Letter from the front

[c_j]

Weymouth Sea front that is.

My daughter sent me this and I replied but really I am in the dark but there are plenty of you guys who know the real answers.

To: 'dad@stone.uk.com'
Subject: Boats!!


Morning Dad,

A friend at work, Hilary, is interested in buying a small motor boat and
when I said that you had one she wondered if you might be able to give her
some advice.

She lives in Weymouth, knows nothing about boats but fancies something big
enough to pootle out in to the bay in & maybe go as far as Lulworth. Her &
her partner have 2 young children aged 3 & 5 so it would need to be suitable
for them and she would like it to have a kitchen & toilet.

Apart from advice about the sort of boat to get, she would also need
somewhere to moor it & would like to do some kind of basic training just to
familiarise herself with steering/driving the thing & basic map-reading etc.

If you have any helpful comments for her she would be really grateful, even
if it's just advice about where to go to find out about the above.

Thanks,

Have a good day, any plans to go out on yours today?!

Liv xx


My reply:

Hi Liv,

Boats eh.........

First of all I subscribe to an internet forum at www.mby.com and if Hilary joined the motor boat chat forum and posed this question then the answers would come flooding in from people who have done exactly what she intends. In fact I may well post the question myself so as she will be able to see the answers without the bother of signing up (its free)

sorry if the answers seem a bit back to front but she will understand why when they get their boat.

Size of boat:
This depends on budget and age of boat. Really they are looking at boats of 23 foot or more to have the Galley (kitchen) and Heads (toilet). Just showing off really with the words cause Sandra insists on calling them toilets and kitchen. I do baulk a bit at sitting room (saloon) and back bedroom (aft cabin) but what the heck.

Start looking at boats of about 18 foot because you always buy a boat about 10 foot longer than you intended.

A boat of 22 foot could accommodate two adults two kids, but take a look around as I am not up to speed with this

Where to keep it.
If I lived in Weymouth there is no doubt I would keep the boat in the marina in Weymouth. but there are two other options.

Trailer
and you tow it around, you save on mooring fees and anti-fouling the hull. The other advantage is that you can take the boat to further destinations by road. but the launching and recovery can be fraught with difficulties.

Dry storage.
Not sure if this facility is available in Weymouth but it almost certainly is, where the boat is kept ashore for you and you phone half an hour before you want it and they launch it of you. less cost than Marina mooring but you don't get to enjoy the boat so much IMHO (in my humble opinion)

The engine options are important. A boat of 22 foot is most likely to have a single petrol engine but diesel engine options are more expensive to buy but are far less costly to run as boats use tax free diesel (red) as used by the construction industry and farmers and this works out at around 25-30 pence per litre as opposed to 80-90 pence for petrol.

Obviously there are loads of boats to choose from and I would suggest they look at a few in the Poole area, I say Poole because I know of the amount of dealers here. Show them how to get to Salterns and get them to visit Cranchi and Bayliner and the other dealers there. Don't plump for the first one you see, There are subtle differences in build quality and this is often reflected in the cost and ultimately resale value.

Why do I mention resale value, well either they will love it and want a bigger one or hate it and they will want to sell it anyway!!!

Training,

Get some. New boats and the dealers will organise boat familiarisation, but the RYA have training places all over and getting the right training will be fun and will set them up.

If I were them I would start looking now for a VHF radio course. Its a 1 day job I think and they will need it to operate VHF radio on board boat

Buy some magazines and get some information. Start looking at boats. New boats suffer greater depreciation in the first year but new owners my get loads of comfort from the engine and boat guarantee.

If you buy new then a 10% discount would be normal and negotiate life jackets, fenders, and extra bits and pieces like smart jackets with boat logo on in the deal.

Finally if they would like to come up to Poole when I am in the Marina I would be pleased to talk to them, and show them what happens when you go completely loopy on boats!!!


Love Dadxxxxxxxx



<hr width=100% size=1>CJ
chris@stone.uk.com


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stone.uk.com>http://www.stone.uk.com</A>

 

[Happy1]

Well I guess this is one for me /forums/images/icons/wink.gif I have been through all this and can help her out with my research which had to cater for 2 adults a 16yr old and a 16mth old. She can then get further advice and make up her own mind. My boat is 6.14mtrs, has a galley and toilet, it would also sleep two adults and perhaps two children in the cuddy, but there is a large lounger bed in the cockpit, which has a cover. I have done all the necessary courses and have found to my cost the price of getting the right gear for the job, my list is more than most people would want but is a good starting point as you can discuss items and cross them off if you don't think you need them.

Feel free to give her my e-mail address, and of course if she signs up for the forum she can get others advice on here.

Cheers,

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BrendanS]

Apart from choosing a boat suitable to their requirements...

There is no dry rack facility at Weymouth. Nearest I know of is Poole, next is Lymington (Though I seem to recall something about one in Bournemouth)

They sound like they just want to poddle around near home, so Weymouth would be fine for this. If however they take a liking to boating, and purchase a 22' or above, I suspect there won't be enough near Weymouth to keep them occupied (see my post to Nick and Joanne when they were considering Weymouth to keep their boat) and would probably relocate it within a year or two.


