New sailing couple looking for advice on the east coast

[Lucky Duck]

I think you will struggle without a car I'm afraid. There is such a lot of 'clobber' required for sailing ( not the least of which is all the food and drink for a week-end), and all the 'stuff' required for maintainace - less if you bought a new boat ( £75 - 100k ouch). I must admit to buying reasonable large cars, just for the sailing stuff -- but they drive so much nicer don't they. Come to think of it, that's the same with boats !

I took the train down to/from the boat most of last season and it wasn't a problem providing you can do the weekend's shopping when you get there rather than having to cart the stuff around (which hereabouts means somewhere like Ipswich, Burnham on Crouch or Woodbridge) but as soon as the boat was on the hardstanding for anti-fouling and the like then I needed to drive down as there was way to much stuff to carry.

 

[Capt. Clueless]

I believe the whole business model of Andy Seedhouse, if you read the history, is that he wanted to make it possible for the low budget plebs like me to be able to buy a boat and enjoy it without the huge outlay, and in that model, beleive has been very successful.
I bought my Snapdragon 23 from him equipped with.......Brand new mast & rigging from 2005 by "Rig magic", 5hp Mariner outboard, NASA echo sounder & speed indicator, manual & electic bilge pumps, Porta loo hardly used, Ropes, halyards, you name it, fitted cockpit cover, and everything else you'd need to hit the water. All we had to do, was strip all the old antifoul and re-do, roll & furl the hull, re-pain the superstructure and sand and oil all the woodwork..Purchase price..950 quid. It now lives in the Lake district, BUT............................................Yes, clobber. I certainly would not like to go to the boat car-less, and left for any length of time and all the bedding gets damp etc, so you have to cart all that about as well....Not on a train though!

 

[Usangi]

Wow, thank you everyone for such useful advice. I've posted on forums before, but never had such helpful, informative and friendly responses as I have had from this forum.

The costs of buying a boat and mooring/maintaining are not insurmountable. However, to justify a boat we feel like we'd need to spend most weekends on it over the summer and not spend too much on mooring fees. But it seems that a swing mooring and hanging out on, rather than sailing, the boat don't mix so well. And £3000 for a pontoon berth is too much for us. It also does seem that our lack of car is far from ideal, and we've quite enjoyed not having one since our last one gave up the ghost.

All of these, plus a few other things I hadn't mentioned, (we may not necessarily be living where we are indefinitely) means that I think the wisest decision is to hold off getting our own boat and to see if we can join someone else on their boat. In fact, I have been contacted by a boat owner with an interesting offer and we're going to meet up and see how it might work.

Thank you again for all of your insights. I've saved the thread on my computer for when we do come to buy a boat. I'm convinced we will!

 

[Mariner69]

You might wish to view the Mill Beach Marine Club website (google is your friend) the Leisure on there is a fine model and well priced given the way it has been maintained.

No financial involvement just know the boat and owner.

The club is also very friendly and the mud berths are very reasonable but of course your sailing and returning is limited to HW +/- 2 hours but the Blackwater is a good place to be.

 

[Spuddy]

Your last post makes a lot of sense, Usangi. Just about every club has members who are only too happy to take newcomers out; racing offers most options but it would put me off - risk of spilling my tea - but plenty of others up for a potter. So you'll get your nose inside a variety of boats, realise that Brit sailing is rarely like the Martini ads and also build your skills.
If you do decide to buy, don't take asking prices as gospel! Can be worth a try at offering half...but not to Andy Seedhouse I suspect. A chum and I had a very jolly time 45 year ago on train journeys to view boats from Poole round to Harwich; very enjoyable tyre kicking.

 

[PaulRainbow]

But it seems that a swing mooring and hanging out on, rather than sailing, the boat don't mix so well.

I understand your decision, it's not a bad one, so not to try and dissuade you from that decision, but you may be mistaken in the above. I like my pontoon mooring, it's very convenient for how i use my boat, but we spent a season on a swinging mooring at Pin Mill and had many days/weekends onboard without leaving the mooring. A lovely place to be and we enjoyed it immensely.

 

[Rafiki]

p.s. I see there' a Konsort asking £16,950 in the Tide Mill (Woodbridge) looks a little tired down below, but otherwise sound - I'm sure they'd accept an offer...... P.[/QUOTE]

The best feature is the new engine - probably half the value of the boat in there - I doubt it will sell for more than 13.

 

[Usangi]

p.s. I see there' a Konsort asking £16,950 in the Tide Mill (Woodbridge) looks a little tired down below, but otherwise sound - I'm sure they'd accept an offer...... P.

The best feature is the new engine - probably half the value of the boat in there - I doubt it will sell for more than 13.[/QUOTE]

Stop it!

 

[Capt. Clueless]

Can be worth a try at offering half...but not to Andy Seedhouse I suspect.

My Snapdragon with all it's extras was originally 1700 quid. We didn't take much notice of it. A few weeks later when we saw it dropped to 950 quid, we both looked at each other and said lets do it. In his little office, we expressed we were interested in it, and before I could open my mouth to make an offer, he said "And don't bother making an offer on that".

