Help needed

[BarryD]

OK the regulars know I've got a boat on the South Coast that I can't use due to in-exeprience single handing on my part, and a short person who hates boating - with a vengance. I'm trying to sell the boat (boo-hoo) but I figure he (short person) will want to go boating in the future.

What do I do?

Bundling up mooring / marina / finance etc.. the lump of GRP costs me a grand a month and I can't use her. It's driving me crazy.

Options seem to be:

1. Sell write off costs and come back in a few years - KevB has offered to take me out and drop me in sea water every few months to ensure I don't dry off.

2. Share / Lease - fraught with problems

3. Ride it out with copper bangles and half of Boots anto-seasickness products and close my ears to his screams...



So you unscrew this, and put it safely here, then oopps...
All - IMHO, BTW, FWIW and NWGOI

 

[byron]

Seriously Barry, consider boating the Thames until your Sprog gets into it, experience in these matters has shewn that as Sprogs age they demand the freedom of the sea, whereas whilst young they enjoy the social life of the Thames. MikeT, ChrisP and PaulineB comments please?
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[BarryH]

Funny you should say that. My sprogs (3yo & 4yo) hated the thames. Their not happy unless the engine is screaming and the spray is flyin' all over the place! Funny things kids. What actually is it that the kids dont like about the boat. Water is normally a magnet to kids.

We were down in Chichester marina a couple of weeks ago. Looked at your boat and was trying to work out how to con the tax man into letting me buy it as a company asset. The accountant put a vito on that tho. Could always keep it as a toy for the boys and let the sprogs get a bit older and let them do some of the work. I've got 2 budding deckhands in the making.

OK, to hell with it. Unbolt it and we'll use it as an anchor!

 

[lanason]

Barry - As you know I have 4 kids (13, 11, 6 & 4). When I bought my boat I had a number of key requirements. The most important of these being a safe cabin and cockpit, room to eat and sleep. Somewhere the kids could go to play and colour !!! This was combinined with being able to be towed around as we live miles from the sea and so weekends away are more diffcult, but afternoon river trips a real possibility.
Thus I suggest you sell the sports boat and buy an older sports cruiser with cabin.


Adrian

/forums/images/icons/smile.gif <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>Kelisha Pics</A> /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[DavidP]

hi
The first thing to do i guess, is try and find cheaper moorings to bring the costs down,a friend of mine has a swinging mooring at chichester and pays around £600 a year.
Dave.

 

[Johnjo]

Alright i'll bite,
what does IMHO ,BTW,FWIW,NWGOI mean?

 

[trev]

I'll go along with Byron's advice.
When my kids were young they hated being at sea, they got bored and didn't like the 'rough'. However the Thames and the Broads were fine as there was lots to see and do, together with lots of good close-in boat handling which they enjoyed.
They are all now very competent boat handlers and enjoy all aspects of the 'sport'.

Trev

 

[byron]

These are all netiquette terms from the days of Modems that were around 2,400 and words caused time on the line.
IMHO = In my humble opinion
BTW = By the way
FWIW = For what its worth
NWGOI = ??

ô¿ô
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[mtb]

Re: Sponsorship

Could you buy it as a sponsor putting your company logo on it some place.
Then it would be a deductible as advertising .
Depreciation ( tax !! mans pet hate ) being what it is in a few years time it will no longer be an asset so then go get another big one.

Oh no charge for the financial advice...

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler or tug v, cheap or swap for tug

 

[Guest]

Perseverance, Barry. Our eldest was in a boat at 8 weeks old, while mother mono-skied behind. Having said that, my youngest was happy on the boat until we went over 8 knots. He used to scream the place down, and did so for nearly two years. This summer, he took to sitting as far aft as he could get ( to minimise the motion) and falling asleep. Then he found that being awake was more fun, and he loves it and screams at me to go faster.

In part, I put this down to Alastair MacMatser's lot - we met up over the summer and Alastair's kids are the same age as ours, so they they egged each other on and ran themselves ragged.

My suggestion is to meet up with others with kids the same age, and the sooner the better...

 

[markc]

How about moving the boat to somewhere in Southampton water - it is like a big river until you get to the Solent proper (which is like a big lake I suppose!), so may be less daunting?

M

http://www.geocities.com/jinto100/Jintopics.html

 

[cngarrod]

Hi mate,

Tricky one and a position i don't envy you being in!

