Boat knowledge

Essential boating knowledge for motorboat owners: what you need to know when buying a motorboat Boats to consider? What acquisition and running costs can you expect? How do you look after and maintain your own boat? What safety equipment is required?

But even experienced veterans can and must continue to develop their skills. New sailing areas, modern technologies and materials or necessary repairs and conversion work also bring new challenges. The world of boats is extensive - it ranges from inflatable dinghies to mega yachts, from the Kiel Canal to the Canary Islands, from the purchase decision to boat trips lasting several weeks and from galley equipment to safety equipment. No skipper, no matter how experienced, has ever finished learning.

BOOTE stands for exciting boating knowledge for beginners, advanced boaters and professionals. The latest developments are presented alongside techniques that have been tried and tested for decades.

Boat knowledge for beginners: What do you need to consider before buying?

At some point and somehow, the love of motorboating begins. For some it grows slowly, for others it comes on all of a sudden, for others it is born. Regardless of how the desire to steer and own a boat came about, in order to realise it you have to Beginner first have to find out a lot of things:

Pleasure craft licence: inland, sea, both or not at all?

If you want to operate a recreational craft with an engine power of more than 15 hp for combustion engines or more than 10.2 hp for electric motors on German waterways, you need a corresponding licence. There are two types of licence: The Sportbootführerschein See (SBF See) and the Sportbootführerschein Binnen (SBF Binnen). If you want to obtain a licence for both inland waters and the sea, you can take a combined course, which is cheaper than taking each course separately. Unlike the car driving licence, the majority of the course is theoretical. This involves learning about navigation, technology, the environment, traffic law, weather and safety. On the other hand, only one day is spent on the water, i.e. in practice. The SBF See includes an international certificate and is therefore valid worldwide. The costs for a combined inland and sea boating licence vary depending on the region and whether the course is taken online or in person. They start at around €600.

Please note: In certain waters, there are deviations in the licence requirement! On the Rhine, for example, you need an inland navigation licence for boats with an engine power of 5 hp or more. And on Lake Constance, the so-called Lake Constance skipper's licence is required.

It generally makes sense to only steer a motorboat with a licence. Even with a low-power drive, accidents can easily happen in busy waters, in heavy seas or during mooring manoeuvres if you are sailing without any nautical or boating knowledge. Some insurers only pay out in the event of a claim if the skipper was in possession of a recreational boating licence - even if this was not mandatory. Some charter companies also only lend their boats to skippers with a licence, regardless of engine power.

What types of boat are there?

If you want to fulfil your dream of owning your own boat, you will be spoilt for choice: what type of boat should it be? But the decision doesn't have to be quite so agonising, as you will be able to cross a few types of boat off the list using the process of elimination. The decisive factors are your budget and the purpose for which you want to use your boat.

How much can the boat cost?
Should it only be used for day trips or also for longer boat tours?
How many people should there be room for on board?
What is important to you: speed or driving stability and the lowest possible fuel consumption?
What types of water and sailing areas will the boat be travelling in? Salt or fresh water? Should it be seaworthy?
Do you want your boat to remain ready for use in winter or will it be taken out of the water/winterised? If the latter is the case, where should the boat be stored for the winter?
Should it be trailerable? Do you have a suitable towing vehicle for towing?
Are you able and willing to carry out maintenance, care or even repair work yourself?

Once you have answered these questions, you are already a lot closer to the type of boat you are considering. You can already narrow down the possible hull shapes, size, material, space below deck, equipment, condition and type of drive for your boat and start your concrete search. Take your time with the purchase decision, take test drives and compare. A motorboat is a big investment that some people only make once in a lifetime - a bad purchase is not only frustrating, but can also cause major financial difficulties. If you end up with engine damage shortly after buying a used boat, the dream of owning your own boat can quickly turn into a nightmare. That's why you should take a particularly close look at older boats - preferably in the company of an expert mechanic.

Ongoing costs: What will you have to pay?

While focussing on the high purchase costs for a motorboat, you should not forget that your new watercraft will also entail ongoing expenses. That's why you shouldn't stretch your finances to the limit with the purchase of a boat and possible financing.

Insurance: Liability or comprehensive cover?

Although boat liability insurance is not compulsory in Germany, it is definitely a good idea. Marinas are sometimes home to yachts worth millions. As the skipper of a boat, you are liable with all your current and future assets for any damage you cause. Without liability insurance, even a small scratch on the side of the boat can mean personal insolvency. If you are travelling with a watercraft that is not entirely inexpensive, you should consider taking out additional hull insurance. Depending on the scope of liability, damage to your own boat is then also covered, e.g. in the event of theft, collision, water ingress, etc. In some cases, services such as towing or breakdown assistance are also included in hull insurance policies. However, there are also special breakdown services for seagoing vessels which, similar to the ADAC, offer free services in the event of a breakdown on the water for a membership fee.

If you charter a motorboat, you do not have to insure yourself. The charter company must take out appropriate insurance that also covers the commercial use of the boat. Nevertheless, when chartering, you should find out what the Insurance The insurance covers everything, what excess may be payable and which liability cases are excluded. Drunkenness is always a safe exclusion criterion.

Fuel: How high is the consumption?

The cost of fuel also has an impact. Fuel consumption can be influenced by the choice of boat type, drive type and power, but also by your own driving style. Regular maintenance and care of the boat also has a positive effect on efficiency. Fouling on the hull, for example, slows the boat down considerably. The actual fuel costs to be expected naturally depend not least on petrol and diesel costs, which are subject to fluctuations.

