25 ways to get out on the water

1. Buy a gin palace
Say “billionaire playboy” to yourself. Now think of the boat that goes with it. There won’t be be a sail in sight, because the biggest, most outrageous boats are way too big to be powered by wind. They need all the power in those huge engines to get them moving. And who wants to sweat and heave on ropes, or even to watch others do it, when there’s entertaining to be done and gin to be consumed? What the salty sailors forget is that it’s not the journey that counts, but what you do when you get there. And what better place is there to host the ultimate private party than your own super yacht?

2. Buy a sailing yacht
But then what do playboys know of romance? They forget that the real thrill of the water is the journey. Boats should be peaceful, practical, great fun and environmentally sound. That means having a mast and doing some work. The real adventure is not in posing, partying and impressing guests with the onboard entertainment—it’s hanging over the rail during a force-10 gale amid mountainous seas, followed by a beautifully peaceful sunrise in the middle of nowhere, with no one else in sight.

3. Start with a small boat
If the bank balance won’t stretch to a super yacht, don’t panic, there’s a boat for you. James Barke, managing director of family-owned Essex Boatyards, has worked with boats all his life. He says the desire to progress to bigger and better boats is natural. “I had one customer who, having started with a £5,000 motorboat, traded-up six times during one year. He ended up with a 40ft cruiser.” Barke has seen a huge increase in spending on boats in the last five years. “As people find borrowing easier they are buying newer boats. All sorts of people buy boats now. In the morning I’ll sell a £5,000 starter boat and later that day I’ll sell a boat for £1m.”

4. Catch a ferry
Practical, fun and low cost: is there a better way to enjoy a cheap boat ride? Despite the film-set appeal of the 20-minute hop from Manhattan to Staten Island in New York, for sheer drama you can’t beat a ferry across Sydney Harbour. Seen for the first time from the water, the Opera House seems to glow. Not a bad way to spend a few dollars.

5. Go on a cruise
Cruises used to be stuffy affairs, with formal evenings (who wants to take ties on holiday?) and much debate over who sat at the captain’s table for dinner. But cruising is broadening its appeal. With less focus on questionable light entertainment and more on adventurous trips and high-quality food, cruising is enjoying a renaissance

6. Take a river cruise
For those unsure of their sea legs, but keen to discover the appeal of cruising, a trip along one of the world’s famous rivers is a good alternative. The pitch is sedate luxury. While river cruises traditionally focused on cultural trips up Europe’s famous waterways—think Danube, Rhine or Seine—you can now catch a luxury tour pretty much anywhere from the Nile to Kerala in southern India. It’s slow, gentle and relaxing—the perfect antidote to a stressful life. www.travelrenaissance.com

7. Go on a sailing holiday
Beach holidays: who needs them? Well, I do. But for others, holidays are for trying something new. This has led to a boom in activity-based holidays such as sailing breaks, with options everywhere from Antigua to Zanzibar. The kids race dinghies all day, mum works on the tan or goes to the spa and dad gets to sail the boat he dreams of owning. Chris Satchwell, director of worldwide yachting at sailing holiday giant Sunsail, says: “People are after a healthier lifestyle. They want to eat and drink in the evening and feel they deserve it.” www.sunsail.co.uk.

8. Buy a speedboat
While sailors talk about romance, for guaranteed speed you need a motor. They may be bad for the environment, but speedboats are fun. Last year a Bladerunner from Ice Marine set a new record for sailing around Britain, completing the trip in not much over 27 hours.  www.icemarine.co.uk; www.jetsmarivent.com

9. Sail around the world
Round-the-world sailing brings to mind names such as Ellen MacArthur. While veteran sea dogs treat circumnavigation as a professional challenge, others do it for fun. Mere mortals, if they are prepared to put in the time and money, can join a crew for all or a part of the major round-the-world yacht races. Since 1995 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has been organising the Clipper Race. The current race ends in Liverpool in July, with the next one starting in 2007. Only serious sailors and non-claustrophobics need apply. www.clipper-ventures.co.uk.

