Looking for a boat
Discussion
Simpo Two said:
Sound logic, but there's more to boating than simply the bottom line. Otherwise nobody would have one.
In practice there's a vast difference between owning and hiring - I do both. I've had a cabin cruiser for 10+ years and it's a small floating getaway I can use whenever I like. I can get up, look at the sun outside and think 'I'll have a day on the river!'. But it's limited in size and always in the same location. So hiring a bigger boat in a different place for a week is equally great - and a completely different experience. You also get no choice of weather!
I can't speak for offshore, but inland boating is not expensive; for me no more than £2.5K a year including everything, and a smaller boat would be less. I consider it money well spent for the getaway.
Going to hijack the thread here and ask you for a spot of advice. In practice there's a vast difference between owning and hiring - I do both. I've had a cabin cruiser for 10+ years and it's a small floating getaway I can use whenever I like. I can get up, look at the sun outside and think 'I'll have a day on the river!'. But it's limited in size and always in the same location. So hiring a bigger boat in a different place for a week is equally great - and a completely different experience. You also get no choice of weather!
I can't speak for offshore, but inland boating is not expensive; for me no more than £2.5K a year including everything, and a smaller boat would be less. I consider it money well spent for the getaway.
I grew up on boats, sailing on the south coast every weekend. I've been wondering what to do this summer with the children. I do everything last minute, hate planning. I've always just woken up and decided what to do, booked it and gone.
Obviously that lifestyle has imploded. Everything needs to be planned and booked in advance. I can't stand that because the chance are I'll wake up that day with a better plan or just wanting to do something different.
Anyway, I'm landlocked in the Cotswolds but have the Thames near enough that I've started contemplating just buying a floating caravan. I've never contemplated a river boat before and I don't envisage that I'd want to keep it for long and for it be a pet of my life but maybe a few years while the girls are at the age where something like this will be a great adventure.
However, I'm kind of assuming that anything currently on the market is going to be either a bit crapped out or knackered?
I started off think I'd just stick the old Avon that I've kept from my childhood and the 5hp outboard in the boot of the car, then thought I'd grab something with a cuddy, then thought one might as well look at something that we could sleep onboard and I've currently got to a 32' old Princess.
Would I be right in assuming prices at the moment are heavily inflated? And that in normal times they take forever to sell?
Also, so long as the thing works, excluding mooring fees what are the other big costs?
Also, how far in advance do you need to book overnight moorings in nice places? As I suspect that would end up being the thing that makes me tin this latest daft idea.
DonkeyApple said:
Simpo Two said:
Sound logic, but there's more to boating than simply the bottom line. Otherwise nobody would have one.
In practice there's a vast difference between owning and hiring - I do both. I've had a cabin cruiser for 10+ years and it's a small floating getaway I can use whenever I like. I can get up, look at the sun outside and think 'I'll have a day on the river!'. But it's limited in size and always in the same location. So hiring a bigger boat in a different place for a week is equally great - and a completely different experience. You also get no choice of weather!
I can't speak for offshore, but inland boating is not expensive; for me no more than £2.5K a year including everything, and a smaller boat would be less. I consider it money well spent for the getaway.
Going to hijack the thread here and ask you for a spot of advice. In practice there's a vast difference between owning and hiring - I do both. I've had a cabin cruiser for 10+ years and it's a small floating getaway I can use whenever I like. I can get up, look at the sun outside and think 'I'll have a day on the river!'. But it's limited in size and always in the same location. So hiring a bigger boat in a different place for a week is equally great - and a completely different experience. You also get no choice of weather!
I can't speak for offshore, but inland boating is not expensive; for me no more than £2.5K a year including everything, and a smaller boat would be less. I consider it money well spent for the getaway.
I grew up on boats, sailing on the south coast every weekend. I've been wondering what to do this summer with the children. I do everything last minute, hate planning. I've always just woken up and decided what to do, booked it and gone.
Obviously that lifestyle has imploded. Everything needs to be planned and booked in advance. I can't stand that because the chance are I'll wake up that day with a better plan or just wanting to do something different.
Anyway, I'm landlocked in the Cotswolds but have the Thames near enough that I've started contemplating just buying a floating caravan. I've never contemplated a river boat before and I don't envisage that I'd want to keep it for long and for it be a pet of my life but maybe a few years while the girls are at the age where something like this will be a great adventure.
