Talk to me about boats

[Eddy77]

Hi all!

Does anyone on here have any knowledge or experience of owning a motor cruiser? I’m taking about a 30ft ish four berth motor / sports cruiser. Either with twin outboards or Volvo penta diesel inboard. Something like a Sealine S34 or perhaps a Jeanneau Merry Fisher. Or an older Princess.

I am trying to get a handle on the ongoing costs. In my mind I reckon that a cheap mooring, insurance and annual servicing stuff should weigh in around £5k-£7k per annum. Plus fuel which is of course usage dependent.

I’m new to all this, but here’s where I am at in the thought process:

I would want to do some proper training before jumping in to learn how to drive such a boat.

I know the fuel is hideously expensive.

I have ascertained that outboards are way cheaper to run and maintain than inboards but on a 30ft plus boat the majority are inboard. But what exactly is the differential. People bang on about shaft drive and got knows what else. I’m not sure I have got my head around it all.

I’d want a boat that could do inland and coastal. I think that’s a category B.....but what defines coastal use. Could I safely take a 30ft over to France, for example?

My research tells me that the cheap American brands like Bayliner are cheap for a reason. So am I better going for an older Jeanneau, Princess? Should I be concerned about buying an older boat (mid 90s for example)?

I don’t want to flood the forum with questions. I’m possibly going to be in a position to buy one in a couple of years time and trying to spend the time between now and then working out all the pros and cons. I’ve always fancied one but are they just a hideous money pit?

I’m looking at it as an alternative to havjng a holiday home / annual holiday abroad so in my mind the annual running costs offset quite a bit of what I would spend on two weeks at an all inclusive plus half term breaks etc.

Purchase budget would be around £40k - £50k if that helps at all. I’m no millionaire and I don’t want a millstone round my neck. Just trying to follow my dreams a bit and do it while the family can enjoy it.

 

[Teego]

How to make a small fortune?
Start with a large fortune and buy a boat.

 

[mattc]

Step away from the light!

 

[W1ghty]

They are a hole in the ocean into which you throw money

 

[Flyinspanner]

Maybe hire one for a couple of weeks to see if it really is for you.
if it’s just occasional use would hiring be cheaper per year? You could vary your hiring, - canal du midi - the med - etc?
still do the yacht master cert, and at least “competent crew” for the other half, (though both doing YM may be a safer bet in case of injury)
Download three words app onto your phone....

 

[MCFastybloke]

Having owned a couple of boats during my life,none fitting the type you enquire of, all things boating attract some sort of special tax at a rate to frighten the most robust of wallets. Back in 97 it was £200 a day in 4*

 

[Eddy77]

Hmmm. Yeah. Interesting comments and kind of what everyone says. Presumably for good reason. It’s an itch I want to scratch but I’d do wonder if it’s madness and a one way ticket to financial pain. Renting is - I think - a good idea. I think I will explore that to begin with to get more of a feel for it. And do the yacht master course (as regardless of the outcome I’d like to do that).

If anyone does has any actual experience of the reality of the kind of thing I fancy, do let me know or PM me.

Cheers guys!

 

[ChrisHampshire]

OP - your post reminded me of this video which I watched recently. I found it interesting even though I have no intention at all of buying a boat!

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[Bobby Dazzler]

Hmmm. Yeah. Interesting comments and kind of what everyone says. Presumably for good reason. It’s an itch I want to scratch but I’d do wonder if it’s madness and a one way ticket to financial pain. Renting is - I think - a good idea. I think I will explore that to begin with to get more of a feel for it. And do the yacht master course (as regardless of the outcome I’d like to do that).

If anyone does has any actual experience of the reality of the kind of thing I fancy, do let me know or PM me.

Cheers guys!

I would be really interested to find out more. I’ve looked (online) several times over the years as I’d like a similarly sizeD sport cruiser.

Mrs D is less keen on the idea but I’m quite confident that she’d like it once she’s on board, especially if the weather is good.

