I thought I could't afford a boat... now i Know i can't. thanks for ruining my dreams at 2 AM

This boy talks pure sense LISTEN ALL .

Great video John, I used to have an Orkney 520 brilliant boats. I agreed with the boss (wife) that we wanted to go a little bigger she wanted a head on-board rather than a bucket. I now have a Merry Fisher 625 so just a little larger than the Orkney 520 but the costs go up exponentially. Engine services from my 30hp Mercury to my 115hp Honda have gone from £250 to £500, I now moor on a pontoon for ease of use versus launching each time via the slip. Annual charges at the marina have gone from £1700 to £3800. Daily fuel has gone from £25 to £50 average. I also bought a trailer for maintenance and to tow down to Mylor which was £2300 2nd hand and then another £500 to service it up once bought. My recommendation is to stay on a trailer for costs and maintenance and stay around the 18ft mark for best cost to fun ratio. Bigger boats are really nice but they do cost a lot more.

I don't think there's a video that exists where the person talks more sense than this guy. Thanks for the honest and simple description. Brilliant video.

I like this guy. Honest, open and transparent. Seems like a good guy with good intentions. Subscribed. 👍🏻

I have owned boats. (Too old for it now) Listen to this young man, what he says is realistic and makes good sense, especially about co-ownership which is a good idea so long as you are prepared to be flexible. Best done with a group of people who already know each other. Listen to what he says about maintenance because if you don't keep up with it you will end up with a wreck within a few years. The boat lives in an hostile, salt environment and has to have money spent on it each year to protect it and its motor. This guy is a natural and should be on mainstream TV. Bravo.

I've been looking into buying a boat when I retire soon and have read and watched everything I've been able to find on the subject. This has contained more useful information than all of the rest put together. I was once told that a boat is a hole in the water surrounded by wood into which you throw money. Thanks for the sound, practical and unvarnished advice. Great channel btw. Top job all round.

Followed you for a long time , this was by far the most enjoyable and most informative vid you have done. IAt 70 years old i suffer with motion sickness so have very rarely gone out on a boat , so I fish from the shore or rocks, but I thoroughly enjoy your boating exploits, I love the fact that Jamers gets to get out with you, and is so knowledgeable .

Great vid, total sense. As a Yachty with aspirations to eventually owning a sailing yacht in my retirement. I totally agree with all you've said. Many friends that have owned vessels have said that the happiest day of their life is when they take ownership of said boat and the second happiest is when they have sold it. if you take your purchase price end divide by 4 you'll have your yearly running cost.

This was absolutely first class information. Really, really appreciated.🙏

Nice and simple advice there, hit the nail on the head. It's not a cheap do anymore and to do it properly and safely costs money. I've owned boats most of my adult life but have always been trailered and soon learned that it was a lot of money sat there most of the year doing nothing. I took the decision to put my latest boat on a marina pontoon at £1500 a year for a 5 meter boat. It's expensive but the best thing I ever did, all my kit is left on there secure, just turn up at the boat with bait and a brew, turn the key and go! Love your videos, keep em coming.

This guy is brilliant, very clear and concise information that has all my niggling little thoughts answered. Thanks mate, much appreciated.

Certainly puts the armchair dreams into true perspective. Very informative, much appreciated.

Been having mixed feelings about buying a boat. And you’ve just swayed me.... I’ll stick to £25 a go fishing trips from my local harbour! Thank you for all the time and effort you put in to educating everyone. Your a top man 👍

This really is a must watch video if you are looking to get a small boat. All the information I needed . Much appreciated...

Thanks a LOT for sending me this link after I told you I was thinking of getting a boat. You really talk sense and I'm actually definitely going to buy a shared boat with 2 of my mates now, as this seems most sensible for me as I don't think I can justify the costs to only use it a few times per season. Much respect.

