Should I buy a Heavenly Twins impulsively?

[Muddy32]

You buy a project boat for the project, not to go sailing. Although you do learn a lot.

 

[doug748]

Thanks everyone, that's a lot of priceless information and my ignorance has already been exposed - I had no idea mooring in that neck of the woods was so expensive! I'm Midlands based, however, so there are plenty of 'equidistant' alternatives to investigate.
Hi Jamie, she is moored in Ramsey at the moment as she has been for a few years now - I'm heading over for the day on Saturday to have a gander.
It does seem the crass old adage I came across in aviation still holds true - if it flies, floats or ****s, rent it!
A lot to think about from the sound of things, and I've got some good questions to ask when I head over now...

I think you are wise to go steady.

If the 5 grand turns into 10 and the value of the finished boat is more like 15k than 20, you could find you have spent a lot of time and effort on an emotional whim. Understandable, but there we are. Boats are tricky to sell right now.

Forty years ago buying a boat was a huge, considered investment not far behind buying a family home, now they can seem cheap. However running one is a different matter, perhaps up to 4k per year out of your taxed earnings, on a swinging mooring. Maybe double that for a marina berth.

As an aside, Kittiwake is for sale again:

http://sailingkittiwake.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Kittiwake-sale.pdf

The previous owners took her to the Med, you can see their adventures on YouTube. I think they post on here now and again.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Something to bear in mind is the cost of getting the boat off the island. If you can sail it, fine. If not it becomes very expensive. I was quoted £2000 to bring my boat up from South Wales then across to Ramsey on the Mezeron. The skipper of the Mezeron cancelled my boat at the last minute (my boat was already on the road on low loader) due to bad weather. Bringing the boat over on the Steam Packet doubled the cost to £4K, 3k of which was transport from Heysham to the south of the island!

 

[banger]

Whatever you do get a surveyor who is familiar with multi hulls, I seem to remember some talk about these, apparently they have timber cross beams that are encased, if water gets in they rot and are useless. Don't take my word for it though, it's just a memory of a conversation a long time ago.

 

[Javiatrix]

Keep 'em coming, this is all gold to me.

Hi Jamie, I've considered this in the past and came to the conclusion that I'd set a few weeks aside and sail her myself. I should add that prior to this I'll be doing a day skipper course as a minimum, plus get some more familiarisation with the boat as it's been a while since I sailed her myself. I must say, the north Norfolk coast is another place close to my heart and seems fairly reasonable regards mooring fees, but that's a fair trek from the IoM - could get to Portugal in the same distance (!) so perhaps I'd take her to Whithorn and have her transported the rest of the way by road, but then there's the cost of demasting as well I assume?
Thanks banger, I'm going to have a phone around today and see who's about in Ramsey tomorrow. Good to know, even if on the grape vine!

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Better to sail to Whitehaven, full lifting facilities and better road access

 

[James W]

If you have the £5K and fancy it, provided she’s not a total wreck, bloomin well buy her! We’re here for a good time, not a long time ?️

 

[Homer J]

I’m a bit late to this but I would ask yourself a few honest questions
1) is my nostalgia to the person or the boat? A boat in an object. If you want to remember the person and experience you can do that with anything afloat - even rename the boat in their honour if you wish
2) if it’s specifically the boat - then ask yourself if you will really use it and if it has to be that one. If yes is the answer to both questions then start by assessing the value and the work required and make an offer. If this is the case the ownerswould probably want you to have it.
3) If it’s the boat and the nostalgia but no real desire to sail then take a heap of photos and walk away
4) if you really want to sail - as per 2) then find the best boat for you and honour their memory by having fun in a boat suited to you and dedicate your sundowner each evening to their memory

I hope this leads you to a boat, you will be broke but very happy. Good luck.

 

[scotty123]

If you have the £5K and fancy it, provided she’s not a total wreck, bloomin well buy her! We’re here for a good time, not a long time ?

Its not the £5k, its what it costs thereafter to fix it.

 

[Javiatrix]

Got the boat. I think, on balance, the regret of not doing it would outweigh the potential regret and headache of doing it, but let's see what happens.

I'll post an update soon!

