mooring for hire boat

[canalnoob]

Hi

I'm hoping to buy a boat next week partly to rent out for holidays. Just wondering if anyone knows of any marinas that would be ok with me mooring it there and obviously having people park there for the week etc? Preferably in the South

Thanks

[Jerra]

I am no expert but there are lots of pitfalls in hiring a boat out.

 

As I understand it some of them are:

 

1. The BSS is of a higher standard with boats being hired.

2. The insurance will obviously be different.

3. As it is a business CRT will require a trading licence which will need a business plan.

 

Have you looked into all the problems first?

[Laurie Booth]

Hi

 

I'm hoping to buy a boat next week partly to rent out for holidays. Just wondering if anyone knows of any marinas that would be ok with me mooring it there and obviously having people park there for the week etc? Preferably in the South

 

Thanks

Don't bother.

[canalnoob]

I am no expert but there are lots of pitfalls in hiring a boat out.

 

As I understand it some of them are:

 

1. The BSS is of a higher standard with boats being hired.

2. The insurance will obviously be different.

3. As it is a business CRT will require a trading licence which will need a business plan.

 

Have you looked into all the problems first?

Yeah, I've looked into everything and been waiting 2 weeks for a reply from canal river trust on whether I can 'moor it' with them so thought I'd ask on here.

 

Already has a BSS,looked into insurance, will be fine writing a business plan but can't really do one until I have a rough idea of the mooring costs I'll be paying

Edited August 8, 2016 by canalnoob

[Paul C]

Given that you'll need to be at the boat pretty much every week (for handovers) yet not be living on it, it would be best to locate the boat near your home. So, make a list of the marinas in the local area and approach them to ask what their rate would be. Also don't forget that the hiring out of a boat requires a few extra considerations on the mooring (such as, available parking, suitable equipment/services to service it) but I suspect the vast majority of marinas would have such facilities - some online moorings might not though. Also remember that you're likely be "called out" by the hirers, so you want to be close by for that, unless you can arrange reciprocal agreements with other hire firms.

 

I imagine after that process you'll have a reasonable list of moorings - then you'd want to consider commercial aspects such as competition; and viable 1 and 2 week cruising routes from that location. A hire firm at the end of an undesirable canal will never be able to attract as many hirers as one located centrally in a popular area. For example note the number of hire firms on the Llangollen canal vs the number on, say, an equivalent length of the Rochdale.

[canalnoob]

Don't bother.

Thanks for your helpful input.

 

No offense but I wasn't really looking for a debate over it. Obviously I'm sure theres a few potential problems with it, wouldn't expect anything less for something you can buy for £40k and rent out for £1500 a week.

I want one for myself anyway so really not much of a issue for me if renting it out doesn't work, the fact I want a ex hire boat anyway which already has a bss certificate is mostly what made me think I may aswell try it seeing as my main business is internet marketing.

I'll lose £4-5k at worst if it goes wrong which won't really break the bank

Edited August 8, 2016 by canalnoob

[howardang]

Yeah, I've looked into everything and been waiting 2 weeks for a reply from canal river trust on whether I can 'moor it' with them so thought I'd ask on here.

Already has a BSS,looked into insurance, will be fine writing a business plan but can't really do one until I have a rough idea of the mooring costs I'll be paying

Wherever you moor you will obviously have to consider turn round arrangements- valeting, servicing and the inevitable emergency repairs. This will need someone experienced on site, who will also have to give a comprehensive briefing to hirers (be prepared for a very mixed bag ranging from experienced hirers to absolute novices. Consideration of customers needs for car parking during their holiday and for suitable call out staff in case of breakdowns. You mention that the Boat has a BSS certificate but idoes this cover the enhancements required for hire boats?

 

Sorry if you have already considered these points but it was unclear in your previous posts.

 

Good luck with your venture.

 

Howard

[Laurie Booth]

Thanks for your helpful input.

 

No offense but I wasn't really looking for a debate over it. Obviously I'm sure theres a few potential problems with it, wouldn't expect anything less for something you can buy for £40k and rent out for £1500 a week.

I want one for myself anyway so really not much of a issue for me if renting it out doesn't work, the fact I want a ex hire boat anyway which already has a bss certificate is mostly what made me think I may aswell try it seeing as my main business is internet marketing.