First thought is how easy / not easy is it to sell the boat, if you have had no interest then maybe it isn't worth trying to sell it as by the time it moves you will have had a hit on the sale value.

But if the grand a month is hurting you - then maybe you have to flog it!

Byron's idea might well work - is it worth hiring a boat on the thames or the broads for a mini break (4 days)? - they are slower and perhaps more spacious than your own craft. Also without waves the same size as at sea. See how that goes, and to be fair that is how i got my mrs and kids interested in the hobby.

The share thing won't really overcome the issue as if you can't use her now.. how will you use her when you have 50% of the time? or are you referring to the lump costing you less per month?

Will moving the marina cost you less per month / per year... i am guessing that probably not that much?

If you want to have a look at my neck of the woods and the prices - let me know.. am happy to meet you there and show you around... also gives me an excuse to go out on the boat for a day!!!!!

Cheers,

Craig.

 

[MBJB]

Reckon Byrons on the right track..

Good things about the Thames
a) cheaper moorings (probably)
b) cheaper fuel costs (on account of the speed limit)
c) my kids (4 and 7) love it and aren't scared by it - I bet they would be at sea tho'
d) soon learn how to be a bit of a whizz at slow close quarters stuff

not so good -
a) a lot of locks when single handing is relevant. You've got the right style of boat for it though - No Flybridges to fall off....And the lockeepers will always help, even without being asked.

 

[Guest]

Re: A Few thoughts (very long)

My three kids (now 5, 8 and 11) grew up sportsboating. I wrote this in light of my experiences (it might be of some help?):

FAMILY BOATING — A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE

Tip One: leave the whole lot of them behind and take the au pair instead.

Tip Two: If you do have to take your family afloat with you, be prepared...be very prepared.

It's every motorboater's dream — to introduce little Johnny to the joys of boating. To watch him grow up loving the sea like you do, to guide him as he grows in confidence and ability, handling the boat, navigating by the stars, stripping down the Perkins M600Ti diesels while you watch the Cup Final on telly. By the time he's 17 he'll be married to Caprice, skippering a nuclear sub or the QEII, have his own boating series on BBC2, and your chest will swell with pride when he tells everyone he learned it all from his dad.

We all live vicariously through our children, which is why it's so awful when they let you down by becoming lawyers or accountants. And we all want them to enjoy boating as much as we do, which is why most of us (at some time or another) take the family out boating. Doing anything "en famile" can be a richly rewarding experience for all concerned...or it can be deeply frustrating and exasperating. It all comes down to PMA (that's Positive Mental Attitude, to you).

There seem to be two very distinct approaches to family boating...plan it, or wing it. But whether you're planning a family outing down to the nearest minute or you're taking things as they come, a PMA is essential if you're going to survive the experience. And that's the point of this guide — survival. Not just surviving to make it into work on Monday, but surviving to enjoy future boat trips with a keen and enthusiastic family.

The bad news is that children are contrary little brutes. The younger they are the more enthusiastic they are about boating but the more hazardous they are on board. As they get older they become more capable of tying a round turn with two half-hitches but they become less inclined to spend any time with the Old Farts (that's you, dummy). So if you want little Johnny to become the youngest skipper ever to be put in charge of a nuclear deterrent (not to mention having Caprice as a daughter-in-law), it's in your interest to get him interested early, and keep him interested.

Despite being generally of the wing-it school of thought, three small children (mine) have taught me the value of meticulous planning. While I can go for several hours on end without having a drink/wee/ice cream, your average four year-old can't. So you need to tailor your boating to accommodate the little brutes and their needs. Most of it is common-sense, but it's amazing how something that is staggeringly obvious to you may not be so obvious to a three year-old.


Preparation

* Safety first. Life-jackets for all, and they should be worn at all times by non-swimmers when you're under way. Let's face it — there's no point in having little Johnny down for Eton if he drowns before he's old enough to fag.

* Make sure they're properly dressed. Warm clothes, waterproofs, hats, gloves and non-slip shoes/boots. It's pretty bleedin obvious, but it's always colder out there than you think, and kids complain louder and longer than even their mother (strange, but true).

* Pack a complete change of clothes for every crew member and keep them aboard. The one time you need them will be the one time you left them in the boot of the car.

