Looking for a boat
Discussion
Simpo Two said:
Louis Balfour said:
Steve Bull, he is about a mile from my house. Helpful chap and well-regarded, but he doesn't have the diagnostics for the bigger Honda outboards.
Diagnostics? It's just a 20 hour service - just change the oil and polish the top 
Badda said:
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.
It's definitely a sellers market. I completed the sale of my boat for a surprisingly pleasing amount. In a week.
It has meant I benefited from "free boating" for 2 years, including all running costs, refit and boatyard spend.
Talking to the broker (Ancasta) they cannot get stock. In the SW which is their Dartmouth, Plymouth and Falmouth offices they only have 3 motor yachts for sale (that aren't under offer, joint agency or not actually for sale). Would normally expect to have 20-30 at this time of year.
I am trying to trade up into a larger, but i cannot see myself making a purchase this year. Prices are crazy but will not last.
It seems the boat and puppy market are unlikely beneficiaries of a global viral pandemic if you are a seller.
Who would have thought it?!
It has meant I benefited from "free boating" for 2 years, including all running costs, refit and boatyard spend.
Talking to the broker (Ancasta) they cannot get stock. In the SW which is their Dartmouth, Plymouth and Falmouth offices they only have 3 motor yachts for sale (that aren't under offer, joint agency or not actually for sale). Would normally expect to have 20-30 at this time of year.
I am trying to trade up into a larger, but i cannot see myself making a purchase this year. Prices are crazy but will not last.
It seems the boat and puppy market are unlikely beneficiaries of a global viral pandemic if you are a seller.
Who would have thought it?!
seapod said:
It's definitely a sellers market. I completed the sale of my boat for a surprisingly pleasing amount. In a week.
It has meant I benefited from "free boating" for 2 years, including all running costs, refit and boatyard spend.
Talking to the broker (Ancasta) they cannot get stock. In the SW which is their Dartmouth, Plymouth and Falmouth offices they only have 3 motor yachts for sale (that aren't under offer, joint agency or not actually for sale). Would normally expect to have 20-30 at this time of year.
I am trying to trade up into a larger, but i cannot see myself making a purchase this year. Prices are crazy but will not last.
It seems the boat and puppy market are unlikely beneficiaries of a global viral pandemic if you are a seller.
Who would have thought it?!
I've pretty much decided to leave it for a year. All I'd be doing this season is hurling money in in the hopes of firstly making the right sort of decision and secondly getting something that's actually viable. It has meant I benefited from "free boating" for 2 years, including all running costs, refit and boatyard spend.
Talking to the broker (Ancasta) they cannot get stock. In the SW which is their Dartmouth, Plymouth and Falmouth offices they only have 3 motor yachts for sale (that aren't under offer, joint agency or not actually for sale). Would normally expect to have 20-30 at this time of year.
I am trying to trade up into a larger, but i cannot see myself making a purchase this year. Prices are crazy but will not last.
It seems the boat and puppy market are unlikely beneficiaries of a global viral pandemic if you are a seller.
Who would have thought it?!
Conversely, next year is extremely likely to be a buyers market that could last for a couple of years as I'll thought out purchases get given up on, people realise the true costs and the real amount of work required and others revert to overseas holidays. All of which could be adjusted by how good or bad the weather is this season.
A friend has an Axopar which I'll be able to use a couple of times this year and another has offered a Fairline on the IoW.
Considering that I live just about as far as you can do from saltwater in the UK, that I'd want this to be as hassle free as possible then I might consider a quarter share deal.
Louis Balfour said:
This annoyed me quite quickly. The boat sales pages are stuffed with boats that have long since been sold, have yet to be built or in many cases simply don't exist.
Indeed - very few websites have the equivalent of Rightmove's 'Don't show properties under offer' button. However, from experience ;-) a number of boats are 'for sale' only to placate someone else/SWMBO/marital harmony. At an astronomical price, with no intention whatsoever of selling their P&J. My neighbour in our marina is a perfect case in point: https://seawardboat.com/brokerage-2/seaward-42-bou...
The broker knows it won't sell at that price but is happy to have on their books to keep them stocked. And Mr Bounder has done what has been asked of him, its not his fault that it hasn't sold in 2.5 years of being listed...!
Doesn't help someone looking however. You just have to get a feel for it over time.
DonkeyApple said:
I've pretty much decided to leave it for a year. All I'd be doing this season is hurling money in in the hopes of firstly making the right sort of decision and secondly getting something that's actually viable.
