Small yachts (under 30') for charter around the Solent?

semisimple

semisimple

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Just wondering...I've been looking for small yachts (under 30') for charter on the South Coast and haven't got anywhere - except for a Centaur in Falmouth.

Does anyone happen to know where there might be a few?

Or is the lack of them because people can't be bothered with the hassle of having them coded?

There must be a few people with small yachts who could do with splitting those extortionate Solent mooring fees! I would if I had one...
 
Most charter operations do seem to be designed around packing the bodies in to share the cost. I know that's what we used to do.

I know of a couple of places in Cornwall, but one of them is probably what you've already found and the other charters Crabbers which is probably a bit niche.

Sunsail used to run some little yachts out of Port Solent, but I think they were only intended as dayboats and I don't know if they're still there.

Pete
 
Simply not worth the cost of coding for small boats as you can't charge worthwhile rates to cover the costs - and demand is very limited because you can buy a small cruiser for not a lot of money. On the other hand 35 footers are beyond most peoples budgets but are economical if chartered with mates etc.
 
Thanks Pete!

I did come across the company with the Shrimper/Crabber - lovely boats, might give them a go at some point.

Sunsail did have some 32 footers but they don't anymore, they were pretty battered up but were still fun to play in for not very much money. Now everything from Sunsail is at extortionate prices.

Shame that.

Tranona said:
Simply not worth the cost of coding for small boats as you can't charge worthwhile rates to cover the costs - and demand is very limited because you can buy a small cruiser for not a lot of money. On the other hand 35 footers are beyond most peoples budgets but are economical if chartered with mates etc.
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Any idea how legal it would be for people to advertise their (uncoded) yachts on the forums for instance to sailors on the understanding that they'd get paid a portion of mooring fees? I can't help thinking there are people out there who'd be interested.

My interest comes because I'd like to buy a small yacht but have no idea how they are to sail - having only been able to charter large modern things.

Aren't there any old crusty boats for charter!
 
semisimple said:
Sunsail did have some 32 footers but they don't anymore, they were pretty battered up
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The boat we took out for a day was more like 24 foot. Don't remember it being notably bashed up. It had a cabin, but I have a feeling Sunsail intended them for day trips only. This would have been more than ten years ago, probably closer to 15, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to find there's no equivalent now. We only really remember the trip because of my Dad getting stuck trying to squeeze into his old late-70s yellow oilies, and the trousers splitting right across the backside :D

semisimple said:
Aren't there any old crusty boats for charter!
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The outfit in Falmouth with the Centaur has (had?) a Sadler 32 which definitely counts as "crusty" - and leaky and breaky too, but she was priced accordingly and we had several good charters in her as cheap students.

Pete
 
My boat cost less than a week charter on a 36 footer, and less than a weekend on a 40 footer.

If you want to charter, charter something comfortable because smaller boats wouldn't be cheaper if you found one.

If you want to buy, you may be better off asking to go out on peoples boats to try them out. You could always go out with the owner don't forget, some of us can be quite friendly!
Dave
 
prv said:
The boat we took out for a day was more like 24 foot. Don't remember it being notably bashed up. It had a cabin, but I have a feeling Sunsail intended them for day trips only. This would have been more than ten years ago, probably closer to 15, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to find there's no equivalent now. We only really remember the trip because of my Dad getting stuck trying to squeeze into his old late-70s yellow oilies, and the trousers splitting right across the backside :D
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heh...shame we've missed the old days then, I don't think I've ever seen the original fisherman style oilies.

The outfit in Falmouth with the Centaur has (had?) a Sadler 32 which definitely counts as "crusty" - and leaky and breaky too, but she was priced accordingly and we had several good charters in her as cheap students.

Pete
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Ah you've sussed my real reason - we are cheap students! And we don't mind crusty and a bit leaky or breaky so long as she floats, has sails and an engine.

So cheap that we don't actually know much about summer sailing at sea, only been able to sail October to April for the last few years and it's had its ups and downs - some weekends great fun, some absolutely miserable!

I'll look up the Sadler, otherwise it'll be the Centaur!
 
lustyd said:
My boat cost less than a week charter on a 36 footer, and less than a weekend on a 40 footer.

If you want to charter, charter something comfortable because smaller boats wouldn't be cheaper if you found one.
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I like your boat (just saw the blog!)...but my problem is every time I want to buy something I always have this niggling feeling at the back of my mind of what I'd *like* to do with it, and what I'd like to do is to do often means having something larger (like a Centaur which doesn't come all that cheap and requires commitment!)

