How Important Is Getting there in Comfort?

[Gludy]

Having been boating for about 4 years now, I reckon that all planing boats are uncomfortable for passengers no matter what the speed or boat size. yes bigger boats are more comfortable when underway but even big ones do not allow you to walk around the boat without holding onto everything or crawling around.

To me, all enjoying the getting there is very important and the fact is a planing boat can never offer this.

Another factor in getting there comfort is noise - or lack of it. The new EU directives mean that new boats now being built have to pass a fairly strict test and I know some boats are claiming a 90% noise reduction with the new silencing systems coming through..... I for one like the idea of a lot less noise and a good ride underway so that the getting there is as important as arriving there.

Mind you, I could not stand to travel everywhere at a slow 9 knots or so, hence I think the best way for me to go is a semi-displacement boat that is happy and economic in the mid-teens. It would allow you to make a cup of tea even in say a f5, or site an watch a dvd movie to pass the time away.


Maybe these thoughts a sign of age or maybe the only person that really enjoys a planing boat is the skipper?

Now things are very slow and peaceful on the forum at present, so I do not expect that this thread will amount to much controversy - its just that I think that planing boats are really crap as cruising boats for going from A to B where A & B are more than a few hours apart.
/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[PhilF]

so do I and I have got one. If was starting again I would go semi or full displacement. If I want speed I can use the rib, and I never seem to go far enough to need 30 knots for hours on end. Planing is not comfy for guests and I cant see anything from indoors if I go below to drive

 

[gcwhite]

In rough seas yes, but in low end of moderate or slight a planning boat is fine. It does however depend on the boat. Princess, Fairline & Sunseeker from the uk stable have excellent sea keeping qualities. Many years ago I had a Sealine which was hopeless in anything above a small chop

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[jimg]

Try a Seaward 49, thet can make 27 knots and are comfortable in almost any sea you are likely to out in. Slight problem is the £0.75m price tag.

 

[Gludy]

"In rough seas yes, but in low end of moderate or slight a planning boat is fine"

Sorry 0 I must disagree - even in calm seas a planing boat belting along at say 25 knots is not a boat you can walk around, make a cup of tea etc.
Even a trip to the heads is an adventure.
My boat is 60 foot long and whilst it is better than the 40 footer i had, the same thing still apllies.

"Princess, Fairline & Sunseeker from the uk stable have excellent sea keeping qualities."

Not really, I think they have good sea keeping qualities for a planing boat but planing boats do not have good sea keeping properties ... period.
If you go slow in one you roll about real bad, if you go fast you bounce on the top - basically you are on top of the water slamming into it and that makes for uncomformatble travel.

Add to all that ,as others have pointed out, they have lower helms that are useless.

 

[stelican]

I have done several long trips in your boat with the previous owner and found that in rough seas it was comfortable at twelve knots.
The porblem I have found with semi-displacement boats is that they really throw the spray up in even the slightess sea conditions.
All boats seem to be a compromise

 

[Gludy]

I am sorry but I really must disagree.

I have been through rough seas in the boat, I am not saying that.

To do 12 knots, below planing speed in a planing boat is nowhere near as comfortable as to do it in a semi-displacment boat - at any speed in a planing boat, there is no way you can walk around the boat, make a cupt of tea etc - you can really do that well in a semi-d boat with stabilisers.

 

[Gludy]

"several long trips in your boat with the previous owner"

I am curious - how long were those long trips?

Which owner was it withm the first or the second?

Cheers

 

[oldgit]

Surely the answer to this is that as you get older your desires change.When young all you really want is thrills and excitement and the more uncomfortable things get well that just adds to the fun.So some sort of pocket rocket speedboat with monster guzzling fuel outboard is the thing.Bang Bang Bang.Wheeeeeee.
Now with wife and sprogs,you have the house the car and now having a few bob you want the world to know you are a total success,so gotta be a gleaming white gin palace not quite so quick but still fast enough to cause discomfort amoung your non boating friends when you treat them to three hours worth of bash bash to that nice anchorage only you and 1.000.000 others know about at Lulworth.
Then common sense arrives.You know you have done all you want to do and further more do not give a stuff about what others think about your boat.
You arrive cool calm and collected and enjoy being able to moor in the rough bits avoided by the lightweights and can leave hours later,unconcerned that it may blow a bit later cos your comfy seaworthy cruiser will not even notice it.

