Maiden voyage on my new boat.Should I sail it home or transport by road.

P

penzo

New Member
Joined
12 Aug 2008
Messages
9
Visit site
Hi, A couple of weeks back my dilemma was whether to buy a petrol or diesel Sealine 240. I chose to buy the diesel from Burton Waters at Ipswich. I now have to arrange getting the boat back to my home port of North Shields, Tyne and Wear.

My new dilemma is now, should I use road transport for which I have been quoted around £1,000 or sail it back (280 nautical miles) from Ipswich to North Shields which would be a lot cheaper?

Ideally I would prefer to have it transported as I am unfamiliar with the boat and have little experience (power boat level 2), however I am aware that you have to gain experience at some point and this could be a good oportunity or am I being irresponsible undertaking a large voyage with just my wife as crew at this early stage???

The boat is equipped with chart plotter, radio, life jackets etc. and has recently been serviced.

Any advice? Penzo
 
I always think its a shame to se boats on trailers if it possible to go by sea. As you say, its a great way to gain experiience and build confidence in your boat.

However, that stretch of coast is not as firendly as if you were doing a run along the south. much of it is exposed and you options for weather bolt holes may be limited.

I would definitly consider bringing her back by sea, but I you would need to be prepared to abandon plans if there is no suitable weather window, plan carefully for a fuel stop and for contingency in the event of failure or unexpected weather. I would suggest the best compromise would be go with an experienced 3rd crew for company
 
I agree with Whitelighter, sounds a great opportunity to put some serious miles under your life jacket.

However, do you feel confident in

1 Your abilities

2 The boat

For no 1 you could encourage an exoperience mate to join you

For no 2 you need to give the boat a good run at her current port to build confidence in her reliability.

Make a good safe plan for the trip.

Enjoy the experience!!
 
Agree with the others, would also add take along spare filters and impellors, its in the first few hours that faults make themselves known, we have several convoys a year from a well known British yard and we always say those first 60 hrs (delivery) are the hardest the boat will get and there is always a list of defects when they get here as things settle down or come loose.
You have to remember a boat is built in low quantities by many different individuals and it all comes together at the factory and the human element for faults is far higher than a car built on a computerised line in its thousands by relatively few.
Its not for nothing they call it a shakedown trip.
 
Sounds like you're at a similar level to me, personally I wouldn't dream of taking a strange boat on a trip like that without checking it over thoroughly first. If it checks out okay I don't think I'd do it without having a more experienced mate with me.

Obviously you'd need all the safety gear, charts for the area, a bag of spares and toolkit. Also allow for weather hold ups as whitelighter says.
 
See if you can find someone with experience. There maybe someone who does day skipper courses etc. who would accompany you.

First leg Ipswich to Lowestoft of about 60 miles and about 3 hours at 20Knots should make a good first day to shakedown the boat and learn its handling abilities.

Next leg, Lowestoft to Grimsby about 100 miles, 5 to 6 hours in the shoals off Norfolk coast and then lots of sea and perhaps out of sight of land as you cross the Wash. Need to be confident for this leg as there is little in the way of boltholes – Wells pehaps, but need to be there at the right state of tide.

Next leg, Grimsby to Whitby, about 70 miles. Beer and Fish& chips!

Final leg Whitby to Tyne about 50 miles.

These may look like short legs for the journey, but I find that boats endurance are considerably greater than my own stamina and about 100 miles a day is the most I want to do.

Choose a period where the forecast is for offshore winds and you’ll have a great experience, otherwise give Dougy a call at Beverly Transport!!

Eddie
 
Sorry....IMHO for an inexperienced crew this is a no go.

there are very few easy bolt holes anywhere on the East Coast.
Wells as a bolt hole to an inexperienced boater would be a no-no.
When you leave Lowestoft you either try to get to Scarboro or Grimsby/Hull. No bolt holes on either of those trips.

If you do decide to go allow a week. the weather will change and you will end up holed up somewhere for a night or two before its flat enough to continue.
 
