Broom broom or chug chug chug

[Romeo]

I am considering purchasing a motor boat, having mostly sailed boats with no engines what so ever for many years. I am going to be able to take a sabbatical from work next summer, and hope to spend the whole summer on the west coast of scotland. I am inclined towards a smallish displacement cruiser, the idea being that there are not huge distances between anchorages, and I will not be in a huge hurry to get to the next one, since I have the whole summer to cover the cruising ground. However is there any reason why I am being too hasty in ignoring faster, thirstier boats?

We will mostly be sleeping two on board, some of the time we will have four on board. I am keen to take small kayaks and bikes with us for exploring.

 

[Bigplumbs]

I am considering purchasing a motor boat, having mostly sailed boats with no engines what so ever for many years. I am going to be able to take a sabbatical from work next summer, and hope to spend the whole summer on the west coast of scotland. I am inclined towards a smallish displacement cruiser, the idea being that there are not huge distances between anchorages, and I will not be in a huge hurry to get to the next one, since I have the whole summer to cover the cruising ground. However is there any reason why I am being too hasty in ignoring faster, thirstier boats?

We will mostly be sleeping two on board, some of the time we will have four on board. I am keen to take small kayaks and bikes with us for exploring.

I cant imagine not having the ability to go fast once in a while in the boat

 

[Piers]

I cant imagine not having the ability to go fast once in a while in the boat

We went from a Fletcher 21 with a 175 Yam (50mph), to a Cougar Predator 35 (50kts), to a Princess V39 (30kts), to a Fleming 55 where we realised what we'd been missing by going ao fast all those years. Cruising at 8kts is simply delightful.

Mind you, we are toying with the idea of a Humber 7.5m with a 200hp for local fun....but we certainly wouldn't go back to fast cruising.

 

[Momac]

The slow cruiser is a very sensible option and probably using far less fuel.
But in our boat cruising at 22 knots we have made a journey of 50 miles between ports all on the one tide with a 3 hour journey time allowing for the slow bits at each end .
This is important to us at present.

This slow boat may suit your needs
http://www.farndonmarina.co.uk/brokerage/boat-listings/item/266-halvorsen-gourmet-cruiser-32

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[CX54WEK]

Our current boat is capable of cruising at 30 knots as and when we want or need too. The reality is though that we cruise at this speed very rarely. A lot of time is spent plodding around at 5 or 6 knots for which there are more suitable boats.

I do think right now though that we would miss having the option of fast cruising if is was not there. I don't think that we could make the transition to a full displacement boat but a semi displacement boat would probably be a good compromise.

 

[scottie]

Availability of fuel may affect your choice on the west coast of Scotland and may totally rule out the smaller petrol driven boats
A copy of Welcome Anchorages will give the location of fuel supplies but the west coast is far more than marinas

 

[Piers]

I don't think that we could make the transition to a full displacement boat but a semi displacement boat would probably be a good compromise.

I must admit this was a concern when we bought the Fleming. But it was a semi-displacement and capable of 17 knots. At first we cruised at 12-14kts but during the first season we came right back to 8kts and have stayed there ever since. Mind you, we have stabilisers which makes a considerable difference.

Fuel consumption at 8kts is superb and a great bonus/incentive for slopw cruising.

 

[oceanfroggie]

. . . where we realised what we'd been missing by going ao fast all those years. Cruising at 8kts is simply delightful.

Agree, we now prefer displacement cruising speeds on coastal and offshore trips. The ideal is a boat that can do both efficiently and have good sea keeping at both displacement and planing speeds. Some semi-displacement hulls do this well.

We now predominantly cruise at displacement speeds, but it is nice to have more speed available if a weather window needs to be taken, or the Atlantic swell demands a speed to match the wave/swell pattern for more comfort underway. But if you can choose the right weather for passages displacement cruising is fab. The boat is quieter, moves gently, stick the auto-helm on and one can move about the boat with ease and chill on long passages. Eight to twelve hour displacement speed passages with the aid of auto helm become relaxed and enjoyable rather than an endurance test.

We cruise at 7kt or 15kt. Faster is available but we never bother.

 

[Piers]

But if you can choose the right weather for passages displacement cruising is fab. The boat is quieter, moves gently, stick the auto-helm on and one can move about the boat with ease and chill on long passages. Eight to twelve hour displacement speed passages with the aid of auto helm become relaxed and enjoyable rather than an endurance test.

You are so spot-on. Displacement cruising demands a far greater interpration of weather and swell conditions.

 

[alancollins]

Our boat, an eight meter semi displacement boat, has a top speed of 23k, but we tend to cruise at 9 or 10k in the Solent (usually with the tide under us) and at 16k on longer passages. The slower speed is quiet and economical and the higher speed gets us where we want to go in reasonable time and means we don't have to worry about a change in the weather.

