Introduction and some advice please...

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pbilham

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Hi everyone, by way of an introduction I have started using the Thames this year in a 3.2m Rib with small outboard. Small fry I know, but it was a cheap way to get up and running.

Yesterday, having decided to take the father in law out for a spin, I discovered a mouse had eaten through two of the compartments of my beloved little rib, leaving me once again off the river.

This has hastened my decision to now upgrade to a bigger boat. Due to circumstances, I will need to find a mooring as storing a boat at home is not an option. Yesterday I found a really nice Bayliner 185 on ebay, and having looked at the boat, think its the one to go for.

I'm going to spend some time today looking for moorings in the Staines area, I was hoping to spend around £100 a month, but at the moment my guess is that may be difficult to find.

I'd like to ask members for a couple of pieces of advice based on your experience. Firstly, what sort of fuel costs can I expect on a 185 Bayliner ?

Secondly, if anyone has any suggestions of mooring places around the Staines area would be greatfully received ! Many thanks, Paul
 
Hurray! a fellow Bayliner 185 owner!

First of all be prepared for:

1. Its too fast
2. It won't handle
3. Its petrol, it will explode
4. Its plastic American rubbish
etc.etc.

These small boats are great fun, take a look at www.sportsboat.org.uk to see what we get up to in ours. We are betting that we have got out more and had more fun than most of the boats in our marina.

Now to answer your questions.

1. On the Thames ours burns around 5 litres of petrol an hour, rising to between 8 and 12 litres an hour when we go on the lake or sea. Its easily filled with cheap ASDA petrol from cans, you will be hard pressed to find petrol on the Thames.


2. Mooring. I really would avoid mooring, you have to antifoul etc. every year. I would look at keeping it on a trailer so that you can then explore other waters as well. I also cannot keep it at home so we pay around £1200 per year to keep it on a trailer in a Thames Yard with a slipway, we can then put it in the river any time we like or take it away for more fun. It should be noted that we have to launch it ourselves as getting the yard to launch it is expensive.

Martin
 
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I forgot to mention....

Be careful with Ebay boats on the condition of the engine and sterndrive.

If it is local to you I would try and get the seller to agree to a test drive. I can thoroughly recommend Taplow Lake where for £60 you can have two hours of running it hard, get the temperature up and check its cooling ok.

I assume its a 3.0litre Mercruiser which are pretty straightforward engines but are still expensive if they have overheated. If its been sat around for a while the cooling impellor may have stuck.

At least get a pair of muffs and run the engine on a hosepipe if you are permitted by the seller.
 
Thanks to all for the feedback, I found a mooring in Shepperton yesterday for £1500 a year, which seems reasonable having been to Penton Marina where I quickly realised I was out of my league. I have no facility to store at home, but have the facility to trailer the boat over the winter for a small additional fee which seems sensible.

I took the boat for a test drive, only on the Thames, but all seems to be in order. She wanders at low speed, but that was expected. Its a 1994 boat, so I am expecting to spend some money come winter on basic maintenance for the engine, anitfoul and possible wear and tear, but it seems a pretty sound piece of kit.

I was slightly concerned I might be taking on a real headache in terms of fuel cost, but common feedback suggests its not the case, which is great.

I'm looking forward to getting out on the river next weekend - its going to be nice to have a comfortable seat !
 
I found even after 5 minutes at the helm I'd realised "less is more" and tiny corrections are enough. The problem with the Rib was after a couple of hours my knees started to seize up - at least I won't be suffering this anymore !
 
mlines said:
Planing hull boats with a stern drive are going to wander a bit, however once you get used to it you can minimise it just through your own driving style.

You can very accurately drive these once you are used to it (as Watson1959 will confirm)
Click to expand...

Confirmed :D

When my 27' cruiser broken down, Martin and his son rescued me, lashed his boat alongside me and towed me back through 2 locks to the marina wth an inch to spare each side in the locks and despite some very strong currents in places.

Nice boat BTW :D
 
You would probably be better off with a modest Shetland cruiser or similar, with an outboard of around 20-30hp (Even a 9.9hp is adequate!!)

It'll offer a toilet, overnight sleeping arrangements and be far cheaper to run.
 
No Regrets said:
You would probably be better off with a modest Shetland cruiser or similar, with an outboard of around 20-30hp (Even a 9.9hp is adequate!!)

It'll offer a toilet, overnight sleeping arrangements and be far cheaper to run.
Click to expand...

But very little in the way of 'River Cred' or 'Pulling Power' :D
 
Don't keep it afloat.

Leave it on its trailer and enjoy the whole Thames and do it in small manageable chunks. Most Thames slipways are pretty decent so you can launch and recover easily. Trailers can be accommodated at most marinas but you can also consider most caravan storage centres which could be a fair bit cheaper. More cash for more boating!

Once you've done that you can do the Tideway, the Medway, Solent, Chichester etc.

CJL
 
I think "No Regrets" has a point, the Shetland wins on looks....

sh4800x533.jpg


phoca_thumb_l_sized_imgp7858.jpg


There is a boat out there for everyone, otherwise all boats would be identical and boring.
 
I appreciate that, and wouldn't look at a Shetland (Other than the awesome 570) for high speed or tidal stuff, but seriously, if you're going to go boating for 5 hours each side of Staines, the cabin cruiser just makes a lot more sense!

You get shelter when it rains, which is quite often, somewhere to sleep, shelter, take a dump and store loads of stuff.

The outboard is also more sensible than a fuel guzzling inboard, as you can fill your can from the car boot, even take a spare one!! 50hp is plenty for some speed if you go tidal too....
 
teddington_lock said:
Shetland photo is funny !

Where was that taken ?
Click to expand...

Always like to inject some humour!

The pictures were pinched from an internet search and it appears to be someone explaining about engine trim. The pictures look like the Thames to me and he explains that he likes cruising the Thames and going to the Channel Islands in it :eek: The pictures are quite old so its probably someone on here who now screams "wash" at every opportunity but in their youth.....;) (There is no EXIF data in the pictures.

No Regrets: I wouldn't rate my Bayliner as much of a sea boat unfortunately, its definitely a Coastal/Lake boat and becomes transformed on a lake.

sh4800x533.jpg


sh3800x523.jpg


sh6800x533.jpg
 
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LOL....nice one!


In fairness, as Lake boats, Binnies make a lot of sense, and I don't mind the things in any way.

I used to aspire to owning a Bayliner actually, they always made good looking practical boats, and there are loads on the river, being used successfully. :o

But I would want a cuddy and a bog at least :D
 
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