GravyStain
Well-Known Member
Porto, this is the Mk2 Squaddie. I'm looking at the Mk1, but many thanks anyway.
Doing Option 1 (buy holiday home and smallish boat) is an option which I haven't discounted too...
Go Big or Go Home?
- Thread starter GravyStain
- Start date
Doing Option 1 (buy holiday home and smallish boat) is an option which I haven't discounted too...
GravyStain
Well-Known Member
AoA looks ok to my untrained eye - almost identical to the Sq58 from the video's i've seen
I'm more than happy to be educated in these matters, I just would like to know why the 55 has such a bad rep...
I'm more than happy to be educated in these matters, I just would like to know why the 55 has such a bad rep...
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
I wouldnt worry about it. Everybody's opinion on here is skewed by what they've owned previously themselves. The fact that nobody has come forward to big up this particular version of the Sq55 is very likely because nobody on here has actually owned that specific model. AFAIK, the Sq55 Mk1 morphed into the Sq58 which was one of Fairline's best selling boats and comes from an era when Fairline were at the top of their game so IMHO this Sq55 would be well worth looking at, assuming that its condition is good and the price is fair
Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
GravyStain
Well-Known Member
Last edited:
markc
Well-Known Member
I just wanted to pick up on the OP's original "Go big or Go Home" and Bouba's mention of not letting boats become bankruptcy factor, which I think is a really fair point. I have always thought that you can have a happier boating experience if it's funded from 'spare' money. I'm not meaning to sound flippant, but I think that if you spend an amount on a boat that you'd be happy to lose in a way that won't affect your life / retirement / business etc., then the whole thing is more relaxing, even more so if you have a chunk of change that you'd be happy to see vanish in unexpected bills. It may mean you have a slightly older or slightly smaller boat, but that will be balanced by peace of mind. And don't forget, whatever you buy, you'll never have the biggest / newest / fanciest boat in the marina, I guarantee it!
GravyStain
Well-Known Member
Mark,
This is very true... It's so easy to push your budget so that you have no contingency fund available, or suddenly you have to cancel the big cruises for the season because you've just spent your spare 20k diesel money on unexpected repairs.
Worrying about the cost of your boat will erode the fun I imagine quite quickly...
Bouba
Well-Known Member
Gravy, I love boating, I’d rather boat than almost anything else. But I’ll be honest, boating is not relaxing. It’s the most stressful activity short of tightrope walking. The worry because you’ve been let down by every mechanic, supplier, dealer, insurer you have had the misfortune to give money to. The stress your family will give you as you ruin another holiday with technical problems. The panic that you are in deep water and will your engines, fuel system, thru hull let you down. And that’s nothing compared to knowing that there will be a huge crowd on the dock waiting for you to crash into your neighbors’ boats.
So yes, adding financial ruin to your troubles could be the last straw.
️??
????
Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
True, although different people have different attitudes to 'worry' and what triggers it. I ended up worrying more about unknown costs and maintenance history and tired interiors, to say nothing of acceptability to my lovely wife, so I bought a new but smaller boat, spent more than I intended but not by much in the overall scheme of things, and hopefully have minimal 'unexpected costs' worries for the next few years.
Last edited:
GravyStain
Well-Known Member
Gravy, I love boating, I’d rather boat than almost anything else. But I’ll be honest, boating is not relaxing. It’s the most stressful activity short of tightrope walking. The worry because you’ve been let down by every mechanic, supplier, dealer, insurer you have had the misfortune to give money to. The stress your family will give you as you ruin another holiday with technical problems. The panic that you are in deep water and will your engines, fuel system, thru hull let you down. And that’s nothing compared to knowing that there will be a huge crowd on the dock waiting for you to crash into your neighbors’ boats.
So yes, adding financial ruin to your troubles could be the last straw.
Tell it how it is!!! Hahahaha - Great post (and very true I imagine)
Last edited:
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Absolutely spot on. Owning a boat is enough of a hassle in itself and often I wonder whether its really worth it but if you have to worry about where the money is going to come from to fund that hassle, then it really isnt worth it
Btw on the subject of whether it is worth it, by coincidence I was talking to the SWMBO last night (doesnt happen often!) and we both agreed that of the many things we have not been able to do this year due to Covid, the no1 thing we've missed is being on the boat. There is something about being on your boat that soothes away your everyday woes. Probably because your everyday woes are replaced by the woes of owning a boat like the icemaker packing up and the steering failing
Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
Same. We're in the UK so a bit easier perhaps but it's been a weird year....
