Cost of Coding a Boat
- Thread starter steveej
- Start date
Simondjuk
Active member
I didn't realise going to the pub was such an advanced task
Pete
It's not the going, but the returning.
steveej
Member
It's not the going, but the returning.
it would be anchoring in places where the holding is questionable, laying kedges, long dinghy rides ashore for some lunch, setting up transits to make sure the boat isn't dragging, getting some lunch and that getting back to the boat to spend the night somewhere else. that sort of thing.
I have a couple of weekend circuits where that sort of thing could work.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
A pal of mine who coded a Victoria 800 said it cost about that. He reckoned it was higher than it might have been because as an older, smaller boat it lacked features which are, as you say, fairly standard on larger, more modern boats.
Uricanejack
Well-known member
I contemplated something along the lines of what you want to do.
The numbers associated with buying a new model boat and placing it in a charter fleet just did not work for me.
I used to teach sailing on boats of a similar size 25 or so years ago. They are a bit on the small side for a crewed or skippered trip. Unless you have an instructors shingle to hang. Ideal size for entry level basic sailing course. At the time I used to teach sailing. Now though you will be competing with bigger established operators with bigger newer nicer boats.
One of the problems. Boat is ideal for two couples. Not so much for instruction or mile building. Your two cabins, strangers on a course or mile builder are often not keen on bunk sharing.
If I was going to do this I would try and start with a boat which had been previously coded. ie ex school or charter boat or at least a type which was often used by school or charter operators. Cost of recoding would probably be low.
No clue what it would cost to "Code" my boat.
The reality is not so much the "coding". It's the other stuff required to return an old boat which I enjoy. Into a boat people would be willing to pay hard cash to come sailing on.
Upgrades I would need include complete re-upholster. Re-install pressure water system. Refrigeration, New stove-My oven doesn't work parts no longer available. Re wired, New standing & running rigging, Spray hood or dodger. Insurance much more expensive, A regular berth a popular location instead of my own free mooring.
After which I would have a nice clean 30 plus year old boat. With the very minimum of comforts. Of similar sized competition. No support, back up. For inevitable problems. No plan for marketing. Competing with boats 20 or 30 years younger which have much more to offer in way of privacy and comfort.
I suppose I could charge quite a bit less.
My overheads would be much lower. With no payments, Probably higher with maintenance costs, The same for mooring, probably about the same for insurance. Marketing? Management of bookings? Processing payments?
I think it is possible. if you put a lot of time an effort into it.
I do know the folks who run a successful local charter company & sailing school. Even as a friend they are not interested in taking on my boat. It's just too old, according to them, would just sit in an expensive berth unused. Costing me more than I would recover. Charters and potential students want nice newer model boats seen at the boat show.
There is little or no market for mile building for just sailing for experience. They don't bother with it. The sailing school runs on a very low margin. Its main purpose is to develop students into charterers.
You might just find there is a small spot in the market you can occupy. The bigger operators are not bothering with.
There might be a market for a small sailing school boat doing private instruction. Unfortunately the RYA does not appear to be friendly to the small 1 man and a boat operation. I could be wrong but it appears to me the RYA is geared towards sailing centers.
I decided for me.
The reality is. I have better things to do with my time off. I can afford the boat as is. Not the required restoration. I have better things to do with my time off. To pour loads of time into trying to start a small single boat operation. Being Part of a bigger operation even as a favour from a friend is not viable. My older boat just doesn't fit the rest of their image.
So I have the best really old boat, I can afford to sail, if and when I feel like it, with who, I feel like sailing with.
I have thought about re-certifying as an instructor. Putting my shingle up. and seeing what happens. Even then. I have offers from the school, but they want me to use their boat.
Having said all this I have been approached with a request to charter my boat. I decided against it. The risks of an under the table deal just were not worth it.
So there might be a market for chartering, or skippering nice clean old boats. I am just to busy doing my actual job to explore it.
Good luck hope it works out for you.
The numbers associated with buying a new model boat and placing it in a charter fleet just did not work for me.
I used to teach sailing on boats of a similar size 25 or so years ago. They are a bit on the small side for a crewed or skippered trip. Unless you have an instructors shingle to hang. Ideal size for entry level basic sailing course. At the time I used to teach sailing. Now though you will be competing with bigger established operators with bigger newer nicer boats.
One of the problems. Boat is ideal for two couples. Not so much for instruction or mile building. Your two cabins, strangers on a course or mile builder are often not keen on bunk sharing.
If I was going to do this I would try and start with a boat which had been previously coded. ie ex school or charter boat or at least a type which was often used by school or charter operators. Cost of recoding would probably be low.
No clue what it would cost to "Code" my boat.
The reality is not so much the "coding". It's the other stuff required to return an old boat which I enjoy. Into a boat people would be willing to pay hard cash to come sailing on.
Upgrades I would need include complete re-upholster. Re-install pressure water system. Refrigeration, New stove-My oven doesn't work parts no longer available. Re wired, New standing & running rigging, Spray hood or dodger. Insurance much more expensive, A regular berth a popular location instead of my own free mooring.
