UK Boatlinks

Orkney Four 40

Orkney boats sure look bigger than they are plus they look very seaworthy. This new four 40 was snapped at Southampton Boat Show in 2005. I'm sure you will agree it looks alot bigger than its 14' length! It is a similar shape to the old very popular longliner and strikeliner of days gone by.

Click the image for a full size picture.

Boat loans

Boat loans and marine mortgages are available from specialist companies in the UK. If you are considering a boat loan check out some of the links to marine finance companies in this section.

Boats do not devalue in the same way that cars do, they dont generally corrode and get worn away! They can be a good investment. With supply low and demand high, most popular boats hold their value and can be an excellent investment even if you have a loan to buy it in the first place.

Gill

Gill sailing clothing began life in 1975 from the back of a small factory in Nottingham. The founder Nick Gill, was a keen dinghy sailor and believed there was an opportunity to design and manufacture sailing clothing that you could trust not only to perform in the most adverse conditions but also to be fairly priced and have the back up of a company that really cared.

The company, Douglas Gill International Ltd is unrecognisable from those early days, however the philosophy has never changed. Gill is now sold all over the world and the products have developed into some of the leading marine clothing ranges available anywhere.

Gill has a comprehensive range of clothing and kit including Ocean, Offshore and Coastal sailing clothing. Inshore racing clothing, dinghy clothing, wetsuits, hiking pants, equipment, womens waterproofs, gloves, footwear, base layers, deck coats, casual fleeces, a junior sailing range, sunglasses, and kit bags.

Marine Mortgage

There are many ways of financing a boat. Those of us not lucky enough to purchase a boat for cash usually choose to finance their boat by means of credit.

There are two basic types of loan - secured and unsecured. Secured means should you default on the loan the financier will reposess the boat. Unsecured means that if you default they are after the money rather than any one fixed item like your boat.

Here are some of the options:

1 Credit card - Rates vary but a credit card such as Mastercard or Visa is an easy way to purchase your boat, you walk in the boat showroom pay with your credit card and you are ready to sail! This way the loan is 'unsecured'.

2 'Unsecured' Bank Loan - Perhaps slightly cheaper than the interest rates on a credit card, a regular bank personal loan can offer fixed or variable monthly payments over a number of years.

3 Marine Mortgage - Marine Mortgages are 'secured' on the boat but this type of finance will be cheaper than the other options monthly. Marine Mortgages have certain terms and conditions to do with the age and cost of the vessel, but the loan can be spread over a much longer period than a normal personal loan. Just like a house mortgage, but a marine mortgage will typically last up to 15 years.

In this section we will list some of the more common boat finance companies, most big lenders have a marine department if you search hard enough! Many offer Online payment calculators so you could work out the monthly payments of your dream boat right now!

Henri Lloyd

Henri-Lloyd will have a new range for 2006. The Marine 2006 Collection of Sailing Clothing, Footwear Luggage and Accessories will feature new products for winter sailing for men and women. 

The Henri-Lloyd website also contains an online store where customers can purchase direct from henry lloyd.

Musto

Musto produce technical clothing for boating, yachting, sailing. Mustos website contains a full product catalogue and some useful information about their ranges.

Musto sponsor Ellen MacArthur and provide clothing for her solo round-the-world record attempt. Musto has leading fabric technology, innovative design, style and a commitment to quality.

Boat Fishing

Boat Fishing is an interesting site about boat fishing around the UK coast in particular Wales. It contains some useful tips in relation to boat fishing and some articles on bass fishing , some links to boat fishing tackle dealers and also has links to local fishing charter boats in Swansea, Wales.

Chesswood Marine

Chesswood Marine is a family run business, that aims to provide boats and associated equipment that appeal particularly to families or those wanting to enjoy water activities without investing large sums of money. It strives to offer boats ranging from canoes and sailing dinghies up to small cabin cruisers that are suitable for towing behind a car.

Boating, whatever form it takes, can be, and should be fun, but safety and the correct gear is an important issue, and Chesswood Marine therefore offer a range of safety equipment, clothing and chandlery to suit the various boating activities, being stockists of Crewsaver, Gul and Lalizas offering their full ranges.

Ashby Powerboat School

Ashby Powerboat School is a RYA Training Centre, Teaching RYA Powerboat Levels 1, 2, Level 2 direct assessment & Advanced. Its also an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) (this is essential if you wish to use you boat in Europe) and CEVNI test centre, running marine VHF SRC courses and Exams also.

Tuition is carried out using the schools own fully equipped 5.5M RIB or your own boat. Courses are not only informative but fun also. Our Level 1 & 2 Course prices include Log book, Certification & Packed Lunch. Unlike many other schools it specialises in Powerboat Training.