Which boat for next summer?

[Louis Balfour]

fushion julz said:

Louis Balfour said:

Okay, Captain Tolly kicked into touch. Tomorrow, silicone.

Looking around the boat, I am appalled at how "not new" it looks. Fender rubs, atomic bird poo stains, bathing ladder tarnished, scuff on bathing platform, cracked fender rail mount. If it were a car I would be mortified.

This one should last us until Christmas. By my calculation, we should require one new boat per annum.

I shall join the crowd saying that you can't be too precious about a boat...Firstly, you aren't on it the whole time and, unlike a car, it moves around on a mooring. Other people are not always careful so end up rubbing or bashing either the hull or things on the boat.
Then you have the water element...At least you are on freshwater, but *any* water has a nastyhabit of getting in where it isn't wanted. That alone tends to make things break or look old prematurley!

Your boat is new, so shows any small mark as an immediate blot on the fresh canvas....
A year in and you will both worry less and notice less...as well, of course, as having developed techniques for minimizing or repairing any "issues".

My boat (bought almost a year ago) is a 1966 wooden hulled 23ft cruiser. This winter the list of jobs was bigger than either the budget for them or the time to carry them all out...polishing the few scuffs off the hull is way down the list!

But I like my toys new and shiny, sob.

But seriously, I have never owned a toy that I have kept in the water, used in howling wind and in the proximity of unforgiving concrete and iron. I really need to put on my big boy trousers and get over it.

[Simpo Two]

Within limits, yes or it'll spoil your enjoyment. Boating is more of a contact sport than motoring, albeit unintentional. If your cars moved around randomly when parked or manouvering they'd get dinged too

Practice/experience will reduce the DQ (ding quotient) but not eliminate it.

[Badda]

Maintaining/improving/repairing the boat is part of the ownership experience and can be an enjoyable part. I love nothing more than sometimes heading to the boat for the day to do little odd jobs - bit of time on my own away from family, music, coffee, maybe a cigar, bit of work on the boat, maybe a little trip out for a couple of hours. It's properly therapeutic and makes family time on the boat all about fun rather than watching me do mundane chores.

[Simpo Two]

Badda said:

Maintaining/improving/repairing the boat is part of the ownership experience and can be an enjoyable part. I love nothing more than sometimes heading to the boat for the day to do little odd jobs - bit of time on my own away from family, music, coffee, maybe a cigar, bit of work on the boat, maybe a little trip out for a couple of hours. It's properly therapeutic and makes family time on the boat all about fun rather than watching me do mundane chores.

Bingo. Little projects are great - almost everything in my boat has been improved/adjusted/levelled in the 8+ years I've had it. From making a recessed handle for the foredeck hatch to adding decking to the bathing platform... and all points in-between. And this is what makes it much closer to a small house than a big car. Make a little sketch, list the tools, take the tools, motor out to a quiet bit of bank, potter about, lunch, more pottering, make a note of the tool you need but didn't bring, then up stakes and head back to base before sunset. Ratty & Mole.

[Louis Balfour]

Yesterday, we went on the Trent with an RYA instructor and did 3 different locks twice. Whilst we will now be a lot better at negotiating them, I realise that I really hate locks. They are dirty, slow and high risk. If I need to navigate many more of them, I might wrap myself with the anchor chain and throw myself overboard.

I am doing my radio course next month and then I think we need to go coastal. I am looking at the cost of a trailer, tow bar and storage and I am thinking the cost is prohibitive. Can anyone suggest a decent firm that will collect the boat from the marina and deposit it in the water somewhere on the coast?

[Simpo Two]

Louis Balfour said:

I am doing my radio course next month and then I think we need to go coastal. I am looking at the cost of a trailer, tow bar and storage and I am thinking the cost is prohibitive. Can anyone suggest a decent firm that will collect the boat from the marina and deposit it in the water somewhere on the coast?

Tony Tugboats has a good reputation among people I know and is well priced: http://www.tonytugboats.com/13.html

But will you want him to come back in the evening and return the boat to your marina? That's a very expensive way to use a boat.

[Louis Balfour]

Simpo Two said:

Louis Balfour said:

I am doing my radio course next month and then I think we need to go coastal. I am looking at the cost of a trailer, tow bar and storage and I am thinking the cost is prohibitive. Can anyone suggest a decent firm that will collect the boat from the marina and deposit it in the water somewhere on the coast?

Tony Tugboats has a good reputation among people I know and is well priced: http://www.tonytugboats.com/13.html

But will you want him to come back in the evening and return the boat to your marina? That's a very expensive way to use a boat.

No I would ship it away for a week or two and then ship it back. Thanks for the rec.

[paintman]

Next decision will be where you want it taken & where you will stay when it's there - unless you want somewhere with reasonable daily travel from your home with the odd overnight on it.

I can see for some of the more popular destinations - esp the south coast & southwest - holiday let accomodation this summer might be problematic as many will be holidaying in the UK rather than going abroad.

I expect you'll get plenty of recommendation but somewhere like Falmouth might be worth considering.

Been holidaying on the Lizard for over 50 years with assorted small boats - for fishing - over that time. Friend of mine now lives locally & keeps a very nice Norfolk Gypsy on a swinging mooring at Pascos boatyard on the Fal & we've spent some time out with him.

Plenty to explore up the Fal, Helford is literally just round the corner & if you were feeling adventurous & the weather forecast is good then the Scillies are within easy reach.
I would suggest a small tender with outboard.

ETA Might be of interest: https://www.mby.com/cruising/falmouth-marinas-bert...

Edited by paintman on Wednesday 14th April 11:42

[Simpo Two]

Louis Balfour said:

No I would ship it away for a week or two and then ship it back. Thanks for the rec.

