Nelson - do we feel the love?

Very much a working style boat. Obviously been done up to sell, so important to have the surveyor check everything and make sure it's all been done properly.
Looks very nice and the engines must have cost more than the asking price of the boat. If she's as good as she looks you've got a bargain. Remember that she will be quite expensive to run being a true semi-displacement.
 
good in poor weather if pointing into or away from the waves.


Let her get sideways on, though, and you will know about roll. :)


I almost bought one about 12 years ago, and have regretted not making the jump ever since.
 
PCUK said:
Very much a working style boat. Obviously been done up to sell, so important to have the surveyor check everything and make sure it's all been done properly.
Looks very nice and the engines must have cost more than the asking price of the boat. If she's as good as she looks you've got a bargain. Remember that she will be quite expensive to run being a true semi-displacement.
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Can't see why it would be expensive to run, mine's from a similar design stable and I don't find it to have an excessive thirst.
 
epervier said:
Can't see why it would be expensive to run, mine's from a similar design stable and I don't find it to have an excessive thirst.
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You still got yours for sale?

We're (that's the royal we!) are considering a 2 boat strategy, something a bit bigger for cruising and something small/fast/classic/wood/old race boat for bashing around in.
 
burgundyben said:
You still got yours for sale?

We're (that's the royal we!) are considering a 2 boat strategy, something a bit bigger for cruising and something small/fast/classic/wood/old race boat for bashing around in.
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I gave up on the sale Ben, people were coming and inspecting her to death and then making offers that almost hurt, and it wasn't as if it was priced high, in fact it was the cheapest Weymouth on the net at that time, so rather than deal with them I removed her from sale.

As they say, probably cut my nose....if it ain't worth anything near what I was asking then I'd rather keep her.
 
I assume she is a Nelson 42.

Pilot boat layout, so odd layout similar to the RN Pinaces.

No photos inside the wheelhouse.

Not expensive, I assume she is in full working order, engine hours could be high as she is a workboat, HP for the hull about right,

It would cost a lot to change the deckhouse to another configuration.
 
Ben, Always feel the love for nelsons, may sound odd, but I always think they are the most organic boats ever, when everything else has long since gone these proper boats will still be going strong.
 
Sad day for us when they replaced our Nelsons. Spent many a happy hour strapped in one of them in some horrendous weather. Always felt strong and safe. Not like the boats we have now. If the weather is bad enough to strap in now - we don't go out. The boats cannot take it.
 
alanch said:
Sad day for us when they replaced our Nelsons. Spent many a happy hour strapped in one of them in some horrendous weather. Always felt strong and safe. Not like the boats we have now. If the weather is bad enough to strap in now - we don't go out. The boats cannot take it.
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What are the current boats?

Thank you,

John G
 
It looks a lot of boat for the money BUT I would suggest that before you buy, you try to have a lengthy trip in a similar one if you possibly can.

Some years ago, I arranged to do my commercial ticket on a Nelson and HATED IT......... to the point that I suspended my training until I could complete it on a friends Aquastar.

I loved driving the Aquastar but never felt fully in control of the Nelson..........all personal taste, you may like it, but please try one first.
 
mikej said:
It looks a lot of boat for the money BUT I would suggest that before you buy, you try to have a lengthy trip in a similar one if you possibly can.

Some years ago, I arranged to do my commercial ticket on a Nelson and HATED IT......... to the point that I suspended my training until I could complete it on a friends Aquastar.

I loved driving the Aquastar but never felt fully in control of the Nelson..........all personal taste, you may like it, but please try one first.
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Any idea why, mike? I'd guess it might be the narrower beam. I was very keen on a Nelson 38 eight or so years ago but I felt the accommodation was too limited by the beam and I bought an Aquastar instead, which I enjoyed very much.
 
benjenbav said:
Any idea why, mike? I'd guess it might be the narrower beam. I was very keen on a Nelson 38 eight or so years ago but I felt the accommodation was too limited by the beam and I bought an Aquastar instead, which I enjoyed very much.
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Have to agree, the Nelly's are narrow gutted, great for punching rough water though,the Weymouth is a couple of feet wider and still punches it's way through the rough stuff although you can't see where your going it's such a wet boat even with the wipers going flat out;)
 
epervier said:
Have to agree, the Nelly's are narrow gutted, great for punching rough water though,the Weymouth is a couple of feet wider and still punches it's way through the rough stuff although you can't see where your going it's such a wet boat even with the wipers going flat out;)
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Must take you back to your submariner days! :D
 
