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Boating in Spain


Stevie101

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A Spanish friend and myself are looking into setting up a boat hire business on the gorgeous isle of Minorca.

We are looking at buying 3 new sports boats around 23 ft each that would be fully equipped for hire for either weekends or upto a week at a time.

We have found a good marina with shore power and good facilities.

I was just interested in a little market research into who would be interested and any views before we go any further into the project.

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A Spanish friend and myself are looking into setting up a boat hire business on the gorgeous isle of Minorca.

We are looking at buying 3 new sports boats around 23 ft each that would be fully equipped for hire for either weekends or upto a week at a time.

We have found a good marina with shore power and good facilities.

I was just interested in a little market research into who would be interested and any views before we go any further into the project.

Will you just be letting anybody loose on these boats?

 

No experience necessary?

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On the sea or has Minorca rivers.

If sea can the boat be anchored then row ashore or do regs make a harbour/marina a must. How much time to cruise around the island. 23foot sounds small for a week, where are your hirers local or back in UK.

Without a rough idea of how you see it all working folk on here have difficulty answering you.

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The idea is for the boater to take the boat out each day from the marina and return at the end of each day.

There are many coves to anchor off to swim and sunbath all around Minorca.

There would be either an option of half a days instruction by a RYA accredited instructor if no licence is held.

The boats would be permanently in Minorca.

 

Finally to answer Ray T

All on this forum like to be on the water but some people also would like a bit of adventure to go along with this so asking the opinions of boaters on a number of forums seems like a good idea.

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Junior - we would keep there passport and driving licence, they would pay by credit card and a deposit would be taken.

Bills - cant tell if your trying to be funny or sarcastic?

ditch crawler - thanks I know it's not for everyone

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Stevie, it is difficult to answer your question as whilst I am familiar with the By-Laws of the canals and the safety aspects regarding narrow boats I have no knowledge of Spanish maritime laws.

 

Would an equivalent of a Boat Safety Scheme be required? Also there is the question of insurance?

 

The Canal & River Trust have pages on their web site detailing the conditions required to set up a hire a boat business, again does similar exist in Spain?

 

You may have better luck here:

 

http://www.ybw.com/

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Had you in mind to hire out for waterskiing with drive yourself option? if yes then you will need a recovery boat + Turn around guy full time to tow in the hire boat with towline wrapped prop, out board lower unit damage etc. I worked 3 summers on a similar set up in southern Spain The damage & general misuse by Joe Public was mind boggling, if it was breakable it at some point got broken, or damaged The company had a different owner each of the seasons I was employed, keeping the boats serviceable was a nightmare. After 3 seasons I'd had my fill. I would guess there are easier ways to make a living, but if it was me I wouldn't rely on just that as a sole source of income, but that is my take, yours may differ As far as I understood the insurance premiums were tele phone #s & this was some14 years ago I also have no idea if Brexit will have any adverse effect being a non EU company owner/s Spanish rules & regs can be difficult & very time consuming + the need to complete & sort the problem is something in the next week/month, maybe,it will get done syndrome

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A Spanish friend and myself are looking into setting up a boat hire business on the gorgeous isle of Minorca.

We are looking at buying 3 new sports boats around 23 ft each that would be fully equipped for hire for either weekends or upto a week at a time.

We have found a good marina with shore power and good facilities.

I was just interested in a little market research into who would be interested and any views before we go any further into the project.

Sounds good to me, providing the price is right.

:)

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A Spanish friend and myself are looking into setting up a boat hire business on the gorgeous isle of Minorca.

We are looking at buying 3 new sports boats around 23 ft each that would be fully equipped for hire for either weekends or upto a week at a time.

 

You look to be starting the right way by having a Spanish partner and presumably some interest in that sort of boating yourself, but Yachting and Boating World might be a better forum for your market research. You've presumably looked at what laws are applicable for both the people hiring your craft and you as the operators. I'd guess that boats <7m fall outside any requirement for an ICC (International Certificate of Competence), but the Spanish authorities do require that as a minimum for visiting yachtsmen - you've mentioned training anyway. I must say I agree with X Alan W's comments and it is not likely to be an easy or relaxing business to run.

 

Tam

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Pretty sure you will find that there is a requirement for a relevant powerboat licence and if there isnt a mandatory legal one I am sure your liability insurer will make the appropriate qualification an absolute requirement, so if your market is UK people it will be the RYA powerboat course with the appropriate ICC upgrade for international use.

 

I see friends going on holiday taking out boats with no training or licence and it surprises me as when I did my research and planned a 10 trip around the islands in Croatia a licence was a must have requirement from all the organisations I was in contact with (yes I have mine). On arrival it was checked and a copy taken etc.

 

Youll need to have a support network in place for breakdowns and call outs. People do stupid things like dropping anchor in rocky areas (inexperienced) and getting caught up on the rocks, pulling off the kill cord and not putting it back into neutral before trying to start it and then calling you saying it wont start (persoanl experiences).

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I was involved with a water-sports business a few years back,firstly I would see how much competition there is does anyone

else do the same, As mentioned licences and insurance would be my concerns. Would you be advertising your services say in

the UK and with agents if so allow 20% as commission.

Personally I think the bigger the boat the greater the risk and a bigger the loss if something goes wrong. We had jet skies

the punters would always crash them or run them into a reef it was hard to make money, we quickly changed to

Zego Marine boats. Anyway it sounds an interesting project and I wish you luck, but do lots and lots of research before

setting it up.

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