Do I buy a boat, or don't I?
Discussion
Hi all - after the wisdon of PH to sound out a (small) dilemma with myself!
I have always wanted a boat of some sort for pottering about on the river, for weekends, and possibly weeks away.
I am now in the fortunate position of not only finding a boat that suits my needs, but also having permission from SWMBO!!!
I have my eye on a 20 foot river cruiser, on its own trailer. I have space for storage at my house, albeit not undercover. There is a free slipway about 15 minutes drive away from home, onto the Thames.
Now - my quandry is this... Will I use the boat enough to justify it?? As it stands this year, if I were to buy the boat next week, let's say, by the time I've done a few bits to make it how I want it, I reckon June will be on us. I'm then away for 2 weeks in June, another week in July, and also 2 weeks at the end of Sugust / beginning of September.
In my thinking, I would probably use it for 3 or 4 weekends this summer, and maybe the same again in the autumn. In your experiences, will having the boat on a trailer and not a mooring make it less likely that I'll want the hassle, bearing in mind it's not too far to the river, to sort it out and take it away?
On the other hand, would only using it for a few weekends this year mean I'll get a good idea of what I want to do to it, and sort all of that out over the winter?
Any thoughts - especially from anyone who's been in a similar position - would be gratefully received!
I have always wanted a boat of some sort for pottering about on the river, for weekends, and possibly weeks away.
I am now in the fortunate position of not only finding a boat that suits my needs, but also having permission from SWMBO!!!
I have my eye on a 20 foot river cruiser, on its own trailer. I have space for storage at my house, albeit not undercover. There is a free slipway about 15 minutes drive away from home, onto the Thames.
Now - my quandry is this... Will I use the boat enough to justify it?? As it stands this year, if I were to buy the boat next week, let's say, by the time I've done a few bits to make it how I want it, I reckon June will be on us. I'm then away for 2 weeks in June, another week in July, and also 2 weeks at the end of Sugust / beginning of September.
In my thinking, I would probably use it for 3 or 4 weekends this summer, and maybe the same again in the autumn. In your experiences, will having the boat on a trailer and not a mooring make it less likely that I'll want the hassle, bearing in mind it's not too far to the river, to sort it out and take it away?
On the other hand, would only using it for a few weekends this year mean I'll get a good idea of what I want to do to it, and sort all of that out over the winter?
Any thoughts - especially from anyone who's been in a similar position - would be gratefully received!
I was in exactly your position a year ago.
This is where I spent today:
Wind in the trees, gentle rocking, G&T, feel the stress melt away.
'Nuff said?
If you have your own slipway you'll save mooring/marina fees, which is the biggest lump, and craning for winter/antifoul. There will be a river licence, probably not much change from £300, and a BSS test (like an MOT) every four years.
The good news is that unless quite new, boats hold their value very well so the capital is safe.
Do it. If you get to a point where you feel it's not worth it, you can always sell it and get you mony back
This is where I spent today:
Wind in the trees, gentle rocking, G&T, feel the stress melt away.
'Nuff said?
If you have your own slipway you'll save mooring/marina fees, which is the biggest lump, and craning for winter/antifoul. There will be a river licence, probably not much change from £300, and a BSS test (like an MOT) every four years.
The good news is that unless quite new, boats hold their value very well so the capital is safe.
Do it. If you get to a point where you feel it's not worth it, you can always sell it and get you mony back
They are a nightmare, cost a lot of money and waste a lot of time.
But.
Spending an afternoon bobbing around on a boat with your family and having food and drinks more than makes up for it. Even if it's just a few times a year.
(Kind of. They're mostly a pain in the arse)
But.
Spending an afternoon bobbing around on a boat with your family and having food and drinks more than makes up for it. Even if it's just a few times a year.
(Kind of. They're mostly a pain in the arse)
Edited by blambert on Sunday 15th May 03:51
Mr Dave said:
Regret something you have done, rather than regret something you havent done!
I like this approach!Okay - I think I've made up my mind to go for it, and have looked at getting the towbar fitted.
My still one remaining niggle is that a boat will go the same way as my R/C helicopter, which is still on top of the wardrobe in the spare room - lack of places to fly are the main culprit for not flying, but also it's just that what seemed like a great idea at the time was great for the first summer, then tailed off the next year through to zero use 18 months after purchase....
So - anyone want to buy a Raptor v30 R/C helicopter????
Well, they do say that you should only buy a boat if you are able to afford not to use it, seeing as most if the time it will be sitting in yoru driveway annoying your wife.
Of course it's not all about the maths, but have a think about renting and see how that compare to medium/long term ownership.
