A Guide To Buying Your First Boat
Introduction - Buying a boat can be a very stressful affair and as we found there is not normally anyone to hold your hand along the way. We have spent some time compiling this "How to Guide" along with months of research to ensure it represents views of other boaters and organisations like the Environment Agency. We would advise you read it all the way through before making an offer on a boat.
1) WHAT SIZE BOAT DO YOU NEED?
Question who will use the boat and why
If you plan to use the boat occasioanlly on sunny afternoons then a small cruiser or day boat will be best for you. If you plan to stay over on the boat or take it away for a week at a time you may want to consider a larger cruiser or Narrowboat.
Where do you plan to take the boat?
Channels, locks and rivers are all varying in size and width so buying a boat that may fit on the Thames may not fit on a river near the Norfolk Broads. www.waterscape.com produce a list of the width of all waterways and this can be found on their website or by calling them.Have a read of the guides you can buy at the bottom of the page as we use them and they are very good.
2) WHAT SORT OF BOAT SHOULD YOU BUY?
There are three main types of boats on the Rivers and Canals.
Modern narrowboats : Generally very long and made of steel. Harder to steer and you can only turn the boat in various places.
River cruisers: Are made from fibreglass and are well suited to canals, unlike narrowboats they are available in many widths. We have personally found they are easier to steer and control as they are much shorter than longer boats.
‘Dutch barges’: Steel craft with more spacious accommodation. Normally too wide to steer up narrow canals so limited to mainly to rivers.
3) SHOULD YOU BUY NEW OR SECOND HAND?
Our advice would be buy second hand for your first boat and pick something small like a cruiser. Our first boat was a small Shetland 535 18 foot boat which was ideal to sail everywhere including the sea. We didn't get a boat survey carried out before we bought but would strongly advise you do this. They will check the hull is sound etc.
Whatever you do shop around and do not fall for the first boat you see. The best time to buy a boat is October to January. Buying outside of this time will mean you can pay almost double for the boat as it is in season.
Checklist to buying your first boat
- Check similar prices for the same boat
- Does the boat come with a mooring? If not where can you moor and how much will it be?
- Does the boat have a valid safety scheme certificate? (A legal requirement, like an MOT. The boat has to be checked every 4 years)
- How many miles has the engine done and does the manufacture of the engine still make spare parts for it?
4) SHOULD I BUY PRIVATELY OR FROM A BROKER?
A broker will generally produce a detailed report on the boat for you and normally will ask for a deposit "Subject to Survey". If your survey suggests the boat is not sound then the refund should normally be refunded.
If you buy privately ensure the boat has a safety certificate and you get as much of its previous history on paper as possible. Ensure the seller provides a receipt and some kind of guarantee if possible. If the boat is in the water ask him for a test drive to the nearest lock. We strongly advised only handing over money to the seller when a survey has been carried out and the boat and engine are working well.
5) WHERE SHOULD I MOOR THE BOAT?
From personal experience I would strongly advise you secure a mooring BEFORE buying a boat. Moorings are not easy to come by and in many cases there are long waiting lists. Phone around local marinas and also Google "boat moorings" in your area.
It is a legal requirement to have a mooring unless you are going to constantly cruise around the rivers. Buying a boat with a mooring is a good idea but go and check the place out before you buy. Also be aware that in many cases you have to pay a one off transfer of mooring ownership fee which can be as much as £600.
Joining a local boat club is also a good idea as they often offer discounts on moorings and reduces rates for craning the boat in and out in the winter. The mooring fees will vary depending on where you live and are normally charged on the length of your boat. We pay around £600 a year but also be aware that the Environment Agency charge you for any poles in the water near your mooring and also if you have a jetty by the mooring that overhangs more than 10 cm. You can search a national database here but I would also phone around locally.
6) SAFE BOATING INSURANCE & LICENCE
Safety
Before you can buy a licence or insure the vessel you need to have a boat safety certificate. This is like an MOT for your boat and has to be carried out every 4 years. When they test they cover all aspects of the boat from the engine to air vents and is carried out by an inspector from the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS). You can see what they will test for here. You will need to find an examiner local to you. Here is a list of them in the
Insurance
Boat insurance is often cheaper than car insurance but will vary according to the age and size of your boat. We used http://www.covermyboat.co.uk/ and it cost us £50 a year for our little Shetland. Be sure to read the small print of the policy before saying yes. Some insurers do not cover the boat over the winter if it is in the water and also do not cover a crane in or out of the boat so check to make sure you have the best cover for you. You can see a full list of insurers here
Licence
Every boat needs a licence on the River, even inflatable dinghies and before you buy this you need proof of insurance and your boat safety certificate. Buying the licence however can be tricky.
There are many different licences depending on where you wish to cruise and for how long. You can buy licences by the day, fortnight, year. For a certain canal or river or for all of them collectively.
If you know you can only sail on the Thames for example and do not plan to move the boat on a trailer from river to river then you only need a Thames licence which is cheaper then buying one for all the rivers. The licences are normally charged by the cubic square metre of your boat. Our licence is £134 a year for use only on the Thames. If we want to go along another canal then we will just buy a short term licence while we are on it. If in doubt of what you need call the Environment Agency on 0118 953 5650.
7) CHECKLIST
Have you:
1) Decided what type of boat suits your needs?
2) Chosen where you want to sail and checked the dimensions of the river / canal?
3) Chosen the type of boat that suits your lifestyle and the area you wish to sail?
4) Checked you can get a local mooring?
5) Got your safety certificate, insurance and boat licence?
6) Made sure you can afford to buy a boat?
Once you have confirmed all this you are ready to sail.
THIS IS A GUIDE AND NOT A SET OF RULES. IT IS UP TO YOU TO DO ALL YOUR OWN RESEARCH BEFORE BUYING AND SAILING A BOAT.
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