Toys for Next Summer
Toys for Next Summer
Author
Discussion

Chainsaw Rebuild

Original Poster:

2,136 posts

131 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
The plan is to buy something or somethings to play with next summer. We want to make our weekends more fun by having a toy or toys to have fun with mates.

The Brief is:

Fun for around 4 people.
Could be sold on after a couple of summers if we want to try something else, and get most of the money back. This is on a sliding scale; with something cheap, resale isn't such a big deal. With something expensive if does matter.

Ideas so far include a couple of canoes or a pair of 2nd hand jetskis! What suggestions do the collective have?

CraigyMc

18,369 posts

265 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Chainsaw Rebuild said:
The plan is to buy something or somethings to play with next summer. We want to make our weekends more fun by having a toy or toys to have fun with mates.

The Brief is:

Fun for around 4 people.
Could be sold on after a couple of summers if we want to try something else, and get most of the money back. This is on a sliding scale; with something cheap, resale isn't such a big deal. With something expensive if does matter.

Ideas so far include a couple of canoes or a pair of 2nd hand jetskis! What suggestions do the collective have?
karts.

Hereward

5,092 posts

259 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
2 large double-ended dildos?

NAAHD

199 posts

54 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Hereward said:
2 large double-ended dildos?
I don’t know if you can sell these when you’re done though hehe

Spare tyre

12,534 posts

159 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
If you have the right patio area a pool made out of perhaps tyres and strong tarp

Nice fun projects making solar heaters, use smart plugs to cycle the pump etc


Join a couple of canoes together, electric motor and a canal

Skate ramp

Old caravan for couple of hundred, scrap or sell at end of summer



My friends folks did all of the above and more and it kept lots of kids out of trouble and learning skills

akirk

5,778 posts

143 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Chainsaw Rebuild said:
The plan is to buy something or somethings to play with next summer. We want to make our weekends more fun by having a toy or toys to have fun with mates.

The Brief is:

Fun for around 4 people.
Could be sold on after a couple of summers if we want to try something else, and get most of the money back. This is on a sliding scale; with something cheap, resale isn't such a big deal. With something expensive if does matter.

Ideas so far include a couple of canoes or a pair of 2nd hand jetskis! What suggestions do the collective have?
Do you have easy access to water? Inland (canal / river) or sea?
Do you have easy access to land
Do you need to 'play' local to home, or are you happy to travel?
What do you enjoy doing - inside / cerebral or outside / active?
What age people? 4 adults or 2 adult and two children (what age?)

you could do anything from a pack of cards to a track car project; some cheap inflatable paddle boards / canoes - to a dozen horses and set up a polo team biggrin some clues would help!

Moulder

1,648 posts

241 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Two inflatable canoes.

Easier to transport in the car than rigid ones, also easier to take on the train for one way trips.

Pound for pound probably what I have used most in the summer.

Jo-say8k

313 posts

45 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Converting a couple of tandems to electric could be fun?... maybe biglaugh

Spare tyre

12,534 posts

159 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Jo-say8k said:
Converting a couple of tandems to electric could be fun?... maybe biglaugh
Yes, make a Cambridge bike (4 seater bike / 4 wheels)

sunnygym

1,075 posts

204 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Ping pong table

Electric bikes

Small rib boat and fishing gear

Pool table

Above ground pool


Chainsaw Rebuild

Original Poster:

2,136 posts

131 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
Yes some clues would help wouldn’t they!

It’s for 2 to 4 or so adults.
I don’t have any land sadly.
I live in the south east.
I’m looking for something exciting and fun basically. I don’t mind investing in this, but I can’t really afford huge running costs.

The genesis of this idea was when I happened upon a pair of jet skis on eBay. I thought “if I bought those, we could play with them and have an exciting summer next year. Then I could (hopefully) sell them for 85% plus of what I paid for them.

So I thought I would ask PH if anyone had any fun ideas or had done similar themselves.

beambeam1

1,674 posts

72 months

Tuesday 22nd August 2023
quotequote all
The summer before I left for university my parents bought us lads (I've three brothers) a jet-ski for £800. Harbour fees were we were worked out about £20 for the summer and I had just passed my test so could tow the trailer myself. We had the best time. Memories that have lasted 20 years. We also lost* it at the end of the second summer but that story just finishes the collective memories superbly. Do it.

  • My brother twisted the trigger trying to hang on and it stayed going in a straight line. Washed ashore some months later looking a lot less like a jet-ski!

foggy

1,215 posts

311 months

Wednesday 23rd August 2023
quotequote all
We just picked up a decent used canoe for £500. Been out a few times - paddling on the Thames is a bit boring (wide and relatively featureless), much more fun on smaller rivers and canals. I reckon it’ll be virtually depreciation proof fun for a year, and British Canoeing membership is £50 for the year giving you river access. It has been good clean family fun, not seat of the pants stuff, more pleasant afternoons/evenings out and some novel memories for the kids.

I was going to say a couple of trials motorbikes if you had a some private space to ride them and build obstacles for some Kickstart action, or clubs nearby.

foggy

1,215 posts

311 months

Wednesday 23rd August 2023
quotequote all
Radio controlled planes/cars/boats if you enjoy fixing as much as using them. Don’t take up too much space either, and easy to transport.

GliderRider

2,919 posts

110 months

Wednesday 23rd August 2023
quotequote all
foggy said:
Radio controlled planes/cars/boats if you enjoy fixing as much as using them. Don’t take up too much space either, and easy to transport.
Zagi flying wing gliders are nearly indestructable, fly on hills and can be used for combat (knocking each other out of the sky). Not all clubs allow combat on their slopes though.
Zagis are not sold as trainers, but people have persevered and learned to fly with them as they are so damage resistant.

Zagi Flying Wing Combat

Original Zagis are quite hard to find new, however this Windrider Microbee is similar: Windrider Microbeehttps://www.robotbirds.co.uk/windrider-micro-bee-flying-wing.html

If you were thinking of a rather larger budget, then Paramotors would be my choice.

Chainsaw Rebuild

Original Poster:

2,136 posts

131 months

Thursday 24th August 2023
quotequote all
Canoes and jet skis are the current favourites. I would love to try paramotoring though!

I also fancy a go with one of those remote control planes.

Thanks for the ideas, all I need to do is stay off ebay post pub.....

Sycamore

2,198 posts

147 months

Thursday 24th August 2023
quotequote all
Some drones with FOV goggles.
Just try not to fly into the back of your own head.

Chainsaw Rebuild

Original Poster:

2,136 posts

131 months

Thursday 24th August 2023
quotequote all
Sycamore said:
Some drones with FOV goggles.
Just try not to fly into the back of your own head.
Haha! can you imagine, I would never hear the end of it.

vaud

59,288 posts

184 months

Thursday 24th August 2023
quotequote all
Canal boat?

Nigel_O

3,838 posts

248 months

Thursday 24th August 2023
quotequote all
vaud said:
Canal boat?
That’s some impressive scope-creep. We’ve gone from a pair of canoes to a narrowboat in 18 replies….

Not sure a narrow boat is ‘fun’…

OP - buy a cheap track day car with some of the hard / expensive work already done. Something like a Clio 172 / 182. Huge fun for several people, not a disaster if you bend it, and spread between four people, not massively expensive.