4-berth Trailerable Boat Suggestions

[timdoyle91]

I've been reading around the forum for a few weeks now and I was hoping I could tap into some of the wisdom here!

Me and my partner have been living on a narrowboat for nearly 6 years now, but will be moving into bricks and mortar in the next couple of years. Although we can't afford to keep the narrowboat, we would like to buy a trailerable boat that we could keep on the drive to keep the cost down. We'd like to spend our spare time doing coastal/river/lake trips and explore the waters we haven't done by narrowboat. I was a HGV driver for a couple of years so I'm not shy driving large/awkward vehicles.

Broadly, we're looking for a used boat that:

• Is no more than £30k
• Can sleep 4 adults for a weekend trip
• Has a head and ideally a shower
• Is no more than 3.5t gross on a trailer (and preferably no more than 2.5m wide)

We've become well acquainted with the range of sports cruisers available, and the pros and cons of having one. I'm curious as to whether there are other types of boat available that would fit our criteria (such as displacement or semi-displacement hulls)? If anyone has any suggestions or recommendations it would be hugely appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[madabouttheboat]

Four adults on any boat that is compact enough to be trailerable is going to be a bit too 'cosy', IMHO

In reality, the boat will be up to around 2,700kg fully loaded, so you end up with boats of around 25ft max. If you can leave the other 2 adults at home, I would suggest a Sealine S23/S24/S25/240/230.

 

[ashtead]

Is a Shetland of any interest? They seem cheap enough but how close are the four adults to each other?

 

[Tranona]

While you might be confident at towing the boat, the big challenge is actually launching it, not just the physical side of handling 3 tons+ of boat but finding sites where you can actually do that easily, that have facilities to park your vehicle and trailer and access to the sort of places you want to explore. This country is simply not geared up to trailer/sailing boats of that size, unlike, say the US or Australia. more achievable is treating it as "trailerable" which means you can bring it home at winter, but keep it on a mooring or marina in the summer. Trailing might be viable for longer holidays, but a boat that size would not be ideal for longer than the odd night aboard for 4 people.

 

[DavidJ]

Four adults on any boat that is compact enough to be trailerable is going to be a bit too 'cosy', IMHO

In reality, the boat will be up to around 2,700kg fully loaded, so you end up with boats of around 25ft max. If you can leave the other 2 adults at home, I would suggest a Sealine S23/S24/S25/240/230.

Agree
Had a 23 ft Sealine for 8 years and towed it to the Med and Adriatic
Great boat, lots of young family fun.
I always had it craned in. Saves the wheel bearings/brake cables/brake internals etc
…….and stress!

 

[iantomlinson]

Have a look at mcgregor 26. On trailer but can have 50hp outboard. 4 berth, sails, speedboat?, need 4wd motor though.

 

[ChromeDome]

We had a Salpa 20.5 Laver for a few years. Built to trailer and has 'everything' (front and mid cabin, heads, pantry, sunbed..).

140 hp outboard made it go 34+ knots, but squeezing it all into 20' forced the designers to make everything small. No one over 60 kg could get into the heads.

VERY clever photographer involved when they made the brochure, though.
Salpa Laver 20.5, Price upon request | iNautia.com

 

[Bigplumbs]

Four adults on any boat that is compact enough to be trailerable is going to be a bit too 'cosy', IMHO

In reality, the boat will be up to around 2,700kg fully loaded, so you end up with boats of around 25ft max. If you can leave the other 2 adults at home, I would suggest a Sealine S23/S24/S25/240/230.

Those are in theory trainable but in theory very very few people do so. With the trailer they get to very close or over the 3.5 ton max. I bought an S24 with the intentention of trailing it. I still have it and have a Landrover Discovery ad would newer tow it on the roads.

The op is having similar thoughts to many but they seldom pan out. HGV,s are well maintained lorry’s with many wheels, good brakes and bearings. I am afraid UK boat trailers tend to be none of those things Especially when dunked in salt water.

