Yacht or motor boat to live on..advice for newbie?

djbreeze said:
Wow, a wife who wants to go for it, £50k to spend on your boat and £15k pension. Now that's the stuff of dreams...:)
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Where can I get one?:D

Seriously, though, the space to "get away from each other if necessary" is vital - we had 5 years liveaboard cruising the canals and rivers, and even a 60ft NB isn't big enough sometimes!!
 
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Slow boat - that is indeed the stuff of dreams! I think you’ll find a lot out there for your money. What stopped you from trying out life aboard when you first started in the job?

Time for a write-up of the epic journey from Gosport to Brighton.

I take the train to Portsmouth Harbour, from Brighton, leaving my car in Brighton. I meet David (aka Lenseman) and we prep the yacht for a night sail. Set off throughout the night, straight in to a force 4/5, which scared the life out of me. I managed 2 hours before I was sea sick, which I was impressed with.

After a few hours at sea and a simulated man overboard exercise using a fender, we found ourselves in complete darkness. It was choppy as hell out there and I whimped out, suggesting we make for Littlehampton. Most of the journey I felt rough. The motion sickness, I later learned, was brought on when I was down in the cabin (making bacon sarnies). When up top, I was absolutely fine. After a few hours making towards our stop over point, Littlehampton, I really got in to it. The moon had popped up, illuminating a massive long path out to sea for miles. It was truly beautiful. The stars were out and I kept finding myself leaning back looking at them, this in turn made me steer off course slightly, which resulted in David yelling, “keep on course”, how he knew I was steering off course, when I had the chartplotter in the cockpit with me, is anyone’s guess. An old school professional I suppose! I learned an awful lot from David and I’m very grateful for his time and patience with me.

Once in to Littlehampton the next task was finding somewhere to tie up and rest for the night. There were no spaces in the visitors area so we had to double up on a yacht which had both masts ripped down. They weren’t going anywhere, so we plotted up next to them. Unfortunately they woke up whilst tying ourselves to them (at about 4:30am) and were not very happy. Doubling up (I’m sure there is a technical term, but I don’t know it) seems to be a contentious issue. The less said about that the better.

The next morning we all made up and we helped them sort out a few issues with their boat. The weather really wasn’t on our side and we decided to leave it till later to see how things were then. This was an ideal opportunity to pop to town for bits and bobs for the boat. Including dinner! Mixed mushrooms on rustic toast - a Jamie Oliver recipe. It was decided that we would go for another night sail. Considering the possibility of stopping off again, if necessary (well, if I wimped out again).

Much colder this time, but no motion sickness. I avoided the cabin and therefore avoided motion sickness. This time we mostly motored our way there due to weather conditions. We decided we were making good speed and would go all the way to Brighton, instead of stopping off. Again it was pitch black darkness and disaster struck. The engine stopped working! Not just that but the GPS chartplotter also stopped working. Then the Nav lights switched off, then the radio switched off, so we couldn’t call for help if required! Oh, and my mobile phone battery died. This was all very concerning. It turned out I’d left an inverter plugged in to the brand new leisure battery. Although everything was switched off in the cabin, the inverter was still drawing juice from the battery and killed it dead. Ooops.

Back to good old fashioned map reading for David and his handheld GPS device. We made it in to Brighton marina in the early hours of the morning. I drove David back to Gosport in my car, then drove back to Brighton and cleared out the remaining stuff from my flat and tried to squeeze it all in to my yacht, or in to a bin bag and left it by the dustbin!

It gets worse!

I’m loading things in to my yacht when the harbour master, or one of his helpers cruises over to me, ties up next to me and says, “are you a police officer?” Strange question I’m thinking to myself. I reply, “Yes, why?”. “Well you’ve been reported missing, and the police have called us asking for you”. Bloody hell! It turns out my ex wife had called the police concerned that she hadn’t heard from me for 24 hours and worried that I might be lost at sea or something. After a rather embarrassing phone call to my superiors, stating that I was alive and well, and no need to get the force chopper out, I got back to life aboard!

Picked my daughter up from her mums to spend a night on my boat. She loves it! What’s not to love? Pâté and Gorgonzola with French Bread and strawberry’s for lunch, sat on the cockpit of my yacht, watching the sunset. A little tipple of red wine for me to wash the Gorgonzola down with. It’s a hard life. Off to David Lloyds leisure centre for a swim before I take her back to her mums this morning.

