Inshore Boat Anglers
Inshore boat fishing has become very popular over the years with the change over from the slower displacement boats of the 1970s and 80s to semi-cathedral or deep v planing craft leading the way today.
A typical inshore angling vessel is around 16 feet long with a small forward cuddy with two pod seating position and bench seating for the rest of the crew. Most inshore angling boats are trailed down to the launch site but can also be left on a mooring or tied alongside in a marine.
Most angling boats can plane easily with 4 persons on-board with a 50 horse power outboard motor or upwards giving top speeds for most modern hulls of up to 30 knots. The navigation fit out of a modern sea angling fishing boat now comes with GPS, fish finders, a ship’s compass. Navigation lights and a Marine DSC VHF Radio fitted as standard make the trip out to a good fishing mark much safer.
The Marine VHF DSC Radio is your lifeline to the shore and to assistance if you need it while out fishing on a distant fishing mark.
Make sure you check the VHF Radio is working by making a test call to another fellow boat angler or contact the Coastguard on VHF Channel 16 for a radio test. Alternatively, if you are setting out for a day’s fishing why not call the Coastguard and inform them of your intentions, i.e. where you have departed from, where you intend to fish and how many persons onboard along your estimated time of return.
As well as a comprehensive list of other safety kit, you should carry on board the following items:
- First aid kit
- Flares
- A lifejacket for all persons on the boat
- Spare lifejacket
- Spare Fuel
- Torch
- Foghorn
- Secondary means of propulsion, i.e. oars or spare wing engine
- Tool kit
- Extra layers of clothes
- Emergency rations
- Mobile phone in a waterproof bag
- Handheld Marine VHF Radio
If you’re new to boat angling, it’s a good idea to go out with other boat anglers first or to join a local boat angling Club as they can give you sound advice on the safety of your craft.
