I'm thinking of buying a boat.

[Doris Redmon]

Hi Roch Hopper,

I can’t suggest you the place from where you can buy a boat. But, in your post you ask if you need boat insurance. I’m pretty sure it’s required by law but I’m not an attorney. However, if you get into a boating accident and injure someone, and they sue you, you could end up in debt for the rest of your life. Even worse, how would you feel if you injured someone and then you couldn’t afford to pay for their medical expenses (and neither could that person?). So far the best site I’ve found is Policydog.com because you can actually buy boat insurance online… most sites only provide a phone number or a basic quote. They also cover boats out of United States so you can get your boat insured pretty easily. Enjoy and be safe out there!


Doris

Originally Posted by rock hopper

I'm not very rich so I'll be looking at around the £1500 mark,

will i get something seaworthy for that ?

the problem is I've never bought a boat before so I need to pick some ones brains on the subject.

firstly hulls, i know planing hulls are faster given the horse power, so why would i consider a displacement hull ?

it will be mainly for two people , but sometimes four so I'm thinking 15' to 18'

and what about insurance ? do i need any special insurance to tow it ?

also I'll need something i can get on and off the trailer on my own, so what is the biggest size i could do this with ?

what about surveys ? do i need to get one done on a boat before i buy it ?

and do the insurance people only give insurance if i have one ?

i have no idea how much boat incsurance is so if anyone can give a guess to put me in the right ball park.

I'm trying to get an idea of what costs are involved in owning a small boat,

any advice is welcome.


and if anyone knows a boat yard in Cornwall or Devon that deal in small cheap boats, that would be useful .

[BigBassBobbi]

Hi Doris (and Roch) although I am also not an attorney and have no official proof of it, I'm pretty sure that boat insurance is actually not required by law. There's a good article on http://www.boatinsurance.org that talks about insurance options. (Options... as in it's not mandatory). Hope that helps if you're still looking for information :)

[ratman1]

Hi rockhopper, I would certainly advise on insurance as I had my boat nicked last year, and I'm still paying the finance off. I had been quoted £134.00 fully comp for a seahog seajeep fully kitted out including a 50hp 4stroke yamaha..... all gone and no sign of recovery...Now I can only reminisce on what I once had. good luck in finding a boat of your choice though. tight lines.

[Portland Pirate]

Originally Posted by Doris Redmon

Hi Roch Hopper,

I can’t suggest you the place from where you can buy a boat. But, in your post you ask if you need boat insurance. I’m pretty sure it’s required by law but I’m not an attorney. However, if you get into a boating accident and injure someone, and they sue you, you could end up in debt for the rest of your life. Even worse, how would you feel if you injured someone and then you couldn’t afford to pay for their medical expenses (and neither could that person?). So far the best site I’ve found is Policydog.com because you can actually buy boat insurance online… most sites only provide a phone number or a basic quote. They also cover boats out of United States so you can get your boat insured pretty easily. Enjoy and be safe out there!


Doris

Thankfully Dorris, most of us on this forum, do not live in the United States where everyone wants to sue everyone for a cut on the finger, and if we have an accident then our health service is free.

Obviously if you injure someone because you are incompetent, unsafe or have not taken due care and attention, then you should be liable to pay them compensation. However it is not a requirement in the UK to have boat insurance.

Portland Pirate.

[pistonbroke]

I may have a boat for sale soon, its 7mtr got everything on it and its down at Portland loads of room for fishing.