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[hlb]

Fink we need to know, whether Hilary is thinking of spending 5 grand or 50 grand on this small boat with a kitchen and a toilet. Most non boaters have not got a clue what they cost.

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Haydn

 

[tcm]

agree. 22 footer without aggro lulworth/weymouth sounds praps a partially covered fishyboat. Incidentally, in the caribean, lots of locals have a similar requirement for a day boat and invariably use twin outboards. I like the idea of outboards, as the beachability makes that coastline less lethal.

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[hlb]

Ah yes. Beachability is a must for small boats, else need small boat with small boat on davits, which would be daft. Especialy thinking of Lulworth. Watching everyone else go for beer and icecream whilst being marrooned fifty feet from the shore. So now need beachable kitchen and toilet. Hhmmm!!

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Haydn

 

[tcm]

Re: no toilet

If they can get ashore, and are only saying "maybe as far as lulworth!" then I think thety can do without the bog, which will be a bit horrid. oh alright, they could have a portapotti if needs be. Also a little gas thing for cup of tea, tho much safer to get there massive thermos flasks plus chuckable barbecue gear for beach parties.

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[hlb]

Re: no toilet

So now need small fishy type boat, with shelter and outboard. Ditch kitchen sink and bathroom and replace with bucket and large flask. Alternate to bucket and flask, being pub, scones with clotted cream and jam or icecream, or could make do with beer and butties.

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Haydn

 

[jfm]

racked boats in Lymington

Brendan, where is the boat rack in Lymington. Never noticed it in my 4 years there, doh! Is it that small boatyard at bend in river, just up river from town quay/The Ship?

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[tcm]

Re: fishing and swimming

the fishyboat idea wd make it good for resale and for summink to do. If it's a bit 18 footish, then just a cuddy to hide behind, and can annually drag home for cheapiness.

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[hlb]

Re: fishing and swimming

Well, it looks like thats pritty well sorted then. Saved them loads of dosh, but also provided entertainment in the form of pubs, barbiques, ice cream and ham butties. But it's a long walk up to the top of that big hill that every one except me seems to like to explore. So maybe throw in a couple of motor bikes!

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Haydn

 

[BrendanS]

Re: racked boats in Lymington

Yep,

Stand on town quay facing water and look left. The pontoons are where they drop the boats with the big forklifts you can usually see.

It's where I keep my boat.

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[jfm]

Re: racked boats in Lymington

Aha! Didn't know that. I have a spare 19foot bostonwhaler job with outboard, might try it there for a season. So,

(a) what is very approximate storage charge, and do they charge per lift on top?
(b) Do they have vacancies currently, or waitlist?
(c) Do the forklifts knacker your gelcoat a bit or are they nice and careful?

Thanks

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[BrendanS]

Re: racked boats in Lymington

a) Uhhm! can't remember, but probably about 390 per meter. That's it though. No charges for lifts, and you can have as many as you like. It's year round use (though more limited during winter season)

b) There was a big waitlist, not sure how it stands at moment

c) Very very nice, very very careful. I have absolutely no worries on this score at at all. Matt and Mark are what you'd end up with if you wrote down what the perfect attributes for marina/boatyard staff/managers

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[jfm]

Re: racked boats in Lymington

Thanks Brendan

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[Alistairr]

BEACHABILITY.

Its back to what i said in an earlier posting, you don't need things like davits and tenders, all you need is a beaching strip fitted to the keel. Soerted!!

<hr width=100% size=1>CHEERS.

Help needed to name new boat, PLEASE.

 

[tcm]

Re: beachability

but needs strong fishingboaty-type hull. Or sort-of legs. Pity some of these boats don't have outboard skegs so they stand up instead of fall over. Do any?

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[BrendanS]

If you'd like to come and demonstrate how to beach on most the the beaches we have round here, I'd love to come and watch. I'll even bring a skip to put all the pieces in afterwards.

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[jfm]

myth of beaching

I agree with Brendan. You cannot beach much on S Coast. LochLomond is fine, but at sea the tides ruin it. Boats of this type are too heavy to move by hand, so unless it's millpond-smooth and slack water, you cannot beach and have a barbie. If tide goes out, boat is high'n'dry, you cannot move it so you're stranded. If tide comes in, boat will move up the beach but will lie sideways onto the breakers and get wet. If you anchor it off, in 1m of water, you will get cold and wet coming ashore and the tide will still get you. And if there are waves, the boat gets busted or drenched anyway. So all those nice brochure shots of beach barbies do not happen in real (cold UK) life. Beaching requires that you pay constant attention to the boat, you cannot leave it 3hrs and have a drink and barbie. Sorry to be killjoy

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[Happy1]

Beaching strip? do I need one of those? I have anti-foul is that the same or different?

I was thinking of attaching my anchor to my electric winch, dropping it out from the beach then ramming up the beach, and when I want to get off just winch myself backwards, easy, just like being back in the military /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>