Next boat?

[Capt_Scarlet]

I currently own an Achilles 9M. We have been through a lot together, and I would be sorry to part with it but....

I have been invited to join a family syndicate with a total budget of around 40k, which would have only two regular users. So, do I sell my boat and have a share in a more plush boat (34 - 36ft) or keep mine and have two under-used boats in the family?

If I was to sell, what would the panel suggest as a suitable yacht, around 40k, which would reward the ladies with a few more comforts, but would not be too fat-arsed to give us boys a decent sail?

Thank you.

 

[[3889]]

Never shared ownership but exhaustive advice suggests that economically it makes sense but nasty capitalists desire control. If you want value per sail, charter and walk away from all the problems, not half of them. I see sharing my boat as like sharing my wife, except I can put a stop to the former.
Andy

 

[jerryat]

Three of my friends have tried this (one currently) and the partnerships were/are not happy ones. Only one as survived (a family one coincidentally) and that, only because this is the first season. Talking to a couple of the members, I really don't see it lasting to the end of the next!

For me, and I'm sure others, owning and looking after a boat is a very personal thing and one over which I want control. Virtually all of the problems with the syndicates I know have not, oddly, involved use of the boat, so much as the apportionment of responsibilities for maintenance/costs and 'pulling their weight' etc.

IMHO you should (politely!) decline this opportunity and stick with your existing boat, which I am certain will give you far more pleasure than the proposed alternative.

 

[WayneS]

I am in a boat share and it works well.

Just make sure that your idea of how a boat should be looked after and treated is the same for the other party.

The fantastic part about it is that every pound you spend on the boat only costs your 50p

In the years that we have been in the share we have never had an issue where we both wanted to use the boat on the same week-end. The boat still seems to spend far too much of it's life unused.

Cheers

Wayne

 

[LeonF]

Without knowing the internal dynamics of your family it is impossible for any of us to advise you accurately. I have heard of people leaving notes and dog hairs for the next crew as a reminder of messy occupants, and seen families squabble as sister in law wants it looking like a show boat, but one half has messy kids. All depends on how relaxed you are about your boat and other peoples mess i think, the same as flat sharing. Or if you are the untidy one, can you cope with having to leave it spotless every time you end a trip, and not leave it untidy for the next time down, as we all sometimes do after a long tiring sail...for £20 grand you could well find a newer boat than the Achilles with a few more comforts....

 

[doris]

If you can have a serious converation with the co-owners to be before you get into bed together and you agree about the dynamics of everything then go for it. You will have much more boat for your money. Assume that you will hate each other in a couple of years time and talk through all the problems that could occur then you will love each other forever. I did it once and it worked really well but there was some honest conversation beforehand. Helps if you both have same wealth parameters.

 

[William_H]

to me the whole deal might work if you are compulsively tidy when leaving the boat as are the other parties and if you always have tradesmen do the work. For me I often leave the boat very untidy from exhaustion after sailing and when it comes to maintenance it is one of my joys to do it and to do it in the cheapest sometimes shodiest way possible. My frugal aspirations would never fit with a shared boat. What I mean is whether it is right or wrong it is my way of doing things and I wouldn't expect anyone else to have to cope with my ways. ( especially regarding putting off doing jobs or of damaging things) So certainly for me it would be stick with your own boat. olewill

 

[jleaworthy]

I have had very good results from sharing a boat with a friend for a number of years. But we sailed together and did the maintenance together so perhaps that's different from what you have in mind. However, one thing we did which I would advise anyone else to do and that is to set up a boat account into which we each made monthly payments by standing order. All bills for the boat were then paid from this account. It worked well.

 

[Bladerunner]

Keep the Achilles.

It's a lovely boat !

 

[Guest]

Offers to share ...

I have received offers to share from family, friends and also biz ... all say same thing - we can all have a bigger boat and better.
I am one to say no - as most I found out were geared towards - I had a mooring already, I would end up looking after it due to my profession and so-called skills !!

In fact when I costed up my offers - I reckoned that in fact I would spend more ... cause I have a small 25ft'r of vintage years - which I spend little on as possible, go up that size and age - then you cannot just ignore so many things - plus you have to pull your weight physically as well as financially with the bigger boat.

I feel content that My boat is MY boat .... paid for, sits quietly waiting my return .... I do have a friend now that shares with me - but he has no "shares" in the ownership .... just helps with keeping the boat up to scratch and he gets free use of it ... This suits me much better as it is still my boat, I don't feel obligated to any partner or another. He has use of my boat when he wants and is free to leave or carry on with the arrangement as he wants.

OK - my situation is a little different than most so I am lucky to be able to do this.

I want to increase my boat size soon if possible - but will stay within a tight range and budget .... The boat itself - I know what I would like and I know what is most likely - the two unfortunately do not always equate to same !! What is it ? I would like a Moody Eclipse 43, or one of the 35's that I rep. for ..... but I have not the cash to do it ... so I settle for another boat instead - Macwester Seaforth ............... You may consider a strange choice given the Moody's reputation and the Ridas race proven qualities etc. But I like the old Seaforth .... it has a style and grace that few modern boats carry.

My penny-worth anyway ....

 

[PIGLETSDREAM]

We are a syndicate of three. We tend to go out together and very occasionaly use it individualy. Syndicate partners have known for many years and have the same views on safety and standards. If you are concerned that there may be issues, there will be. What gave us an equal understanding of how we each thought, was hilighted whilst creating the safety manual for the boat. Visit there home, if it looks like our teenagers bedroom, walk away.

 

[Lizzie_B]

It will only work if you want to do the same type of sailing and have the same ideas about how you want the boat set up and maintained. As soon as you start having different priorities it will fall apart. You need to feel that you would want to do things together, including maintainance ( or else agree before hand what the routine maintainance schedule is and which yard is going to do it).
The people you share with should be people you have already spent a good time sailing with.

 

[Lakesailor]

I would never go into business with a partner again (OK the guest house is with my wife, but she is the boss).
I've had two bad partnership experiences. People invariably have different goals and standards.
I was talking to a guy on Windermere who had a boat share on a Micro tonner. It appeared that his partner went out and raced it hard and he did all the repairs. That's not sharing.

 

[Lizzie_B]

Yes, that has echos of my first boat share. People left it down to me to 'run' the boat cos they felt I had the most free time, and then some moaned loudly at the slightest imperfection in the boat when they came to sail.

The ones that moaned loudest also moaned loudest about paying for any maintainance and repair costs, and were frequently late even with their basic standing order (one 10 months late).

Needless to say, there was no thought that maybe I should pay less in recognition of all the 'free' time I was putting in.