I know nothing about how offshore works; can you just moor a boat to some random buoy for free and paddle out to it? Or is the plan to check in to a marina for a week?

[LFB531]

If you were going to try coastal, maybe a holiday harbour berth would be the way to go initially. Just as an example, Bembridge Harbour on the IOW charges about £30 per night for something the size of your MF for a proper berth with electric. I'd personally be going for the easiest life possible the first time I tried it so don't mess with swing moorings or the like.

http://www.bembridgeharbour.co.uk/berthing/visitor...

Plenty of accommodation options around there (normally!) and loads to explore on and off the water. Get the MF dropped in at Portsmouth or Southampton, load it up and away you go!

[Jaguar steve]

Simpo Two said:

Louis Balfour said:

No I would ship it away for a week or two and then ship it back. Thanks for the rec.

I know nothing about how offshore works; can you just moor a boat to some random buoy for free and paddle out to it? Or is the plan to check in to a marina for a week?

Offshore and tidal you may anchor wherever you wish with your own ground tackle providing its not in a fairway, specifically prohibited area or you risk fouling anybody else's anchor and chain. Obviously there are more sensible places than others to do this and the col regs require you to identify you're at anchor wherever you are but in practice not everybody does so.

The etiquette for using somebody else's mooring buoy is either you ask permission first and pay if you have too or somebody capable of moving the boat always stays on board and does so immediately when asked. There may be visitors buoys provided by boatyards or sailing clubs and the expectation in the latter is you join members in the clubhouse and drink beer or stick a tenner in the RNLI box.

Picking up a buoy with a tender on or putting a heavy boat onto a mooring designed for much smaller craft is a nono unless its a real emergency.

Buoys with a slimy weed encrusted strop are usually the best choice. Weeds tell you the strop has been in the water for some time and the buoy may not be in use. A big handful of astern is always a plan once tied on just in case the buoy isn't being used for a very good reason...

[fushion julz]

Simpo Two said:

I know nothing about how offshore works; can you just moor a boat to some random buoy for free and paddle out to it? Or is the plan to check in to a marina for a week?

As a rule, no. The mooring buoys are laid and owned by someone...harbour authority or marina, for example, and they will charge you for the privilege of using their facility.
Also bear in mind that, unless they are visitor buoys, someone may very well be the owner/renter of that mooring and be back later in the day.

You can, however, anchor in most places marked on the charts as anchorages for free although harbour dues may be payable.

[MOTORVATOR]

Simpo Two said:

Louis Balfour said:

Given that the boat is going to be used quite hard, I anticipate a shopping list of repairs by the end of the season. Is there any reason why I wouldn't just seal up the cracks and add it to the list of things to do?

Nope, good idea.

You can also get gelcoat filler eg https://www.foxschandlery.com/white-gelcoat-filler... but I haven't tried it.

1/2kg of Scott Bader 337 as that will match 90% of boats out there, 100 ml of wax solution for the last coat and you'll be good for a few seasons of crashing into stuff.

As for the fender and alighting issues you should consider purchasing a cheap ali ladder, screw a lump of 1/4 ply to the rungs and presto you have a combined boarding plank and fender board at your disposal. To achieve a proper Essex look and impress Simpo you could nail this to your roofrack for storage.

[fushion julz]

Louis Balfour said:

Yesterday, we went on the Trent with an RYA instructor and did 3 different locks twice. Whilst we will now be a lot better at negotiating them, I realise that I really hate locks. They are dirty, slow and high risk. If I need to navigate many more of them, I might wrap myself with the anchor chain and throw myself overboard.

I am doing my radio course next month and then I think we need to go coastal. I am looking at the cost of a trailer, tow bar and storage and I am thinking the cost is prohibitive. Can anyone suggest a decent firm that will collect the boat from the marina and deposit it in the water somewhere on the coast?

Can you not just motor out of the Trent onto the sea?

[paintman]

fushion julz said:

Can you not just motor out of the Trent onto the sea?

Yes, but might not be the best choice for a first expedition
https://humber.com/Yachting_and_Leisure/Pleasure_C...

[paintman]

And if you do & go south it's the Linconshire coast & then into The Wash & on to the top of Norfolk.
All a bit flat & featureless without much to explore.

[Simpo Two]

paintman said:

And if you do & go south it's the Linconshire coast & then into The Wash & on to the top of Norfolk.
All a bit flat & featureless without much to explore.

Well if he comes down The Wash and through Denver he can explore my patch!

[Louis Balfour]

paintman said:

fushion julz said:

Can you not just motor out of the Trent onto the sea?

Yes, but might not be the best choice for a first expedition
https://humber.com/Yachting_and_Leisure/Pleasure_C...

It takes about 10 hours to the Humber, which is then dirty and difficult apparently. Grimsby is near there I think and I've never seen Judith Charmers do a report on the place.

Thanks everyone for the answers to Simpo's questions about swing moorings. It was a question that was on my mind too.

It sounds like we need a berth in a harbour first time out, if we can find one.

[PushedDover]

OP are you set up gear wise for some sterner seas?
Safety gear ?
Spare outboard etc ?

Also
Is your standard anchor and rode for pissing about in the rivers? A toothpick for any seas / current ?


However - epic progression being played out here from the original position on day 1

I would wonder if whether you and you crew would make light work of the locks with practise and teamwork ??

[surveyor]

I've got a rough idea of where you must be based.

My own thoughts are to get used to the locks. The East coast has a bit of a reputation and is not the easiest place for new boat owners. Marina's are relatively few and far also.

If you put it on the South Coast its hours away, unless it's in Cornwall in which case it's a day away. This year you may also struggle to get accommodation in the summer.

You also miss out on the summer evening jumping on the boat and heading up to the pubs at Gunthorpe for a Gin and Tonic...

By all means get it down to the sea in some way. But don't leave it there!