New and After some Boat Buying Advice :)

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R.Jacobs

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Poole, Dorset UK
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Hello,

I'm new to this forum and came here for some advice and on Boat buying and subsequently boat maintenance :)

I have lived in Poole, Dorset since i was young, and have been on the water locally many times on friends boats and fishing trips, mainly small speed boats and the like. I am getting married at the end of this year and the Wife and I would like to get a boat in the new year. We are planning on keeping it on the driveway, and launching from the slipways in our area, including Lymington, Christchurch, and Poole. We will mainly
be looking at using the boat in decent weather in the harbours, along rivers up to wareham and also about 1-2 miles out to sea around the coast, and also over to the Isle of Wight. The lady would like to have a toilet (doesn't like the idea of me installing a toilet seat over the back :p) so cabin space is important, and i will be using it for fishing.
What should i be mainly looking for? what size, etc, and how easy is it to modify the interior of boats if a toilet does need to be installed? Ive seen quite a few Cabin cruisers going for decent money, but these seem to be River cruiser, are these OK to take out along the shore in decent weather? or do I need to look for Sea Specific vessels? Ideally diesel engine, with half decent power. Looking at spending up to £4k on one really, maybe more and would like to get the trailer with it.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Many thanks

Rikki
 
Hi Rikki, and a very warm welcome to the forum. Your cruising ground sounds fantastic. You are unlikely to get a diesel powered boat for £4k unless it is a basket case, needing £10-£20k to get it right. A river cruiser will have a cabin and heads (toilet), but will not be suitable for the coastal work. The outboard is likely to be 10-15 hp, and will not be enough for say a 20ft boat at sea. The heads bit is easy, as you can get a porta potty from a caravan supplier or e bay.
Have a look around, and please come back on here for more advice.
 
I've got my boat moored at Parkstone Bay and it sounds like you want to do pretty much the same as me in terms of areas to visit.

I bought a 25' Monterey which is a little too big to trailer (hence its in dry berth) but I tend to head round Poole Harbour, Bournemouth, Swanage, Studland (great anchoring spot for lunch or in the evenings) and I've done Lymington, West Cowes and Yarmouth this year. An 18' to 21' boat would do all of these but if you want to make IOW a regular destination it can get hairy past Christchurch Bay, Hengistbury Head and Hurst Castle so you would need great weather/tides for it to be a pleasant trip.

I bought a diesel but to be honest, don't get too hung up on the fuel thing. Poole Harbour speed limit is 10 knits and I would imagine you would spend quite a bit of time exploring the harbour. It's huge. You'll sip petrol at that speed. I've used my boat extensively this season (6 times to the IOW for a start) and used about £700 in fuel. If I had a petrol it might have been £1100 or so. Not a great difference.

Have a look around for boats. There are lots for sale at brokers in marinas like Parkstone Bay, Cobbs Quay etc and there is a broker in Lilliput just by Salterns (and of course there is Salterns).

Do consider keeping it at a marina on dry stack. It's very convenient and although it appears expensive at first, if its convenient you'll use the boat a lot more.

I'd have thought you should be able to find lots of cuddy sports boats with a chemical loo on board. Probably not a plumbed in one with holding tank below 25' though.
 
Finding a diesel boat with your spec for sea use will be virtually impossible. You can find diesel river boats for 4K, but I honestly dont think you will get a sea boat for your money.

Ignoring the requirement for diesel you should be able to find something that will suit. You will be looking at cuddy cabin boats (to get a toilet). For your budget you might just get an early Bayliner, Maxum or Regal cuddy with either an inboard V6/V8 petrol or (very rare) outboard engine. Boats will be early 90's and 17-19ft length, the cuddys are compact and usually have a porta-potti under a seat.

Another type is a more cruisey option such as a Shetland (Outboard powered) or if very lucky an early Sealine 190 (Inboard). These are still cuddy cabins but have a crouching rather than sitting headroom.

Edit
Just seen this on Ebay, I have nothing to do with the auction and have no knowledge of the boat, but it seems a lot of boat for the money (My 1st cruiser was the slightly larger 2651)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bayliner-2255-boat-22ft-4-birth-sink-toilet-fridge-cooker-fish-finder-/141065779641?pt=UK_Power_Boats&hash=item20d82cf9b9
 
Last edited:
I don't think this will be in the budget for Rikki, the advert shows it on a trailer and nice pics of the trailer lighting board system but if you read the advert the trailer is not included
 
Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated. Looks like the budget will be a bit more than anticipated, all for a god damn toilet! i think your right with the diesel/petrol argument. considering how often we will use it i think petrol will be fine. Will just have to choose select days to fill the Jerry cans for the boat!

