Erm...we seem to have bought a boat...

beancounter

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We didn’t intend to buy a boat this year. “Let’s be methodical about this, and finish the garden and decorating jobs first” we said. Perhaps start to look in the autumn, or spring 2006. A sane & sensible approach.

But a little investigation wouldn’t go amiss, would it?...Let’s visit some brokers, just to get an idea of what we like and don’t like, to help us when we decide to hunt in earnest….

So we made intermittent visits around the East Coast & to the Hamble, made copious notes, took photos & compiled a fat file of brokers spec sheets. Good research data for when we decide to hunt in earnest….

I combed back issues of magazines for test reports of likely boats, and noted lots of comparative data, plusses & minuses, just in case Mrs Beancounter asked me about such things, when we began to hunt in earnest….

Much data was compiled on marinas & comparative costings worked out. The odd sunny day was spent nosing around possible homes for the boat, ready for when we decided to start the hunt in earnest…..

So where did it all go wrong? (Or right!) I dunno.

I’ve heard that you know the right boat because she’ll wink at you. This was probably more a case of her throwing her arms around us and giving us a smacking great kiss. An hour of clambering over her, then the fatal decision was made over a cuppa in the sunshine.

Offer, haggle, agreement.

Gulp.

Are we excited? – Yes

Are we apprehensive? – Very

Are we sane & sensible? – Probably not. Do we care? – NO

Tee Hee
 
Congratulations, your cash flow will never be the same again! You, need to update your personal info with the boat type.

Don't know if anyone else echoes the experience of buying the first boat, but I had a similar experience to you. Read all the magazines, endless trawling online, marched my nearest and dearest around more yards and grotty, smelly boats than I care to remember. Then one day saw a boat online, rang-up, drove 150 miles to look over it for two hours, got a hugh sense of excitement and bang made an (over generous) offer! It just felt 'right'! No regrets, but no spare cash either!!
 
we're all ears! Tell us all the gory details

Are you keeping her on the east coast? I seem to recall you asking about east coast marinas a while back?
 
Congrats John..... you can now join the club of poor of wealth, rich of experiences, that we all so love....

Now you HAVE to come to the next East Mids meeting on 14th (next Wednesday)which is near Rutland water, so easy for you to get too......

So spill the details.... watcha bought?

And where is she going to live?... anywhere near us in Ipswich?
 
It happened to me ....

Just looking and looking and then this boat said 'buy me', and 'do it now!'

So I did. Had her since May this year, loads to do as she needs copious amounts of TLC (and money) but I couldn't be happier after making the decision.

Good luck with yours.
 
The big mistake is to go and look at boats. Once you start doing that, you're stuffed. Even the old slappers only fuel the certainty that the girl of your dreams is out there somewhere...

The worst thing is, it's incurable (with a bit of luck /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

We were dead lucky - the girl of our ("realistically" budgeted) dreams was the first one we looked at.
 
Re: With apologies to Twister Ken & jimdew...

...we are getting a Moody 31

Apologies to the Sage of South London, because, despite his extensive writings on the subject, we've not bought a "classic", but have (as I guess he might say) joined the nautival equivalent of Mondeo Man.

Apologies to jim, 'cos we exchanged posts a couple of weeks back regarding first boats, and we are buying one:

a) north of 30 foot - this was considered A Bad Thing

b) which, although no spring chicken (she's 16 years old) does not fit the "buy a really old boat first" approach - this would seem to be Another Bad Thing

signed

Unrepentant of Cambridge
 
Congratulations, you are not alone, this mirrors the process that I went through, the boat just lit me up and said 'this is for me' except that I was trading up so for about six months or so I was the proud owner of two boats. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Re: With apologies to Twister Ken & jimdew...

Congratulations all you need to do now is to join the Moody Owners Association
web page
Loads of info etc

Iota

(Moody 38)
 
Still going through survey process at the moment. (I'll be surprised if there's anything of note - she's in v.good condition)

She's at Tollesbury, but we'll be looking to move her to the Orwell in due course.

Notification of the trip will be posted, to allow innocent craft to avoid us...
 
Re: With apologies to Twister Ken & jimdew...

This Moody?

Question: Why is 30ft+ a "bad thing"?

Our first boat is 36ft, bought on strength of 10 days sailing experience (each), 3 months searching (inc. £1000 long weekend in Holland - v. romantic, and recommend De Valk for ex. service). But found her in Walton on the Naze!

Why did we buy her?

She smelt right, looked right,.... and we both <font color="blue"> </font> shivered <font color="black"> </font> .
 
Just to add - can't see anything wrong with buying a 30ft + boat for a first boat - I did - five years later, one biscay crossing, two long solo trips later and no real problems. Apart from my bank balance taking a hefty beating regularly!!!!!

Oh and she is steel - the thinking being that if I hit anything they would come off worst - I think there were quite a few terriffied GRP owners in the first season when I arrived at the marina - msut admit had some near misses but I never hit anything!!!

Hope I have not jixed myself now!

Why did I buy her, as above, she looked right, smelt right,........ and was the right price!

Good luck with your first boat there nothing like it!!!

Happy sailing!!
 
I agree with sea sense nothing wrong with buying a 30ft boat for a first boat we did the same, by the way Mr Walker keep clear of that 40ft piece of GRP next to you
 
We're not really worried - it was just a bit of leg pulling for jim. (At least, no more worried about handling a 30 footer than any other size /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )
Although size of boat (like incest) is all relative....When we bought our Wayfarer, it felt like sailing an aircraft carrier after our Topper.
 
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