I agree with the comments above re gaining more experience and above all getting proper tuition. While you will learn a lot on a one-week course you will find that there is a lot more to learn. Good luck olewill.
Advice requested on buying first boat - looking at bilge keelers
- Thread starter Edmundus
- Start date
MarcJ
Well-Known Member
Glad you like the pics! Sorry for the late reply, only just noticed this. I'll drop you an email, if I can help in any way I will!
BTW We also did a trip from Pwllheli to Abersoch last bank hols..
Last edited:
TigerBay
New Member
Hi if any of you guys are interested I have a jenneau fantasia 27 for sale lying at Cardiff bay yacht club if interested could you please message me on here
Cheers
Owen
Cheers
Owen
Storyline
Well-Known Member
I don't know where in the Midlands you live but many people from that area sail out of Conwy and it is worth consideration. A bilge keeler would be a good choice for the Irish Sea because of the large tidal range wherever you decide to keep her.
Enya
Well-Known Member
Dare I mention it- the engine. If you are a novice sailor or want to use marinas you need a reliable engine. Old boats are cheap if they have not been re-engined. Engines contribute possibly the one most expensive item on a small sailing boat. Resale may be difficult if engine old. A smaller boat with outboard may be a much better idea if looking to resell soon.
jwilson
Well-Known Member
A lot of the nicer places in the BC and round into the Welsh and Devon coasts more or less demand bilge-keels, though there are plenty of remote muddy creeks with soft mud where a fin can settle, you might not want to be there. Iron bilge keels are better than GRP ones, as some harbours have stony bottoms - eg Lynmouth, Porlock and Clovelly. The GRP bilge keels are fine in sandy/muddy places, eg Minehead, Watermouth, Ilfracombe, Instow and much of the Welsh side.
On the original Macwester 26 vs Colvic 26 question, both are as others have said pretty slow, the Mac 26 being particularly diabolical to windward. That said, with the big tides, even a slow boat can go a long way on a tide. A Centaur or one of the Cobras/Leisure bilge-keelers will cost a bit more, but sail much better.
peterhull
Well-Known Member
I have owned long keel and bilge keelers. I am retired now and bought a swing keel boat. For a 1st boat I think is ideal.
Jaquar 22 is good, they have stubby bilge keels as well swing keel and sit upright when dried out.
they are reasonable in price and you can put them on a trailer to reduce marina and storage costs.
Best of luck and enjoy
Peter
Jimbosoton
New Member
Hi all
I'm also in the same boat as Ed (pardon the pun). Anyway I'm looking for my first cruising boat having sailed dinghies for too many years and recently completed the Competent Crew course and started on Day Skipper.
My Shortlist is:-
I plan to sail mainly in the Solent and keep the boat on a drying berth, and cruise with my wife.
Cobra 700
Memory 19
Westerly Pageant or 21
I'd be grateful for advice from those who know from experience of these boats.
Jim
I'm also in the same boat as Ed (pardon the pun). Anyway I'm looking for my first cruising boat having sailed dinghies for too many years and recently completed the Competent Crew course and started on Day Skipper.
My Shortlist is:-
I plan to sail mainly in the Solent and keep the boat on a drying berth, and cruise with my wife.
Cobra 700
Memory 19
Westerly Pageant or 21
I'd be grateful for advice from those who know from experience of these boats.
Jim
Laurie
Well-Known Member
Not all the J 22s have the bilge runners.......(Good ones are cracking little boats)
Mirage 28 and Jag 27 twin keelers sail well..............
viva
Well-Known Member
There is lots of sensible advice above. When I started serious sailing I had the same thoughts as you. I bought a bilge keeler (Horizon 23) and kept her on a drying mooring to keep the costs down. I loved the sailing and wanted to do as much as possible. But the journey to the boat was 90mins each way and I only has the weekends available. I then realised when taking into account the time before and after HW that I was afloat the access at the weekends, when I could sail was seriously restricted and I felt very dissatisfied with the amount of time I could spend on this wonderful pastime. So the next year I coughed-up for an all tide marina berth and much better use of the asset. If your leisure time is restricted think about how much real use you will get from a boat on a drying mooring.
