Does a 'forever boat' really exist?

Paean is a forever boat.

Firstly because she does everything I want her too and pretty much everything I think I want to do.

Secondly I really cannot face another restoration, once is enough.

Thirdly, I have an emotional attachment that would be hard to break

and finally, no way would SWIMBO sanction buying another. So, it's Paean or nothing for me.
 
PhillM said:
Paean is a forever boat.

Firstly because she does everything I want her too and pretty much everything I think I want to do.

Secondly I really cannot face another restoration, once is enough.

Thirdly, I have an emotional attachment that would be hard to break

and finally, no way would SWIMBO sanction buying another. So, it's Paean or nothing for me.
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Lol - just seen your Swimbo which is a new one on me. Have also seen Swambo but in my case Swembo fits best ;)
 
I've often thought a great 'Forever boat' would be a small, chunky wheelhouse cruiser, no great speed machine and old enough to be cheap, but still tough enough for serious seagoing, away to long-stay low-cost moorings in pleasant harbours in the UK or abroad.

At home, I'd sail dinghies and crew on friends' boats free of cost while dreaming about maxis and gaff schooners...and whenever there's opportunity, there'd always be my rugged all-weather home-from-home, semi-permanently installed in a French river or Scottish haven, centrally-heated, epoxied and thoroughly anti-fouled. Like a movable foreign property.

I can't visualise enjoying ownership of any design which, however classy and thrilling to sail, requires assiduous care, ruinous berthing costs and eight months per year ashore.
 
We've had Sargantana, a Furia 332, for three years and she ticks all the boxes for us. There's a few things stiil to spend money on cosmetically but SWMBO will never let me sell her. She dates back to a time when the finish was quality.
 
dancrane said:
I've often thought a great 'Forever boat' would be a small, chunky wheelhouse cruiser, no great speed machine and old enough to be cheap, but still tough enough for serious seagoing, away to long-stay low-cost moorings in pleasant harbours in the UK or abroad.

At home, I'd sail dinghies and crew on friends' boats free of cost while dreaming about maxis and gaff schooners...and whenever there's opportunity, there'd always be my rugged all-weather home-from-home, semi-permanently installed in a French river or Scottish haven, centrally-heated, epoxied and thoroughly anti-fouled. Like a movable foreign property.

I can't visualise enjoying ownership of any design which, however classy and thrilling to sail, requires assiduous care, ruinous berthing costs and eight months per year ashore.
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At your age, your "forever boat" can't be too old - otherwise it will have rotted away before you give up sailing!
 
maby said:
...it will have rotted away before you give up sailing!
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Hence the rugged, overbuilt wheelhouse-cruiser, rather than something sporty, pretty, high-maintenance or delicate and elegant.

I remember sailing up the Bosham Channel in the late 'eighties, past a moored Fisher 30, which looked very long past its best. In truth I doubt she was over 15 years old, then...

...and I bet she's still afloat now, 25 years later. With a new coat of paint she probably looks quite fine. Solid and homely and not a terrible place to spend a winter week.
 
To take the question literally then no, because there is always a first boat. Then you buy the boat you want then you are too old to handle it so you trade back down.
 
I think you can have a forever boat but only if your style of sailing doesn't change. I wouldn't change our existing boat now but in a few years we will either be doing more racing, more longer distance cruising or more single handing/short handed day sailing depending on how the children's tastes develop.
 
As Lakey said we got SR in 1986, so 28 years so far & I see no reason to change yet. She is 41 years old, so another scrape or dink won't stress me whoever does it. Minimal gear to go wrong, decent accommodation, recent engine, could probably do with new sails, but not that bothered, happy to just keep using her. As Dylan says, if your needs don't change beyond what the boat supplies, why stress? She's a 6 berth & I don't want to carry more, she's easy enough for 1 to handle, yup still suits me fine.

I do hanker after a Pilot House sometimes (in bad weather) but not found a twin keel one I prefer to SR yet - tho I am not really looking that much either.
 
