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bobtomlinson

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I'm going to buy a flybridge of up to 50ft but have no experience of boats , boating or anything nautical. I'm very keen to learn and obtain all the necessary training but can I realistically start with this type of boat or will I be a hazard to navigation for a while to come ? Any comments from those of you who've been through the same learning curve would be appreciated and indeed anyone else with words of advice. Thanks in advance.
Bob
 
Too big - too soon

Hi and welcome!


Your bio does not provide very much information.

However i guess from your user name that you intend to boat in Spain?

Frankly speaking, I think 50ft for a newbee is asking for trouble. Even with help the learning curve will be steep.

I would start with a smaller 'day' type boat , get some instruction and get some experience for you and those who will be with you. That way you will enjoy the whole thing more in the longer term.

I've seen several people get into boating with biggish boats as first timers and it ends in tears as the crew feels unsafe and these are heavy bits of kit to get it wrong in a marina both from personal safety issues and damage to property.
 
I started at near 50 feet, and it is quite possible. You need to be practicalish sort of person, i suppose, generally ok at driving things, fixing things as well.

A method that worked for us was to have a skipper on board full time for a week at a time to start, and take it gently. I think we had one guyu for two weeks solid, and i did other trng courses tho some for sail, not power.

With new mobo we visited dozens of ports, some only very very briefly, cross channel, penzance, falmouth, everything.

You don't want someone who is very local-minded solenty, as some instructors are - with a big boat you want someone who will take the opportunity to go across the channel if the weather is right, and/or down to the west country in the week allocated, which are shortish easy jaunts in the right weather. Or somewhere anyway.

The two aspects for a mobo (i think) are a readiness to plan and if ok weather to take reasonably long journeys at sea (and loads of mobo people are secretly quyite scared, don't go far and so on, which is a big shame) ....and secondly close quarter manoevering in a harbor.

This second aspect needs practise in empytish parts of a marina and you get better and better.

But with both aspects, it ain't like a car in that sometimes it just isn't possible to do what you planned. So, the x-channel return trip would be in a fully developed sea with f7, doable but a bit much and take hours at 5 knots. Or returning to the berth or going to berth as directed means massive crosswind and likely crashity bang oops.

So in both these instances you have to leave boat in Cherbourg praps , and return home praps by plane/ferry, and come back the following weekend or whatever.

I think cancelling a trip, like turning back when halfway up a mountain, is an important lesson/ability. If you've never done it, you might either not be being as adventurous as you could be, or subjecting crew to unneccesarily gruesome trips, or both. Or of course, incredibly lucky with weather, but unlikely.

Good luck
 
Hi and welcome.

Please don't do it for your own, the crews and little boat like mee's sake!!!!

Like the advice given before hand YOU might be up for it but the last time I checked it took more than one game person to sail a 50ftr. Dont run the risk of scaring your crew away. If every trip is a rough adventure your very unlikely to get any sailing companions/crew.

You'll defo not be the harbourmasters best friend!!! 50fts a lot of boat to "park" in tight berths.

You'd definately "meet" lots of new friends. Probably stern or bow first!!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Get a smaller boat, sound training and you, your significant other, family and new neighbours will all have agreat time!!

It's easier to trade up than trade down with boats. What you don't have you don't miss. Moving from a forward stateroom to a V-berth would be a nightmare.......moving from a v-berth to a stateroom is a good lever for SWMBO to part with cash and let you get a bigger toy /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

If you purchase this 50ftr your learning curve will be like the North face of the Eiger......set your sights on something more like "Tellytubby Hill".

Cheers

Clyde
 
Welcome to the forum Moraira,

You certainly can start boating with any size of boat...IF.... you are sensible and have a degree of confidence.

Training is a must, and you will def need a hands on tutor/skipper to teach you the ropes. In many respects the larger the boat the easier it is to handle, but it will also cause more damage and cost more to fix if you bollox it up!

There is a new owner on our pontoon who took delivery of his brand new 41ft sportsboat. Had no previous experience of anything nautical. Other than getting me to move his boat from one berth to another, he has been too fightened to move it. His wife hates it and is too fightened to go out, so for almost the whole season last year, it left its berth twice.

