Plymouth Pilots

Name: Plymouth Pilots
Address: Wixenford, Plymton, PL98AA, GB
Telephone: 01752 482588
Rating: 5

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Plymouth Pilots

Hand Crafted, traditionally styled motor launches since 1969. "Your adventure, our legacy"
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10/09/2026

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗞?

It is one of the first questions many new owners ask.

The answer usually surprises people: no, you do not need a licence to own or operate a small leisure boat in the UK.

But that does not mean there is nothing to sort out.

The one area that catches people out is VHF radio. If your boat has one, you need the radio licensed to the boat and you need the operator certificate to use it legally. Two separate things.

And even where training is not required by law, it is still well worth doing. A couple of days learning close-quarters handling, wind, tide and basic seamanship can make your first season far less of a guessing game.

We’ve broken it down plainly on the blog: what is legally required, what is not and what is still worth doing before you head out.

👉 https://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/news-blog/do-you-need-a-licence-small-boat-uk

04/09/2026

First week back after our summer shutdown!

Children ready for school. Batteries recharged. And we’re back in our happy place…

Although judging by the rain, summer has clearly ended too.

And what better way to ease ourselves gently back into work than fully suited up, lying underneath a boat sanding off old antifoul from the bilge keels!!

All part of the preparation before she gets a new Coppercoat finish.

Ahhh… it’s good to be back.

Somebody has to live the dream!

03/09/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁?

It is one of the first questions to answer before buying.

Not the most exciting question, admittedly. But it can make the difference between a boat that gets used and a boat that becomes awkward before you have even left the mooring.

Can it take the ground?
Will it suit a swinging mooring, trot mooring or marina berth?
Can it be launched and recovered without drama?
Where will it go over winter?

We’ve written a practical guide to mooring, launching and storing a Plymouth Pilot, including the bit many people overlook: making sure the trailer actually suits the hull.

Worth a read if you are thinking seriously about boat ownership.

👉 https://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/news-blog/mooring-launching-storing-a-pilot

31/07/2026

The July newsletter has just been released so check your email if you're a member of the Plymouth Pilots Owners Club.

If you haven't signed up yet, it's free to join here: https://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/owners-club-signup

We haven't got any other events planned for this season but with weather like this, we're sure to see some of you on the water!

31/07/2026

𝐁𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭.

Choosing the layout, the engine, the colour and all the finishing touches is what most new owners naturally focus on. But some of the most important parts of boat ownership are not found on the specification sheet.

Is your mooring ready and properly rigged?

Do you have the right anchor for your local waters?

Is your VHF licensed and registered with an MMSI number?

Does your insurance cover the boat throughout the winter?

Have you arranged storage before the local yards fill up?

None of these things is especially difficult to resolve. They are simply easy to overlook until the boat is nearly ready for the water.

We have brought together 13 of the practical details that frequently catch new boat owners by surprise, along with advice on when to start dealing with them.

Read the full guide: https://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/news-blog/things-missed-buying-a-boat

A boat is ready when everything around her is ready too, not just everything on her.

21/07/2026

What a brilliant day we had in Fowey on Saturday for our final Plymouth Pilot Owners Club meet of the season.

We started with brunch at the Royal Fowey Yacht Club before six Plymouth Pilots headed out together to Lantic Bay. Good food, great company and a beautiful location for our boats to gather on the water.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the day such a success. It was a fitting way to round off this year’s owners meets.

16/07/2026

Last week We wrote about what maintenance actually involves on a small motorboat. This week it is the question that sits behind that one: will it actually break down on me?

The honest answer is that the engine probably will not. A modern marine diesel, looked after properly, is one of the most dependable bits of kit you can run. What causes problems far more often is the fuel system, the electrics and the maintenance that started to slide a season or two ago.

We have written this up on the blog because the question deserves a straight answer. Worth a read if you are at the stage of working out whether a motorboat fits your life.

https://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/news-blog/how-reliable-are-small-motor-boats

09/07/2026

A flat battery has ruined more days on the water than anything dramatic.

Forecast is great, the tide right and your day is free. Then the engine will not turn over properly. Nothing's broken, but the battery has sat too long without a charge.

That is what maintenance looks like in real life most of the time. Not big repairs, not yard bills. The small thing that did not get done.

New owners often picture boat maintenance as a long list of specialist jobs they will not be able to tackle. The reality on a small displacement boat like a Plymouth Pilot is a lot more manageable. An annual engine service. Antifoul every year or two. A few smaller jobs as the boat ages.

We have written a new blog walking through what maintenance actually looks like on this kind of boat, based on the real jobs that come up year to year.

Worth a read if you have been wondering whether boat ownership is going to eat your weekends. It does not have to.

https://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/news-blog/what-plymouth-pilot-maintenance-looks-like

07/07/2026

2016 Plymouth Pilot 16 "Kitty" for sale.

We currently have a lovely example of a Plymouth Pilot 16 available through our brokerage.

Finished in traditional Rail Blue with teak rubbing strakes and stainless steel half rounds, Kitty has had one owner from new. She is fitted with a Yanmar 14hp diesel engine with approximately 100 hours on the clock.

This vessel is currently located on the River Yealm. Full details, photographs and additional information are available on the website: https://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/product/plymouth-pilot-16-kitty

Viewings to be arranged through Plymouth Pilots. Call us on 01752 482588 or email [email protected].

Address

Wixenford
Plymton
PL98AA

Telephone

01752 482588

Website

http://www.plymouthpilots.co.uk/

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