Boat size

[Cannon1202]

Hi I’m about to buy my first boat in the next 4-5 months with a view to gaining experience in and around the Falmouth area with the odd trip up and down the coast. The ultimate aim is to go to the Channel Islands in 2-3 years time once I’m more experienced and confident. The problem I have is I do t really want to change my boat in 2-3 years time to accommodate the further distances.
I like the Sealine and Jeanneau and four winns vistas bu am concerned about there size going to the Channel Islands in years to come. I’m really looking for some advice as I don’t want a big boat to gain experience but need suitable one to allow me to spread my wings in a couple of years
Any advice would be appreciated

Graham

 

[jrudge]

First thing is budget and how many people you are trying to accommodate ?

 

[Cannon1202]

Morning its only for 2 people but want it to be not cramped and my budget is 30-35,000
Many thanks

 

[DavidJ]

I have a Sealine biase so a S23/24/230/240 is a great starter boat. However I personally wouldn’t do the Channel Island run in anything less than 35ft
I crossed the Gulf de Lion (100miles) in my S37 and hit an unpredicted f5/6. Felt safe at a plodding displacement speed but I wouldn’t try that in anything smaller.

 

[oldgit]

First decision ............. bigger and older or newer and smaller.
Boats will need fixing.
If you consider your self handy with spanners and do not mind getting covered in oil/ grease and applying bandages mid job, then an older boat might fit the bill, if there is a funny noise and you immediately reach for the phone to call your nearest main stealer, something newer might be better.
Smaller usually means quicker however larger means more space and stability.
Looking at where you are and what you hope to do , diesel should be the only method of propulsion for your proposed purchase.
First purchases do tend to be "eye candy" sports boats, most boaters grow out of these boats very quickly and get something more practical and useable on subsequent purchases.

 

[Cannon1202]

I own my own building company so don’t mind getting stuck in but do want reliability. But have very little experience with boats and no experience buying I’m really unsure as every boat or make has pros and cons, and your absolutely right regarding eye candy. I just don’t want to purchase a boat and then upgrade in 2 years purely due to costs. If it means I need to wait another year to have a better boat then so be it. Is there a particular make or model you would advise to learn in with the view to going to the Channel Islands in a couple years. I have family in Guernesey so this is the main draw for me
I completely understand regarding diesel

 

[Cannon1202]

I have a Sealine biase so a S23/24/230/240 is a great starter boat. However I personally wouldn’t do the Channel Island run in anything less than 35ft
I crossed the Gulf de Lion (100miles) in my S37 and hit an unpredicted f5/6. Felt safe at a plodding displacement speed but I wouldn’t try that in anything smaller.

Thanks for this I will look into this
Much appreciated

 

[PlanB]

Talking purely about size, don't be put off getting a first boat of the size you will eventually need/want (within reason).
We were totally new to boating, but wanted a boat to motor to the Med and live aboard (this was long before |Brexit had even been thought of).
We bought a Princess 435, had own boat tuition and practised, practised, practised.
Three years later, set off for the Med and arrived without incident. Stayed for 12 years.

 

[jrudge]

Size is not to be feared. The only consequence is cost / fuel / berthing / anti fouling.

 

[Momac]

Probably a much bigger budget would help.

 

[DavidJ]

I guess my concern is the condition and age of a 35+ ft boat at £35k. At best it would be near 30 years old.

 

[SC35]

Channel Islands is entirely possible in a Sealine S28 - I have done this.
I would not attempt it in an S24 … which is fine for coastal hops.

 

[Alicatt]

I guess my concern is the condition and age of a 35+ ft boat at £35k. At best it would be near 30 years old.

Or older! Our Broom Ocean 37 is in that price bracket and is 45 years old, and we are the 3rd owners from new, the boat was about 40 years old when it first changed hands and the person that bought it used it for little over a year before passing away, then it sat for about 4 years as the person's estate was wound up.
Compared with our 24ft (7,5m) cabin cruiser the Ocean 37 is a dream to handle so precise in using both the steering and the engines to manoeuvre. plus she has so much more room and the bunks are luxury compared with the 7.5m boatje.

Sailing through the very busy Hollands Deep amongst the coasters and barges was straight forward and not something I could have done in the smaller boat.

 

[oldgit]

I guess my concern is the condition and age of a 35+ ft boat at £35k. At best it would be near 30 years old.

Dare to suggest that a newer vessel is not necessarily the path to a boat requiring less maintenance or expence.
The hulls and superstructure of glassfibre boats are virtually impossible to destroy despite all previous owners efforts and is usually limited to the usual battle scars and stress cracks, older boats were better built in that they were of much heaver construction, probably actually see your engines without dismantling the entire saloon , possibly meaning you might actually check the oil levels before departure.
In Ye Olden Days a boat would be designed on a drawing board, the cost added up and a bit added for a profit, this usually involved the price of wood and actual screws for the interior.
Today, price decided first , preferably a tad under your competitor and the boat literally stuck toegther on this basis, this usually involves contact adhesive, special marine chipboard ? and a thin foam backed Vynil.
Its all the bits inside that fail and wear out, an old boat with everything recently replaced, preferably by the previous owner(s) could be a good alternative. ?

 

[Alicatt]

Dare to suggest that a newer vessel is not necessarily the path to a boat requiring less maintenance or expence.
The hulls and superstructure of glassfibre boats are virtually impossible to destroy despite all previous owners efforts and is usually limited to the usual battle scars and stress cracks, older boats were better built in that they were of much heaver construction, probably actually see your engines without dismantling the entire saloon , possibly meaning you might actually check the oil levels before departure.
In Ye Olden Days a boat would be designed on a drawing board, the cost added up and a bit added for a profit, this usually involved the price of wood and actual screws for the interior.
Today, price decided first , preferably a tad under your competitor and the boat literally stuck toegther on this basis, this usually involves contact adhesive, special marine chipboard ? and a thin foam backed Vynil.
Its all the bits inside that fail and wear out, an old boat with everything recently replaced, preferably by the previous owner(s) could be a good alternative. ?

Even on a 45 year old boat you still have to lift the floor in the saloon to get to the engines

 

[madabouttheboat]

Channel Islands is entirely possible in a Sealine S28 - I have done this.
I would not attempt it in an S24 … which is fine for coastal hops.

Not only possible, but very much within its capabilities. The S28 is a very good boat. I have done more miles in an S28 than many people do in much bigger boats and I would not hesitate taking one to the CI. I have also done the CI in a single engine 25 footer and again it was perfectly fine. Not as good as the 28, but very doable.

 

[Richard.C]

There will be lots of personal opinions to questions like these.

I would say circa 30ft or more (as already mentioned) to give comfortable space and decent sea keeping. Twin diesels for reliability and redundancy, single engine more than capable but I would want some form of auxiliary back up motor and at 30ft it's not going to be a small outboard so I would look for twin diesels.

It's already been said but at this size for this budget you're looking at 30yr to 40yr old. A well maintained boat should be reliable though.

Get out and look at some boats, possible boats could be:
Hardy/Hardy Seawings
Nimbus
Fairline Corniche
Aquastar 33
Princess 30/33
Sealine
Storebro Royal Biscay 31
Birchwood

 

[Momac]

Even on a 45 year old boat you still have to lift the floor in the saloon to get to the engines

Assuming the engines are located under the saloon floor.