Starting from scratch, what and where to buy

[jakethepeg]

Hi All. I am new here and overwhelmed by the amount of info and how busy the site is.
I am planning to buy a boat about 8-10 metres as a liveaboard, moor it in Cannes Marina and use it for April, May and June each year, and place it at the disposal of my UK based children as a pied a terre (on the water) for the other months. I will not be using it for coastal cruising but would like to move it west at some time to sail the Canal de Midi etc. Should I buy in France or the UK, or alternatively buy in the US and ship it over as prices seem much much lower there. ( I did this with an 11metre motorhome and saved thousands) . Has anyone done this? I will be coming up from S Africa to take the ICC and CEVNI courses and may also do a coastal course. Also, any thoughts on the boat linked here, TYSM
http://www.nauticea-yachting.com/in...nager&view=details&id=293&catid=13&Itemid=149

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Welcome to the forum. Apart from the obvious regulatory obstacles like CE marking of a US boat, it would be very surprising if you could make a material financial saving bringing a boat over from the US if €25k is your price point. Best deals seem to be in Europe at the moment. On that particular boat, I'm assuming it's on outdrives, which would be a handful on the Canal du Midi (you'd need to check air draft as well).

 

[Momac]

Hi All. I am new here and overwhelmed by the amount of info and how busy the site is.
I am planning to buy a boat about 8-10 metres as a liveaboard, moor it in Cannes Marina and use it for April, May and June each year, and place it at the disposal of my UK based children as a pied a terre (on the water) for the other months. I will not be using it for coastal cruising but would like to move it west at some time to sail the Canal de Midi etc. Should I buy in France or the UK, or alternatively buy in the US and ship it over as prices seem much much lower there. ( I did this with an 11metre motorhome and saved thousands) . Has anyone done this? I will be coming up from S Africa to take the ICC and CEVNI courses and may also do a coastal course. Also, any thoughts on the boat linked here, TYSM
http://www.nauticea-yachting.com/in...nager&view=details&id=293&catid=13&Itemid=149

Looks like a bargain. Plenty of interior space for the size of the boat.
Twin outdrives a piece of cake to handle.

 

[rafiki_]

You might find a 10m boat rather small as a liveaboard? The Sealine is a nice boat for maybe a week, but not much more. We used to have a 10m boat, and loved it..........for 3 or 4 days.

 

[Greg2]

Certainly a bargain price for a Sealine 310. The 150hp engines are marginal in that boat as they really need the 200hp version. That said they will be okay for your planned use and at that asking price I wouldn't be too worried about re-sale. Reality is that a planing hull and outdrives aren't the best for slow speed handling but plenty of people have them on inland waterways and they are fine (we had similar on our last boat that we used at sea and inland).

Not sure how many people you would want aboard but sleeping arrangements on the 310 are a good sized double berth under the helm and circular dinette converts into a double berth IIRC.

 

[Momac]

You might find a 10m boat rather small as a liveaboard? The Sealine is a nice boat for maybe a week, but not much more. We used to have a 10m boat, and loved it..........for 3 or 4 days.

We used to take two week holidays on our S23 which is 7.3m !
Must admit , in the end, the chief officer demanded a bigger boat.
.

 

[Tranona]

Hi All. I am new here and overwhelmed by the amount of info and how busy the site is.
I am planning to buy a boat about 8-10 metres as a liveaboard, moor it in Cannes Marina and use it for April, May and June each year, and place it at the disposal of my UK based children as a pied a terre (on the water) for the other months. I will not be using it for coastal cruising but would like to move it west at some time to sail the Canal de Midi etc. Should I buy in France or the UK, or alternatively buy in the US and ship it over as prices seem much much lower there. ( I did this with an 11metre motorhome and saved thousands) . Has anyone done this? I will be coming up from S Africa to take the ICC and CEVNI courses and may also do a coastal course. Also, any thoughts on the boat linked here, TYSM
http://www.nauticea-yachting.com/in...nager&view=details&id=293&catid=13&Itemid=149

For your intended use you should perhaps look at a displacement motor boat rather than the one you linked to. That would be a nightmare in the Canal, and as others have said, not really suited for living on board.

Not economical to buy from the US even if you found a boat that would meet the regulatory requirements - and like the boat in your link they are not suitable for your use.

