What First Yacht for us?

ChartScrubba

ChartScrubba

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Last posted about a McGregor, not sure is for us now.
What boat would you recommend for us, theres me, Mrs and a toddler. Mrs wants as big as possible with good accomodation. I want something I can sail myself in the solent chop. Bank Manager wants it all for about £7000.

Had mobos before but this will be our first yacht.

Happy to travel for it, so give me some suggestions please.
 
Really difficult to give recommendations as there are so many different boats in that price range that will do the job. Suggest you look through the back numbers of PBO as they regularly do features on entry level boats.

Also suggest you need to be more specific - for example are you going to trail, do you have access to a mooring, do you want inboard or outboard, are you DIY and prepared to tackle renovations. Remember also that many running costs are fixed - moorings, insurance etc and will be quite a high proportion of your purchase cost.
 
You can have any two of fast, spacious and £7k, but not all three.

Suggest getting a very well known marque that you can try out for a couple of seasons then sell easily when you've worked out what you want. Try a Snapdragon, they'll be better sailers than a Westerly at that price. With some shopping around you'll get one for a price you can sell it for in 2 years and then go for what you want long term.
 
My first was an Impala 28. It could be close to your budget, they sail well and are bigger than most boats on the same budget.
It was also easy to sell when I could afford bigger.
Mine had a very noisy 1gm inboard, they were built with an outboard in a well.
 
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Shadows?

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Tornado's, 04 Oct 1962 - No. 1 for 5 Weeks

Had to look on my iPod for that info though /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
How about something like this

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1984/Puppeteer-330-Half-Tonner-1148935/Bangor/Ireland

There are pleny of other half tonners about for your budget, i paid less than your budget for mine but have spent about the same again over the last 4 years (did not need it, i just wanted to update her)

Reasonably fast for their size, not bad on accomodation, bigger that a 26ft but not upto a pure 30ft crusier and can be setup for single handed quite cheaply. I am happy to take you out on a half tonner if you would like to see what they are like
 
Hardly a suitable boat for first timers! Low price for "large" boat suggests not popular with others either.
 
have to disagree traona. Half tonner was my first "Big Boat" no more difficult to sail than other 30ft boats with the exception that they can take a little more skill to get the last 10% out of them, but that last 10% is at least there which you would not find on your 30ft usual cruiser from the era. You don't have to throw every last bit of sail up and a spinaker to move, the boat may last a bit linger because that bit of performance is there should you want it.

Granted it may take a little longer to sell but they should make around the same money as you paid for them so nothing lost
 
We started sailing as a family (me 8, bro 5) in a Sadler 25 and I have very fond memories of her. She was pretty unflappable even when caught in a F6.

Space was undoubtedly a problem given her size, but I don't remember anything other than great times. Mind you, that was back in the days when trading up to a Sadler 32 meant that you were one of the bigger yachts in the harbour.
 
If £7000 is the boat budget, how much have you got left for moorings etc? As you original enquiry covered the Mac 26, there is the possibility of it being stored on land when not being sailed, thus keeping costs lower. Is this in your plans?

Its the subject of another thread on here, and requires a mooring at the very least, but I'd look at a Hurley 22 as a first yacht. At your budget you should be able to afford one in excellent condition, so you will do more sailing than mending. If you take to sailing then it will not be hard to trade up, and if you don't it will sell readily. Its also a fine boat incidentally.

http://www.hurleyownersassociation.co.uk/pages/h22.htm

As other have said. The longer the boat, the bigger the costs that go with it.

Let us know what you get. Good luck!

Tim
 
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If you wanna do a load of work then plenty of boats around for that price. Centaur has good accom but sailing ability not that hot, range between £7 - £14k

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Don't want anything that needs a load of work. Ta.
 
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Remember also that many running costs are fixed - moorings, insurance etc and will be quite a high proportion of your purchase cost.

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Mooring and Insurance is not a problem, I have a paid marina berth lined up.
 
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Hardly a suitable boat for first timers! Low price for "large" boat suggests not popular with others either.

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Ok, so whats the difference between half tonners, and quarter tonners or such?
 
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