Beginners Guide To Owning A Boat

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So you have made the decision and found and bought your very own boat. Now it's time to enjoy the slowed down life that owning a boat and cruising on the canals can bring.

But buying and owning a boat isn't quite as simple as that, if you are the proud owner of a brand new boat, then it will be CE marked and come with a Certificate of Compliance, but it is advisable to get the boat examined to BSS standards and a certificate issued before taking possesion of the boat, and indeed paying the final instalment. The Certificate of Compliance is issued to RCD standards which are not necessarily as stringent as the BSS ones.

The BSS certificate must be renewed every 4 years, and as the requirements do change then you may find that work needs to be done to meet these requirements, if work needs doing then you have six months from the date of the examination to comply. The examination can cost between £75 - £160, so it as well to shop around for the best price, you will find a list of examiners on the menu on the left.

So you have a safety certificate, but before you can license your boat and legally keep it on the water you need insurance and most important of all, a place to moor your boat. British Waterways insist that you have a place to moor your boat before they will issue a license, the mooring may be at a marina, on line moorings owned by British Waterways or other moorings owned or managed by boat clubs or other individuals. The only exception to these requirements are that you are continuously cruising, something that you must prove to British Waterways, it will not be acceptable just to state that you are continuously cruising, as this privelidge has been abused so much in the past. We have a list of marinas and moorings on the left.

Insurance for boats is quite reasonable, most insurance brokers have web sites listed here, and insurance can be purchased on-line.

With these requirements completed you can now license your boat, this can be done on-line through the Waterscape web-site.

Mainteinance of your boat is important if you wish to keep it in good order, and for it to keep a good resale value. Most boat engines need similar mainteinance to a car engine, oil and filter changes, topping up with anti-freeze and changing the timing (or cam) belt. If the boat is left over the winter then it is important to drain the water system to avoid freezing, with the inevitable burst pipe; also heating systems need regular mainteinance to keep them in tip top condition. It is advisable to take the boat out of the water every 2 years in order to re-black the bottom half of the boat, anodes can be checked and replaced at the same time.

If you need any further help then please contact me.