The best advice I’ve heard in a long time. My father built his from a hull bought in Southampton many years ago . I’ve rebuilt one which cost a load hence the term B.O.A.T ( break out another thousand) and I’m a sucker for punishment I’m rebuilding another 🙈. So the only advice I can give I look for a good boat around 5 k with a spare 5-6k to cover costs upkeep and a hidden problem that may appear good luck to all and tight lines 👍

"touch wood" and he knocks his head...lol what a humble lad, love this channel

Good advice there mate. I've spent a small fortune on boats but I'm out fishing every chance I get so no regrets. Once you've spent the money you gotta make the time to fish. Love your passion for every thing fishing. tight lines!

Thanks for the nice explanation of the situation with the boat selection. I love boating and owned a boat since I was in school... Now, some 30 years later, I have the following formula: A 3.60m Kolibri MD SIP wit solid flooring, inflatable keel and a 15hp two stroke Yamaha FMHS as a portable kit and a 16 ft with a 50hp on a trailer at the garage. Cost of ownership and operations is nice and minimal for the SIP, as the fuel use of 15hp Yamaha is 5-6 l/h at WOT and I rarely go through one 25l tank in a day and for those long camping trips I have a lovely 45 liter tank on wheels that actually doubles up as a table in the middle of the boat. For this kit I go through about 3 one liter cans of oil that add up to 150l fuel per season. Oil to use - TC-W3. I particularly like Johnson/Evinrude XD30 or XD50 oil (Low smoke, clean plugs, engine not gumming up... I always run 50:1 premix.). It takes me 45 minutes solo to inflate and rig the boat, but you have to be really close to water, because all items have to be carried by hand, or wheelbarrowed. Boat made out of high PVC material density is 60kg, the engine is 36 kg and fuel in a can be up to 30kg. So just mind your back or better have someone to assist you. A very good idea is an electric air pump to inflate and deflate your boat. Now, if you plan to use this kit in colder weather solo- just forget about it. Boat becomes stiff and it is nearly impossible to assemble the flooring panels on your own. Othervise - brill! fast, fun, mobile and convenient. Make sure you get those extra soft pillows for the seats, or you will have a "baboon ass" towards the end of the day. Electronics: basic fishfinder with GPS plotter. The second kit is good for longer trips and further from shore. Used to have a nice 4 cylinder 50hp fuel injected 4stroke Yamaha on the boat, but it was nicked. This is always sad and it can happen. So, now I have a Johnson 50 2 stroke that no one wants to steal from me and this is also a separate line of expense. Let's start with Yamaha 50hp 4 cycle... My boat has a stationary 60L fuel tank and I would run a healthy 45km/h at 4500 rpm burning 8 l/hour. My fishing spots are usually 2 hours away, so up to 30-35 liters just to get me there and back and remaining 20-25 to move about in search of fish and for trolling. John’s boat with a 30hp would be much more economical burning about 5 liters at cruising speeds though. If I go WOT at 5500 rpm on the Yamaha - I burn 12+ l/h.... As for my good old long shaft Johnson, the fuel story is different. At WOT it happily guzzles up to 17l/h and at cruising speeds it sips 12-14l/h (this is a pint every 3 minutes!!!*8). So a 4 hour round trip is 48-56 liters of fuel and every time I go slightly above 5000 rpm - 60L for a day trip is not sufficient. Therefore I have to carry a healthy reserve of at least 30 liters and a small 10L can just in case. The rule here is better to come back with unused fuel reserve that run out of fuel on the water. It all adds up to 100L/day. And guess what... 100 liter of fuels needs 2 liters of oil. Add this to your running costs. Always carry reserve oil on board. Apart from that - the trailer needs new bearings replaced every two years. As for electronics: a nice chart plotter with a modern fish finder is a must. VHF of your choice. Anchor winch is a must (in my humble opinion), motorguide is really nice to have, boat batteries at 100A/H and second battery to start the motor if first one runs out - also expensive. From my point of view, the boat option you select must be convenient. It is easy to pull a trailer to the gas station and fill the tanks up, but it is more complicated is you need to feed your larger two stroke with jerry cans, especially if it goes through them faster than you can carry them to the boat. As for the car - I burned several clutches over the years trying to pull out a boat from a steep slip, so, in my humble opinion, an old timer automatic transmission 4*4 car with hydraulic coupling are much better for this purpose. Not sure about ultramodern CVT and other robotic gear cases. They might not withstand such abuse.