Btw on the subject of whether it is worth it, by coincidence I was talking to the SWMBO last night (doesnt happen often!) and we both agreed that of the many things we have not been able to do this year due to Covid, the no1 thing we've missed is being on the boat. There is something about being on your boat that soothes away your everyday woes. Probably because your everyday woes are replaced by the woes of owning a boat like the icemaker packing up and the steering failing
Portofino
Well-Known Member
Two experiences here .
The first new to boating went for a £7 M Benetti 125 classic in the mid noughties.Kids at the same school , mums met at the school gate etc .
Kept it at la Napoule as his other hobby is planes .
She hated the crew aspect and the charter side .Other folk using it .
You know the stewies root about in her knicker draw , have company all the time , the burp and fart test .She felt she had to put her face on make an effort too much .
Killer moment was when his son same age as mine about 7 then , I took them Fishing on my tiny Portofino 35 berthed nearby and when they came to collect there kids the lad blurts out “ why can’t we have a boat like this dad it’s much more fun “
Arh the innocence of childhood .
He did then buy a Boston whaler37 as a chase boat and as the kids grew up he spent more time in the bay of Cannes playing with Family and anchoring near us than motoring about on the mothership .You know the two mums nattering away while the dads entertainment the kids syndrome.
Change of scene they did transport it over to the Caribbean for 2x Christmas’s but on shore one day she was mugged so that was the end of that .As the kids got bigger they sold it after 8 years .
His Mrs told my Mrs it was a mistake and she hated it every minute
Another mate ( met through shooting ) came to Cannes one August and we spent a few days on my boat .He immediately took the bait and wanted one .Returned in Sept for the show. Off we went round a boys shopping trip with my engineer mate .No surprises we ended up in the Sunseeker suite as I had tickets for the free booze .
Cut to the chase he was offered and accepted a Predator 92 sport with triple Arnesons .” Cancelled order “ apparently- Yeh they still play that card .
A month ago was his first time on my boat since a boys scout Norfolk broads trip .
Scheduled to be finished for the following Easter .
+ Training and the total package berth finding etc .As it happens he had a sporting estate on Majorca, villa etc in over 1000 hectares .
Easter came 2009/2010 ? Boat true to SS word all ready to go with a skipper/ crew + berth in Palma .
The baldricks mob may comfirm around this time it was unseasonably cold and even snow at Easter .It was that kinda Easter .
The ladies were freezing needed gloves and it was crap out in the boat .Grey sky's rain , no sun etc windy every day .
A million miles away from the idyllic Lerins and Cannes scene the previous outing with me .
The guy balked at the scenes showing 400L / hr EACH for the 3 engines at cruise .He could not get his head round the £2 K Bill just to out 1/2 hr somewhere and rtn .
Excited by it all they understandably sleep on it .The Mrs hated the wave slap of its berth on the side windows , the lack of privacy etc .Plus theses two other blokes staring at her cleavage the crew thingy .
It went up for sale in September.
I did suggest something smaller btw to start on , a used Pred 55 or 50 Something Pershing or Riva ?
As an aside while he was back in the U.K. ( wife + kids staying in the villa ) leaving two crew on the boat to look after it , they were followed back one day after a day trip out and later gassed while asleep and robbed .
Suppose they were targeted stepping off that boat every other day .
That was sold too as she was too frightened to stay there now , so that was the end of that one .
Not had a great deal of luck conning mates into boating .
The first new to boating went for a £7 M Benetti 125 classic in the mid noughties.Kids at the same school , mums met at the school gate etc .
Kept it at la Napoule as his other hobby is planes .
She hated the crew aspect and the charter side .Other folk using it .
You know the stewies root about in her knicker draw , have company all the time , the burp and fart test .She felt she had to put her face on make an effort too much .
Killer moment was when his son same age as mine about 7 then , I took them Fishing on my tiny Portofino 35 berthed nearby and when they came to collect there kids the lad blurts out “ why can’t we have a boat like this dad it’s much more fun “
Arh the innocence of childhood .