Conversely, next year is extremely likely to be a buyers market that could last for a couple of years as I'll thought out purchases get given up on, people realise the true costs and the real amount of work required and others revert to overseas holidays. All of which could be adjusted by how good or bad the weather is this season.
A friend has an Axopar which I'll be able to use a couple of times this year and another has offered a Fairline on the IoW.
Considering that I live just about as far as you can do from saltwater in the UK, that I'd want this to be as hassle free as possible then I might consider a quarter share deal.
Axopar are great boats, have really set the 'day boat' market on fire. Reasonably priced for what you get too. Will be interesting to see how well they last, some of them are quite radical in design which may or may not be storing up problems for future. I know of one which has had problems with excessive flexing around the wheelhouse. The owner uses the boat well however, she doesn't hold back with it and goes out in all weathers, which is refreshing. Conversely, next year is extremely likely to be a buyers market that could last for a couple of years as I'll thought out purchases get given up on, people realise the true costs and the real amount of work required and others revert to overseas holidays. All of which could be adjusted by how good or bad the weather is this season.
A friend has an Axopar which I'll be able to use a couple of times this year and another has offered a Fairline on the IoW.
Considering that I live just about as far as you can do from saltwater in the UK, that I'd want this to be as hassle free as possible then I might consider a quarter share deal.
Completely agree on the market perspective, unless you know of a specific boat coming on, it seems a very good year to borrow or rent.
Marina fees tend to become due around now/1st April, so roll forward 12 months after 'newbies' work out exactly how many times they have used their depreciating asset in a year, and the market will change. A ~£5k bill (with no refunds or break clauses) for the 2022/23 season will trigger a few more listings I suspect.
seapod said:
Indeed - very few websites have the equivalent of Rightmove's 'Don't show properties under offer' button.
However, from experience ;-) a number of boats are 'for sale' only to placate someone else/SWMBO/marital harmony. At an astronomical price, with no intention whatsoever of selling their P&J. My neighbour in our marina is a perfect case in point: https://seawardboat.com/brokerage-2/seaward-42-bou...
The broker knows it won't sell at that price but is happy to have on their books to keep them stocked. And Mr Bounder has done what has been asked of him, its not his fault that it hasn't sold in 2.5 years of being listed...!
Doesn't help someone looking however. You just have to get a feel for it over time.
There is something of the lifeboat about that craft no?However, from experience ;-) a number of boats are 'for sale' only to placate someone else/SWMBO/marital harmony. At an astronomical price, with no intention whatsoever of selling their P&J. My neighbour in our marina is a perfect case in point: https://seawardboat.com/brokerage-2/seaward-42-bou...
The broker knows it won't sell at that price but is happy to have on their books to keep them stocked. And Mr Bounder has done what has been asked of him, its not his fault that it hasn't sold in 2.5 years of being listed...!
Doesn't help someone looking however. You just have to get a feel for it over time.
Louis Balfour said:
There is something of the lifeboat about that craft no?
To me it's the classic motorboat style. It was always the type of boat that my father's generation migrated to when they felt too old to keep sailing, or back in the days when you had a family but big yachts didn't have all of automated kit to make working solo easy. They aren't the correct choice as a party boat or for sunlounging etc but as go anywhere, long distance family boats they hit the spot.
I couldn't ever do the gin palace thing even though the stigma is far less these days but something like a 40'+ Nelson if I had chosen to live near the coast would be a given.
What's good about the market today is that there is something for every one and every intended use.
seapod said:
Axopar are great boats, have really set the 'day boat' market on fire. Reasonably priced for what you get too. Will be interesting to see how well they last, some of them are quite radical in design which may or may not be storing up problems for future. I know of one which has had problems with excessive flexing around the wheelhouse. The owner uses the boat well however, she doesn't hold back with it and goes out in all weathers, which is refreshing.
Completely agree on the market perspective, unless you know of a specific boat coming on, it seems a very good year to borrow or rent.
Marina fees tend to become due around now/1st April, so roll forward 12 months after 'newbies' work out exactly how many times they have used their depreciating asset in a year, and the market will change. A ~£5k bill (with no refunds or break clauses) for the 2022/23 season will trigger a few more listings I suspect.
The one I used last season was a 28 with aft cabin. I was genuinely surprised at how good it was. It rode beautifully. The only issue I have is that with children I wouldn't want them using that lavatory arrangement in the night. Completely agree on the market perspective, unless you know of a specific boat coming on, it seems a very good year to borrow or rent.
Marina fees tend to become due around now/1st April, so roll forward 12 months after 'newbies' work out exactly how many times they have used their depreciating asset in a year, and the market will change. A ~£5k bill (with no refunds or break clauses) for the 2022/23 season will trigger a few more listings I suspect.
