Wansworth
Well-known member
What would be the best motor boat for the trip?
Round Britain,by motor boat.
- Thread starter Wansworth
- Start date
capnsensible
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Bouba
Well-known member
Beat me to it by seconds....
Wansworth
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Shame on you sensible even I know that’s a ship ?
Habebty
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This is entertaining….
ridgy
Well-known member
Beaten to it.
wombat88
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It was done a while back in a Hardy Pilot with a 70hp on the back.
Probably the cheapest way of doing it...
Probably the cheapest way of doing it...
ylop
Well-known member
Depends why you are doing it! Is it a long leisurely trip with a partner to kick off a retirement? Is it a crazy adventure before you head off to university - or join the real world of working every day? Is it because you want to challenge your boating skills? Is it because you want to see the coast? or visit lots of harbours? will you be pressing on to a specific timescale or hide in marinas or anchorages if the weather is bad? Do you actually mean "round Britain" or like many do you mean via the Caledonian Canal. Or do you mean the British isles? Including Ireland, St Kilda, Shetland, Scillies, Channel Islands? Personally if I had the time to do a classic "round britain" I wouldn't. I'd do an Ireland and West coast of Scotland loop spending more time exploring - possibly going as far as Orkney and Shetland, maybe retuning from there via the Caledonian Canal. For the things I enjoy it would be a far better trip than pounding down the North Sea. Other people like different things though, and if you enjoy a mud berth and going to find fish n chips you might find the east coast better.
The only thing I can say regardless of all of the above is unless you have a very good reason - it would be diesel powered rather than petrol.
Frogmogman
Well-known member
Rather them than me.
Seashoreman
Well-known member
Peter Wilson, retired ( circa 85yrs old) Aldeburgh Boatyard owner, has just been around Britain in his motorboat Maudorces a 1925 Silver.
He rebuilt it from the bare-bones and recently installed two new engines.
He and two young guys went Aldeburgh - Ostend - Hartlepool - Edinburgh- Caledonian, Crinian Canals- Belfast-Dublin-somewhere nr Wexford-Scilly Isles. I joined the boat in Falmouth - St Mawes-Salcombe-Dartmouth-Torquay-Weymouth-Hamble-Cowes (2 weeks)- back home. They did approx 1825 miles and spent 2 months. A few local friends joined the boat for short legs along the way.
Might not be quite what you were thinking off but it is comfortable for 4 persons. Can be a bit rolly/bumpy at times. Average 8 knots.
LittleSister
Well-known member
That's certainly doing it in style!
With a boat like that, though, it probably helps to own a boatyard.
Wansworth
Well-known member
Almost perfect?
srm
Well-known member
Depends, are you really going around Britain or simply making a transit of the Caledonian Canal from the English coast missing out all of Britain's best cruising grounds?
If going around Britain you need a boat capable of handling the open Atlantic as it runs onto the continental shelf around north west of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland.
For those that think Britain ends at the Caledonian Canal sea lock near Inverness you are a couple of hundred miles plus short of the northern turning point around the Muckle Fluga light house.
There is also a very nice anchorage, provided the wind remains in the west, in Village Bay, Hirta, in the St Kilda group, that is also part of Britain. Well worth a visit.
If going around Britain you need a boat capable of handling the open Atlantic as it runs onto the continental shelf around north west of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland.
For those that think Britain ends at the Caledonian Canal sea lock near Inverness you are a couple of hundred miles plus short of the northern turning point around the Muckle Fluga light house.
There is also a very nice anchorage, provided the wind remains in the west, in Village Bay, Hirta, in the St Kilda group, that is also part of Britain. Well worth a visit.
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LittleSister
Well-known member
It's almost an unanswerable question without an idea of parameters. E.g. what sort of a budget (both the boat and the trip); single-handed or how many crew; are you (or whoever) doing it 'to have been round', or to explore at leisure the places along the way.
I'd say very high priorities would be -
- a seaworthy hull;
- a good diesel inboard - almost essential for availability of fuel in remoter areas, plus reliability, economy, ease of obtaining fuel, battery charging capability, etc;
- a decent anchoring set up (ask on here for advice
);- comfortable sleeping berths, and also sitting (you'd be doing a lot of it) and table arrangements;
- navigation lights and internal lighting;
- a wet locker
- protection from the elements; and
- washing and toilet facilities that are, er, convenient;
- a tender (unless the boat is so small you can get ashore without one).
Beyond that -
- LOA adds speed and comfort, but drives up costs by multiple factors;
- the ability to take the ground comfortably/safely opens up a lot of possibilities;
- heating would be a boon (if only for drying out wet/damp clothing!).
LittleSister
Well-known member
Of course, adding a sailing rig would increase enjoyment, while reducing fuel costs and earache.
Wansworth
Well-known member
It's almost an unanswerable question without an idea of parameters. E.g. what sort of a budget (both the boat and the trip); single-handed or how many crew; are you (or whoever) doing it 'to have been round', or to explore at leisure the places along the way.
I'd say very high priorities would be -
- a seaworthy hull;
- a good diesel inboard - almost essential for availability of fuel (especially in remoter areas), reliability, economy, ease of obtaining fuel, battery charging capability, etc;
- a decent anchoring set up (ask on here for advice
- comfortable sleeping berths, and also sitting (you'd be doing a lot of it) and table arrangements;
- navigation lights and internal lighting;
- a wet locker
- protection from the elements; and
- washing and toilet facilities that are, er, convenient;
- a tender (unless the boat is so small you can get ashore without one).
Beyond that -
- LOA adds speed and comfort, but drives up costs by multiple factors;
- the ability to take the ground comfortably/safely opens up a lot of possibilities;
- heating would be a boon (if only for drying out wet/damp clothing!).
[/QUOTEat Least room for a manservant?
LittleSister
Well-known member
Other genders are available!
Wansworth
Well-known member
I ama happily married man,aman servant is quite adequate?
LittleSister
Well-known member
Frogmogman
Well-known member
Thunder Child II ?