 

[Kawasaki]

I would plump for semi displacement
The ability to chug chug is available and to broom broom ish should the need be
Broom broom is so handy when you need to skidaddle, which may be the case in the aforementioned cruising area
Plus as you know with sailing, tidal current can be a tad tiresome at times so a bit of broom broom does come in handy!

 

[Romeo]

Plus as you know with sailing, tidal current can be a tad tiresome at times so a bit of broom broom does come in handy!

I prefer to see tidal current as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Thanks for all the replies, which all help with the thought processes. With six weeks to explore the area, I don't think I am going to be wanting to zoom about too much. I don't think I will need to do more than say 30 miles in any one day. Most days will be quite a bit less or nothing at all. I appreciate it would be nice to be able to get the hell out of somewhere quickly at times though, and interesting thoughts about wanting to have the speed to sit between swells rather than rolling about in them...... what speed range do you need for that?

Given that everyone on this motor boat forum seems to be saying that at least semi-displacement is the way to go, a serious consideration would have to be if I got a displacement boat whether there would be any demand when I came to sell it again!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I would plump for semi displacement
The ability to chug chug is available and to broom broom ish should the need be
Broom broom is so handy when you need to skidaddle, which may be the case in the aforementioned cruising area
Plus as you know with sailing, tidal current can be a tad tiresome at times so a bit of broom broom does come in handy!

Agreed. A displacement boat is fine but it has to be built to take pretty much anything the sea can throw at it because it doesn't have the speed to outrun the weather and that probably means a limited choice of expensive boats. A SD boat capable of cruising at say 15-18kts when required might be a wiser choice

 

[longjohnsilver]

Another potential advantage of a chug chug is the ability to stay without facilities for weeks at a time which may be quite important in the wilds of Scotland. In our boat we have managed 6 weeks without having to take on fresh water, and we still both showered every day etc etc. and some years we have cruised all summer without having to refuel.

It certainly means you stay independent of marinas!

 

[oceanfroggie]

Another potential advantage of a chug chug is the ability to stay without facilities for weeks at a time which may be quite important in the wilds of Scotland. In our boat we have managed 6 weeks without having to take on fresh water, and we still both showered every day etc etc. and some years we have cruised all summer without having to refuel.

It certainly means you stay independent of marinas!

A generator is a big help achieving that along with decent sized water tanks. Being happy to anchor overnight and/or use swinging moorings also take pressure off trying to reach ports with marinas, not to mention it being much more enjoyable than being stuck in a souless caravan park marina. A consideration is the ability to lunch and recover or tow a tender. For planing speeds it will need to be recovered on board (i.e. davits of some kind, or bathing platform storage).

. . . A SD boat capable of cruising at say 15-18kts when required might be a wiser choice

Agree. Like Atlantic, Broom, Nelson, Haines, Hardy, etc, all equally happy doing 7kt or 18kt.

Chug chug every time unless the weather needs some broom broom

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

A generator is a big help achieving that along with decent sized water tanks. Being happy to anchor overnight and/or use swinging moorings also take pressure off trying to reach ports with marinas, not to mention it being much more enjoyable than being stuck in a souless caravan park marina.

Agreed and I would add a watermaker and a big anchor and plenty of chain to that list as well. I fitted a watermaker in our boat this year and it has meant that I no longer worry about guests having long showers or leaving taps running. I also fitted a big Rocna anchor and put another 25m of chain on board to make 100m in total. The Rocna has held solid every time even in windy conditions and I now have the confidence to anchor overnight even if its blowing a bit and for me thats the most important aspect of being self sufficient. It is actually quite liberating not to stress out about getting a visitor berth in a marina because you know you have the equipment on board to be self sufficient for a few days or longer

 

[longjohnsilver]

Agreed and I would add a watermaker and a big anchor and plenty of chain to that list as well. I fitted a watermaker in our boat this year and it has meant that I no longer worry about guests having long showers or leaving taps running. I also fitted a big Rocna anchor and put another 25m of chain on board to make 100m in total. The Rocna has held solid every time even in windy conditions and I now have the confidence to anchor overnight even if its blowing a bit and for me thats the most important aspect of being self sufficient. It is actually quite liberating not to stress out about getting a visitor berth in a marina because you know you have the equipment on board to be self sufficient for a few days or longer

Yes, forgot to mention the gennie, would not want to be without it, although we manage pretty well most days with 2 x 100w solar panels. I'm surprised that more mobos don't make use of them. Eos is kept on a trot mooring on the Dart, the solar panels mean I can leave a large domestic sized fridge freezer on permanently and still have fully charged batteries.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

although we manage pretty well most days with 2 x 100w solar panels.

Ooh you green little thing you

 

[longjohnsilver]

Ooh you green little thing you

Thanks Mike, haven't been called little for quite a few years.....

 

[wizzer]

Whatever blows your skirt up.
I'd go with a Seaward 25 any day of the week.
Perhaps I'm a little biased, but also I have had many boats over the years.....................