Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Greenline, interesting option @ingenious, might be worth a look. Lots of space but IIRC only one sleeping cabin.
Broom as a live aboard/solo cruising boat
- Thread starter ingenious
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Neil1300r
Member
Assuming that some places on the canal network you will need to moor where there are no bollards then you'll need to hammer in ground stakes. Which will be tricky single handed whilst still holding boat lines. If it was me, I would have bow and stern thrusters operating on a remote, so you can step ashore and still keep the boat against the shore whilst hammering the stakes in
ingenious
Active member
Yes, I know NYA, we used to live in Thorpe St Andrew back when we had the Seamaster and talked to them about selling it when the kids got bored with holidays on there. I went past a couple of months back to look at a Nimbus 280 which was to small and they also had a Broom 33 but I didn't take to it - it was in good condition for it's age but felt very dated, didn't have a bow thruster and had Mercruiser engines. It also had an internal helm which robbed quite a bit of space. I think all the Haines boats they had were pure river cruisers but I didn't look closely. I'll go back when I'm feeling better as I see they have a 42CL although that might be too big
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Some Haines models definitely offshore capable. I’ll second what Greg2 said about NYA, I’ve found them very friendly, helpful and non-pushy.
ingenious
Active member
Yes, it's a lovely looking boat and I'm intrigued by the hybrid option but only having one cabin rules it out. Even though I'm going to be by myself a lot of the time, I have sons ( and wives/kids) and friends who will join me occasionally. One of my DILs particularly likes the idea of living in Paris over Christmas as someone on here did.
ingenious
Active member
Yes,I was looking at their range and the 36 offshore looks ideal but a lot of money. I could afford it but it's a lot. Maybe do what someone on a FB group suggested - buy something cheap like the Nimbus to get a feeling for it for a year then sell it and buy the 'forever' boat - which, for realistic purposes is likely to be 7-10 years
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
One benefit of that approach is that it’s likely if not certain that whatever you buy first will not be ideal! Will give you the experience and knowledge to get the second purchase more accurately refined.
ingenious
Active member
Yes, I've done that on hire boats. For a two engine boat putting the props in opposite directions should do it but a stern thruster would be nicer particularly as there is often a lot of weed/grass on banks
Parabordi
Active member
In 40years, Never seen anyone do that ever.
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
This won't work. Putting one engine ahead and one astern will basically just spin the boat on the spot, give or take a little, depending on the boat/drive. It's a good way to manoeuvre the boat in tight spaces though.
Ref buying the Nimbus to see how you like things might seem like a good idea, but it's so far away from what you really want it isn't a realistic "test".
ingenious
Active member
Mooring to spikes or jumping off while held on thrusters ? The former is certainly very common on French canals and with longboats in England although obviously longboats don't have thrusters.
ingenious
Active member
Obviously I am talking about boats with twin engines and a bow thruster which you use to hold the bow in while having the engines take the stern in.
Yeah, I appreciate there is a lot of difference with something like the Nimbus but it would get more some experience working solo and being away long periods. I was impressed with it as a boat although the one I looked at had twin engines which I have been advised against as it makes maintenance very difficult and cuts the size of the guest cabin. There is another one for sale which has a single Volvo D4 , bow and stern thrusters. The owner group says they hold their value well.
Parabordi
Active member
Thrusters.
Greg2
Well-known member
We moored in Brundall Bay for many years on and off.
I was looking at the 42CL online the other day. It is a well specced boat and appears to have been well maintained as it has done some fairly serious cruising. A little worn in places as a consequence but it doesn’t look as though it is anything that can’t be sorted. Always liked the 42!
On the subject of thrusters it is worth saying that whilst a stern thruster isn’t really necessary on a twin engined boat it can be helpful getting into and away from a river bank inland, where it might be shallower closer to the bank. We found this on our 41 during a trip up the non-tidal Thames when the props sometimes dinged the bottom until the stern was clear of the bank. We subsequently fitted a stern thruster, primarily because NYA offered it to us at a good price, but I found it to be surprisingly helpful.
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ingenious
Active member
I had a look online to see what they had for sale down there but only a 36 with no bow thruster and Mercruiser engines and a 35CL with a single engine. Plenty of other options at their other marinas further south. I'll make a little tour up when I'm well enough.We moored in Brundall Bay for many years on and off.
I was looking at the 42CL online the other day. It is a well specced boat and appears to have been well maintained as it has done some fairly serious cruising. A little worn in places as a consequence but it doesn’t look as though it is anything that can’t be sorted. Always liked the 42!
On the subject of thrusters it is worth saying that whilst a stern thruster isn’t really necessary on a twin engined boat it can be helpful getting into and away from a river bank inland, where it might be shallower closer to the bank. We found this on our 41 during a trip up the non-tidal Thames when the props sometimes dinged the bottom until the stern was clear of the bank. We subsequently fitted a stern thruster, primarily because NYA offered it to us at a good price, but I found it to be surprisingly helpful.
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How much did it cost to get a stern thruster fitted?
Dino
Well-known member
@ingenious You might be better off avoiding canals if you can and stick to rivers, larger waterways, lakes and the sea. Canals are tricky with twin screw boats and singlehanded. You’re far better off in open water with a decent autopilot if you are solo. I have regularly done long solo trips at sea and on inland rivers and lakes in Ireland and never had any issues. Anne’s marinas, locks and larger moorings are going to be an easier option than trying to scale a lock wall to lock yourself through.
Greg2
Well-known member
If memory serves I got the thruster for a few hundred quid (it was second hand) and then spent around a grand on installation. Buying a new one would be quite a bit more expensive I guess.
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ingenious
Active member
Yeah, one of the brokers I spoke to estimated £2k to buy and £1k to fit assuming the boat was already lifted out.
oldgit
Well-known member
Boaters in the dim and distance past seem to have managed without bow/stern thrusters, far as am aware this did not detract from their enjoyment of boating one iota.
Boat less likely to be moored in a marina awaiting a visit from whoever mends this stuff when it goes wrong, rendering the boat imobile due to the skippers reluctance to use the boat without this gadget. ?
Adore my bowthruster but its absence does not render the boat unusable.
Boat less likely to be moored in a marina awaiting a visit from whoever mends this stuff when it goes wrong, rendering the boat imobile due to the skippers reluctance to use the boat without this gadget. ?
Adore my bowthruster but its absence does not render the boat unusable.
Greg2
Well-known member
I agree entirely, particularly with twin engines where handling the boat without thrusters is entirely doable and to my mind every skipper should be able to do so. But once you have them they can be very handy in certain circumstances
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