BEGINNERS GUIDE TO BOATING ON THE RIVER NENE
Just remember everyone was a beginner to start with!
Some of the initial considerations might be:
“What am I going to use the boat for?” and
“Where am I going to do my boating?”
Boats come in all shapes and sizes from grp (fibreglass) day boats to 70+ft wide beam steel barges.
Maybe you are looking for your first boat and don’t want to spend too much just in case you don’t take to boating. Have a look at our Brokerage list for an idea of what you can get for your money. Most of the boats for sale here are suitable for the river, but there are a couple of things to bear in mind if you are thinking of boating on the River Nene.
Firstly, there are a couple of bridges where the headroom is only 2.1 metres (approx 7ft). This can vary according to the weather conditions i.e. more room in dry conditions and less after very heavy rain.
Secondly, if you think you might want to venture onto the canal system, there is a width restriction of 2.1 metres (approx 7ft). If a boat is referred to as a narrowbeam this usually means 6ft 10″ and would be suitable for use on both rivers and canals.
Day boats are self-explanatory. This won’t be a boat you can sleep on, but you may have a small cabin where you can have a stove to make a cup of tea or cook lunch! This may be an ideal boat if you just want to cruise for a couple of hours, moor up somewhere for a picnic, perhaps do a spot of fishing or maybe find a nice pub.
After day boats come cruisers with a wide range of boats and varying numbers of berths and other facilities. Some boats may have showers on them, most will at least have a sink and a hob/grill. Toilets may vary from chemical, pump-out or sea toilets.
All boats on the River Nene must have a River Licence, please go to the Environment Agency website for the current rates.
In addition all boats must have a BSS (Boat Safety Scheme) Certificate. These last for 4 years and the current price for a re-examination is around £200.00. If you buy a boat without a current BSS certificate be aware that it may fail and therefore may be expensive to bring it up to standard. If you would like a list of names and contact numbers for Boat Safety examiners, we have them available in the marina office.
And lastly you must have your boat insured. There are plenty of of marine insurance companies on the internet as well as comparison sites.
As a rough guide to keeping a 20ft cruiser moored here at Oundle Marina the cost would be as follows:
Mooring From £710 (12 months)
River Licence From £462 (April to April)
Insurance From £120.00 (12 months)
These are approximate figures, but it gives you an idea of how much it would cost to get out onto the river and start having fun!
If you would like any more help please contact us via the website or phone 01832 272762.