Thinking of selling my Drascombe to hire a boat occasionally instead!

Zagato

Zagato

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 Sep 2010
Messages
2,813
Location
Chichester Harbour
Visit site
I am thinking the unthinkable about selling my much loved Drascombe to occasionally hire a small boat instead. Does anyone know of any companies along the south coast preferably Chichester - Weymouth that hires smaller, powered sailing boats suitable for single handing?

The reason for this for those that know me is that I have really got back into motorbiking this year and see my my new mates 2-3 times a week and we go out regularly for rides. It takes 15 mins to get the bike and myself ready before I have instant fun. In contrast my boat sits on the drive most of the year, and sailing for me with sea sickness when weather conditions are right is limited. I would be VERY sad to see my boat go but It just makes if I could just hire a boat occasionally and free up funds to put into my new hobby. I have not sailed at all this year and only bob about mostly in estauries when I do. I was talking to a marine designer who now works largely abroad who was saying thay many folks are chartering instead of owning and it kind of makes sense if you can only sail occasionally. To be able to hire a little Shrimper/Drascombe etc occasionally would be ideal for me.
 
Zagato said:
I am thinking the unthinkable about selling my much loved Drascombe to occasionally hire a small boat instead. Does anyone know of any companies along the south coast preferably Chichester - Weymouth that hires smaller, powered sailing boats suitable for single handing?

The reason for this for those that know me is that I have really got back into motorbiking this year and see my my new mates 2-3 times a week and we go out regularly for rides. It takes 15 mins to get the bike and myself ready before I have instant fun. In contrast my boat sits on the drive most of the year, and sailing for me with sea sickness when weather conditions are right is limited. I would be VERY sad to see my boat go but It just makes if I could just hire a boat occasionally and free up funds to put into my new hobby. I have not sailed at all this year and only bob about mostly in estauries when I do. I was talking to a marine designer who now works largely abroad who was saying thay many folks are chartering instead of owning and it kind of makes sense if you can only sail occasionally. To be able to hire a little Shrimper/Drascombe etc occasionally would be ideal for me.
Click to expand...

Which Drascombe do you have?
 
Not easy to argue against that. Horses for courses. etc. I don't get out very often right now, but the boat is a security blanket in the barn. Maybe better used by someone else more often?

Caveat.. I am building another, more suited to creaking bones...;o)
 
Not aware of anybody who hires out what you are looking for. No money in it as demand low and costs high.
 
I don't know of any for hire in the area you mention, but Shrimpers can be hired in Cornwall at Mylor Boat Hire - http://mylorboathire.co.uk/ and Drascombe Longboats at St Anthony ( at the mouth of the Helford river) - http://www.sailawaystanthony.co.uk/

However neither as you will see are cheap but then you haven't the costs of owning a boat! Maybe take a holiday in Cornwall and hire a boat there - I can recommend St Anthony ( they also have holiday cottages) very safe and ideal for young children.
 
Zagato said:
It takes 15 mins to get the bike and myself ready before I have instant fun. In contrast my boat sits on the drive most of the year, and sailing for me with sea sickness when weather conditions are right is limited. I would be VERY sad to see my boat go but It just makes if I could just hire a boat occasionally and free up funds to put into my new hobby.
Click to expand...

One solution is to keep the boat afloat. I kept my Longboat in the marina for some years making it easy to nip out for a couple of hours whatever the state of the tide. If you have a Lugger it would be cheaper but it is of course a money thing...I tried trailer sailing some years ago but the effort and time involved put me off.
 
Some sailing clubs have boats that members can use, the local one has been offered a variety of dinghies at various times but has declined them because we do not have the membership numbers to justify use and maintenance, however there are dayboats in the yard that I could borrow. Most larger clubs have small boats for teaching kids and often a larger stable craft to encourage adults, we used to keep a Laser 13 cruising dinghy to entertain the mums when they brought their kids down for classes in the Picos, but even in those that haven't it should not be long before you encounter someone who would be willing to share. My other club is big into disabled sailing and keeps two boats in a marina for the purpose but is always anxious to encourage their use.
 
It won't help you unless you are on holiday, but Linnie Marine on Loch Linnie have (or at least used to) a Drascombe Lugger for hire. I know because we sailed it 15 years ago.

