Newbie

[Geoff2]

I am considering purchasing a power boat, and am wondering what advice you would give to someone like me. I have absolutley no boating experience whatsoever aside from a rowing boat on a Butlins lake when I was a lot younger than I am now. Is it imperative to take any lessons on using the boat, or is it a question of, excuse the pun, jumping in with both feet. I am looking in the range of a 30 to 40 foot boat, preferably twin diesels and flybridge, older models like Princess33, 37 etc

Any advice would be appreciated.

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[powerskipper]

Hi there and welcome!/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Best advice is go and do a day skipper PRACTICAL course and find out if you like it first, if you do not you could be out of pocket very quickly. Do the practical in the area you would like to keep the boat this helps greatly, and if you do go ahead get a skipper with you for a couple of day when you get the boat, they can show you where all the bits are you need to know about, like which is the fuel filler and which the water!!!! then you will enjoy your boating all the more.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julie ,
IMOSHO of course,/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bejasus]

Hi Geoff and welcome to the madhouse. Don't know if you've been lurking for a while. While not been at this for too long myself, there are plenty on here will give you all kind of advice, some of which you can probably take with a pinch of salt but most of it very good and informative. I would say, that you should certainly get some kind of training as it can only help. Get some videos & books like Competent crew and Dayskipper. I am doing Powerboat Level 2 soon and hopefully this will help me with handling something a bit faster and more powerful than what I have now. Anyhow, be prepared for an onslaught of information.

See Julie has beat me to it and she is a skipper/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[longjohnsilver]

Rather than get trained for something you may actually hate, why not persuade someone else who already has a boat to go out with them whenever possible, try handling the boat away from other boats to get the feel of it, maybe pick up a fender opr a mooring buoy, all good practice.

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[BrendanS]

...even better. Get to know people here and go out on lots of different peeps boats, then will have better idea of what like and dislike.

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[hlb]

If you think I'm going out on that glorified skate board of yours, you have another think coming!! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[BrendanS]

You weren't invited! For obvious reasons.... too old to take the pace of a fast boat in the crowded Solent /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

On the other hand, you could invite Geoff2 to try out a boat in the size range he's looking for and invite him for a trip on MuckyFarter (I'll warn him about water cushions), and Moose etc.

Though he could be a mad axe murderer.....Oh I hope so! <g>

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[duncan]

'glorified' ?
In what way?
Skate board however fits perfectly with the way he treats waves etc! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[Nauti Fox]

Oi Julie,you having a dig at my beloved,just when she's stopped looking at What Sniper magazine(an IPC publication I think)
Al.

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[tcm]

hi

"powerskipper" below gives courses and i wd striongly recommend you do summinik similar with her or one of her ilk first to see what size of boat you like, how to run and use the thing and see how fab it is. You can do the same abroad in the med - althou in july and august this woould be rathr expensive.

The 35-40 foot range is popular -small enuf to feel roomy, but somehow not "too big". Note that loads of these are for sale - if you hate it then you sell to get a bigger one. And if you hate it then you sell to get rid. Without too much agggro you might easily find that a first boat could be a bit bigger and save the trade-up costs. Unlike trucks and cars , bigger boats are easier to handle.

If you can, hold off buying a boat for this first season - do courses, more courses, rental and so on.

Another option is to order a frighteningly large boat, say 50 feet, due for delivery in 12 months. This frightens you into doing loads of courses and so on. I did this. Not desperately advisable, as with most things i do, but if it weren't for people like me, everyone would just have to screw it up for themselves now wouldn't they?

Formal or informal, you should see "lessons" as imperative. Despite having had course, when we got our boat I hired a little chap for a couple of weeks to show us everything and go all over the place. I thinik yiou might have a bad time if you didn't do this.

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[Dave_Snelson]

Hi Geoff, and welcome to the gold mine of information - you just gotta dig deep to make sense out of it (just kidding).

You seem to have answered your own questions on boating, probably because you know that safety makes sense. There are loads of peeps on here that would be willing to take you out for a trial run or three, myself included - albeit, I'm in North Wales. Good luck.

<hr width=100% size=1>Madoc Yacht Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk>http://www.madocyachtclub.co.uk</A>

 

[ziggy]

Hi Geoff2 and welcome to the forum, why not start your boating hobby as we did by highering a broads cruiser or similar for a week or two, the staff show you what to do with the boat and then just leave you to it, the boats are simply to use and any idiot can use them and they usually do. It will give you a chance to have a go and even if you crash the thing it's not your boat so you don't have to worry about getting it fixed. Good luck whichever route you take. Gina

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[Bejasus]

'even if you crash the thing it's not your boat so you don't have to worry about getting it fixed'

It's no wonder most of us try to hide up on the Broads in the summer. Exactly what happened to me last summer. Came back to find 4 inch gash in the topsides./forums/images/icons/crazy.gif

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[powerskipper]

No dig intended,/forums/images/icons/frown.gif just an example that sprung to mind /forums/images/icons/blush.gif........./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Julie ,
IMOSHO of course,/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[steverow]

Hi Geoff and welcome.