Seajet
...
I would argue with that, having had a lift keel boat on a half tide mooring since 1978 -86 then again 1990- present day, and a fin keel boat on a drying mooring 1986-90.
I have dinghy access to the drying mooring 3.5 hours either side of High Water, and can move the cruiser on and off about 2.5-3 hours either side of HW.
Spring tides give roughly midday tides, so I have from say 09:30 - 14:30 to get to or from deep water, then the same again a touch later around midnight.
Neap tides are morning and evening, so a HW of 06:00 gives access 03:30 - 08:30, then say 15:40 - 20:40.
These are of course just example times.
I don't find it a problem fitting in with the tides, and a half tide mooring will usually be close to the shore, so a sheltered, short row or motor in the dinghy and usually lots going on to peer at from the mooring.
As I have an 80 minute drive to the club I usually stay on the boat overnight even if not going anywhere, it's still very enjoyable and has the bonus of learning the underwater topography of the area, and how the boat settles.
Marinas don't offer this independence and the price would be literally 10 times more for me, no contest ( and I'm not at all sure I'd go for a marina even if the same price ); if taking out friends who are not used to boats I can always nip into the nearby marina on a ' short stay ' to pick them up and drop them off.
I have dinghy access to the drying mooring 3.5 hours either side of High Water, and can move the cruiser on and off about 2.5-3 hours either side of HW.
Spring tides give roughly midday tides, so I have from say 09:30 - 14:30 to get to or from deep water, then the same again a touch later around midnight.
Neap tides are morning and evening, so a HW of 06:00 gives access 03:30 - 08:30, then say 15:40 - 20:40.
These are of course just example times.
I don't find it a problem fitting in with the tides, and a half tide mooring will usually be close to the shore, so a sheltered, short row or motor in the dinghy and usually lots going on to peer at from the mooring.
As I have an 80 minute drive to the club I usually stay on the boat overnight even if not going anywhere, it's still very enjoyable and has the bonus of learning the underwater topography of the area, and how the boat settles.
Marinas don't offer this independence and the price would be literally 10 times more for me, no contest ( and I'm not at all sure I'd go for a marina even if the same price ); if taking out friends who are not used to boats I can always nip into the nearby marina on a ' short stay ' to pick them up and drop them off.
Last edited:
Rum Run
Well-Known Member
I am in the (East) Midlands and choose to put the boat on the East Coast. The closest bit of sea to me is the Wash, which didn't appeal. This is my first sea boat so wanted more bolt-holes and less rocks, hence going for the Blackwater. Also if my naviguessing went wrong Holland is closer than New England. Generally a 3 hour drive to the boat so I always stay overnight. She is on a part-tide swinging mooring which is pretty economical and I can pay for a marina when I get there if I want to. It is more mucking about than a permanent marina berth but 1/10th the price. The boat's shallow draught is useful getting into some marinas' as many have cills.
I considered buying a bilge keel boat but too many at this size are better at going sideways than forwards so I decided upon a lifting-keeler. This is why I have an Anderson! The keel bulb also prevents stones wedging the keel into the case, though she will lay over if on a hard bottom - not that there are many of those in the area.
Cheers
Rum Run
I considered buying a bilge keel boat but too many at this size are better at going sideways than forwards so I decided upon a lifting-keeler. This is why I have an Anderson! The keel bulb also prevents stones wedging the keel into the case, though she will lay over if on a hard bottom - not that there are many of those in the area.
Cheers
Rum Run
LP1
Well-Known Member
I just bought an Achilles 24 fin keel on an SBS trailer. It needs some work, namely - drying out the leaky chainplates, renewing, and I would like a new mast to accommodate slab reefing (and the old mast has been roughly repaired after a dismasting).
She will be going in the Marina for the season though as the drying moorings where I live in Swansea often see boats lingering on their bilge keels all day on beautiful summer's days when I would be wanting to be out sailing. Some things are just worth paying for.
She will be going in the Marina for the season though as the drying moorings where I live in Swansea often see boats lingering on their bilge keels all day on beautiful summer's days when I would be wanting to be out sailing. Some things are just worth paying for.
