I was out at the Hen and Chicks 
in my inflatable when the kingfish 
I had almost beaten dived under 
the boat. The middle hook sank 
into the underside of the boat. The 
fish sat there for a moment, and I 
managed to unhook it before it tore 
a big hole in the side. The fish swam 
out and the lure came free so all I 
had to show for it was a small hole 
leaking air. I fished the rest of the 
holiday with the hole as-is but had 
to pump up the boat every 4-5hrs.
Most anglers buy second-hand 
before saving money for something 
bigger or newer. Take the boat for 
a test, if possible, to check how 
watertight it is. You’ll most likely 
buy it with an outboard, so check 
its service history or if you’re not 
overly confident there are many boat 
shops that will do a health check 
on the rig you are planning to buy.
Another key point is to check the 
trailer carefully for rust, it is easy to 
be looking at the boat and ignore 
the health of the trailer which can 
be costly at the next WOF check.
When buying used boats, always 
check the trailer as advanced 
stages of rust may be costly.
The ocean has rules for water 
users just like the road, complete 
a Skipper’s Day course via 
Coastguard is necessary to learn 
the basics and stay safe.
"If possible, ask someone who is experienced with 
boats to take you out on your boat. They can quickly 
get you started and learning the necessities quickly 
and help give you confidence for when on your own."
Feature
22  FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE

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