I been doing some major Overtime time to collect 10k on a boat (used),made it half ways so far,,but after Your video..I'm happy and broken in the same time I'll stick to and inflatable..thank brotha stay up!!

Well thought out and explained, I couldn,t justify a boat for myself, I don,t have the time or money so i,ll just watch on youtube because I enjoy it 👍👍

It's good to see you covering the pro's/con's of owning a boat. As you mentioned, it's not just the initial outlay of the cost of the boat, but also the ongoing costs of keeping it and running it each year. Advice I would offer someone buying their first boat would be to take a navigation & seamanship course before you set sail. Thanks for another great vid John.

A great honest video. Anyone thinking of buying a boat should watch this.

Thanks John. I got the boat bug a couple of years ago and decided to start with a sib. Works great for me as I live in the city and am lucky to get my van parked. Takes half an hour to get form the van to the water. All 12v from a boat battery to a trolling motor that's ideal to get offshore.

Cheers John, kids crying... haha just kidding. This vid is 2 weeks too late, not that it would have made a difference - I'm the happiest broke man on this planet. Money doesn't buy happiness but it will buy you a boat and that's the same thing really. Tight lines 🎣

So many things you don't think about when wanting to get a boat. Thank you for this video.

Hi John, I was contemplating myself to justify the cost of owning one vs charter trips. But kids won't be able to go and explore the sea, fishing at sea and the travelling which will cost a bit but he ho we only live once. Let's live to the fullest.thank you John. I enjoy all the videos that you created and thank you for taking the time to entertain, educate and guide us all here.

Very honest and informative, John. I am sure you have saved a lot of people loads of heartache. As for me, I’ll now be looking at kayaks 😉

Hi John. I discovered your channel a few weeks back and I absolutely love it! There are so many values that children these days can be introduced to just by watching your videos (instead of wasting their brains on social media and other "millennial" habits). I have never been out on a boat (other than ferry) and I was thinking about getting one with a friend. If anything, your video helped me decide FOR the boat instead of against one. The reason being that the cost, albeit dear and recurring, can be justified if you think about a 2 week holiday in Spain or anywhere else, where you would make 5 grand disappear without any difficulty. For me, and many of your viewers I am sure, that is a no-brainer. I would much rather choose to go with the boat and spend time in the UK (even with the weather as it is). Anyway, you are awesome! Will you be able to do a video on a step-by-step day out, from the moment you get on your boat until you return from fishing? You may have one already but I could not find it on your list of videos. I am not worried about owning the boat as much as I am worried about not being able to cope with all the sea rules that come with a day out beacons/buoys, sonar, GPS usage, so on... Thank you for another brilliant video and for spending a lot of time and effort to make them!!! Cheers Daniel

Really appreciate this one this is why you in my opinion are top of the utube fishing channels is the variety of content really excellent John videos for everyone thanks mate

glad i found your channel john.you do some great stuff,please keep it up.i've had a couple of boats in the past,nothing special,but would like to do it again.well pleased with the info you have supplied here.

Hidden cost, the wine the Mrs consumes and the cleaning of the portaloo when she won't hang her arse off the side! 🤣

Well done on an excellent presentation. I am 'that guy' whos retiring soon and this info is priceless. 👏👏👏👏👏 🇮🇪

Brilliant video John. Excellent advice. A lot of people don’t think of all the additional costs and then get fed up with it very quickly and move on to something else instead of doing a proper costing! Think this will be very good advice for those wanting to buy a boat. Thanks buddy. Very informative. Graham

Hi John,you know I've become hooked on your channel "terrible dad pun". I have my mates watching your videos too now. We all agree that you should have your own fishing show on t.v.,you're a pleasure to listen to and knowledgeable without being a know it all. I have a refinn 6m with a mercury 75 hp and am busy getting everything sorted for relaunch "it's on a trailer and hasn't moved in two years". I haven't been out for a long time as I suffered a horrific work injury and had my whole right leg completely crushed whilst loading a boat in Denmark,this boat was a bit bigger with a 1200 tonne crane aboard. It is proving costly to get my trailer back up to spec but by the time lockdown is over it will be ready. You have given me the drive and the fire in my belly to get back out to sea. Thank you from the bottom of my heart John ,you are an inspiration. P.S. it might have taken 2 years but I will be back on the water soon,I have no doubt it will be an emotional moment as I have missed being at sea,I think it is in some people's blood to be a mariner. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿❤️

I have a warrior 175, I would say a day on the water is going to cost £50 that's fuel, a few pasties, bait depending on what the target is and a few pints back at the marina and that is on top of all the other costs that John has mentioned. But the memories and quality time I have had since owning a boat has been priceless, we as family love being out on the water.

