First boat?

muckypup

muckypup

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I'm currently working though my RYA courses and will soon be in the market for a motor cruiser and I'm after some advice.

What is the minimum size boat would you recommend for comfortable cross channel (probably falmouth / brittany) and coastal cruising for a couple of weeks at a time on the french coast?

I have been eyeing up a Sealine 365 but not having yet been on the open sea I was wondering if this is big enough?

Thanks
Steve
 
Boating armageddon is on its way have you not heard, the industry is collapsing, don't do it,..or so they say. Happy to see that you are proving my point that it is all nonsense and that life will still go on, enjoy your boating and welcome.
 
365 is actualy quite a big boat, almost 40 ft ish in modern measures, more than up for what you are talking about, depending on budget it may be wiser to go slightly smaller to get a newer/better nick for the money but nowt wrong with 365's
 
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Boating armageddon is on its way have you not heard

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I thought that was the imminent abolition of red diesel? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Been interested in the wet stuff for years, but only having moved near enough to the coast last year to make it practical, I've have to wait 'till now.

I'm also not sure if I should jump in with the motor cruiser or get a cheaper sailing boat & get experience first....

S.
 
If you monitor what is going on then it is for you to decide, work on the price of diesel being the same as petrol and that will be a good start, if in Jan 2007 it stays cheaper then you will be laughing, if you did not prpare for the rise you could be crying.

I am no expert on big boats so will leave that to the knowledgeable on here and there are loads, good luck.
 
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I am no expert on big boats so will leave that to the knowledgeable on here and there are loads, good luck.

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Big boats? I though 100 footers were big and 40 footers were small... I think I need a good boat yard and have a browse though some!
 
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I can recommend the princess v40 /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

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mmm... nice boat, fancy dropping the price by 60k? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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The 365 is certainly big enough. I've done a few 100mile Med crossings with my S37 and it is very comfortable up to force 4/5 then, although safe, gets unpleasent after that.
David

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It's difficult... I'm the sort of person that reads up on stuff for a long time before buying it (it took me 2 weeks to buy my last kettle /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )...

I just want to have some knowledge before going to a broker and getting the "Certainly sir, this houseboat would make a good blue water cruiser..." type response!

S.
 
Welcome to the forum, and hopefully sson we will be able to welcome another boat owner!!

With regard to cross channel and cruising comfort most boats 28 feet upwards would be comfortable. It depends on how many people you want to go away with. As a rule of thumb if a boat will sleep four, it will be really comfotable for wo, if it sleeps six, four will be comfotable and so on.

As for reccommending models, we are all likely to reccommend the boats we have because, lets face it, we all did the research and chose the boat we prefered the most.

Consider the US manufacturers as exchange rate is good and most now offer decent diesel options. The Bayliner 285 (i know, i know) is a good solid option which has 6 (just) berths and despite what some might say, a very good fit and finish (parent company also own Sealine). A Maxum 2700 is also worth considering as nicely finished with diesel new for about £55k.
 
It's amost certainly going to be just the 2 of us (except for day trips - I can see the in-laws wanting to go for 'a ride' and the neighbours wanting to 'go fishing') and maybe the dog...

Looking though the web I have been seeing 34' Sealine 310 Statesman Flybridge's in my price range (always fancied a flybridge cruiser)... claims to sleep 6 (or 4 really). Is this sort of thing good for channel hopping?

S.
 
Sealines are good solid boats, and the benefit of twin engines might give you comfort on a crossing. They are quite old boats, and though if maintained well should be fine, you are bound to have more problems with a boat that is 15 years old.

I have always wanted a flybridge as well, and looked at a couple of 30 foot boats (Bayliner and Galeon) but havig been out on one I feel the length is not there and they are uncomfortable in a heavy sea!

A final word on the Sealine, a lot at that age had twin petrols which although ok, will be expensive t run. I have a petrol boat, but she is a single engine injection unit, nit twin thirsty carbs! A pal of mine bought a 1989 example in January, had no end of problems with it and finally returned it to the dealer in exchange (plus alot more cash) for a BMB 330 which was a 2001 model. He has said he wont go back to an older boat again!

If it will just be the 2 of you cruising, a four berth boat would be more than comfortable. I dont know what your budget is, but from your V40 comment I would guess about £70k? You could do a lot worse than a Targa 30 used, or any host of new boats.
 
For your first channel crossing its a good idea to do it in company such as on one of Motor Boat Monthly's cruises. To give you some idea of size, I think MBM stipulate a minimum boat length of 25' for a channel crossing or at least they used to. As regards a comfortable size, 35' is a big enough for a channel crossing yet small enough not to be too daunting to handle at marina speeds once you've got some experience and training
 
My boat is 1989 vintage and has this year been to the Scilly isles, Plymouth to the Solent, Last year it went to the CI's not france cos of the dog, Solent, besides umpteen trips up and down Devon, Cornwall. Since I'ved owned it, it has done thousands of miles, but I have uprated two gearboxes £4500 each, two turbo's £350 each, plus thousands in refurbishment, updates and servicing. But the boats still worth around what I paid for it.
 
We are thinking seriously of a 365. It is a big boat for two (we have 2 kids so need the space) and will be more expensive to moor than something a bit smaller.

I note some comments about buying newer and whilst they do have some validity it is not necesarily the case that older will mean more problems (and of course we can't all aford to go newer). A good survey (and mechanical survey including oil analysis) will indicate whether a boat has been looked after and if it has then you should be OK.
 
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We are thinking seriously of a 365. It is a big boat for two (we have 2 kids so need the space) and will be more expensive to moor than something a bit smaller.

I note some comments about buying newer and whilst they do have some validity it is not necesarily the case that older will mean more problems (and of course we can't all aford to go newer). A good survey (and mechanical survey including oil analysis) will indicate whether a boat has been looked after and if it has then you should be OK.

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Yes.. I've gathered that a lift out and full inspection should be part of your buying budget... and if bought a good chance to get any servicing additions done while out the water.

I've been leaning towards a 34' Sealine 320 Statesman. It seems to have all that I need. Still nervous about the red diesel issue though...

S.
 
Yep, I am concerned about red diesel as well. We currently have a semi-displacement boat which is relatively slow at sea but lets us cruise at 10 knots with acceptable fuel consumption. If we go for a planing boat 10 knots is out as we will have to plane and burn more fuel as a result.

Ironically, I think our current boat will maintain its value if red goes so we will be looking for the right deal before we commit to buying the next (planing) boat.
 
Having read through some of the posts on the red diesel issue, the one thing I can't fathom is, are they banning red fuel use in boats, or red fuel altogether?

There is no way I can see red diesel being scrapped unless there is a way to compensate agricultural use. If that happens, then will the gov also stop boats using veggie fuels or chip fat even? Be an almost impossible task to implement.
 
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