South Coast - Cheap boating option

[ontheplane]

If the slipway is a shallow gradient requiring overly dunking the vehicle, you could consider beefing up the jockey wheel and making up a solid pole towbar extension. ie towhitch to towball on a scaffold pole.
I've done that and it worked very well, except reversing can only be just backing into the water.
I used to chock the trailer at the water edge, disconnect the car to pull forward 5ft and install the extension.
If you're not carrying it around because you're based there, your's could be longer if req.
I carried mine, and 5ft was enough on the angle of slip I was using.
It was a faf for the 1st or 2nd time but then became easy, and only added a couple of mins.

I have used a rope for this many times. I hate dunking the trailer too far in - ruins the bearings and brakes - but with a normal shallow slipway there is usually no choice.

Not possible with the trailers you can just winch straight onto though as they need the hitch properly attached to something solid. However this boat is a bit big and heavy to do that - I think I'll need to get the trailer properly underneath the boat which will involve a proper dunking....

 

[ontheplane]

Well this is my 3 rd boat I've applied it to!

It works for high speed planing hulls.

The normal waterline scum rubs off with a microfibre cloth.

Any physical abrasion such as logs etc are touched up on the annual lift and hold.

It's super slippery and the 24 ft boat in my profile photo gained 1.5 knots on top speed.

It doesn't work for everyone but superheat6k of this parish was suitably impressed with it he did his Corvette 32 as well...

How long does it last - is it a yearly re-do or just a touch in the marks type thing?

 

[Hot Property]

How long does it last - is it a yearly re-do or just a touch in the marks type thing?

Touch the marks in.

At 3.5 years I was going to do a topcoat only. But I sold the boat!

It need careful application which can be over existing sound AF.

Primer, tie coat and 2 topcoats.

Then nothing for 3.5 years apart from slime removal annually.

 

[FOP]

Hayling Island Sailing Club had some vacancies on their trots last season . They run a launch service at the weekends and some evenings and by demand (for a small fee) outside these times. Tender parking. Also have a boat lift and winter storage. You’ll have to join the club which is straight forward. Has a bar and restaurant with the best views in the Solent. Approx Cost Mooring £1k . Membership for 2 £260. Plus winter storage and hauling fees £ ? ….give them a ring.

 

[ontheplane]

Hayling Island Sailing Club had some vacancies on their trots last season . They run a launch service at the weekends and some evenings and by demand (for a small fee) outside these times. Tender parking. Also have a boat lift and winter storage. You’ll have to join the club which is straight forward. Has a bar and restaurant with the best views in the Solent. Approx Cost Mooring £1k . Membership for 2 £260. Plus winter storage and hauling fees £ ? ….give them a ring.

Will do that's not bad at all.

 

[Elessar]

Will do that's not bad at all.

With a wife two kids and a dog being on trots with no water, no electricity and having to access the boat by dinghy is a false economy.

You’ll end up not using the boat as much as you’d like or getting a divorce.

There is a difference between cost and value.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

With a wife two kids and a dog being on trots with no water, no electricity and having to access the boat by dinghy is a false economy.

You’ll end up not using the boat as much as you’d like or getting a divorce.

There is a difference between cost and value.

We were HISC members when the kids were young. Sailing boat on the trots, used every single summer weekend. We used to have the kids’ oppies tried on astern.

 

[Elessar]

We were HISC members when the kids were young. Sailing boat on the trots, used every single summer weekend. We used to have the kids’ oppies tried on astern.

Great. Then you have a wife and kids that love sailing enough to put up with considerable inconvenience.

You are in the minority. That makes it a great story, (which will make a lot of people jealous) but even so it is probably not good advice.

 

[Boaty_Pete]

Life experience and watching others has taught me that outcomes somewhere toward the least optimistic rather than most optimistic, temd to be true.
I completely agree with Elessar on this.
I'm a life-long boater. Some waterski seasons we ski'd on new-year for the hell of it even in the rain. I've boat fished in the snow.
When we got our Flybridge boat, we were as elated as lottery winners. For 2 winters we were out there doing it come wind or rain. That was from a nearly 24hr access marina.
Now, several years later, we don't go down in the winter without 1st remotely turning on the heating and lights, and wouldn't likely take the boat anywhere.
We're local to the boat, so what about adding a 1hr drive or more, what when it's colder than your threshold, what when half of the weekend is ok but the other is not.
It doesn't take long before every weekend becomes once a month and not everyone is keen.
Another aspect is the social side.
When you have a marina berth or at least an along side berth, you'll be able to tweek your toy, getting stuff from the car as and when needed. You can stand on the dock to do stuff while chatting to friends and other boat owners. Maybe make plans to take 2 boats together. All of that is harder when isolated on a swinging mooring.
I'm only just trying to point out things to consider, I'm not putting down anyone's choices.