One of the happiest days of my life was when I bought my first boat ..... the second happiest day was when I sold it! Okay, I've had three boats since the first, but always feel a sense of relief when I sell it on - must be nearly time for my next boat. Seriously, the hidden costs are substantial and it is always worth keeping in mind that your boating needs may change over time. My next boat will be a small F-RIB or SIB, convenience and ease of storage. The days of owning a larger vessel and keeping it on a mooring are long gone (simply can't justify the ongoing expense). Excellent video, mate, and always worth pointing out what you might be taking on when you opt for your own vessel.

M8, what a great video, I was thinking to share a small fishing boat like the one you own, but I didn’t have much information about it, and you made the right video that I am sure that everyone is happy to see it and get this value information thank you very much for your time spent for us and for sharing this information well done m8.

I am looking around for a small fishing boat with an outboard here in Spain, roughly 5 meters semi cabin like yours. I want to go fishing here, though I have next to no experience. This video, and some others on your channel around small boat buying and ownership have been extremely helpful. Thank you so much!

Hi what a great bit of advice for those wanting to own a boat. I have decided on a sip as I have no storage, limited funds etc. As I only intend to fish in and around a couple of harbours with maybe fishing very close inshore on settled days maybe only 1/2 mile out this will do for me coupled with a 4 hp motor it will do for me. Thanks for doing this video. Bill

Really sound advice John. in my experience getting the absolute best engine you can afford as part of a any boat package definitely pays dividends. Nothing worse than a temperamental engine when you are at sea, and I say that from a bad experience in my first secondhand boat purchase. The only minor bit of kit not mentioned is a pair of decent baffles and a hosepipe to give the engine a regular freshwater flushing whenever possible. All the best and tight lines!

I wasn't going to watch this video,as I do not own a boat .BUT after watching it, It has gave me a more clear understanding as I have been pondering about it . I myself will be getting a sib or kayak next year .. sound advice from John as always.. I definitely need to come Fishing with you John..well done on a cracking video again..

Great video with good advice for people starting out. Remember all the additional costs with boating. I have my Orkney on the trailer on drive in winter and on the pontoon for summer months this way I know its safe in winter and ready to use if the sun ever comes out.{Scotland}.

I would always say start small work your way up. Or at least until you get used to boating and know what sort of boat and motor will suit you in the future.

Good job. When I bought my first boat a 1995 17ft Whaler Dauntless I pulled the trigger to quickly. I'm no lugnut but in the first season I had to replace the fuel sender, steering cable, two batteries, battery switch, bottom paint$$, axle and leaf springs, hubs bearings, run new wires for bow and stern, 300ft 1/2 inch anchor line, anchor life jackets, flares, $1500,00 for a mooring a mile from shore and a dingy with motor, insurance, registration SeaTow, couple of guages, Prop repaired, plugs, water separator, boat stands, cover and more. The following season I sold it for less than I paid for it and with the wifes ok stretched the budget and bought a 2014 21ft Dauntless CC with a low hours Mercury 150 hp with a 40 gallon tank that had never seen salt water. I paid to have that one surveyed and it didnt need anything. I was going to trailer that one but the old lady surprised me with a slip that cost $2250.00. These days i can just step onto my boat and go which is slicker than snot on glass. The only thing i can recommend is that if your going to spend any significant money for the boat you get it surveyed or at least take a bud who knows his chit. Buyer beware. arg.

