Rationality and the thought process in boat buying

[Greenheart]

I spent Good Friday crossing the Solent aboard a friend's Centaur, aboard overnight halfway up the Medina, to Portsmouth in the morning then back to Southampton by late Saturday. It was an ideal start to the season, and we enjoyed unseasonal fine weather.

The Westerly Centaur, the youngest of which is at least 43 years old, presents a solid case for sensible boat-ownership if its upkeep hasn't been horribly neglected. Re-engined and with new sails, the sailing is rewarding and progress fairly effortless.

Why, then, don't I want one? There are dozens for sale without going far. My dislike for the commonest B-layout and preference for the very rare C-layout, isn't the reason. Given their cheapness and toughness, one could reasonably spend a few seasons pulling the non-structural elements of the accommodation apart and rebuilding the interior to suit personal preference exactly...

...and I may well spend the next couple of years keenly drawing plans for such modifications. The reason I'll almost certainly never turn the plans into a real "Layout D" Centaur, is the cost of berthing.

Every other aspect, I could live with. But paying a minimum of £5 per day (every day, every week of the year) not to actually use or fuel the boat, nor to insure it, or to improve its condition, or even to be certain it's ready to go when I'm ready to sail...

...no, it's 20p every sixty minutes, 24 hours per day, all through the year, just to own it and keep it afloat (for half the tide).

That's just nuts - an absurdly terrible investment - sheer waste that challenges recovery of value through the boat's use.

It shouldn't be nuts, and boat-owning wouldn't be, except for that. But there it is.

 

[Wansworth]

But it’s those momments that the boat owner can have that have no monetary value,sailing under a full moon,a quiet anchour age little details that cannot be costed.Your attitude would i effect mean staying at home is the cheapest option……stamp collecting

 

[Greenheart]

Those glorious moments are too few, set against inevitable, unvarying outgoings that make the moments possible (but not certain).

So it's a ridiculous gamble. You put up a significant proportion of the boat's value effectively just to store or park it for twelve months...

...and let's not forget the high likelihood of several weekends or weeks of demanding annual maintenance with attendant costs...

...then, you either rely on being free to sail when the weather is agreeable, or you submit that you must sail when the weather isn't agreeable, in order to have done some sailing rather than paying out so much cash and effort without any return at all.

The moments are exquisite to imagine, possibly even better to remember, but not worth pursuing with your own money.

I want to be persuaded otherwise, but I'm not. The irrecoverable time, effort and sacksful of money are better spent in other ways.

The lottery is a far better investment in the likelihood of wonderful memories. Equally a loony longshot, but only £100 per year.
.

 

[Wansworth]

Those glorious moments are too few, set against inevitable, unvarying outgoings that make the moments possible (but not certain).

So it's a ridiculous gamble. You put up a significant proportion of the boat's value effectively just to store or park it for twelve months...

...and let's not forget the high likelihood of several weekends or weeks of demanding annual maintenance with attendant costs...

...then, you either rely on being free to sail when the weather is agreeable, or you submit that you must sail when the weather isn't agreeable, in order to have done some sailing rather than paying out so much cash and effort without any return at all.

The moments are exquisite to imagine, possibly even better to remember, but not worth pursuing with your own money.

I want to be persuaded otherwise, but I'm not. The irrecoverable time, effort and sacksful of money are better spent in other ways.

The lottery is a far better investment in the likelihood of wonderful memories. Equally a loony longshot, but only £100 per year.
.

I have to admit I have the same battle,but If I don’t have a small boat there will be no possibility of momments.What is my future,fiddling about the house ,gardening,shopping…….in my mind the boat will afford me daydreams,a shed away from home,occasional trips round the ria with family and friends,somewhere to go on an autumn day,fart about aboard,have a coffe in the Cafe Bar Marina…..

 

[Bouba]

Those glorious moments are too few, set against inevitable, unvarying outgoings that make the moments possible (but not certain).

So it's a ridiculous gamble. You put up a significant proportion of the boat's value effectively just to store or park it for twelve months...

...and let's not forget the high likelihood of several weekends or weeks of demanding annual maintenance with attendant costs...

...then, you either rely on being free to sail when the weather is agreeable, or you submit that you must sail when the weather isn't agreeable, in order to have done some sailing rather than paying out so much cash and effort without any return at all.

The moments are exquisite to imagine, possibly even better to remember, but not worth pursuing with your own money.

I want to be persuaded otherwise, but I'm not. The irrecoverable time, effort and sacksful of money are better spent in other ways.

The lottery is a far better investment in the likelihood of wonderful memories. Equally a loony longshot, but only £100 per year.
.

There is no economical metric (time nor money) that makes boating sensible...but we are humans, and privileged with time and wealth (on any international scale you chose to name)...so we have hobbies...dogs have hobbies (my dog’s hobbies are cat hunting and driving his dad insane)..we can make bridges out of lolly sticks, paint landscapes or train sets. I remember watching some boat modelers at the pond in the town park, they had a crowd watching them...all fascinated..and I remember thinking, I have a real one of those (although not out loud...didn’t want to upset the poor people of Maidstone)...we are humans...no point in trying to rationalize it away

 

[Mister E]

There is no rational sense to owning a boat.
But some of the experiences I have had while sailing are priceless.
One has been Dolphins change course to play with my boat. They stayed playing for ages on more than one occasion.
Even just sitting watching the sun go down while drinking tea. With a private moat around me.

