advice please

[rampart]

having owned a variety of sailing boats both ancient and modern. we are making the switch to power. we have looked at some nimbus and saga boats, but are drawn back to classics,we have only seen pictures of beautiful silvers,ramparts etc,we find a large gap in our knowledge, are such craft capable of coastal cruising?(essex,suffolk and kent coasts) at around 30 feet?displacement speed is enough for us. are there any books, articles to read or any advise?

 

[ianc1200]

Certainly capable, but older style motor cruisers can roll a lot! Very few cruisers of 30' or so of this style in my experience of cruising the Suffolk/Essex/Kent coasts as we did 2003/2006, in a early 1950's motor boat. Came to the conclusion this was because there were many days you couldn't go out, particularly with a young family aboard, and the discomfort in wind over tide conditions both off the coast and even in the rivers.

I moved my mc back to the upper Thames, and couldn't use because of the floods, and also bought a small GRP sailing boat and often there wasn't enough wind. Sods Law?

IanC

 

[Peterduck]

Thanks for the good chuckle, Ian! I understand the Sod's Law situation perfectly! I am doing as much sailing now as I did when I owned my boat, but now I am able to save money, albeit very slowly. Now I live 500 yards from the sea, and now that spring is blossoming into summer, I look out over the water and think "Ahhh . . . . I wonder if a little launch . . . . ."
Peter.

 

[burgundyben]

You might try the motor boat forum, some of them have been roaming around in old boats for a long time.

The older generation of Ramparts/Silvers/Osbornes etc can roll liek ligs.

The planing boats like Huntsman/Swordsman can be a bit crashity bang at speed.

Ask around in the forums for a few days trips to see what you like.