Please help me choose a boat

[jonny01]

Hi

Well i am new to boating and to be honest i am as confused as can be. iv been trying to find a boat for the last few weeks and i keep viewing all these boats but just don’t know what one to choose. i haven’t been to view any in person yet, i have just been viewing them in the pictures and asking all the right questions to find out if they have any problems before i take the trip to view them in person.

Some are local and need a little spent on them to bring them up to scratch others are around 40 miles from me but are really nice but only have a few months left on the safety certificate and others come with no engine but are nice little boats

I want something for £3,500 or under its going to be used on the river to take the kids out on the weekends and just have fun cruising around the river. I know a lot of members here say its good to get an safety inspection on any boat before buying it but i hear that adds another £400/500 to it which i dont have.

Can anyone tell me the advantages/disadvantage over having a built in engine over one that hangs over the back of the boat?

I have been viewing Normans, Dawncrafts, then Birchwoods but just don’t know which one to choose

I am in Oxfordshire so if there is anyone local to me who doesn’t mine helping out for a small fee i would be extremely grateful, i will pay for your time but cant go to £400/500. there is a boat that i am very interested in at the moment that is in walton on thames. so if anyone is up that way and wishs to give a helping hand to make sure i don’t end up wasting my money i would be extremely grateful for your help if we could meet up and if you could give the boat a once over that would be great

Thanks

 

[Cliveshep]

I'm down in Weybridge tomorrow working on my own boat. It's only a few miles from Walton if you'd like someone with you I'll meet you. I've sent you a PM with my number.

 

[rr_123]

first boat

Hi Jonny,

Firstly, a motor boat IS it's engine/gearbox. The rest of it is just some GRP (or wood or steel, but probably GRP) and soft furnishings!!!

That said, I think you could get a new 4 stroke 10-15hp engine for about £1500, so it may be worth you looking at doing that, buying a small boat with no engine (you should be able to drive a real hard bargain with no engine) and having some confidence with a new donkey (and a guarantee...)

there is no correct answer to outboard/inboard (hanging over the back/in the boat), outboards tend to be easier to replace and very accessible, but they can be a bit noisy and somehow inboards feel more like a "proper" boat. At your budget I would probably go outboard (as above). Probably easier to learn boat handling with an outboard (or an inboard with outdrives, but I would definitely avoid outdrives at that budget - actually, personally, I avoid them anyway)

Also you should be prepared to do some small jobs (that's half the fun, even the lots of the big bling-palace owners do it), but don't understimate the amount of work in a "project" boat!!

Walton is just round the corner from me, I would be happy to have a pint and talk about boats, not a safety inspector or a surveyor, but an opionated windbag who's spent a fair bit of time messing about in boats.

R

 

[Captain Coochie]

Hi John ,
I think we have spoken a few times about my mates boat with the wasps nest .
I would also be happy to look at other boats you are interested in because i just like messing around in boats . Also everyone is welcome to come down and watch the wasp nest saga tomorrow . Its going to be so funny watching my mate get stung to hell
On a serious note i have given you my opinion on the boat and i dont care if it sells or not .
Others on here will tell you i have no interest in selling boats . I just like boats and this is a good one .

Let the other members pick it apart ....

Norman 20
canopy is in good order and doesnt need replacing .
Windscreen is fine
been sat for two years and not listing because of rain water
has a free wasps nest
8hp two stroke outboard with remotes and fuel tank ( outboard not running , probably fuel mix or impeller )
Fenders , ropes and sea worthy life jackets ( kids sizes ) all included .
Porto bog thing aswell .
£1200

 

[Chris_d]

For that money I'd look at a classic Freeman 22, start at Sheridain Line in Moulsford to find all out about them http://www.freemancruisers.com/ then go out and bargain hard.

They are ideal for the river and when you want to change you'll get your money back.

 

[Cliveshep]

Cuchillo's friend's boat at £1200 for a very presentable Norman 20 in what looks like original gel and with an engine, albeit only 8hp, is a bargain boat, no doubt about it. However, no standing headroom and sleeps 2 in the cabin (with the possibility of a further 2 in the cockpit).

Going up, someone mentioned Freeman, a popular marque of boat, solid and well built and hold price well. The Mk1 is a bit dated, originals sometimes had a Ford 100E or E93A marinised side-valve engine (the latter fitted to the Ford Popular "sit-up-and-beg" car of the 50's) although a lot have been re-engined with more modern OHV engines.

There's a nice Mk II Freeman 22 here within your budget, well worth a look, and with two vee berths and a double dinette will sleep 4. http://essex.boatshed.com/freeman_22_mk_2-boat-71464.html This is a diesel boat with a Perkins 4.107 diesel rebuilt 3 yrs ago, inboard with shaft drive, a popular engine on many craft and bits easy to source. It does have a sea toilet and for the Thames you'll need to seal that off and dump it in favour of an Elsan toilet as you can't afford the space for a pump-out tank and conversion on that size of boat. It has a hand pump for cold water only, electric pumps a la caravan would cost about £75 including tap and pipe so not the end of the world. I would say ideal for a forst time owner with a family. Currently £3999.

However, you will need a mooring and the Freeman won't go up the Oxford canal as it has a 7'6" beam so it will need to be on the Thames or Kennet and Avon canal (which is a "wide" canal). At least with the Freeman you can not only go out over weekends but do some serious cruising. It's in Essex, so will need to be sailed back up to wherever you are going to keep it but it's well equipped to do that looking at the specs.

You need to decide what you will use the boat for, only days out or cruising because then you can make decisions on that basis.

 

[jonny01]

Hi Cuchilo

I just sent you a PM about the boat

Thanks for the offer to check out a boat for me if i find one

I do like your friends boat a lot just need some pictures of the inside and i can base my opinion on that but obviously with the wasps there that might not be so easy. i don’t mine waiting a few days but since i have already been trying to find one for the last 2 weeks i want to try and get one soon


Cliveshep

Thanks for all your help and advice

One question if i get a boat with an outboard engine then i guess you have to watch for shallow water as you could hit your propeller? but with an inboard you can go into shallow waters and just pull up the engine correct?

Thanks again for everyone’s help

 

[Captain Coochie]

Its the other way around , you can lift an outboard if you run aground but you dont want to be hitting your prop no matter what it is .

 

[oldgit]

First thing first,Where are you going to keep it.?

As others have suggested you are going to need somewhere to keep this boat,under a certain size it will be possible to trailer and maybe keep it on your drive,anything over 20ft plus will be PITA to move around and will require a permanent berth.
The Thames is the most expensive place in the known Galaxy to keep a boat and it would be well worthwhile finding out how much it is going to cost for a home for your boat,IMHO you should do this before you so much as set foot on any glassfibre deck.
If £1000 PA and up berthing does not put you off,the posh ones will cost you twice and three times that and do not forget your river licence (£2-300 ?) and boat insurance(£100 +)
Do not want to put you off,but boating can be a very rewarding long term thing,shame to spend money and then be unable to keep it up.

 

[boatone]

One question if i get a boat with an outboard engine then i guess you have to watch for shallow water as you could hit your propeller? but with an inboard you can go into shallow waters and just pull up the engine correct?lp

I think you may be getting confused between an Outboard and an Outdrive here.

An outboard engine is completely self contained and hangs on the back of the boat.

Inboard engines can either have a shaft and propeller out through (usually) the bottom of the boat or may be connected to an outdrive which is a bit like the bottom half of an outboard and can be tilted up in shallow water.

Hope that helps !

Incidentally, you mention that you have been looking around for all of a couple of weeks....... believe me, that is no time at all when it comes to deciding which boat to buy !