The average cost to rent a six- to eight-person berth boat in the high season, just ending, is £850 to £1,800 a week. In mid-season, from August 22nd to September 11th, it is £600 to £1,600. The low season, running from April 25th to July 3rd and after September 12th, averages from £500 to £1,100.

Licences are not necessary when hiring a boat in Ireland. Bookings are taken at operators' head offices and a deposit of a third of the hire cost is required.

The only additional cost is food. The boat comes with a full tank of fuel, which should last a week of normal cruising.