UK Circumnavigation - Yacht Charter

[jon_bailey]

FWIW I like your plan.

There's no way you'd buy a newish 3x foot boat and equip it with all the goodies that come with a coded boat for under 15k. Plus this way someone else does the (perhaps) tedious preperation for you and if things wear out on the way round someone else picks up the bill. When you get back you hand a well used, worn boat back to the owner and walk away.

My 2p worth.

I do not see why a 2000 NM, three month trip (33 hrs sailing a week) should turn a yacht into a well used, worn boat, although I do see the appeal of handing back at the end of the trip.

As an update, I now have three offers of a charter, 2 of which have come from forum members - so many thanks to those who see an opportunity. Looking at the overall cost of the trip, the costs of charter or ownership are not the substantive costs, so I am still trying decide between charter and purchase, although the former is probably favourite.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

I do not see why a 2000 NM, three month trip (33 hrs sailing a week) should turn a yacht into a well used, worn boat

Do you think people do boat maintainance for no reason, then?

 

[BobnLesley]

That's easy

...a £10,000 boat that only requires £2,000 to be spent on it to provide a safe, reliable, comfortable and safe vessel?...

http://www.albinvega.co.uk/techhist.php

 

[alexrunic]

two mates of mine have just gone round in a 26ft sadler they say it cost them 2 K for fuel food moorings etc. it took them 8 weeks, but were very lucky with the weather. Personally I would buy and re sell a boat, chartering seems a very expensive way of doing it. Just my opinion though.

 

[jon_bailey]

Surprised that they did it for £2k, unless that was each. Depending on how much you include, i.e. exclude costs that would be incurred if just undertaking normal sailing activities, then if you add in preparation costs, repairs, comms, charts/pilotage, living costs (other than food) and other expenses, then although the cost of charter is significant it may not be the majority cost.

 

[alexrunic]

No that's for the two of them and included all expenses after leaving there home port and until they arrived back, I'm sure they did not lie to me, the chap who told me is very organised and kept a detailed dairy. Oh it didn't include charts or pilot books but think they said they spent £500 ish on them. The only thing that broke on the way round was an alternator drive belt. The boat was in good condition before they set off. I just think chartering would be such a waste of money.

 

[Tranona]

Surprised that they did it for £2k, unless that was each. Depending on how much you include, i.e. exclude costs that would be incurred if just undertaking normal sailing activities, then if you add in preparation costs, repairs, comms, charts/pilotage, living costs (other than food) and other expenses, then although the cost of charter is significant it may not be the majority cost.

You are probably right. This is almost a piece of string problem. I have just done a 1000 mile trip acrosss the Med with a crew of 3 over 20 days or so. Food fuel and berths plus the odd small repair was nearly £1k. Equipping the boat for a planned 2500 mile passage back to UK (which had to be aborted) over and above a well found crusing boat was thick end of £2k.

Thinking about it, my boat would be perfect for your proposed trip - only need the extra charts and pilots. Could be yours for £55k if I had to sell. I think if you can cope with the hassle of buying, upgrading and selling, that is the most economic route - although you might find rather limited choice in today's thin market. The charter of an older but fully equipped boat is the next best, but it will always be somebody else's boat.