Advice needed for an important project

[superheat6k]

I hadn't realised your situation. If you want a ride out on mine to see if it fits the bill you have my details - just PM or email me at the Corvette Motorboat Association. If you are not based near the South Coast I will contact our other members to see if anyone else can offer you a trial ride.

A significant reason for our move to the Corvette (other than my love of the boat as a boater's boat) from a Turbo 36 because of the boarding issues and high after deck. Both however have relatively easy step access to the fly bridge with no ladders. I guess there aren't to many with ownership experience of both marques. The Corvette has low freeboard and easier boarding access. and wider side decks which are level all the way around, whereas the Turbo 36 has difficult sloping parts adjacent to the aft deck. Both have restricted headroom access into the cabin, although the Corvette is probably easier. Access to the aft (bedroom) cabin is easier on the Turbo. Both aft cabins are similar in size (Turbo is slightly bigger). Both have en suite heads.

I have found the Corvette a lot easier to park on my own than the Turbo 36. But it is slower, but also uses less fuel. Our maiden voyage was St Helier to Hamble which she handled with ease.

With its stubby bow the Corvette 32 compares as far as accommodation is concerned with many declared 34 - 38' boats. The Turbo 36 is actually 40'.

Both have a reputation as excellent sea boats, but so also the Aquastar 33 / 38 and indeed others. If speed is not the key consideration then the Corvette or Aquastar could be for you. I am not so sure sport cruisers with steep access stairs and the cockpit providing the main social area of the boat would fit your needs.

 

[calranthe]

Neither of us like cars or have a licence (we have some one who takes us to the hospital or doctor).
I may take you up on the offer just need to sort everything out first. Thank you.

Not really into speed as long as the boat has engines that can handle the sea thats all that matters

 

[MrB]

I may take you up on the offer just need to sort everything out first. Thank you.

I think Superheat6k's offer is a great (and generous) offer, it will give you both an idea of what it's like. I think feeling nauseous daily and having sea sickness on every trip may change your minds long term so it's worth trying before you buy. Where are you based?

 

[MrB]

I know what I would do in your situation..
Buy a good size motorhome with an island bed good size bathroom all mod cons get on the road and get going. You can visit all the coastlines harbours and marinas. Warmer dryer safer.
Not reliant on weather
You can inland as well.
Don't know if you have given this any thought
best wishes

That is probably the best advice yet given the situation.

Neither of us like cars or have a licence

A car licence would be far cheaper to obtain than all the training you would need to operate and navigate the boat safely.

 

[calranthe]

We are based in the Midlands but I do not mind travelling.
Paola can not drive too weak/anxiety/confusion, I have always hated driving a car, love riding a motor bike and love boats, I know that will be hard for people to understand but its true.

 

[MrB]

We are based in the Midlands but I do not mind travelling.
Paola can not drive too weak/anxiety/confusion, I have always hated driving a car, love riding a motor bike and love boats, I know that will be hard for people to understand but its true.

Cool where in the Midlands? there are a few of us here. I drive to the South coast all the time. West Wales also.

 

[MrB]

Ok forgive me if i'm wrong here but are you using your gamer name Calranthe?

 

[calranthe]

Calranthe is my gamer name but I do not have time to game much anymore, Stoke on Trent is where we are .

 

[oldgit]

You really do to take into account just how easy it is to get on and off your proposed new boat.
As mentioned before many boats in order to provide a spacious interior are extremely difficult to board even by the young and fit.
The Turbo 36 is classic example.
Your boat will need to be rather big to fit any lifting devices designed to get wheelchair on and off a boat.The only boat in our club with this facility is a Broom 450.
We have fun day out each year and getting some of our less spritely guests on and off many of the boats involves all sorts of indignities.
OK for the odd trip but a real pain on a regular basis.

 

[Momac]

A Princess 35 near us had the transom cut to create a door for wheelchair access.
The fact it is a flybridge boat is irrelevant - the access between the saloon and cockpit on a flybridge boat, and the view out from the saloon being key factors.
The downside was the wheelchair access required the boat to be moored with the stern to a pontoon. This was so at the home mooring but the wheelchair user was boat bound when away from the home mooring.

.

 

[oldgit]

A Princess 35 near us had the transom cut to create a door for wheelchair access.
The fact it is a flybridge boat is irrelevant - the access between the saloon and cockpit on a flybridge boat, and the view out from the saloon being key factors.
The downside was the wheelchair access required the boat to be moored with the stern to a pontoon. This was so at the home mooring but the wheelchair user was boat bound when away from the home mooring.

.

The very last versions of the P35 had a small transom door as standard, they would be well inside the OPs budget.
Think the P388 and the bit of a swizz identical hull version with built in swim platform also had the door ?

 

[calranthe]

While some kind of ramp or walk way on to the boat is ideal my wife can walk up a ramp and handles walking around out house and outside the back door into our yard (we have a stair lift to the bedrooms)

 

[calranthe]

P35 do you mean princess 35 ?

