costs involved in motor boating?

[ianali]

Hi all. Wife and I are considering relocating to the south of England in the next year or so. We currently cruise the canals in a sixty foot steel narrowboat. If/when we move we would like to try a sea going boat. Have a rough idea of costs of marinas and have chatted with a few people about sailboat costs. What id like to get to understand is the difference between sail and motorboat cost wise? Would be looking at a boat that can sleep two comfortably for a few weeks at a time. Capable of crossing channel, maybe more. Budget of roughly £60000 /£80000 . Obviously a sailboat will be more economical to run, true? Not looking for a fast boat just something powerful enough to cope with sea conditions. Aware that we will need to take lessons and is much to learn. This is just a starting point for us so all advice gratefully received. Thanks ian.

 

[About Time]

Hi,

Your question is too complicated to answer. You need to tell us much more about the boats in question ... and your annual cruising hours.
One thing that many seem to forget about sailing boats is the replacement/ maintenance of sails.... It is not cheap at all. You can buy a lot of fuel and/or spare parts for your engine for this amount

 

[ricky_s]

Hi all. Wife and I are considering relocating to the south of England in the next year or so. We currently cruise the canals in a sixty foot steel narrowboat. If/when we move we would like to try a sea going boat. Have a rough idea of costs of marinas and have chatted with a few people about sailboat costs. What id like to get to understand is the difference between sail and motorboat cost wise? Would be looking at a boat that can sleep two comfortably for a few weeks at a time. Capable of crossing channel, maybe more. Budget of roughly £60000 /£80000 . Obviously a sailboat will be more economical to run, true? Not looking for a fast boat just something powerful enough to cope with sea conditions. Aware that we will need to take lessons and is much to learn. This is just a starting point for us so all advice gratefully received. Thanks ian.

It is worth remembering that most of the time a boat will just be sitting on its berth so will cost exactly the same for a sailboat and the mobo sat next to it.

 

[ianali]

Thanks for reply. Problem is I dont know which boat, looked at some and not sure what boat would suit us. As for cruising hours id estimate maybe 500 hours per year tops. I know its all very vague but ive got to start somewhere. Am aware that boats cost money to keep as narrowboats have their own needs.

 

[jrudge]

Insurance
Berthing
Maintainence
Non maintainance repairs
Fuel
Inevitable improvements you want to make

 

[lionelz]

I suppose it really depends on lots of factors but i suppose if you use as a planning figure 1000 per emgine for service and basic maintenance of course heavily depending on what engines. Mooring fees will depend on where and how big your boat is. Also factor in insurance basic maintence and fuel this will depend on type of boat and engine size

 

[ricky_s]

Thanks for reply. Problem is I dont know which boat, looked at some and not sure what boat would suit us. As for cruising hours id estimate maybe 500 hours per year tops. I know its all very vague but ive got to start somewhere. Am aware that boats cost money to keep as narrowboats have their own needs.

500 hours is a lot!

 

[Momac]

I dare say narrowboat owner you may well do 500 engine hours in a year.
But this would be very exceptional in a motorboat.
Bear in mind engine service on most motorboat diesels is every 100 hours.
I have done about 100 engine hours a year on average but I believe this to be more than most.

 

[volvopaul]

Best answer I can give is the rule of thumb if you don't do anything yourself is 10% of the buying price a year but the older it gets the more it can increase. As your at the 80k mark the biggest cost will be mornings on the south coast if you take an annual berth, I do mostly everything myself and I'm still staggered at the cost of running a 43ft twin engines Fairline, you can charter a boat in sunny countries for the same , as you sound like an adventurer you won't need an annual mooring that's going to buy you a lot of fuel , though short stay moorings are not cheap, try anchoring if you can in good weather and buy a boat with a diesel generator, decent dinghy to get ashore for supplies etc. choose your purchase well and try to buy a pedigree boat that will have a decent payback shout you decide to retire from boating sooner than expected. The worlds your oyster attack the moment, I'd be checking boats at abroad as the euro is so good at the moment. Plenty of help on here .

 

[stuartwineberg]

The mantra of 10% of purchase cost per annum seems to work. Mobo costs are bigger engine service prices and parts costs and fuel. On the other side, no standing rigging, no running rigging, no sails, usually less wetted area so less antifoul. I've had both and it seems pretty much the same unless you are going to burn a lot of fuel

 

[stuartwineberg]

Insurance
Berthing
Maintainence
Non maintainance repairs
Fuel
Inevitable improvements you want to make

500 hours is a lot!

