At the BMEEA, we know that buying a boat is more than just the purchase itself. There are many things to consider and usually these are learnt on the fly which can be frustrating and costly.

We will be running a series on "10 things I wish I'd known before I bought my first boat" and round 1 is 10 things Derek Gilbert, BMEEA Chairman, wishes he'd known before he bought his first boat - Enjoy!

8 - I wish I’d known how important a VHF radio was

I wish I’d known how important a vhf radio was onboard a boat – mobile phones require access to land based Aerial masts and so once offshore, the mobile phone is useless, it is essential to do a VHF course.

This really falls into the requirement for every boater to take responsibility for their actions and use of a vhf should be a mandatory requirement for every boat owner – every boat should be fitted with one too.

VHFs enable you to contact ALL the nearby vessels and in times of emergency, every minute counts in terms of requesting assistance or you assisting another sailor in need.

Everyone onboard should also have a briefing on how to use the VHF, never rely on just one person knowing how to make a call, if that one person has an accident, who is going to call for assistance?

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At the BMEEA, we are experts in all aspects of the boat owning experience, so please do get in touch with your nearest BMEEA member for assistance!