Just thought I'd say hello

[BruceM]

I'm not even new to boating yet, but have wanted one for a while now
I'd like to buy a small ish boat to travel Scotland's canals, especially Caledonian canal and hoping you guys can help me select a craft, give advice on insurance, storage, getting onto canals and general wisdom you have gathered and you seem a helpful bunch
As another year draws in, it will probably be next year I take the plunge so to speak, but looking around at boats for sale and wondering the answer to so many questions
Anyone in Scotland prepared to meet up and share knowledge and show me around their boat would be excellent as I'm very green and looking to avoid silly mistakes typical to newbies
General chat would be nice too, so thanks in advance

 

[Seastoke]

Welcome Bruce u need to be more specific eg size of boat are you going to trail your boat ,we once trailed a boat to do the Caledonian we used a slip on lock pick. Or what ever it's called you could rent a boat on the canal to see if you like boating and feel what size you want and at what budget good luck Roy

 

[BruceM]

Cheers, not exactly sure why I'm after size wise, I,ll have to go see a few boats and get a feel for what will work best. I can tow it to 3.5 ton so that won't be an issue. Not even set a budget but the more I look around the more it seems to increase haha
2/4 berth capable of plodding around lochs and canals for weekends of adventure hopefully with granddaughter if she likes it
I done a bit sailing as a kid and always wanted a boat, just trying to get a real insight before I buy something
What is a rough cost of insuring a boat for canal use for instance, and thoughts on mooring somewhere or towing home pros and cons. I believe it's a pain to launch and load but better to keep boat out of water for fouling etc?
As I say, total rookie so any wisdom anyone cares to share will be appreciated

 

[maverickofpoole]

I know nothing about canal boating so can't help on that front but welcome to the forum :encouragement:

 

[BruceM]

I know nothing about canal boating so can't help on that front but welcome to the forum :encouragement:

I,ll say thanks but with delayed posts it might get confusing

 

[BruceM]

How many posts before this delay thing is over with? makes holding a conversation impossible
But I,ll bump my plea for now, just don't expect any quick response to any helpful posts which is quite frustrating

 

[BruceM]

Looks like I can post now, so I,ll bump up my cry for help.
Any advice, info, tips on buying and using a boat in Scotland would be great
Really want to travel the Caledonian canal but would like to have days out on lochs for lazy weekends and launch from a ramp
I've seen plenty reports on the blind boat surveyors who often seem useless, so what might I look out for other than the obvious when buying and what not to buy
What is a rough estimate to insure a craft below 10k value
Good places to launch and explore lochs
I don't fancy hiring at the costs involved, I'd much rather buy and lose a bit money on reselling if I had to

 

[kennyh]

Welcome to the forum.

Getting started in boating can be confusing; but to help you and us we need to be clear on a couple of things.

When you say Lochs and canals, do you mean inland lochs or tidal/coastal lochs? The west coast lochs can be a real challenge for boating (depending on the weather) so if you want to go boating on the coastal lochs then you will need a more seagoing boat than the ones that are suited to canals.

The other key factors are:

Size & weight: - are you planning on towing and launching each time? If so what type of vehicle do you have? I trailered boats for years and launching and recovering can be a challenge if you don't have a vehicle suited for the job.

Crew/Passengers:- how many people do you want to take on your boat; what ages are they. Do you need a toilet on board? How long do you want to be away? A days boating / overnight / weekend / a week +?

Budget:- A key question here - how much cash have you available to fund the boat, insurance, fuel, safety equipment, accessories, maintenance etc?

There's lots of other questions to be asked to home in on the right type of boat for you, but that's a good place to start.

P.S. I've boated in Scotland for 25+yrs on coastal and inland waterways (as well as the odd sailing and canal boat holiday) so hopefully I've some good advice to pass on.

 

[BruceM]

Welcome to the forum.

Getting started in boating can be confusing; but to help you and us we need to be clear on a couple of things.

When you say Lochs and canals, do you mean inland lochs or tidal/coastal lochs? The west coast lochs can be a real challenge for boating (depending on the weather) so if you want to go boating on the coastal lochs then you will need a more seagoing boat than the ones that are suited to canals.

The other key factors are:

Size & weight: - are you planning on towing and launching each time? If so what type of vehicle do you have? I trailered boats for years and launching and recovering can be a challenge if you don't have a vehicle suited for the job.

Crew/Passengers:- how many people do you want to take on your boat; what ages are they. Do you need a toilet on board? How long do you want to be away? A days boating / overnight / weekend / a week +?

