A new option for getting on the water on a modest budget

Join the club

I covered boat clubs in a previous post. Boat clubs provide an agreed number of days access to one or more vessels for a fixed monthly fee; the only additional cost is fuel.

The downside of boat clubs is you are contractually bound to pay the monthly fees even if you’re not able to use a boat during that time. For this reason I concluded it’s not for those on a modest budget.

Pay as you go

A more appealing option has been launched recently by Urban Truant. Based on the River Hamble near Southampton Water, this company offers training and tuition in sailing and powerboating.

Their RIB Club allows members to access a fleet of RIBs for use in and around the Solent. To use the RIBs you must have a minimum of RYA Powerboat Level 2 and SRC/VHF marine radio certificates. Members can take the required training with Urban Truant at discounted rates if they’re not already qualified.

Like a PAYG mobile phone, you are not committed to a recurring monthly charge. Instead, you pay an annual membership fee of £175 then a fixed fee to use a RIB for a day or an evening. The boat is provided with a full tank of fuel and you return it the same, just like a hire car.

Budget option?

At time of writing the cost for a full day is £150 and an evening is £75. For occasional trips this is a good option, though the costs will of course rack up if you want to get out more often.

If you have little or no boating experience and you want to give it a try, Urban Truant is compelling - so long as you are based on or near the south coast. Start out with the RYA Powerboat Level 2 training to get experience on the water and provide a path to RIB hire.

RIB club membership and mandatory training will set you back a total of £395 at time of writing. Without the membership the training alone is £270, then you can decide if you want to hire, buy or get involved in shared ownership.