He did then buy a Boston whaler37 as a chase boat and as the kids grew up he spent more time in the bay of Cannes playing with Family and anchoring near us than motoring about on the mothership .You know the two mums nattering away while the dads entertainment the kids syndrome.
Change of scene they did transport it over to the Caribbean for 2x Christmas’s but on shore one day she was mugged so that was the end of that .As the kids got bigger they sold it after 8 years .
His Mrs told my Mrs it was a mistake and she hated it every minute
Another mate ( met through shooting ) came to Cannes one August and we spent a few days on my boat .He immediately took the bait and wanted one .Returned in Sept for the show. Off we went round a boys shopping trip with my engineer mate .No surprises we ended up in the Sunseeker suite as I had tickets for the free booze .
Cut to the chase he was offered and accepted a Predator 92 sport with triple Arnesons .” Cancelled order “ apparently- Yeh they still play that card .
A month ago was his first time on my boat since a boys scout Norfolk broads trip .
Scheduled to be finished for the following Easter .
+ Training and the total package berth finding etc .As it happens he had a sporting estate on Majorca, villa etc in over 1000 hectares .
Easter came 2009/2010 ? Boat true to SS word all ready to go with a skipper/ crew + berth in Palma .
The baldricks mob may comfirm around this time it was unseasonably cold and even snow at Easter .It was that kinda Easter .
The ladies were freezing needed gloves and it was crap out in the boat .Grey sky's rain , no sun etc windy every day .
A million miles away from the idyllic Lerins and Cannes scene the previous outing with me .
The guy balked at the scenes showing 400L / hr EACH for the 3 engines at cruise .He could not get his head round the £2 K Bill just to out 1/2 hr somewhere and rtn .
Excited by it all they understandably sleep on it .The Mrs hated the wave slap of its berth on the side windows , the lack of privacy etc .Plus theses two other blokes staring at her cleavage the crew thingy .
It went up for sale in September.
I did suggest something smaller btw to start on , a used Pred 55 or 50 Something Pershing or Riva ?
As an aside while he was back in the U.K. ( wife + kids staying in the villa ) leaving two crew on the boat to look after it , they were followed back one day after a day trip out and later gassed while asleep and robbed .
Suppose they were targeted stepping off that boat every other day .
That was sold too as she was too frightened to stay there now , so that was the end of that one .
Not had a great deal of luck conning mates into boating .
Portofino
Well-Known Member
Conversely to my other post when we used to annually venture over to the Porquerolles ( last time we RV,d with Bouba ) we usually hang around for a week 10 days hopping about twixt the ports and island anchorages .
I did notice many far smaller boats seemingly have just as much fun .
You kinda notice them esp the flags of Italian and Belgium .It’s a sort of circuit and you bump into each other .
The Itama is quite a distinctive boat there no confusion what it is , and it stimulates conversation with other boaters .
So one pm we manage to berth at the end of a wooden jetty with no services at port Cros .
We are fine geny + airco etc and a 500 L water tank so can be self sufficient for a week just the two of us now as kids have flown the nest .
Mistral blows in so we decide to stay a few days .It windy but clear blue cloudless skies mid thirties .
Next to us is Sealine 24 ? The one you can fit on a trailer and tow with a Belgium flag .We let a rib raft by us on the other side with an Italian flag .
As the inn was full and the wind was up .
Over the 3 nights we got chatting .We offered kettles of hot water for coffee etc in the morning .
The rib a family of four sleep under those pop up beach tents ,almost in the open on deck .
Fortunately there’s a toilet block 50 m away for them with an outside tap to wash there pans .Turns out they are from Genoa and do this a lot , just camp with the very basics for weeks on end .
The little Sealine is a teacher and writer couple who trail the boat around Europe for the 6 weeks summer hols and shorter hols just pop into the Dutch canal network .They have been doing it for years .
So when the sun shines the sea is warm you live bare backed in your swim ware , you don’t actually when you break it down need a big boat in the med to have fun .
I did notice many far smaller boats seemingly have just as much fun .
You kinda notice them esp the flags of Italian and Belgium .It’s a sort of circuit and you bump into each other .