You'll need a basic tool kit & essential spares, spark plug manual pull start rope etc, other than that you gave a comprehensive account of what's involved in owning a small boat. I wish I had seen this before getting mine, I used it a lot in the first season, not so much in the second, pumped a fortune into it over the next few years & haven't touched it since. This is a brilliant & informative video, thanks for posting it. If you're toying with the idea of buying a boat, think long & hard first.

Amazing video thank you for sharing your thoughts. I thought about buying a boat a few months back but weighted some hidden costs and bought a fishing kayak instead. Like you said, practicality is key and the kayak suited.

One thing I would like to add is. The cost of an experienced skipper. John's experience is there for all to see and this shows in his fishing. Don't be fooled thinking you can buy a boat with all the toys and catch like him, this takes years to learn. Spend a good amount going out with top class skippers like Skeggy in Lymington and see if it's for you and learn how to fish, anchor, set up a drift and so on. Great video.

Wow John...that should have frightened most people off. Now you’ve done the vlog for small boat owners...can you do one for boat owners who are over six feet tall😉⛵️👍

Thanks for uploading this, I'm thinking of buying a small fishing boat and this advice is really helpful.

I just found your channel and think it's fabulous and have subscribed, I now live in Australia, and am looking at buying a small boat, ( in Australian Jargon, a tinny, which is basically Aluminium, very popular in Oz).This video is very good at pointing out the basics of boat buying, I reckon the maintenance cost of a small boat would be similar to owning a car, you have all the same needs, insurance, annual service, break downs, maintenance, etc, etc, also the bigger the boat the bigger the expenses, so maybe start of small and if you are keen after a year or two you can upgrade with the knowledge and experience gained with the smaller boat, thanks for a great channel👍

This was an eye opener. I have wanted a boat for years. Something like a cheap cabin cruiser, but after this video I will have to think twice, Such a shame as it's my dream to get on the water.

Fantastic video once again John.Here in Australia there's so many boats that are garden gnomes because owners weren't honest with themselves answering these basic questions and simply don't have time to take them out,can't afford to take it out or simply have lost interest. You very rarely if ever get your money back when selling a boat to upgrade or simply go boatless too. Some more ongoing costs are boat drivers licence,trailer registration, boat registration,insurance etc. My Little aluminium 14ft pictured in my avatar i bought because it ticked all the right boxes for me listed below that others may find helpful. My budget was $15,000 aud for a brand new boat/trailet package. I wanted a fishing boat to use in rivers,estuaries. I wanted it to be legally towed by a small 4cyl car. I wanted a 14ft runabout fwd steer. I wanted a bare aluminium boat. I wanted it to fit in the garage. I wanted it to be a 2 stroke 30-40hp yamaha. I made sure i could afford the rego,insurance and ALL ongoing costs BEFORE committing to buying.I use mine as much as possible (Weekly if i can ) and love every minute of it. Other ongoing costs on a trailer boat is fuel for both tow vehicle and boat.

Absolutely bang on the nail. Tow bars, boards, locks are all of the things we overlook. We'll done mate, solid advice.

Great honest advice and video, nothing to add really only that there is always a temptation to go bigger, but as others say a smaller boat your comfortable with will/may be used more frequently, also here in the UK as long as you look after them they don't depreciate much unlike a car. The boat is really only as reliable as the engine so when buying one focus on the engine as you can fix a boat but a unreliable engine will play on your mind and thats hard to fix.

I think the sales reps from Evinrude may have something to say about your 4/2 stroke comparison ;) Running my 20ft boat, 90HP engine, pontoon berth, for a year costs me around 3 grand. Or in other words the most expensive "free" fish you'll ever find. It's only money I'd be pissing up a wall otherwise so wouldn't change it for anything.

Great advice! I would imagine it's more personal preference on Aluminum vs. Fiberglass, but I always thought aluminum was louder in the water, but less maintenance. And being lighter, might be a better choice for a smaller boat, especially if there are trailering weight concerns. I still prefer fiberglass, myself, but there are a lot of pros and cons to both. Your thoughts?

Really helpful video. Was looking at buying a small boat but have ( had) no idea of all the hiden cost , so many thanks 👍

I have been thinking about buying a boat for years but I would never have time to get out due to my job, this video really changed my mind and is definitely not worth it. Great video !!!

here in NZ ,I came across a boat named"she got the House". Had to smile.