There are lots of things this boat needs to get it to a really good standard. You never really understand that until you step in to a boat supply shop and look at the price of basic essential bits and pieces. You could buy a boat like mine for 2/3k and easily spend that again getting it up to scratch. Either way, she can be sailed (after a minor repair to the main sail) and she can be lived aboard. I might develop a hunch back if I didn’t upgrade at some point, but for now, she is home. And has been named The Isabella Parabloa, after my daughter and one of my favourite rock songs.

Pictures attached.

View attachment 5873 View attachment 5874 View attachment 5875
 
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What lovely pictures, reminds me of when our kids were younger. I agree night sailing can be the best time to travel we used to do Plymouth to CI's overnight while the kids slept only to arrive in St Peter port and be dragged off to Woolworths for their 50% off summer sale. Happy times :)
 
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jimmy_bobby said:
...There are lots of things this boat needs to get it to a really good standard. You never really understand that until you step in to a boat supply shop and look at the price of basic essential bits and pieces...
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Nearly everything you might need can be bought much cheaper at boat jumbles/ebay, etc. just ask. Good to hear you made it. Send a PM of where you're berthed and I'll wander over for a natter...:)
 
Enjoy

Nice boat to learn to sail on ,cockpit cover for winter and 3/8 inch polystyrene (in rolls) good for putting under bunk cushions in winter stops cushions getting damp (Why do they do that!!)

Littlehampton. rafting Up there are some people who always try to repel rafters ! Others will offer you a tea ! Most harbour masters will be on your side!
 
fergie_mac66 said:
. . . Littlehampton. rafting Up there are some people who always try to repel rafters ! Others will offer you a tea ! Most harbour masters will be on your side!
Click to expand...

A little bit more info regarding the Littlehampton rafting incident.

It was 3.45am in the morning as we crossed the bar entering Littlehampton in a choppy Force 4 to 5 easterly (not the best weather for entering Littlehampton at night). :eek:

Reid's states "Visitors use Town Quay to moor up" but it was full and as everyone knows when you raft up the inboard boat 'always' states that he will be slipping at 5am or 6am (they never do) and please will you go elsewhere!

A good look at the yachts and boats on the visitors pontoon and I could see a motorboat with a full cover of blue canvas from bow to stern and no cleats visible. I decided not to attempt rafting alongside that just in case the canvas cover got ripped by falling onto (into) it whilst trying to step cross the boat to the pontoon and shore.

The only option was a 38 foot derelict yacht with all mast, boom, sails and rigging on the starboard deck and over the railings. I thought to myself, that yacht is not leaving at daybreak and would be moored there alongside for some time.

What I didn't know was that about two hours earlier they had called for assistance and had been hauled in by the Littlehampton RNLI and they had just managed to get to sleep!

We quietly moored alongside and just as I stepped back onto Jim's yacht they popped their heads out of the hatch and told us to moor up elsewhere! I politely but firmly explained that I was certainly not going to do that and that we were staying put for the rest of the night. . . . about 5 minutes later the skipper popped his head up once more and apologised telling that they had just been dis-masted about a mile or so off shore.

The dis masted yacht had just left Denmark about 4 days earlier on a RTW cruise and they were on their way readying for an Atlantic crossing via Falmouth, Canaries and Cape Verde, over to the Caribbean.

In the morning, both Jim and I helped to de-rig the broken spars, radio antennas and rigging and spent some little time on the pontoon folding the genoa and main sail and assessing the damage with them.

They were a really charming couple in their late 20's and I felt very sorry for them.

You can see, on their web page, the damage to their yacht with the Jim_bobby yacht rafted alongside:

http://sinus.sejler.nu/

It is written in Danish and I hope they haven't said too many rude things about us? :o

Their yacht is called "Sinus" which means "Sine-Wave" in Danish. :)
 
lenseman said:
A little bit more info regarding the Littlehampton rafting incident.

It was 3.45am in the morning as we crossed the bar entering Littlehampton in a choppy Force 4 to 5 easterly (not the best weather for entering Littlehampton at night). :eek:

Reid's states "Visitors use Town Quay to moor up" but it was full and as everyone knows when you raft up the inboard boat 'always' states that he will be slipping at 5am or 6am (they never do) and please will you go elsewhere!

A good look at the yachts and boats on the visitors pontoon and I could see a motorboat with a full cover of blue canvas from bow to stern and no cleats visible. I decided not to attempt rafting alongside that just in case the canvas cover got ripped by falling onto (into) it whilst trying to step cross the boat to the pontoon and shore.

