which boat advice

[bobgosling]

Sorry, yet another wannabe yachtie here still trying to make up his mind.

I have a budget of 13K max for the boat and will probably be unable to afford a marina berth as I have to keep running costs as low as poss.

If I find a cheap drying mooring am I limiting myself to bilge or lifting keel boats only or can long keelers cope with drying out ( e.g. Poole One Design ) ?

Any info regarding cheap moorings on the south coast ( Fareham area ) would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Mulge]

Re Moorings, Hardway have moorings in Fareham Lake - contact Lower Quay Chandlery in Lower Quay Road, or try Wicormarine in Portchester - they have deep water swinging, tidal and pontoon moorings and a yard for winter storage.

 

[Evadne]

You can keep a long keeled boat on a half tide mooring, I did it for a year but it is very inconvenient. You can't sleep on board for instance, but otherwise it is just like running aground twice a day, which is par for the course where I learned to sail on the east coast. Deep water moorings aren't all that much more expensive, mine comes out at about £1k-£1.5k per year in Chichester harbour. More expensive still are mud berths, such as those at Fareham. Apart from the above, if you are interested in Chichester try Hayling Yacht Company (my home base) and Chichester harbour conservancy.

 

[Mirelle]

Ye Gods and little fishes!

I keep and run a long keeled 37 footer on that money as an annual budget (excluding new toys, but including paint, varnish, insurance, mooring and haul out, six months ashore and launch) on the East Coast.

It's an "almost deep water" mooring, by the way - she touches at LW Springs!

 

[Evadne]

Re: Ye Gods and little fishes!

Ah yes, I remember the shock when I moved her from the Blackwater to Chichester harbour, mostly financial. At least the scenery is much the same, and I don't have to drive around the M25 for two hours to get to the boat.
We are only in deep water when the tide is in /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif . The creek is so narrow at LWS that any sort of wind puts her on the bank. I know, we were asleep in the forecabin the first time I found out. At Maylandsea there wasn't an option of deep water moorings.

 

[alahol2]

Go round to Portchester sailing club and have a chat. They still have deep water mooring space (if a little far from the slip) and half tide moorings. You can lay your own moorings or get a commercial company (eg Gosport boatyard) to lay one for you (or you could be lucky and pick one up from another member). There will be plenty of advice (conflicting) as to the best boat for a starter and you may even find one for sale in the yard or on the noticeboard. All this plus dinghy storage ashore and the possibility of winter storage ashore for around £300 a year all in for boat and family.

 

[Lee_Shaw]

Some people regularly dry long keelers out on legs. You should be able to afford a pretty decent boat (of the type your considering) for that money.

 

[bobgosling]

Many thanks to everyone who has posted suggestions to my query.

I've always noticed how yachties are so much friendlier and more helpful than the usual run-of-the-mill crowd.

I actually managed to find quite a few places via the following web site ( though mainly expensive marinas ) :

http://www.marinedata.com/companysearch.asp?sector=HQQ