Suggested boat for Sandford mooring

[pouch]

I am looking to purchase a boat for next season, we have option of a mooring connected with the flat.
The mooring is outside the flat, so very convenient but their are a few limitations.

The boat must be on trailer as it needs to be moved from mooring to onsite boat park in winter.
It must be less than 25ft and there is no shore power.

I'm looking for a small boat that sleeps 2 + 2, more long weekend and evening use.
I have looked at some cuddy cruisers, As they they are often with trailers, look more suitable to trailer and store on the grass boat park.
I looked at a freeman 22 a month ago, but no trailer & a heavy boat to trailer in and out by car.

Any thoughts on if a cuddy cruiser would be suitable?
Many have large engines, can they cope with 5kts all day?
I have around £5 to £20k to spend on the right boat.

 

[Cashbuyer]

I am looking to purchase a boat for next season, we have option of a mooring connected with the flat.
The mooring is outside the flat, so very convenient but their are a few limitations.

The boat must be on trailer as it needs to be moved from mooring to onsite boat park in winter.
It must be less than 25ft and there is no shore power.

I'm looking for a small boat that sleeps 2 + 2, more long weekend and evening use.
I have looked at some cuddy cruisers, As they they are often with trailers, look more suitable to trailer and store on the grass boat park.
I looked at a freeman 22 a month ago, but no trailer & a heavy boat to trailer in and out by car.

Any thoughts on if a cuddy cruiser would be suitable?
Many have large engines, can they cope with 5kts all day?
I have around £5 to £20k to spend on the right boat.

Quicksilver 650 Weekender looks pretty useful. One for sale on Apollo Duck. No outdrive to go wrong and handy space for a rainy day.
Fairline Weekend still looks good for it's age but beware of old outdrive.
Both easy to trail.

 

[pouch]

Thanks for the suggestions, both look interesting, I had dismissed the "fishing style" pilot house boats, but it's looks useful & I imagine would track better with a outboard.

I understand age is a factor with outboards & stern drives. Assuming both are in good condition is sterndrive going to be ok for Thames cruising?

 

[prof pat pending]

Do you need a trailer, or can you put it on blocks in your boat park for the winter?
If you can, it might be worth asking someone like http://www.tonytugboats.com/ how much to take you boat out of the water and place it in the boat park. I wouldn't imagine the cost to be high, so you could get a number of years for the price of a reasonable trailer.
This would also allow you to get a heavier boat that might be better suited to your needs

I assume your mooring would be just below the lock, if you are new to the area don't even think of leaving it in, earlier this year the water was up to the woodwork on the steel wall.

Also keep in mind what you want to do with said boat. Osney bridge isn't far upstream from you, you need to consider if you want to go that way, if you do, will the boat you are looking at pass under it

 

[Cashbuyer]

Thanks for the suggestions, both look interesting, I had dismissed the "fishing style" pilot house boats, but it's looks useful & I imagine would track better with a outboard.

I understand age is a factor with outboards & stern drives. Assuming both are in good condition is sterndrive going to be ok for Thames cruising?

Plenty of sterndrives on the river and I would consider fitting a bow thruster, even on a smaller sportsboat. You'll tie yourself up in knots trying to find a boat that fits all your tick boxes, so have a look around at as many as you can and you'll find one eventually that you like. Take brokers comments about condition with a huge pinch of salt. Sports boats are fine, but think about crawling around the foredeck in a lock.

 

[pouch]

Yes the mooring is below Sandford lock, it was high last Feb when we bought our flat.
The boats have to come out, but "boat park" is a glorified name for some nicely mowed grass.
High enough to be clear of water, but it has to be on a trailer.

I'll check the height for Osney bridge, it would be nice to go upstream too.
That will I suspect may rule out boats like Quicksilver 650 weekender.

I guess we won't get it perfect with the 1st boat, but as long as I tick some key boxes we can change when we know what we prefer in a year or two

It don't want a project, and it needs to really just accommodate 2 in some comfort.
I'll check out bow thrusters, never used those when sailing, but so many boats have them now.

I don't mind a stern drive, but I can imagine a v8 5ltr is going to enjoy 5knts. On the river?
Does anyone have any experience of big engine sterndrive & river cruising?

 

[Chris_d]

A sterndrive is fine on the river once you get used to the different steering response, they offer a lot of advantages as the prop can be tilted up to check or clear it
and for getting into shallow moorings others can't access, However any old sterndrive should be carefully checked over by someone knowledgable as a bad one will
be a money pit. Shafts are therefore a safer buy if its an older boat you are looking at.

Petrol engines even 5l V8's are fine running slowly on the river its some older larger diesels and two strokes that suffer a bit but this issue is massively overstated, I wouldn't
worry about it. I ran a 220hp petrol engine with outdrive on the river for about 10 years and it was fine, its now sitting in Yarmouth blasting around the Solent.
Best to concentrate on finding a boat in the best condition you can regardless of the engine or type, this is much more important.

I notice you quoted the speed limit as as 5knts its actually 5mph (4.3knts), doesn't sound much but in a sports boat it can be the difference between producing a
saintly friendly wash or looking like a hooligan

 

[prof pat pending]

You'll probably find that the larger engine boats put you back into a weight issue, that quicksilver will weigh about the same as the Freeman 22 you looked at

Osney is usually around 7'6" depending on the river levels

 

[TrueBlue]

Folks may scorn - but given that you want some comfort, how about a SeaOtter?
They do / did make a 21ft version and their light enough to be pulled out by a 4x4.
The company is trying to reincarnate itself, but there may be a used example for sale.

Whatever you do surely 25ft. is unlikely to accommodate 2 + 2 as you state in the first post.

 

[prof pat pending]

This is just down the road from you at Abingdon marina and might suit your needs.
http://www.premiermarineltd.co.uk/80735/info.php?p=2&pid=6316523&ack=9

500kg's lighter than the Freeman, cheap enough to run and maintain and Shetlands seem to hold their value quite well.
The airdraft on a hard top might be right on the limit for Osney, so perhaps look for one with a folding canopy if the layout suits.

 

[Medway Mudlark]

View attachment 46623

How about this?..... Draco2000 dc volvo penta aq130c/270 in immaculate turn key condition, includes single axle trailer. 5f 8ins with all folded, 6f 6ins with canopy up.will happily cruise at river speeds all day at 2.25l/hr but capable of 28knots

 

[pouch]

The dracco is very interesting.

Looking at so many different boats now, one option we are looking at is small cuddly sports, with a reasonable canopy.
I am not expecting 4 berths inside, but an occasional +2 in the summer.

Interesting so far if even down to a Galeon Galia 560 which is just really overnight capability.
Also Regals but I am thinking of looking at some newer boats rather than older, post 2000 at present.
Winter should be a great time to find one.

My last sail boat had 5 births at 25, cramped to say the least!