is size everything

[Guest]

Has anyone else had the same experience as me? I spent a fortune on a 34 foot boat (Fairline) only to get fed up after a year with all the hard work looking after it, mooring it, wife getting fed up etc. I have now gone down to 23 foot and feel much happier. Okay it might only be more of a day boat now but frankly a hotel room's a darened sight more comfortable. I'm told that loads of boat buyers sell up after a year because they've chewed off more they can handle. Is this true?

 

[markc]

complete opposite to me, any most others I would guess - started small, got bigger (no comments please!!). But don't feel ashamed, some folk just can't get to grips with the boating life! However, the bigger the boat, the closer to the comfort of a hotel room!

M

 

[Guest]

Re: each to their own?

I wouldn't say so.

You said "the wife didn't like it" en passant. Was there more to this? Do you stay in rather nice hotels now? If so, maybe the boat was the problem - not big enough. I mean, if you bought her some cheap shoes or jewellery, to see if she liked shoes or jewellery, that would be no good either, and she'd hate them. Wife-wise, people who vist should be pleading to stay, not thankful to get off. A nice lady writer wrote "Must we go down to the sea again?" illustrates the point, perhaps unwittingly.

Also, ahem, the early targa 34s had v-berths, so qualified as one of the most expensive "no-shagging" cruising powerboats ever produced, tho later ones sorted. Note anyway that most Fairline sub-40 footers have nasty sponge mattresses.

But regardless of size, there certainly are a lot of unused, unloved boats about.

 

[byron]

If you are in to boating you are governed by two factors (A) What you can afford (B) What you want from your craft.
I never confuse size with wealth, the late Lord Goring ran a 20' Mayline with an outboard. Ernie Wise had a 22' Freeman. Lord O'Neil (last PM of Northern Ireland) had a Shetland 535.
In short you did it your way and quite right too because if that's what you want then you are doing it the right way.

ô¿ô
www.education-jobs.co.uk
www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Ah but

1. He didn't mention wealth, only the size of the boat(s).

and

2. He's not sure about whether he has done the right thing. Praps hence the question. Does he secretly wonder if praps a larger boat wd have been better, easier to move around, comfier, warmer?

 

[KevB]

I think the answer depends on what you do with the boat, if it's generally just yourself and family going out for a whiz round the harbour then back again then size isn't important and like yourself I would be bored with boating.

I was fortunate enough to choose Chichester marina as my base and I have to say the place is fantastic. Having joined the motor section of the yacht club I have met many many new friends and cruise in company at least two weekends a month, this has made the "boating" just part of the boating experience.
My other half who was apprehensive at buying a boat now looks forward to the weekends as eagerly as myself.

We are currently going through the process of buying a new BIGGER boat, part of this process means we will be without a boat for 3 months. The joy my 10 year old son had at the prospect of this new boat was short lived when he realised he would not be able to see his new found friends till next year.

Kevin.

 

[Scubadoo]

I have the opposite problem, 24ft boat but the wife wants to upgrade to a 36ft boat - but too costly to enjoy at the moment. I can't believe I actually try and talk her out of it and wait until we are ready. She even encouraged me to go down last Friday night for the weekend, when I wanted to go down Sat AM. However with our first boat she was not interested.

There are people who buy their first boat something like a 40ft and scare themselves and hardly exit the marina. It used to be more start small and work your way up for more comfort and extended cruising. I remember last year (maybe year before) a new S37 turned up, after swearing at his mate and girlfriend and the watching a S37 spin round a few times on bow thrusters, it has never moved since - come to think of it I never seen them on it.

Anyway do what ever makes you happy, having a 60ft+ ferry is not nesscarly more fun.

RM.

PS. I enjoy looking after my boat all part of the enjoyment for me.

 

[tripleace]

Personally I went up in size to (40ft) get the comfort. Plan on going up again next year

 

[byron]

Ah Yes but are you still gonna have a triple engined boat?

