Power BOAT NOVICE NEEDS HELP !!!?

Question

Hi Please could anybody help,

My friend has just bought a rinker 38ft sports cruiser, he has little experience with boating, but wants to power from norfolk to the med this summer, Will it be safe ? Will it cost the earth ? how long will it take ?

Any info regarding saftey, time scale and cost would be welcome !!

Kind Regards,

Answer 1

as far as i know rinker do not make 38ft boats.,

Answer 2

if you are speaking of the Rinker 370...no it wouldn't be real safe. The vessel carries 235 gal of fuel...burn rate will be around 20 - 24 gal per hour depending upon how it's plained...so let's say 10 hours of cruising time...that leaves one major question...where would your friend buy fuel in the Atlantic? hmmm....

Answer 3

My advice if he is a novice in a 38'.

                   Don't go!!!

              Ask for pictures, if he returns.

Answer 4

Do you mean Norfolk in the UK to the Med?

If so there are routes through the French canal system that avoids the Bay of Biscay (a dangerous place).  First very real problem is crossing the English Channel - not a big distance but the busiest shipping lane in the world.  It will also cost an awful lot of money in fuel and marina berths.  As soon as you reach the French canals they will insist you have an ICC(http://www.rya.org.uk/KnowledgeBase/boat...  

It is a nice idea but stay around the Norfolk Broads and the immediate coast until you get a little more experience (and plan the trip in full over the winter ready for next year!).

Answer 5

He must do a training course on boat handling, seamanship, navigation etc. Local boat club will be able to advise. If he turns up without proof of competence many countries will impound boat.

Answer 6

well as far as i know, minors under 16 years old (for boating) cant drive a boat over 16 feet. and is he has trouble, encourage him to get a license

Answer 7

if i was you i would go on the plane and meet him there. does he even have a day skippers license if he did he wouldnt be asking the questions he is asking. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DO WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING GET SOME SENSE BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR LIFE.

Answer 8

do not try it. neither the boat or the owner are qualified to go offshore.

Answer 9

If it is the 370 (LOA  39ft) it's a nice boat.

In principal, it is posible, practically though, I wouldn't attempt it, apart from navigational issues, you do need qualifictions in French and Spanish waters. You would have to hug the coast around the bay of Biscay due to the range of your vessel, this alone would prove hughly expensive in fuel.

If you  made it to the Med, what is your intended final destination and do you  intend to bring it back?

Taking all the costs into account, it would be far cheaper and obviously safer, to have it trailered to your intened destination.