My Dad got very good at windsurfing - hence why we moved to Daymer Bay!
I could never be ar5ed with all the kit but learnt the basics up for gybing and waterstarting.

 

Daymer Bay -- know it well, especially the Doom bar over the other side

in fact I tend to go to Polzeath/Trebetherick much much more now (rathet than the south coast) - Extended Familly live there

for sheer speed nothing beats a spring low tide, and strong NWesterly at daymer bau

it creates a trench of water which, coz the wind comes off the sand, is mill pond flat -- but on an old style slalom board you really rocket -- fantastic

 

Hodgy - I lived on Worthy Hill just before Daymer Lane.

Worked at the Oystercatcher as a chef (during holidays) for 6n years, did some lifeguarding on the beach, worked in TJs (hire monkey), etc, etc - love it there! Wife still has grandparents in Rock but she moved out a while ago.

Daymer very occasionally gets amazing waves (for surfing or wavesailing) - they peel from Trebetherick Point to Brae Hill - great fun! Best on the high side of mid tide. Greenaway (towards Polzeath) has a reef too - evil but amazing on it's day.

 

I've always fancied buying a boat but wouldnt have a clue whats involved in keeping, running,driving/sailing etc.

 

Ray - car with tow bar, somewhere to keep it (either at home on a trailer or on a pontoon) bit of money for fuel, insurance, etc and that's about it really.

 

is there any rules/laws when on the water?

Can I tow a boat anywhere on the coast and start having fun?

 

Youll need some commom sense! as well as asking the locals (tides etc)etc .

You may have to pay to launch if you cant find a public slipway.

You dont presently require an exam fora smallish motor boat,and not for a sail-boat,yet.

Port to port , motor gives way to sail ( cos motor boats are generally more manoeverable)

 

Ray - almost no rules - just observe speed limits and maybe bring along someone boaty for a few sessions. There are plenty of useful tips that'll save you a stranded/broken boat! Observing tides is vital.

Need to find a proper public slipway but there are plenty around - and make sure you can reverse a trailer well - nothing worse than getting stuck with a boat behind you!

You can do a small craft course - quite a useful thing to do. Think the RYA does them.

 

oh - and dont get sucked into any road/water rage

 

it might not be a bad idea to get insurance too

and make a donation to the RNLI -- coz when you need them, you really need them

 

Very good idea hodge .!

iv not had (apart from wreck removal) any insurance in 15 years - but im unlikey to make any serious impact at <6 knots ( and sailed all my life ) , and even less when strapped up to a marina berth 11 months of the year.

 

Despite the boats being similar value, our insurance tripled when we went from a sailboat to a speedboat!

Good idea on RNLI donations - they saved my dad's life once.

 

Iv had the lifeboat out for me,once,( wasnt my call) windsurfing off the coast here too near a concrete wall at highish tide /windshadow - fortunately i was pushed up onto some steps like a penguin (so didnt need them) - brown wetsuit moment

 

Dad got blown out (in his early days of windsurfing) while wearing an ill fitting wetsuit at West Wittering.
A very good windsurfer tried to rescue him but got in trouble too.

The lifeboat team reckon dad had about 10 minutes left to live when they got to him -YIKES!!!!

He was a lot more cautious after that! Until he went out (years later when he got quite good) in 8ft swell and a force 7-8 and got battered on the rocks just around from Daymer - no RNLI involved as he swam in but snapped board, mast and shredded sail and another near death moment.

Nearly drowned twice myself surfing in evil conditions. The sea doesn't take any **** - it just kills you.

Couldn't live without it though - just needs extreme respect.