After which I would have a nice clean 30 plus year old boat. With the very minimum of comforts. Of similar sized competition. No support, back up. For inevitable problems. No plan for marketing. Competing with boats 20 or 30 years younger which have much more to offer in way of privacy and comfort.
I suppose I could charge quite a bit less.
My overheads would be much lower. With no payments, Probably higher with maintenance costs, The same for mooring, probably about the same for insurance. Marketing? Management of bookings? Processing payments?
I think it is possible. if you put a lot of time an effort into it.
I do know the folks who run a successful local charter company & sailing school. Even as a friend they are not interested in taking on my boat. It's just too old, according to them, would just sit in an expensive berth unused. Costing me more than I would recover. Charters and potential students want nice newer model boats seen at the boat show.
There is little or no market for mile building for just sailing for experience. They don't bother with it. The sailing school runs on a very low margin. Its main purpose is to develop students into charterers.
You might just find there is a small spot in the market you can occupy. The bigger operators are not bothering with.
There might be a market for a small sailing school boat doing private instruction. Unfortunately the RYA does not appear to be friendly to the small 1 man and a boat operation. I could be wrong but it appears to me the RYA is geared towards sailing centers.
I decided for me.
The reality is. I have better things to do with my time off. I can afford the boat as is. Not the required restoration. I have better things to do with my time off. To pour loads of time into trying to start a small single boat operation. Being Part of a bigger operation even as a favour from a friend is not viable. My older boat just doesn't fit the rest of their image.
So I have the best really old boat, I can afford to sail, if and when I feel like it, with who, I feel like sailing with.
I have thought about re-certifying as an instructor. Putting my shingle up. and seeing what happens. Even then. I have offers from the school, but they want me to use their boat.
Having said all this I have been approached with a request to charter my boat. I decided against it. The risks of an under the table deal just were not worth it.
So there might be a market for chartering, or skippering nice clean old boats. I am just to busy doing my actual job to explore it.
Good luck hope it works out for you.
Last edited:
Uricanejack
Well-known member
As a bit of market research, Why not put a Pole up on here to see if there would be any interest from people who would be willing to pay a lower rate for some unofficial instruction to gain experience.
steveej
Member
Many thanks for this post - this is a mirror image of my current feelings.
KeithMD
Well-known member
This thread caught my eye because it mentions Beneteau 32s5 and chartering.
We did that about 25 years ago through Liberty Yachts in Plymouth. IIRC it cost us about £2,500 back then to get it to standard. What did we have to add (that I can remember)? Storm jib, an extra anchor and chain, extra life jackets, fire extinguishers, fireproof tape around pipes, fire blanket, signs on doors, a big first aid kit, loads more charts, and retainers on the midship bunks. The most expensive part was the annual life raft rental. Plus little things like getting the charts updated every year by The Sea Chart bookshop in QAB.
It worked well for a few years, but then the whole market shifted and everyone wanted bigger boats, c.38 to 40ft+, with luxuries like hot water and fridges.
The last-ever rental was one weekend to the University of Plymouth Sailing Club (UPSC). Completely by coincidence, that very weekend, M'Lady & I were on Brittany Ferries (Quiberon) coming into Plymouth from Roscoff when Quiberon started hooting like crazy at something in its path. We looked over the side to see what all the fuss was about, it was a yacht crossing the path of the ferry. I said to M'Lady "Oh it looks like a Beneteau 32s5" - M'Lady (not usually given to swearing) replied "That's our f*****g Beneteau". Yes, it was UPSC in our Beneteau 32s5, bumbling about in front of the ferry. You couldn't make it up. We stopped chartering.
We did that about 25 years ago through Liberty Yachts in Plymouth. IIRC it cost us about £2,500 back then to get it to standard. What did we have to add (that I can remember)? Storm jib, an extra anchor and chain, extra life jackets, fire extinguishers, fireproof tape around pipes, fire blanket, signs on doors, a big first aid kit, loads more charts, and retainers on the midship bunks. The most expensive part was the annual life raft rental. Plus little things like getting the charts updated every year by The Sea Chart bookshop in QAB.
It worked well for a few years, but then the whole market shifted and everyone wanted bigger boats, c.38 to 40ft+, with luxuries like hot water and fridges.
The last-ever rental was one weekend to the University of Plymouth Sailing Club (UPSC). Completely by coincidence, that very weekend, M'Lady & I were on Brittany Ferries (Quiberon) coming into Plymouth from Roscoff when Quiberon started hooting like crazy at something in its path. We looked over the side to see what all the fuss was about, it was a yacht crossing the path of the ferry. I said to M'Lady "Oh it looks like a Beneteau 32s5" - M'Lady (not usually given to swearing) replied "That's our f*****g Beneteau". Yes, it was UPSC in our Beneteau 32s5, bumbling about in front of the ferry. You couldn't make it up. We stopped chartering.