If you are confident and can adapt then go fo a big boat, but if not like mjf says start with something a little smaller.. you can alway move to a bigger boat when and if you like it and enjoy it.
 
I don't think its totally reckless, but would suggest lots of training on your own boat before you take control on your own. Handling in confined spaces like harbours and marinas in a cross wind or cross tide is very tricky and takes a lot of practice. There are also a lot of different mooring circumstances you will come across, such as finger berth, alongside berth, mooring buoy, moor between piles, fore and aft to buoys, anchor, and you will want to feel confident you can handle them all in what is quite a big boat.
 
Welcome to the Forum,

You can do it by starting with a 50ft boat, which may suit your needs. However, it has been my experience that the first 2/3 years boating you do is all about learning what you actually want from a boat. For this reson investing a huge chunk of cash into a boat that may be wrong is not the best idea. Remember as well that the bigger the boat, the less liquid as an asset it tends to be. So if you buy the wrong boat you may be stuck with it for quite a while. Much better to get a 34/40 ft Flybridge cruiser which will be much easier to use and learn on.

Another consideration os that the bigger boats all tend to be in one area of a Marina. It is also often the case that bigger boats are used as floating Caravans and not used as much. If you stay smaller, you will be with real boaters who use there boats so are always around to give advice, help, chat and welcome you to the community. Of course this is a generalisation but the bones are true.

Good luck and what are you intending to use her for?

Paul
 
Hello Moraira. Whilst I agree that starting out with a smaller boat is probably a good idea, there's no difference in skill level required to park up a 50 footer as opposed to a 30 footer, it's just the amount of damage you'll do if you get it wrong. Tcm's point is a good one in that if you're generally a practical sort of bloke used to driving things, you'll get used to a big powerboat fairly quickly but if the thought of driving a Nissan Micra rental car from Alicante airport to Moraira fills you with dread, then maybe best to start gently with a smaller powerboat
I suggest that you charter a powerboat first just to get used to the size and the movement. Should be plenty available on the Costa Blanca
 
Much depends why you want the boat in the first place. If it's just to look swanky or cool. Part of the in crowd. You probably wont like it alot. r maybe stay parked all the time grumbling about all the bits that break.

You need at least thred boats before you find the right one.
 
If I were you I'd take a weeks RYA course somehwere nice to see if you enjoy it and get some info on the different types of boats available and get a basic understanding of what you need to know to do it safely.
 
more on first 50 footer

to be fair, i placed an order for 50 footer,due 12months, then sh!t myself so got some training on 30 footer, rented a 27 footer for a week, then rented a 37 footer also for a week. The boat renting wsn't a great idea - much better to get the instructor type along on first boat.

I still reckon that if you buy a sub35 footer you will sell the thing pretty qucik - either cos can't stand it or cos swmbo thinks it's ace but wants a better boat. So, may as well do 50 footer, sort of.
 
Re: more on first 50 footer

Fair point as well, and given brokers fees it does make sense to jump straight for the big one. I just do not know anyone who first time out with no knowledge ever got their first boat right. It is not just as easy as saying I need a 50ft boat, size is only one element. I know people who hate the galley down arrangement because in the summer it is too far to go??? and others who want spare cabins with twins not doubles etc.

There are , as always, pros and cons of both ways. I just think an informed decision is better than jumping blindly into the boat ownership triangle of poverty! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Having said that you and Magnum did not take too long to sort it out.
 
Re: more on first 50 footer

Agree with you - you have to know what you want. You ca'nt know that until you have boated a bit.


Have to say thet tcm's idea of having a skipper for a few weeks makes loads of sense. No pressure on the owner and his crew, you get to go all over the place with a 'pilot' on board. The shame is that for what this costs (in the great order of things) very few people actually do this when they jump in at the deep end.
 
Re: more on first 50 footer

......and because they do not do this they get scared and rarely end up actually using their boats.

