First Boat Wanted

Reverend Ludd

Reverend Ludd

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 May 2011
Messages
12,581
Location
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Visit site
Hope this is in the right place.

My son who is 25 is embarking on his day skipper ticket, I'm sure he will get it (fingers crossed) anyway we are off in the morning looking at a few boats. One is a lovely looking 24ft Gaff Cutter and the other in a 25' Columbia Coronado also a Norman Dallimore Wooden Sloop lastly there is a Pandora 22 a different kind of beastie altogether.

He has about £2 to £2.5k and whatever he gets should be reasonably handled by him and his girlfriend (she sails a bit), ideally have a bilge keel. Any ideas guys?
 
My dream boat is a lovely looking 24' Gaff Cutter ... WALK AWAY!!! :)

In fact, walk away from anything that's made of wood

With a very limited budget and looking for his first boat, go for something elderly but tidy in GRP with a simple bermudan sloop rig.

He doesn't need, and can't afford (any more than I could) the burden of cost, maintenance time and hassle factor that something a bit special is going to inevitably come with

What's more, there's more than enough to learn, as I am enjoying discovering, without the added complication of two headsails and an extra lump of wood up the mast!

In case I'm accused of undue bias againts wooden boats and/or gaffers, for our next boat, one day, when I've the money, that dream gaffer is very definitely on my radar but I am extremely pleased I went all sensible when we bought Brigantia and refused point blank to look at the very very tempting little gaffer in the same yard!
 
I accuse Brigantia of undue bias against wooden boats and cite in evidence........

Can have a lot of fun with a Pandora, don't know a Columbia, a Norman Dallimore could give a lot of fun and will be utterly charming - doubt it would be bilge keels unless I'm mistaken.

I have never had a gliberfast boat so whilst I must acknowledge the sense of Brigantia's post, in defence of the indefencible, a sound (note the important word SOUND here) wooden boat is easily maintained provided you have a regular programme of maintenance. That doesn't have to be too time consuming; nor all at once. I haven't varnished yet this year and it isn't the end of the world. I shall do it one day in the summer when I fancy it. There are a lot of things I could say further in defence like it is a thousand times easier to caulk a few seams than have some osmosis treatment. And you can do it yourself. But if you can't commit to regular attention, don't want to afford an all over winter cover and dropping the mast, don't have some reasonable DIY skills, then a wooden boat is not the best starter. I think there is also the point that I would rather buy a boat with osmosis than one with extensive wet rot! In other words if you don't want to afford a survey at that sort of purchase price, unless you know about wooden boats, it would be better to have a glass one.

But what do I know. I've owned wooden boats for over 30 years and its kind of worked out - oh yes, apart from the deck. Funny how the memory fades......
 
We had a Pandora for 15 years, bought so my son, 16 at the time, could get some sea time. Minimum maintenance assuming sails and rigging in order, excellent performance and very easy to handle.
 
I'd add to the list the Manta 19, a super sailing boat, responsive, fun to sail, well built and a near perfect first boat. 1500 were made so it must be good. Ideally you would want one with a new drop keep, excellent engine and a trailer, and great if you could also find one with Garmin GPS, Icom VHF, NASA sounder and log. Even better if the boat is red.

But where to find that for under £2k I have no idea.
 
There were many small (by todays standards) cruisers build in the sixties and seventies. Vivacities were good value, as were Alactity. I'm biased, I had a Vivacity 20. They are all old boats so condition is important. However, being small, new bits, including sails and rigging, is much cheaper. I'd be looking at a boat for £1-1.5k and the rest to replace sails etc.

You could have a fantastic little boat with new everything for £2.5k!
 
As has already been alluded to Wooden boats are lovely to look at, invariably have lines to die for and when in immaculate condition are just the best sort of boat to have (you are expecting a "but" aren't you?)

Now for the "but"...

BUT

With a limited budget, you are unlikely to find a pristine condition wooden boat, and if by some fluke you do, it will drain what limited budget your son has quicker than water going down a sink!

I hate saying it, but GRP boats are the answer. The late 60's and early to mid 70's saw a vast number of small GRP boats being turned off production lines. Some of these will be pretty dire, whilst others will be good seaworthy little boats. Your son should be able to find a good solid 20 - 22 footer for the budget you say he has, it may need a bit of titivation, but that again is the beauty of GRP, you can still go sailing whilst carrying out TLC works!

Take a look at the Anderson 22 a lifting keeler, the Hurley 22 either fin or bilge keels, the Pandora, Jaguar 21 or 22, the Vivacity 20, the Kestrel 22...the list goes on for ever, but those are all good solid seaboats with decent accomodation and a performance that will please your son but not frighten his girlfriend!
 
tillergirl said:
I accuse Brigantia of undue bias against wooden boats and cite in evidence........
'Ere, I'm wounded, deeply wounded!

I LOVE wooden boats! I want a wooden boat. One day I might actually be stoopid enough to buy a wooden boat :)

But to accuse me of undue bias against 'em and then in evidence cite all the reasons why I advise the OP against one is mean and cruel and nasty <boo hoo sob sob>

PS. I've never ever known a GRP boat sink 'cos of osmosis. Caulking falling out of seams on wooden boats OTOH ...

PPS. In the OP's price range he's going to mostly be looking at boats from the 60's and early 70's which, in my experience, rarely suffer the dreaded plastic pox.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
"I LOVE wooden boats! I want a wooden boat. One day I might actually be stoopid enough to buy a wooden boat :)"

Would you like to pop round. I have something that might just tempt you..... ;)


PS. I've never ever known a GRP boat sink 'cos of osmosis. Caulking falling out of seams on wooden boats OTOH ...

Now you are right. But then you have alwyas been. But why if it don't sink boats are gliberfast boat owners always peeling their bums:confused:

Beam of moisture in the bilge never hurt noffink :D
 
tillergirl said:
"I LOVE wooden boats! I want a wooden boat. One day I might actually be stoopid enough to buy a wooden boat :)"

Would you like to pop round. I have something that might just tempt you..... ;)
Click to expand...

Get thee behind me Satan!

tillergirl said:
"PS. I've never ever known a GRP boat sink 'cos of osmosis. Caulking falling out of seams on wooden boats OTOH ... "

Now you are right. But then you have alwyas been. But why if it don't sink boats are gliberfast boat owners always peeling their bums:confused:

Beam of moisture in the bilge never hurt noffink :D
Click to expand...

Spoken like a true "woodie" :)

As for how widespread a problem osmosis is, well we hear all the horror stories but we never hear tens of thousands of plastic boat owners crying about how their boat hasn't got a trace of osmosis after 10/20/30/40/50 years (delete as appropriate)
 
So here is the update guys n gals & thanks for your input.

Today we looked at a bunch of boats and paid a deposit on the aforementioned 25' Columbia Coronado. The picture below is of a nice one in the water somewhere in the US where they were made.

Nice.jpg


The journey begins
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top