* Make sure there are enough provisions on board for a serious emergency. Two cans of Irn Bru and a Mars bar aren't going to go far if you're stuck on a sandbank for eight hours. Plan for a worst-case scenario and equip yourself accordingly. Masses of water and high-energy snacks (preferably in a waterproof box so that the whole lot doesn't get ruined if you get swamped.

* Have a comprehensive first-aid kit on board which should include everything from sea-sickness tablets to sun-block. Calpol has extraordinary placebo qualities and can be administered for just about anything. In fact, there's almost nothing that cannot be cured with a dose of Calpol and a plaster when you're five years old.

* Explain how everything works to another adult or one of the larger kids. When you get paralytically pissed or knocked unconscious trying to find that packet of Doritos you hid in the aft cabin, someone else is going to have to get you home or summon help. If little Johnny has a basic understanding of boat controls, the VHF or the mobile phone, it could be damn useful if it all goes pear-shaped for you.


Babies & Toddlers

* Don't do it — leave them at home with grandma/the au pair. Depending on what boat you have, babies on board can be at best hard work and at worst a complete nightmare. Boating's supposed to be fun, so don't make it miserable by attempting the impossible. A baby on a 55ft cruiser with the nanny on board to help out is okay, but on a RIB or a small open boat it's a recipe for disaster.

* If you do take little ones out on the boat, be prepared for short, slow journeys in a big comfortable boat. A well-secured car-seat or one of those floating carry-cot type things are good, or a sling attached to a responsible grown-up. You still have the problem of what happens if you all end up in the water though.

* Toddlers have the attention span of your average boating journalist and so you need to take plenty to amuse them. A large number of toys is essential, preferably a few that are new. If in doubt, give them free-reign of the galley, where pots, pans and Sabatier knives make perfect playthings.

* Don't be too ambitious. Stay close to your home port and be ready to return home if the little monster's sick, fractious or miserable. If they're new to this boating lark they may be confused or even frightened — don't traumatise them by taking them out in a Force 5 on their first trip.


Under 5s

* Sit them down and give them a serious talk about rules on board and safety. Explain why they have to wear a life-jacket, why they shouldn't run around the place, push their sister overboard, or do any of the other things that come naturally to a four year-old. Get the message through to them at this age and they'll be okay.

* Keep the trips fairly short. Your average five year-old can get pretty bored (and subsequently deeply annoying) in a short space of time. As they get older and more used to being on a boat you can make the trips longer

* Have plenty of snacks handy — boredom can be temporarily alleviated by eating and drinking at hourly intervals. Have some favourite toys handy, and a comfort object (teddy/blanket/Colt .45) is also a good idea.

* Explain to them what's going on aboard the boat and find little jobs for them to do. Get them involved and they'll enjoy it a lot more. Sit them on your knee and let then drive, show them where you are on the chart, get them to help by spotting buoys and marks. Getting them to drive is also a good cure for sea-sickness...it makes them feel important and it takes their mind off the sea-sickness.


Over 5s

* Getting the older children involved will make them feel part of the crew and stop them moaning/fighting/sulking. Teach them about charts and compasses, show them how to put out fenders, handle ropes and tie knots. The older they are the easier it is, but even eight year-olds can handle the basics and will feel good about it if you involve them.

* Have a selection of electronic amusements handy — a Walkman, GameBoy, Playstation. They may be the last refuge of the brain-dead, but you'll be grateful of these electronic games when the older kids are doing the "Dad, I'm bored" chorus. Make sure you have copious quantities of batteries.

* Assorted watersports are guaranteed to keep them amused. A ringo is an essential item on any boat so that you can administer a 20 knot enema to the older kids. Waterskiing and wakeboarding are also great ways of amusing the older kids, and wakeboarding has the advantage of not needing a soft wake or a high speed to do it successfully.

* Fishing — it's a dull thing to do on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, but fun to do off a boat in the sea. Give them a rod and some line with a spinner on the end and see if they can catch some mackerel. If they don't, at the very least they'll foul the prop with various weights and spinners.

* Another diversion is playing spotting games. Get them to look out for types of boat, wildlife, reefs, rare sea-birds, nuclear submarines, smugglers, pirates. The last person to complete their check-list gets keel-hauled. Use your imagination to think up ways of involving and amusing them.

* If they're not sick to death of boating by the time they're 14, send them on an RYA course and get them to help crewing the boat. Then all that's left is Caprice's home phone number.