 

[AMGeed]

My brother ran a 30+ft fast cruiser with twin inboard Volvo diesels and the running costs were eye watering.
I think his wife was relieved when he finally sold it. It really does drain the finances unless you are seriously wealthy.
The main problem is the number of days in the year when you can actually get out on the water.
Forget October to March, and it's a short season if we have a bad summer. Throw in mooring costs and insurance and it makes depreciation on a car childs play.

 

[Eddy77]

OP - your post reminded me of this video which I watched recently. I found it interesting even though I have no intention at all of buying a boat!

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super useful

OP - your post reminded me of this video which I watched recently. I found it interesting even though I have no intention at all of buying a boat!

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I’ve seen that video too. It’s the closest insight I’ve got so far. I follow him on YT. Thanks for the link though!! Glad to know it’s not just me who looks at these kinds of things on the tube!

 

[Eddy77]

My brother ran a 30+ft fast cruiser with twin inboard Volvo diesels and the running costs were eye watering.
I think his wife was relieved when he finally sold it. It really does drain the finances unless you are seriously wealthy.
The main problem is the number of days in the year when you can actually get out on the water.
Forget October to March, and it's a short season if we have a bad summer. Throw in mooring costs and insurance and it makes depreciation on a car childs play.

Cheers. This is what I need to understand. In reality how much do they get used? And just how much do they cost a year? I’m not seriously wealthy by any means. I can sort out the purchase outright and can stomach annual running costs as outlined in my original post. But I do wonder if the reality is somewhat more expensive than I imagine. The Aquaholic YT channel suggests £6k a year which I could handle but that does seem a tad optimistic to me....and you have to remember that his YT channel is there to promote boating and get people to believe they can do it too........

 

[AMGeed]

If you can find cheap safe mooring it will help with the overall costs. Fuel was the big one for my brother.
He had moorings in Poole and an all day trip could see him go through £200 of fuel with a lot of fast running.

Please don't let this put you off. Speak to owners who have what you are looking for, sound out mooring fees and insurance to get a real world feel of what it will cost you.

 

[MCFastybloke]

Cheers. This is what I need to understand. In reality how much do they get used? And just how much do they cost a year? I’m not seriously wealthy by any means. I can sort out the purchase outright and can stomach annual running costs as outlined in my original post. But I do wonder if the reality is somewhat more expensive than I imagine. The Aquaholic YT channel suggests £6k a year which I could handle but that does seem a tad optimistic to me....and you have to remember that his YT channel is there to promote boating and get people to believe they can do it too........

I currently have a 58ft Narrowboat and its stationary cost exceed the 6k you refer to, marina,insurance and our recovery come to more than that,then it just starts racking up bills every time you turn the key. I bet its nearer 10k, mooring,shore power hook up insurance etc, then a service some repairs and age related renewals on top, start with upkeep and refurb/improvements i bet its 300 a week.

 

[fabes]

A number of people boat share yachts and cruisers, formally and properly.
It means restricted / planned used, but works for many.
Shares in these come up quite often down here on the Solent to Chichester marinas, which where you'd look I take it?
Renting is another way to 'test the water' that I know people consider (as is mentioned above)

 

[zipdip]

Well you have been warned,I had a sailing boat for some years,cheap mooring and I used to sail it about a dozen times a year,I have known two guys who bought power boats,one of them was very typical,he had no real knowledge of the sea,he took the courses but never had a feel for the weather or tides,but like you had the itch to own a power boat,he had it at Ipswich Marina,of course joined the yacht club,and in the three years he has owned that craft has used it about 6 times,his excuse is pressure of work,tides not right,family had other things on,the list goes on,you have had some very good advice,I would take the RYA courses you will get time at sea and get a small understanding about what to do,then armed with that you can hire a craft a few times and see if it is to your liking.