 

[Daydream believer]

Cheap all tide morings avaiable in the Blackwater opposite stone sailing club. rental £120 PA plus supply your own kit ( which I can supply as the chandler to the Fairway Committee ) membership to sailing club best but not obligatory.
There is possibly a very nice Sabre 27 coming up for sail from a club member , complete with mooring, & launching trailer ( It is a fin keel so sails OK) for winter storage at the club if you are a member. Complete package will come under budget i am sure.
Good sailing grounds as already pointed out by others

The moorings are handled by the St lawrence Fairway committee. I am no longer the clerk but there is a website - www.stlawrencefairwaycommittee.com with new contact details.
Re the Sabre PM me if you want the owner's phone No. but we are trying to persuade him not to sell, so not sure of status just yet

Be careful about some boats as buying an old dog (The only Snapdragons I have seen come in that class, he says as he ducks the incoming missiles!!!) would be boring. Older boats can be miserable down below. Whilst others may suggest a Sadler 29 is not good at least they have a reputation for good handling & should not disappoint in that respect.

 

[Capt. Clueless]

Be careful about some boats as buying an old dog (The only Snapdragons I have seen come in that class, he says as he ducks the incoming missiles!!!) would be boring.

Well I'm happy with my old dog, but avoid sailing clubs like the plague if you are young. They are generally overloaded with old silver topped pink trousered bores. The only bar chat you'll get is the quality of colostomy bags, and if you have a cheap boat, you'll get looked down upon.

 

[Cantata]

Well I'm happy with my old dog, but avoid sailing clubs like the plague if you are young. They are generally overloaded with old silver topped pink trousered bores. The only bar chat you'll get is the quality of colostomy bags, and if you have a cheap boat, you'll get looked down upon.

S'funny. Which planet is that? No pink trousers in our club, colostomy bags possibly, but everybody has cheap old boats and mostly even cheaper and older cars.

 

[Daydream believer]

Well I'm happy with my old dog, but avoid sailing clubs like the plague if you are young. They are generally overloaded with old silver topped pink trousered bores. The only bar chat you'll get is the quality of colostomy bags, and if you have a cheap boat, you'll get looked down upon.

I do not know that any of our 40 plus cadets are on to colostomy bags yet. Come to that I cannot even recall pink trousers, except for some of the the young girls.
Quite a few cheap boats though. But cheap does not always mean poor quality.
One just has to be a bit cautious about selection.

 

[Capt. Clueless]

I do not know that any of our 40 plus cadets are on to colostomy bags yet. Come to that I cannot even recall pink trousers, except for some of the the young girls.
Quite a few cheap boats though. But cheap does not always mean poor quality.
One just has to be a bit cautious about selection.

Well you did say you would have to avoid incoming missiles. I own a snapdragon "old dog" as you put it, so I'm not going to let someone openly insult my boat, just because I can't afford much, but I do enjoy her immensely, and one of the reasons I'd never reccommend joining a yacht club, because of the sort of people who make those sort of comments.

 

[Daydream believer]

just because I can't afford much,

The last thing I wanted to do is cast aspersions on how much a person can or cannot afford. So please do not think that.
The trouble is that some people seem to think that because they have a certain type of boat that that class is the best thing since sliced bread.
Clearly they are not necessarily so & there are often a few much better boats.
Price ( within a similar range that is) does not always reflect better or worse

 

[Capt. Clueless]

The snapdragons are tough old boats, as they were manufactured in the days of early-ish Glass fibre construction, and ideal for those who like me, might have the odd bash in the early days of getting to know her having not sailed for many many years.They were built around the time I was building the Leisure 17's in a nissan hut at the back of Stansted airport.
PBO relatively recently did a complete refurb of one and I believe raffled it. I think the new owner is somewhere abouts on this forum. Clearly they seem to hold the boats in a regard worthy of complete renovation. I do know also that one of the Pilots of the Ullswater ferry has owned/sailed one for years, so they cannot be too much of a boring "old dog", in fact probably the opposite, and probably you're misguided.
I was however a little bewildered that, apparently, you're busy trying to "persuade the owner not to sell" in the regard to the Sabre, yet took great opportunity to jump in with the details of it and offer it for sale on a well used Public forum, to the point of offering a PM facility for those wanting more details. If I was trying to "persuade" someone not to sell something, I certainly would not plaster it over a forum offering it up for sale! So no financial interest? I also find that slightly difficult to take in as I picture the old salt who owns it sliding a plain brown envelope with a "very good drink" in down the club room bar, accompanied by sniggers on the outcome of a successful sale. I'm afraid not one bit of that post added up at all really to make any sense. In fact we could say it was quite amusing..."Keep this a secret but"............................................
Happy sailing, whatever you sail.

 

[xyachtdave]

Well I'm happy with my old dog, but avoid sailing clubs like the plague if you are young. They are generally overloaded with old silver topped pink trousered bores. The only bar chat you'll get is the quality of colostomy bags, and if you have a cheap boat, you'll get looked down upon.

^^^ this is not the case, can't be bothered to pick apart the nonsense contained.

S'funny. Which planet is that? No pink trousers in our club, colostomy bags possibly, but everybody has cheap old boats and mostly even cheaper and older cars.

^^^ correct, except maybe the cars!

 

[PeterWright]

Our good Captain has clearly had some traumatic experience in a sailing club, but I have joined the nearest club as a first step following each move as I pursued an engineering career, mostly in the UK, and found great friendship in every club I joined. The helpful attitude you've found on this forum is a few lectionary of my experience of sailing clubs. There's no reason to be deterred by those with a Royal tag in their name either, you'll find they usually have a mix of members from all walks of life who are drawn together by their love of sailing and all get along fine. This, to me, is one of the beauties of the pastime.

Even if racing is not your preference, a few outings in racing yachts will have you learning more advanced sail handling and trimming techniques faster than a lifetime of RYA courses, good though the courses are, and will build you miles more quickly if you go for offshore racing rather than round the cans.

Peter.