Want to buy a boat, but where to keep it?

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woodenman

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Hi

I have finally made the decision to get a boat, after putting it off for a long time. Not a big one, just a little inshore cruiser.

I live near Exeter and in order to be sure of using the thing, it needs to be moor/berthed within 25 mins or be trailerable.

Trouble is I'm scuppered all ways it seems.
The boat needs to be an overnighter for us 2 and the kids, so probably a 27ft er ish. Big to tow, although happy to change the wife's car to a Land Rover.

But I can't find a slipway that would be ok for that size.
Nor can I find a berth and the Estruary ones are mostly drying out positions. I also have no experience of estruary moorings. How do you get to them when it's a small boat?

Sorry for the rambling question, but it feels that fianally taking the mental plunge and getting the money together is in vain, despite living just 20 mins from the sea!!! AAGGHH!
 
You regularly see moorings on the Ex for sale, so I guess that's one way. Google "berths for sale". Most 27 footers have similar layout to 24 footers, which are a bit more trailerable, but still borderline.

More expensive, and also a bit over 25 mins, but you could moor a boat in Torquay marina?
 
## Torquay ##

The sudgestion of Torquay is a good one & they are offering annual berths at present.

If you can I would go with a marina berth, it has so many more benefits especially with kids, easy access, facilities, security, safety (no dinghy ride to get onboard) etc etc.

The ease of access means that evening trips after work, spontanious trips to the boat etc are easier if all you need is a 20 min car journey to be on the water.
The price may sound a little steep when you start but you will use it a lot more if it's easy to do so, even sitting onboard in the marina is worth it plus you have a lot more to keep you occupied if the weathers a bit off.
 
If you're happy with changing the wifes car to a Land Rover or a Discovery etc then you can go up to 27ft, but it will depend how old the kids are.

My parents had me in a boat at 6mths old - a 17 footer and only upgraded to a 20 footer when I got too big to sleep in the cabin with them - my sister was 5yrs older than me, and slept in the cockpit.

I guess it all comes down to what's the budget, how much speed you need, and a number of other factors - but I don't think you need to go as big as 27' for your first foray into boating.
 
A 27ft boat is a huge and heavy boat to tow. We used to tow a 23ft Sealine and that was massive (when on the trailor!) with all the associated launching problems. I can't imagine that many 27 footers will come with a trailor so there is possibly a substantial financial outlay awaiting you there. You may be looking at a 6 wheeler to carry the weight which is always considerably more than the dry weight boat spec.
Sorry to be negative.
 
Can also confess to having the T-shirt from our towing days.

Used to tow a 23ft Bayliner Ciera down to Brixham, very steep slipway as i'm sure your aware & it was to say the least a handfull when launching & recovering.
All up weight with trailer 2.8t, even with the 4x4 it was quite an interesting time, so much so that we only used it if the weather was ok for weeks on end & then only between June & August!!
Would not recomend anyone new to launching & recovering a boat to start with 27ft or even 24ft.
It will stay on the trailer more often than not due to the hassle of launching, dont forget when the sun does shine boats are like the proverbial Flies round S#'t at the launch sites, no time to be trying to launch a big boat & certainly no space to store a trailer.

The only other sudgestion other than a berth or mooring is to leave the boat at a boatyard with slipway access.
Dartside quay, Galmpton (river Dart access) or Retreat Boatyard (river Exe access) spring to mind but Im sure there would be more if you searched for them.

Like this one:

http://www.blacknessmarine.co.uk/tariffs.htm
 
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It is a big lump...

I trailed my 27' boat last year, and it is a bl**dy big lump to lug around (especially when you have to get someone to stop the traffic whilst you reverse into a carpark in the middle of Lymington... no pressure...)

I've done a fair bit of trailering, but nothing on this scale:-

ServiceStation.jpg


SlipRoad.jpg


I must agree, not something I would want to be doing every weekend.

I've got a little (17') dory though, and hardly notice that it's there! There must be a happy medium somewhere.
 
Do you leave those round fenders on whilst you are towing?

They must fly all over the place!

I've got a sun roof on my wheel house...I made sure it was super safe before leaving on my last trip, got back to the yard and found it down inside the boat...thank Christ it never blew off on the motor way...bleeding scary the things that can come loose whilst towing.
 
GrowingLad said:
Do you leave those round fenders on whilst you are towing?
Click to expand...

I'd like to say no, I put them out for manoeuvring in car parks, however...