Road transport is the way to go here, unless you have a fair bit of experience of this stretch of coast. It's not the best of trips to be honest, the East coast is a bit tricky, with few bolt holes.

You'd have to carefully plan the trip for tides and weather, the North Sea can change from flat calm to 8 foot waves in an instant and many of the ports and harbours have tidal restrictions. You'll have some very long legs to do, check the East coast charts for possible stopping places, not many.
 
I would also add that I would suggest using the boat for a weekend WITHOUT going anywhere - just run her around and about the bay / harbour at the kinds of speeds you are planning on doing to find out:-

Does anything break
Does anything fall off
How much does she burn at your intended cruising speed
What you might need to add to the inventory to make the passage safe.

Can't beat a weekends experience living on her to know what's what... plus if you're buying from a broker you could suggest holding back £1000 or something till you've given her an "extended sea trial" !! (Doubt if you'd get away with that one but you never know!)
 
£1000 seems rather steep for a boat that could go on a boat trailer - why not put the £1000 towards a nice new trailer which would give you flexabilty for the future. I got a new trailer for under £2000 for a similar boat a few years ago (de-graffe)
 
First off, £1000 sounds well heavy for this journey by road. Plus you'll have to pay for hoisting. As said earlier, contact Doug at Beverley Transport for a lower quote. I'll be surprised if he charges anywhere near that amount.

To take the boat by sea you would be best advised to engage the services of a skipper - leave SWMBO at home if need be. I'd have thought forumite Coastwise would be ideal for this - he's based at Hartlepool and is ex-RNLI. He's a great instructor and a top man.

You'll feel on top of the world if you make the trip by sea having picked up some valuable training along the way. Although it'll prob'ly cost slightly more...:eek:

Good luck, either way.
 
As some one who's done many long trips. Plymouth to Conwy being the latest. Not counting places like Ireland or the IOM, which is just poodling about really.

As others have said. Dont even think about it. Some where along the way, the seas will be two or three times the forcast. Things break, not to bad if the boat has a fair bit of redundancy, but a bit of a bummer if you only have one.

Dont know the East coast, except by reputation.

If it was the South coast, I'd say go ahead, but take it in small stages.
 
carlton said:
First off, £1000 sounds well heavy for this journey by road. Plus you'll have to pay for hoisting. As said earlier, contact Doug at Beverley Transport for a lower quote. I'll be surprised if he charges anywhere near that amount.

To take the boat by sea you would be best advised to engage the services of a skipper - leave SWMBO at home if need be. I'd have thought forumite Coastwise would be ideal for this - he's based at Hartlepool and is ex-RNLI. He's a great instructor and a top man.

You'll feel on top of the world if you make the trip by sea having picked up some valuable training along the way. Although it'll prob'ly cost slightly more...:eek:

Good luck, either way.
Click to expand...

Skipper is the way forward id say, i did the same once was only about 150 miles of coastline but I didn’t have any experience of the boat or the area, money well spent, had a great day out on the boat, gave me loads of confidence and helped me get used to all equipment on board.
I was safe in the knowledge that the skipper brought a spare GPS, oil and charts for the area. At one point in the passage we were 30/40 miles from land in either direction and before setting out across the stretch he phoned ahead and let them know our rough eta, this was just in case anything happened which was great forward planning I wouldn’t have thought about had I been on my own. The weather was perfect and all went well but I would have done it any other way 
 
I wonder how many of the posters above have any ideas about the logistics of such a trip, particularly for an inexperienced boater, in a new to him, single engined sports cruiser.

After leaving the Harwich haven, the next stop would be Lowestoft, circa 45 miles, accessible all states of the tide.

Next stop could be Wells Next The Sea, around another 60 miles. Not an easy entrance and only accessible for a short time either side of high water.

Next port of call could be Grimsby. About another 50 miles and only accessible certain times of the tide.

It's then around another 100 miles to get home. Not exactly sure of possible bolt holes along the last leg, as i'm not familiar with the East coast this far North.