 

[Egret]

Ref #64 - Hayling Island Sailing Club looks good for children - says sailing activities from toddler age - gives you a good reason to go to the boat to take them!

You have to ask yourself what you want to do with the boat and how often, do you intend to sleep aboard, do you want walk ashore and have toilets/showers/supermarket close by, or not worried - which will help lead to where you want to go.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Life experience and watching others has taught me that outcomes somewhere toward the least optimistic rather than most optimistic, temd to be true.
I completely agree with Elessar on this.
I'm a life-long boater. Some waterski seasons we ski'd on new-year for the hell of it even in the rain. I've boat fished in the snow.
When we got our Flybridge boat, we were as elated as lottery winners. For 2 winters we were out there doing it come wind or rain. That was from a nearly 24hr access marina.
Now, several years later, we don't go down in the winter without 1st remotely turning on the heating and lights, and wouldn't likely take the boat anywhere.
We're local to the boat, so what about adding a 1hr drive or more, what when it's colder than your threshold, what when half of the weekend is ok but the other is not.
It doesn't take long before every weekend becomes once a month and not everyone is keen.
Another aspect is the social side.
When you have a marina berth or at least an along side berth, you'll be able to tweek your toy, getting stuff from the car as and when needed. You can stand on the dock to do stuff while chatting to friends and other boat owners. Maybe make plans to take 2 boats together. All of that is harder when isolated on a swinging mooring.
I'm only just trying to point out things to consider, I'm not putting down anyone's choices.

I hadn’t thought we were outliers. Our kids grew up sailing, both of them are competent adult dinghy sailors, one now in Fremantle. Lots of families at HISC are like us, they have a strong youth sailing scheme, the beach has great sand, the launch service is good, and we kept a small RIB ashore too. It’s a way of life, maybe, rather than a casual hobby. But having invested all that in boating, best to make use of it.

 

[paulbrown22]

With a wife two kids and a dog being on trots with no water, no electricity and having to access the boat by dinghy is a false economy.

You’ll end up not using the boat as much as you’d like or getting a divorce.

There is a difference between cost and value.

I think that very much depends on your personal circumstances and style of living. I grew up with sailing yachts typically on swinging moorings in Poole, and we were afloat pretty much every weekend in the season. The solar kept the batteries going pretty well for fridge/lights/phone chargers, etc. when moored and obviously motoring anywhere would top them up, so we never had any concerns about lack of electricity. We didn't really have any big gadgets, so even when in a marina we'd rarely plug in to shore power. It had a pretty big water tank so we'd top up once or twice a season during a big cruise or if we happened to be alongside somewhere, but certainly in a normal weekend didn't really need much water - we'd take out a pair of 5l bottles for drinking/cooking, and use a tiny bit from the tank for any washing.

If you can afford and have the option of a walk ashore marina it does avoid a bit of faff with water taxi/dinghy/kit, but if you don't want to spend that much money on a marina, I wouldn't rule out trying some form of swinging mooring/trot if that lets you get afloat at a price point you're happy with.

 

[Elessar]

Need to think about the children - Ref #64 - Hayling Island Sailing Club looks good for children - says sailing activities from toddler age - features a girl in an Optimist at Age 3 - you will have all the club activities so won't be short of people to speak to - just need to join in and take part - they mention club cruises and with a little motor boat you will probably be in great demand to act as a support boat for the sailing and open meetings - I know that from the age of 10 or 12 I wanted to take part in my club sailing and didn't want to go with mum and dad any more. Go to the club and see what you think and how they welcome you.. Also look at other clubs in the area, or closest to you, that may have moorings and children's sailing.

You have to ask yourself what you want to do with the boat and how often, do you want walk ashore and have toilets/showers/supermarket close by, or not worried - which will lead to where you want to go.

Good IF the kids like sailing. And mum likes watching the kids sailing.

I think that very much depends on your personal circumstances and style of living. I grew up with sailing yachts typically on swinging moorings in Poole, and we were afloat pretty much every weekend in the season. The solar kept the batteries going pretty well for fridge/lights/phone chargers, etc. when moored and obviously motoring anywhere would top them up, so we never had any concerns about lack of electricity. We didn't really have any big gadgets, so even when in a marina we'd rarely plug in to shore power. It had a pretty big water tank so we'd top up once or twice a season during a big cruise or if we happened to be alongside somewhere, but certainly in a normal weekend didn't really need much water - we'd take out a pair of 5l bottles for drinking/cooking, and use a tiny bit from the tank for any washing.

If you can afford and have the option of a walk ashore marina it does avoid a bit of faff with water taxi/dinghy/kit, but if you don't want to spend that much money on a marina, I wouldn't rule out trying some form of swinging mooring/trot if that lets you get afloat at a price point you're happy with.

you’re missing the point. It’s not what you’re happy with. It’s what the whole faniily is happy with.

