First boat, never sailed and needing advice please

[Myrddin]

Hello folks,
Joining you from sunny Costa del Carmarthenshire Just kidding, it's never sunny here!

I've just this week bought my first ever boat after dreaming about sailing for 30+ years.

Im having difficulty identifying what she is. I've been told by the elderly previous owner, that she's a Caprice 19..............



I've never owned a boat, so I don't know if it's supposed to have documentation like a car has a log book, but the fella has no paperwork for her said he's had it for 8 be out of the water for 2 years, and had her insured as a caprice 19.

I'm trying to find out what she is so I can get an insurance quote, I've googled and tried a few different companies but have been told I can't have a quote without proper identification.

Any ideas folks? Help would be extremely appreciated

TIA
M.

 

[Skysail]

Looks like a Caprice to me. Google caprice 19 for a lot more info. Shane Acton sailed a Caprice ‘Shrimpy’ around the world, it took him 8 years, so there is no limit.

Acton wrote a good book, which you can download.

 

[William_H]

Good luck with that new boat. Sailing especially in early stages is all crisis management. Start in mild conditions. Don't take loved one (spouse) out until you are more confident. Take some one with a bit of skill if possible. maybe take a training course. ol'will

 

[Sea Change]

Boats aren't regulated like cars are- the equivalent of a V5 would be the SSR, but it's not necessary to have one. Likewise insurance, sometimes marinas will expect you to have this (if you sink in the entrance to a harbour and block it, you could be facing a hefty bill for wreck removal) but it's not a legal requirement for a private boat.

The best thing to do would be to befriend an experienced sailor and get them to show you the ropes (and sails, engine, anchor...)

 

[justanothersailboat]

Just confidently tell them it's a Caprice 19, it either is one, or it looks enough like one that nobody will be able to contradict you. Why wouldn't the previous owner be right, anyway?

Looks like a boat that should be a lot of fun, but also looks like there's a lot to tidy up and check. Can you persuade the previous owner to tell you where everything goes to get her ready to go? Or find an unfussy local club and crew for someone else so you pick up some basics?

 

[MisterBaxter]

Read some books, watch some YouTube videos and get out there! God is surprisingly sympathetic towards incompetent sailors, up to a point. But taking an experienced friend with you would definitely make Him look more fondly on your case - he doesn't like to have to do all the work.

 

[onesea]

Robert Tucker design good boats.
If I recall on the inside of the stern you MIGHT find a hull number glasses in. Open the stern locker and have a look on the inside of the transom.

If not just put unknown, also look on Facebook there might be an active group for the designer or the boat or both.
Some info here:
http://tucker-designs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/CAPRICE.pdf
And here:
Review of Caprice 19 - www.yachtdatabase.com

A bill of sail is normally good to have to prove you own her.

 

[V1701]

You can get third party insurance without jumping through many hoops from the likes of Basic Boat, just make sure you get one that covers wreck removal which some of the others don't. Not that I'm suggesting you'll wreck it, go out in calm conditions to start with. As others have said if you can find somebody who knows what they're doing to spend a morning or a day with you you'll get to grips with it all much quicker. Very best of luck...

More confirmation here...

 

[Wansworth]

Navigation lights might have to be mounted on little blocks to give correct angle……..

 

[LittleSister]

Looks like a Caprice to me. Google caprice 19 for a lot more info. Shane Acton sailed a Caprice ‘Shrimpy’ around the world, it took him 8 years, so there is no limit.

Acton wrote a good book, which you can download.

'Shrimpy' is a great read. His plywood Caprice proved itself impressively capable, and Shane Acton was a one-off and a very resourceful fellow.

Actually, after circumnavigating, and writing the book 'Shrimpy', he set off again and did half of another circumnavigation, writing another book 'Shrimpy Sails Again'. If I recall correctly from later reports he ended up settling in S. America, Shrimpy was wrecked somewhere there, but he stayed on and eventually died there of cancer some years back.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Navigation lights might have to be mounted on little blocks to give correct angle……..

or just carry a torch!

 

[justanothersailboat]

good spot Wansworth - but then again they might not, and it might not be the highest priority.

 

[LittleSister]

Navigation lights might have to be mounted on little blocks to give correct angle……..

Yes, they are currently incorrectly mounted and will be better seen by low flying aircraft than approaching vessels! They will also not show the correct cut-off angles to the sides and front, which is important at night and in poor visibility. Relatively easily solved. The lamps will be designed to be mounted with their backs vertical (not sloping), and either (need to check which) straight across the boat (90 degrees to the centreline) or, more likely, in line with the centreline. (I suspect they might currently be mounted upside down in a misguided attempt to approximate the correct cut-off angles). The correct angles are shown in the following diagram.


The rudder also does not look the right shape, and should be checked. This could affect the handling of the boat and effectiveness of the rudder.

Also check the bottom of the keels. I don't know if those on this boat are encapsulated - i.e. part of the GRP hull moulding, with ballast weight inside (rather than solid metal keels bolted on). If the keels are encapsulated it is very important that water cannot get inside (the ballast is usually steel/iron punchings mixed with resin, and the steel/iron will expand if it rusts and this can eventually split the GRP keels). This is rare but can happen if the GRP on the bottom of the keels is chipped/ground away from repeated grounding. (Sometime sacrificial metal plates ('shoes') are attached to the bottom of such keels to prevent wear/damage on boats that are kept on drying moorings that don't have a soft bottom.) It is much, much easier to repair a bit of wear/damage before water gets into the ballast, than afterwards. If the keels are metal plates or solid metal mouldings, then a bit of wear or rust on the bottom is not a worry.

Don't get daunted though. These things may not need doing, and can be sorted if they are. The boat will instantly look better conceit is cleaned up.

Happy boating.

 

[Wansworth]

good spot Wansworth - but then again they might not, and it might not be the highest priority.

No indeed,only sailing in daylight,still he will probably get round to it

 

[Wansworth]

Frankly I am surprised at the audacity of buying a boat without prior consultation with YBW

 

[garymalmgren]

Step 1. Power wash.
Fits and test outboard (3 or 4 HP).
Drop her in the water and putter around.

Step 2, lay out the sails and wash.
On the hard, rig the foresail, practice roller it in and out. If it doesn't furl smoothly , fix it.
Practice tacking, If the winches don't work smoothly, fix em.

Step 3. rig the mainsail. Hoist and practice, raising, lowering and reefing. If they are not smooth , fix them.

Step 4. Check that you have the correct safety gear.

Step 5. Go sailing. Make all your mistakes in sheltered water and benign conditions.

PS. Is that rudder correct?



gary

 

[oldbloke]

Yacht insurance companies are very different to car insurance. I am sure that if you ring up someone like Noble Marine or Craftinsure and explain your situation they will help you out.
Most boat info and sailing advice is very generic it's more like a house than a car, where knowing the year, model VIN number are important.

 

[LittleSister]

Frankly I am surprised at the audacity of buying a boat without prior consultation with YBW

Frankly, you are just surprised at someone actually buying a boat, rather than just thinking and talking about it!

 

[Wansworth]

Frankly, you are just surprised at someone actually buying a boat, rather than just thinking and talking about it!

As I typed that I realized I was supplying ammunition to certain members…..

 

[billskip]

The rudder also does not look the right

PS. Is that rudder correct?

I think you will find the rudder is designed to "kick up" (hinge?) for when the boat takes the ground and drying out