The Itama is quite a distinctive boat there no confusion what it is , and it stimulates conversation with other boaters .
So one pm we manage to berth at the end of a wooden jetty with no services at port Cros .
We are fine geny + airco etc and a 500 L water tank so can be self sufficient for a week just the two of us now as kids have flown the nest .
Mistral blows in so we decide to stay a few days .It windy but clear blue cloudless skies mid thirties .
Next to us is Sealine 24 ? The one you can fit on a trailer and tow with a Belgium flag .We let a rib raft by us on the other side with an Italian flag .
As the inn was full and the wind was up .
Over the 3 nights we got chatting .We offered kettles of hot water for coffee etc in the morning .
The rib a family of four sleep under those pop up beach tents ,almost in the open on deck .
Fortunately there’s a toilet block 50 m away for them with an outside tap to wash there pans .Turns out they are from Genoa and do this a lot , just camp with the very basics for weeks on end .
The little Sealine is a teacher and writer couple who trail the boat around Europe for the 6 weeks summer hols and shorter hols just pop into the Dutch canal network .They have been doing it for years .
So when the sun shines the sea is warm you live bare backed in your swim ware , you don’t actually when you break it down need a big boat in the med to have fun .
Bouba
Well-Known Member
The problem with men is they can’t distinguish between need and want. But I guess that is what wives are for
GravyStain
Well-Known Member
The difference between men and boys is only the size of their toys!
kashurst
Well-Known Member
I prefer the 55 to the 58 if I'm honest - great boat. Everyone has a view on a particular boat, however it's a Fairline so maybe it might not be their very best, but it will still be very very good.
Looks like some bargains in the med with D12 engines at the moment too
Condition is everything, then engine access what ever it is. So a really good condition 55 will always be better than a neglected 58
Looks like some bargains in the med with D12 engines at the moment too
Condition is everything, then engine access what ever it is. So a really good condition 55 will always be better than a neglected 58
julians
Well-Known Member
It was 2012 - snowed in april
Correct - although it depends if you want to travel large distances on your boat. I'm fine with my small day boat in majorca, stay overnight on it every now and again, it probably never goes further than 30 miles from home port. As long as you're happy with effectively camping youll be fine - wouldnt really want to stay more than a couple of nights on it though.
Last edited:
Hooligan
Well-Known Member
Yes agree re the exhaust elbows. When i had my unplanned for refit this issue was revealed. So def worth checking. At same age i would check the raw water pumps as well and you should probably factor in a recon of the starter motors, not that expensive. Finally absolutely check that the intercoolers are all clean because they get clogged up and should in my view be cleaned out every two years. Best way to see any problem is run the boat up to 1800/1900 revs and if the coolant temp runs higher than 86 they need cleaning or are going to need cleaning in a short period of time.
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
I'm not that familiar with Fairlines but AFAIK, there are Squadron 55s and Squadron 55s.
When I said "not the 55" I was thinking about the current design which I think the cost would be too much for this budget.
And I was comparing it with the old Squadron 58 which has been around for a long time and has that "classical" look.
The 58 is also a very well respected boat.
That said, I would still put the P57 up against the Sq58
But how about going a lot cheaper and looking at much older Squadrons.
The Squadron 56 for example.
A friend who is also on this forum has one that he keeps in Sant Carles
It is a great boat - young enough to have electronic throttle controls - i.e. not old enough for the 4 lever engine controls.
With all the trimmings that you would expect from a Squadron - just a little older.
I've been on his boat a few times - once in some big seas which she handled perfectly.
When I said "not the 55" I was thinking about the current design which I think the cost would be too much for this budget.
And I was comparing it with the old Squadron 58 which has been around for a long time and has that "classical" look.
The 58 is also a very well respected boat.
That said, I would still put the P57 up against the Sq58
But how about going a lot cheaper and looking at much older Squadrons.
The Squadron 56 for example.
A friend who is also on this forum has one that he keeps in Sant Carles
It is a great boat - young enough to have electronic throttle controls - i.e. not old enough for the 4 lever engine controls.
With all the trimmings that you would expect from a Squadron - just a little older.
I've been on his boat a few times - once in some big seas which she handled perfectly.