10. Go to sailing school
If the idea of a round-the-world race appeals, or if you just fancy a gentle holiday bobbing in the  Caribbean sun under your own steam, with no one to tell you where to go, then it’s time to learn the ropes at a sailing school. There are a number of schools around the UK, with an inevitable concentration on the Solent. Courses vary in length, as does the qualification you wobble away with. But make sure courses are approved by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). The good news for the lily-livered is that the RYA has relaxed its insistence that courses take place in tidal waters (which are naturally in cooler climates). Sunsail now runs schools in the Canary Islands and the Caribbean. www.sunsail.co.uk; www.ondeck.co.uk

11. Race yachts for fun
Despite talk of harnessing nature and pitting wits against the elements, what sailors enjoy is pitting wits against other sailors. Whether a long-distance race, or shorter regatta events, the thrill is that races are often be won by seconds. Andy Middleton, director of Global Yacht Racing, puts together crews to race in major events around the world. At this level, he points out, competing is an achievement in itself. While some races are open to a range of boats and use a time-based handicap system, purists prefer one-design races that test sailors more directly against each other. One-design racing allows participants to see exactly where they are in the race. www.globalyachtracing.com

12. Join a club
If there’s one thing better than having a luxury yacht, it’s having access to several. And one thing better still is having access to a bespoke travel service that will take you from your home to the boat, as well as sorting out entry to the sort of marina clubs that mere mortals wait years to join. Privatsea, a new members’ club, offers such a service. You buy a number of points that are redeemed, either for time onboard one of their growing fleet of luxury yachts or for travel services such as flights and helicopter transfers. www.privatsea.co.uk

13. Ponce about Monaco
Can’t afford a boat? Don’t worry, just dress the part and hang around the right bars and clubs in Monaco. Some moneyed fool looking to host the greatest party on earth is bound to invite you onto their yacht. Just remember not to leave your dignity at home. Pretend to be unimpressed by the opulence and wealth—it’s all part of the scenery. And try not to steal anything on the way out.

14. Buy a houseboat
It’s all very well getting on the boat for a party, holiday or sailing trip—but it’s not the full experience. To get that you have to live the life and live on the boat. Where houseboats have disappointed in the past—neither making good boats or comfortable houses—things are changing. With architects and interior designers getting involved, modern houseboats can be a delight. And if the damp and the cold are a concern, take the boat somewhere hot. www.houseboatcentre.co.uk

15. Get a canal boat
One option for boat dwelling is the traditional canal boat, although here the variety of design is more limited. With an average width of just seven metres and a design that dates back centuries, the appeal of a canal boat has been more for a water-based holiday than anything permanent. The relaxed and unhurried pace certainly appeals to those looking to unwind, while opening lockgates provides gentle and regular exercise. Now an ex-yacht designer has applied the skills he acquired in the yachting world to canal boats. The result—the Phoenix 58—is a stunning addition to canals everywhere, with a large, open seating area at the back and a luxurious interior. www.phoenix58.com

16. Charter a yacht
While the Phoenix brings a touch of luxury yachting to canal boats, yachts themselves are getting larger and more spacious. The result is that more families and friends are looking to charter yachts for a couple of weeks sailing holiday. As Chris Satchwell, director of worldwide yachting at sailing giant Sunsail, explains: “Today yachts offer accommodation that’s good enough for all the family. Chartering a boat gets them out of a concrete hotel and offers a different sort of holiday.” Whether you are an experienced sailor looking for a chance to take on a bareboat (uncrewed) charter or a first-timer eager to get on board with a skipper and a crew, there’s likely to be a boat out there to suit your needs. www.yachtcharterguide.com; www.yca.co.uk