However, I'm kind of assuming that anything currently on the market is going to be either a bit crapped out or knackered?
I started off think I'd just stick the old Avon that I've kept from my childhood and the 5hp outboard in the boot of the car, then thought I'd grab something with a cuddy, then thought one might as well look at something that we could sleep onboard and I've currently got to a 32' old Princess.
Would I be right in assuming prices at the moment are heavily inflated? And that in normal times they take forever to sell?
Also, so long as the thing works, excluding mooring fees what are the other big costs?
Also, how far in advance do you need to book overnight moorings in nice places? As I suspect that would end up being the thing that makes me tin this latest daft idea.
Based upon our experience of buying a boat in the past few months, you have left it far too late to buy anything with which you will be happy. It will either be rubbish, overpriced and possibly both. If you call every broker you can find and tell them you've got cash to spend today, you MIGHT strike lucky. But it is very much a seller's market so you won't be getting a bargain. When you have decided that it is no longer required, you will be selling it into a market where everyone is on a flight to Spain again.
My biggest concern at the moment is getting work completed. My worst nightmare is getting a fault that stops the boat being used and not being able to get it repaired promptly. I need a 20-hour service at the moment and I am entirely at the mercy of the marina as to when and whether it gets done - and they are massively short staffed, to a point where the marina owner is on the tools.
On the subject of a floating caravan: That is the aspect of boating that made me nearly not buy one. The day I find myself screwing a flat screen TV to the wall, whilst cruising inland waterways at 6 knots, is the day I will tie the anchor round my neck and throw myself overboard. You may have different tastes.
You say that you have a little Avon? You may consider yourself at a station in life where a gin palace is more you. But you say that you have young children. I bet they would have more fun in a little Avon exploring backwaters than they would on a 50ft flybridge off the Cote D'Azur.
Could you show your children the spots on the south coast that you explored as a child? Inspired by Harry Dwyer, I'd Iove to do that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8ECm7k1jzY
Thanks. I agree completely. It's seems a little obvious that next year will be a buyer's market as everyone looks to dump after a season of reality.
The idea of a floating caravan on the Thames has never appealed but it would get the children out and about.
Logic dictates just slinging the Avon on the Avon when the weather is nice or taking them down to the Beaulieu River when the tides align.
The idea of a floating caravan on the Thames has never appealed but it would get the children out and about.
Logic dictates just slinging the Avon on the Avon when the weather is nice or taking them down to the Beaulieu River when the tides align.
DonkeyApple said:
Thanks. I agree completely. It's seems a little obvious that next year will be a buyer's market as everyone looks to dump after a season of reality.
The idea of a floating caravan on the Thames has never appealed but it would get the children out and about.
Logic dictates just slinging the Avon on the Avon when the weather is nice or taking them down to the Beaulieu River when the tides align.
or my 5p.,The idea of a floating caravan on the Thames has never appealed but it would get the children out and about.
Logic dictates just slinging the Avon on the Avon when the weather is nice or taking them down to the Beaulieu River when the tides align.
If for the kids, an old Wayfarer and potting about sailing up and down or with a seagull on the back.
Picnics, overnight camping etc.
If I had a £100k budget and the op’s considerations I’d be looking at a Trader -
https://www.boatshop24.co.uk/motorboat/trader-54/5...
http://www.seakers.co.uk/show-boats-for-sale.php?s...
Beneteau Antares in budget -
https://www.boatshop24.co.uk/Fly-Bridge/beneteau-a...
My naughty overspend would be a Beneteau -
https://www.boatshop24.co.uk/Fly-Bridge/beneteau-a...
Off topic it’s a little annoying the boat brokers are saying stocks hard to get - I’m trying to get mine listed and have had one msg in 10 days saying he’ll value it ASAP :/
https://www.boatshop24.co.uk/motorboat/trader-54/5...
http://www.seakers.co.uk/show-boats-for-sale.php?s...
Beneteau Antares in budget -
https://www.boatshop24.co.uk/Fly-Bridge/beneteau-a...
My naughty overspend would be a Beneteau -
https://www.boatshop24.co.uk/Fly-Bridge/beneteau-a...