 

[BrendanS]

Depends what you want to get out of boating.

I love the thrill and exhilaration of cruising fast, and don't restrict my boating to calm conditions. You have a sense of adventure, fun and achievement when you arrive somewhere far flung in a small fast boat.

If I wanted to get there in comfort I'd drive or catch a ferry (comfort is relative, I'm always comfortable on board, but have no requirement to make cups of tea while underway)

 

[whisper]

Depends entirely on sea-state with our boat. Walking around it at 25 knts + is perfectly feasible and safe in smooth/slight seas - such practical characteristics was one of the reasons we bought it. Don't know about boiling a kettle - haven't tried it. Will do so next week with a bit of luck so I'll report back if I have severe burns.

 

[hlb]

Well we often make tea and bacon butties. But whats this thing about doing 25 knots or 12?? 18 knots is much more reasonable. One made fried egg butties whilst driving an artic down the M8, but thats another story /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[tcm]

Disagree

hm, this isn't correct. You can walk around a planing boat but it needs to be BIG. The size limit of the wandering aboutiness is over 60 feet. Not sure where but at 76 feet it is not too bad, sure that even bigger is better although of course it is a bit windy up front. But you can snooze on the rear deck or down below, and sit on the swim platform for wooshy observance of turbulent flow .

Also, those darn fairlinies are a bit scringey with the cushions: leap in the air and land on your knees on any cushion: If landing feels even a bit painful, the cushion is too thin.

You can definitely sit about on the fordeck at 25 knot on a longer boat but into a F4-5 it got a bit much and the buggers turned the trim tabs down, thereby drenching me. Also, your semi displacement boat will look like an old tub. You should easily be able to wangle a sea trial of a fairline 74: rip into any item that seems a bit rubbish or familair from a smaler boat. I discovered that the Italian builders buy towelling scatter cushion covers from the UK but they are blimmin £50 a pop.

fuelwise, we can just plane at 16knots which is nice and comfy, and you can read mags if going downwind

 

[Gludy]

Re: Disagree

But for any given length of boat, the planing hull ride is as nothing compared to the semi-displacment hull with stablisers ..... agreed?

Frankly, as regards 60 foot planing boats, I am more than happy with my squaddie and would not want to change it for any planing boat of the same length. It is just that I am going off the boil when it comes to planing boats and the lack of comfort.

I pretty well live in a prevailing SE f5 and have to cope with huge tides, a in some places very strong currents ... this is what you get when you turn the corner at Lands End.

Even at 25 knots in a semi-displacment with stablisers, f 4 to f5 ( a bit expensive on fuel), you can stroll around the boat, read and enjoy the trip - at least all the family can, as I always enjoy it anyway!

 

[Wiggo]

I've had a Saab, a couple of Mercs, several Range Rovers, two VW's and a BMW. The BMW broke down once, although it was a 5 series in the mid 80's and a bit crap.

So, obviously, all BMW's are crap. Also, Aston Martins, Jags and Porsches are all absolutely fab, but I'm not going to let on as to whether I've ever owned one. In fact, I may not even own a car at all at the moment.

Oh, and the back wheel fell off a Vauxhall I had once, so they're crap, too.

 

[Wiggo]

Re: Disagree

Oh, Gludy, we don't have the energy for another one of these - just buy the bloody boat, will you! ;-)

 

[BrendanS]

EyeNo sound just like OldGit when it comes to boat preferences, but I've had a post deleted just for telling him when you'd last posted, so don't expect this one to last for long

 

[steverow]

Re: Disagree

*He already has.*

Sorry Paul I know I'm a spoilsport but couldnt resist it.....

Steve.

 

[tcm]

Re: Disagree

as i said, have a seatrial in a 74. Hey, it should be a nice day out anyway!

 

[Gludy]

Re: Disagree

Its been so peaceful on the forum since the system changed ... I was actually trying to get something going but now I know .... everyone is tired ... thats why its so peaceful. obvious really.

OK..... I give in, I shall retire under my stone for a bit until the spark returns to the forum and then pop up for the odd massive thread.

In any event, SteveRow blurted it out .. thanks Steve ... I have made my boating decisions.... just thought I would challenge the status quo a bit.