Big Boat For Newb?

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Dugancast

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Hi Forum

I've recently fallen in love with a 42ft Sea Ray priced at £30k and decided it's time I had a go at boat ownership. I have a little experience on canals and rivers but only with small cruisers. I thought it might be best if I start with something smaller (22-30ft narrow beam) and learn on the canals and rivers but after getting on board a few £17-19k inland cruisers I'm not that keen to start from small or narrow as it were, especially knowing that for an extra spend of about £10k I'll have the boat I want to keep. I'm totally amazed at the difference in size and spec of the boats that I've looked at that are not so hugely different in price as I'd expect.

My question is how ridiculous of me would it be to start out with a 42ft sea/river cruiser and what type of training would I need and where could I find it?
 
I'm with Whitelighter...not ridiculous at all. Get some own boat tuition from a decent instructor. Where are you planning to be based? No doubt there will be people on here who'll be able to point you in the right direction and you can go from there. Oh and welcome to the forum. It's a great starting place.
L
:)
 
Has petrol engines and whatever I get will be based Nottingham Trent, thanks for the replies so far, was worried I'd be shot down :encouragement:
 
Dugancast said:
Hi Forum

I've recently fallen in love with a 42ft Sea Ray priced at £30k and decided it's time I had a go at boat ownership. I have a little experience on canals and rivers but only with small cruisers. I thought it might be best if I start with something smaller (22-30ft narrow beam) and learn on the canals and rivers but after getting on board a few £17-19k inland cruisers I'm not that keen to start from small or narrow as it were, especially knowing that for an extra spend of about £10k I'll have the boat I want to keep. I'm totally amazed at the difference in size and spec of the boats that I've looked at that are not so hugely different in price as I'd expect.

My question is how ridiculous of me would it be to start out with a 42ft sea/river cruiser and what type of training would I need and where could I find it?
Click to expand...

I have taught people new to boating whos first boat is a 55ft flybridge. As I say to them the boat shrinks as you get used to it.
training, day skipper theory and practical would give you a great start to boating and allow you to do what you want. It the tickets that most have and only a few go further than that.
 
I'm assuming diesel economy betters petrol by about 30% as is the case with cars but will river cruising at 5mph in a petrol twin will be more fuel efficient in a boat which has a cruising speed of 30mph? basically will it be much more efficient plodding along a river than cruising at sea.

I'm not worried about servicing/repair/maintenance costs but the thought of using engines that I know aren't giving me reasonable economy would probably take away a lot of the enjoyment.
I have a car that does the same thing, compulsory four figure servicing and repairs multiple times a year which I accept but strangely it's the poor mpg that bothers me most, that being said I suppose the trade off with the thirsty petrol engines of a boat is the extra comfort of low sound and vibration which in a car isn't really noticeable.

Thanks for the replies so far as I've made use of them all and hopefully I can look back at this thread in a few months time thinking about how little I knew at the time and how much I've learned since, hopefully having not dropped a major clanger.
 
just before you buy a big petrol engined boat, be aware that after the big lock at cromwell on the trent you can't buy petrol in a marina (in any quantity) until you get to York marina on the ouse. I don't believe Hull marina or Grimsby sell petrol any more - worth checking if you ever want to go far. Size wise - no problem for a beginner, if anything its easier as they don't blow about as much.
 
I have to say a 42ft boat with twin (large probably) petrols pottering along a river is likely to be more reliable than a large diesel where you can't open it up as diesels need to be used hard.

Also it will be MUCH quieter and smoother, and I'm with the others, fuel consumption won't be high as it's so unstressed at that speed.

However - you REALLY need to consider if you are EVER going to want to sell her. Because if you do you'll struggle. 99.9% of people wouldn't even read the advert once they see "twin petrols"... Indeed if looking for 30+ footers, many will put "diesel" into the filter and never even SEE the ad.....

I also think if you want to go coastal it's a no-no - I had a 28' boat with single 5.7 and it was crippling on fuel, because I tried to use it as a cruiser rather than a large sporty boat - £200 a weekend was easy - and that was back when petrol was 70ppl not the 108ppl it is now.

So buy it if it suits you, and for what you say you want I'd even say a wise choice - BUT make sure you haggle hard - someone else on here could help better than I but I'd say it needs to be very cheap to make it a good choice from a resale point of view.
 
People have started on the Trent with a boat that size, not that I would suggest its a good idea.
Its about as big as they get on the Trent.

Does the boat have decent side decks and rails ? You will need them, and a decent crew , to safely negotiate the locks .

As said the absence of marina petrol restricts your cruising range. There is petrol at Farndon - nowhere else on the Trent . It will be at a higher cost than at a road station. Something like £1.45 a litre.


.
 
One of the advantages of the petrol engines is they are pretty tough and not much to go wrong, so long as serviced often.
But the fuel cost will be impressive if you even dare to look at the throttle!
 
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