Splice the mainbrace and shiver your timbers: The Open Road is taking you boating. Terry Buddell offers landlubbers a lesson in the ways of the water.

New South Wales is blessed with beautiful waterways that beg to be explored. What better way than by boat?

You don’t have to be a billionaire. There are numerous choices for the novice boater that won’t break the bank. You can buy a ‘boat in a bag’ — a folding portable canoe with paddles, which bolts together in five minutes (see panel far right). If canoeing is too strenuous, how about a romantic overnight indulgence package for two in a houseboat with champagne and oysters?

What if you want to take it a stage further and steer the boat yourself? Do you need a boat licence? The rules vary. Currently, a boat driver’s licence is required on NSW waters for vessels capable of 10 knots or more.

However, a novice can hire a self-drive dinghy, yacht, cruiser or houseboat after a few hours of instruction. For safety reasons, self-drive hire boats are only available in enclosed waters such as Sydney Harbour, Pittwater, the Hawkesbury River, Port Stephens, Myall Lakes and Lake Macquarie.

Owning a boat

Why buy a boat, you ask? If the photos on this page don’t answer that question, there’s probably not much I can say to convince you. But if you’re interested, you need to:

• Choose a boat
• Learn the rules of the waterways
• Get a licence.

Buying

Rule 1. Do a lot of research. Decide on the size, make, model, engine capacity and fuel consumption (vital) and browse through current magazines related to your requirements. Be conservative with regard to ongoing cost, moorings and maintenance.

Rule 2. See as many boats as possible.

Rule 3. Never buy a boat without a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified marine surveyor. The small amount of money you spend is a tiny percentage of what it could cost if it goes wrong.

Getting a licence

Boat licences can be obtained by enrolling with a school (see panel) or obtaining the relevant information from NSW Maritime  and taking the test (see panel).

Rules of the road

It is vital to learn these. All information regarding collision regulations can be obtained from NSW Maritime (see panel).

What else?

Once you have your new boat, you’re on the threshold of a world of fun and discovery. However, it’s a serious business and you must acquaint yourself with the following information. NSW Maritime offices supply vital information on these essential boating rules and regulations:

• Safety information: this information could save your life.
• Towing regulations
• Traffic rules 
• Alcohol rules: the rules for alcohol consumption are the same as on highways, and the police are everywhere.

Now you should be ready to put on a sunhat, pack a seafood picnic and sail off into the sunset.

More information

Want to know more about boating?
These are the people with the answers:

NSW Maritime

For all information about licensing, boating rules and regulations, boating safety and trailers for NSW. NSW Maritime.

Info Line (8.30am - 4.30pm, 7 days a week)
Licence applications; Registration transfers; Change of address; Environmental complaints; Incident reports and Boatcode.
NSW Phone: 13 12 56
Areas not covered by NSW telephone exchange: (02) 9563 8557

Handy links and numbers

• Boating handbook
• Register of Encumbered Vessels (Department of Fair Trading) Tel: 1300 723 404
• Boating Industry Association of NSW
• Boat licenses

Boat charters
Boating Oz
Award-winning website dedicated to keeping people informed about Australian boating. 
 
East Sail Sydney
Yacht charters, sailing school and overnight indulgence and corporate packages, regattas and events. 
  
Terry’s tips from an old sea dog who found out the hard way:

• Don’t be tempted to buy a boat with huge outboards. Ignore salesmen’s ‘estimates’ of fuel consumption. Check with the engine manufacturer. Some outboards can swallow 100 litres of fuel an hour!
• Never totally trust a boat with a ‘current survey’. A survey is only valid for the day of inspection. Always check the surveyor’s qualifications.
• Always check documentation. The Department of Fair Trading provides a service called the Register of Encumbered Vessels (REVS). The system identifies vessels by a unique ‘hull identification number’ (HIN) stamped on the vessel. Manufacturers are required by law to fix a ‘boat code’ to every vessel before registration or transfer of registration. They check that no money is owed on your potential purchase.

Drinking and boating: permissible alcohol units

• less than 0.02 for commercial vessel operators
• 0.00 for recreational vessel operators aged under 18 years
• less than 0.05 for recreational vessel operators over 18 years.

Page updated July 19, 2006.