If you want to buy, you may be better off asking to go out on peoples boats to try them out. You could always go out with the owner don't forget, some of us can be quite friendly!
Dave
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haaha - I've never tested the water with that one - but thinking about it I suppose if I was an owner I wouldn't mind a chance to show off the boat? Ideally we'd join a yacht club somewhere and use those contacts but being inland it's difficult to commit.
 
semisimple said:
Any idea how legal it would be for people to advertise their (uncoded) yachts on the forums for instance to sailors on the understanding that they'd get paid a portion of mooring fees? I can't help thinking there are people out there who'd be interested.

My interest comes because I'd like to buy a small yacht but have no idea how they are to sail - having only been able to charter large modern things.

Aren't there any old crusty boats for charter!
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No. As soon as you gain any financial benefit the boat has to be coded and you also then draw the attention of HMRC as you are running a business.

Does not mean there are not informal "sharing" arrangements going on, just that the risks of publicising it are too high.

As you have seen there are some ratty charter boats at the bottom of the heap but they are mostly 30ft+ as it is difficult o get coding on smaller boats.

As to sailing older boats, join a club and get some crewing experience. Nothing special about boats like the Centaur - really no need to try them. They all do the job and for most people now they are starter boats for the first couple of years to get the hang of what you like and then move on.
 
semisimple said:
I always have this niggling feeling at the back of my mind of what I'd *like* to do with it
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I used to be like that too. Eventually I bit the bullet and bought the boat I could afford. I've done hundreds of miles this year already and been on the boat every weekend so far. I've managed to visit quite a few places around the solent and will be heading to Poole later in the year (if I'd had a watch on I would have been already). There is very little a small boat can't do but think to yourself realistically how many times will you go further than accross the channel?

While you ponder these, I'll still be out sailing on the boat I settled on while dreaming of the boat I'd still like to own.
 
semisimple said:
heh...shame we've missed the old days then, I don't think I've ever seen the original fisherman style oilies.
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Nobody was wearing them even then - but Mum and Dad hadn't sailed yachts in the UK for years (dinghies here, charters in hot places) and what they had in the cupboard was their old yellow suits from their serious racing days on my grandad's boat before I was born.

semisimple said:
I'll look up the Sadler, otherwise it'll be the Centaur!
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OK, well it looks like they still have her. I think that new engine postdates our last charter in her, so might have had an effect on the price. At the time the owner had sort of disappeared (CC couldn't get hold of him, and he was supposed to be doing all the maintenance and handovers) and she was in a bit of a (cosmetic) mess. I wonder whether he's reappeared or she's changed hands - must be one or the other to have gained a new engine.

We used to charter in September to stay out of high season; touch wood we always had good weather.

Pete
 
The small boats Sunsail chartered out of Port Solent in the mid 90's were Sunfast 20's. We took them out on several occasions, & they were great fun. They were principally intended for daysails although a few people overnighted, but they can't have been very comfortable. The whole lot were shipped off to one of their beach clubs, Bodrum I think, & they were to be replaced with AV Bulls but it never happened.

We looked around for smaller boats to charter for a while to no avail. We eventually bought a 22' Newbridge Venturer, & although she won't win the RTI this year, she is a great fun boat for familly sailing & weekending.

A good budget option we looked seriously at was Yacht Fractions. You'd be amazed just how affordable some of the older boat syndicates are. Some just want someone to share the running costs.
 
semisimple said:
Ah you've sussed my real reason - we are cheap students! And we don't mind crusty and a bit leaky or breaky so long as she floats, has sails and an engine.
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You could look at these. Might be the cheapest you'll find in the Solent.

http://www.sigma33yachtcharters.co.uk/

Chartered from them once quite a while back. Boats OK. Not luxury, but solid enough boats. I remember the mooring warps were old sheets but I've seen much more expensive private boats tied up like that.
 
MissIsle said:
The small boats Sunsail chartered out of Port Solent in the mid 90's were Sunfast 20's. We took them out on several occasions, & they were great fun. They were principally intended for daysails although a few people overnighted, but they can't have been very comfortable.
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I had my stag weekend on those 13 years ago. Chartered a fleet of them and did a pub crawl around the Solent. With their pull up keels we could beach in the beer garden of the pub next to the bridge in Wooton Creek. Each had 4 large blokes sleeping in them, but alcohol was the main sleeping aid.
 
Pembrokeshire Cruising hav a Hunter Horizon 273 for charter?

I'm guessing the Cornish Crabber/Shrimper place Pete is on about is Cornish Blue (who require DS or ICC.)

We have chartered Shrimpers from Mylor Boat Hire (who don't require any paper qualifications.) We also had 4 lads on a Newbridge Venturer (22ft) for a long weekend but they've since sold it... they still have the Hurley 22 - 4 berths (but that would be a bit of a squeeze!) Perfect introduction to 'small yachts' though!
 
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