I'll lose £4-5k at worst if it goes wrong which won't really break the bank

No problem, if you don't mind losing money.

[David Mack]

You might do better sponsoring a boat in one of the established hire fleets.

[canalnoob]

No problem, if you don't mind losing money.

Why are you even posting? Its called risk:reward. The risk is low, the potential reward is high so I'll take the chance.

 

I posted a question, I didn't ask for opinions on it. If people want to give their advice thats cool but really not interested in reading your stupid troll posts

 

 

[Laurie Booth]

Why are you even posting? Its called risk:reward. The risk is low, the potential reward is high so I'll take the chance.

 

I posted a question, I didn't ask for opinions on it. If people want to give their advice thats cool but really not interested in reading your stupid troll posts

 

 

Just trying to save you time and money, no offense meant.

[mayalld]

Why are you even posting? Its called risk:reward. The risk is low, the potential reward is high so I'll take the chance.

 

I posted a question, I didn't ask for opinions on it. If people want to give their advice thats cool but really not interested in reading your stupid troll posts

 

 

 

The trouble is, you posted your question to a site called Canal World DISCUSSION Forums. The clue is in the name. We discuss things.

 

If you wanted people just to answer your questions, then you should have posted to Canal World Questions and Answers. Of course that doesn't exist, because nobody actually wants to be a member of a site where the people who ask the questions have a right to say what the answers are to be like!

 

The answers that you have are as they are, because you are NOT the first person to think this is a good idea, and it simply isn't a good idea.

 

You think it is low risk, high reward, but it isn't. The costs of running a boat for hire are far more than you think, and the number of weeks you can let it will be less than you think. Even the big hire companies aren't making millions.

 

Have you considered;

 

• Marinas aren't going to want you. Their customers are in a marina (in part) because they like the security. They won't want a hire boat in their midst, and a marina that accepts your boat is likely to lose other customers.
• Hire boat licence, 2.5 times the cost of a private licence.
• Hire boat and public liability insurance.
• You will need to provide tuition on boat handling to each client.
• You will need to provide a turnround service.
• You aren't going to let it out every week (25 if you are lucky, less if you want to use it yourself)
• Your clients will have mechanical troubles when out cruising, and you will need to get these fixed.
• CRT are going to insist that you have all this sorted before they grant you a licence. They aren't going to rush about for your fantastic idea, because they see the same idea week in, week out, from people who haven't actually done the sums, and worked out that the returns are actually pretty marginal.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/723.pdf

 

Oh, and just for information, calling a post you don't like a "stupid troll post" breaks the forum rules.

[manxmike]

A friend pointed out to me that "Boat" actually is an acronym for Bring On Another Thousand, that's with owning and using your own vessel.

One of the many problems with hire boats are the hirers ....

There have been many posts on this site about the different styles adopted by hirers, some causing serious damage to not only their boat, but innocent third parties as well.

If you really want to do this, then go for it. But be prepared for a lot more expense that you might anticipate.

[Raybo]

Our first hire was from a single-boat operation. The boat was moored in Mercia Marina, and it all appeared above board in terms of the relationship between owner and marina. We were picked up from the local station, but I believe it was an option to park a car there. This was about 6 or 7 years ago, so things may have changed.

[alan_fincher]

Do you intend to do turn around, servicing, hirer instruction yourself, or are you looking for a marina or other moorings operative to do this for you?

 

Are you aware that most hire boat operators now rely on many (maybe half?) of all their bookings being short breaks of no more than half a week, meaning that much of the time everything associated with turning the boat around would need to happen twice a week, not once?

Our first hire was from a single-boat operation. The boat was moored in Mercia Marina, and it all appeared above board in terms of the relationship between owner and marina. We were picked up from the local station, but I believe it was an option to park a car there. This was about 6 or 7 years ago, so things may have changed.

 

I recall that the infamous "Que Sera Sera" was allegedly a privately owned boat regularly let out be its owners. Whether that paid any part in it's (alleged!) theft I have no idea. Suffice it to say you couldn't hire it now!

[Guest]

Our first hire was from a single-boat operation. The boat was moored in Mercia Marina, and it all appeared above board in terms of the relationship between owner and marina. We were picked up from the local station, but I believe it was an option to park a car there. This was about 6 or 7 years ago, so things may have changed.