I got a lump sum.. I went to the Boat Show...Bought a fully loaded Warrior 175. The wife found out how much I spent..She gave me some Lump..

Brilliant information and advice. Thank you. I’m seriously looking at buying a small boat, trailer and outboard motor and feel more confident now having listened viewed the video.

Great insight into boat ownership. Cheers John, great video.

we have a boat and use it all the time we can despite living in Western Canada where the lakes are frozen ~6mths of the year. Your advise John is great but you missed a large cost........all the fishing tackle :) cheers

Take note all you future boat owners. If you do not follow this man's advice you will end up buying a hole in the water into which you will be required to throw all your money. So take note and heed his advice you have been warned.

Thanks a ton for the wealth of Information you share about the realistic approach to fishing and affordability. It's my dream to own a boat for fishing as it's my passion ,this information has really given me a broader insight into costs and overheads that I wud really be careful about 👍👍

Great Video, so sensible. i cant justify cost of a boat so Im living vicariously through you mate

Top job, really nice channel. If anything you’ve underplayed the expense of running a boat, geography also plays a part especially when pontoon or marina mooring. Your £1000 six month pontoon mooring turns into an easy £3500 for a 17 ft boat in the Solent, particularly in Lymington. I’m very hands on with my Whaler, doing virtually all maintenance. Running and mooring costs still average about 5k a year so it’s not for maggot skinners. On the positive side it can be truly magical to have these life affirming moments possible on a boat fishing. You’ve also got an easy method of body disposal if she kicks up too much about the cost.

Better than owning a boat is having a friend who owns a boat!

Good advice and delivered well. We're buying one this month. Thank you.👍

Some very wise, sobering, but very honest words there. I've had a couple of boats over the years and thinking of getting a third now. Last one was a boat share with a best friend that ended very badly indeed - so beware that can happen as well. The last two were moored hours away from me - so like you said - maybe only got to use them a couple of times a year some years. Soon moving close to the sea so feel I can justify it if it's just on my doorstep and I get to make more use of it. Thats the plan anyhow. Great video. Thanks

I have my eye on a boat the same as yours. What speed does it do. Would you recommend the 520

Somebody once said that the definition of a boat is a small depression in the water into which you constantly throw money.

Hi John. Thank you for sharing . I find your videos are always interesting informative and helpful. Take care and stay safe FL family.

John, you are so right. I bought a Merry Fisher earlier this year. Cost me £31k. Oncosts (marina berthing, insurance, fuel etc etc ) are at least 10% of that. But end of the day I love the boat, have spent many happy hours out on her, and don't regret buying her one bit. It's all a question of scale. I love my boat!

The best boat is a friends boat!!

Here’s my help in buying a boat - if it flies, fucks or floats, rent it

Great video and so true. I owned a boat years back and it's all those expenses and then some. With older boats, there's always something breaking down, guaranteed. Now I go out fishing on my buddies boat. He's the one with all the responsibility. Although I always kick in on expenses when I go. 50/50. And, I always help him clean it up after trip. Not all people realize or do those things.

i bought a 15ft boat with a running 2 stroke engine. 2 weeks ago, the starbord, port lights are brand new got them for free since they followed with the boat., lantern i got for free, the only thing i paid for was the new paint, ancher, rope, and some boat cleaner, there is no fee to let your boat out at the marina here, i already have first aid kit, and a fire estingusher, i only use it in the lakes here to fish. the boat cost me 1709 pounds including a good trailer. and i have just bought 175 pounds worth of items. so it really depends on person to person, but i really like your opinion it helps people understand that owning a boat is not cheap, and i have a boat saving fund of another 2000 pounds just for emergency if i need new parts or anything. so money wise its planned out, and i love taking my dad and brother out fishing every chance i get, its really worth it the memories i get is priceless. and im the same as you i want my kids to grow up with boats and make a good memory with them, when it comes to fishing and the ocean. in my personal opinion if you have the money and the time i would say buy a boat, you will not regret it, but dont buy a to big of a boat.

