But that is changing, and the newly affluent people of this country are finding some truth in Ratty's claim in the Wind in the Willows that "there is nothing quite as worth doing as simply messing about in boats". But while Ratty's vessel was powered by hand, and many of the Irish maritime exploits have been powered by sail, the propulsion method of choice these days is engine power.

And you don't need a licence to drive even a powerful boat, although a proper training course is recommended.

Motor boats come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from smaller sport boats to motor yachts that measure up to 80 feet and more. Different boats serve different purposes, and there are massive variations in price, but the overall message to those new to boating is that you can find a craft that is as expensive or as inexpensive as your needs require.

Sonas Marine is a relatively new Irish company selling sports boats, sports cruisers and motor yachts, and a quick look at its inventory gives a good idea of the sorts of things that you can get for your money. David Maguire of Sonas Marine explained the ethos behind the stock at the company.

"Rather than carrying everything out there, we go to the market, test all the boats, and decide which boat in a particular class we would buy if we were spending our own money, " he said.

So in the sports boats segment, it has opted for Four Winns and for Chris Craft. In Sport Cruisers it stocks Absolute. And in Motor Yachts, it carries a range called Pearl.

"Four Winns is an American power boat, akin to an Audi, so you get that quality build, " said Maguire. "Chris Craft is also American, but in a more specialised, classic style. I'd describe it as the Aston Martin of power boats. Absolute is an Italian built sports cruiser . . . the Ferrari of the seas - while Pearl boats, which are semi-custom built, are akin to a Bentley in terms of finish."

So how much will you pay, and for what?

An entry level Four Winns 17 ft boat, which can carry six people and whose 3.0 litre engine will deliver speeds of up to 42 mph (which feels a lot faster on the open water) will set you back a minimum of 23,500. Depending on specs, a 20 ft Chris Craft Speeder, which can get up to 62 mph very easily, will start at about 47,000. But, after that, we get serious.

And Absolute sports cruiser, which will easily match the American boats for pace but which will feel smoother thanks to the size of the boat, will start at 324,000 including VAT for a 39 footer (they range up to 60 ft). And Sonas Marine currently has in stock a Pearl 60 ft motor yacht, which come with four full cabins (two double and two twin), and is priced at 1.39m (plus VAT). But, with something like this, you could always decide to forget everything and cruise to the Mediterranean by yourself.

Another boat which is causing something of a stir at the moment is the Beneteau Flyer 12, a new sports cruiser by the French company that is on sale through BJ Marine. The Flyer 12 is a 40 ft fibreglass boat which is powered by two 370 hp Volvo IPS500 engines, but performance, reliability and improved fuel efficiency only tell part of the story.

The boat is a masterpiece of design, with every detail of the vessel carefully considered, from the lightly mirrored side windows to the ease of the joystick control.

Inside it is about as comfortable as you can get for a sports cruiser, and sleeping shouldn't be a problem for those with their sea legs.

But what will perhaps be of most interest is the ease of driving the boat . . . even novice boatmen and women should be able to dock it with even the most rudimentary training, and more experienced people will get a kick out of its manoeuvrability, even at high speeds.