Buying a boat west of Plymouth

[Tbh]

Hi all,

Many steps to this journey but I’m after some help on where to start in this specific area. I’m local to St Germans/ Lyner. Specifically, having never bought a boat before, im intersted in the process of choosing and finding a place to moor/ dry
work on it (winter). Apologies if these questions sound dumb.

Specific to the area can anyone tell me pros and cons of keeping it locally vs Plymouth harbours. 2 min drive vs 20 but then out into open water rather than a good bit of river. (I’ve reviewed the RYA guide to the area and know I’ll need to factor that in to purchase if I choose up the river. But what’s it actually like?)

What’s the process with mooring if I don’t own a boat is this just a case of finding somewhere with a few and hope they’re still vacant when I find something?

There’s a fair few clubs in the area but joining without a boat seems silly and joining to try and secure storage rude.

Any advice on places to start looking? Is turnover good enough in the area that I should just wait and avoid having to move it far?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I think you stand a chance of getting a river mooring somewhere like Weir Key or perhaps lower down the river but little chance of a marina mooring so I would just check availability and then look for a boat, sometimes boats come with a mooring and very occasionally a marina berth. Just look around is all you can do.

 

[scozzy]

It's pretty simple, the closer you are to the boat the better, but can you get a place and does it fit your budget? Have a browse through this forum and you'll see the cost of the boat itself is just the start of the ongoing costs.Call local clubs and ask if they have a waiting list for moorings,if they do then you need to factor in how much time you want to spend in the car...which is not the boat

 

[ridgy]

It's quite common to join a club for the specific purpose of obtaining a mooring. You can get a mooring without a boat, nobody really cares if you put a boat on it or not. In recent years I've paid for two summer moorings that I never used, one in Scotland one in the Solent. Not on purpose but boat troubles meant that plans didn't work out. Nobody ever called to ask where where my boat was.

Sailing club moorings are ideal for a new starter as your fellow members will be delighted to help with advice and you'll get to go on other boats to gain experience.

 

[[70521]]

Hello and Welcome

I have a boat at Saltash SC and overwinter the boat at Treluggan Boatyard.

You don't say what type of sailing you are interested in, local rivers, coastal, offshore or ocean perhaps joining one of the several extremely good yacht clubs would be a start an many will have moorings to rent.

Have a look round Treluggan there are a few boats for sale there and several brokers in Plymouth.

Good luck finding something that suits you.

 

[Tbh]

Hello and Welcome

I have a boat at Saltash SC and overwinter the boat at Treluggan Boatyard.

You don't say what type of sailing you are interested in, local rivers, coastal, offshore or ocean perhaps joining one of the several extremely good yacht clubs would be a start an many will have moorings to rent.

Have a look round Treluggan there are a few boats for sale there and several brokers in Plymouth.

Good luck finding something that suits you.

Hello,

Thanks for this. I’m looking to generally build experience which is limited and slowly venture further afield but pleasure cruising with family / friends along coast is the main aim. Would love to do some racing have done a couple of times and loved it but aware of time commits I wouldn’t be able to do even a majority of weekends.

Longer term as the kids get older (7 now) I’d like to get them into some dinghy sailing and have them learn a load with a club us being in a seaside town it’s a wonderful opportunity if they’re keen. For all those reasons I was looking at Saltash SC as a sort of medium term thing they look like they have a lot on and family friendly.

I just don’t really know where to start.

 

[[70521]]

Give Saltash a ring, there is usually somebody in the office in the morning and ask if you can pop along, there is social membership as well as sailing, then start making contacts and ask if you and family can crew.

At least on the west of the Tamar you don't need to pay to get into England.

Other good clubs are available. There are Facebook and WhatsApps groups where people are looking for crew then work out what interests you and the family - be that pottering about the local rivers while the squeakies grow or racing with some of the clubs. I know there is lots of racing locally if that is your thing. Personally, I am more of a single handed long distance sailor.

 

[doug748]

I agree with Sandy, Saltash looks a perfect location for you, join socially and take it from there. Once the children start dinghies you will meet lots of people and opportunities will open up.
The attraction of Plymouth is easy, direct access to the sound and Channel but it tends to be more expensive, and car parking and dinghy storage can be a real issue - especially the parking.

Don't be in a mad rush to buy but if you do, there is usually no problem at all in finding moorings on the Tamar.

.

 

[ylop]

Specific to the area can anyone tell me pros and cons of keeping it locally vs Plymouth harbours. 2 min drive vs 20 but then out into open water rather than a good bit of river.

It's pretty simple, the closer you are to the boat the better, ... .... then you need to factor in how much time you want to spend in the car...which is not the boat

that is all true - but bear in mind that after a season or two sailing (or motoring) the same stretch of river to get to the open water can be tedious. 5 miles down river might add an hour by boat or 10 minutes by car.

There’s a fair few clubs in the area but joining without a boat seems silly

Lots of clubs welcome non-owners / prospective owners. You may even find your new boat that way.

and joining to try and secure storage rude.

Some clubs exist primarily as "cooperatives" for exactly this sort of purpose so not rude.

Thanks for this. I’m looking to generally build experience which is limited and slowly venture further afield but pleasure cruising with family / friends along coast is the main aim. Would love to do some racing have done a couple of times and loved it but aware of time commits I wouldn’t be able to do even a majority of weekends.

Longer term as the kids get older (7 now) I’d like to get them into some dinghy sailing and have them learn a load with a club us being in a seaside town it’s a wonderful opportunity if they’re keen.

Many clubs start the kids at 8. Beware if they take to it like you hope - that means every weekend with decent weather (and probably a lot without!) you may end up taking them to dinghy sail with their friends. That can seriously get in the way of your own boat ownership (or at least use!).

 

[Farmer Piles]

Give Saltash a ring, there is usually somebody in the office in the morning and ask if you can pop along, there is social membership as well as sailing, then start making contacts and ask if you and family can crew.

At least on the west of the Tamar you don't need to pay to get into England.

Other good clubs are available. There are Facebook and WhatsApps groups where people are looking for crew then work out what interests you and the family - be that pottering about the local rivers while the squeakies grow or racing with some of the clubs. I know there is lots of racing locally if that is your thing. Personally, I am more of a single handed long distance sailor.

Good advice there. Maybe offer to buy Sandy a pint at the sailing club and tap into his knowledge.

 

[Tbh]

Realised I never finally replied to this, thanks all for the suggestions. Might be a few weeks but will for sure get in contact with Saltash