Life after a bad back - or Which Power Boat

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raquet

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Old age has caught up - my dodgy back makes sail hauling impossible so what next?

Yesterday I sold my lovely old (1966!) 30ft sail boat and as far as I know the cheque hasn't bounced. I have never owned a power boat but perhaps this is the way to stay on the water. I know almost nothing about them so, at risk of being overwhelmed, advice please.

Parameters: I have £12k from the sale and could top that up to about £15 if necessary. Cruising ground is Normandy coast and Channel Islands – cross channel capability might be nice. Must be diesel (I just don’t like petrol). Speed not terribly important – 8 knots is fast after years of 4 to 5 max! – but 10 knots cruising would be good. I would like to be able to enter the French canals so no great draught – under 1 metre. Old age likes comfort so a proper heads – perhaps even a shower. Thee boat just gone was wood but the next must be GRP – much less to worry about.

I have owned a range of boats in the past from a Contessa 26 (heavy, slow etc) to a couple of Iroquois cats (super boats, fast and roomy, lovely to look at). I think this means that I have few prejudices save for a dislike of petrol.

Where do I start?
 
sadly your budget of 15K is going to be very restrictive and you are going to be looking at some very old boats with lots of jobs to keep you busy forever. I would say there is little point in starting to look for specific makes - its going to be a question of raking around the yards to see if anything affordable turns up. One way would be to come right down in size from the 30 ft you are used to.
 
blueglass said:
sadly your budget of 15K is going to be very restrictive and you are going to be looking at some very old boats with lots of jobs to keep you busy forever. I would say there is little point in starting to look for specific makes - its going to be a question of raking around the yards to see if anything affordable turns up. One way would be to come right down in size from the 30 ft you are used to.
Click to expand...

Are there boats which don't have sufficient jobs to keep you going forever? I've never seen one! A 1966 30 ft sail boat has accommodation about the same as a 20ft power boat - no problem there. I have looked at a Fjord 27 - in comparison to my oldie these have fantastic accommodation and much, much less maintenance.
 
As already mentioned the budget is a little restricted for a mobo but not unrealistic to find something. Our first boat was a Princess 32, which we bought for around £22k. It was in good nick for age but you can get cheaper if you don't mind doing a little work. Fairline Holiday or Mirage might also be an option although the Holiday is a small boat.

Worth trawling the web on boat sales sites and put in financial parameters in searches above what you can afford as it will give you an idea what is about and of course there can be a difference between asking price and the offer that is accepted....

Good luck!
 
Norfolk Yacht Agency have a Princess 32 on for £15k. Got the smaller (75hp) engines but I see speed not an issue for you so they should be fine. Not sure how they would be at sea though.
 
Greg2 said:
Norfolk Yacht Agency have a Princess 32 on for £15k. Got the smaller (75hp) engines but I see speed not an issue for you so they should be fine. Not sure how they would be at sea though.
Click to expand...

I've seen that and I must say it looks terrific. There are others at a similar price and some even less – although much under £15k for a Princess seems to bring osmosis or other problems. Your question about a Princess at sea is spot on – that is where I really need advice. I have spent 24 yours at sea in a tiny folkboat during a gale – I didn’t like it but I had confidence that the boat was better at it than I was. Of course the ability to progress without wind and at a rather greater speed reduces the risk. Even so I’d like to think that any boat I was in would keep me out of trouble. Many people warned me against ‘dangerous’ light weight catamarans like the Iroquois but across Biscay to Spain was not too uncomfortable. I don’t expect (or want) a high speed caravan on water not do I want a boat which is ‘cool’. I saw that description in another thread and it made me shudder!
 
gordmac said:
Channel Island 22?
Click to expand...

An excellent suggestion. Looks like a proper boat (as described by an ex-sail boater!). The ones I have seen (just searched after your suggestion) look good and within budget. My sole reservation is that they are more like French boats - emphasis on big cockpits for fishing with very much reduced cabins as a result. But a great suggestion for me to research further.
 
raquet said:
I've seen that and I must say it looks terrific. There are others at a similar price and some even less – although much under £15k for a Princess seems to bring osmosis or other problems. Your question about a Princess at sea is spot on – that is where I really need advice. I have spent 24 yours at sea in a tiny folkboat during a gale – I didn’t like it but I had confidence that the boat was better at it than I was. Of course the ability to progress without wind and at a rather greater speed reduces the risk. Even so I’d like to think that any boat I was in would keep me out of trouble. Many people warned me against ‘dangerous’ light weight catamarans like the Iroquois but across Biscay to Spain was not too uncomfortable. I don’t expect (or want) a high speed caravan on water not do I want a boat which is ‘cool’. I saw that description in another thread and it made me shudder!
Click to expand...

