Ex raggie wants a motor boat......help!

[chockswahay]

Right then, new here (on this forum that is)..........

We have previously owned a 44ft Ketch rigged sailing yacht and would now like to return to boating. We would like something suitable for two to live on in the summer months and cheap enough to store over winter. Speed is not a requirement but stability and LOW fuel consumption is important.

Having just returned from a week on a canal narrowboat I like the idea of motoring 'inland' but would also want (prefer) to cruise coastal waters.

I could consider the usual 'motor sailor' types but wonder if there are suitable (better?) alternatives. My experience of sailing is that to get anywhere meant 'motoring' most of the time so why bother with the sails? (haha).

I like the look of small converted fishing vessels and Dutch Barges.

Any advice please from 'those that know'

Many thanks

Chox

 

[No Regrets]

I have a lovely Broom 30 for sale which appears to match your stated criteria!?

 

[stuartwineberg]

and another

I have a lovely Broom 30 for sale which appears to match your stated criteria!?

and just before the mods dive in - I have a lovely Hardy 36 also available.

OK sales pitch over. What I think we are both saying is that there is a type of motor cruiser of which Hardy and Broom are absolutely typical that seems to appeal to converting raggies. Not sure about the Broom 30 but a lot of Brooms and the Hardy were designed by Andrew Wolstenhome. Very solid sea boats, not in any way fast, light, planing vessels but quite happy at full displacement speed or in a semi-dispalcement mode. Lots of wood inside, decent chart tables and so on. Hope this helps.

As for fuel economy - well, displacement motoring is about as economical as it gets but the truth is, compared to running the engine on a sail boat, motor boats of any decent size use eye watering amounts of fuel.

 

[volvopaul]

Flybridge Princess 410 by any chance?

 

[LittleShip]

As for fuel economy - well, displacement motoring is about as economical as it gets but the truth is, compared to running the engine on a sail boat, motor boats of any decent size use eye watering amounts of fuel.

Oh no they dont.......
Mine's a 32' and burns 1 ltr/per mile or approx1 1/2 gallons/ hr

Tom

 

[moonraker 36]

mine's forsale soon..!

 

[Trundlebug]

Mine's not for sale...
Although it would suit your requirements perfectly - a Profile 33, full displacement TSDY. With twin Volvo Pentas at around 6 - 7 knots it's burning around 6 litres an hour total. Round hull with bilge keels, good for drying out, and at 8 tonnes it's stable and seaworthy.

The kind of boats that would probably suit you best are dutch steel type boats, like Stevens or Pedro. If you go single engine you'll get superb economy, but even with twin engines they're still relatively frugal, with the ruggedness of steel.

Alternatively Nimbus and Hardy are popular with ex raggies, seaworthy with practical accommodation although more sprightly than the vessels mentioned above.

That selection should keep you quiet for a bit; happy hunting

 

[Swagman]

Hi,
We moved to a power yacht last year for the same reasons as you. Canal and inland work.
As you'd expect, everything you look at is a compromise. Something powerful enough to do coastal work will use more fuel, and maybe not happy running at tickover for months down a canal.
Moody did build a super looking 40' power boat late 60's which looked great in power mode, could take masts / sails, and had 2 x 100 hp engines. Sadly there were only 6 built and only 5 around today - we lost out in buying one - so had to look further afield for something similar.
As it happens, we found a wider choice of low revving slow boats in better nick over in Holland (which is to be expected I guess) so thats where we eventually bought.
Now having spent two months this summer cruising inland France with canals tending to have very low speed limits, we found our consumption averaged just over 1 litre per mile. We covered around 750 miles per month.
Hope that helps. If you want more detail on our model (Super Van Craft 1320) give me a shout. But whatever else you do, don't forget.......... it is not sailing.
Good luck in your search.
JOHN

 

[EddieBlue]

I have got a Swift Trawler 42 made by Beneteau

Lots of my freinds sail and whilst we always argue about the pro's and con's most have admitted that if and when they give up sailing that a "trawler yacht" will be the way that they go!

I love it

Eddie

 

[SpottyDog5]

Have I mentioned I have a Sealine F43 for sale ?

 

[oldgit]

Mine's not for sale...
Although it would suit your requirements perfectly - a Profile 33, full displacement TSDY. With twin Volvo Pentas at around 6 - 7 knots it's burning around 6 litres an hour total. Round hull with bilge keels, good for drying out, and at 8 tonnes it's stable and seaworthy.


I know where theres one for about 30K

 

[chockswahay]

Many thanks so far

I have just spent a week on a narrowboat and really enjoyed it, but........I think I would get bored if all I could do was canals. I (we) liked the comfort and cheap motoring (1 ltr/hr) but this was of course at very slow speed.

On our previous yacht we could motor at 6kts/3 ltrs/hr and I thought that was quite good! So any thing that uses more is a bit of a shocker.

I should add that I really like the 'old fashioned' style of boats. I have taken quite a fancy to the Luxe Motor 34 that Branson Boat Designs offer but so far they have ignored my emails (!) so I do not have enough information.

I guess I like my boats with portholes!

ah well........

 

[Assassin]

How about an ex work boat if your DIY skills are reasonable, convert the hold space into living accommodation to suit your individual requirements, done some over many years and the results can be marvelous.

 

[Nauti Fox]

Mine's not for sale...
Although it would suit your requirements perfectly - a Profile 33, full displacement TSDY. With twin Volvo Pentas at around 6 - 7 knots it's burning around 6 litres an hour total. Round hull with bilge keels, good for drying out, and at 8 tonnes it's stable and seaworthy.


I know where theres one for about 30K

Cheers Fred!

 

[Assassin]

Nice Nelson 40' on www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk for sale.

1973, twin Ford Sabre diesels, used commercially for 30 years, needs a little work as she is tatty, but at £13,000 asking price is well within budget, even before negotiations, leaving plenty of budget to do the works you want to.

 

[jonic]

If you want the best of both worlds and a lot of luxury, a Nauticat 42 would do it. Low fuel consumption and long range, good sailing qualities too.