Borrowing a boat.

We are very aware that there are a great number of very able women out there who are quite capable of racing a boat competitively but lack the fundamental equipment to do so.

Whilst the following is a guide and is by no means the only way to do things, it is written in the hope that it will give at least one woman the confidence to go out there and ask to borrow a boat.

Should you have any other hints or tips, gained through experience, then please do let us know and we will add it to the list!

So in summary what you need to think about:-

Before hand

Know your contact – Name, telephone number, boat name etcSort crewEstablish the owners do’s and don’tsInsurance – ensure that if the owner doesn’t have cover you get some!Harbour Dues

During

Keep a running note book for issues & breakagesFollow the owners do’s and don’ts

After

Fix anything that you've brokenReplace anything that’s been usedSay Thank you

If you want a bit more information then please keep reading.

So in more detail:-

Things to think about before hand

Who to approach?

You need to have a plan, the contact name and number and/or email address of the boat’s owner and you need to be prepared to answer some tough questions as some owners will not want to lend their boat out to just anyone! CV at the ready….

Best bet is to approach someone you know, but we are aware this isn’t always possible!

Can you get the crew?

There is no point in borrowing a boat only to fall at the next hurdle and not be able to race it due to a lack of crew. We have tried to help by providing crew and boat pool pages on our website. Make sure you have plenty of crew. It is better from your point of view to have to let people down because you don’t have room, and for them to find another boat, than for you to end up short handed or worse still without enough crew to sail!

Will you want to train on the boat and therefore will the boat be available for those training days as well as the event itself?

Things to get sorted with the owner

The owner’s do’s and don’ts

You are borrowing someone’s pride and joy so be prepared for a list of “do’s and don’ts” and be respectful of this. If there is something mentioned that you do not think you can accommodate then say and be prepared to decline the offer (but hopefully it won’t come to that). Also take a few minutes to try and think whether the owner has forgotten anything that matters, and make sure you get phone numbers, mobile numbers and email addresses so that you can contact the owner easily.

Insurance

You will need to ensure that you are covered for the worst case scenario. In some cases the owner will have adequate insurance and will be happy for you to sail under this, and in some cases you may need to get your own - basically you need to check. You also need to agree what is expected should something go wrong i.e. will you be expected to cover all costs (excesses etc).

Parking

Some boats are moored in marinas, others are dry sailed and you will need to come to agreement with the owner on how and where they want their boat kept over night etc. It is also worth asking about specific lines they tie up with, or methods they have for securing the boat, number of fenders etc.

We are aware that parking can be an issue for some and we do not want this to put women off borrowing a boat. If you are interested in a “Park & Ride” service we may be able to help by getting someone qualified to RIB out to your boat after racing and come with you to the marina to help or guide you to park the boat. This may help appease some owners worries, or just give you the confidence to overcome one of the biggest hurdles many face. Either way, if you’re interested in this service then please drop us an email.

Harbour Dues

As the event is being held from the Royal Southern Yacht Club any vessel that navigates in the River will be expected to pays Harbour Dues. If the boat is a Hamble resident or you are staying in one of the marinas or at the Club then this should already be covered in the fee you are paying.

But if you are bringing the boat in from somewhere else make sure you get the appropriate level of due paid so that you don’t get a really sticky envelope placed on the boat and the boat’s name black-listed by the Harbour Authority.

Please visit the River Hamble Harbour Authority’s website for more details.

Things you should be prepared to sort and arrange

There are a number of things that it will be assumed you will sort out and these are:-

CrewFoodEntry fee Lift in & out (if dry sailed)

Things to do afterwards (before handing the boat back)

Fix anything that is broken 

Or at least have notified the owner so that they are aware of every last detail. It is worth taking a notebook out with you to so you can write down a list of things as they happen.

Replace anything you have used

Emptied gas bottles, fuel, water, toilet roll and anything else you have used.

Say thank you.

How you do this is up to you but a careful note and a present sends out precisely the right message to the owner – that you are the thoughtful, careful, meticulous person they thought you were!