DonkeyApple said:
The one I used last season was a 28 with aft cabin. I was genuinely surprised at how good it was. It rode beautifully. The only issue I have is that with children I wouldn't want them using that lavatory arrangement in the night.
As and when you get a boat, you can have an electric WC fitted. Just press the button and it all happens automatically.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.
However, your later post where you say you can use friends Axopar 28 and Fairline 42 also makes a lot of sense. All the fun without the ongoing costs. But not so easy to “pop down” to after work in a Friday afternoon.
Simpo Two said:
DonkeyApple said:
The one I used last season was a 28 with aft cabin. I was genuinely surprised at how good it was. It rode beautifully. The only issue I have is that with children I wouldn't want them using that lavatory arrangement in the night.
As and when you get a boat, you can have an electric WC fitted. Just press the button and it all happens automatically.Searider said:
A Princess 32 on the upper Thames with a little Avon on the back would be a great deal of fun. It’s what My parents had in the 1980s based in Reading. Plenty of Princess / Fairline / Freeman type boats were built and there will be some for sale - but as has been said the good ones sell quickly.
However, your later post where you say you can use friends Axopar 28 and Fairline 42 also makes a lot of sense. All the fun without the ongoing costs. But not so easy to “pop down” to after work in a Friday afternoon.
Yup. My concern is that as I grew up sailing in the Solent at weekends I have never really found river boating to be the same fun. The kids would love it but I think I would be bored. However, your later post where you say you can use friends Axopar 28 and Fairline 42 also makes a lot of sense. All the fun without the ongoing costs. But not so easy to “pop down” to after work in a Friday afternoon.
Louis Balfour said:
There is something of the lifeboat about that craft no?
Sort of. More of a pilot boat/police boat. I needed a motor yacht that I could take out in pretty much any weather (without being daft/ wannabe hero). I saw too many motor yachts cowering in port because it was a bit bumpy, which if that happens to coincide with your 2 week holiday, can be a bit frustrating to day the least.
As DA says, horses for courses. It's not a bikini clad babe boat, nor is it suitable for 'de ladz done good with my recruitment business designer shades and expensive sleeve tats' scene'. But it suited us, we went to France, Channel Islands, Scillies etc. Plenty of time at anchor and pretty self-sufficient for a 29 footer.
Here is ours (It's sold so I am not advertising!)
https://ancasta.com/boats-for-sale/used/power/nels...
The great thing about boats is there is something for everyone. We are going back to a sailing boat for a few years.
Something that surprised/ annoyed me was the way that sailors look down / blank / downright rude to motor boats. As a sailor first I knew motor boaters are 2nd class citizens (!) but I didn't think it was made so obvious.
seapod said:
Louis Balfour said:
There is something of the lifeboat about that craft no?
Sort of. More of a pilot boat/police boat. I needed a motor yacht that I could take out in pretty much any weather (without being daft/ wannabe hero). I saw too many motor yachts cowering in port because it was a bit bumpy, which if that happens to coincide with your 2 week holiday, can be a bit frustrating to day the least.
As DA says, horses for courses. It's not a bikini clad babe boat, nor is it suitable for 'de ladz done good with my recruitment business designer shades and expensive sleeve tats' scene'. But it suited us, we went to France, Channel Islands, Scillies etc. Plenty of time at anchor and pretty self-sufficient for a 29 footer.
Here is ours (It's sold so I am not advertising!)
https://ancasta.com/boats-for-sale/used/power/nels...
The great thing about boats is there is something for everyone. We are going back to a sailing boat for a few years.
Something that surprised/ annoyed me was the way that sailors look down / blank / downright rude to motor boats. As a sailor first I knew motor boaters are 2nd class citizens (!) but I didn't think it was made so obvious.
And that's from someone who does both.
Jaguar steve said:
seapod said:
Louis Balfour said:
There is something of the lifeboat about that craft no?
Sort of. More of a pilot boat/police boat. I needed a motor yacht that I could take out in pretty much any weather (without being daft/ wannabe hero). I saw too many motor yachts cowering in port because it was a bit bumpy, which if that happens to coincide with your 2 week holiday, can be a bit frustrating to day the least.
As DA says, horses for courses. It's not a bikini clad babe boat, nor is it suitable for 'de ladz done good with my recruitment business designer shades and expensive sleeve tats' scene'. But it suited us, we went to France, Channel Islands, Scillies etc. Plenty of time at anchor and pretty self-sufficient for a 29 footer.
