A leap into boat ownership

[Talulah]

I was down at my boat last night in Gosport when I met the new owners of a 32 foot yacht. 4 couples had bought the boat, a quarter share per couple. Excellent I thought. A group of people who could make boating affordable by sharing costs etc and doing something positive instead of the usual economy doom and gloom. The two I met were very keen and preparing the boat for their Saturday departure where upon their course would start. Then I started to here further details. Of the 4 couples, only one couple had any sailing experience and that was minimal. Some of them had never stepped on board a yacht before. To their credit they have arranged for the 5 days of own boat tuition to get some of them up to comp crew with maybe a couple to day skipper level.
Crikey, what a step. Boat ownership without knowing what's in stall. Did someone go to the boat shows and fall for the glamour and glossy brochures? Good luck to them. For anyone berthed in Hythe marina - watch out for a Benetau 323.

 

[Chrusty1]

My guess is that there will be two or three of those shares up for grabs within a fortnight! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Still I suppose it will make a reasonable weekend cottage, seems to be what a lot of boats in marinas are used for.

 

[Razorfish]

oh good for them - I just hope that we have a good summer this year!

 

[Chrissie]

I think its a great way to do it, saving up and using your holidays for training then trying to gain experience on other peoples boats means it can be years before you get your own boat, these lucky people will be on their boat every chance they get, and learn much faster,
I hope you had a chance to tell them about YBW, they would learn so much from it.

 

[CX54WEK]

A chap in our marina bought his boat the same time as we bought ours. He has never owned a boat before, not even hired one. The closest he got was a ferry to France. He got fed up of camping and was looking for a trailer tent/caravan. He ended up with a mint Sealine S34, that was six months ago and he has just traded it in against a brand spanking new Sealine F37.

 

[FullCircle]

When I started 20 years ago, I had never stepped foot on a yacht. My partner had never set foot on any boat, and she had 3 kids to deal with.

I never did a course, but did go out on other peoples boats, motored round for a weekend, then next weekend put the genoa up, following weekend main up, then both together. In the mean while, learning more about rules and regs.
Following 19 years and 11 months spent learning the trade and still bumping into things and generally dealing with what comes our way.
You can avoid us too if you want. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35.


All that is to say is that they may be a risk to others, they may manage to avoid the usual pitfalls.

I wish them well.

 

[[2574]]

Similar profile to mine and my sentiments also.

rob

 

[Steve_Jones]

Very much my method, started about six years ago after being bitten by the bug following a week sailing a traditional wooden yacht on the Norfolk Broads. I count myself as a sensible and cautious person and have progressed very much along the lines of FullCircle. I bought a 27ft boat after a lot of reading and research, all of which was part of the enjoyment.

I wish them luck and hope they enjoy 'the journey' as much as I have, all they need is some good solid common sense and a realistic view of their capabilities.

Oh yes, and deep pockets!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Cliveshep]

Same here, 40 years boating about in muck, sorry, mucking about in boats. Sank my first, a 7' pram dinghy with an Atco boat impellor (remember those, like a Thai long-tail) which helm down just levered the gunwhale under, built a 12' runabout from batten, ply and Dad's help , and knowing nothing about design gave it one hell of a rocker along the keel causing it to go along with it's nose in the air. This was followed by a succession of old manky trailable cruisers, plus one new Norman I fitted my own 1600cc crossflow Ford into with a stern drive, that one flew along. Various divorces, replacement boats, mishaps, groundings, busted shafts and gearboxes, blown up diesels, bridge collisions, steering failure at Henley during Regatta week (careered right through the division into the course during a race) and so on. Been off-shore, inland, broads, canals, rivers, lakes, now sedate on the River Wey with an unsuitable Ocean 30 (unsuitable for the Wey that is) as SWMBO is scared to take it to sea although we regularly take the 4m inflatable with a 20hp to sea during the summer (wives are unfathomable!). All good fun, sometimes, other times frustrating, expensive always. Bad temper, swearing still quite common, still making cockups when we are all quite capable of making an exhibition of supreme skill but as soon as someone is around to watch Murphy takes over and we once again become a source of entertainment.

Been in my blood since earliest childhood and the most fun ever for me, good luck to the newbies, just don't worry about paint/scratches, dints, dents, and the occasional new screen!

 

[CX54WEK]

We jumper into it a little blind about 6 months ago. We have loved every second.