I was a newbie myself only 18 months ago, and some of the advice and help I have RX'd from this forum has been invaluable, not only from asking questions myself, but from reading all the other posts as well. Its suprising what you pick up and it all comes in useful.
To say that taking up boating has changed our lives for the better would be an understatement. We have some really solid friends that we have made in South Wales(where my boat is) amongst the marine community there, and our social life is far better than previously and we just cant wait to get away for the weekend.
Not sure what sort of boating you envisage, whether sea, or river or a combination,
but the sort of boat you are looking at will give you a wide range of possibilities.
Its a matter of personal choice of course always, but for me the particular stars in this range for 1980's boats are the Birchwood TS37 and the Princess 38.
If I can(or even should, being relatively new myself) give any advice it would be the following:

Go and try first, with SWMBO and Family (if applicable) to see if you like it, have sealegs etc before committing your finances. Dunno where you intend basing yourself but there will be somebody around who will be only to happy to help.
At the very least you can always hire a fishing /charter boat for a day as an initial sounding.
Go round the brokerages have a look at as many boats as you can before deciding
and find the layout that suits you.
Get all the mags that you can and immerse yourself in marine tech/terminology.
Go to a couple of boat jumbles to get the feel and see what is about on the market.
Get a day skipper video and all the supporting books from the RYA including radio books and then get youself on the theory course at your local college...to be followed by the practicals when you get your boat.

If you then decide to buy a vessel, decide what you can Comfortably afford..dont push your finances, and stick to your budget.
Always ALWAYS get a survey done not only on the hull but also I would commission a seperate mechanical and electrical survey ..unless you are technical and feel competent to tackle the electro mechanical issues youself...and dont rely on mates who say they'll help.
In all boats of this age there is always going to be a certain amount of refurbishment required, upholstery, nav aids etc. Set another budget for this and decide how much you want to spend on upgrades and maintenance.
The survey should throw up any vital issues needing immediate attention and also the lesser ones like windows etc that can be done in time.
I bought my boat as a refurbishment project, more or less knowing how much I would have to spend to complete the job...but it still throws up suprises that I didnt envisage...dont get me wrong..she's always been seaworthy...but dated, as an early '80s boat is. This sort of major project isnt for everybody, so decide what and how much of any work you can, or indeed want to do, yourselves and factor that into the equation as well.
Time is an important cosideration here, how far away is the boat going to be from your home will probably determine how much time you can spend on and with her.

Finally, and this is probably the most difficult thing to do, take your time, avoid rushing into anything..no matter how enthusiastic you feel. If you get down to likely contenders, try and take an experienced skipper with you for a look over and certainly on the sea trial...there are lots of people who would be willing to help, many of them on this forum I'm sure.

Well I hope I havent put you off in any way. Motor boating is not cheap, but it is highly rewarding both in achievement and socially....we love it.

Have fun mate.

Steve.

PS If you are looking at Princess 37's make sure you get the right hull.
There were both River and Sea versions produced.







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[Geoff2]

Thanks everyone, among the posts there is some good suggestions. I am sure I will enjoy boating, SWMBO and I love being on or near the water, and spen a lot of time in the Torbay area. As regards boats, Steve suggested Princess 38 or Birchwood TS37. Great boats but maybe a little to highly priced for my pocket. I am deffinately not looking for any speed machines, and if Trawlers were within my budget would certainly consider these type of crafts. I prefer more sedate speeds now, even though I still ride motorcycles.

Another question, when a broker advertises a vessel at £X, how far would that price be negotiable. Do you haggle, as in buying cars or even houses, or is the price advertised the price required.

Again thanx

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[BrendanS]

>>fits perfectly with the way he treats waves etc! <<

How would U know. Never been out with me. Besides which I only ever go out if it's a flat calm. Waves scare me
This is coming out of Weymout last year in a F6

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[TwoStroke]

Do you haggle - YES!

There are plenty of threads on this one alone. Depends how far you want to push your luck. Personally I see how well priced the boat is in the market... and then offer anywhere upto 50% off price... see what happens. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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New boat?

 

[lyc]

Re: If only

.....we could have another brilliant hot summer like last year.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BroadsandEastcoastBoating/>Broads & East Coast Boating</A>

 

[apollo]

You can't go far wrong with either the Princess 33 or the 37, the fact that they have shaft drives and not Outdrives, diesels and non-Volvos (Mermaids/Ford) is a good place to start.

Its a well known and popular make, hence should not be a problem to resell in the future.

I own a P37, feel free to PM me if you want to know more?

Mike

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