I have been talking to a yacht brokerage in Greece who within their commision include 5 hours tuition/ familiarity on the boat. Probably because it is a point of difference because in Greece a boat can be up ith 6 different brokers at a time. And they only charge 6%....So why do our brokers not do the same?

Paul
 
Would you trust a learner driver with a Rolls or a Porsche?
Boats is much the same.
You learn from your mistakes and big boats make bigger - and much more expensoive mistakes-
So do as most of us say, buy something smaller and get out and learn how to handle it, have fun and enjoy it.
OR go on a motor boat handing course for a week or two, then get an experienced skipper to come with you and teach you.
and then you should be getting all the fun - bills - mooring expenses, maintainance, etc. that we are!
The very best of luck and I hope you love it as much I do.
Meows
 
Re: more on first 50 footer

Oh, lots do.

Certainly, Princess in their delv. price included two days with RYA chap who will cover what you want in terms of manouvering your own boat.

TCM's route is far and away better as you have the guy on board for a considerable period of time - that will cover lots of different weather, traffic and marina situations. You will gain confidence at your own/your crews own pace.

But agree anyone who sells a boat professionally I think has a duty of care to the buyer, and to others on the water to ensure that sufficient training is provided.
 
Re: more on first 50 footer

Rather like TCM I ordered boat and then panicked. 'Only' 32 footer but still seems v. big when on flybridge. Handover was pretty comprehensive inc. two days worth of time on systems and actually driving the thing, but still booked an instructor for a week. Best thing I did. A whole week blatting about the Solent with the help of a guy who'd been there, seen it, done it - including all the crashes and cock-ups. Very good tutor, and very confidence inspiring. Best thing he said was 'It's like driving a car - you will make mistakes at the beginning, everyone does, just get back on board and have another go'.
Still get doubts from time to time when faced with tricky manouvre, but taking it nice and easy usually helps.
 
Thanks to you all for the welcome and for the speedy and impressive array of advice offered. Although some of you say jump with it whilst others err on the side of caution with regards to the boat size , the definite consensus recommends training , courses, practice, skipper assistance etc which I will definitely do or have.
mjf - you're right , the boat will be based on the Costa Blanca in Spain. We live on and off for five months of the year in Moraira so boat will be bought with a rentable mooring probably in Denia as berths in Moraira only seem to be available for sale and at extortionate prices.

tcm- the skipper babysitting route is one I'll take although I can appreciate that interpretting the weather and the effect that certian types of sea have on your boat can only be gained through experience.
Clyder , I hadn't thought about the crews' wellbeing - I thought they'd do it because of the love of the sea and the fact I'd give them tablets to ward off the scurvy!
I guess that manoeuvering in the marina ranks as one of the most difficult in using a boat ? I certainly would not want to let myself loose until accomplished enough not to have to park by ear !
The vagaries of control were explained to me by a car racing friend who described understeer as what happens before you hit the wall with the front of your car , oversteer as what happens before you hit the wall with the rear , bhp is the rate at which you hit the wall and torque is how much of the wall you take with you.
derf - I appreciate your comments about the damage a bigger boat could do and it would be an expensive travesty if I didn't use it . hougn , I can see that I've a lot to learn!

Nautorius, I would like to use it for trips up and down the coast and island hops to Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca . I got the bug because this is what my dentist does- he has a boat in Alicante , he invited me along to try the life and I was hooked ! I didn't know about the possible empty side of the marina- no good when I'm shouting for help with an oily rag in my hand.
Deleted User - No , no problem with the motorway drive from Alicante to Moraira , dodging round the inevitable carnage and avoiding the ram raiders steels you into stoic resolve! Chartering first sounds like a great idea.
Steve , yes I decided to use that name as the other ones I tried to register with had already been used and I got fed up. I won't be buying unless berth is guaranteed. Going to see Peters in Denia next week and they said it could be sorted if I bought through their brokerage.
Hi Haydn , I don't want to look swanky or cool , it needs to be swanky and cool. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Thank you ,I'm indebted to you all for your advice to date .I'll let you know of how things progress.
Bob
 
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