I would suggest getting a medium sized day boat and staying in tents which is similar to on the boat. We are actually doing that right now in Brixham

 

[simonfraser]

'the big challenge is actually launching and recovering it, not just the physical side of handling 3 tons+ of boat but finding sites where you can actually do that easily'
furthermore a boat with an outdrive is not that maneuverable on a slip in a possible x tide / wind situation

 

[ChromeDome]

Lots of compromises and people have different dreams..

Try a Google for caraboat

 

[timdoyle91]

Thanks for the replies so far, definitely giving more options to look at. One thing we have been told is that while planing hulls are ok for coastal trips, they are a pig to handle on rivers and lakes with speed limits below planing speed. Is that generally the case?

I should add the additional adults in question are close friends who we've shared many tents, sleeper trains etc. with over the years so sleeping 4 in close quarters is not a concern.

 

[Tranona]

Thanks for the replies so far, definitely giving more options to look at. One thing we have been told is that while planing hulls are ok for coastal trips, they are a pig to handle on rivers and lakes with speed limits below planing speed. Is that generally the case?

Yes. The requirements for a seagoing boat and lakes/rivers/canals are so different that it is really not possible to get a boat that does all things well. What you are thinking about sounds great, but in reality just is not practical.

 

[timdoyle91]

Yes. The requirements for a seagoing boat and lakes/rivers/canals are so different that it is really not possible to get a boat that does all things well. What you are thinking about sounds great, but in reality just is not practical.

I should say we've covered a good amount of the shallow canals and some rivers in England (Severn/Avon/Nene/Great Ouse/Upper Thames/Weaver) so not really interested in revisiting those, but just trying to figure out if there is a displacement/semi-displacement boat that might meet some of our requirements at a lower cost. The sports cruisers look like good fun but I think they may be overkill for what we're after and probably pushing our budget a bit far when accounting for ongoing cost.

I was wondering whether some of the Hardy boats might be a good compromise? Light enough to trailer but sturdy enough for some coastal cruising?

 

[ChromeDome]

The compromise between planing and displacement hulls is semi displacement.

Due to shape of hull many of these are not trailer friendly.

 

[Tranona]

I should say we've covered a good amount of the shallow canals and some rivers in England (Severn/Avon/Nene/Great Ouse/Upper Thames/Weaver) so not really interested in revisiting those, but just trying to figure out if there is a displacement/semi-displacement boat that might meet some of our requirements at a lower cost. The sports cruisers look like good fun but I think they may be overkill for what we're after and probably pushing our budget a bit far when accounting for ongoing cost.

I was wondering whether some of the Hardy boats might be a good compromise? Light enough to trailer but sturdy enough for some coastal cruising?

Yes, the Hardys are more suitable

 

[stelican]

Thanks for the replies so far, definitely giving more options to look at. One thing we have been told is that while planing hulls are ok for coastal trips, they are a pig to handle on rivers and lakes with speed limits below planing speed. Is that generally the case?

I should add the additional adults in question are close friends who we've shared many tents, sleeper trains etc. with over the years so sleeping 4 in close quarters is not a concern.

Planing boats handle fine at low speed as long as you have plenty of ballast well fwd ie in anchor locker.
Get a fat lady to practice her singing at the bow

 

[stelican]

Falcon 23 has 4 berths and shower

 

[timdoyle91]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think we're realising that by compromising with a slightly smaller boat, we will probably have more fun for less money. Like a few people have said, it's no good having 2.5-3tons of boat if the launch and recovery is so arduous/impractical that we don't end up using it. I know some people do it but we will mostly be doing day/weekend trips and it might be a bit overkill for that.

I think we're probably moving towards something like a Hardy Pilot 20 or similar, but open to any more suggestions!

 

[iantomlinson]

Youre right. Trailering needs 4wd or large car. Towing fuel plus time plus agro launching each way is a pain(done it). Easier is 23-27ft boat on mooring. Even drying mooring. Most drying mooring is about £600pa. Factor in we do 230miles each way so saloon car cost £75 for weekend/quicker/less hassle/onboard quicker. Better time onboard. Bad point antifouling on beach each year but you're still boating...

 

[iantomlinson]

You haven't said whether you're looking at planing mobo or displacement(7knts).