Boatless and now clueless.

[jon_bailey]

Boat was sold last week and is being collected this weekend. We made an offer on a boat today, but this has initiated an offer from someone else, who was prepared to pay significantly more than I thought the boat was worth - bxxxxxxx. So I'm now looking at some time without a boat and having to try and decide what to buy.

Looking for a (small) family cruiser so that we (5 of us) can overnight. Do not want anything too old (less than 6 years) and do not want to buy new. I would prefer diesel due to lower running costs but tend to believe that diesel and petrol engined boats will get closer in price as derogation ends.

Made offer on a 27ft diesel Doral cruiser that had 3/4 berth at bow and mid cabin. Dinette was small but we figured we would spend most of our time in the cockpit.

If we go for petrol then I would consider buying from the US (forgetting any arguments abouts CE marking) but if well priced boat is availble in the UK why bother? Ideal boat would probably be an S28 or similar although would prefer not to run a twin engined boat due to cost and expense. Will also expect to upgrade in approx 3 years so need to keep this in mind.

Any ideas from my learned friends?

Alternatively does anyone have a boat I can borrow (hire) for a few months /forums/images/icons/wink.gif


<hr width=100% size=1>££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.btconnect.com/bailey>BOAT NO LONGER FOR SALE</A>

 

[DepSol]

I know where there might be a Leader 805 for sale soon

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>

 

[jon_bailey]

Not you as well!

I was expecting something from Nick2 or Moose.

<hr width=100% size=1>££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.btconnect.com/bailey>BOAT NO LONGER FOR SALE</A>

 

[DepSol]

You can FRO I am not about to join the raggie brigade !

I am looking for a 34 footer 2 cabins dining area does around 34 knots. Pref hard top.

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>

 

[BrendanS]

Iditarod available when I'm not using it

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[hlb]

Petrol may be fine for you. If you dont want to go anywhere. I'd go older and bigger for five. My P35 is just right for two!!

<hr width=100% size=1> Flags Solly MFBR</font color=red>
Haydn

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

we don't want you

so there!

We already have the two best ones /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

and a third coming over if I am not very much mistaken.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>

</A>

 

[DepSol]

Never felt so happy to be NOT wanted...Thanks /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Actually I having nothing against sailing its just I dont have time for it at the moment. Anything that involves beingout on the water is good in my book.

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.soltron.co.uk>the website</A>

 

[jon_bailey]

Thanks Brendan.

Not sure that I will be able to get used to all that extra speed and wife may not be that keen of your wild type of boating but certainly a very kind offer that may we may well take you up on.

Difficult to know how we will feel without a boat in a few weeks. Wife says that I can catch up on DIY and sort out the garden, but this kind of thing fills me with dread. Is there a solution?

<hr width=100% size=1>££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.btconnect.com/bailey>BOAT NO LONGER FOR SALE</A>

 

[jon_bailey]

Older and larger or younger and smaller - which would I prefer? (Actually getting a bit of both with my wife /forums/images/icons/smile.gif).

If it was simply more of up-front cost then decision would be easy, problem is with a larger boat running costs are also much higher, i.e. mooring, running, insurance and servicing, so even though prepared to do some of this myself yearly costs will be higher.

The larger you go the more important the diesel option becomes and I have no way of knowing how much more we will be using a larger boat, so diesel is preferred despite the 'threat to red'.

P35 would be nice for the two of us but with three small boys there is a limit to how much babysitting grandparents will do.


<hr width=100% size=1>££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.btconnect.com/bailey>BOAT NO LONGER FOR SALE</A>

 

[jon_bailey]

I hope that you are not insinuating that I am may be crossing the great divide. I do not have enough time to limp everywhere.

<hr width=100% size=1>££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.btconnect.com/bailey>BOAT NO LONGER FOR SALE</A>

 

[ArthurWood]

Jon - you could come over here and help us clear up and I might give you what's left of our boat after hurricane Charley has finished with her/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jon_bailey]

I hear that there are two on the way so not sure how much of your boat will be left worth having.

Keep out of the wind and we hope that all goes well.

<hr width=100% size=1>££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.btconnect.com/bailey>BOAT NO LONGER FOR SALE</A>

 

[ArthurWood]

We don't know for sure, but it looks like it missed us, having turned E earlier than anticipated. We are in N Florida expecting Charley to come close during the night as it traverses the peninsula.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jon_bailey]

So you evacuated?

Must have been a bit worrying leaving the boat in the harbour and I assume that you lashed everything down well before moving up-state. Pleased to hear that you have missed the worse of it and hope that everything is ok. Keep us informed.

<hr width=100% size=1>££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.btconnect.com/bailey>BOAT NO LONGER FOR SALE</A>

 

[ArthurWood]

There was a mandatory evacuation of the coastal areas, including Longboat Key, which is unscathed, so we are told. The same can't be said of the Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area, unfortunately. That is devastated.
Needlesss to say, we felt sick yesterday when we heard that Charley was heading directly for Sarasota, but were very relieved when it unexpectedly turned E.
At the moment we are in a hotel 50 miles S of the GA/FL state line and will be home later today, traffic permitting. I expect there will be traffic jams on I-75 as people return home.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Alistairr]

Arthur,
Well i hope you get hope safe and well. And that verything is still well intact, espiecally the boat.
We are all thinking of you over at this side of the pond.

Take care

Alistair.



<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/alistair?&page=1> My Pictures, Please take a Look.</A>

 

[ArthurWood]

Alistair - actually, I was hoping the boat would be hit as it's worth more that way; then I could buy one with those oh-so-safe diesels/forums/images/icons/smile.gif.
Looking out at the interstate, it looks like we shall be accompanied by hundreds of emergency repair and army trucks heading south. The electrical repair and tree removal guys come from as far as 1000 miles away in long yellow convoys.
CNN is just showing people emerging from mobile homes which look like smashed match boxes. The hurricane was one thing, but within it there were a lot of tornadoes.
Well, off we go on the final 300 miles..........
Thanks for your kind thoughts.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[BrendanS]

Arthur, glad to hear you escaped unscathed. Now just wondering if Fatipa's boat also escaped as he posted that the boatyard where his yacht is being done up was in forecast route

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[ArthurWood]

Made it home - looks just like we left it. Remnants of Charley, which is way up the E coast, are still around so we are expecting violent thunderstorms later.

<hr width=100% size=1>