Isn't it just. I believe 70 hours is the typical average so you are going to be doing some serious cruising.

 

[Firefly625]

Go single engine and your servicing costs are immediately halved.

 

[ianali]

Thanks firefly. In answer to the 500 hour sceptics I was working on 6 months a year boating so 20 hours a week. Maybe we wont do 500 but it doesnt seem that much. Have covered twice that narrowboating. We like to boat. As I started by saying its new to us and im trying to glean some info prior to starting out on the sea. I am a capable mechanic used to servicing motorbikes and canal boat engines.

 

[lanerboy]

what ever you think it will cost you per year double it boats cost loads to maintain, run,service,berth etc etc its true what BOAT stands for Bang Out Another Thousand this is what I have found over the past 3 years but we all do it because its great fun but it aint cheap

EDIT
And I forgot to say also the weather is always cr@p in the uk too

Sorry but cant you tell I am fed up with boating or lack of use at the minute bl00dy windy again

 

[oldgit]

IMHO.Sailing and Moboing are two very different kettles of rather smelly fish.
Although gentlemen tend to divide equally between the privations and discomforts of sailing and motor boating, ladies tend to have somewhat firmer regard about the lack of comforts in the former and the delights of the latter.
All decent sized Mobos in that price bracket will enjoy hot air heating,a couple of decent bedrooms,poss a nice decent sized double with on suite bog and shower.Fair sized galley and saloon with at the very least a 40" inch Plasma.Proper kitchen as well.
With a Mobo you can actually wear normal people clothes and not be gawped and sniggered at as you walk down the high street to the pub..
Just look at the stuff you have to wear in order not the freeze or drown on a yot..and as for those worrying shades of Pastel
So there you have have it,if you want to go boating with your wife buy a motorboat,if you want to sail alone or only with people who think that getting soaked is fun and that a tin of Fray Bentos heated over parrafin stove is the end of perfect day,get a sailing boat.

 

[ianali]

I think Mr oldgit that my wife thinks you are a sexist.

 

[Momac]

So ,... when you say you are not looking for a fast boat ....... if you do intend to do 500 hours what speed do you think you would like to cruise at ? The answer would help with the boat selection.

 

[Tranona]

Hi all. Wife and I are considering relocating to the south of England in the next year or so. We currently cruise the canals in a sixty foot steel narrowboat. If/when we move we would like to try a sea going boat. Have a rough idea of costs of marinas and have chatted with a few people about sailboat costs. What id like to get to understand is the difference between sail and motorboat cost wise? Would be looking at a boat that can sleep two comfortably for a few weeks at a time. Capable of crossing channel, maybe more. Budget of roughly £60000 /£80000 . Obviously a sailboat will be more economical to run, true? Not looking for a fast boat just something powerful enough to cope with sea conditions. Aware that we will need to take lessons and is much to learn. This is just a starting point for us so all advice gratefully received. Thanks ian.

The answer is much the same as the answers you got when you asked the same question about a sailboat except that to buy a MOBO that is as capable of that sort of cruising in a reasonable degree of comfort and be able to cope with weather will cost substantially more than a sailboat and the budget you quote will not get you much. There is simply not the same choice available. Most power boats in the sea are used for short hops and (at least when UK based) not really suitable for extended living aboard and cruising long distances. Inevitably fuel costs make up a much bigger part of your total costs and 500 hours a year will make a big hole in your bank balance on fuel and servicing, particularly if you choose a planing hulled boat.

 

[ianali]

Speed wise its not something im sure about . Would be happy to cruise at 10 knots I guess., Its all new to us, not looking to zip around at water sking pace. Just so long as we have enough power to get where we want to go. We intend looking closer at boats later this year and booking a course or two.

 

[Tranona]

Speed wise its not something im sure about . Would be happy to cruise at 10 knots I guess., Its all new to us, not looking to zip around at water sking pace. Just so long as we have enough power to get where we want to go. We intend looking closer at boats later this year and booking a course or two.

10 knots is not a good speed. Displacement boats less than that - 7/8 knots, planing and SD 14 knots plus. You can run planing boats at displacement speed but not the best way of making progress.

Not against power boats, but for what you envisage doing a sailing boat or motor sailer is the type of boat of choice. Your purchase budget will get you a wide choice of boats in the 33-40 ft size range which make very good comfortable cruising boats for two people.