Planning ahead for the big retirement cruise

[efanton]

So the dream is to buy a boat, cruise the shannon, possibly the Irish canals (but likely to skip this due to size and draft limits, and then a big tour of the waterways in Europe for up to a year,
I have a good idea of what type of boat I want to buy, budget of up to €30 with €5k set aside for the inevitable 'fixes'.

My biggest issue so far is determining what size engine(s) I would need. Obviously the dream involves crossing the Irish sea and the English channel.
I have some experience of boating, but never crossed the sea.

What size engine would you recommend as a minimum?

The alternative plan would be a 30 to 35 sailboat, where the mast could be fairly easily dropped for river cruising, My concern here would be the minimum draft although the savings in fuel could be considerable.
From what I read there is a draft limit of 1.5 m between Killaloe and Limerick which has more or less killed the initial sailboat plan.


What would you recommend?

 

[Greg2]

There is a lot more to taking a boat to sea than just engine size.

It is a combination of engine size and hull type that determines speed but as a starter for ten it needs to at least be sufficient to punch a tide for sea passages. Crossing the Irish Sea you might want to make more than a six knot displacement speed so then it is looking at semi-displacement or planing hulls with suitably sized engines. As an illustration we had a Sealine S34, which has a planing hull, and that had twin 175hp engines and would cruise around 20 knots.

More importantly the boat should be designed and fitted out to go to sea and the EU Recreational Craft Directive categories are a helpful starting point in this regard.

 

[Refueler]

I read your opener with interest .. I would love to do similar.

As a sailboat person who also has motor ... the sailboat idea is still viable. There are plenty of Lift Keel .. Bilge Keel .. Triple Keel boats out there that can pass through 1.5m waters.

I am going to upset a few Motor Boat people now and suggest that a Sailboat when sails are up - can be a more kinder boat at sea .. being displacement and balanced against the sail spread. When I run the Mobo - my back always seems to have aches and twinges ...

If I was restricted to motor ? Then I have always liked the displacement Gentlemans Motor Launch rather than the modern planing hull types. Yes they are significantly slower - but overall fuel useage can be easier on the pocket. But to get a good one ?? Those tend not to come up for sale - owners tend to hang on to them !! Wonder why !!

 

[Mister E]

For shallow draft you could look at some sailing catamarans.

 

[Momac]

I am going to upset a few Motor Boat people now and suggest that a Sailboat when sails are up - can be a more kinder boat at sea .. being displacement and balanced against the sail spread. When I run the Mobo - my back always seems to have aches and twinges ...

I don't think you should upset anyone.

From my very limited experience of crewing on a yacht the advantage of having a bloody great heavy keel is always going to provide a more stable ride than a motorboat.
As a motorboat owner I hope for flat calm conditions

 

[oldgit]

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

You need to take that first step first......the mark of any true long term boater is the amazing ability to totally ignore (painfully and expensively) hard lessons that other boaters have learned.
Buy a boat, the following days and months will reveal more about the joys and disasters of boating than any time spent on the internet.
For some becomes a lifetime obsession , for some just other passing lifestyle fad to be tried and discarded before buying that motorhome.

 

[PlanB]

I'll leave others to discuss motor vs sail, engine size etc.
My random points:
While you may be able to "do" inland waterways without too much experience, sea crossings require the sort of knowledge you'd get from Day Skipper theory.
You don't state your citizenship.- unless it's an EU country, don't forget 90/180.
For Europe, you'd need ICC with Cevni endorsement.

 

[Momac]

So the dream is to buy a boat, cruise the shannon, possibly the Irish canals (but likely to skip this due to size and draft limits, and then a big tour of the waterways in Europe for up to a year,
I have a good idea of what type of boat I want to buy, budget of up to €30 with €5k set aside for the inevitable 'fixes'.

Sounds like you are lucky enough to be a EU citizen with no restriction on the time you can spend in the EU countries
I would suggest a dutch steel boat which probably will have 100hp or so.

