Small fishing boat/ tourist sightseeing/fishing etc.

[condor]

I'm looking to move down South, Hayling Island area and want to buy ( after the house) a small fishing boat that would be suitable for taking tourists on small trips, either fishing or sightseeing. I'm currently unemployed, so this would be the way I hoped to finance living costs. Selling the fish I caught would be another option
The more 2nd hand the better, am happy to do it up - just want something seaworthy and cheap and cheerful.
Any ideas as the best way to start costing this or making it a viable future?

[Monki]

Do you need a dayskipper etc licence to take passengers? And also would you need insurance?

I've thought of getting a little boat too, purely for a spot of fishing though

[paintman]

You need to look into the licensing requirements of charter boats. If you carry fare payers - includes anglers - then you will need the boat licensed for that purpose. Equipment requirement is also laid down.
You will need insurance & that will have to include public liability.
Selling the catch unless the boat is a registered and licensed fishing vessel is illegal.
You will need to know the various minimum sizes for fish species. Expect trouble if found in possession of undersize specimens.

Have a look at one of the charter boats skippers sites.
http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/tiger_lily/moreinfo...
and http://www.pba.org.uk/codes.html

Rest assured that if you do do it illegally you are guaranteed to be turned in by those that are legal!

Oh and don't forget the Inland Revenue might want a word about your earnings.

Edited by paintman on Friday 5th February 18:28

[condor]

Thanks paintman for the info
Obviously a lot more to it than I thought, perhaps it will just be me catching a few fish off the side for dinner.
...or becoming more sports minded and having a speed boat to take water skiers, divers. There's a lot to consider.

[Rum Runner]

Most likely you will need to be at least a yachtmaster with commercial ticket.
Your boat will also have to be coded ( and for X amount of people)which is quite specific and costly and Insurance will be somewhat expensive.
Not trying to be damp squid but the boat is the least of your worries. The guy that does it here has stopped due to escalating costs.

[condor]

Does seem like there's a lot of red tape involved. Pity because I've plenty of boat type experience, from sailing yachts, racing dinghies, powerboats, canal boats etc. It's a large part of the attraction of moving down there.
My parents live in Torquay which has quite a few fishing trips for the tourists - also quite a few sightseeing round the bay type ones, which is where I got my idea from.

[Alonso]

http://www.powerboat-training-uk.co.uk/Quizes/Leve...

Take this quize .... You'll need at least a powerboat level two license with a commercial endorsement. If you score 80% + then you should pass one with a bit of study, the course sylabus is available from most RYA approved examiners. You'll also need a VHF license and you'll have to seriously consider the cost of safety equipment.... Liferaft, flares, life vests, first aid etc. etc. As stated by others the craft will have to be registered and commercially equiped....

Let me know how you get on in the quize ..... Na cheetin

[Alonso]

Sorry..... better link
http://www.powerboat-training-uk.co.uk/

[condor]

I was struggling to get the previous link you posted...thought it was the network/ my comp.

[condor]

I got 56% which was worse than I was expecting to get. A useful indicator that I need to brush up on the rules

[Rum Runner]

Mmmm tricky 98% and I am a instructor. I don't think the one about "life jackets should be worn at all time in small craft" is correct.
Life jackets are not used while doing water sports buoyancy aids and impact jackets. Lifejackets are useless when getting in and out of the water. i.e like dinghy sailing. Sorry RYA wrong....
You don't see club rescue boat crews and RYA instructors wearing life jackets in the RIB's. We might have to swim........

Edited by Rum Runner on Monday 8th February 20:49

[Alonso]

condor said:

I got 56% which was worse than I was expecting to get. A useful indicator that I need to brush up on the rules

56% .... not the end of the river but a deffo fail.. Can I suggest "Reeds Skippers handbook" by Malcolm Pearson.. Examiners are pretty strict and you'll have to demonstrate a good level of competence in all areas of seamanship and a good grasp of navigation to pass the ICC which is where you want to start

This will explane the ICC

http://www.rya.org.uk/infoadvice/boatingabroad/icc...

And this will tell you how to obtain the commercial endorsement. (you really really need this before you take fee paying passangers)

http://www.fivestarsailing.co.uk/rya_support_and_c...

[Alonso]

88%......... Clearly I don't know how the foook to launch a boat from a trailer

[condor]

I didn't get that right either, but then I've only floated dinghies off a trailer with another person. We'd both walk the trailer down the slipway till the boat floated, one would hold onto the boat whilst the other removed the trailer back up the slipway to it's parking slot.
I didn't realise lifejackets needed to be serviced every year either...there's a lot that changed legal wise over the years, wouldn't take too long to catch up on the recent legislation. I already learnt a lot just by taking that quiz

[Mike Random]

The guy that owns Power Boat training Paul Glatzel is a really nice bloke, i would recomend visiting him definately if you wanted training, l might try his test but in private lol

Coding a boat is not cheap either and if you have never done it then it can/could be a mine field, you are almost as well to buy a going concern, under standing the MCA regs is never the most striaght forward of excercises

Mike

[Mike Random]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

76%

A couple I would argue.



but no doubt lose

I stopped after 7 questions lol, l am going to question one when l see Paul in a few weeks though

Mike

[Alonso]

ste ....58% .... Thankfully I'd be demasted by towing lines before I got into bad weather

Someone should put these two tests up as a thread

Edited by Alonso on Tuesday 9th February 16:00

[Mike Random]

Some of those Radar questions are worded very poorly,

Mike

[condor]

Was in Torquay earlier this week and there seemed to be quite a few second-hand boats up for sale. Is this the norm countrywide?
ie bit like houses ( Spring time good time to sell)

[Rum Runner]

Yes, been busy to. Though I get the impression new is slow.