Life after a bad back - or Which Power Boat

[jimg]

Looks a nice boat, however check the age of the outdrive leg ( was it new in 2004 ) and it's service history. Outdrives are fine as long they have been well maintained especially changing the bellows every 2 years.
Good Luck and do keep us updated!

 

[macnorton]

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.

Mine draws 2ft (bilge keels to waterline), and it will stand upright on the sands (handy round these parts)

the later Princess's were single keel also with varied depth.
Some boats did not have any keel at all.

As for punching the tide it all depends how much fuel you are willing to burn

 

[fisherman]

I changed from a planing hull to displacement partly because of back problems. I found the irregular motion at low working speeds very jarring. The regular roll of a displacement hull seems to be less damaging, and indeed helpful, keeps the muscles working. Whether it was the change of boat or passage of time my back gives no trouble now (touch wood), I'm 60 and regularly get through four tons of gear in a day. Not to say your back would benefit in the same way, depends on the precise problem, but a thought for you.

 

[raquet]

I changed from a planing hull to displacement partly because of back problems. I found the irregular motion at low working speeds very jarring. The regular roll of a displacement hull seems to be less damaging, and indeed helpful, keeps the muscles working. Whether it was the change of boat or passage of time my back gives no trouble now (touch wood), I'm 60 and regularly get through four tons of gear in a day. Not to say your back would benefit in the same way, depends on the precise problem, but a thought for you.

Thanks for that comment. I have little experience of the motion of planing hulls and had wondered if I would find them excessively jarring on my back - they certainly look that way on the little gadabouts which pollute out waters here. I did go out with a local fisherman when he attempted to eradicate mackerel from the western channel and found the experience very trying. However his hobby, apart from eradication of all fish stocks, is annoying sail boats and their crew so I though this might have been deliberate. You may wonder at the curious choice of this man for a friend but as a perpetual victim of seasickness who took up sailing as a hobby from less then ten years old, my decisions are rarely rational.

I will look at displacement hulls – perhaps a more natural choice for a sailor. Now all I need to do is find some!

 

[fisherman]

I think some of the semis, Nelsons for instance, can be really comfortable.

 

[jimg]

I agree about planing hulls ( unless we are talking a lot bigger ), the Aquabell is a semi-.

 

[LittleShip]

perhaps a more natural choice for a sailor.

Thats true.......

As an ex sailor I went to a Motor boat for the same reason you are thinking of, "a back injury" Having spent 20 odd years travelling around at about 4 knts moving to a displacement vessel for me was not a problem. Little Ship gives a comfortable 7knts.

That said she does roll more than the Yachts I have sailed in the past but the positive side is I no longer need to risk further injury by going on deck pulling ropes.

It's always a personal choice but for me a displacement boat was a good one, it is faster than the sail boat but the stick from those North Wales buggers sometimes gets to me!

All the best in your search.

Tom

 

[PCUK]

Any of the Senior 31 derivatives - RLM, Project 31 which later became the Princess 32. My Senior had twin Perkins 4107s (36hp at cruising revs) on Enfield outdrives and we crossed the channel several times each year for the eight years we had her. As an ex-sailor you will appreciate that the majority of owners here depend soley on speed to avoid rough weather, hence the constant going on about big engines which are not necessary if you can navigate and work tides as a sailor!