Ball park figures 20ft ish cruiser - oldish

[BMWChris]

Hi, I don't know much about motorboats but I quite fancy one. Just doing some really early thinking so am looking for a few ball park figures for something this sort of size and shape (different engines / layouts etc):

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/PEM110

I'd want to use it for fairly long hops (100 miles plus) e.g. from East coast UK to Europe.

How sea worthy are they? I'm from a sailing background. On a yacht I might be willing to set out in a force 4 (knowing it might get stronger) if I really needed to get home so I could go to work the next day, knowing it will be uncomfortable and wet but not fearing for my life.

How fast do they go on the sea? Comfortably? Ie could I get to Holland from Yarmouth in half a day?

How much fuel do they need? How much would a 100 mile hop cost?

Do they need lots of servicing?

Is a £10k cruiser likely to be an expensive prospect becuase of its age?

Do single engined boats have an auxilery engine? What do you do if you are off shore and it stops?

Thanks

Chris

[MOTORVATOR]

BMWChris said:

Hi, I don't know much about motorboats but I quite fancy one. Just doing some really early thinking so am looking for a few ball park figures for something this sort of size and shape (different engines / layouts etc):

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/PEM110

I'd want to use it for fairly long hops (100 miles plus) e.g. from East coast UK to Europe.

How sea worthy are they? I'm from a sailing background. On a yacht I might be willing to set out in a force 4 (knowing it might get stronger) if I really needed to get home so I could go to work the next day, knowing it will be uncomfortable and wet but not fearing for my life.

How fast do they go on the sea? Comfortably? Ie could I get to Holland from Yarmouth in half a day?

How much fuel do they need? How much would a 100 mile hop cost?

Do they need lots of servicing?

Is a £10k cruiser likely to be an expensive prospect becuase of its age?

Do single engined boats have an auxilery engine? What do you do if you are off shore and it stops?

Thanks

Chris

To be honest it could be construed as irresponsible to undertake channel crossings with a single engined boat without being in convoy. You are right there is no auxiliary power.

The Picton is OK but not really designed for sea crossings, for peace of mind in rougher weather you need something more like this.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sunseeker-Monterey-27-new-en...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sunseeker-Portofino-31-Sport...

I have just sold my XPS34 which was a fantastic sea boat that would comfortably handle anything thrown at it and on the basis of what I just sold mine for those two should go for a lot less than advertised and I mean a lot.

Both of those should cruise comfortably at 28 knots and being the design they are would sustain that in quite a rough chop. For comparison the Picton would be throttled back to off the plane to remain in one piece so down to maybe 10 knots.

With the Picton expect to budget for lots of ferries as you will invariably get stuck on side or the other.

Fuelwise I would expect the diesel to burn something like 20 litres per side per hour and the petrol probably 25 lpsph.

Other than fuel power is little different from sail, maybe slightly more just expect to constantly bolting bits back together and spending the money on machinery rather than sails and rigging.

Just bear in mind that power and sail are two different propositions in rough weather, one has the additional wind / sail power pushing you through the slop and the other has it in your hands launching you off the top of it.

[schmalex]

Personally, I wouldn't want to do an open sea passage in a 20 footer. Especially if it's single engined. Really, I would be looking at a minimum of 26 / 28 feet to ensure that it can handle any unexpected weather.

Thinking about it, 20ft is really bloody small to do a 100 mile offshore passge in.

[croyde]

Wow! looking at those 2 ebay ones, I didn't realise that they could be had for such a reasonable amount of money, or are they money pits.

The first one has had a lot of dough spent on it recently so would it be a safe bet or would you be expecting to keep paying out those sums in order to look after it?

[MOTORVATOR]

croyde said:

Wow! looking at those 2 ebay ones, I didn't realise that they could be had for such a reasonable amount of money, or are they money pits.

The first one has had a lot of dough spent on it recently so would it be a safe bet or would you be expecting to keep paying out those sums in order to look after it?

Just about finding the right one. I've just let my fully refurbished Sunseeker XPS34 go for £20k and that had 300 hours on recon engines etc. Stood me in £40k spent over the last 5 years but because I have my new one coming and not being able to get 2 in the same berth she had to go and go now.

Doing the right deal on the next one so not too bothered but she should have made 30 really.

So doing the sums, the boat had cost me £20k in five years and covered over 6000 miles and 600 hours in that time. The fellow that bought it though will get all of that again for half that.

[BMWChris]

So,

20 litres per hour per side = 40 litres per hour

at 25 knots, 100 miles = 4 hours and therefore a 100 miles = 400 litres.

at 60p per litre it would cost £480 to get to Holland and back.

Thats probably too rich for me.

[Rum Runner]

Wrong boat and if you are wanting to go a 100 miles trips way under budget.
Cheapest thing for that kind of work is a sail boat.
Inboard petrol 100miles out....at 7.5k....lifeboat/air-sea rescue statistic..

Edited by Rum Runner on Monday 19th July 20:56

[AnotherClarkey]

I am from a sailing background too but have often thought that something like a Tremlett 21 with, say, a 120-150hp turbo diesel would be a nice passagemaker. Even a reliable 15 knots would be enough to cover 9x more ground than any sailing cruiser. A decent parachute sea anchor would take care of any really bad conditions if you break down and a 9.9 fourstroke outboard would get you home if necessary. Shame about carrying petrol and diesel but at least it would ensure that both motors were not taken out by the same fuel problem. You would have to travel pretty light but I can see that it might be fun. I would view it as a rather cheaper Fairey Huntress.

[BMWChris]

Rum Runner said:

Wrong boat and if you are wanting to go a 100 miles trips way under budget.
Cheapest thing for that kind of work is a sail boat.
Inboard petrol 100miles out....at 7.5k....lifeboat/air-sea rescue statistic..

Edited by Rum Runner on Monday 19th July 20:56

Yeah, I agree (as OP). Though example was all about shape, rather than actual spec and price. I was always worried about the single engine and fuel consumption.

I was wondering and have established it's not for me. Thanks anyway PHers. I thought it might be too good to be true. Shame though - where I grew-up on Solent I was used to there being tens of places we could head towards depending on wind / tide / light. Living as I now do on the East Coast places to visit are much more spread out which is why I was thinking about powerboats. Its not where my heart is so I guess the costs would outweight the benefits.

Thanks again