newbie looking for help

[andyebs]

little back story always wanted my own boat and get out in water
after some health scare decided life to short to dream and want to do something about it
so currently doing day skipper theory and plan to do the practical after
then really want to purchase a boat and start my adventure

in reality i’m such wet behind ears i really wouldn’t know where to start and have few questions really
and also about running cost and what are realistic possibilities with a motor cruiser within distance and time in journeys

what are your go to guides or must have or tips for buying a boat or your first boat
no budget is under 20k and that’s real stretch
i live essex colchester so fair few marinas close around
wondering also cost of keeping these boats

for example of boats i have seen are
1991 searay sun dancer 270 and other boats similar models and age

so what are your must haves for these and what to look for and to look out for
ie electrical equipment
engine hours
survey check overs would get this done if had check over year ago for instance

what are the cost of keeping these
ie morning fees / other regular work things needed or required

what are fuel cost for these and a journey
marina fees on arrival ect
also assuming i can near on go most places in Europe norway netherlands france ect
eventually

any real help or push in the right direction would be great full

 

[Seastoke]

welcome to the mad world , a few thing are you looking at a petrol boat or diesel , aspirations of flirting Holland and Norway might be a little brave on a 30 year old boat . first you need to gain expeireance , and the main thing to get to know your boat. But good luck and you will get there .

 

[ashtead]

Buy a secondhand 6m or so rib if you are looking sub 20k -keep it a couple of years and sell it on if you don’t like it . Cheap to keep and can be dry stacked in a farmers field and launched when needed.

 

[Frederick911]

Type of boat your thinking about... as a rough guide to keep afloat per year

marina fees £3500 per year
maintenance £1500 per year
lift out, storage ashore for maintenance, relaunch £800 per year
fuel depends on usage and if diesel or petrol £500 to £1500 per year

Plus a bit of elbow grease to keep her looking clean and checking up on her every weekend !

 

[NotBirdseye]

Type of boat your thinking about... as a rough guide to keep afloat per year

marina fees £3500 per year
maintenance £1500 per year
lift out, storage ashore for maintenance, relaunch £800 per year
fuel depends on usage and if diesel or petrol £500 to £1500 per year

Plus a bit of elbow grease to keep her looking clean and checking up on her every weekend !

Double it for your first year as a minimum. All kinds of associated issues...

 

[DavidJ]

Agree with the costs above, I might even add £1000 a year for upgrades eg radio, nav gear, safely stuff, toys etc.
Ever thought of renting abroad for the first year or so.
I’ll give you an example from my location in Empuriabrava
AGENCY - Thalassa Boat - Boats for rent in Empuriabrava
It would be useful to get the ICC (International Certificate of Competence) while doing your skipper exams.

 

[Meagain]

Hi welcome to boating, all great comments above, I would also add think about how you want to use it and who you want to join you. A rib is great for zipping around but limiting re toilets and if you have a wife she may less keen on cold air. SWMBO loves boating but would never touch a rib. If you what to potter around / fish then something like a merry fisher style boat. Cuddy boats are a good “in between” to give a little more pRivacy for loo and shelter behind a screen but you’ll pay a premium over a rib. Regarding buying a second hand ... condition and engine servicing is everything. If the engine looks bad and no documented history I would walk away, a poor engine can suck away your money and impact the enjoymen. Good luck

 

[fred247]

We would require more information about your , location, family, intended use ( mostly river or sea). Your intended use would suggest a sea going boat with accomodation, so would preferably be twin engined diesel. where are you intending to start your boating life, would be possible to start of with a single engine 27 / 30 footer if on the river, costs can vary considerably from location and river or sea marina . The south coast will be far dearer than an inland location. I would suggest that you purchase the largest boat your budget will allow, given all of the criteria of ongoing maintenance and costs are considered. A small boat and the feeling of not being safe or meeting your needs can be off putting, especially If your wifes needs are not met ?

 

[ashtead]

Hi welcome to boating, all great comments above, I would also add think about how you want to use it and who you want to join you. A rib is great for zipping around but limiting re toilets and if you have a wife she may less keen on cold air. SWMBO loves boating but would never touch a rib. If you what to potter around / fish then something like a merry fisher style boat. Cuddy boats are a good “in between” to give a little more pRivacy for loo and shelter behind a screen but you’ll pay a premium over a rib. Regarding buying a second hand ... condition and engine servicing is everything. If the engine looks bad and no documented history I would walk away, a poor engine can suck away your money and impact the enjoymen. Good luck
[/QUOTE]
Yes it’s not just the lack of facilities it’s also the ride to my mind in a rib isn’t the most comfortable -while you can run down the Solent in no time at all the best solution is to have a shore based accommodation located near the rib mooring -somewhere like the shoreshire ketch dwellings in Hayling always struck me as the way to use a rib so you can visit but return to a base or just book into an Airbnb etc on arrival of course but it’s not a comfortable ride doing 30knots down the Solent. If comfort is a factor a small Hardy or Orkney might more the thing.

 

[ontheplane]

Whilst I understand the “get as big as you can” theory, big also costs more to run, more berth fees much more fuel etc.



If you want to get over to foreign climes you need a diesel - my old 5.7 petrol v8 in a 26ft cruiser cost 16 gal an hour at cruise so that’s in the region of £110 - £120 per hour to run at 25knts. So a 100 mile trip is about £500 in fuel.......



A small rib with an outboard might cost only 1/3 of that! Similarly a small boat with a diesel will cost a fraction of that.



Your first boat will be wrong - but only by using it will you know in what way - too small, too slow, too whatever.....



If you buy something easy to sell on though, it doesn’t matter because your second boat will be more what you need....