Searush said:
As Lakey said we got SR in 1986, so 28 years so far & I see no reason to change yet. She is 41 years old, so another scrape or dink won't stress me whoever does it. Minimal gear to go wrong, decent accommodation, recent engine, could probably do with new sails, but not that bothered, happy to just keep using her. As Dylan says, if your needs don't change beyond what the boat supplies, why stress? She's a 6 berth & I don't want to carry more, she's easy enough for 1 to handle, yup still suits me fine.

I do hanker after a Pilot House sometimes (in bad weather) but not found a twin keel one I prefer to SR yet - tho I am not really looking that much either.
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So hypothetically, if a pilot house version was located, would you buy it?
 
I want to design and build my 'forever boat'. I only want to do it once as it will be a big job so it will have to be forever. It needs to be large enough for the rest of my family to be able to join me. I want to do some adventurous sailing so it needs to be strong and it needs to be able to be singlehanded. I am looking at something similar to the rustlers and at about 45'.
 
There must be many people who want a pilot house cruiser at times and envy sitting at an instrument ridden helm looking out through the clearview screen motoring to windward on a wild day (preferably with two chunky throttle levers). All nice & toasty whilst others are hiding behind their sprayhoods trying to keep out of the elements. The problem is that whilst nice in bad weather most designs I have seen suffer from a lack of cockpit space so when it is a nice day there is not much room to sit out and the view forward is spoilt by a great big wheelhouse.
 
Storyline said:
There must be many people who want a pilot house cruiser at times and envy sitting at an instrument ridden helm looking out through the clearview screen motoring to windward on a wild day (preferably with two chunky throttle levers). All nice & toasty whilst others are hiding behind their sprayhoods trying to keep out of the elements. The problem is that whilst nice in bad weather most designs I have seen suffer from a lack of cockpit space so when it is a nice day there is not much room to sit out and the view forward is spoilt by a great big wheelhouse.
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Could you not have the best of both worlds with a clear screen sprayhood and a seat in the gangway. The boat could steer on auto with you having a controller to adjust as required.
 
jac said:
So hypothetically, if a pilot house version was located, would you buy it?
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Hmmm, probably not. I'd give it a good, hard looking over & decide that what I had was better in some way, but you never know, I suppose I could be blown away by an irresistible bargain.

I toyed with building a doghouse on SR, but eventually went for a 3 part cockpit enclosure tent with 2 folding sprayhoods (on main & aft cabins) and a zippy centre section with roll-up sides. As always, every thing is a compromise, you just pick the one that suits best.
 
pmagowan said:
Could you not have the best of both worlds with a clear screen sprayhood and a seat in the gangway. The boat could steer on auto with you having a controller to adjust as required.
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Think it is the 'big ship' feel of a pilot house helm that is attractive and the fact that you are relatively high up sitting on a comfortable chair. Have gone a bit backwards in Storyline as the control for George is near the wheel so we have to pop out into the rain momentarily to alter course whereas on Saumur I rigged up a system where I could control him from the plotter at the chart table. Remember doing some horrible overnight passages up/down the Irish Sea in bad weather and conning the boat from down below using radar and only the occasional look outside to confirm what the radar was saying. Nowadays we rarely do any long overnight trips but when we do we always have one in the cockpit all the time.
 
pmagowan said:
Could you not have the best of both worlds with a clear screen sprayhood and a seat in the gangway. The boat could steer on auto with you having a controller to adjust as required.
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That was a good plan, but my ap simply isn't up to it at present (steering needs freeing off a bit) & I suspect few will cope with strong contrary currents, narrow channels etc.
 
We have had Dabchick for 22 years and she is 35 years old, so long since paid for, minor dents don`t stress me, most of the equipment, engine etc have been upgraded, the wheelhouse gives a big ship feel and comfy in wet weather. OK she could be faster under sail but I see plenty of boats that should sail well under engine, being heavy and long keel she is easy to single hand as things happen slowly and I have got used to her handling astern. The main thing is the cost of changing with various fees etc, the work involved in setting up any new boat to spec and the feeling that an older niche market boat may be sluggish to sell in the current market unless you price really low and the hassle of having a boat for sale hanging about in limbo.
 
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