In terms of moorings, what prices are realistic around my area? That is the other option if we don't go for a trailer. My boss carries out the safety boat work in Poole harbor some nights, he has recommended the courses required so I'm all set for that when we get the boat. We don't mind a little project boat as long as the hull and the engine is in tact, and work on it during the winter. Is now the best time to buy or better to wait for the new year?

Cheers
 
In Poole you have a few options. Parkstone Bay (Dry Berth, Pontoons or swinging), Cobbs Quay (Dry Berth, Pontoons), Davis's next to Cobbs (Pontoons). There are lots of swinging moorings in the harbour which have water taxi's or get a small tender. Salterns, Lake Yard are others but the prices increase!

Up to 7m I guess dry berth will cost about £2500 to £3000 per year, a swinging mooring about £800 per year I guess, and pontoon similar to dry berth. You do pay for the facilities I guess - I enjoy the atmosphere of a marina and you get to know lots of people. It's quite sociable. You can pay monthly at Cobbs but everyone else expects mooring fees up front for a year.

Also, have you thought about the Iford river? Access is a bit awkward sometimes due to tides, but it's run by (formerly) Bournemouth Water and quite cheap. Lots of similar boats to one you're suggesting moored there and it's very, very pretty.

http://www.sembcorpbw.co.uk/uploads/docs/RoyaltyMoorings_2012.pdf

Incidentally, rather than jerrycans, in Poole Parkstone Bay, Salterns and Cobbs all sell petrol at the fuel pumps so no need to bother lugging petrol to the boat. Cobbs is cheapest from memory.
 
I know Iford very well as i used to live down there, so that is probably the best option. reasonable prices too, but looking at it, you aren't guaranteed to get a mooring straight away. I will probably have the boat on the drive while we clean her up anyway.

that was going to be my other question regarding fuel, as i know there is a diesel pump next to the lifting bridge at sunseeker, and didn't know where else you might be able to fill the boat. cheers for that!
 
A friend has just moored his boat at Iford and there was no waiting list at all so it's worth checking and getting your name down to secure a mooring. You might just be lucky like him.

It's nice down there. Lots of people just sat on boats watching the world go by. Good ice cream at the cafe and a neat little play park for the kids too!
 
R.Jacobs said:
Hello,

I'm new to this forum and came here for some advice and on Boat buying and subsequently boat maintenance :)

I have lived in Poole, Dorset since i was young, and have been on the water locally many times on friends boats and fishing trips, mainly small speed boats and the like. I am getting married at the end of this year and the Wife and I would like to get a boat in the new year. We are planning on keeping it on the driveway, and launching from the slipways in our area, including Lymington, Christchurch, and Poole. We will mainly
be looking at using the boat in decent weather in the harbours, along rivers up to wareham and also about 1-2 miles out to sea around the coast, and also over to the Isle of Wight. The lady would like to have a toilet (doesn't like the idea of me installing a toilet seat over the back :p) so cabin space is important, and i will be using it for fishing.
What should i be mainly looking for? what size, etc, and how easy is it to modify the interior of boats if a toilet does need to be installed? Ive seen quite a few Cabin cruisers going for decent money, but these seem to be River cruiser, are these OK to take out along the shore in decent weather? or do I need to look for Sea Specific vessels? Ideally diesel engine, with half decent power. Looking at spending up to £4k on one really, maybe more and would like to get the trailer with it.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Many thanks

Rikki
Click to expand...
What car do you have ? Being legal on the road is one thing and boats+trailer get heavy.. getting a legal limit boat off a wet slipway can be another ! Be aware that decent slipways are not free, or even cheap. A marina based one could be £35 per time...
I would think you must be looking at something outboard based.. try looking at findafishingboat I would think 16ft,UK built and an outboard...
 
I'm looking at getting a car as well, as we only have a 1.4 hatch at the moment. Looking at either a 2l estate or a 4x4. I do a lot of mountain biking too so i have been looking at getting one for a long time, and making sure it is suitable for towing. My parents live near Tuckton anyway so i can always launch the boat, leave it with the Mrs, and park the car and trailer at my parents to save cost. However looking at the mooring costs of Tuckton, I might just moor it there.
 
Hi - just wondered if you had come right with buying a boat - we are busy looking at a 20' so that we can take the grandchildren on trips around the harbour - busy researching on marina's and launching facilities at present - might have to tow her backwards and forwards as only live in Broadstone. Not used to the British waters but competent skippering in and around Cape Town waters - any suggestions?
 
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