do some styles of boat get more used?

[gjgm]

was wondering how the Crunch might effect future boat production and turnover in the second hand market, and whether some boat designs are used by more "dedicated" boaters than others. At the smaller end of the market, for example, it always seemed to me that the fisher type boats do indeed get frequently used.
Down at Cobbs for a change over the w/end, you noticed that the "liveabord" type, Trader etc, seemd to have folk on board what was after all a wonderful Autumn weekend, but the big boy hardtop and flybridges were unattended.
Maybe thats fairly normal anyway. Just wondered whether future demand will be more for practical cruising boats that (maybe) are often used, and that the demand for "glamour" has had its day? I know some UK builders have cut back, but is that because they churned out so many in the good times, or because they are now producing the wrong product?
It would be interesting to hear from some service bods, which types of boats clock up the annual hours.

 

[volvopaul]

I would say its down to the individual owner who uses what the most, one of my big flybridge phantom 46 owners has used over 8k of fuel this year and clocked up over 200 hours since april.

Another sports owner targa 40 an estimated 180 plus hours, the bigger slower trader type boats that use a lot of fuel I think wil be used less, unles things change, my late father once had a trader type boat with big cats in, I was looking at his log book and noted that it used 97 gallons to get from Lymington to Weymouth, ouch I thought but that was in the days when it was 20p per litre!!.

 

[mainshiptom]

I would say boat which are comfortable to stay on, do tend to get used for longer periods if the owners like to be out, We go out and stay on anchor any time there is no wind,


We have enough supplies to stay the whole weekend without running out of anything; we even cook on board and have an open boat policy.

Tom

 

[LittleShip]

We have enough supplies to stay the whole weekend without running out of anything; we even cook on board and have an open boat policy.

Sounds a bit like Little Ships outlook on boating!

Tom

 

[mainshiptom]

I can not see why some boat owners blast some where to rush of the boat to queue for a meal or a drink when everthing is on board and no queue?

In the Swale they all get on thier dingies and of to the pub they go? once its dark and tide is running they srtruglle to get back to thier boat allthough they might of remmbered to put the anchor light on but there are so many? which one is mine? lol

Also I can understang why raggies have to get off since not much on board I can not see why Mobo's go off as well?

Tom

 

[hlb]

And why do they all chase off with towels round there necks, when theres a perfectly good shower and bog on the boat. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[[2068]]

Showers on smaller boats are a bit tight if you are "dv" sized and not really practical. Alternative transom shower could provide entertainment for local residents / neighbouring boats.

Swmbo does do a fair amount of cooking onboard, though: seems to enjoy the challenge. Not yet had roast lamb in the oven yet, but I'm sure shes planning to somehow.

dv.

 

[blueglass]

can't prove it but I get the definite impression that the slower the boat the farrther the owners travel. might just have something to do with the fuel bills on fast planing sporty boats

 

[bumpy_the_dog]

Looking back on over thirty-five years of boating, the boats I used the most were,

1. Laser dinghy (in my teens)
2. Mobo on the Thames (moored 15 minutes from home)

The boats I used the least were

1. Mobo moored on the Medway (2.5 hours drive from home)
2. Sail boat moored on the Medway (2.5 hours drive from home plus too cold, wet, and "tippy" for wife and kid's tastes)

Practicality tends to win out every time over dreams of far horizons!

 

[oldgit]

"can't prove it but I get the definite impression that the slower the boat the farrther the owners travel. might just have something to do with the fuel bills on fast planing sporty boats "

Naa ........its just that fasts sports boats (think a caravan with a spectacularly hideous tent on top) give a nasty hard boneshaking ride with the added pleasures of nearly having your chest wig ripped off while desparately clinging to the seat with one hand and trying to wipe your watering eyes every two seconds with the other.
Would you want to go far in one of these unless you were under 18 and think page 3 is art innit ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[hlb]

Think fly bridge boats get used more. Sports boat up top and country cottage down be low. Use summer and winter. No need to stop boating because stormy and wet, it wont be any different at home.

 

[segaerta]

I now have an open 37ft sportcruiser but I'm sure a few ( about 20 /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) years from now I'll be having a slow Dutch steel boat to cruise the European inland motorways for a couple of weeks or months in a row. I'm certain that will beat all the quick trips back and forth over the (limited number of) weekends, but that's all we can do nowadays because of work, kids, etc.

Alain