Confused...

[DavidJ]

Boats are harder to sell than cars and the broker takes a decent percentage.

If you want to spend time on a boat you need size. Buy bigger now. The handling is no different - often easier.

Agree
We went from a Sealine S23 to an S37 and was amazed how easy it was to handle a larger boat. Also you seem to get more volunteered help with a larger boat than with a smaller one.
Sometimes the smaller boat felt like a leaf on the water, going wherever the wind wanted to take it.

 

[Greg2]

In there you will find real life experience

Capex will be known for about 80% at the time the contract is signed, but Opex is a real wild card.
If you hope to go boating in somthnig that need work shortly after buying the boat, a work/life project plan with reality checks, should also be made.
Opex availability (or lack thereof) and/or insufficient DIY skills (relative to the outcome you dream of) are common reasons why unfinished projects sit for years without progress, and I'm sure you don't want to end up in that situation.

Google restoration project boat sale and see for yourself. It's possible - it just tends to be sooo much more than people had planned.

If considering a boat that need repowering, the rule of thumb is that new engines costs approx £120 per hp. Plus fitting, alterations, maybe gearbox and propeller.

I agree entirely.
We had our eyes wide open at the point of purchase and some items that were expensive were a choice as opposed to being essential. If I am entirely honest with myself the financial prudence applied to other areas of our lives seems not to apply in quite the same way to our boats but we are happy and have no regrets
.

 

[nicho]

My apologies for nacho rather than nicho, an autocorrect was made without my noticing.

Thanks nicho, I certainly wouldn't want to be undersize in terms of feeling cramped but a 40-42' size would obviously increase mooring fees, increase the age of the boat that I could buy and, probably my largest concern, potentially be too much to handle for a newbie.

On the latter point, how did you find the difference in handling between boat sizes?

We have had nine Sealines over the years, starting with a 255 nearly 30 years ago, and up to an S48. Now we are a few months off 80 years old, we find the S34 more than adequate. Moving up a size felt strange for a short while, but truly after a few hours, it became very normal and no difference was noted. The S48 at some 16 tons was heavier to manhandle when tying up, but really they are all pretty straightforward. The S48 was a magnificent sea boat, handles heavy seas with aplomb - for interior layout, there is nothing in the 40’ size to beat the accommodation than the S41/42/43. Good hunting!

 

[Suffolk_Newbie]

We have had nine Sealines over the years, starting with a 255 nearly 30 years ago, and up to an S48. Now we are a few months off 80 years old, we find the S34 more than adequate. Moving up a size felt strange for a short while, but truly after a few hours, it became very normal and no difference was noted. The S48 at some 16 tons was heavier to manhandle when tying up, but really they are all pretty straightforward. The S48 was a magnificent sea boat, handles heavy seas with aplomb - for interior layout, there is nothing in the 40’ size to beat the accommodation than the S41/42/43. Good hunting!

Thanks @nicho I'm really feeling that the 40'-42' size might be the sweet spot, given the feedback that I've received, and I do like the S41/42/43, although the Fairline Targa 40 also looks like it has plenty of accommodation.

This thread has certainly increased my excitement, as well as my knowledge!

 

[DavidJ]

Thanks @nicho I'm really feeling that the 40'-42' size might be the sweet spot, given the feedback that I've received, and I do like the S41/42/43, although the Fairline Targa 40 also looks like it has plenty of accommodation.

This thread has certainly increased my excitement, as well as my knowledge!

I believe the chine walking problem with the S41 was “cured” (read covered up) by using auto trim tabs. If you are seriously looking at that model you need to do a bit of research.

 

[Suffolk_Newbie]

I believe the chine walking problem with the S41 was “cured” (read covered up) by using auto trim tabs. If you are seriously looking at that model you need to do a bit of research.

Thanks @DavidJ advice like that is invaluable.

 

[jrudge]

I had a t40. Lovely boat with decent space. Best in mind a flybridge of the same length will have more space and and internal “ lounge” which is good in poor weather.

 

[Switch]

I looked at the T40 before getting a Sealine S42. The T40 is a lovely boat and I love the way they look but I just loved the space the S42 gave. There was really no comparison in that regard IMHO.

 

[Suffolk_Newbie]

I looked at the T40 before getting a Sealine S42. The T40 is a lovely boat and I love the way they look but I just loved the space the S42 gave. There was really no comparison in that regard IMHO.

That's interesting. I really need to get out viewing boats to get more of a feel for these things.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[PaulRainbow]

That's interesting. I really need to get out viewing boats to get more of a feel for these things.

Thanks for the advice.

Can i also suggest you look at a fly bridge boat or two ?

The flybridge doesn't just give you an upstairs driving seat. The layout will be different and it will generally have more interior space than the equivalent size sports boat.

 

[Suffolk_Newbie]

Can i also suggest you look at a fly bridge boat or two ?

The flybridge doesn't just give you an upstairs driving seat. The layout will be different and it will generally have more interior space than the equivalent size sports boat.

@PaulRainbow yes, I'll certainly take a look. My only concern, and when I'm on my hire boat in April I'm going to pay a lot more attention to this point, is the practicality of a flybridge on the Southern Norfolk Broads. I want to avoid being restricted by bridges, having already decided that I wouldn't want to take my own boat onto the Northern Hunger Games Broads.

I do like the look of them, and when I go out to coastal, especially as I venture further afield, I can really see the attraction.

 

[DavidJ]

Again just my opinion but something to add to the flybridge/sports discussion is social space.
OK I’m in the Med, the Norfolk Broads may be different but for the size of boat you’re looking at, a flybridge gives a bit of space up top a bit at the front and a bit at the back. The sports, even with a 37 footer, gives enough outdoors social space for half a dozen comfortably.
Depends on the lifestyle you envisage of course, yours could be different…..and may change with time.

 

[Greg2]

@PaulRainbow yes, I'll certainly take a look. My only concern, and when I'm on my hire boat in April I'm going to pay a lot more attention to this point, is the practicality of a flybridge on the Southern Norfolk Broads. I want to avoid being restricted by bridges, having already decided that I wouldn't want to take my own boat onto the Northern Hunger Games Broads.

I do like the look of them, and when I go out to coastal, especially as I venture further afield, I can really see the attraction.

I think I might have already mentioned it but bridge heights aren’t really a consideration on the southern Broads - the bridges that matter are rail swing bridges (Reedham and Somerleyton) and there is no way you would get under Somerleyton when it is closed unless in a very low boat. Similarly St Olaves requires a low air draft and there is an alternative route via the New Cut in any case. The only one that might matter is Beccles but even then there are free moorings just downstream of the bridge. As for Norwich few private boats want to get to the Yacht Station.

So in simple terms a flybridge isn’t a big drawback for bridge heights on the southern rivers……as long as the swing bridges are operational! On that point they have been a problem for a while but my understanding is that money is being spent to sort them.

 

[Greg2]

Also meant to say that on the Broads being on a raised helm on either a flybridge or an aft deck on an aft cabin boat often adds significantly to the view that can be enjoyed as you potter along.

 

[Suffolk_Newbie]

Thank you @Greg2, you've been extremely helpful.

 

[Greg2]

Thank you @Greg2, you've been extremely helpful.

Happy to share experience if it helps

Just to add to the air draft point on the southern rivers the only times we dropped our mast and canopy on our Broom 41 was to get under the main Beccles road bridge to moor in the Yacht Station and one one occasion on a cruise in company to get under Reedham swing bridge when it had broken down. We just scraped under and wouldn’t have made it is we had a flybridge.