Some ideas here - Chaparral Boats 205 SSE Used Boat for Sale 2002(SOLD) | TheYachtMarket - sold but a good cheap starter boat, with a loo and would be cheap to run, remember money spent on boat is recouped on resale but money burned in fuel or storage has gone





Orkney Orkadian 20 Used Boat for Sale 1998(SOLD) | TheYachtMarket - Again sold but a good pocket cruiser



Marex Holiday Used Boat for Sale 1984 | TheYachtMarket proper little cruiser



Falcon 23 SPC Used Boat for Sale 1989 | TheYachtMarket nice but a 5.7 which will drink the fuel!



And so on...



I would look to go diesel if you can or keep cruising local!

 

[CLB]

If the mooring fees quoted above are putting you off, there are always cheaper options. In Essex you can have a deep water, all-tides, swinging mooring for probably under £1k per year, or a pontoon walk-ashore mooring on a tidally restricted mooring for similar.

You can learn to do the maintenance and servicing yourself and not only know it has been done properly, but save a fortune too. Boating can be very, very expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Even fuel costs can be cheap, as long as you buy the right boat and are prepared to go slow.

 

[simonfraser]

Colchester, Brightlingsea park and ride two choices
dead simple, go and have a wander
as said first boat is bound to be wrong after a season or two, so keep it simple, Rib is an excellent move for a first mobo

 

[andyebs]

many thanks for all your comments
much appreciated know must seem like lot i’m asking but here to learn
i live colchester close to mersea/brighlingsea or even blackwater
what would be looking for is a family boat used for weekend breaks and cruising
so probably just local coastal cruising while learning boat and becoming more confident then possible trips further afield
on research sort of have thought about something a comfortable size misses and two kids who are not so young 12 and 17
twin desile is what have been looking at in region of six birth if possible for budget
so do have heart set on some type of cruiser

morning fees i have looked at and see costing per mtr and sounds about what people have suggested
was fuel cost was just didn’t have a guess at
and the lifting storing and relaunch and things

i’m sure have more questions in time about how often should be lifted and checked and suppose best stored and winterised for engines i suppose

on good note i am electrical engineer who has worked on desile generators all my life witch are basically a boat engine with an alternator bolted on so have plenty experience in maintaining these

i’m sure have other questions in time like recommendations on regular maintenance

 

[andyebs]

oh sorry another question
say for instance you see a boat same sort of thing as the sea ray mentioned
but has spent its whole life in freshwater/river

what would need to do to make this sea going as it doesn’t have the navigation equipment one that’s spent time at sea would have
assuming differences in toilets hook ups possible gas or not ??

 

[ontheplane]

If you can buy a six berth twin diesel cruiser for 20k it’s either a total bargain or a total wreck I’m thinking?

Be very wary that seems way too cheap?

 

[stelican]

Hi welcome to boating, all great comments above, I would also add think about how you want to use it and who you want to join you. A rib is great for zipping around but limiting re toilets and if you have a wife she may less keen on cold air. SWMBO loves boating but would never touch a rib. If you what to potter around / fish then something like a merry fisher style boat. Cuddy boats are a good “in between” to give a little more pRivacy for loo and shelter behind a screen but you’ll pay a premium over a rib. Regarding buying a second hand ... condition and engine servicing is everything. If the engine looks bad and no documented history I would walk away, a poor engine can suck away your money and impact the enjoymen. Good luck
deleted post incorrect reply point.

 

[Oscar24]

Before you go spending loads, why not go for a weeks holiday on something like a Norfolk broads boat?
A safe and cheap way of seeing if boating is for you and the family with no large financial outlay.

 

[ashtead]

Clearly if looking for a twin engine diesel power boat where I suspect each teenager might need a separate cabin ? is going to be a hard call if looking to trips with overnight stays . In might experience most small cabin cruisers have 2 cabins ie one at front and one under stairs almost. I’m sure there must be ones with 3 cabins out there but maybe how many cabins you might want is the first clue to choice ? If you can live with 2 cabins everything becomes simpler I guess.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

How about this (example):
Fairline Mirage 29 for sale UK, Fairline boats for sale, Fairline used boat sales, Fairline Motor Boats For Sale Fairline Mirage 29 - Apollo Duck

Motivated seller, you'll probably get it for less than that. Transport to add. You could improve that inexpensively with TLC over say three years and it easily for what you paid or maybe more.

Not a fast boat, but could be ideal for exploring the East Coast rivers on a budget.

Have a look at Heybridge Basin for moorings, you're very local so may already have been down there. Take a walk down the towpath and you'll find numerous smallish motor boats moored up there.
Find a Mooring | The Inland Waterways Association

Exit to the river is locked which might daunt you. Pay for some own-boat instruction and the fears should go.

 

[fred247]

oh sorry another question
say for instance you see a boat same sort of thing as the sea ray mentioned
but has spent its whole life in freshwater/river

what would need to do to make this sea going as it doesn’t have the navigation equipment one that’s spent time at sea would have
assuming differences in toilets hook ups possible gas or not ??

A sports cruiser is probably not the best choice given the room you require, the Fairline mirage 29 mentioned would be a good choice although a twin engine version would be better, also Seamaster 30 , Broom skipper 30, etc would be good estuary/ coastal choice.
Providing appropriate precautions are taken a boat will fair well left in the water over winter, I lift mine in spring most years for a scrub and check over before a months cruise around Belgium and Holland. but lifting every two years to do maintainace should be fine depending on fouling and anode deterioration.
Asking in the area you intend keeping it would be a good guide to what others do

A boat that has spent time on the rivers has to meet the BSS which as more restrictions than a sea boat, so would be a good choice if it is a sea going boat !
puttting chart plotters and vhf radio and depth sounder on Is easy to do, costs vary , but second hand - less the 1k