 

They haven't really changed in that time but it is entirely possible that your hire was 'legit'. It can be done as a single boat 'fleet' but its expensive and a lot of hassle to do it correctly.

[Neil2]

I think the OP was hoping one of us could point him in the right direction rather than come up with an instant solution, I'm sure there could be a lot of leg work involved to get this off the ground.

 

"Marinas" these days cover quite a wide spectrum, and the approach you take would depend on who you are dealing with. With some I suspect just turning up or telephoning might get you an instant refusal, there are others where an introductory letter would probably be ignored. I'd make a list of likely locations and go and recce them first, then decide how best to approach the owner/manager.

 

I'm sure if you have the right approach and the marina owner is convinced that this is a serious business proposition it could work, but be prepared for the owner to want a pretty substantial "cut".

 

The biggest obstacle I suspect is convincing CRT that you have a genuine 24 hour call out service.

[Alan de Enfield]

All of the marinas I have used have had a 'no commercial enterprise' rules which are strenuously enforced.

 

There is the recent story of a couple in a BWML marina (elderly liveaboards) who were operating an internet based 'Boat Brokerage' business from their boat, no boats were moored there (except their own), no extra visitors etc etc, but they were still evicted.

 

It may be that Marina Planning permission does not allow and commercial enterprise apart from the operations by the marina owner, it may be just that the marina owner sees it as 'opposition', or it could be that the marina insurers see it as an increased risk and will demand extra premiums (novice boaters moving around a tightly packed marina, free access to 'unknown public' etc)

[Guest]

 

The biggest obstacle I suspect is convincing CRT that you have a genuine 24 hour call out service.

 

A subscription to RCR??

[RLWP]

 

A subscription to RCR??

 

I don't think they replace light bulbs, unblock toilets, fix domestic water pumps, light boilers...

 

Richard

[bottle]

or replace the missing spoon, I kid you not.

 

As to the OP I was sympathetic at first because of his naivety in thinking it was a good idea but the insult thrown was the decider.

 

No help from here.

[Guest]

or replace the missing spoon, I kid you not.

 

As to the OP I was sympathetic at first because of his naivety in thinking it was a good idea but the insult thrown was the decider.

 

No help from here.

 

So often the case is it not?

 

New poster comes on poses a question gets a response(s) that doesn't quite fit with 'the dream' initially questions the advice of those who have been doing this boating thing for years if not decades in some cases and when it still doesn't fit with their obviously pre-conceived idea they get abusive......

[IanM]

Thanks for your helpful input.

 

No offense but I wasn't really looking for a debate over it. Obviously I'm sure theres a few potential problems with it, wouldn't expect anything less for something you can buy for £40k and rent out for £1500 a week.

I want one for myself anyway so really not much of a issue for me if renting it out doesn't work, the fact I want a ex hire boat anyway which already has a bss certificate is mostly what made me think I may aswell try it seeing as my main business is internet marketing.

I'll lose £4-5k at worst if it goes wrong which won't really break the bank

 

I reckon you're going to be hard pushed to get anything near £1500 a week for an ex-hire boat costing £40k.

[rustydiver]

It will need a higher BSS. Mines an x hire boat same sort off situation as you but the boat only got hired out a few times in a year.

Check the BSS on it you may have to get it redone to cover it for hiring out.

 

Edit.

Duh helps if I read all off it. It's a x hire boat.

Edited August 9, 2016 by rustydiver

[Alan de Enfield]

As an ex-hire boat it should have no problem in achieving a 'commercial BSS' (unless since it came 'off fleet' it has been messed about with.

 

The problems are more :

 

1) Getting somewhere to moor and operate the business from, where the site owner will provide dustbins, toilet emptying and sufficient dedicated car parking for your customers.

2) You will be paying for a 12 month mooring but will only have (probably at best) 20 weeks income.

3) Getting C&RT to accept your plans and grant you a commercial operating licence.

4) Assuming that this will not be your sole form of income, can you drop everything' & respond to a 'call-out' at 3:00 am or 3:00pm any day of the week ?

5) Will you be available on any day of the week that the hirer wants to hire it and return it (or will you be at work)

6) Do you have the time, knowledge and expertise to do the 'hand over', clean the boat, undertake electrical and mechanical repairs ?

 

If you can resolve the above 6 questions then you are well on your way to achieving your wish.