What sorts of improvements can be made to a boat?

[PalmaTarga]

it is currently a seller’s market, so, people may just hold out for a higher sell price.

I wonder if it will be such a sellers market in the next few months. There could be a good portion of boats coming on the market from 2020 impulse buyers who wanted the romance of boating in the summer, unaware of the maintenance work and cost (as per your post) in the winter.

 

[Bouba]

Thank you. To answer some of your points - I don’t know for sure that I will like boating but I think I will. I have taken a short course (Powerboat level 2) which I enjoyed and I am going on holiday to the med soon. My extended family are chartering a sailing catamaran. Not the same of course but should give me some idea of living on a boat. I also intend to hire a boat myself this autumn. Probably on the Thames as it’s reasonably close. Before I actually buy a boat.

Many of the Marina websites seem coy about how much they charge for berthing a boat. Especially visitor rates which I know are higher Than annual rates. But I shall be giving up the flat I am renting as I move from office to home working which will save me about £1000 a month. That should pay for most of the mooring fees unless I try and stay on the south coast which is not my plan. The river Severn, Wales or NW England are much more likely spots. Or possibly Essex for the first few months.

I appreciate there are plenty of other costs - engine servicing, insurance, anti fouling etc. But I shall continue to work so those costs should be manageable.

I don’t want to spend more than about 150k on the boat itself. I have been considering buying a smaller / cheaper boat first. Both to learn about boats on and limit my initial cost in case I don’t like it. But then I will lose money when I upgrade the boat a few months later (which will eat into my budget) and I know I will want to invite friends and family to occasionally overnight on the boat. It’s tough to find a sub 30 foot boat where its possible to invite more than one couple.

I think your budget for buying and maintaining is reasonable. It gets back to the question of do you start small and work your way up. My opinion is starting with the wrong boat (too small) has many risks. First it takes time to buy, get experience, then sell, no different from climbing the rungs of the housing market, it’s a young man’s game. Potentially you could lose on every transaction (I have) and selling could become a huge problem when it turns into a buyers market. Will open, or small cuddy, cold salt spray in your face be for you, or most importantly for your wife? And will life’s contingencies eat your big boat budget before you buy?
On the other hand you will gain much experience and confidence, you will know exactly what boat you want and for what reason. And quite possibly you will find small boats to be your niche, the perfect boat for quick get aways, towing to new destinations, loads of fun (and they really are) easy to maintain (comparatively) and the ability to go out on your own.
You seem to be looking at the situation very sensibly

 

[Megs20Burt!]

DavidJ makes some really good points, there is always something to spend money on for your boat.

If you are thinking about basing the boat on a river as you mentioned earlier, check that the boat draft (including air) doesn't limit your cruising grounds. We also found river marina fees are generally around 50% of the cost of coastal ones, plus, using your boat on a river with speed limits will reduce your fuel burn considerably. If you base the boat on a river, your close quarters handling skills will became legendary!

Having a boat and learning to live with it is a steep learning curve, we have found this, it is part of boat ownership that needs to be embraced and should be enjoyable, it really is a way of life rather than a pastime or hobby.

Whatever you decide, enjoy the whole experience...?

 

[Megs20Burt!]

I wonder if it will be such a sellers market in the next few months. There could be a good portion of boats coming on the market from 2020 impulse buyers who wanted the romance of boating in the summer, unaware of the maintenance work and cost (as per your post) in the winter.

Agree, with the way the economy is going to tank, there will be plenty of choice as people offload overheads and costs. Tough times for many people just ahead...?

 

[Megs20Burt!]

I think your budget for buying and maintaining is reasonable. It gets back to the question of do you start small and work your way up. My opinion is starting with the wrong boat (too small) has many risks. First it takes time to buy, get experience, then sell, no different from climbing the rungs of the housing market, it’s a young man’s game. Potentially you could lose on every transaction (I have) and selling could become a huge problem when it turns into a buyers market. Will open, or small cuddy, cold salt spray in your face be for you, or most importantly for your wife? And will life’s contingencies eat your big boat budget before you buy?
On the other hand you will gain much experience and confidence, you will know exactly what boat you want and for what reason. And quite possibly you will find small boats to be your niche, the perfect boat for quick get aways, towing to new destinations, loads of fun (and they really are) easy to maintain (comparatively) and the ability to go out on your own.
You seem to be looking at the situation very sensibly

Great advice, and well worth taking on board during the consideration.