PS If you are a EU citizen and wish to skip the Ireland part then buy a boat already located in eg. Netherlands, Belgium or France

 

[Wansworth]

Checkout what’s available already in mainland Europe for canals

 

[dunedin]

Sounds like you are lucky enough to be a EU citizen with no restriction on the time you can spend in the EU countries
I would suggest a dutch steel boat which probably will have 100hp or so.

PS If you are a EU citizen and wish to skip the Ireland part then buy a boat already located in eg. Netherlands, Belgium or France

Yes perhaps charter a boat for the Shannon, then buy a boat already in the European canals?

 

[Dino]

It’s all very doable if you get some decent tuition and build up some experience before you go. Your budget is fairly limited so you might end up with a much older boat that needs work or regular repairs.
It worth looking at websites like www.apolloduck.fr to see what’s available closer to your desired cruising location. There are lots of boats for sail in inland France where maybe people decided to sell up and move home or got too old to keep cruising.
Check out Jaywalking the World on YouTube. He brought a Birchwood TS37 from the Thames to Malta.

 

[V1701]

If most of your time is going to be spent on the inland waterways, be it in Ireland or the EU then a powerful, fast twin engined boat doesn't really make sense to me because a large proportion of the cost of such a boat is in the engines. The previous owner of my boat, an unrigged Colvic Watson 34 with a single 65hp engine on a shaft, took her across to France, down to the med through the rivers & canals, spent a couple of years there and then did the same in reverse. Very comfortable (I now live on her full time) economical to run (for a boat!). Pick your moment to do the sea crossings in such a boat obviously...

You'll need an ICC (international cert of competence) with CEVNI endorsement for the EU inland waterways, ask about this if you're unsure and the very best of luck with your plans...

 

[DavidJ]

Have you thought of skipping the Irish Sea and channel bit and buying in the EU?

 

[Refueler]

Have you thought of skipping the Irish Sea and channel bit and buying in the EU?

Last I heard Ireland was in the EU ....

But your point is valid ... I can see a lot of argument in favour of ditching the Irish Sea part .. why risk bad weather to spoil and put off - what should be fantastic EU land canal crawling ??

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Start here, although you won't get a boat like this for £30K

 

[Gustywinds]

I read your opener with interest .. I would love to do similar.

As a sailboat person who also has motor ... the sailboat idea is still viable. There are plenty of Lift Keel .. Bilge Keel .. Triple Keel boats out there that can pass through 1.5m waters.

I am going to upset a few Motor Boat people now and suggest that a Sailboat when sails are up - can be a more kinder boat at sea .. being displacement and balanced against the sail spread. When I run the Mobo - my back always seems to have aches and twinges ...

If I was restricted to motor ? Then I have always liked the displacement Gentlemans Motor Launch rather than the modern planing hull types. Yes they are significantly slower - but overall fuel useage can be easier on the pocket. But to get a good one ?? Those tend not to come up for sale - owners tend to hang on to them !! Wonder why !!

This Youtube channel has been the influence for my plans and he is using a yacht rather than a motor-cruiser as I am Sailing Options
He has a swing keel and demasted in Dunkirk, sending it down to meet him in the Med

 

[Gustywinds]

You don't state your citizenship.- unless it's an EU country, don't forget 90/180.

Ways round it.

The irony is that the Brexit backing Torygraph ran a story on this recently
Doesn't affect me as I have both British and Irish passports

As the OP quoted figures in Euros , I suspect he is in the Irish Republic already

 

[Gustywinds]

Last I heard Ireland was in the EU ....

But your point is valid ... I can see a lot of argument in favour of ditching the Irish Sea part .. why risk bad weather to spoil and put off - what should be fantastic EU land canal crawling ??

My original intent was to buy in UK and I restricted myself to boats that could cross the channel comfortably but I wound up buying in the Netherlands as the right boat came up at the right price

 

[david_bagshaw]

For shallow draft you could look at some sailing catamarans.

yup, but not ideal in continental canals and rivers

 

[Gustywinds]

Start here, although you won't get a boat like this for £30K

I hired a British style narrowboat through the sadly defunct Minervois Cruisers a few years back. Was lovely on Canal Du MIdi but I'd hate t0 use it on big rivers never mind the Channel!