How do you make a small fortune with a boat? Start with a large one!

an old saying " its not the elephant its the hay "

Most expensive purchase I’ve made on a toy marina costs are eye watering but that feeling when steeming off from the pontoon is priceless

Great advice as always John!

The definition of a boat is..... a hole in the water that you chuck money into......... but they are worth every penny

The 2 best days you'll ever have owning a boat are the day you buy it and the day you sell it 🤦🏻‍♂️

Hey fella very honest view to a boat owners costings thanks for the knowledge 👍🏻🇬🇧

Brilliant video, thanks for taking the time to put it together.

You just turned me off buying a boat mate, ill just buy a kayak 😫😫😫

What can i say pal right on point to say the least just like your fishing, but i must say the weather in Cornwell always seems to be great because here in Scotland it sucks lol, tight lines and thanks for sharing mate as picked up loads of tips and advise on all your videos. Cheers Pete.

Great practical discussion - also think about going on a course to understand practical boat handling and navigation - Weather, Tides and Currents are very important in the UK plus you will need a VHF radio licence which is also a course. On the Flip side there is great family fun to be had on the water even if the fishing is off!

Great video, thank you, thinking about going that way. Certainly some really great points there that I would have missed. I do have a kayak already and its really great but extremely weather dependant and needs super attention to safety. Other costs include the boat fishing tackle and powerboat/safety/vhf training. Also the cost of moving to a house close to a suitable harbour ! All worth it no doubt if you have the time, opportunity and cash!

Loads of invaluable information in this video. Also worth remembering, the bigger the boat, the bigger the costs. We currently have a merry fisher 805 with diesel inboard. Kept in a marina for 12 months a year. It costs us roughly 4-5k a year in berthing and maintenance/insurance etc etc. On top of that things always need fixed / replaced, this year we’ve had to have a new bow thruster and upgraded the chart plotter, although this wasn’t an absolute necessity the old was was of an age with a small screen and fiddly to use. BUTTTT nothing beats being out on the water making memories!! Also, the way things are currently with used boat prices, we’d likely get a lot more than we paid for it!! But, i must stress… never buy a boat as an ‘investment’ they will drive you mad if you dont go in with your eyes wide open, they are a huge commitment, and neglect only pushes your costs north! Start small and if you still love the boating life after a couple of years, look at upgrading. Some of my best boating memories are me as a kid pulling pots, fishing etc for with my dad in his orkney strikeliner.

Good video and very true, it's not alway's easy but generally always worth the effort to make it work.

Excellent video! Cost justification is very important when thinking about getting a boat either freshwater OR saltwater.

Another brilliant video bud 👍. Very sound advice. Owning a boat is shockingly expensive, although I don't own a boat myself my father owns a 21 foot boat with my brother. Costs them 1700 euro a year to keep it on the marina in Kilmore Quay. The father lost a boat in the eighties from a shit mooring in another harbour so for years had a smaller boat which he would keep at home. Eventually the boats got bigger until it had to go on marina.

I would suggest to anyone thinking about buying a boat,that they spend at least a year fishing ,boating and launching with someone like John or someone with years of experience, before rushing off to buy a boat.Boats and the sea are great but also can be very dangerous, John is a experienced skipper, and makes it look easy,but im sure he will tell you he has had his scary moments.He is a Good fisherman as well ,as a sensible man .Perhaps John might cover this area weather, wind against tides, boat handling, overloading, solo safety boat balance, speed, planning, and positioning in rough weather etc.Look forward to more on your channel.

Awesome advice. Thanks for sharing. Take care, Steve. 👍👍👊

I had a jetski set up for fishing. Jetski fishing is really popular here. I paid $10k for the ski & trailer, then still put another $3k into it. Everything is just much more expensive to cope with the marine environment. If you don't use stainless steel, you'll have to keep replacing items. Even though I enjoyed it, I wasn't sad to see it roll up my driveway on the back of somebody else truck. One of the things that surprised me more than anything is that some lads get on a jetski, never having ridden one before & more importantly, they have no education of seamanship or navigation rules. Another great video. Thanks for all your effort.

Great video! the two greastest moments in owning a boat the day you buy the boat and ... the day you sell the boat!