I do know the bolt holes between Harwich and the Humber are pretty much non existent. It might be possible to get into the odd place, depending on the state of tide, but it's just not like the South coast.

Tides are fierce, especially on springs and this would need factoring into planning. Pushing an East coast spring for a leg would severely impact timing and fuel consumption. Arrive at your next stop late and you can't get in, would be great fun anchoring up overnight, particularly if it blows up a bit. If the wind changes to N or NE, you could easily be stuck in harbour for a few days waiting for a window. The local commercial boats won't venture out in N/NE winds.

Stretches of the East coast will be infested with pot buoys, and i do mean infested. Care will need to be taken with tides and sand bars. Over here, you can run aground 25 miles offshore.

If it stays flat you'll use about £400 in diesel, more if it gets a bit lumpy. Plus mooring fees.

Ring around and find someone with a trailer and 4x4 who can move the boat, it does not need heavy haulage. You'll then only have to pay for a slip at each end to recover/launch the boat. There is a slip at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington.

No direct experience or connection, but this guy should be able to move it : http://www.bymarineservices.co.uk/
 
Last edited:
PaulGooch said:
I wonder how many of the posters above have any ideas about the logistics of such a trip, particularly for an inexperienced boater, in a new to him, single engined sports cruiser.
Click to expand...

I've done the trip - as an inexperienced boater on a new, to me, twin-engined cruiser.

I went with an RYA instructor.
 
We bought our Moonraker in Lowestoft and motored her down the east coast stopping at Harwich moored in the Thames near the barrier then to Shepperton, where she is at the moment.

This was our first sea trip but I prepared like hell and purchased liferaft, jackets etc. Most importantly for such an old boat we went up three weekends in a row to ensure all systems were fully operational.

On the final morning off we went. 2 radios, 2 GPS systems, and every RYA instruction manual you can get read twice, but more importantly than anything course plotted, waypoints set and a log kept.

The whole family loved the trip and worked together as a team. The whole experience has brought our Moonraker well and truly into the family. :-)

I'd worry about one engine though.
 
Yep but, this is a 20 odd ft. trailer thingy, any waves will stop it dead.

We crossed the Bristol chanel, 60 miles, which was supposed to be F4. It turned out to be F7 or F8 after about half way across. Luckily on the beam. MF dont mind it on the beam, but it's a hell of a roller coaster with green waves over the fly bridge, still doing 20 knots though, but soaked to the skin. Far to rough to go down stairs. The auto pilot took us there. I could hardly see to steer, just held on with both hands. The big bows and fly bridge, fended of most of the waves, The self draining decks did some more. Bet the bilge pumps were still working hard as well. Dont think I'd like to be there in an open boat.
 
How big is tank ?Would need at least 150 Gal to be safe?

(280 nautical miles). So it may be...in a straight line but will prob be much further with tides and currents...

Have you any idea of your fuel consumption on that engine (3MPG ??)in unfavorable conditions,say against tide and with a bit of wind,how big is the tank and much usable fuel can you get at.
You really need a decent % fuel reserve just in case.With diesel at £5.00 a gallon it may May not be that much cheaper by sea ,esp if you add all those extra miles in and out of ports to collect fuel as 300miles in one hit at say 20 knots equals a lot of hours on the go and wonder if you have a big enough tank on board.
 
hlb said:
Yep but, this is a 20 odd ft. trailer thingy, any waves will stop it dead.
Click to expand...
Anyone remember this guy who went round the whole of Britain*, including the stretch that the OP is talking about, in a 20 odd ft. trailer thingy?

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147698

I seem to remember that annoyed certain forumites on here as well who said it couldn't be done ;)

*Excluding the pointy bits of Scotland.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

Frogmogman
My next boat.
2 3
Replies
40
Views
1K
fredrussell
F
R
My boat trip hopefully in May Around Scotland
2 3 4
Replies
65
Views
2K
RobBradley
R
M
Adding radar - on pole or arch?
2 3 4
Replies
74
Views
2K
Marsali_1
M

Share this page

Top