With electricity you keep the boat warm with background heat so you can keep the beds made. The fridges can stay on so you can have food ready and waiting. Have a remote control to turn the heating on before you arrive. An air frier and a microwave makes cooking for the kids so easy.

Without water how do you wash down the boat and keep it shiny? Maybe that isn’t important to you. But it doesn’t matter what is important to you……

 

[ashtead]

Trots take a certain degree of learning even for a small boat but while I suspect Hayling won’t permit some harbour masters like on Medina permitted a self bought pontoon to be installed -whether this still applies don’t know though.

 

[paulbrown22]

you’re missing the point. It’s not what you’re happy with. It’s what the whole faniily is happy with.

With electricity you keep the boat warm with background heat so you can keep the beds made. The fridges can stay on so you can have food ready and waiting. Have a remote control to turn the heating on before you arrive. An air frier and a microwave makes cooking for the kids so easy.

Without water how do you wash down the boat and keep it shiny? Maybe that isn’t important to you. But it doesn’t matter what is important to you……

That was precisely the point - when I was growing up my whole family were very happy with that arrangement, as were many others in the moorings, as it's what we could happily afford so we made it work for us to be able to enjoy boating. We didn't need (and still don't need) background heat, always on fridges, remote control heating, air friers or microwaves on a boat, but some people might want all those creature comforts (and more) on their boats.

Clearly there's many different approaches to boating, some of which are cheaper than others, and we all do what fits our budgets and requirements.

 

[stranded]

We’ve had 5 years on summer trot/winter swinging on the Dart. For the last three years we have not connected to shorepower (except for power tools during annual lift out) from one year to the next. Even when we stop in marinas. It’s a state of mind. We don’t smell, we heat water and shower when we want to. We fill up the water every 7-10 day. We have a 80l/hr schenker water maker which we don’t bother depickling and a diesel generator which is being ripped out as we speak. We wash and wax the boat once a year when we lift out. We do not suffer hardship. Each to their own.

 

[Boaty_Pete]

Well obviously people will come out of the woodwork to defend their 'ideal' type of boating.
Personal choices will vary at a multiple above the number of contributors.
I think the original comments were based on a slight tone from the OP of a little optimism that hit a level a few people wanted to warn about, not dump-on.
Plus add a few
'maybe you should consider, as it comes across that maybe you hadn't ' Points.

If we only help the OP a little, we've served our purpose.

 

[Hot Property]

Well obviously people will come out of the woodwork to defend their 'ideal' type of boating.
Personal choices will vary at a multiple above the number of contributors.
I think the original comments were based on a slight tone from the OP of a little optimism that hit a level a few people wanted to warn about, not dump-on.
Plus add a few
'maybe you should consider, as it comes across that maybe you hadn't ' Points.

If we only help the OP a little, we've served our purpose.

I think Elessar was right to point out the costs of running any boat. Personal choice and budget will decide what boat the OP eventually buys.

I'm my sphere of boating I've always liked outboard powered boats and that's the direction the market is moving to.

My friends all had stern drive Cuddy's like Cranchi 24 ft, Regals etc.

Most have now moved to outboard powered boats.

A 24 ft boat is very different to a 20 ft cuddy and that's the decision the OP will make.

Some friends still have 25 ft Regals with supercharged engines that can reach 55 mph.

Towing is a challenge and they have Ram vehicles doing 8 mpg to tow....

If the maintenance requirements for the boat in question aren't to onerous, then perhaps it's the right decision?

 

[ontheplane]

To fill in a little more (and I thank you all for the inputs) what I've done in the past is keep the boat on a cheap mooring (Swing / trot etc) and then we get onboard and motor to a nearby posh marina and use all their facilities as a visitor.... then moor back at the swing / trot etc....

I then get a little evening pootle in the dying sunlight of a summers eve (very lovely) then we all sit at a posh marina with drinky poos and watch all the posh boats and people considerably richer than I am - then the next day we depart, go and have a days boating and go back to the main mooring....

This means I get all the benefits of the fancy marina for the (perhaps) 30 nights a year on board, but pay only about £900 for the privilege - whereas berthing in a posh marina looks to be about £4000 more than some of these cheaper options....

Yes undoubtably there are compromises - the run in the dinghy to the boat etc.... but sadly on my wages, I don't have a spare 10k a year to boat - more like 5k....

 

[ontheplane]

Yes South Island is the one the other side of Solent -berthing even at marina is quite a bit cheaper -Island harbour or moorings from Newport harbour master in medina river just down from Cowes might be available -otherwise a mooring up Fishbourne creek or in Bembridge harbour via joining local sailing club Brading haven yc might be option.

But I don't live on the isle of wight! So if my boat is there and I am on the Mainland how to do I get to it?