Off topic it’s a little annoying the boat brokers are saying stocks hard to get - I’m trying to get mine listed and have had one msg in 10 days saying he’ll value it ASAP :/
DonkeyApple said:
However, I'm kind of assuming that anything currently on the market is going to be either a bit crapped out or knackered?
I started off think I'd just stick the old Avon that I've kept from my childhood and the 5hp outboard in the boot of the car, then thought I'd grab something with a cuddy, then thought one might as well look at something that we could sleep onboard and I've currently got to a 32' old Princess.
Would I be right in assuming prices at the moment are heavily inflated? And that in normal times they take forever to sell?
Also, so long as the thing works, excluding mooring fees what are the other big costs?
Also, how far in advance do you need to book overnight moorings in nice places? As I suspect that would end up being the thing that makes me tin this latest daft idea.
There are boats coming up for sale as usual, they just sell very fast. So you need to do your research and make your move quickly. The only thing that might stop you walking out with one, as it were, is that it might need (or you might wish it to have) a survey,which would have to be arranged. However, in my neck of the woods at least, you can put a deposit on 'subject to survey' and leave it if it problems are found and get your deposit back. I guess that depends on the broker/boatyard/seller.I started off think I'd just stick the old Avon that I've kept from my childhood and the 5hp outboard in the boot of the car, then thought I'd grab something with a cuddy, then thought one might as well look at something that we could sleep onboard and I've currently got to a 32' old Princess.
Would I be right in assuming prices at the moment are heavily inflated? And that in normal times they take forever to sell?
Also, so long as the thing works, excluding mooring fees what are the other big costs?
Also, how far in advance do you need to book overnight moorings in nice places? As I suspect that would end up being the thing that makes me tin this latest daft idea.
As well as the speed of sales, prices are certainly rock solid and maybe 5% up - but that's my river so I can't speak for the Thames. As for selling in 'normal' times, that depends on the boat's quality and the price. Back in 2011 my Freeman 23 was listed on a Thursday afternoon and sold that Sunday - mainly because it was a very good example.
The best way to know whether a boat is good or not is to go and view lots of them; you'll learn what to look for and what to avoid.
Other costs are river licence - seems the Thames is managed by the EA and boats are charged by area (length x beam): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-t...
Insurance is surprisingly cheap, and you won't use much fuel, so mooring/marina and licence are the two big ones. Diesel is much preferred these days to petrol, and inboards preferred to outdrives. Hence you might see a boat that seems cheap, but then see it has twin petrol outdrives... Every four years boats need a BSS certificate - about £120-150.
I don't know the Thames but on my river (Fens) there are plenty of EA or other moorings that are free. You'd only pay if you wanted to stay at a marina, which would need to be arranged. Personally I just find a nice bit of field and hammer two mooring stakes in. If you have a booked spot to get to, then suddenly you have a destination and time pressure, and that's not what we have boats for
PushedDover said:
or my 5p.,
If for the kids, an old Wayfarer and potting about sailing up and down or with a seagull on the back.
Picnics, overnight camping etc.
Yup. I'd considered that as I'm a yakt punter rather than a gin palace geezer and I think speedboats are just what people lucked out on on Bullseye instead of a caravan or Austin Montego. If for the kids, an old Wayfarer and potting about sailing up and down or with a seagull on the back.
Picnics, overnight camping etc.
Seagulls can get stuffed. I remember arriving at the boat one evening and someone had stolen the outboard off the dory so my father had to nip to the chandlers and came back with a Seagull. Two hours later we were still on the pontoon when my father had carried it back and swapped it for a pair of paddles.
The actual issue is the campsites. I've already tied booking the nice ones that I know but they're fully booked.
Louis Balfour said:
My biggest concern at the moment is getting work completed. My worst nightmare is getting a fault that stops the boat being used and not being able to get it repaired promptly. I need a 20-hour service at the moment and I am entirely at the mercy of the marina as to when and whether it gets done - and they are massively short staffed, to a point where the marina owner is on the tools.
The day I find myself screwing a flat screen TV to the wall, whilst cruising inland waterways at 6 knots, is the day I will tie the anchor round my neck and throw myself overboard. You may have different tastes.