The only option was a 38 foot derelict yacht with all mast, boom, sails and rigging on the starboard deck and over the railings. I thought to myself, that yacht is not leaving at daybreak and would be moored there alongside for some time.

What I didn't know was that about two hours earlier they had called for assistance and had been hauled in by the Littlehampton RNLI and they had just managed to get to sleep!

We quietly moored alongside and just as I stepped back onto Jim's yacht they popped their heads out of the hatch and told us to moor up elsewhere! I politely but firmly explained that I was certainly not going to do that and that we were staying put for the rest of the night. . . . about 5 minutes later the skipper popped his head up once more and apologised telling that they had just been dis-masted about a mile or so off shore.

The dis masted yacht had just left Denmark about 4 days earlier on a RTW cruise and they were on their way readying for an Atlantic crossing via Falmouth, Canaries and Cape Verde, over to the Caribbean.

In the morning, both Jim and I helped to de-rig the broken spars, radio antennas and rigging and spent some little time on the pontoon folding the genoa and main sail and assessing the damage with them.

They were a really charming couple in their late 20's and I felt very sorry for them.

You can see, on their web page, the damage to their yacht with the Jim_bobby yacht rafted alongside:

http://sinus.sejler.nu/

It is written in Danish and I hope they haven't said too many rude things about us? :o

Their yacht is called "Sinus" which means "Sine-Wave" in Danish. :)
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Not surprised they were a touch grumpy !

Hi If you type the site into google in comes up on a search page with the offer to translate into english !
 
I get a feeling that JB is hooked !

Very best wishes for sorting everything out, and lots of happy nautical miles with your daughter and her 438 new friends, in the future. ;)
 
Jimmy - I'm ex Job now retired and understand your position. I bought a Colvic Atlanta 31' Ketch rigged motor sailor, tons of room, my wife who is not entirely signed up to this sailing lark describes it as having an en suite bedroom, lounge diner, conservatory and patio. If you research Colvic Atlanta you'll see what she means - just what you need.

Headroom throughout and perfect for entertaining the occasional WPC.

Good luck David.
 
it is unusual---

to follow a post like this and read little or no adverse comments. Hats off to all,this is what the forum should be about---mutual guidance and assistance.
NOW THEN----WHAT SORT OF ANCHOR YOU GOT ,THEN,JIM-LAD?:D:p
 
Ludd said:
to follow a post like this and read little or no adverse comments. Hats off to all,this is what the forum should be about---mutual guidance and assistance.
NOW THEN----WHAT SORT OF ANCHOR YOU GOT ,THEN,JIM-LAD?:D:p
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I did hear someone was trying to make a Micro Generator, wot the panel think?
Stu
 
Really fantastic thread, thank you!
Especially good for me to read as am thinking of doing the same myself for my 4 years at university... (I'm also in Brighton)
My budget is similar to yours and wondereded how you were finding it being in a boat of that size?
Thanks!
 
lenseman said:
Boat that size down here in Gosport. Delivery extra. :D
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How many footage, what price and what boat type is it?
May well be interested. I have the added benefit of a boating buff step father and his dad to help the whole navigation of the boat I decide on. Think I'd literally end up travelling about 2 foot otherwise!
 
Congratulations JB for following your dreams and this fantastic thread, going down a similar road myself within the next few years but with my girlfriend as first mate (she doesnt like deckhand lol)
This thread has answerd a lot of questions I had floating about and makes me think our plan is possible, we are entertainers cabaret singing duet also karaoke and live in a static caravan 11 months of the year (we do own a house but rent it to our eldest daughter) so we are used to cramped conditions, I have been in and out of large and small fishing boats since I could walk and Jen enjoys being out in the boat with me even when the weather turns bad.
We intend to buy a 26 to 30ft motor yacht and sail from the UK to Rhodes with our small compact show visiting as many coastal stop-overs as we can on the way, there will be no rush so any recomendations from anybody who has done this voyage please feel free.
We will have to liveaboard for a couple of years at least while not working ashore, we did consider driving but we have tried the motorhome thing before and found it boring so the sea (or canals?) it is.
I have been looking at the Albin 25 Motor Sailer and wondered if yourself or anybody reading this thread has any usefull feedback about them?
Once again congrats. and good luck.
regards
Phil
 
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