Comments on a potential family day-boat

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RobMantel

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Hi,

Been browsing the net looking for a small day-boat that I can keep in the garage and use for lazy summer days on the non-tidal Thames.

http://www.sport-yacht.eu/

The Style 410 on the above web-site looks like a good layout and seem to be very reasonably priced. Anyone heard any good or bad comments about them? or can suggest any alternatives?

BTW I've got a s/s 9.9 outboard so any alternatives would have to have a s/s transom.

Thanks

Rob
 
I dunno what they are asking but for a fraction of whatever the price is you will find yourself an excellent secondhand Dory complete with trailer & outboard.
 
Well if you truly want lazy days, then I'd reccomend the slightly bigger one, the 465 with a bog and hopefully a small stove to make a coffee etc..., you won't get any women along unless there is facilities.
But if it was me, I wouldn't bother with a new one, look for something secondhand with an inboard engine, you'll save a packet and get much more for your money.
 
Are your sure? It's listed as £1,270 and a trailer is available for £600. I've already got a outboard.

Suspect anything with a cuddy would be too tall to get into my garage when it's on a trailer ... or have other people kept small boats with cuddies in a standard garage?

I was thinking with a set of cushions and perhaps a teak floor it would make nice day boat?
 
Don't know the height of your garage but you should get an excellent 13'6" Dory, trailer & outboard for less than £1k. A Shetland 535 I guess will run up to £3k but you do have a boat you can weekend on.
 
Looks like a decent day boat. The addition of teak and cushions and maybe a Bimini will make it a nicer place to be. Cheap price, but I doubt you will get much money back for it if you want to sell in the near future. If you intend to keep it for a while it looks OK.

There are quite a few of this type of design around, but using a short shaft engine is quite rare i think.
 
Have to say they do look cheap, closer inspection required I would say. Although if you go for the one with remotes and bimmi the price starts going up.
I think you might struggle to put it in your garage though unless you have large one. When I was a kid I had a 13ft motor boat that we used to put in the garage to work on, but we had to chock it up and pull the trailer outside to close the garage doors. The drawbar adds a lot to the overall length.
 
Personnaly I love this type of boat but has some practical layout issues for the UK if cruising with Family. Firstly on the Thames you need a Toilet. Not as many places to moor up next to pubs anymore, so room for a portapotti is a must. Secondly it tends to rain, so a decent Bimini/ cover essential. A forward cuddy cabin sorts both of these problems out and easier to just stick a bimini over aft.

Nice boat though and way to cheap..£2180 seems a good price!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
the 465 looks a nice dayboat. its the same size and shape as my dejon 14 which i bought for 600 with a 9.9hp and galv trailer and new canopy and steering
 
RobMantel,

If you do want Lazy Days make me an offer. The plus is she does have a sink and cooker for the ladies. The fridge is for the men, full of beer in case the engine needs cooling.
Need to sell cos I can't afford beer and white diesel, so what they gain on one tax they loose on another.
 
Re: Comments on a potential family day-boat re: Rob Mantel

You're on a slippery slope pal!
I started with a 12ft scratch built launch, s/s o/board.
1st time out: sunny day, great time, pee'd behind tree, SWMBO crossed legs and sulked
2nd time out - rained, got pants wet from seats, that's ok
SWMBO got pants wet from seats, definately NOT ok!
Advert follows:
For sale - 12ft runabout, wanted: 16 ft day cruiser
Followed by:
16ft day cruiser for sale, wanted:20 ft cruiser with bog & cooker.
Then: 20ft cruiser for sale, wanted: 27ft inboard cruiser with bog, cooker and fridge
Next: 27ft cruiser for sale, wanted:30ft diesel criuser, must have bog, cooker, fridge, heating, shower, davits & dinghy for the kids, boarding ladder, engine for the dinghy, radio, echo sounder.................

There is no cure.

From experience you are going to want to go further afield than 1 or 2 locks , turn around and come back, trail up and drag the whole lot home, after the first two or three trips.

Try for a 4-berth cruiser, keep your 9.9 o/b, fit a bracket on the back and use it as a get-you-home if main engine quits. For little more than you expect to pay now you can buy an old Norman or similar o/board boat with a cooker, bog, maybe a fridge, 4 berths, and actually go somewhere. Sure you'll have to clean it up, make repairs, paint it, so what! You'll get a lot more use out of it I suspect. You can moor up on a canal more cheaply than a Thames marina, look around. Admit defeat now! You're lost!! No hope!! Enjoy your boating. Good luck.
 
Re: Comments on a potential family day-boat re: Rob Mantel

[ QUOTE ]
You're on a slippery slope pal!
...........For little more than you expect to pay now you can buy an old Norman or similar o/board boat with a cooker, bog, maybe a fridge, 4 berths, and actually go somewhere. Sure you'll have to clean it up, make repairs, paint it, so what! You'll get a lot more use out of it I suspect. You can moor up on a canal more cheaply than a Thames marina, look around. Admit defeat now! You're lost!! No hope!! Enjoy your boating. Good luck.

[/ QUOTE ]

One of those rare posts that should be preserved in stone for all to see!

Listen to the man.....we've all been there......theres no need for you and yours to suffer......
 
Re: Comments on a potential family day-boat re: Rob Mantel

[ QUOTE ]
You're on a slippery slope pal!


[/ QUOTE ]


Been there!

Started with a 17ft Mayland with outboard. Wife wanted a little more luxury, things like a toilet and running water. Got a Freeman 22, wife wanted hot water, fridge, shower, heating. Got a Madeira 27. Now wife wants bigger, more comfort. Guess I'll have a Princess 32 next.
 
Re: Comments on a potential family day-boat re: Rob Mantel

Completely agree. We only started boating last year. From following advice on the forum, and also benefiting from doing an inland helmsman's course, I realised that what we actually needed was a "floating caravan" - a 24ft cabin cruiser. It was the right decision. Key benefits are:

- SWMBO likes the comfort of having a toilet on board... so she is really willing to go on longer journeys
- The boat effectively has 3 areas where people can gather, which means that on longer journeys people move around the boat and it keeps the experience fresh. It also means I don'thave to spend 6 hours with the MiL.
- She'll keep us going for a few years with no real need to trade up. Yet.
 
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