Anybody live on a boat? (Non-canal content)
Discussion
EmailAddress said:
T
I know absolutely nothing about boating but have become obsessed this week with buying this... (it looks cool. BBQ on deck. Yacht to the med, Get the old tanned belly out for St Tropez. Park it in Brighton for Winter.)
...
Imagining boatying six months a year in the Med. Island hopping, and then mothballing it back in the UK to rent for five months almost makes sense financially.
It's about 2000 nautical miles between Brighton and Saint-Tropez, and that's by a fairly direct route. That'll take five days (assuming you travel at a brisk 25 knots cruising speed) and burn about 1800 gallons of diesel. You pay, what, £1.50/litre at a marina fuel jetty for diesel these days (propulsion fuel isn't tax free any more), so that's about £12k in fuel - £24k per year just to shuttle the boat between Brighton and Saint-Tropez. And you will burn more fuel than that in reality because it'll only hold about 250 gallons in the fuel tanks, so you'll be making eight or so stops along the way, so you won't be able to take the nice, efficient, open-ocean route - you'll have to hug the coast through the Bay of Biscay and that'll add on more miles and more gallons. I know absolutely nothing about boating but have become obsessed this week with buying this... (it looks cool. BBQ on deck. Yacht to the med, Get the old tanned belly out for St Tropez. Park it in Brighton for Winter.)
...
Imagining boatying six months a year in the Med. Island hopping, and then mothballing it back in the UK to rent for five months almost makes sense financially.
And that's before you've gone anywhere once the boat is at either location.
If the boat will fit (I'm not going to run the numbers, but I suspect it's too tall) you could always chug through the French canals which will burn much less diesel but take a month.
Love it .
Commuting (Committing?) from Brighton to the Med and back yearly. In your house.
What could possibly go wrong in what is the equivalent of an Alfa 156 ?(Car of the year back in 1998)
I say do it. Post it on here.
Pop down to the Southampton Boatshow this coming few weeks and fill your boots (leather sea wellies) - and likely discover there is a '0' missing from all the calculations
Commuting (Committing?) from Brighton to the Med and back yearly. In your house.
What could possibly go wrong in what is the equivalent of an Alfa 156 ?(Car of the year back in 1998)
I say do it. Post it on here.
Pop down to the Southampton Boatshow this coming few weeks and fill your boots (leather sea wellies) - and likely discover there is a '0' missing from all the calculations
Someone has just given me the heads up on this thread, as I am coming up to 2 years of living on a boat!
First things first. All perfectly doable and quite excellent fun, but - and it is a whale of a but - your costings are completely out.
If you want a river mooring and to tootle around on the water then, yes you can do this.
In the Med, however, a 44 foot motor boat marina fees and maintaince alone could eat through your annual budget every month or two. Something needs replacing? 4-5 figures a pop.
Obviously you then have the cost of fuel and if you are planning to take it to the Med and this is another 5 figures (6, if you want to bring it back!).
If you are going to do that you really need to know what you are doing and many places require a licence.
There is a huge amount to consider, so it's probably easier if you just ask questions and I'll answer where I can!
First things first. All perfectly doable and quite excellent fun, but - and it is a whale of a but - your costings are completely out.
If you want a river mooring and to tootle around on the water then, yes you can do this.
In the Med, however, a 44 foot motor boat marina fees and maintaince alone could eat through your annual budget every month or two. Something needs replacing? 4-5 figures a pop.
Obviously you then have the cost of fuel and if you are planning to take it to the Med and this is another 5 figures (6, if you want to bring it back!).
If you are going to do that you really need to know what you are doing and many places require a licence.
There is a huge amount to consider, so it's probably easier if you just ask questions and I'll answer where I can!
EmailAddress said:
Julian, you have a boat thread, or pics?
Would love to see your setup.
I don't have a thread or anything, but think I have posted a couple of things on others. Mine's a bit bigger I have a berth in Vilamoura Marina in the Algarve.Would love to see your setup.
Right now I am on it at the Ria Formosa islands, which are stunning. My daughter wants to go swimming so I'll be gone for a couple of hours but can post a few pics of life living on a boat when I get back!
I've known people to retire to the Med on yachts.
Post Brexit, you either need residency somewhere or look at Turkey.
Bringing the boat home every winter is generally not the way.
Proper job is sailing yacht and go to the Carribbean for the Winter.
Most people probably keep a bolt hole in the UK , maybe rented out.
YBW.com forums will give some info.
Sailing Anarchy maybe?
The Alfa comment is spot on, everything on a boat is more expensive and more complicated than at home, and much of it breaks fairly often.
Post Brexit, you either need residency somewhere or look at Turkey.
Bringing the boat home every winter is generally not the way.
Proper job is sailing yacht and go to the Carribbean for the Winter.
Most people probably keep a bolt hole in the UK , maybe rented out.
YBW.com forums will give some info.
Sailing Anarchy maybe?
