More advice for a novice

[Quandary]

Following on from my 'what boats to look at?' thread I have taken the advice and focussed on some mid nineties semi displacement craft mainly from Nimbus and Skilso. We have already done one 1200 mile trip south but would like to narrow our focus before setting off again. One we looked at is an attractively presented Nimbus 27 Coupe with a 130 hp VP Tamd 31L and another a keenly priced Nimbus 31 with a 200 hp Tamd 41p with only about 700 hrs in twenty years. I am told the larger boat might suit the West Coast of Scotland better. Is the 27 likely to be very bouncy offshore, I think it might be fast enough for converted sailors? Is fuel consumption likely to be that very much higher in the six cylinder engine? We used to cover perhaps about 1500 miles per year when sailing, and will probably not be going as far in a motor boat. We do like to anchor overnight in remoter places.
The larger boat is in the upper Thames and its very basic spec. lacking any instruments vhf etc. not even a depth sounder suggests it has never been too far. I presume there are speed limits which will have constrained its use but if this is the case is it likely to have had a detrimental effect on the engine which perhaps has always been run at low revs. What are the risks arising from this type of use if I take it offshore and open it up and are they likely to difficult to overcome. It has been suggested that the turbo will not have liked low revs? There seem to be quite a few semi displacement boats of the type I am looking at based on inland waterways, is it a mistake to contemplate buying some nav. instruments etc. for a river cruiser and so should I restrict my search to the coast?
Another question, only a minority of these boats have autopilots, something we relied on when making a cup of tea, are there risks or problems with them or is it just that many motor boats make shorter trips.
Sorry if I am a pain with all these questions but I have tried searching without finding any pertinent answers and there are not many boats of this type locally.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

On the autopilot point, I imagine that it's not much use for a river boat which is why you're not finding it installed on the boats you're looking at. No wider issue with the installation of autopilot on a mobo, it's a very helpful tool for open water passagemaking (or even following a route up the Hamble, as an acquaintance used to do ).

 

[LadyJ]

Perhaps making an assumption but if you're based West Coast of Scotland then the Skilso 31 for sale in Euroyachts Troon is worth a look.
My understanding from speaking to people and my limited experience is that the Skilso is slightly better built than the Nimbus but believe both well built. Re mileage I'd say in my experience you will do more miles in a cruiser as you tend to head out with smaller weather windows IMO. The one thing I would say is that anchoring in a 30 footer will be slightly less stable than a yacht of a similar size so choosing the anchorage will need more thought than a sail boat.
Both great boats so happy hunting.
As Jimmy_the_Builder says no issue with a retro fit autopilot and well worth it as you'll know from your sailing days and dare I say more important at the higher cruise speeds of a powerboat.

 

[Quandary]

I am put off the boat in Troon by the colour of the hull but perhaps I should overcome that prejudice and go look at it, it is a lot closer than the Thames or Solent where I went last week.

Disappointed that no one has advice on the effect of a long lazy life on a river on a turbo diesel engine?