The Share Option

[martynwhiteley]

Well it's now some 15 months since I sold my last boat, and the novelty of driving a nice car and having money in my pocket is wearing thin.

I've started to look at boats again, but find the same problem. I can't afford what I really want, and feel I'd just end up buying something again that's too much of a compromise.

So I'm very seriously considering taking up a (1/24th) share option on 'Ranworth Breeze', a 2001 Birchwood 340AC based on the Broads, giving 2 weeks of usage per year, on something that does seem a bit more like it (No B'wood jokes please - I used to like my 27 Countess, even if you could see daylight through the hull moulding).

Any forumites got any experience of such boat share schemes?

 

[Nick_H]

The summer in UK lasts about 16 weeks, and there will be 24 owners, so you will get a summer holiday on the boat once every two years and it might be raining. If that doesn't bother you then it may be a good idea. Would it not be better to rent something?

 

[martynwhiteley]

Your probably right Nick,

But it's not too easy to rent something other than the usual Hoseasons/Blakes hire boats in the UK unless you jump up to corporate charter type packages.

The better hire boats are available on the Caledonian Canal, but you're looking at up to £2K a week for something comparable to the B340. To rent one for 2 weeks a year for a few years would soon build up to a tidy sum.

But I've never subscribed to the time share philosophy, and it's easy to forget about the maintenance payments.

Perhaps such schemes, just cater for our ego, where we can somehow fool ourselves into thinking we 'own' a decent boat.

 

[pks1702]

You could hire a Birchwood 340AC from Faircraft Loynes in Wroxham(put Fair Diplomat in Google). Good people to deal with from all accounts although I have no personal experience.

Perry

ps: Ranworth Breeze is based at Ferry Marina Horning - but you probably already knew that

 

[tcm]

Hello stranger. Hope your socks are still holding out.

I think a 24th share is too small to even tray and control, and with that many owners the boat is essentially being rented - but with all of the responsibilities pushed on to the owners. I saw an 1/8 share owner glumly sitting on non-moving boat - another owner had put water in the diesel tank, but nobody was sure who it was. With 48 rental weeks a year i am not at all sure how maintenance gets done and the answer must be that it eats into useage time at (partly, somehow) your risk. Or more risk than if rental, wwhere if the boat doesn't work you getyer money back.

Note of course that i bet the price of the 24th share is negotiable. I mean, what nitwit would buy that?! er, oops...

 

[Jim44]

What is the problem with smaller boats? What do you need the space for?
I personally perfer a smaller boat, not as much work to do and quicker to clean and hence more enjoyment.

I have owned 3 boats, a 2655 Bayliner then a Sealine F44 and now 285 Bayliner. I loved the Bayliners and the Sealine was ok. I Personally get more enjoyment out of the Bayliners than I ever did with the Sealine.

The joy of having your own boat to use whenever you want is more important that size to me.

 

[martynwhiteley]

Draws full of new socks now thanks Matt, thanks to no boat to feed.

I think pks may just have made up my mind.

I'm surprised by how cheap the rental deals are on the 'Fair Diplomat' 2005 Birchwood 340AC (Although it looks like a regular hire boat fit out and obviously restricted to river use, unlike the 200 hp 'retail' version). The ability to hire at about £1K per week rather than the £2K, puts a different slant on the maths.

No good Jim44 trying to convince you that size isn't important!

 

[Ranworth breeze]

Ranworth Breeze Boat Syndicate

Hello,

Ranworth Breeze is now self managed, the shares have always been 20 or 5%.

The boat a 2001 Birchwood 340AC is managed by the Management Committee made up of 5 elected owners from the yearly AGM.

We are currently moored at Tingdene Marina at Brundall.

Our sister boat Southern Crusader is also self managed now.

For more information please contact Alan Hood or visit our website at www.ranworthbreeze.co.uk

Regards
Alan Hood
Ranworth Breeze Boat Syndicate