no substitute for hands-on experience. There are excellent classroom and on-the-water courses run by the RYA and they are highly recommended.
I spent many years towing my 16ft Alaska 500 with fishing partner Dave Harris to various places and launching from beaches and slipways. Every venue has its own challenges such as state of tide, weather