 

[viago]

i boarded one at the southampton boat show many years ago.

that example was furnished with twin diesels iirc.

i mighty fine boat thought i and some family circumnavigations have been successfully navigated in them.

for 5k you wont go far wrong. there's enough wiggle room for repairs.

ongoing costs are the killer as some marinas charge double for twin hulls. probably best avoided in the solant area. plenty of other mooring options in that area.

you would always be able to sell the vessel on as a bloody good liveaboard if you needed to. costs in these parts for a hard standing for unofficial liveabords is £1/ft/week. £110/month. cheap as chips living.

nice to do the french canals on.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Better to sail to Whitehaven, full lifting facilities and better road access

Kirkcudbright would also be worth investigating: yachts are regularly transported to/from there by road and local crane hire companies are well used to doing the lifts. You can practically hit Kirkcudbright with a well-thrown half-brick from Ramsay - it's an easy day's sail. Rather more road miles than Whitehaven if heading south, though.

 

[C08]

Plenty of cheap swinging moorings in the Menai Straits/Anglesey. I have seen plenty of HT all over with owners having a good time. I am not a fan of the aft cabins which are steep to go down into and small but apart from that reservations they seem very seaworthy if not quick boats.
As a first boat at a low price it seems a decent way into boating as long as there are no major items at fault, sails, engine, rudders, hull etc.
Good luck with it if you proceed.

 

[andyj301]

I owned a HT26 Mk111 and singlehanded round Britain, they are seaworthy. Made a crossing from Padstow to Milford Haven in 12 hrs (72Miles) with F6-7 from port quarter, it was also wind over spring tide. AFAIK there has been only one capsize, in hurricane conditions off the North coast of Scotland, and that was unlucky, due to a sudden change in wind direction while autopilot was engaged.

One thing to watch out for is water in the balsa core of the cabin roof. As the mast is over the companion way and has no compression post, the integrity of the roof is VERY important. As the vessel can't heel like a monohull the stress on the rig is far greater. This can be remedied fairly cheaply if you know a good welder. I had the roof jacked up and a frame welded in place (see pic). Though with ambitions to cross an ocean, I decided to move on to long keel monohull, and a solid laminte roof with compression post.


The HT26 is more comfortable off the wind than my long keel, and there is little chance of broaching when surfing downwind.

Didn't see what propulsion you have. Mine had twin diesel. While it was nice to be able turn on the spot I think I'd prefer the outboard mounted in the cockpit well, because of running costs, access and the ability to lift the prop out of the water.

 

[differentroads]

Got the boat. I think, on balance, the regret of not doing it would outweigh the potential regret and headache of doing it, but let's see what happens.

I'll post an update soon!

Well done. As Arthur Ransome wrote ''Grab a chance and you won't be sorry for a might have been''. Owning a boat, any boat, is a glorious thing. You could end up sorry about buying it of course, especially the never ending costs of owning a boat. But keep it as simple and cheap as possible and you'll have fun and learn lots along the way. Whitehaven, Anglesea or Milford Haven would be good places to look at as a base to start with, I suggest.

 

[superheat6k]

The two happiest days of your boating life - the day you buy it and the day you sell it !

Well you have the first and I hope you enjoy your purchase, and good luck with the work she may require. Please keep the forum informed and remember there is a wealth of free knowledge and advice here.

 

[viago]

well done mate.

Got the boat. I think, on balance, the regret of not doing it would outweigh the potential regret and headache of doing it, but let's see what happens.

I'll post an update soon!

well done mate.

when the opportunity of a lifetime presents itself never let the lifetime of the opportunity outlive you.

time to knuckle down or flip it.

i'll give you 6k tomorrow.

 

[Poignard]

Owning a boat, any boat, is a glorious thing.

Yes it is.

 

[Javiatrix]

Thanks for that detailed and thorough explanation Andy, I'll definitely investigate that going forward.

And it seems the old bugger has thrown me a final bone from up and beyond - it transpires that the mooring is tied (literally) to the boat, and ownership is of both, so only the harbour dues are payable. That will help no end in ensuring she gets the treatment she deserves!

 

[Javiatrix]

well done mate.



well done mate.

when the opportunity of a lifetime presents itself never let the lifetime of the opportunity outlive you.

time to knuckle down or flip it.

i'll give you 6k tomorrow.

Agreed and great words.

I'm going to do my damndest to make her magnificent again. I'll definitely post updates back to this thread.