Here is ours (It's sold so I am not advertising!)
https://ancasta.com/boats-for-sale/used/power/nels...
The great thing about boats is there is something for everyone. We are going back to a sailing boat for a few years.
Something that surprised/ annoyed me was the way that sailors look down / blank / downright rude to motor boats. As a sailor first I knew motor boaters are 2nd class citizens (!) but I didn't think it was made so obvious.
And that's from someone who does both.
DonkeyApple said:
Yup. My concern is that as I grew up sailing in the Solent at weekends I have never really found river boating to be the same fun. The kids would love it but I think I would be bored.
maybe go more swallows and amazons / traditional...having moved away from the Thames I will be selling my one of these:
https://woodenships.co.uk/small-craft/iain-oughtre... (this one is not mine, just a random similar one)
epoxy plywood gives you the traditional wooden boat feel without the same upkeep... can sail or row it - ideal for exploring the Thames or trailer it to the lakes / broads or south coast... Ian Oughtred the designer is worth looking up if you don’t know his boats...
akirk said:
DonkeyApple said:
Yup. My concern is that as I grew up sailing in the Solent at weekends I have never really found river boating to be the same fun. The kids would love it but I think I would be bored.
maybe go more swallows and amazons / traditional...having moved away from the Thames I will be selling my one of these:
https://woodenships.co.uk/small-craft/iain-oughtre... (this one is not mine, just a random similar one)
epoxy plywood gives you the traditional wooden boat feel without the same upkeep... can sail or row it - ideal for exploring the Thames or trailer it to the lakes / broads or south coast... Ian Oughtred the designer is worth looking up if you don’t know his boats...
Simpo Two said:
akirk said:
DonkeyApple said:
Yup. My concern is that as I grew up sailing in the Solent at weekends I have never really found river boating to be the same fun. The kids would love it but I think I would be bored.
maybe go more swallows and amazons / traditional...having moved away from the Thames I will be selling my one of these:
https://woodenships.co.uk/small-craft/iain-oughtre... (this one is not mine, just a random similar one)
epoxy plywood gives you the traditional wooden boat feel without the same upkeep... can sail or row it - ideal for exploring the Thames or trailer it to the lakes / broads or south coast... Ian Oughtred the designer is worth looking up if you don’t know his boats...
Taking a 13' dory from Beaulieu over to Cowes was also a lot of fun. The only problem was that because the seating position was directly above where the water hit when planing the end result was that your spine had somehow gone numb and you couldn't walk. The first time I did that, mooring up at the marina was a comedy farce and I'm pretty sure more than one onlooker thought I must have lost my wheelchair in the crossing.
Even taking a scull or an eight out is more fun from Putney than it is up on the non tidal stretches at Henley or Reading.
In short, what I know about myself is that I can thoroughly enjoy a day pottering in calm waters. But I can borrow or charter for that. I don't enjoy it enough to invest in a dinghy for that.
So that causes me every so often to look at something with a cabin and a heads. The sort of thing where you can be self contained.
Yacht? Well there's no shortage of options around the 30' area which is all that would be needed. But despite growing up on them I don't fancy owning one. Too many days spent becalmed on the Solent having driven down all the way from the top of London. Plus, the upkeep and keeping clean. When you're not living half an hour away you have to live sailing to make that kind of commitment and I know that I don't.
River boat? It's never appealed. All those years mucking about on the Thames in small boats of all types or visiting friends with barges on the Grand Union and I don't recall once ever feeling any desire to own. I have however, just chartered one of those ghastly plastic Thames pleasure boats just to see how much the children enjoy it.
Motorboat? I'm not a gin palace person but something like a Nelson would tick the right boxes. You'd be able to drive down on a whim, get onboard and start going somewhere quite quickly. But it would arguably be more than I need and given the ongoing fees and general maintenance I can imagine being at the point that I felt obliged to use it when I'd rather spend that weekend doing something else.
Cabin boat? On paper this seems to be a bit of a sweet spot. At 6'2" I'm not exactly going to enjoy being down below but for one/two nights away, having a heads and a galley it would be fine. It would also not be a vast amount of capital tied up making me feel obliged to use it. I could opt to either keep it out of the water in a dry stack or leave it in for the season and then have it brought back here where I could fettle and maintain myself.
The main issue is that an awful lot of them are a bit ITV. But my friend's Axopar really did seem to hit the spot. Not too big, not too small, easy to use etc.
What I did find on my web travels was this Cerri Cantieri Navali 28 which I think looks rather elegant against its peers. They seem very uncommon in the UK.
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