If you don’t have experience operating a boat (or even if you do!), we highly recommend taking a boating safety course. The U.S. Coast Guard offers a list of online boating safety courses. If you’re based in Alaska, the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) offers a wide array of advanced and specialized safety courses for folks in the marine industries.
Lesson 2
Buy a Boat
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Buy a Boat
To successfully run an ocean farm, you’ll need to own a boat. It is sometimes possible to lease a boat, and this is an option you could consider for your first year farming. However, very quickly you’ll want to own your own equipment, so you can make adaptations to suit your farm.
For someone who has never owned a boat before, buying one can be an intimidating step. One of the primary concerns when making this decision should be safety. You want a boat that can safely handle the weather in your region and is sturdy and big enough to haul your crew and your gear to and from your farm site, even in rough winter weather.
That said, if your site is in protected waters, or if you’re selective about your weather, it’s possible to run an ocean farm with just a small skiff. Don’t overspend on your first boat, especially while you’re still learning if ocean farming is for you. Many older boats are still in great condition and work well for ocean farming; just be wary of older outboard engines.