The Alfa comment is spot on, everything on a boat is more expensive and more complicated than at home, and much of it breaks fairly often.
I had a read through this thread and would just have a few pointers.
If your doing occasional long deep sea trips, UK - Med, then the hull on the vessel proposed is probably not ideal, fine for smooth weather days but it's a very shallow V hull and set up for planning, so for it to be efficient (fuel efficient), then you have to be going fast enough to get it on the plane and in poor conditions, i.e. most of the time, you would get slammed to pieces with the boat crashing into every trough.
it seems fine for an hour or so but after even a few days with a family then, divorce and murder would be coming to the surface rather quickly!
If your in a marina protected from swell i.e. behind a lock gate then the hull form will be fine, when your trying to have your sundowners. Otherwise look at a displacement hull and smaller engines, you will go slower but you will go efficiently through most weather and be relatively comfortable in the process. and you wont guzzle as much fuel. They also don't tend to roll quite as badly and quickly as the flatter V hulls.
I have found even the best breakwaters in Med marinas don't protect you from the swell all the time.
I have been on friends Italian made power yacht with twin 1,750 HP diesels 70ft and capable of 40 plus knots, but even in relatively normal conditions over 24 knots, destroys you and anything not bolted down inside. If i remember correctly last time he brought it from the UK to the med it was 50K in fuel alone! that was before the yard costs when he arrived.
If your doing occasional long deep sea trips, UK - Med, then the hull on the vessel proposed is probably not ideal, fine for smooth weather days but it's a very shallow V hull and set up for planning, so for it to be efficient (fuel efficient), then you have to be going fast enough to get it on the plane and in poor conditions, i.e. most of the time, you would get slammed to pieces with the boat crashing into every trough.
it seems fine for an hour or so but after even a few days with a family then, divorce and murder would be coming to the surface rather quickly!
If your in a marina protected from swell i.e. behind a lock gate then the hull form will be fine, when your trying to have your sundowners. Otherwise look at a displacement hull and smaller engines, you will go slower but you will go efficiently through most weather and be relatively comfortable in the process. and you wont guzzle as much fuel. They also don't tend to roll quite as badly and quickly as the flatter V hulls.
I have found even the best breakwaters in Med marinas don't protect you from the swell all the time.
I have been on friends Italian made power yacht with twin 1,750 HP diesels 70ft and capable of 40 plus knots, but even in relatively normal conditions over 24 knots, destroys you and anything not bolted down inside. If i remember correctly last time he brought it from the UK to the med it was 50K in fuel alone! that was before the yard costs when he arrived.
EmailAddress said:
Could you bullet point your £2.5k?
I'm researching but first hand is a great total picture.
Happy to provide a breakdown, but it's for inland cruising on a much smaller boat so not relevant to your plans. In round numbers, per year:I'm researching but first hand is a great total picture.
Marina fees £1200
River licence £600
Fuel £300
Insurance £250
Every two years: Service £300
Every four years: BSS test £150
That said, I'm currently spending out on a new tap and shower in the bathroom ('heads'), new engine temp gauge and exhaust temp sensor alarm, which will be a few hundred I didn't need to spend - but the boat is easily affordable so I don't need to worry about extra things that crop up. You need financial headroom for peace of mind.
I can putter along for a few hours and the fuel gauge won't move. That's a world away from twin 370hp diesels on the plane which will likely burn off hundreds a day.
My advice would be to start with a smaller boat and see how it goes. You will learn a lot, and then make an informed decision whether you want to upgrade, or sell up. A boat isn't like a car; you can't just use it, leave it, use it, leave it. Neither is it like a car to drive. And please, call it mooring not parking!
I'm in.
OP, what you haven't been told on this thread is that legally, there is absolutely nothing stopping you buying that Gin Palace and heading off out of Eastbourne and turning right off down the coast. Absolutely nothing.
However, you'd be extremely foolish to do so.
Check out some RYA sailing courses near you. Perhaps look at something smaller (with a cabin, heads, cooking, etc) that you can 'practice' on with nights away from home. Give it a few months or longer if you are happy with the size of boat, and then trade up.
Remember if it flies, f--ks or floats, it's cheaper by the hour.
OP, what you haven't been told on this thread is that legally, there is absolutely nothing stopping you buying that Gin Palace and heading off out of Eastbourne and turning right off down the coast. Absolutely nothing.
However, you'd be extremely foolish to do so.
Check out some RYA sailing courses near you. Perhaps look at something smaller (with a cabin, heads, cooking, etc) that you can 'practice' on with nights away from home. Give it a few months or longer if you are happy with the size of boat, and then trade up.
Remember if it flies, f--ks or floats, it's cheaper by the hour.
EmailAddress said:
Thinking of going fullblown midlife.
Bought the 300bhp rwd.
Onto the second wife.
Shipped the kids.
Dog died.
