Motor boats for beginners: Everything you need to know
Looking to get into motor boats? Discover the options available that’ll see you out on the water in no time
Speed, comfort and style – these are the mantras of motor boat fans. You can go from flying through the waves at 35 knots to lying on a sunpad at some remote anchorage, drink in hand, and still make it home in time for tea.
Motor boats are a great way to get out on the water and it’s fairly easy to pick up the basics. Read our guide to find out more…
Boat training
The first step to enjoying motor boats is taking the necessary boat training that’ll teach you everything you need to know about boat handling.
The RYA has a number of courses on offer, ranging from complete beginners, all the way through to those looking to test their motor boat skills in more demanding conditions.
The RYA’s level 1 course is a great place to start for a complete beginner, but if you have some experience already, then taking the RYA level 2 course may be a better option. Either course is no longer than two days, with level 1 costing around £200 and level 2 around £340.
There are hundreds of RYA training centres throughout the UK that offer the necessary training and you can use the RYA’s online tool to find your nearest venue.
Hiring motor boats
Once you’ve developed a love of boating, it’s not surprising that you’ll want to spend more and more time out on the water. Hiring a boat is a commitment-free way to enjoy the sport without costs such as maintenance and mooring fees.
Many centres across the UK will allow you to hire a small RIB for either a few hours or up to a week. You can expect to pay up to £50 per hour for motor boat hire, depending on the make and model and around £140 for a full day.
Buying a boat
Many people dream of buying a motor boat and depending on what you’re looking for, you can pick up some models of smaller boats on the market for just a few thousand pounds.
Take a look at an online brokerage site to see average prices and search MBY’s boat reviews to find a model that suits your needs. If you’re not sure which boat would be best for your needs you can ask our motor boat forum community for recommendations.
Boat membership
Boat membership schemes are a great alternative to owning a boat as you can get experience out on the water without the financial commitment. All you have to do is pay a joining fee and then a fixed monthly sum to use a boat.
The majority of boats involved in boat memberships will have one owner member and up to seven memberships per boat. Once signed up, you can use an online calendar to book your time on board.
There are three different types of membership boating: single, flexible and crewed. If you want to use the same boat then single boat membership is a good option, while flexible gives you the chance to skipper a boat of your choice when you want.
On a crewed membership scheme you can join a skippered boat with similar people for 10 days throughout the year or make private crewing arrangements.
Prices will vary but RIBs will set you back around £300 per month, while a 40ft sportscruiser could cost you up to £1,000 a month, in addition to fuel costs.
Boat sharing
Another alternative is shared boat ownership, whereby you share the purchase and running costs of a vessel with others, making it significantly cheaper than buying a motor boat outright on your own.
The boat is managed for you so you can focus on being out on the water rather than administration and maintenance.
Chartering motor boats
Chartering a yacht is essentially hiring a boat for a fixed period of time in a specific location, ranging from exotic destinations halfway across the world to holiday spots in UK waters.
Countries such as Greece, Turkey and Croatia are extremely popular charter destinations but there are hundreds to choose from.
Depending on the size of boat, location and whether your charter includes crew you can pay anything from £500 pp upwards.