Grown-ups

* Don't treat the other adults in your party as skivvies whose sole purpose is to pass you beers and keep the kids quiet while you attempt to plot your position to the nearest square metre.

* Many grown-ups are far more frightened of water and boats than kids, so go through the safety routine with them and make sure everyone knows what to do if it all comes on top.

* Don't expect everyone to share your love of the sea and want to potter about doing nothing in particular. An interesting route and a specific destination will give land-lubbers a reason for being out there.

* No matter how inept and cack-handed they are, always let other grown-ups take a turn at the helm. By all means keep your eye on them, but let them have their fun too.


The key to happy family boating is common-sense. You don't expect your family to sit in the car for nine hours without getting restless, so don't expect them to be any better on your boat. Obviously the bigger the boat the easier it is to keep them amused, but even on a small boat you can have great times as long as you plan ahead. By making sure everyone's safe, comfortable and amused you can all enjoy the experience. What you don't want to do is put them all off the first time you go out. And when little Johnny shows you a slicker way of picking up a mooring, or a neater way of plotting a course, accept that he's a better skipper than you and look forward to all the grand-children he and Caprice will have.

 

[Guest]

Re: A Few thoughts (very long)

Spot on. My six year old can tie knots better than anyone I know. It often takes us an hour or more to cast off, now. Also the PSone is a godsend, as it can be run off a 12V adaptor. Ringo: yup! got a small inflatable sled thing that the tender can tow at about 10-15kts. Can't get the kids off it.

Other major tip: buckets and spades, and frequent runs to sandy beaches. Barry, take note, you're the wrong side of the IoW, I suspect. B'mouth and Studland for sandy beaches, Swanage for amusement arcades, fairground, 'Kiss-me-Quick' hats et al. But company is the key. At the age of 5, a total stranger the same age becomes a bestest ever friend in about 15 minutes, and everything else is forgotten...

 

[BarryH]

Re: A Few thoughts (very long)

Umm, a lot you says rings true. I say to mine where do you want to go. Same answer all the time "The Beach". I use studland as the adult content at the Bankes arms is quiet good. The only problem with all the betest friends, is that they all want to go and "play in the big boat". Keeps the sprogs happy tho, so it leaves me more time to get sprog anastetic in side me!!

OK, to hell with it. Unbolt it and we'll use it as an anchor!

 

[Forbsie]

That gives me an idea

Is this short person any good at varnishing? If so, you could leave him with me while you go out around the pubs of the Solent with the boat-less of the forum. I, for my part, will let him varnish my cabin and paint my top deck and in between coats he can row across to The White Swan where there's a great little beach with loads of other short persons playing and where co-incidentally I can keep a closer eye on him from the Beer Terrace.

If he turns out to be good at this, I could then teach him to be a Recruitment Consultant, 'coz they're quite similar. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie>My Project Pics</A>

 

[hlb]

ReTotal Crap! It dont WORK!

We endured 25 holidays on the Norfolk Broads. Nothing wrong with them, liked them. But kids made bloody sure that on rare occasions when we took them to Spain/France or where ever. They had tantrums all the holiday. So back to Broads. Eventualy buys a boat. Then Kids (Now in Twenties) Stay in bed in Saloon till mid afternoon. Cause arguements with Tutt's cos I'm all wrong for getting annoyed at stepping over them all day. So blissfully they have only been near the boat about twice in about ten years. Never mind. Alls well that ends well./forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<font color=red> No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Haydn

 

[duncan]

Re: A Few thoughts (very long)

couldn't agree more - having 'settled' in Poole the children love the routine and the more they have to get together with the better! Interestingly I notice that if only 1 is enjoying the speed/bouncy waves/spray etc then they all come round eventually - especially if it's the smallest/youngest that's shrieking with delight !
The only bad news this Summer (?) was the wasps in the garden at the Banks Arms - kids don't like wasps... Swanage just doesn't have the same ambience (althought he garden at the Red Lion tries hard.
I keep looking out for GW and BarryH's boats but have yet to spot or hear you on the airwaves......maybe sometime.

 

[Geoffs]

Re: A Few thoughts (very long)

Easy to find BarryH's boat, just follow the trail of empty beer cans. Oops, sorry Barry, couldn't resist it.

Sure I've seen your boat around, Duncan, next time i'll try calling you on the airwaves.

Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'