Of course it's not all about the maths, but have a think about renting and see how that compare to medium/long term ownership.
prand said:
Of course it's not all about the maths, but have a think about renting and see how that compare to medium/long term ownership.
Hiring a boat has the big advantage of being able to travel any waterway, but it's very different from actually owing one where you can just pop over for a day or two as the fancy takes you. On a hire boat you feel under pressure to travel as far as possible to see as much as possible to get your moneysworth, whereas on your own boat that doesn't apply - indeed sometimes the opposite (see 'potter' above!)Anyway, with a trailer and by keeping it at home you're saving 90% of the runnign costs anyway. Git
MOTORVATOR said:
You've let your guard down there Jon. What you getting?
Nnnghh!I'd really like a boat that's the same but 10% bigger all round - most specifically a cabin that's not 2" lower than I am (it didn't seem an issue when I was looking!).
I'm addicted to Freeman interiors so a 24 was on the browsing list, but it needs to be the full convertible version with single diesel, which cuts out many of them. I also love the boat I have, so it's a case of waiting and watching... maybe a 24 will appear that says 'buy me' and maybe it won't...
Hook line and sinker.
So something like this.
http://www.boatshop24.com/en/motor-boats/freeman-2...
Cheap enough to put a new diesel in whenever you like with money left over and we get to see you in the North Sea after all bringing it home.
:Retires from lighting touchpaper.
So something like this.
http://www.boatshop24.com/en/motor-boats/freeman-2...
Cheap enough to put a new diesel in whenever you like with money left over and we get to see you in the North Sea after all bringing it home.
:Retires from lighting touchpaper.
Edited by MOTORVATOR on Monday 16th May 18:33
MOTORVATOR said:
Cheap enough to put a new diesel in whenever you like with money left over and we get to see you in the North Sea after all bringing it home.
£6,500 is half peice; what's wrong with it I wonder?On the plus side it's white (most are beige) and has a central doorway (not to starboard so you get an extra cupboard), but the interior is a bit shabby and fitting a diesel and soft-top will be £7,000, which takes it to £13,500. Your offer to drive it back from Algeria or wherever (east of Margate anyway) and get a BSS is very kind though
It remnids me of something I learned last year - the perfect boat doesn't exist - ATEOTD you have to take the best compromise... you know it when you think 'I'm not going home without it'
Simpo Two said:
£6,500 is half peice; what's wrong with it I wonder?
On the plus side it's white (most are beige) and has a central doorway (not to starboard so you get an extra cupboard), but the interior is a bit shabby and fitting a diesel and soft-top will be £7,000, which takes it to £13,500. Your offer to drive it back from Algeria or wherever (east of Margate anyway) and get a BSS is very kind though
It remnids me of something I learned last year - the perfect boat doesn't exist - ATEOTD you have to take the best compromise... you know it when you think 'I'm not going home without it'
'tis cheap isn't it? Just caught my eye when I had a quick look at what you were talking about with the fully convertable bit.On the plus side it's white (most are beige) and has a central doorway (not to starboard so you get an extra cupboard), but the interior is a bit shabby and fitting a diesel and soft-top will be £7,000, which takes it to £13,500. Your offer to drive it back from Algeria or wherever (east of Margate anyway) and get a BSS is very kind though
It remnids me of something I learned last year - the perfect boat doesn't exist - ATEOTD you have to take the best compromise... you know it when you think 'I'm not going home without it'
Netherlands, last time I looked, is what us heathens refer to as Holland. Land of loose women and wacky baccy. So with the compass after stocking up you will just need to steer a course of 270 and you should hit somewhere on the English coast in good order.
You're right about boats being a compromise. Sometimes you want something a bit sporty, then creature comforts, compact then large.
I've found the best solution is to own two but haven't worked out how to drive them both at the same time.
Anyway do you reckon we've convinced the OP to join the dark side?
Okay, okay - I'm convinced. I don't think I'd lose much, if any, on theboat over a few years, provided I look after it and smarten it up a bit.
As for the amount of use, I reckon I'll do days out and weekends out most of the time - I think from making a decision to go out in the boat, to actually being afloat would be less than an hour, which I think is perfectly reasonable even to go out for an afternoon on - so can't go wrong really.
Now I just need to sort out a towbar, and go boat shopping!! Have a couple lined up taht I really like the look of....
As for the amount of use, I reckon I'll do days out and weekends out most of the time - I think from making a decision to go out in the boat, to actually being afloat would be less than an hour, which I think is perfectly reasonable even to go out for an afternoon on - so can't go wrong really.
Now I just need to sort out a towbar, and go boat shopping!! Have a couple lined up taht I really like the look of....
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