Two tips for those thinking about taking up boating

Boating can be a fun and relaxing hobby. If you're considering taking up this activity, here are a couple of tips which may be of use to you.

Buy the best boat you can afford

It is very common for people who choose to take up a new hobby to purchase second-hand or low-quality versions of the equipment that they require. Whilst this is a perfectly reasonable approach to take to many recreational activities, it not a good idea if you intend to take up boating.

If you buy an old boat which that has undergone extensive repair work, or if you opt for a very low-quality new boat, there is a greater risk that it could develop a fault whilst you are out on the water. At best, a fault could cut your boating trip short; at worst, it could result in you being stranded out at sea for hours.

As such, it is generally advisable to buy the best boat you can afford. Whilst the upfront costs involved might be higher than you would like, you should view this expense as an investment in your own safety.

Understand the importance of regular maintenance

Like all vehicles, boats require regular upkeep in order to remain functional. As such, it is vital to have a professional who offers marine services to perform periodic maintenance work on your boat. The type of maintenance that will need to be carried out will vary, depending on what kind of boat you own, but may include things like changing the engine oil, cleaning and repairing the propeller and removing patches of corrosion.

If you fail to maintain your boat, a number of serious problems could arise. Firstly, there will be a much greater chance of the boat malfunctioning when you are using it. If you do not have the skills or the tools to fix the malfunctioning component, you will be stuck on your boat until someone comes to rescue you.

Secondly, a lack of regular maintenance could easily result in minor problems turning into very serious issues that will cost you a lot of money to have repaired.

Let's say, for example, that a patch of the protective paint on your boat flakes away and the metal underneath it starts to corrode. If you spot this issue at an early stage, a marine repair specialist should be able to fix the damage quite easily, by using an abrasive sander to remove the corroded metal, and adding an epoxy paint on top to prevent further corrosion.

However, if this problem is ignored for too long, the corrosion will continue to eat away at the boat panel, potentially to the point where a large hole develops. The cost of repairing such a hole would be much higher than fixing a small patch of corrosion.