I Can Fish Up Everything!

However, the license Gu Nan obtained couldn’t be used to pilot a yacht. It was valid for commercial fishing boats, but operating a recreational yacht required a different certificate.

He paid the fee and left the club with two new books and a self-study app on his phone.

Now, Gu Nan had to spend time studying the theory. Once he felt ready to pass the exam, he could schedule it through the app.

If he failed, each retake would cost an extra five hundred.

The club offered no shortcuts for the test, clearly to protect its reputation and avoid any potential trouble.

That way, if some idiot got into trouble at sea, at least the club couldn’t be held responsible.

Next, Gu Nan got back on his electric scooter and headed to the shipyards to take a look.

How could a fishing harbor like Yangjiang Port not have shipyards? Not only did it have them, but it had a lot of them.

Before 2015, every shipyard owner made a killing. Business had only slowed down in the last few years.

The shipyards were all located in the suburbs. The ride took Gu Nan about forty minutes on his scooter, and by the time he arrived, he had used up nearly half his battery. Knowing the battery would drain faster on the way back, he figured he’d have to charge it at the shipyard.

He picked a shipyard at random and told the gate guard he was there to look at boats. After a short wait, someone came to get him, and he was finally allowed inside.

The first thing Gu Nan did was ask if they had a place to charge his electric scooter.

Once his scooter was plugged in and charging, he followed the middle-aged man who was showing him around to look at the boats.

"How big of a boat are you looking for?"

"Twelve meters. Just something I can take out in coastal waters."

"Are you looking for a recreational fishing boat or a commercial one?"

"What’s the difference between them? And what about the price?"

The middle-aged man explained as he led him toward the boats. "A recreational fishing boat is primarily for angling. It’s more comfortable and convenient if that’s all you plan to do."

"A commercial fishing boat’s main purpose is to catch fish, and it’s fitted with equipment based on the type of fishing operation. Of course, you can use it for angling too, but it won’t be as comfortable as a recreational boat."

"In terms of price, it mostly depends on the internal equipment you choose. But for the hull alone, a recreational fishing boat is also a bit more expensive than a commercial one."

Hearing this, Gu Nan felt he had a better understanding. Thinking of the small fishing boats at the docks, he asked curiously, "At the Yangjiang Port fishing docks, there are these small boats, a little over ten meters, that seem to be specifically for pulling gillnets. How much does a boat like that cost?"

"Those? A brand-new one, equipped with a winch for the gillnets and other basic gear, would run you between 180,000 and 200,000."

Gu Nan’s expression didn’t change, but inwardly he was stunned. ’A beat-up boat like that costs 180,000?’

And that wasn’t all. The middle-aged man continued, "A small boat like that can only go out a few times a month. It’s very dependent on the weather."

"They have to wait for the wind and waves to be calm before going out. I’d estimate they only make it out five or six times a month!"

"Can they even make money then?"

"The annual income is between 250,000 and 300,000. With three or four people on a boat, each person can make 70,000 to 80,000, no problem."

"That’s hard-earned money, then!"

"Going out to sea has always been hard work for your pay."

Chatting, they arrived at a large, warehouse-like space filled with boat hulls.

There were small, blue commercial fishing boats and white recreational ones.

The middle-aged man led him to the middle of the warehouse and said, "The boats on either side here are all 12.8 meters. Take a look, which kind do you need?"

Once Gu Nan learned how dependent these small boats were on the weather, he lost interest. ’If I can only go out four or five times a month, what the hell am I going to fish for?’

But he went over for a look anyway, only to discover that the exteriors of the commercial fishing boats were covered in wooden planks.

"Are these all wooden boats?"

"The inside is fiberglass. They’re just covered with wooden planks on the outside."