You are all pretty much right I think.
I probably fitted out about 10 over a period of time.
In commercial form, Pilot Boat, River Patrol, etc they are fine.
That s down to the fact they carry little surplus weight.
Once you start to put accommodation,holding tanks, Generators, bigger tanks for range etc,
The fine hull shape begins to work against you.
The Weymouth as Epervier says has a better carry capacity, fuller sections.
Aqua Star , and the Dale Nelson, if you look at the hull shape can cope easily with this too..
So have do we still feel the love..
Probably, but its what you can live with in the end..
The way we use our boats has changed since they were first designed.
As has our expectations of what we like to have aboard when we cast off..
So I suppose the the question is would you have an E type Jag of the new F type.
And the answer to that is difficult, because you would want them both..
 
Dill et Bound said:
You are all pretty much right I think.
I probably fitted out about 10 over a period of time.
In commercial form, Pilot Boat, River Patrol, etc they are fine.
That s down to the fact they carry little surplus weight.
Once you start to put accommodation,holding tanks, Generators, bigger tanks for range etc,
The fine hull shape begins to work against you.
The Weymouth as Epervier says has a better carry capacity, fuller sections.
Aqua Star , and the Dale Nelson, if you look at the hull shape can cope easily with this too..
So have do we still feel the love..
Probably, but its what you can live with in the end..
The way we use our boats has changed since they were first designed.
As has our expectations of what we like to have aboard when we cast off..
So I suppose the the question is would you have an E type Jag of the new F type.
And the answer to that is difficult, because you would want them both..
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I think you're right. I was looking at a Mk1 E type a couple of days ago which is part way through restoration. Almost made me go weak at the knees. :D
 
This boat is cheap and appears to be in good nick, however don't underestimate the cost of changing the layout of the deck house and the cost of a fit out to a reasonable cruising standard.

In the 1960's as a kid I had a ride on a Nelson 28 admittedly in good weather and I always admired the line, in the 1980's I had an original Mitchell 31and then a new Mitchell 31 which was a good boat but I needed more accommodation so I bought a Halmatic 34 ( same as a Weymouth 34 and a Humber 34) and as a sea boat I loved that in 2007 I bought a used Aquastar 48 which I am very impressed with as a good rough weather boat and I love the performance and feel, if a little wet.

I moved a 1980's Nelson 42 a few times and then accompanied it with my Aquastar for a delivery trip in a sloppy 4 to 5 and through a tidal race and a friend of mine went on the Nelson to give the owner a hand. Running along on my boat and observing the Nelson in the same sea state I came to the conclusion that my boat although heavier was much more directionally stable and a more comfortable ride. The Nelson was corkscrewing and rolling about in comparison to the much more stable Aquastar. My Friend who was on the Nelson said the ride was awful and it was very difficult to steer by hand in a straight line.

In comparison to the Nelson the Aquastar is quite a bit wider and much more voluminous in accommodation.
 
benjenbav said:
Any idea why, mike? I'd guess it might be the narrower beam. I was very keen on a Nelson 38 eight or so years ago but I felt the accommodation was too limited by the beam and I bought an Aquastar instead, which I enjoyed very much.
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It is some time ago but I particularly disliked,

1) The steering ........For me the steering positon was too far to the rear of the boat and visibility was poor .....a bit like driving a bus while sat on the back seat - a former sail boat owner might be less bothered by this........The response to the steering was abysmal, first it seemed to understeer, then you gave it a bit more wheel and it oversteered, I never felt in control / confident when manouvering it. The first time I drove the Aquastar, I had to follow a tight channel into harbour with a big tide running and a cross wind, the boat responded perfectly and went just where I wanted.

2) Poor throttle response, a general lack of power / performance. OK it never was a performance boat but his felt like driving a heavily overladen tipper truck. Engine options may improve that a little.

3) The whole boat felt very "dated / Morris Oxford" to me.....a throw back to the 60s.......but again that may appeal to some.

A lot is personal taste / preferance, but I was interested that you had some similar thoughts and coincidently also came to prefer the Aquastar........Nelsons do have some following, but to a new user I would suggest trying to spend some time on one, particularly manouvering and mooring it before they commited to a deal.

Bandits thoughts appear to confirm some of my comments........try a Nelson then try an Aquastar ....make your own comparison.
 
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