 

[PCUK]

As already said at the start, Dutch steel is what you need and at least 40 feet which will be well within your budget. People seem to be ignoring your need for a non flybridge vessel. Nice to be offered the chance of some sea trials and the opportunity to make new friends at the same time.

 

[Elessar]

See if you can find one of these.
http://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/2008/Saga-315-2923006/Netherlands#.WP8NCNLytEY

Transom door for easy access. Could be made wider even if a wheelchair is needed in future.
Good views from sitting position, inside, or out.
Level access to galley, deck and saloon seating.
No island bed, but in the bows they tend to be high, so probably not actually best for you.
Economical (by boat standards), allweather and easily handled.

Good luck in realising your dream.

 

[MystereMarcus]

As has been said Superheat6k's offer is very generous and one you should certainly take. Can I also suggest you contact Wet Wheels (http://www.wetwheelssolent.co.uk/). They have boats specially adapted for wheelchair access and can give you a taster of life on the water in a safe environment. Geoff Holt who set up the charity sailed single handed around Britain in a specially adapted yacht, so would be a very good source of information of life on board with limited mobility.

 

[calranthe]

As already said at the start, Dutch steel is what you need and at least 40 feet which will be well within your budget. People seem to be ignoring your need for a non flybridge vessel. Nice to be offered the chance of some sea trials and the opportunity to make new friends at the same time.

I love the look of them but most seem under powered for coastal or beyond sadly, maybe I am wrong, still do not fully understand the relationship between the speed a boat can go at compared to the movement of currents and wind, I see some people call a boat that only has a 160hp engine 8-10 knots at coastal vessel, trying to wrap my head around how an 8-10 knot boat can get past even slight currents.

 

[calranthe]

As has been said Superheat6k's offer is very generous and one you should certainly take. Can I also suggest you contact Wet Wheels (http://www.wetwheelssolent.co.uk/). They have boats specially adapted for wheelchair access and can give you a taster of life on the water in a safe environment. Geoff Holt who set up the charity sailed single handed around Britain in a specially adapted yacht, so would be a very good source of information of life on board with limited mobility.

I think there is some concern here and it is probably my own fault, Paola gets about the house fine alone (with a stick if she is feeling unstable) wheelchair is only used outside house when going to hospital or on a walk, the only reason I mentioned taking the wheelchair on to the boat is that it is a really stable and comfortable seating position and can be "locked down" if hooks or rails are available. for those times she would want to be on deck and not in the saloon.

Paola has already decided she will take over a corner of the boat and have it setup for her be that a seat belt or something else.

Wheelchair folds up (good quality aluminium) 8kg I can lift it above my head so getting it on the boat will not be an issue hopefully

 

[PCUK]

From your reply to my suggestion you are clearly short of some very basic boating knowledge. 8 knots will take you happily round Britain, how do you think sailing boats manage? A 40 footer with 80 will do the job although some in hand is aways nice. My 14 ton De-Groot that I went round Britain in had 140hp and cruised at 7 knots. Tides are seldom more than two or three knots around the coast apart from round some headlands in which case you time your passage to take the tide with you. This is all very very basic stuff but with some serious reading you should be able to get some basics under your belt. To summarise, you don't need speed to go to sea (it is just the current fashion) and therefore you don't need huge engines. Hope this helps.

 

[calranthe]

From your reply to my suggestion you are clearly short of some very basic boating knowledge. 8 knots will take you happily round Britain, how do you think sailing boats manage? A 40 footer with 80 will do the job although some in hand is aways nice. My 14 ton De-Groot that I went round Britain in had 140hp and cruised at 7 knots. Tides are seldom more than two or three knots around the coast apart from round some headlands in which case you time your passage to take the tide with you. This is all very very basic stuff but with some serious reading you should be able to get some basics under your belt. To summarise, you don't need speed to go to sea (it is just the current fashion) and therefore you don't need huge engines. Hope this helps.

That actually makes a lot of sense, the parts I was not understanding was why a lot of places were pushing 20-40 knots it didn't make sense but I lacked a simple post like this, I am guessing every boat is unique and you get use to it, part of my brain from a land person point of view is now going "oh boy how the hell do you stop a 14 ton metal box with a 140hp engine" but then I realise it is more like the idea of torque than speed, a tractor can pull a huge trailer through mud and fields with low gears and but that tractor may only have a top speed of 30.

I am probably wrong I know but it makes more sense to me now especially high torque at low rpm being safer for the engine as you are less likely to stress the engine.

Oh boy my wife likes this one http://www.boatshed.com/cutter_yacht-boat-227267.html
:ambivalence:
I can see why she likes it, the living area its like a log cabin or six, but that is going to take some one a lot of work even if at that price I got a really good engineer/shipwright and threw 30k at it.