We faced a bit of a dilemma earlier this year, we were having thoughts that we didn't use our boat enough. Then we noticed a vacancy in a boat share group. So we sold our boat and joined that group. Now, for less money that we were paying to keep our own boat, we have 2 boats available to sail in 2 different locations, and a group of 6 other people to go sailing with. We hope this will mean we go sailing more than we used to.
 
Have you considered selling a share via a notice at local club? You might find someone willing to use and co fund a mooring etc? I'm sure many would like the occasionally use of a Drascombe on a mooring up by say Thorney etc even if tidal . Curious to know what the likely number you might expect for Drascombe ?
 
Zagato said:
I am thinking the unthinkable about selling my much loved Drascombe to occasionally hire a small boat instead. Does anyone know of any companies along the south coast preferably Chichester - Weymouth that hires smaller, powered sailing boats suitable for single handing?

The reason for this for those that know me is that I have really got back into motorbiking this year and see my my new mates 2-3 times a week and we go out regularly for rides. It takes 15 mins to get the bike and myself ready before I have instant fun. In contrast my boat sits on the drive most of the year, and sailing for me with sea sickness when weather conditions are right is limited. I would be VERY sad to see my boat go but It just makes if I could just hire a boat occasionally and free up funds to put into my new hobby. I have not sailed at all this year and only bob about mostly in estauries when I do. I was talking to a marine designer who now works largely abroad who was saying thay many folks are chartering instead of owning and it kind of makes sense if you can only sail occasionally. To be able to hire a little Shrimper/Drascombe etc occasionally would be ideal for me.
Click to expand...

In Chi Harbour, Itchenor boat hire will hire you a substantial open sailing boat, or a motorboat with cuddy for a day or overnight:

http://www.itchenorboathire.co.uk/boats.html
 
Thanks for all your replies. I have only just now sadly decided to sell my boat, I just have to do it, sad as it is, I would just get more pleasure from a bike (if only sea sickness didn,t plague me so badly, please no cure suggestions been discussed and tried over the years on this forum) and thanks for the links to hire in Mylor and especially Mark-1 with the Itchenor boat hire link. I actually know Tim the owner well as I stored my boat with him for a number of years but didn,t know he had expanded his hire fleet from one RIB to what is on offer now and especially the little sailing boat with outboard for day sailing in estuaries... Perfect for my family in Chi harbour, many thanks.
 
Well I put an advert up three days ago, found a prospective buyer in Spain but my trailer is not EU registered which drew the selling process out. Realistically he would have needed to buy a new trailer. As he was thinking about it all, so was I and I just knew it was a mistake to sell. I left it a day then told him I didn,t want to sell, no problem he said, it was all too much for him with logistics and trailer issue so everyone remains happy.

The great thing about a GRP boat is it can be left undercover for a long time until you want to use it again. I have put too much into her and gained too much knowledge (well kind of) sailing her in local waters to give it all up. My kids would miss out and when I am old and smell my wife will want me out of the way from under her feet so... She is a keeper, I could never find a Coaster like her again as she is still the ideal boat for me for waking up in on an estuary somewhere around the country :encouragement: if you see a little green boat up a creek one morning and smell burning bacon, that will be me.
 
Last edited:
I wouldn,t want to hire her out, she is in too nice condition and I don,t like sharing my toys! No I just have to keep saving for a second bike, no big deal plenty to do with house renovation, classic car exisitng FJR1300 bike. I have finished landscaping the garden, planting hedges etc over the last three years and just completed major groundworks outside shifting 120 tonnes of soil in 10 twenty tonne lorries to create a larger parking area the size of three double garages to park my boat and clients cars for rust prevention work (classics to brand new cars). New toys are the last priority...
 
Glad to hear you're not giving up the Drascombe.

Just one thought...plenty of boats at my club have owners who remain keen, but are too busy "at the moment" to use their boats...

...they keep paying the dues, and suddenly five years have passed, the boat is pitiably neglected and beyond easy restoration...

...none of their owners would have possibly foreseen so much time passing before they used the boat again...so...

...before you stop focusing on your Drascombe, be sure she has a really good cover. If it needs replacement, spend the money today, it's worth it.
 
Oh Yes, she is well protected. I bought a thick heavy duty cover three years ago and it is still like new, no deterioration what so ever. I just wish I could remember what it is made from and who the company was I bought it from. Think it was about £450. Not fitted just a big rectangle... It is heavy though so not suitable for those that don,t eat shredded wheat!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top