17. Buy into a syndicate
Enviable as it might be, the millionaire’s lifestyle comes with the burdens of ownership (poor things, how do you cope?), so companies are stepping into the gap and creating schemes for fractional ownership. Why spend all that money on a yacht you’ll only ever see for a few weeks in the year? Mantis, for example, offers the chance to buy part of a fully crewed and seriously luxurious Sunseeker yacht, while other schemes, such as Seashare ,provide access to time aboard your own sailing yacht (10 weeks, in the case of Seashare). Another relatively low-cost scheme is offered by Sunsail. In order to refresh its fleet, it allows people to buy a yacht and place it in their scheme. In exchange, the owners get a share of the money raised through chartering and 10 weeks a year either on their own boat or on any in the Sunsail fleet, anywhere in the world. After five years, the boat is yours. www.seashare.co.uk;  www.sunsail.co.uk; www.mantisinternational.co.uk

18. Visit the Norfolk Broads
If the limited space on a standard canal boat doesn’t appeal, but chugging around scenic inland waterways in the UK or elsewhere does, then why not hire a small cruiser and get out on the rivers and canals. It’s safe, economical and lots of fun. And there are always plenty of pubs to visit along the way.

19. Hire a rowing boat
There’s no excuse not to get on the water. Live in the city? Then visit the river or a park with a lake. Someone will have a stack of boats to hire out. What are you waiting for? Get that picnic hamper together and off you go. Just watch out for soggy sandwiches and don’t leave your crisp packets for the swans.

20. Buy a fishing boat
Most people in the UK buy a boat not to impress their pals, but to have fun. And for an increasing number of UK boat owners that means fishing. It’s the biggest participation sport in the UK, and one of the fastest growing sectors is sea fishing. James Barke of Essex Boatyards confirms this trend: “Fishing boats are very popular. We sell a lot of specialist boats, but a lot of people also use ordinary cruisers for fishing.” www.essexboatyards.co.uk

21. Buy a jet ski
The Royal Yachting Association may call them “personal watercraft”, but you and I know they are jet skis—loud, brash, vulgar and great fun. Whether you are at a local lake or on holiday in the Mediterranean, just watch where you are going, look out for swimmers and don’t forget to hold on tight.

22. Visit Cowes Week
Of all the sailing-friendly parts of the UK, nowhere can match the Isle of Wight—the spiritual home of UK sailing. And if you are going to visit, then there’s no better time than Skandia Cowes Week. From July 29 to August 5, 2006, the Solent will full to bursting with boats bobbing and tacking their way around various courses. Make sure you are wearing standard issue deck shoes, shorts and polo shirt if you don’t want to stand out. If that’s not your style, opt for white trousers, blazer and captain’s hat. This year the organisers are expecting in excess of 1,500 yachts and over 8,000 sailors. www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk

23. Start an IT company
It may not be the obvious route to the water, but a look at a table of who owns the world’s biggest yachts proves that it helps to be in IT. Thanks to their personal rivalry, Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen have created a two-man boom in “gigayachts”. Much to the chagrin of both, the Arab oil dynasties appear reluctant to let go of their age-old dominance. The current holder of the “I’ve got the biggest boat” badge is the Crown Prince of Dubai, whose boat clocks in at 525ft. It won’t be long before someone designs a yacht over 600ft—that’s the length of two football pitches.

24. Join a sailing club
It may lack the glamour of Monaco, but every weekend millions of people in the UK strap themselves into small lasers and dinghies and sail around the local lake. It’s a cheap way of learning the basics and finding out if this sailing thing is for you. www.rya.org.uk

25. Buy a catamaran
One hull or two? It’s a question the world’s yachting fraternity have been asking for years. While space limitations in marinas have limited their popularity in the UK, elsewhere people love the extra space and the extra stability offered by a double hull. Now Sir Richard Branson has joined the pro-catamaran lobby, in some style. His offering, the Lady B (named for his wife and previously known as the Lady Barbaretta) is the world’s largest catamaran. It’s 32 metres long and claims to be the largest all-carbon, multi-hull yacht of its kind. Decked out in style, it’s yours for £50,000 a week. If you’d perfer to own, you could do worse than buy a share of Quantum Blue—a £3.5m, state-of-the-art catamaran launching this year.