While the boss is away..........

[ellie123]

So, he is off on another of his freebe jaunts on the pretence of doing some work which usually means lolling about on a boat somewhere warmer than here while I have to do the real work.

I am doing my day skippers course at the local college and I would really like to get something of my own that I can pootle about in and not have him shouting in my ear all the time, left a bit, right a bit, give it er I'll drive. So something around 16 foot (ish) outboard and oars (back up /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) and no patio doors SV11!. If it happens to look a little like Wind in the Willows type of thing that would be good /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

What would you recommend and where do I start.

Thanks everyone, I ll show him /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bajansailor]

How about a nice 16' rowing skiff, perhaps with a 2 hp outboard as a back up (if absolutely desired)?
Much more fun than a RHIB with a stonking big engine on the back!

That'll blow the boss's socks off for sure...... and you'll be better than him at rowing it by the time he returns from his gallivants....

 

[ellie123]

Thanks for that, have you got a photo by any chance? What's a skiff (der sorry)...I was thinking about 6-9hp ob and unsinkable so that I can bomb around the coastline of iom.

 

[Bajansailor]

Methinks that just 'bombing around' in a rigid inflatable type craft (like the sort of tender that Mr. Nautical's Absolut's often have) with 9 hp is going to get rather boring rather quickly....... but then I must admit to being a bit biased in favour of rowing boats - much more fun!

Here are a few websites to peruse :
The Merry Wherry is American, but it looks like an absolute delight to row : http://www.merrywherry.com/

While here is the 16' Appledore skiff from Alden Ocean Shells :
http://www.rowalden.com/product.php?cPat...1a99f09787af14f

Here are a couple of nice plywood skiffs from Seabird Boats in the UK : http://www.woodenboats.uk.com/rowing.html

And here are the lovely Penobscot skiffs from the USA - the notorious Rum Pirate on these Forums is building one of these at the moment in St Kitts : http://www.by-the-sea.com/archdavisdesign/davis_penobscot14.html

And for something very different and radical, you could impress Mr. N hugely if you had one of these : http://www.rocat.co.uk/
However it might be a wee bit difficult to stow it in the tender garage on an Absolut.......... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Richard10002]

How about a little yacht - That'd fox him.... (and you dont ever need to put the sails up.... they're just for show). Although, you wouldnt do much bombing around.... more sedate and leisurely.

I dont know much about Mobos, but the 4 or 5 m ribs you see launching from the back of flash mobos always look good for bombing around. One with a seat and a wheel and a petrol tank built in. Hasnt he got one in the shop that you could test drive?

 

[KCook]

Err, in that small a size I'd chuck the oars and get a RIB.

wude Kelly

 

[gjgm]

something like a cornish coble?
http://sussex.boatshed.com/cornish_coble-boat-14742.html

 

[gjgm]

or crabber 17?

 

[oldgit]

Bit off topic Mrs N,but recently a chum of mine and his good lady purchased their first ever boat(a largish fairline) and both of them did a Thames based RYA course.
Had the pleasure of going for a trip out with them both the following weekend.
Mr Newboater was stress-on-a-stick the whole time,constantly over using the throttles/steering/bow thruster or whatever and then having to reverse all the inputs to correct matters.
Mrs Newboater had it nailed from the start,slow and careful with just action enough to do the job,made a beautilful first lock approach worthy of an old timer, while at the same time having to ignore her ranting hubby trying to tell her what she was doing wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ellie123]

Thank you everso for taking the time to look those up for me. The thing is, I would like to avoid a wooden boat. I am trying to find a UK equivalent of the Delfino 440 (see website www.vergaplast.it) because of getting it from Lomazzo to the iom. The oars thing is really just for fun. Does anyone know any good UK manufactureres?

 

[goochie]

Hmm, the Dutch do quite a lot of really nice little boats that seem to fit your requirements. Saw a lot of them when we were over there pootling round the meers. 16 - 18 feet long, rowable and with a small inboard engine. They look traditional but a very modern builds with lots of safety built in (bouyancy etc.). I did find a website for them once but seem to have lost it.

 

[Bajansailor]

Here are a few UK builders, although these ones seem to mostly build in ply /epoxy - however the maintenance of a ply / epoxy boat should be no more really than a fibreglass boat (apart from all the extra varnish work!).
And these are all vessels that Ratty and Mole would love to go pottering on the river with in 'The Wind in the Willows'.....

Swallow Boats - http://www.swallowboats.co.uk/content/blogcategory/13/30/

Churchouse Boats - they build a nice fibreglass 15'6" Drascombe Dabber - http://www.drascombe.org.uk/

The Dabber is also available here - except they call theirs a 'Dapper'....... http://www.honnormarine.co.uk/dapper/dapper.htm

Jordan Boats have some lovely craft on offer - http://www.jordanboats.co.uk/JB/selway_fisher.htm
But they only do kits, in plywood.

And I am sure that Ratty would love one of these from http://www.characterboats.co.uk/craft.html

 

[ellie123]

I expect it's very hard not to be nervous when you first start going out on your own! That's why I want to start small. I'm lucky cuz Mr N knows exactly what he is doing and helps me a lot actually /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I fancy just a managable sized boat so that I can practice what I am learning in the theory lessons, on my own (and of course with Mr N if he'll come out without a paper bag over his head in case his mates see him /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif , and as long as he'll let me steer!) I plan to go exploring and find some great coves, with pic-nic. Sounds a little low-key but I think it will be just as much fun as being out on the big boats.

 

[ellie123]

Thank you again for those, very interesting. I like the look of the last site best.

 

[ellie123]

mm sounds just like the kind of thing i'm after

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Hello MrsNautical, what about a Dutch Antaris motor sloep?

 

[goochie]

That's the ones!

 

[grumpy_o_g]

How about this then? I'm sure you could wheedle some Absolute decals for the side out of Mr Nautical /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[powerskipper]

why not do what was talked about when we met , then you can "JUST BORROW HIS" /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[ellie123]

Hey there you! How are you doing? Well I could borrow his nibses but he's sold them all and no more until end January. The 52 doesn't come until Feb but anyway that's way above my abilities for the moment - maybe OK 'au large' but I would be nervous about the berthing thing even with ips. Maybe you'd like to come out in the rowing boat when I get it? (I know it's below your skill levels but it would be fun wouldn't it!!! We could wear silly hats and wave at all the men laughing at us). Hope you're well super-skipper!