Expenses relating to maintenance, moorings, repairs and winterisation

Ongoing operating costs also include expenses for maintenance, servicing, cleaning, repairs, winter storage and berths. The range is quite wide and it depends on whether

you carry out maintenance, servicing and cleaning work yourself (then only the pure material costs for oils, paints, tools and cleaning agents are incurred).
you winterise the boat on your own property or rent a winter storage facility.
you take the boat out of the water after every trip or pay mooring fees for the whole season.
the boat is new and no major damage is to be expected, or would be repaired under warranty.

Boating knowledge about navigation: what digital aids are available?

If you are not only travelling in familiar or navigationally simple waters, you will equip yourself with one or more electronic aids to navigation. Whether this is just an app on your mobile phone, software for your laptop or a GPS device with a chart plotter should depend on the sailing area. The more unprotected and challenging the area, the more digital help there should be. In addition to GPS receivers, radar systems and AIS (Automatic Identification System) can also provide support. However, just as important as the necessary technical equipment is the appropriate knowledge of how to use it. The most expensive and latest technology is of no use if it cannot be operated.

Hydrology: What are the special features and characteristics of the area?

However, navigational aids alone are no substitute for knowledge of the characteristics of the respective waters. Area knowledge is the magic word that should prevent boaters from underestimating shallows, currents and tides. But many sailing areas also have their own special features in terms of traffic regulations.

What ultimately presents the greatest difficulty on a body of water depends very much on its nature. While you will rarely lose your bearings on rivers and have to rely entirely on a compass or navigation equipment, the heavy traffic on inland waterways is more of a challenge.

The rules of the road should always be well understood and memorised at all times - whether on the river, sea or lake. If you have to look up the rules to find out who has right of way when encountering other boats, you're in a bad position.

Regulations exist not only to regulate traffic, but also to protect the environment. Where can you only drive at a reduced speed, where can you not motorise at all? Where can waste water be discharged into the sea? When it comes to environmental protection, you will also find out which regulations apply to your sailing area if you find out about your sailing area in advance.

You may also be interested to know what other types of water sports are possible in your cruising area - apart from boating itself. Water skiing and jet skiing, for example, are only permitted in certain areas. Swimming is also not permitted in some places for health or safety reasons.

Safety on board: What boating equipment and knowledge will help in an emergency?

Safety is also a big issue for (prospective) boat owners. On board, you are on your own in the event of an emergency - so it is best to prevent emergency situations from occurring in the first place. But if, for whatever reason, one of those undesirable situations does occur in which the life and limb of the crew are at stake, then the right equipment is of vital importance. It is just as important for the crew to practise using it.

Depending on the sailing area, the type of boat and the size of the crew, a motorboat should be equipped with safety equipment for firefighting and rescue as well as a first aid kit. Communication equipment for making an emergency call is also important. Alarm systems, navigational aids, regular and proper maintenance of machinery and equipment, avoiding sailing in bad weather and an experienced crew with the appropriate technical and nautical expertise can help to prevent an emergency from occurring in the first place.

International, national and regional regulations: Where can I read what?

What regulations and laws are there in which skippers can find out about their rights and obligations and the applicable law? Law can inform you?

On an international basis, these are the various conventions of the IMO (International Maritime Organisation), including, for example, SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), MARPOL (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) and COLREG (Preventing Collisions at Sea). These regulations apply at sea and are sometimes supplemented by national and regional regulations. Not all conventions apply to recreational craft that are only used for leisure purposes.

The regulations on safety at sea are supplemented, for example, by the equipment recommendations of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, while the collision prevention regulations are supplemented by the Maritime Traffic Regulations (SeeSchStrO) and the Inland Waterways Regulations (BiSchStrO).

Maintenance and care: What work is required?

Boat knowledge also includes expertise in the maintenance and care of a motorboat. From regular cleaning of the exterior and interior to engine maintenance and repair work such as rust removal and painting, there are many tasks for which you should plan time (and money). If you don't want to have anything to do with all this work, you should probably stick to chartering. Although checks and simple maintenance work must be carried out even during a charter trip, there is usually nothing to do with major activities such as antifouling, winterising or repairing defects.

Boat events: Don't miss a thing with BOOTE

The boating hobby doesn't stop at the quayside for everyone. If you can't get enough of motor boating and everything that goes with it outside of the water, you can look around for events where you can get your money's worth. Boat shows are a good place to start: The boat trade is not only represented there with impressive motor yachts, but also with boat accessories - from safety equipment and the latest electronics to outdoor clothing.

Harbours and marinas also regularly host events that attract the boating community with or without their vessels. Socialising with like-minded people can be just as exciting as the sight of boats and yachts arriving and departing. BOOTE makes sure that you don't miss any events - and if you do, that you find out everything you need to know about them afterwards.

Boat tuning: A case for the professionals

Increasing performance may not yet be an issue for newcomers to the boating world, but sooner or later they will be confronted with the option of boat tuning. If you really want to get more out of your boat or at least return to the initial power after a loss of performance, you should definitely turn to professional chip tuners. After all, it takes a lot of skill and knowledge to tune boats in such a way that they will benefit in the long term. Exaggerating is an absolute taboo.

The world of boat knowledge: As vast as the ocean

The world of motorboats is diverse and extensive - as is the knowledge that can be acquired. The technology in boats alone is so highly complex that you could spend a lifetime learning about it, especially as there are constant updates in this area. But the many regulations relating to boat accessories, traffic and environmental protection are also a chapter in themselves that you are unlikely to finish in a hurry. Last but not least, Revierkunde offers boat owners enough learning material for many boring hours on the water.

So if you want to devote yourself fully to your hobby, motor boating, you will find plenty of opportunities to do so in your free time and to acquire theoretical boating knowledge.

It's more fun than browsing through the Collision Prevention Regulations or the SOLAS Convention if you acquire boating knowledge with informative BOOTE articles. BOOTE has compiled all the expertise that can be useful for beginners, advanced boaters and professionals.

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