Just to clarify my comment on how they would be at sea referred to the engines i.e. at 75hp would they push a strong spring tide? The Princess 32 itself is reasonably seaworthy. There will be good accommodation compared to what you say you are used to.
 
Where do I start?


Probably need to realise the the word "Powerboat" ...on this forum it means to the vast majority of contributors a boat which has 1000hp and will do at least 50 knots or a soapdish with a tent on top which will also do 50 knots..:)

In the rarified atmosphere on here £15.000 is the sort of money they spend on a second widescreen TV for the third cabin,however in the real world some thing like this,or half a dozen clone variations
F218950

on Boats and Outboards website would be commonly available in most east coast areas for the sort of money you want to spend.Although the engine/accomodation combination may not be to your requirements this type of boat does come with smaller engines and larger and more comfy cabins.
Would suggest that a visit to a few proper boatyards (not marinas) would turn up something in fairly short order.
 
Greg2 said:
Just to clarify my comment on how they would be at sea referred to the engines i.e. at 75hp would they push a strong spring tide? The Princess 32 itself is reasonably seaworthy. There will be good accommodation compared to what you say you are used to.
Click to expand...

I have a p31 ( same hull as the 32 ) twin 75s will be ok against a spring tide,(mine is ok with twin 50's) these boats were made with different keel set-ups. go for one with the deeper keels or you will roll about on a beam sea.
They don't usually have osmosis probs and the hulls are thick and strong.
Good boats but with the drawback of stern-drives.
 
jimg said:
Maybe be OK:-
http://cowes.boatshed.com/ip_28-boat-42140.html
Click to expand...

I am planning to take a look at this one - looks clean and quite attractive. Thanks for the offer to look out for more. The nelson is splendid but too much work I think. You may be right about the others but cost and distance do rather rule them out. To be absolutely honest the trawler yacht looks a little too much like a block of flats - a step too far for this renegade raggie!
 
macnorton said:
I have a p31 ( same hull as the 32 ) twin 75s will be ok against a spring tide,(mine is ok with twin 50's) these boats were made with different keel set-ups. go for one with the deeper keels or you will roll about on a beam sea.
They don't usually have osmosis probs and the hulls are thick and strong.
Good boats but with the drawback of stern-drives.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip regarding keel formations - do you know how to tell - i.e. what does the deeper keel draw? The spring tide bit doesn't worry me - in a half century of sailing I dealt with this by patience or, better, going the other way. Part of the art of navigation is to avoid such problems isn't it? In a motor boat with reasonably predictable speed this must be rather easier than when wind driven.
 
oldgit said:
Where do I start?


Probably need to realise the the word "Powerboat" ...on this forum it means to the vast majority of contributors a boat which has 1000hp and will do at least 50 knots or a soapdish with a tent on top which will also do 50 knots..:)

In the rarified atmosphere on here £15.000 is the sort of money they spend on a second widescreen TV for the third cabin,however in the real world some thing like this,or half a dozen clone variations

on Boats and Outboards website would be commonly available in most east coast areas for the sort of money you want to spend.Although the engine/accomodation combination may not be to your requirements this type of boat does come with smaller engines and larger and more comfy cabins.
Would suggest that a visit to a few proper boatyards (not marinas) would turn up something in fairly short order.
Click to expand...
Good point about the boatyard versus marinas - and good to feel that you understand what I am looking for. The problem for me is that I live in France where boats are currently expensive due to the strong Euro - this served me well on the sale of the old one but is against me when buying. I monitored the site you suggest for a long time and saw a couple of boats that looked like good possibilities. Unfortunately I had to wait for the cheque from my sale. I now need to be patient waiting for the next goodie – I liked something called a Natant 24 and felt that not too many of my old friends would shun me in such a trad looking boat. OK, only eight knots at best but with miserly fuel consumption – that is still twice my previous cruising speed.
 
gordmac said:
Channel Island 22?
Click to expand...

Good shout gordmac.

Serious sea boat those little chaps.
Well within raquet's budget.

Restored one from stem to stern a few years back.
Went everywhere with Her in the bumpy Irish Sea.

Single engined 140 turbos cruise easily at 12/14 kts.
Twins a bit slower but still can punch a decent tide no probs.

Any info needed on the Range etc, for raquet or anyone on here.
Post or PM me
 
blueglass said:
That aquabell looks good for the money. It must have been re - engined fairly recently with only 140 hours. either that or it has averaged 3.7 hours a year! ( if my maths is correct)
Click to expand...

Good calculation. It was re-engined in 2004 but even that seems light use. I think the price is ex VAT - but I have enquired. I wondered for a long time why they had a fitting for a table leg on the heads wall - a leg sticking out sideways. Eventually it dawned that this is probably the table in a stowed position!
 
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