You do seem to be at the whim of the marina. For me a marina is simply a place to keep the boat; I can get any engineer or mechanic to visit and do what's needed. if yours run a 'closed shop', arrange to meet someone elsewhere for the work.The day I find myself screwing a flat screen TV to the wall, whilst cruising inland waterways at 6 knots, is the day I will tie the anchor round my neck and throw myself overboard. You may have different tastes.
Agree on TV though!
Simpo Two said:
You do seem to be at the whim of the marina. For me a marina is simply a place to keep the boat; I can get any engineer or mechanic to visit and do what's needed. if yours run a 'closed shop', arrange to meet someone elsewhere for the work.
I need the work completed by a Honda dealer to maintain the warranty. Our marina is the only one locally.If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
Louis Balfour said:
I need the work completed by a Honda dealer to maintain the warranty. Our marina is the only one locally.
If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
Tralier it to a suitable ? If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
That was the whole idea of the boat no ? - and also a good bit of practise to recovery / launch now before silly season and lots of spectators
PushedDover said:
Louis Balfour said:
I need the work completed by a Honda dealer to maintain the warranty. Our marina is the only one locally.
If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
Tralier it to a suitable ? If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
That was the whole idea of the boat no ? - and also a good bit of practise to recovery / launch now before silly season and lots of spectators
Louis Balfour said:
PushedDover said:
Louis Balfour said:
I need the work completed by a Honda dealer to maintain the warranty. Our marina is the only one locally.
If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
Tralier it to a suitable ? If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
That was the whole idea of the boat no ? - and also a good bit of practise to recovery / launch now before silly season and lots of spectators
In this case, option to sort out your servicing to crack on with the season ahead and not be held to someone elses timetable
(also surely taking the boat / engines to the servicing agent would be cheaper service and easier for them - esp under such COVID times.
Louis Balfour said:
I need the work completed by a Honda dealer to maintain the warranty. Our marina is the only one locally.
If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
I think - but check to be sure - that all you need to maintain a warranty is Honda parts and somebody competent. Our local outboard bloke is https://www.facebook.com/jaysmarine/ ; there must be some near you. Boat owning does require a certain degree of networking!If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
PushedDover said:
Louis Balfour said:
PushedDover said:
Louis Balfour said:
I need the work completed by a Honda dealer to maintain the warranty. Our marina is the only one locally.
If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
Tralier it to a suitable ? If there are mobile Honda certified technicians, I don't know who or where they are.
That was the whole idea of the boat no ? - and also a good bit of practise to recovery / launch now before silly season and lots of spectators
In this case, option to sort out your servicing to crack on with the season ahead and not be held to someone elses timetable
(also surely taking the boat / engines to the servicing agent would be cheaper service and easier for them - esp under such COVID times.
I spoke to the boss of the marina yesterday and I am feeling more confident about getting it done.
Badda said:
Louis, sign up at ybw forums and post in the motorboat bit, I’m sure someone will know a tech. Through there I found my Volvo man who is amazing and shockingly reasonable. Never would have found him otherwise.
Thanks. Is it a bit yachty though? I noticed a "Practical Boat Owner" forum. Someone has bought me PBO as a present and it's the most dreary publication I have ever had the misfortune to have been gifted.
Louis Balfour said:
I noticed a "Practical Boat Owner" forum. Someone has bought me PBO as a present and it's the most dreary publication I have ever had the misfortune to have been gifted.
Google finds http://www.lincolnshiremarine.co.uk/Simpo Two said:
Louis Balfour said:
I noticed a "Practical Boat Owner" forum. Someone has bought me PBO as a present and it's the most dreary publication I have ever had the misfortune to have been gifted.
Google finds http://www.lincolnshiremarine.co.uk/Louis Balfour said:
Thanks. Is it a bit yachty though?
I noticed a "Practical Boat Owner" forum. Someone has bought me PBO as a present and it's the most dreary publication I have ever had the misfortune to have been gifted.
No, the motorboat forum is a mix of owners most of whom own very aspirational boats. A real wealth of knowledge. I noticed a "Practical Boat Owner" forum. Someone has bought me PBO as a present and it's the most dreary publication I have ever had the misfortune to have been gifted.
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff