New to boating! Advice would be appreciated.

T

Tim S

New Member
Joined
24 Apr 2010
Messages
8
Location
Staffordshire
Visit site
New to boating and I would be grateful of some advice.

I am really interested in purchasing a second-hand Rinker Vee Fiesta 250 ( around 2003 to 2005) for use on the UK south coast, mooring within a tidal harbour which empties out at low tide. All the boats are roped up to swinging moorings and therefore simply drop onto the harbour sand bed at low tide.

Would it cause a problem firstly to the hull of a Rinker Vee 250 ( or similar 25 foot sports cruiser), by continually allowing the boat to rest randomly on it's underside?

Also, when sitting on the harbour bed I think the boat would tilt over to quite an angle, with the Vee 250 being so deep and not that wide in beam. Would constant tilting of the boat to such an angle cause any problems with fluid levels in the engine, fuel system or water storage????

Thank you
Tim S
 
"Drying out" can be a problem if the river/sea bed is abrasive, and the boat "shuffles" as the water laps in or out.

Rinkers are nice boats, but not built to the same heavy duty stds as UK built boats in general, so will it be OK? Really depends on the river bed. If soft mud then should be fine.

As the boat leans over, this will not be a problem to the mechanicals, assuming they are not run. You would have to ensure that the outdrive leg remains raised, and does not droop with time. You can buy plastic clips that peg the outdrive in the raised position.

Hope this helps.
 
Thank you Rafiki,

The harbour bed is very soft muddy sand with no rocks. I never thought about the leg dropping down with time and will get a tie up arragement as you suggest. Thank you

Tim S
 
Have never had a drying mooring but sensible things to bear in mind would be:

Tidal window - You dont want to get back to harbour too late.

Access - How will you get to and from the boat to the shore with/without luggage.

Maintenance - Simple tasks such as servicing and washing the boat will be harder on a swinging mooring.

Intakes/Outlets - Ensuring the harbour mud/sand doesnt block any inlets/outlets.

Power - You wont have a power supply to the boat so how will you keep your batteries topped up and in good shape.

Winterising - If the boat is to stay in the water, how will you winterise here to prevent damage caused by freezing.
 
Whisper down west on a semi drying mooring is wondering if his constant outdrive problems are related to this type of mooring.I m not sure if the drive will lift high enough to be clear of the muck, or to stop it taking some strain ?
 
Hi Tim
Is the Rinker already on this mooring?, if so a quick inspection could allay any fears of damage or otherwise.
I have seen plenty of 25ft cruiser type boats use this kind of mooring without problem, however with only a few exceptions they have been quite old boats that look tired, I'm not sure I would want my pride and joy subjected to the twice daily ritual of grounding and re-floating but that's just me.

Is it economic reasons that you are considering this type of mooring or do you already have the mooring allocated?, can the mooring be transferred to you if you buy the boat (assuming it's already on it)? I would check with the harbour master for restrictions, tidal access and bye-laws etc.
 
Thank you all for the replies...This is helping me greatly as issues have been raised that I had not considered.

The harbour is only about 200 yards by 200 yards and in the town where I take regular holidays and want to moor my boat. There are no marinas or permanently flooded moorings; just the harbour and therefore I have no option, unless I travel an hour to the next town with a marina. There are floating pontoons to enable access to be gained to the boats or sometimes you would need a small rowing boat if you are tucked away in the corner of the harbour. Boats are lifted out for the winter season. When the tide is out, owner can walk to their boats and clean give the sides a scrub...therefore, it is easier to clean the boat.

The battery issue does worry me as there is no electrical hook up and I will need to remove the batteries on a regular basis in order to keep them in good condition.

The boat is not on the mooring as I have waited 5 years to get to the top of the waiting list!!!!
I am looking for my first boat….perhaps a smaller sports boat would be more suitable???? I also like the Rinker 230 cuddy sports boat
 
You might consider trailing a boat, there is a feature in this months Motorboat monthly. Relatively cheap entry, gives you choices of where to go boating. Saves a fortune on mooring fees. You can do the maintenance at your leisure.

However, anything over 20feet becomes a challenge for regular trailing. We started with a 21 ft Sea Ray cuddy, and chopped her in for a 25ft sports cruiser after 3 months. The cuddy really is less than useless space, unless you are young, and in the very earliest flushes of lust with your partner. For us, we actually never used it for overnighting. Too old and creaky. For the boat you describe you will need a Land Rover Disco/Defender to tow. And with that goes senior fuel consumption. I used to get 12 mpg from my V8 disco. A diesel will probably give you high teens. You also need a decent ammount of space to keep the boat/trailer. Launching and recovery take some practice, and if there is any breeze or current, best done with a tractor that gets you in and ready to go, without having to faff around with your rig.

Many people really enjoy trailing their boats. We are all different.
 
Faff around……….Love the saying…….I have a Defender and willing to tow, but with the tides and harbour emptying twice per day, it seems like a ball-ache to launch every day. I don’t want to overnight on the boat, but would prefer a cuddy for storage and picnic area if the weather is not so good….separate head would be nice if we have friends over for the weekend…but not essential.
 
Tim S said:
Thank you all for the replies...This is helping me greatly as issues have been raised that I had not considered.

The harbour is only about 200 yards by 200 yards and in the town where I take regular holidays and want to moor my boat. There are no marinas or permanently flooded moorings; just the harbour and therefore I have no option, unless I travel an hour to the next town with a marina. There are floating pontoons to enable access to be gained to the boats or sometimes you would need a small rowing boat if you are tucked away in the corner of the harbour. Boats are lifted out for the winter season. When the tide is out, owner can walk to their boats and clean give the sides a scrub...therefore, it is easier to clean the boat.

The battery issue does worry me as there is no electrical hook up and I will need to remove the batteries on a regular basis in order to keep them in good condition.

The boat is not on the mooring as I have waited 5 years to get to the top of the waiting list!!!!
I am looking for my first boat….perhaps a smaller sports boat would be more suitable???? I also like the Rinker 230 cuddy sports boat
Click to expand...

I had a rinker 232, I certainly would not have allowed it to dry out, as others have said sterndrive would get damaged they dont lift above keel of boat.
also very bad for sterndrive bellows to be left in full up position
 
TimS

Trailer sailing doesn't necessarily mean launch/ recover every day/tide. My pal has a Leisure 20 (raggie) that he keeps at home. Each holiday he tows it to his chosen area. Pays to crane it in with a week's/ fortnight's mooring & crane out onto trailer at the end of the holiday.

It gives him liveaboard, low cost, holidays in the location of his choice without the hassle or worry of a boat left unattended on a mooring most of its life. Also, he never puts his trailer in the water so maintenance is minimal.

Just another way of doing it.
 
gjgm said:
Whisper down west on a semi drying mooring is wondering if his constant outdrive problems are related to this type of mooring.I m not sure if the drive will lift high enough to be clear of the muck, or to stop it taking some strain ?
Click to expand...

Outdrive problems, what outdrive problems!!!???

We are pretty sure that keeping the leg up was not the cause of "the year of the trim tribulations".
The surface failure on the ram was an apparently quite common event with Duoprops built around 1998-2002.

Re. drying out in general, as others have mentioned, it is essential to ensure that the leg does lift up above the level of the bottom of the transom. Ours doesn't so we dig a hole in the seabed to cater for this (we have an alongside berth so can moor up in the same position all the time). As others have said, having the leg up permanently may be detrimental to your bellows.
It is also important that you are drying out in a harbour that is sheltered from waves, otherwise you may suffer from nasty pounding - a horrible sound when you are on board - as the boat lifts and subsides on each tide. Soft mud helps to alleviate this.
What sort of boats are moored in your harbour at the moment? If there are no sports-boats then ask around - try HM - for the views of the locals as to outdrive boats' suitability.
Think about buying an outboard powered boat instead. The leg on these can be lifted way above the bottom of the transom and there will be no bellows problem.

Good Luck
 
hlb said:
Alll newbies want sports boats, then mostly find there not practical. You need a boat you can walk round.

Look at a Fisher, or simillar.
Click to expand...
Tim S
Welcome
hlb has pointed something out which is quite relevant to newbies and not so newbies
Sports Boats look very smart and swish
You seem to have a place where you can moor the boat but it dries out.
This situation is ok if the mooring dries to soft mud
If not the boat, of that type will settle at quite a severe angle
As hlb says
Most sports boats up 26 ft ish have a system wherebye the only way to go forward on the vessel is through the centre of the screen
This restricts movement about the vessel
And when on the Foredeck, it is, or can be with some, difficult to move about safely and securely.
So the boat has not as much 'space' as you think
The front, pointy bit, can be a bit useless
All the occupents can be hemmed into the 'cockpit/ steering area'

A 'walk around' type vessel is sometimes better to start with.
They are easier to 'moor up' and berth too

To get an Idea of what I am talking about
Do a 'Google' on such stuff as Beneteau Ombrine and Jeaneau Cap Cammarat and stuff like that

A boat that You can walk around the side decks is very good for first timers and newbies
 
Kawasaki said:
A boat that You can walk around the side decks is very good for first timers and newbies
Click to expand...

If I hadn't just had a glass of Glenlivet French Oak, I would think you were talking about a sturdy walkaround vessel such as a 32' Grand Banks :) And it's not just for beginners, it's designed for the seasoned skipper what has lots of "guests or fun-boxers" who need the walkin' space to find the pontoon in the dark.

Bernie
 
So much to consider that I didn’t realise……Thank you for all the replies.

I didn’t know that some legs do not raise above the bottom of the transom….thank you, as that is going to on my check tick list!! I can’t dig a hole in the harbour bed the boat will not always sit in the exact same position. Well, I don’t know how I could guarantee that 100% and wouldn’t like to take the risk.

The harbour bed is muddy sand, but other boats don’t sit level and seem to be tilted over at all sorts of angles. The harbour is protected with a very heavy wall and small entrance and therefore sheltered from rough seas.

Due to the harbour size and mooring positions, private owners are restricted to around 27 to 28 feet and I am waiting for the harbour master to confirm this by email, rather verbally during a telephone conversation.

Most of the private boats in the harbour seem to be 18 to 25 foot sports boats, some cuddies, bow riders and small pilot fishers…..not may cruisers!

Yes I like the look of sports boats and sports cruisers, but also the walkaround boats like the Arvor and Merry Fisher. I would consider anything which makes sense for my needs. I don’t really want a boat which needs a lot of restoration or work other than general upkeep.

I spend around 6 full weeks of the year down at the coast and many long weekends which will increase over the next few years after my son goes off to University. Most of the time, it will just be me and my wife on board, a few friends from time to time, just coast hugging and anchoring up to go fishing or visiting nearby harbours. A trip over to the Isle of Wight would be nice one day, after I gain some experience and go through the RYA day skipper course.

I don’t really want to trailer the boat as it seems much more convenient to keep it moored and pop out whenever the tide permits…..You can take the boat outside the harbour and moor up in higher water on visitor’s pontoons and then you are not reliant on the tide. No disrespect to anyone, but this seems much easier than trailering!!!. Okay, I can’t go launching off elsewhere on the UK coast, but I am happy to keep reasonably local to the town where my boat will be moored.

At the moment, we are not thinking about sleeping on the boat

I have looked into outboard boats but worry about the outboard getting stolen when you can walk out to the boat when the tide is out…..you can drive a 4x4 out to most mooring positions when the tide is out. I need to ask the harbour master if they have such problems. If an outboard is better for my needs and boating times, then I would go down that route….I would welcome any comments and I suppose taking the battery out and keeping it charged is so much easier on an outboard? I have seen some nice Karnic sports cuddy’s with outboards and they look good and I think are walkaround. Are there ways of making outboards more secure?

So where do I go………..I would welcome comments……..…My current thinking is……….. I would prefer the boat will be moored and lifted out or trailered out and stored for the winter. Weight is not an issue if I opt for the boat to be lifted out. I have been on 18 foot boats and they seem a little bit cramped and I would prefer something a bit larger and sure footed ( no offence to any 18 foot boat owners). I am not going to be pulling skiers or ringo’s and therefore sports boat performance is not a major factor….although I would like a reasonable amount of power….Petrol, as I won’t be doing that many miles.
I have really only looked at open top boats and not cabin hard top boats, but I would welcome comments on pros/cons for use in UK waters. Would it be better to have a good sized cabin on the top deck, walkaround boat with no cuddy???? We would prefer a separate head, but not essential. On a sunny day, is it nicer to be out on an open deck rather than in an enclosed deck cabin????

I hope no-one is offended by anything I have written……I really appreciate your advice and thank you for reading my ramblings.

Regards

Tim
 
Tresner said:
If I hadn't just had a glass of Glenlivet French Oak, I would think you were talking about a sturdy walkaround vessel such as a 32' Grand Banks :) And it's not just for beginners, it's designed for the seasoned skipper what has lots of "guests or fun-boxers" who need the walkin' space to find the pontoon in the dark.

Bernie
Click to expand...
:D
Very good
But what the heck is a fun boxer?
I await the enlargement of My education!
 
Tim S
Congrats for thinking this boaty lark through
Many people don't and it can be an expensive error!

Blimey where to start to advise!
Randomely
You say a 4x4 can reach the moorings
This tell me that a vessel that has a 'deep v' hull (like most sports boats) is going to settle at an acute angle!

Personally for a first time vessel I would go down the outboard route
Modern outboards are not as thirsty these days
Servicing is a lot simpler and less expensive than outdrive set ups can be.

Powerskipper has just posted about a Hardy 20 She was Instructing on
Now there is a nice vessel to start with
Similar the Merry Fisher type
A roof is not essential in the UK but it dam well helps imho!

Note another post ongoing at the Mo
Ref this weekends weather
We are always banging on about the weather cos, well its so changeable
The 'season' is short enough
It kinda becomes shorter with an open boat
Well' unlesss you get kitted up
Which peeps do and do use open boats succesfully
Oh!
Must dash
Back in a bit
Lots of questions in your last post!
K
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top