You will find suitable boats for sale in France, but you will find you need at least 10m to get the sort of accommodation suitable for living on for more than a few days at a time. suspect you will also need a larger budget than suggested by that boat.

 

[jakethepeg]

Lots of interesting points to ponder, and much useful input. Last year we spent three and a half months in a 6 metre motorhome together so are used to living at close quarters! Also the close to parity between the $/Euro has an impact. I know the French are very particular with imports and regulations as I am finding out importing my Citroen DS21 there, so would consider reg in UK. The discussion re planing/displacement hull is also worth considering, I would appreciate more info.

 

[Nick_H]

Have you checked costs and availability of berths in Cannes? Rental berths are like hens teeth, and most people have to buy long leases which will cost more than the boats you're looking at. If you don't plan to do any coastal cruising, do you really want a boat? When you add in berth costs, insurance, maintenance and devaluation, you may find a small apartment is a better option. It would need more cash upfront of course, but could be an appreciating asset rather than a cash drain, and it may work out cheaper to rent an apartment than to buy a boat and rent a berth, assuming you could find a rental berth.

 

[jakethepeg]

yes I have looked into berths at the marinas and have been into the office to check availability and cost. Usually with most of the projects I take on I add value, through upgrades which I undertake myself so hope to mitigate depreciation. I have looked into a small apartment in the area ( I particularly like Theoule sur Mer) but too expensive, starting at 150,000 Euros. So a boat seems a cheap option Hope all this does not sound overconfident as I approach it with some trepidation.

 

[Tranona]

Lots of interesting points to ponder, and much useful input. Last year we spent three and a half months in a 6 metre motorhome together so are used to living at close quarters! Also the close to parity between the $/Euro has an impact. I know the French are very particular with imports and regulations as I am finding out importing my Citroen DS21 there, so would consider reg in UK. The discussion re planing/displacement hull is also worth considering, I would appreciate more info.

Not a good comparison between a motor home and a boat. Boats are not square and in that size headroom is an issue so the available living space is smaller. However, it does to an extent depend on one's definition of living and clearly some people are willing to live in cramped spaces using the barest of equipment and chattels around them.

The import bit is nothing to do with France, but is EU wide. US boats face expenses to get them to comply with the RCD to make them legal to use in the EU. Shipping from the states is expensive plus the boat will be subject to duty and 20% VAT on entry. So when you add all this in a $25k boat in the US could end up nearly double that once landed. The secondhand market for imported secondhand US boats in Europe is very limited.

Think you are optimistic if you expect to "add value" by renting a berth in the South of France and putting an old motor boat on it. If it was easy, everybody would do it. In reality it will eat money and only worth doing if like the rest of us you value owning and using a boat more highly than the money required to do it.

 

[jakethepeg]

I do understand what you are saying re size, as some boats with the same length have a lot more room in them than a sports cruiser, I just liked the price and specs. I have imported and exported vehicles all over the world, and I know for instance that getting one into the UK is a doddle compared to France, wondered f it was the same for boats. And I would certainly not 'expect to "add value" by renting a berth in the South of France and putting an old motor boat on it" more by buying something sound but needing improving/upgrading or cosmetic or mechanical work. I have built wooden boats from the keel up and restored many classic vehicles so have the required skill set, or at least most of it. It s also something I enjoy doing

 

[MapisM]

a boat seems a cheap option Hope all this does not sound overconfident

Oh, dear. I'm afraid it doesn't only sound, it sure is!

That said, forget the US anyway.
Mind, I'm saying that as someone who, not many years ago, flew to the other side of the Pond with a serious plan to buy a boat there.
But nowadays, I'd rather fly to the Med, if I were a US boater interested in 2nd hand boats.

 

[Nick_H]

yes I have looked into berths at the marinas and have been into the office to check availability and cost. Usually with most of the projects I take on I add value, through upgrades which I undertake myself so hope to mitigate depreciation. I have looked into a small apartment in the area ( I particularly like Theoule sur Mer) but too expensive, starting at 150,000 Euros. So a boat seems a cheap option Hope all this does not sound overconfident as I approach it with some trepidation.

Coming at this from a different angle, why would you keep a boat in Cannes marina and not go cruising in it? You'll be right in the middle of some of the nicest coastal cruising grounds in the world, it would be such a shame not to explore at least some of it.