 

[Dickster]

A number of people boat share yachts and cruisers, formally and properly.
It means restricted / planned used, but works for many.
Shares in these come up quite often down here on the Solent to Chichester marinas, which where you'd look I take it?
Renting is another way to 'test the water' that I know people consider (as is mentioned above)

good suggestion. There was one on eBay recently 50% share. A bit like aircraft - a lot of shared ownership with those.

my dad was a keen sailor when I was a teenager and we spent many weekends out sailing. It’s a way of life. obviously much cheaper than a motor boat but arguably safer on open water...

good luck

 

[Delderek]

OK here's my thoughts. I owned this boat for 15 years together with a friend, it was 32 ft twin diesel. If you want to do coastal cruising I would not consider outboards or Z drives. They are far less reliable and easily damaged. Try to buy with a good friend who is like minded, and enjoys the maintenance as well as the cruising. Expensive hobby yes, very, but as long as you can undertake a lot of the work between you, the cost is not crippling. Red diesel is still affordable if you keep the speed down. We could go Ramsgate to Calais on around 11 gallons (engines were 150bhp each). Never ever regretted one minute of ownership.

 

[zipdip]

Well sharing is a way to go,I did most of my sailing on my own sometimes with a couple of others,as the skipper you are responsible for your crew/friends,I found that I was always on edge with other people on my yacht,because as you will learn on any course you go on,things can go wrong very very quickly.
A couple of weeks ago I used the foot passenger ferry from Harwich to Shotley I had my grandson Jack with me, it is a purpose built little ferry bright yellow,we went on the first crossing of the day we were the only passengers,crossing about 8 minutes,,well half way across in the busy shipping lanes and with the tide going out,the engine gives a bang lots of black smoke and we stop,well not stop because we are going down the river with the tide,the young girl who was the skipper and her young lad as crew,had to make some very quick decisions,so she decided to throw the plough anchor in to stop us going backwards,I thought given the size of the young skipper she would have a terrible job getting that anchor back aboard,we were saved if thats the word not by the RNLI who's base was about two hundred yards away,but by the Felixstowe Pilot boat that came alongside and attached springs and two mooring lines,and got us back to the Harwich pier.
The young skipper made the right calls,the pilot boat moved us forward to drag the anchor out of the mud so the anchor could be hauled aboard,without that she and he young crew would not have got that anchor up,it turned out that she had been crew for months on the ferry but that was the first time she had been skipper,a baptism by fire or water.

 

[219]

Hi all!

Does anyone on here have any knowledge or experience of owning a motor cruiser? I’m taking about a 30ft ish four berth motor / sports cruiser. Either with twin outboards or Volvo penta diesel inboard. Something like a Sealine S34 or perhaps a Jeanneau Merry Fisher. Or an older Princess.

I am trying to get a handle on the ongoing costs. In my mind I reckon that a cheap mooring, insurance and annual servicing stuff should weigh in around £5k-£7k per annum. Plus fuel which is of course usage dependent.

I’m new to all this, but here’s where I am at in the thought process:

I would want to do some proper training before jumping in to learn how to drive such a boat.

I know the fuel is hideously expensive.

I have ascertained that outboards are way cheaper to run and maintain than inboards but on a 30ft plus boat the majority are inboard. But what exactly is the differential. People bang on about shaft drive and got knows what else. I’m not sure I have got my head around it all.

I’d want a boat that could do inland and coastal. I think that’s a category B.....but what defines coastal use. Could I safely take a 30ft over to France, for example?

My research tells me that the cheap American brands like Bayliner are cheap for a reason. So am I better going for an older Jeanneau, Princess? Should I be concerned about buying an older boat (mid 90s for example)?

I don’t want to flood the forum with questions. I’m possibly going to be in a position to buy one in a couple of years time and trying to spend the time between now and then working out all the pros and cons. I’ve always fancied one but are they just a hideous money pit?

I’m looking at it as an alternative to havjng a holiday home / annual holiday abroad so in my mind the annual running costs offset quite a bit of what I would spend on two weeks at an all inclusive plus half term breaks etc.

Purchase budget would be around £40k - £50k if that helps at all. I’m no millionaire and I don’t want a millstone round my neck. Just trying to follow my dreams a bit and do it while the family can enjoy it.

Such a pity DRUK is no longer around : he was a nautical man .