I just noticed them when posting the picture, and thought "pillock" :)

Just goes to show how much else there is to concentrate on whilst towing :confused:
 
Woodenman - we also live near Exeter and used to keep our Doral 250se on a swinging mooring in the Exe (not drying so was able to use pretty much any tide). BUT - found the whole thing with water taxi or dingy to boat loads of hassle with 2 small children. So last year we got a berth on Brixham marina. More expensive (but not as much as you' d at first think) - now find that we make much more use of the boat. Kids love it. I can supply contact details for a guy I know who will rent you a mooring on the Exe. As for slipways there are a few, but I would suggest that trailiering may just present you with loads of reasons not to use the boat. Slipways round the Exe are limited - there is one opposite the Beach pub in Exemouth, but it is very steep and can be tide limited (also in very strong current area). There area couple of other slipways round the Exe, but they are all tide dependant.
Will PM you my phone number - more than happy to talk about our experiences and give you contact details.
 
Maybe the wee Shetland would be a tight squeeze for a family but it is trailerable! If you want a big boat forget towing it and get a mooring. If you have to tow then you will need to get a smaller boat really. Called compromise.
Landrover products have a terrible reputation for being unreliable, buy Japanese!
The Black Prince has been for sale for a year or so.
 
gordmac said:
Maybe the wee Shetland would be a tight squeeze for a family but it is trailerable! If you want a big boat forget towing it and get a mooring. If you have to tow then you will need to get a smaller boat really. Called compromise.
Landrover products have a terrible reputation for being unreliable, buy Japanese!
The Black Prince has been for sale for a year or so.
Click to expand...

smaller boat for trailering - excellent advice

japanese vehicle = terrible advice!!!!!

I bought a brand new Mitsubishi l200 (towing capcity 2.5 tonnes), cost thousands (thankfully under warranty) including a new crank case cover (some belt ate through it), and a new cylinder head on what i thought was a brick outhouse of a vehicle.

25 year old landrover off eBay (3.5 tonnes towing capacity) - admittedly rebuilt with a newer engine on a galvanised chassis, but cost less than a fifth of the Mitsu - never misses a beat. Rough and ready, but a totally awesome vehicle which would pull a 747 up the slipway

Once had to have the Mitsu towed by a tractor on WET GRASS!!!!! :eek:

PS - interesting about the Black Prince - either a PoS or ripe for an offer?
 
gordmac said:
Maybe the wee Shetland would be a tight squeeze for a family but it is trailerable! If you want a big boat forget towing it and get a mooring. If you have to tow then you will need to get a smaller boat really. Called compromise.
Landrover products have a terrible reputation for being unreliable, buy Japanese!
The Black Prince has been for sale for a year or so.
Click to expand...

I didnt bother with a mooring, towed it around 10k miles over 4 years, and the Disco 'mostly' didnt break down.

26-11-2007212059.jpg


Towing big boats isnt the easiest thing to do, but when it gives you the ability to cruise Scotland, England, Wales, France, Spain and the Balearics in one season its worth it.
 
rr 123 Black Prince mentioned post 7 here http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188459 some discussion about it after. Was for sale a while by then I think.
Bad luck with the new Japanese car, statistically you would have much higher chance of problems with a new Landrover product though I am sure that is of no encouragement. At least you had a warranty to fall back on. Old Landys seem to be more durable, upmarket ones not so good.

You are right that towing gives a lot of flexibility about where you can go, at considerable cost. You do however need to know what you are doing to tow something that big. If you are quite young of course you won't have a licence to tow anything much at all.
 
As my other hobby is off-road driving with a heavily modified 4x4....

phoca_thumb_l_GreenLaningOct21-5.JPG


..i can assure you that wet grass is one of the most difficult surfaces you can drive across and I have seen the most modified of vehicles and skilled of drivers grind to a halt with spinning wheels.

Martin
 
Maybe the various local goverment authorities could be lobbied to upgrade launching facilities around the coast as well as inland.

A sympathetic politician, who wanted to make a name for themselves (prior to a major election?), could really get the ball rolling.

Seems the biggest problem is all tide ramps with suitable alongside floating pontoons and adequate parking.

Happened over here ten years ago, and the result has been incredible. The upgraded ramps and facilities have bought the seaside towns alive.
 
Want to buy a boat responses.....

Thank you all for your helpful replies. On balance the advice seems to be to buy a smaller boat to trailer or get a berth. It is a bit typical of me really, I do tend to get a bit carried away....

Only one person seemed to be happy towing a 26-27 footer. As tempted as I am to say, 'see! it can be done and so I will....', it is important to actually use it. If we had decent, big, wide slipways with ample car parks, I might give it a try, but they are completely useless in East Devon, rubbish.

There must be a huge demand for a decent Marina east of Torquay. A tiny one at Exmouth with a huge waiting list for residents and that's about it. Anyone with a spare £20m fancy investing? Just feels like from Dawlish to Lyme Regis is crying out for something a little more than an estruary?

I'll close down the ad for the Doral 265cc then. Sniff...

Mike - Thanks for the offer. Will take you up on that.
 
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