We went through the same process and settled on a 28ft (31ft LOA) cat B American sports cruiser with twin diesels which can comfortably sleep 4 people, and have based it inland for the first season to see how we get on. It has 'Med' spec including reverse cycle a/c, so, we could decide at some point to base it there. The significant other has really taken to it, so, hopefully we can look further afield at some point Covid-19 and other circumstances permitting in 2021 and beyond.

Interestingly, the significant other really liked the look & idea of a flybridge boat when we started looking with all of the accommodation we thought we needed until she went on board those within our budget. When we started to look at sports cruisers within our budget with large cockpits and reasonable accommodation below, she changed her mind.

 

[DavidJ]

Interestingly, the significant other really liked the look & idea of a flybridge boat when we started looking

My other half very quickly realised that I would be lording it upstairs while she would be pulling ropes and putting out fenders downstairs so 100% sports boat for us.

 

[Hooligan]

I would just reiterate what people have said earlier. Whatever you think its all going to cost, double it. be very clear what or how you intend to use it. If you are going to stay for weeks on it then you need space, both inside and outside. IMHO buy a boat with a generator, that should be non negotiable especially as you are talking as if you are going to add one later which sounds expensive to me versus buying a boat with one already installed. Most important, go get your ICC and then charter a boat for minimum one week and take a skipper with you. You will then find out whether 1. You feel confident - there will be many times when things happen, at least in my experience , when you have that feeling that you just cant cope (everyone can but there are moments when one asks why one is doing this) The question is not whether you can but whether you want to. 2. Your other half and/or family feels happy - both with trusting you and spending time on a floating caravan. At the end of the day I don’t believe owning a boat is a part time thing. You are either all in in or better all out. Chartering a boat when you feel like a boat holiday is far cheaper and you will be able to afford a bigger boat for a week every now and again versus owning your own. Good luck.

 

[Bouba]

The logic of hiring a boat compared to ownership is indisputable. But we men don’t always operate logically. There is something about ownership and the pride you have in it that is strangely appealing.
We used to have a beautiful motor home, and we would park in lay-bys and eat pot noodles. For a tiny fraction of the cost of the motor home we could stay in all the hotels we wanted to and eat fine meals in their restaurants. Yet I miss that vehicle all the time.
Wanting to own something, despite all the warnings, is hard to control

 

[Wansworth]

It’s a throw back to early man ,the hunter provider..............reduced to a mobile home and pot noodles?

 

[Simi]

As mentioned by someone a fly bridge boat can be a bit antisocial as when 2 couple are on board you tend to find the men on the fly and the women below they are also very difficult to carry food drinks ect to the fly bridge especially at sea they are ok for river use as you can see over the banks or reeds to the surrounding countryside
I have been on a number of trips with a groups of people the ones on the fly bridge boats always look cold and sometimes wet probably ok if your in the med but not so good in the uk

 

[Bouba]

As mentioned by someone a fly bridge boat can be a bit antisocial as when 2 couple are on board you tend to find the men on the fly and the women below they are also very difficult to carry food drinks ect to the fly bridge especially at sea they are ok for river use as you can see over the banks or reeds to the surrounding countryside
I have been on a number of trips with a groups of people the ones on the fly bridge boats always look cold and sometimes wet probably ok if your in the med but not so good in the uk

A Swift Trawler 50 has a dumb waiter from the galley to the fly.
Just saying ?????

 

[Wansworth]

Taking drinks up to the fly bridge in rough weather one trick is to hold the drink in your mouth and reintroduce into receptacle on reaching the bridge......

 

[Eyore]

Rather than worrying about improvements on a boat you have not yet bought, perhaps you could just buy something that ticks all the boxes in the first place,then again being a first boat you will almost certainly buy the wrong thing, there being no substitute for experience,

 

[Megs20Burt!]

Rather than worrying about improvements on a boat you have not yet bought, perhaps you could just buy something that ticks all the boxes in the first place,then again being a first boat you will almost certainly buy the wrong thing, there being no substitute for experience,

Wise words.