Budget:- A key question here - how much cash have you available to fund the boat, insurance, fuel, safety equipment, accessories, maintenance etc?

There's lots of other questions to be asked to home in on the right type of boat for you, but that's a good place to start.

P.S. I've boated in Scotland for 25+yrs on coastal and inland waterways (as well as the odd sailing and canal boat holiday) so hopefully I've some good advice to pass on.

Thanks for the welcome and reply
Inland lochs and canals only due to lack of experience seems good, day trips and weekends aboard the general idea with her indoors and or the grand daughter (4). I'm looking purely for leisure and lazy days pottering around slowly, not the challenge of open water
I drive a barbarian pick up and tow trailer daily and also have a caravan, had several over the years so towing not an issue
Budget isn't fixed, or a real issue. Thought I'd start at lower end, then see if the fun involved is worth a bigger investment. The key is a reliable, safe boat which is good to learn boating skills and see if the long term dream meets reality
Before I invest in anything, I'd like to find more about real costs such as mooring, launching, insuring and maintenance costs to inboard/ outboard etc
I enjoy the vibe of caravaning, a bit of a break from reality and a wee adventure. I'd like to try one on the water so your experience is much appreciated

 

[kennyh]

If you want to give it a go to see if it something you'll enjoy prior to commuting to a purchase then perhaps the best way to check if it is for you is to hire a boat. There are a few to choose from on Loch Ness / Caledonian Canal, as well as on Loch Lomond and plenty down south.

As far a buying a boat for what you want - it can be anywhere from £1K (or less) to £250k upwards.

To put your question into context, it's like saying "I'd like to buy a car to drive round the Highlands for me and my wife, perhaps with my grand-daughter occasionally". Well to answer that you could have a battered out old Fiesta (for £50 off of eBay), a new VW Golf, a Range Rover Sport or a Porsche Panamera (or plenty of others).

So, you need to come up with a list of "Must Haves", "Should Haves" and "Could Haves". e.g. it must have a toilet, it must be be able to sleep four adults, it should have a fridge, it must run on diesel, it must be towable on a standard 3500kg trailer, it should have a shower, it must have heating, it should be able to do 20knots, it should be able to handle summer/spring/Autumn weather on the inland lochs, it must be able to safely have a trip of 50miles between fuel ups .....etc.

And you need to be clear (as possible) on your budget. Insurance is a function on the boat cost. Mooring fees are a function of boat length. Maintenance costs are a function of engine size / boat size, fuel is a function of engine size etc. So to answer those questions, you need to figure out what boat size, engine size, engine type works for you....eventually leading to what boat might work for you and then you can figure out running costs. (As in my analogy above, car insurance is a function of the value of your car / car type / your age / where you keep it etc - so you need to figure out what boat first and then figure out running / maintenance costs from there).

And I'm sure my fellow boater may well comment that I've over simplified things above. There are certainly lots of factors into choosing the right boat for you, and plenty of us have gotten to wrong. The best thing to do is to experience it first hand on different types of boats in different conditions and then take it from there.

Most boaters start small then scale up over the years as their needs and experience change. I'm currently on my 6th boat and started with a wrecked 16ft sports boat (much like my knackered Ford Fiesta analogy above).

 

[BruceM]

I'm surprised you have picked up on so few of my hopes and needs and not sure about your analogy of the car
I'd say it's more like a caravan on water. No need for speed, start low end around four berth under 10k hooefully and a nice vessel to learn boating skills
My questions about costs, availability and locations of moorings, insurance (just a ball park figure) for a small slow boat to potter around in seem to have gone unnoticed.
Just to reiterate, I don't want to hire, o want to experience the flexibility of a tow boat/water caravan to enjoy on a whim in various locations inland and be a relaxing experience with little drama and fun learning journey
I would prefer it to be like a caravan with a toilet, galley and electrics. Shower not crucial

 

[gordmac]

Might be worth having a wander about Calley marina and a chat to a salesman, they may be selling off hire boats?

 

[Canopy Locked]

If it absolutely has to be trailer-able (road legal trailer-able as opposed to being moved in the yard on a trailer), then I fear you will struggle to find something that has beds, shower, proper galley, seating... in a package that is light enough to tow.

If you're dipping your toe in the water then be sure to buy something that will sell on easily. You will either get the bug and want a better / bigger boat or will want to get out from under it. Something like this little Orkney would probably re-sell relatively easily and give you an idea of what you want from a boat.

http://www.caleyboats.co.uk/planing...inboard-diesel-engine-priced-at-28-000-00-ono