Coastguard - Yes. VHF & Day Skipper - Maybe????

So I've just brought my first sea boat and will pay the $150/yr Coastguard membership but wondering about their courses. I've been jetboating and lake boating for 25+ years, however I do recognise that the sea is different and even though the boat will be used in sheltered Marlborough Sounds that shit still happens!!!
These 2 courses.
https://www.boatingeducation.org.nz/...s-certificate/
https://www.boatingeducation.org.nz/...1/day-skipper/

Are they essential / useful? My guess is many/most trailer boater have not done these courses. ~$300 & ~$500 in fees but with travels and accomodation, etc they'll be $1000 each........

I do see this "Legal Requirement: Under the Radiocommunications Act 1989, it is a legal requirement that anyone wishing to operate a marine VHF radio holds an appropriate operator’s certificate. For operators of marine VHF radios, the minimum legal operator certification is the Maritime VHF Operator’s Certificate (MVOC)."

Not sure about the benefit you would get from the courses but as a novice the Day Skipper was worth it for me. The unexpected bonus was that AMI gave me a discount on my boat premiums.

I did day skipper, coastal navigation and radio courses yonks ago. I thoroughly enjoyed them as I learned a lot. Be aware there are some real idiots out there.

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Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

I did day skipper, coastal navigation and radio courses yonks ago. I thoroughly enjoyed them as I learned a lot. Be aware there are some real idiots out there.

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Yup, have experienced many of them on lakes and rivers. The basics are common sense and some reading of the basic rules but seems many lack both. Eejits!!!

just on the point of 2 way radio. get the boat along to an RT crowd and have them test it. it only takes one shitty corroded connection etc to make your 15 watt radio transmit 3 watts etc.

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

just on the point of 2 way radio. get the boat along to an RT crowd and have them test it. it only takes one shitty corroded connection etc to make your 15 watt radio transmit 3 watts etc.

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Currently doesn't have one so will be purchasing new. Any advice on handheld vs fixed?

fixed definitely. and dont skimp on the install. decent power wiring, decent cable and antenna.
seen so many rt's installed by people and wonder if they ever worked.
and if you really want to be super safe a 12 volt gel cell battery with croc leads to power it in case of emergency like boat wiring goes fubar

Go for both, in the scheme of things with boats it's not a lot of money to mount a fixed VHF and have a portable one as a back up. I do a portable radio check with the handheld while I'm out on the water every now and again and it works 10km off the Foxton coast which is pretty good for a little hand held.

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

Currently doesn't have one so will be purchasing new. Any advice on handheld vs fixed?

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@rugerman good thought. Possibly do that in time. For now electronic budget is a fixed radio and a basic fishfinder/plotter. Could be useful having handheld while I'm hunting within a few km of house. Could check in with my Mrs using the boat fixed radio in driveway ;-)

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Originally Posted by rugerman

Go for both, in the scheme of things with boats it's not a lot of money to mount a fixed VHF and have a portable one as a back up. I do a portable radio check with the handheld while I'm out on the water every now and again and it works 10km off the Foxton coast which is pretty good for a little hand held.

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agreed, was just arguing the point of one over the other.
but ffs treat your handheld batteries in good condition. if the battery pack is not 12V then get/make an adaptor to run it off the boat battery.

Will keep a portable jumper starter on board. Do any of the handhelds accept a USB supply if their batteries go sad?

At least 2 types of communication is the go si if you have a PLB take that as well. Oh and general chatting on the VHF channels is not usually encouraged, but especially on Channel 16.

Gonetropo is right, you can't beat the power and hight of a fixed VHF. I mounted my antenna on top of my rocket launcher. Having alternative power sources to run the handheld is a good idea. I carry a lithium ion jump starter pack incase the boat battery dies as well.

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

@rugerman good thought. Possibly do that in time. For now electronic budget is a fixed radio and a basic fishfinder/plotter. Could be useful having handheld while I'm hunting within a few km of house. Could check in with my Mrs using the boat fixed radio in driveway ;-)

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

Will keep a portable jumper starter on board. Do any of the handhelds accept a USB supply if their batteries go sad?

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you dont want a charger, you want an alternate power supply in case the battery goes dead and you are in the middle of nowhere in deep poo

The good thing about the handheld versions, is (well most) have the option of a rechargeable battery and also a battery pack that takes AA or AAA cells. They are great as a cover your arse option, but the average fixed install has 3x the power of a handheld (15w vs 5w max). Also, a fixed set has a much better antenna usually (depending on how many trees it's been thwacked into). I would normally try to set the boat up with a start battery and 2nd a house battery running all of the onboard fun stuff with a DVSR system - that way you can't (well, its really unlikely) end up with an engine that you can't start because of a flat battery. That and a jump pack and you're as covered as you can be.

As far as the courses, the VHF is a requirement and the day skipper is recommended. As noted most insurance outfits offer a discount with that...

Interestingly enough, I went to one outfit for a quote for a rec boat and they asked me if I had a day skipper cert. I said I'm a commercially qualified skipper and engineer. Period of silence - "so was that a yes you have a day skipper cert from Coastguard? FFS...

I see heaps of rec boats heading out with vhf ariel horizontal :(

You dont have to sit the VHF course, but will be legally restricted to Ch 16 unless you do.