Where do I start?

Don't be frightened to start with a bigger boat, I was without a boat for 16 years and from 2008 to 2009 I went from a 19 to a 43 footer. The bigger one is far easier to handle at close quarters, but as you know, you need the training.

Good luck finding the right boat
 
Bojangles said:
Don't be frightened to start with a bigger boat, I was without a boat for 16 years and from 2008 to 2009 I went from a 19 to a 43 footer. The bigger one is far easier to handle at close quarters, but as you know, you need the training.

Good luck finding the right boat
Click to expand...

Hi Bojangles, thanks for your views.

I have spent the last few weeks trawling the internet, boating magazines and even had a trip to our local marina who are sealine dealers so not much choice from other manufactures, i've also read 100's of threads on this forum.

I do feel a lot more informed now and i am starting to narrow down my search for a boat although i do realise that sometime soon i'm going to have to do a bit of travelling around the country and get onboard some of the boats that i like. All part of the fun of becoming a newbie boat owner, i'm really looking forward to it.

So far i have taken a shine to the following boats:

Sealine SC42, Azimut 43s, Fairline 44/47 GT, Princess V45/V48 but i've not really considered cost or indeed practicality at the moment. Like i said i've not step foot on any of them yet so everything could still change. Everyone please feel free to give me your honest feedback regarding the above boat choices bearing in mind that i am a first time boat owner prepared to put as much training in that will be required.
 
Don't forget maintenance

neale said:
It's all down to budget. (care to share?)

For some a 4-5 berth boat will be 45 foot, for others it will be 20 foot. Are you looking new or secondhand?

Fuel is expensive so one engine is cheaper to run than two, but many like the safety factor of a second engine.

As a basic summary for Diesel boats. A single outdrive boat will give you around 4mpg, a twin outdrive boat will provide around 2.5mpg. A twin shaftdrive boat will be typically around 1 to 1.5mpg

I have crossed the Channel many time in boats smaller than 25 feet. My Bayliner has undertaken about 6 Channel crossings including down to the Channel Islands twice. So it's all down to perceptions.

Do a course, either a Powerboat level 2 or, for more in depth stuff, a Dayskipper, and get around a few second-hand boat yards to see what's on offer for a given budget.

Ask questions here and read an appropriate mag and you'll soon get up to speed.
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Agree with all of the above but be careful that the increased service costs of outdrives don't outweight the fuel saving - depends on how much you are going to use her
 
I definitely don't miss the extra hassle of having to look after a pair of outdrives. Big old bronze props on the end of a couple of shafts don't give much trouble. Just look at the number of Props people seem to be getting through on outdrive legs at the moment.

I think you need to consider whether you want to go sports boat or flybridge. Now is a good time of year to be looking, because if you are going to be boating during the winter (we do and we love it), you get a sense of what the thing is going to be like when the sun isn't shining down on a glorious July day. Hard top sports boats are an interesting compromise but you do give up a lot of internal accommodation and still have a "wasted" back space in the winter.

With a flybridge the overhand of the flybridge it's self should form the roof of a very usable cockpit space with quick and easy side canopies.

Maybe plan a weekend down around the Solent. There are loads of brokers / boats to see and view from lots of manufacturers. Just at the top of the Hamble you have Princess and Fairline next to each other both with a load of stuff on site, and there are brokers all over that area.

It will be the highest density of craft.

Henry :)
 
lisilou said:
Maybe a trip to the london boat show in jan will help you narrow it down?
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I was just looking at the London boat show website yesterday, definately thinking about giving it a go this year, although I am hoping to have visited several boat yards/brokers/manufactures before then.
 
henryf said:
I definitely don't miss the extra hassle of having to look after a pair of outdrives. Big old bronze props on the end of a couple of shafts don't give much trouble. Just look at the number of Props people seem to be getting through on outdrive legs at the moment.

I think you need to consider whether you want to go sports boat or flybridge. Now is a good time of year to be looking, because if you are going to be boating during the winter (we do and we love it), you get a sense of what the thing is going to be like when the sun isn't shining down on a glorious July day. Hard top sports boats are an interesting compromise but you do give up a lot of internal accommodation and still have a "wasted" back space in the winter.

With a flybridge the overhand of the flybridge it's self should form the roof of a very usable cockpit space with quick and easy side canopies.

Maybe plan a weekend down around the Solent. There are loads of brokers / boats to see and view from lots of manufacturers. Just at the top of the Hamble you have Princess and Fairline next to each other both with a load of stuff on site, and there are brokers all over that area.

It will be the highest density of craft.

Henry :)
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Hi Henry, thanks for your feedback, I am already planning a trip to the Solent area in a few weeks (early/mid November) can you recommend any brokers/marinas/manufactures that will be worth a visit? We will be in the area for anything up to a week or maybe a little longer if needed so we'll have plenty of time on our hands to have a good look around.
 
For me I have just bought a Fairline Turbo 36 1991
LOA is a shade under 40 foot
Reasons, mainly from research on here:
Fairline or princess.....for same age princess still look a bit dated
Both excellent sea behavour
twin engine for security at sea
Aft cabin or Sedan.....I wanted half liveaboard half boat, the sedan was slightly more boat as had fore cabin, only one head and a ladder to the fly, but did have same level rear sundeck to saloon and a laz locker
Aft cabin (same hull) hugh aft cabin, 2 heads, 4 steps to fly but has a higher deck so not as easy to tie up or climb aboard
40 foot is just on the changeover point where it is big enough for 2 to live on but small enough to handle single
and the seems to be in the med a limit to 40 foot re size
Liked the birchwood too but heads are very small and has a lower planing speed

Go and look a t a few to get the feel of what you want to start looking at
 
Rigsy_uk said:
Can you explain further as i intend taking my boat to the Med eventually. I also want to spend several weeks at a time living on her while i'm over there.
Click to expand...

I have heard (probably a nasty rumour) that it is harder to find a berth for anything over 40 foot, could be due to there being proportionally less berths above this length thus get filled quicker. Whereas for a finger berth there seems to be a max of 40.

No doubt someone could jump in a clarify this
 
Rigsy_uk said:
Can you explain further as i intend taking my boat to the Med eventually. I also want to spend several weeks at a time living on her while i'm over there.
Click to expand...

Rocksteadee said:
I have heard (probably a nasty rumour) that it is harder to find a berth for anything over 40 foot, could be due to there being proportionally less berths above this length thus get filled quicker. Whereas for a finger berth there seems to be a max of 40.

No doubt someone could jump in a clarify this
Click to expand...

To be honest i've not really considered berths at this point is this a mistake? Perhaps someone can point me in the right direction. I was hoping to keep her somewhere close to the south of Spain, maybe the Costa Del Sol area as there are plenty of flights from my local airport to that area.
 
For info, Kip, Largs & Troon marinas all have their new & used boat shows this weekend, might be worth a trip up here to see a large number of boat styles.
 
Bojangles said:
Hi, the details for Kip are here: http://www.kipmarina.co.uk/

Unfortunately I can't see any info on Largs/Troon show on their websites (bit strange), I only know its on because I drove past a great big poster advertising it the other day. Maybe worth giving them a call though.
Click to expand...

I called Kip marina and they don't have anything similar to what i'm looking for, thanks for the info though.
 
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