Help a newbie out....

[mas0282]

Hello to you all.

I'm a complete boat novice, looking to buy my first motor boat. I've spent a fair bit of time reading on the internet, books, forums, etc. This weekend I will be going to look at some boats. I hope I'm not asking for information already out there (I searched the forum) but I'd be very grateful for some thoughts on a few topics that I'm still trying to understand.

I'm looking for a small boat (7 - 8 metres LOA) costing somewhere around £12 - 15k. It needs to be big enough for the odd overnight stay for two people, and day trips with up to 6 or so people, but I'm not looking to spend a huge amount of time sleeping on it. The most important thing is a good size / sociable cockpit area. If I'm being completely honest I'd prefer something with a more modern hull profile / a bit sporty looking.

It will probably only be run up and down the (non-tidal) parts of the Thames. Eventually, when my confidence gets up and I feel competent (I plan to get some training), I'd like to go out onto the tidal Thames and maybe do some coastal cruising.

Some questions.

1. Does anyone have any thoughts on these boats?

- Sealine 215 / 225 / 240
- Fairline 26 Sun Fury / Sport Fury (I love the fact you can convert the back bench on this into a giant sun bed)
- Bayliner 2355 / 2455

2. Most of the good boats are miles from me. Any thoughts on how much it would cost to have one of these boats towed from say Norfolk to Windsor? Just ballpark.

3. Any idea (again, ballpark) what the maintainence and servicing costs of these sorts of boats are likely to be? I have been able to work out all the other running costs - insurance, mooring, licences, etc. Let's say my mooring was £2k a year. Anyone care to have a guess at what they think the costs of keeping a boat like that would be?

I've heard all the jokes about boats being a hole that you pour money into....I just want to make sure I know how much pouring I might have to do!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chris_d]

Welcome, you haven't had much response probably as it requires a long answer.
All those boats are fine in your price range but probably not ideal for the non tidal Thames, but only because they will be difficult to handle being single outdrive and
not ideal deck layout for going through locks etc.., but that doesn't stop people using them.
Its going to cost £400-500 to get a boat moved, your other costs would be approx: mooring £2500, BSS £120(every 4 years), EA license £400, insurance £250, fuel £300 (river use only)
servicing £1000 if you don't do it yourself, all ballpark.
I would forget doing any coastal stuff in that type of boat if based on the non-tidal Thames, petrol availabilty and tidal access make it too difficult, when your ready to go coastal move it
to the coast.
Have fun looking at boats its one of the best bits..

 

[Spi D]

And the usual warning: No boat is better than the TLC it received, so thorough viewing (a pro survey might prove feasible even in this budget range) is way more important than make or model.

Bayliners pre year 2000 makes my warning lamps flash, based on a number of viewings.

 

[landlockedpirate]

You are going to get the following responses on this thread:

All the boats you suggest are rubbish for the upper Thames
If you buy a petrol boat you will either die from a massive explosion or go broke from the running cost.
Bayliners are terrible boats and named Binliners for a reason.
Boats without side decks are unworkable in locks.


My opinion on the boats suggested, Sealine are excellent boats but are the smallest of the 3 you mention, 6 people in the cockpit will not be comfortable. Fairline is a really nice boat but they are really getting on in age, they will need lots of fixing and with twin engines at 30+ years old you will be into big repair and running bills. . My pick would be the Bayliner, big cockpit,even bigger cabin, large walk through hatch for rope handling on the foredeck and the modern looking lines.

 

[mlines]

Petrol availability is not good, but....your fuel consumption on the Thames will be low enough to make a jerry can full of Asda's finest a perfectly manageable solution, particularly if you are not going for week long cruises although some marinas/locations do not like you filling up from a can.

Sterndrives/Outdrives are perfectly manageable once you get the feel for them. The most obvious effect of a sterndrive and planing hull combination is that, until you get used to it, you are constantly putting in steering input. However once you are used to this is not an issue.

The downside of the American boat is that it may need some work to get through BSS. The engine compartment fire system does not count as a fire system for BSS purposes and the American style fuel vent (which vents into the filler tube to meet Californian fuel fumes regulations) does not meet BSS as it needs to vent separately plus the bilge pump will need isolating and the toilet sealing if it does not have a holding tank (this all according to the BSS surveyor for my boat). Therefore if it is not already certified then budget for some work to get it through.

I would also look at the Binliner as being the budget line they tend to have lots of features albeit made to a slightly lower overall quality, and once you get to tidal waters.......

....here is a picture just before we burst into flames and drowned (all bowrider owners drown immediately they reach the sea)

And the close quarters handling and lack of control of a planing boat with stern drive on the Thames means you can never relax and smile.

Even a larger boat that tend to plod along the Thames can lift up their skirts and put on a turn of speed when non-tidal

 

[russ]

I have done exactly what your wanting to do. I was on the Thames for 3 years then last year I moved down to the Solent.
After looking at so many boats and nearly giving up on finding a decent one after an expensive failed survey I eventually bought a Bayliner 265. A brilliant boat for starting out on but as others say its not an ideal boat for slow river cruising but we managed it and thoroughly enjoyed our time on the river. Theres plenty of room below for the 3 of us and I would say 6 people on deck is the max you would want but it would take more. I found the build quality quite good but it is a 2005 model.
Servicing, I would budget for around £2-500 per year depending how much you do yourself. I do have someone to do the leg service and change impeller every year then bellows every two years. Allow another £400 for lifting and antifouling if doing it yourself. Berthing fee will be around £2500-£3000 per year. Insurance depending on experience around £2-£300. River license £300 odd.
Try and buy a UK boat and not an import, prefably one that has a bsc.
Fuel cost will be a gallon an hour on the river and 2 mpg at sea.

Hope this helps. Good luck. Oh GET A SURVEY DONE.

 

[jrudge]

I kept a boat on the tidal Thames ( brentford dock) for some while.

The trip down past the Houses of Parliament is nice the first few times but the novelty wears off. The police etc used to tell me to slow down even when there were no speed restrictions. Now there are it will be a long and boring plod.

We went to the coast many times and in a boat bigger than you are looking at this is a long long way.

The upper Thames is lovely. We still rent a boat for a weekend every now and then. I am not an expert in the boats you are looking at but for the Thames these look very sporty. You can't do more than 4 knots ( actually expressed in kilometers per hour which is bizarre) and you may want something more enclosed.

In general selling a boat is not as simple as selling say a car so aim to buy the " biggest" you can afford to try and delay the inevitable I want a bigger one now effect.

Want any help pm me.

Jeremy