Old boat gone.Some Thoughts.

[oldgit]

Bit dead on here innit ! So.........
Took four of us to load my old Princess 33 on the transporter which was to take her to Wales.After nearly an hour we managed to get her to sit properly on the the low loader due mainly to the wind blowing her all over the place and bearing in mind she weighs nearly 4 tons.She is off to Milford Haven
Purchased frorm the Hamble,where she spent most of her life,she came with all the documentation giving the history of her previous owners since 1980 or 1982 depending which bits of paper you were reading.
Over the next decade we ran up about 1700 hours and the engines never ever missed a beat or let me down,if only the outdrives were as reliable.Always maintained on a budget,with all oil/filters and pattern bits and pieces from my local motor factors fettling was not expensive.
The deciding factor came purely because of the work involved with sorting two outdrives every year and the time it took.
Boat sold fairly quickly to first person who came to look and having been to look at some real old kack in the search for my new boat,now understand why he bought it.
Real deal in boat selling is to be able to sell it at a good (cheap)price and the key to that is to buy at the right price in the first place.
The dawning realisation that we would be boatless resulted in my new old tub being found on the interweb,paid for and then launched within 10 days,
This did not prevent however a fruitless 800 miles drive the previous week looking at 3 piles of worn out junk.
First job will be some proper heating...here we go again.

 

[Phill]

Fred,
I'm with you on this one.
We sold our P33 last year and like you, sold it to the first interested party.
When we started looking for a replacement, I couldn't believe the condition of some of the boats, both in terms of maintenance and cleanliness.

Learnt two lessons from this. Firstly, I'd obviously sold my boat for too low a price, and secondly, if I'd looked at replacements first, I'd still have the P33.

 

[boatone]

if I'd looked at replacements first, I'd still have the P33.

So what have you got now,
Phill?

 

[oldgit]

Amen.

" I'd still have the P33."

An ideal proper boat,big enough to go places but small enough to get under bridges and shallow draft enough to get alongside riverbanks.Well built,plenty around to chose from and easy to service and fettle.The big plus for me was some proper patio doors to keep out the elements and make the boat a 365 days a year cruiser.
No shivering behind a curtain of milky plastic windows listening to the wind howling between jammed zips and finger nail breaking reluctant press studs while shuffling around assorted containers to catch the drips in order to stop the foam in the cockpit upholstery getting even more sodden.

 

[dunmall]

Fred,
I'm with you on this one.
We sold our P33 last year and like you, sold it to the first interested party.
When we started looking for a replacement, I couldn't believe the condition of some of the boats, both in terms of maintenance and cleanliness.

Learnt two lessons from this. Firstly, I'd obviously sold my boat for too low a price, and secondly, if I'd looked at replacements first, I'd still have the P33.

I am on my 2nd boat. When I sell a boat I am always concerned that everything is good (age and realism taken into account), otherwise how would you expect anyone to purchase it - similar to houses and 'kerb appeal'. Saying this, when I have been the purchaser I have never had the experience of seeing a boat for sale that has blown me away, in fact more the opposite. In my opinion, 'nice boats' are never 'for sale'.

 

[Phill]

So what have you got now,
Phill?

Still boatless.
I really miss boating but my wife and teenage kids are enjoying doing something/anything other than playing on the Thames every available weekend.
Number 1 child is now away at Uni, Two is about to enrol for college and number 3 is happy to be with Mum and Dad so hoping to buy another next year (boat, not child!).

 

[Phill]

" I'd still have the P33."

The big plus for me was some proper patio doors to keep out the elements and make the boat a 365 days a year cruiser.

Funny how your plus was my negative.
I loved everything about the boat apart from the enclosed helm, Althought, as you said it was very warm and cosy during cold and wet weather. On sunny days, family and guests were either on the coachroof, foredeck or in the cockpit and I was always Billy-no-mates, on my own, at the helm. Although the folding patio door were fully open, I still felt too removed from the others. To me boating is all about experiencing the environment and being enclosed took away some of the enjoyment.

 

[No Regrets]

Yes Phill, I agree!

My little Birchwood 25 was like that, I was left sweating on a hot day while the crew and passengers waltzed all over the deck!

Never again

 

[oldgit]

" a hot day"

and if your very very lucky,you may get one every year

 

[Richard Shead]

Bit dead on here innit ! So.........
Took four of us to load my old Princess 33 on the transporter which was to take her to Wales.After nearly an hour we managed to get her to sit properly on the the low loader due mainly to the wind blowing her all over the place and bearing in mind she weighs nearly 4 tons.She is off to Milford Haven
Purchased frorm the Hamble,where she spent most of her life,she came with all the documentation giving the history of her previous owners since 1980 or 1982 depending which bits of paper you were reading.
Over the next decade we ran up about 1700 hours and the engines never ever missed a beat or let me down,if only the outdrives were as reliable.Always maintained on a budget,with all oil/filters and pattern bits and pieces from my local motor factors fettling was not expensive.
The deciding factor came purely because of the work involved with sorting two outdrives every year and the time it took.
Boat sold fairly quickly to first person who came to look and having been to look at some real old kack in the search for my new boat,now understand why he bought it.
Real deal in boat selling is to be able to sell it at a good (cheap)price and the key to that is to buy at the right price in the first place.
The dawning realisation that we would be boatless resulted in my new old tub being found on the interweb,paid for and then launched within 10 days,
This did not prevent however a fruitless 800 miles drive the previous week looking at 3 piles of worn out junk.
First job will be some proper heating...here we go again.

The Simpsons.................

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I know what folk mean about manky boats. We looked at some right rubbish before settling on Jedi. Mind you, Jedi was pretty grubby in many places, and is now a bit grubby in fewer places, but still needs a lot of tlc to get properly into shape. I telerate the cold and wet helm time because I dont get left out on a warmer day when everyone is searching for a sunny spot, because the best one is right next to me up on the bridge. Cockpit is too noisy for me, I can hear mechanical sounds that fill me with terror that sound just fine from "upstairs".