ô¿ô
www.education-jobs.co.uk
www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[Guest]

We have after 15 years of having 24,25 and 29 feet boats, the later for 12 years, moved to a 22 footer on a trailer and we have just had the best season ever.
What we have lost in space we have gained in variety of cruising ground and are planning more new waters next year.
We still have shower,toilet,cooker fridge etc and a mid cabin for our son.I must say we have to be very tidy and are installing diesel central heating which is the only thing I miss from the last boat.
We went away for 15 nights on her this summer and cruised the whole Thames and even with everything on board we still survived,also with a large Springer Spaniel in the cockpit.
And the plus side for me as 2 burners and a grill don't offer much variety on the menu for my limited catering skills we ate out quite a bit!!
Can not imagine going back to larger boat at all ever.Too restrictive in variety of cruising area without large haulage fees to move bigger boat or extended holidays to move them by water.

 

[Guest]

Re: blimey, and cruising abroad

you must be tidy indeed. 22 footer with three and a big dog. No carping about the not cooking on board, it would probly be a bit of a worry setting fire to the dog - woof!


incidentally, have you trailered abroad? Marseilles is pretty good place to be, handy little islands to explore - and I see that MBY is doing a feature on the place next month which I imagine will be fabulously informative and very witty.

 

[Guest]

Re: blimey, and cruising abroad

Sounds great but as this has been our first season 'trallering' we haven't been too adventurous,although definately in the thoughts over the next few years.
One worry though I don't know if there's room on board for the cocktail dress needed for G&T time on the med!!!
When we partook in Pimms on the Thames we wore our fleeces as they were already on board and they fold up small and don't crease,essential on a 22 foot boat!!!

 

[longjohnsilver]

Re: blimey, and cruising abroad

Not another Bernard Matthews story, you must write more articles than almost any journalist alive ;-)
PS how about an update on the Leopard?

 

[stewart]

not quite everything....

..... but as near as makes no difference. I'm with Matts on this one. Bought first boat this year, advice was don't go above 30' etc etc but I though I'd only end up changing it in a few months so went for 46', the biggest the budget stretched to whilst still being a nice boat in good condition.

Absolutely the best decision I made, space space space is what matters. Space to relax, have friends, spend 10 days on there without feeling cramped.

So no, didn't find the same as you, but each to their own.

 

[Guest]

Re: med cruising scene

the med isn't full of noel coward types -just ornery french and german and dutch and some brits too. Unlike the brits, the former have lots and lots of holidays, so they don't bother with cocktail dresses, as it interferes with the fishing which they morning non and night. Only brits wear cocktail dresses, and only in July or August, and only in the Balearics. Your uncreased fleeces will look very smart indeed

As for the leopard, soon a Stage Payment (taraahh) is due so they'll do much shuffling and faxing of paper to make it look busy.

 

[jfm]

Re: much activity at Rodriguez

any more dwgs? Did you decide lektonix?

 

[Guest]

Re: ner

I am planning a trip to Pisa praps be4 crimbo, get met at aport, then they drive me back to GF for final signoff of int design. Fancy a day out? ...and here's my personal consultant from AA. snigger.

Anyway, do you know anything bout Sky telly? I don't. The kids watch telly all day if allowed, so BBC+ITV only them. However, the boat man says I should send down a decoder for brit sat. tv, cos they ca't gettem in france or italy, cept in french or italian. Do I just sign up to some minidish thing, unplug it and take it down each time?

 

[jfm]

Re: yes please

Oooh yes wd love a day out in Ital. Lemme know when/if. 48hrs notice fine

Axshully I feel complete luddite on Sky TV, and totally flummoxed by digital TV. I've asked in Dixons but gobbledegook reply. We have cable at home with just Sky1 (for Simpsons mainly), so I've never bought a decoder or Sky package. Kids moan like hell because all their mates have Sky Sports so they have zippo street cred in the playgound (parents with powerboats/yachts = zero cred). But logic says you need a dish pointed at the sat, then the decoder makes that into a TV signal. So a UK decoder should work, I mean so long as it receives the sat signal it should not care whether it is located in a house in UK or a boat in SofF, right? New thread perhaps, Byron seems to understand it well

 

[BarryD]

Re: yes please

I think it's something to do with the foot-print of the satellite. The UK broadcast kit (and hence decoder) transmitter isn't pointing towards the med. Should work OK in Southampton though.

Barry D.

 

[jfm]

Re: amateur satellite guesswork follows....

In the UK every Sky dish points south ish on a near horizontal line, I mean only slightly looking upwards, which kind of suggests we are on the north edge of the footprint and therefore a dish in the med should see the satellite easily. No?

New thread, we need Byron