First Boat - North West England

[GrahamM376]

Thats a long long trip, best part of 250 miles. With fair winds thats fine if you dont mind 50 hours continuous and have 2 aboard, but had you had wind turn on the nose your options for shelter you could get to without an engine would have been limited, and the Irish Sea is the lumpiest. I might do it now but hardly suitable for someone still learning the ropes. Sails for down wide engine for bad weather upwind or if needing to get job finished.

Learning the ropes? That was my DS practical, own boat tuition, instructor and me.

 

[Rosa]

Hi Rosa - good to read that you are still around. My daughter has friends in Brixham and we stayed there for a few days last year. Really lovely place and the sailing looked great. Rather hilly compared with the flatlands of Fleetwood!

I still love Brixham. Great for local pottering and further afield. A long way from Fleetwood though but always seemed worth it once we got there.

Have PM'd you.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Learning the ropes? That was my DS practical, own boat tuition, instructor and me.

I did my Competent Crew in a f7 gusting F8 in Portland Harbour, and my Coastal in F7 around lundy. Probably explains my tendency to be found battling headwinds in showery weather when others stay in harbour. Sure helps to have an instructor to hand when first meeting such weather though. (I know we are off thread) ;=)

 

[Simon__]

Thanks all for the sound advice so far. I'm viewing my first boat tomorrow - plan to take along a camera and note pad as it's quite a drive and don't expect I'll visit again unless I plan to buy. Any wise words other than to leave my cheque book at home?

 

[Yellow Ballad]

Look at more whilst you're there even if they're out of budget, or not quite right. You'll soon work out if it's what you're after.

 

[Simon__]

Look at more whilst you're there even if they're out of budget, or not quite right. You'll soon work out if it's what you're after.

Good advice, I'll do that. I've got a firm appointment in the morning but then hoping to drag the gf around as many as I can before she throws a strop �� I'll owe her a nice meal in the evening!

Guessing you can just walk into the brokers without an appointment?

 

[Tranona]

Yes, they will be pleased to see anyone this time of year!

 

[Halo]

Why not phone the brokers first and get em to do a bit of preparation - should make for better use of your time. Also it doesn't hurt to tell the first lot that you are looking at another boat in the afternoon.

 

[wully1]

Maybe and alternative to think on:

It's not so far from the NW to the Clyde where if you are new to boating there are plenty of places to go with shelter never far away. No real issues with tides etc. while you find your way for a season - then sail the boat back closer to home.

 

[Simon__]

Thanks again for the advice all, I've got an appointment with a broker this coming Saturday to look at some more options. I saw one last weekend, actually on the Clyde, it looked in good order to my amateur eye and the vendors were friendly and genuine. The boat had a newish engine which ran well and started easily, there was no noticeable damage to rigging (again, to my amateur eye), bilges were dry, generally tidy, and vendors undertook regular maintenance and made modest improvements. There are a few bits included such as a dingy, outboard, autotiller and some safety gear. However, there were only two sails ~ 15 - 20 years old; one main sail and one oversized genoa cut down from another vessel (laundered yearly), rigging although looks sound is likely in need of replacement from an insurance perspective, no gps, wind speed/direction gage not working, no real "nice to haves" (cockpit tent, windvane). I could see myself spending £3-4K on the "known" issues in the first couple of years without evening considering the "unknowns" which will surely make themselves known at some point. Struggling with the emotive side of this now because, in the cold light of day, I'd like to offer £4K but that's around 70% of an asking price which has already been reduced but they're nice guys and this may look derisory. Anyway, it will be a few weeks before I'm in a position to make any offers as I need to view more boats first for perspective.

In terms of sailing the Clyde, I'm struggling to talk my girlfriend into the 2 hour commute to Anglesey and it took us 4 to get to the Clyde so not sure that will be possible. However, I'd like to locate it there for a couple of months at some point as it's a beautiful area, maybe next year

 

[Quandary]

If your budget is below £10k a lot of the best bargains will not be listed with brokers, certainly not with the more well known ones. Apollo Duck etc will have some of them. As you will probably need a surveyor if you do find what you want privately, you should be able to purchase safely directly from the seller. The RYA give good advice on such transactions. So any yard or marina you visit it is worth walking around and asking a 'civilian' if there is anything for sale, Club notice boards is another option.