 

[Stemar]

...no, it's 20p every sixty minutes, 24 hours per day, all through the year, just to own it and keep it afloat (for half the tide).

But how many other things have a similar cost, but we pay for them, not because we absolutely need them, but we want them - Internet connection, Netflix a magazine subscription, not to mention a golf club or other membership? Even a car isn't an absolute necessity for most of us, even if it feels like one, and I certainly spend more on the car than the boat over the year - tax, insurance, servicing, depreciation, etc.

No, I'll be the first to agree that owning a boat makes no financial sense, but the pleasure it brings makes it (almost ) worth the cost.

 

[Greenheart]

But do any of your other examples of inessentials, come near to being as unjustifiable as boat-owning?

Our 20-year-old car is one of my favourite things. Daily tasks, as well as trips for pleasure, and unexpected issues are solved as soon as they arise, by the freedom to be somewhere else very quickly without significant effort, and critically, at very low cost.

Unlimited, mobile internet use for under a quid a day (which also enables working from home, and much more which I'm afraid often escapes the eldest generation) seems pretty fair, being equally useable in even the most dismal winter weather.

UK weather is a big obstacle to boat-owning being reasonable. It halves or even quarters the time during which one may feel the costs are remotely justifiable, if one isn't blind to the question. I know it's easier and happier to be wilfully unseeing, though!

There is no economical metric (time nor money) that makes boating sensible...we are humans...no point in trying to rationalize it away

I agree there's no point trying to rationalise what people with different funds and different minimum standards, claim to regard as sufficient reward for what they're prepared to pay. It's just very unfortunate (though inevitable) that the geographical features which represent safe havens, are set up to fleece anyone who might own a boat if it weren't prohibitive to berth it.

Radio-controlled sailing...that's an interesting, quite appealing, limited-cost alternative. When I couldn't afford a cabin boat, I constantly dreamed detailed fantasies of what my ideal yacht would be, and of the fabulous cruising and ownership experience. Needless to say, it never rained in my fantasies, nor did marine growth or window leaks feature prominently. My satisfaction versus cost must have been almost entirely inversely proportionate to owning a real vessel.

I daresay creating sailing models that involve one actively rather than purely imaginatively from a desk or armchair, would keep the sailing spirit (and to some extent, the appreciation of "moments") alive. Plus, one could do all maintenance on the coffee table at home.

And it'd be no less real than very detailed and serious pastimes like war-gaming, which have absorbed men for centuries. Learning and profound investment of imagination is required, but I doubt the fullness of satisfaction versus cost, time and effort is harder to enthuse over, than shelling out massively and regularly to keep several tonnes of GRP in commission, in hopes of seeing the moon reflected in the water, or dolphins.

On Friday we spotted something, heading north-west between Calshot and Solent Breezes. Any ideas what he was?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Here's the only reason for owning a boat, there is no other unless you are a people smuggler.

 

[Bouba]

Here's the only reason for owning a boat, there is no other unless you are a people smuggler.

Great picture ...are they the grandkids ?

 

[LittleSister]

On the one hand, it is expensive, and not infrequently a pain in the backside (maintenance, etc.).

On the other, as so beautifully put by West Hinder in a previous YBW thread, -

‘Just being on a boat, any boat, is a good start

Next is the moment you switch off the engine and the sails take over. Setting up the boat so you get optimal performance for the circumstances. If on longer trips, settling into the watch system. Any visit from dolphins, sighting of seals, birds around the boat. The company of good crew, cooking and serving a wholesome dish on passage, seeing the sun go down and adapting to night modus. Reaching new destinations, but just as well revisiting familiar places. Finding a sheltered anchorage and enjoying an aperitif and meal in the cockpit, followed by a glass of something nice, accompanied by a good yarn, or carefree banter. Reaching a safe haven after a difficult passage, when you can let go of the tension and forget about any difficulties en-route. Discovering new cruising grounds, being impressed by the grandeur of the scenery. Sailing into your home port again after the voyage.

A manoeuvre well executed, or having berthed in a difficult spot without hiccups, the confidence in your boat handling that builds up over a longer trip.

Being in a secure berth when it is blowing a hooley. Sitting inside warm and comfy while the rain rattles on deck.

Coming home and remembering all the above and the energy you derive from that. Thinking of your next visit to the boat, whether it is just pottering, daysailing or embarking on a more ambitious voyage.


What more do you need?’

 

[DJE]

I've very nearly concluded the exact opposite. I'm planning to downsize to an ancient Laser dinghy.

I know it reads like an advertisement, but so much is available to the man without a boat...

• enjoyment of pure, languorous relaxation every time you aren't busy with something else
• child-like excitement and envy when you see a boat sailing, because you've forgotten how onerous ownership is
• peace of mind regardless of season
• time saving (which is valuable beyond mere financial cost)
• avoidance of frustration, discomfort and effort, and the constant availability of a comfortable chair instead; and
• avoidance of completely unwarrantable, irrecoverable costs for all manner of items and services.

"Just don't do it."

Bloody expensive those comfortable chairs!