Bought my first boat. Need advice

B

Boater On Thames

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 Oct 2018
Messages
534
Visit site
Sorry. This topic bring back here again.

I just bought my very first boat today. She is a 41 feet aft cabin flybridge. Make in 1992. Twin engines total 600 hp. The survey report said she is in serviceable conditions. She did 15 knots top speed at 2500 rpm during the sea trial whith full tanks. The problem is that the boat is in north of Scotland, and I am living in south of England. It's about 800 miles away from home. What do you think the best way to bring her home? Thank you in advance.
 
Last edited:
Welcome to the forum.

Only 2 options really....road or sea.

Sea will be tricky this time of year. If you have loads of time to wait for weather etc... it would be an adventure. Also depends on the condition of the boat mechanically and your experience. To give an idea, my last boat (40ft flybridge) did Isle of Man to Portsmouth in 10 days and cost 3k in fuel and fees.

Road is the straight forward option. I would imagine the cost would be max £5k. I got my current boat transported Essex to Cumbria for under 2k but it didn’t need an escort. Good thing with road is the timeframe is controllable for a start.

What boat is it?
 
Piecing together the two forum replies I agree. It is an elderly boat not known to you.

I dont know what boat it is but 15 knots at full throttle does not seem usual ( on the assumption that most flybridge boats are planning hulls) you should be looking at more like 25 min, but say the boat and someone will tell you more.

The only way to consider moving this is on a truck. I have not tried to look at sea miles, but assuming your 800 is correct that is some 55 hours ( at full throttle - you wont want to do that the fuel burn will be daft) so call it 70 hours? 7 hours a day for 10 days? In October? Emm not for the feint hearted.

Coast to Coast off this as I am sure many others do.

Good luck!
 
Lucas Gan said:
Sorry. This topic bring back here again.

I just bought my very first boat today. She is a 41 feet aft cabin flybridge. Make in 1992. Twin engines total 600 hp. The survey report said she is in serviceable conditions. She did 15 knots top speed at 2500 rpm during the sea trial whith full tanks. The problem is that the boat is in north of Scotland, and I am living in south of England. It's about 800 miles away from home. What do you think the best way to bring her home? Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

My opinion would be that unless you know for sure that the boat is in A1 condition and you have the experience nessesary to pilot her down yourself then road is the only option.
 
Princess 41 with a pair of smaller diesels maybe 15 knots on good day ?

Put it on a low loader, should not be hard to get good deal, not much moving mid winter.
Better to be sitting indoors wishing you were out there than vice versa.
Get it home by road and spend the winter sorting all the bits and pieces.
 
Last edited:
Speak to peter downes transport they do a good job at the right price .based in Essex so should work well ..
 
You need to budget the the lift in and out.
The transport company will want you to arrange for ALL the top hamper to be stripped off the boat,this includes radar arches,aerials and canvas covers of every description.
Frequently the props have to come off as well.
They will not even load the vehicle unless the boat will clear all the bridges etc on the journey.
Despite promises that my boat would be road ready, my transport arrived on time at Conwy marina with the boat still in the water .The resulting panic to get it prepared nearly resulted in the driver clearing off plus some minor damage caused in the rush.
Totally cocked up the drivers other movements for two days as well
Get onto the internet and get some quotes.Do not just confine yourself to dedicated companies who only move boats.Many heavy haulage companies who move really big stuff like transformers and locomotives , have the gear to shift boats and can shift sooner at better price.

Serious question.....
Just had look at your link on PBO and the hint you will be based in Shepperton ???
Have thought how you will fare with the low bridges up and down stream.According to online manual looks an awful lot of airdraft on that boat. ?
Pop over to the Thames forum for advice.Radar arch is 15ft plus another 2ft for other bits.Windsor Bridge is 12.6"

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1992/cruisers-yachts-3850-3191256/#.W8b7s7goHTR


 
Last edited:
Thanks, mates. Those are very good advice. I will contact as many transport companies as I can.

I think the boat can only up to Old Windsor which fine to me as my plan is cruising down the Thames more than up. And hopefully get to the coast sometime.
 
Lucas Gan said:
Thanks, mates. Those are very good advice. I will contact as many transport companies as I can.

I think the boat can only up to Old Windsor which fine to me as my plan is cruising down the Thames more than up. And hopefully get to the coast sometime.
Click to expand...

Ask on the thames forum, but do bear in mind that below Teddington Lock it is basically a commercial waterway with few places to stop. Indeed if you try and drop friends at the London Eye you get a load of people more suited to being a night club bouncer telling you to "**** off". and will will arrest you ( they cant). It is very unfriendly.

You will do the trip past Parliament a few times but then the novelty wears off.

I kept a boat in Chiswick and Brentford. Stay up river unless you need to get to the sea. The thames estuary is lined with factories and you are likely to hit debris like old car wheels. As you can gather I am not really a fan of the tidal Thames. Finally to make matters worse the only perk used to be no speed limit below Wandsworth where you are now limited to 10 knots or something until past the Thames Barrier ... which is a long way if you are against the tide.

Upper Thames is delightful. You will need to register ( and pay!) and get a Boat Safety Certificate.

Enjoy
 
Downstream....

need to get under Desborough Channel Lower Bridge 5.18m (17'0") on way to Teddington
 
Last edited:
Re: Downstream....

I expect to be flamed for this post but WTH, someone has to say it. This is crazy, please don't encourage the OP to even complete the purchase. It's a very tall American boat with non-working bilge pumps and trim tabs, meaning it's not currently seaworthy, these should have been fixed easily and cheaply before being presented for sale. What does that tell you? That there will be more problems lurking! The OP has zero boating experience and was considering bringing it back from Inverkip to Shepperton by sea. Sheesh!!! Anyway, imho that boat is totally unsuitable for the non tidal Thames. As OG helpfully pointed out: BRIDGES.
 
Re: Downstream....

Having spent 20 years on the non-tidal Thames and with clubs that predominantly have a large proportion of flybridge motor cruisers, I can see that this boat might not, at first glance, be ideal due to height.

However, it is not uncommon for cruisers to be modified to meet the bridge limits. If you took off the GRP bimini and fashioned a hinge at the base of the radar arch, you'd give yourself another 2-3 foot, may be more, leeway. The problem is finding someone to do the work and for you to provide the budget....

Having spent the last 20 years on the Solent and on boats that are immaculately maintained and with systems / engines I'm very familiar with, things can still go wrong. With this in mind, I would not consider a sea delivery for an unknown vessel, in the autumn/winter, given your overall experience.

If we assume that a road-trip is in order, does the height of the boat pose a problem with regards to road bridges?
 
Re: Downstream....

JerryC said:
I expect to be flamed for this post but WTH, someone has to say it. This is crazy, please don't encourage the OP to even complete the purchase. It's a very tall American boat with non-working bilge pumps and trim tabs, meaning it's not currently seaworthy, these should have been fixed easily and cheaply before being presented for sale. What does that tell you? That there will be more problems lurking! The OP has zero boating experience and was considering bringing it back from Inverkip to Shepperton by sea. Sheesh!!! Anyway, imho that boat is totally unsuitable for the non tidal Thames. As OG helpfully pointed out: BRIDGES.
Click to expand...

What boat is it? Someone said a princess 41?

You seem to have inside knowledge
 
Re: Downstream....

There’s another thread on practical boat owner reader to reader. It’s a cruisers international 3850.

15 knots flat out with 61a’s tells me all is not well at first glance
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top