Boat advice

[robertj]

Which boat would you advice a couple moving from dinghy to a first time yacht,
They have two children of seven and a Labrador puppy?
Would an open transom, wide stern flyer be your advice, with a proviso to brief the seven year olds to stay away from the open transom?

 

[stevebrassett]

No

 

[stevebrassett]

Budget?

Sailing area?

 

[oldharry]

Which boat would you advice a couple moving from dinghy to a first time yacht,
They have two children of seven and a Labrador puppy?
Would an open transom, wide stern flyer be your advice, with a proviso to brief the seven year olds to stay away from the open transom?

7 Year olds wont stay away from the water at the back of the boat. Even if they do, the Labrador wont - that as you will find is a fact of owning a Labrador. If there's water, they are in it! The muddier the better!

Otherwise, as earlier:

Budget? You can get something adequate for £8k, or easily spend £80k for a starter boat.

Sailing area? Whats right for the deep water of the Solent may not be so good on the East Coast with its shallow estuaries and sandbanks.

Also: Racing? Do you prefer to sail competitively? Not so easy with two 7 year olds and a puppy, and you may have to compromise a bit. e.g. no sugar scoop sterns!

 

[25931]

Which boat would you advice a couple moving from dinghy to a first time yacht,
They have two children of seven and a Labrador puppy?
Would an open transom, wide stern flyer be your advice, with a proviso to brief the seven year olds to stay away from the open transom?

Harnesses for all three regardless of configuration.

 

[robertj]

Budget £130,000.

I thought the advice of that particular boat with the dog and two seven year olds
seemed rather flawed.

 

[robertj]

Still can't understand why chris beeson of YM would advise on that craft at all, or is it just me who thinks that would be fraught with problems?

 

[jimi]

Something with a high boom and traveller out of the cockpit.

 

[JesseLoynes]

I take it this is a specific dig but haven't seen the article, what did he suggest?

 

[Me_has_a_Boat]

£130k is a lot of budget for a boat (well, for most - me included!). Of course a £130k boat budget can mean different things to different folks. 30 seconds with a HP form or a dip into the savings account. For toys I favour the latter approach.

Personally I would go as cheap as possible, principly to see if they liked the messing around in boats thing as a family (and that it works for them!). Plus unless a £130k boat is not a major ticket item then you / the family are not married to the bl##dy thing . and as the first "proper" boat will going in blind (whether new or s/h) and being very (IMO overly) reliant on others to judge whether the boat is good for "you" (both in what it does and in condition / build quality).....not to say don't, just that a higher degree of risk. The higher the budget the bigger the bet.

Whilst I would not say get something slow - I also would not get something based purely on "performance" at the price of home comforts and a layout (above and below decks) that works for a family - as No.1 priority is for it to be a family boat.....otherwise hubby will sooner or later (likely sooner!) find himself sailing solo........possibly 24/7

An open transom is just asking for trouble with the kids and the dog. I guess whether someone gets that depends on how much they like either.......

.....will need somewhere to "stow" the kids where can keep eyes on them and within easy reach - all without getting in the way (at least not all the time!). The dog? IMO if that goes overboard getting back more of a bonus than a neccesity.

I would suggest something fairly modern in design and s/h around 3 years old (let some other bugger cop the depreciation and add a few toys - but not yet into starting the first refit). A brand name helps resale, can always flog a Ford. A Fiat not always so easy......

Size wise? IMO 30 - 35 foot would be a decent spot. Say 33'

The good news is that basically any boat will do the job required - whether it is enjoyable enough for the whole family is another thing. The bad news is that pretty much guaranteed that the first boat won't be the last (unless the boat budget goes in a divorce settlement ) - as she won't be perfect ("if only she........"). But they never are - might take a few boats to realise that mind .

A link to the article would be nice.

 

[Seajet]

The Scottish half of my wallet has gone into hiding at the thought of £130K on a first cruiser

It's often suggested here, and I think it's right unless one is very lucky, to pay as little as possible - say £2-5,000 for a starter cruiser - and use the experience gained after a couple of years to buy a more serious boat; she doesn't have to be bigger, necessarily, just with design features one has learned to be useful.

Of course if the starter boat is basically OK and one is handy at DIY, she could be refitted if required; vastly cheaper than 'upgrading' to a big boat in a marina etc !

 

[SimbaDog]

I would buy a Beneteau 323 Oceanis

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

If you can find a good one

second hand HR36 with centre cockpit and netting round the guard wires

plenty accomodation and you will sell it onwards whe you want to after a season or two with little loss.

If you still want to race buy a Hunter 707 with the change.

 

[V1701]

You must have an idea of what might suit what you want to do, charter something similar & see how it goes? Or buy as good an example of an early 30's ft 20 to 25 year old BenJenBav for way less than £130k & see how you go with that?

 

[E39mad]

Used Southerly 110.

 

[robertj]

I take it this is a specific dig but haven't seen the article, what did he suggest?

Yes it sounds a dig but isnt, I genuinely disagreed with chris.
I thought of the associated problems but agreed with the performace aspect for ex dinghy sailors.
Or is it me being just an old over causious type.

The boat is I thing an élan 31

 

[Sybarite]

Yes it sounds a dig but isnt, I genuinely disagreed with chris.
I thought of the associated problems but agreed with the performace aspect for ex dinghy sailors.
Or is it me being just an old over causious type.

The boat is I thing an élan 31

My advice would be spend a few weeks here and there chartering. I changed my initial idea when I saw that having a family for any length of time on a 28' was really not a good idea. Moving to 30' + gave a feeling of space all around.

 

[photodog]

Used Southerly 110.

+1

If you want something a bit sporty a Finngulf 33 nearly new..

But as others have commented...there really is no need to spend anywere ner this amount.

What you need is a good family awb... Like a Jeunnaue SO 36, or a Bavaria 36... As the family is growing... And its your first big boat... I would look at getting better value from a good late used family awb....

Frankly i would have thought a circa 2000 Bavaria 34 would be ideal.. Proven layout... Decent value... There was a reason they were so popular!

But alot depends on were you are going to be cruising.... And the sort of sailing you want to do... Your ideal vision as it were!

Elan 31 is a kick ass boat... But two observations...

1) its very preformance oriented... Labradors are not.
2) its not very big.... Labradors are.

If that size is no issue... Look at the previous generation Elan 31... A real peach of a boat.. With excellent reformance but more cruiser oriented than the current.

A hanse 311/315 may be a good bet at that size...

A Late Bene 311 is worth looking at, they sail very well... The current model looks more modern and sporty but i have not sailed one... But they would be worth a good look as well.

All of those can be had well kitted for way under £130k

 

[Jaramaz]

My advice would be spend a few weeks here and there chartering. I changed my initial idea when I saw that having a family for any length of time on a 28' was really not a good idea. Moving to 30' + gave a feeling of space all around.

Fully agree! Enjoy sailing and living in some few different boats!

Living on board for some days do tell a lot of what one like, or not. Even for a family a small boat may be too cramped. Some prefer a boat which is comfortable in harbour, others prefer a boat with sea beds.

Then of course, sailing performance - as former dinghy sailors you probably want a lively boat? Or?

With the decline in the sail boat market you have many options within your budget.

/J

 

[Sequoiah1]

Which boat would you advice a couple moving from dinghy to a first time yacht,
They have two children of seven and a Labrador puppy?
Would an open transom, wide stern flyer be your advice, with a proviso to brief the seven year olds to stay away from the open transom?

I would pick a sunfast 3200 with the transom closing board......