The Brighton Blog

As you would expect from a thriving seaside town like Brighton, there’s all manner of sea-going activities so there’s something to suit all tastes and all pockets. Boats in Brighton are not just about fishing, although there’s plenty of opportunity to do that, they offer all sorts of other pleasures including the excitement of powerboating.

Fishing Boat Experiences

Several companies offer trips in boats of substantial size, usually in excess of thirty feet and these carry around a dozen passengers. They’re equipped with all mod cons and are frequently licensed. Their equipment generally features all the modern fishing aids such as GPS gear, echo location equipment and, of course, VHF radios. The skippers of these boats are all qualified to the most-rigorous standards and, being keen fishermen themselves, know their area and where the good fishing is. A trip with them is a trip with a professional and an experience you’ll never forget!

Powerboating

If you like the sea and like speed then powerboats could be just the thing for you! There are introductory courses on offer at the Brighton Marina for all levels so, even if you’ve never driven a powerboat before, there’ll be a course for you. You can just sign up for a taster course and see how you like it and, as a bonus, you’ll get out into the Solent and experience a side of Brighton that few other tourists can match.

You can choose your craft from a planing motorised boat to a rigid inflatable or a Zap Cat and take to the water as you wish. If you get hooked, there’s no need to worry as the smaller craft are designed to be very safe and they’re very economical to operate.

If you’re looking for a bit more excitement, you can choose a larger boat with a twin hull and a bigger engine. You can do this as an individual or a group but, taking the wheel yourself, depends upon weather conditions. These tubs really motor so your instructor will take no risks.

For the sailor coming with some previous experience, there are courses which will take you to the next step. In these, you’ll learn all the skills you need to own and operate your own craft, from coming alongside to a pick up from the sea to high-speed manoeuvres.

There’ll also be a healthy dose of safety-at-sea training to make sure that you’re safe out there on your own. On these courses, you can earn your way up to the ICC (International Competency Certificate) level 2 Qualification. This qualification is the one which is compulsory in many countries overseas and owning it will enable you to take your boat abroad.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of boat control, there’s other courses which will introduce you to the world of navigation and chart work. This will enable you to plan a trip, looking at the itinerary with a view to taking into account tides, water depths, etc., etc.

There’s no end to the skill thing, though and there’s pretty-well always a next-level course to move onto, such as the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Advanced Courses. These look at advanced boat-handling skills, seamanship and navigation allowing you to take a boat out into coastal waters with complete safety. Yet another course, the RYA safety Boat Course will take you even further, providing the skills necessary for you to take out an escort boat for all manner of safety and support activities.

Cruiser Charter

If you prefer a more-leisurely trip to sea, it’s possible to charter a cruiser and take to the sea like a person of means. One sixty-foot boat which is operated from the marina is offered on a fully-skippered basis and, because of its top speed of 40 knots, it can reach much of the south coast in pretty short order. You can take this out for the day or longer and make a special occasion even more special.

If you’ve got your own cruiser but want to improve your skills, that’s also possible. Again from the Marina, there are two-day courses which allow you to get in some training and then to plan an get out on your own trip. These courses are carried out on your own boat and can cover the topics which you feel you need most help with, such as navigation, berthing, and manoeuvring your boat. Further courses cover mooring practice, first-time Channel crossing and the International Certificate of Competence and all these may be completed on your own boat.

Time to Get Going

Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s training at a basic level in a power boat or getting yourself up to become an independent boat owner - or even just getting out to sea for the thrill of a lifetime, Brighton Marina’s got what you’re looking for!