I know absolutely nothing about boating but have become obsessed this week with buying this... (it looks cool. BBQ on deck. Yacht to the med, Get the old tanned belly out for St Tropez. Park it in Brighton for Winter.)
https://www.boatshed.com/sealine_f44-boat-312421.h...
Costs look to be boaty licence. Boaty laws. Boaty MOT. Boaty Service. Maybe a grand or two a year.
Then whatever mooring, docking, Parking? Maybe £300p/m?
Can I just sit it out in the river and pop back home?
This feels like a disgusting thread of arrogance and ignorance but I'm reading all I can.
Imagining boatying six months a year in the Med. Island hopping, and then mothballing it back in the UK to rent for five months almost makes sense financially.
Almost.
I need to ask this:Bought the 300bhp rwd.
Onto the second wife.
Shipped the kids.
Dog died.
I know absolutely nothing about boating but have become obsessed this week with buying this... (it looks cool. BBQ on deck. Yacht to the med, Get the old tanned belly out for St Tropez. Park it in Brighton for Winter.)
https://www.boatshed.com/sealine_f44-boat-312421.h...
Costs look to be boaty licence. Boaty laws. Boaty MOT. Boaty Service. Maybe a grand or two a year.
Then whatever mooring, docking, Parking? Maybe £300p/m?
Can I just sit it out in the river and pop back home?
This feels like a disgusting thread of arrogance and ignorance but I'm reading all I can.
Imagining boatying six months a year in the Med. Island hopping, and then mothballing it back in the UK to rent for five months almost makes sense financially.
Almost.
Are you Boaty?
I ask because you are or you aren’t and, if you’re not, it will all be a massive hassle.
I started a thread on here in 2020 about buying a boat, albeit I had no intention of living on it. I did subsequently buy one; went through the training, ran it for a summer and sold out of it at zero loss.
But the process of owning it taught me that I fall into the category of “not Boaty”.
Boaty people enjoy boat-related hassle. To non boaty people it’s just hassle. Typically expensive hassle.
Louis Balfour said:
I need to ask this:
Are you Boaty?
I ask because you are or you aren’t and, if you’re not, it will all be a massive hassle.
I started a thread on here in 2020 about buying a boat, albeit I had no intention of living on it. I did subsequently buy one; went through the training, ran it for a summer and sold out of it at zero loss.
But the process of owning it taught me that I fall into the category of “not Boaty”.
Boaty people enjoy boat-related hassle. To non boaty people it’s just hassle. Typically expensive hassle.
Concur. See also Horses, and aircraft. You have to really want them to put up with the hassle. Are you Boaty?
I ask because you are or you aren’t and, if you’re not, it will all be a massive hassle.
I started a thread on here in 2020 about buying a boat, albeit I had no intention of living on it. I did subsequently buy one; went through the training, ran it for a summer and sold out of it at zero loss.
But the process of owning it taught me that I fall into the category of “not Boaty”.
Boaty people enjoy boat-related hassle. To non boaty people it’s just hassle. Typically expensive hassle.
I'm new to boating but, so far the costs have been fine. £100 to service the engine myself, rewire that cost virtually nothing as I had rolls of cabling and connectors already, a spare marine battery £100 from halfords, and lots of petrol! If you can haggle some life jackets, marine radio, fish finder, chartplotter, fishing rods etc it can save alot in the long run if you are starting out and have none of these essentials.
The biggest cost was replacing the hydraulic tilt trim unit at £450 fitted myself. But I got a good deal on the boat due to it not working so worth it.
I trailer it to and from the water, you get to see more places and theres no mooring fees. Most nice marinas have restaurants, laundry, showers, 240v power etc and daily fees are £12-25 around here, in England I think prices are higher.
The biggest cost was replacing the hydraulic tilt trim unit at £450 fitted myself. But I got a good deal on the boat due to it not working so worth it.
I trailer it to and from the water, you get to see more places and theres no mooring fees. Most nice marinas have restaurants, laundry, showers, 240v power etc and daily fees are £12-25 around here, in England I think prices are higher.
Decky_Q said:
I'm new to boating but, so far the costs have been fine. £100 to service the engine myself, rewire that cost virtually nothing as I had rolls of cabling and connectors already, a spare marine battery £100 from halfords, and lots of petrol! If you can haggle some life jackets, marine radio, fish finder, chartplotter, fishing rods etc it can save alot in the long run if you are starting out and have none of these essentials.
The biggest cost was replacing the hydraulic tilt trim unit at £450 fitted myself. But I got a good deal on the boat due to it not working so worth it.
I trailer it to and from the water, you get to see more places and theres no mooring fees. Most nice marinas have restaurants, laundry, showers, 240v power etc and daily fees are £12-25 around here, in England I think prices are higher.
How big is the flybridge The biggest cost was replacing the hydraulic tilt trim unit at £450 fitted myself. But I got a good deal on the boat due to it not working so worth it.
I trailer it to and from the water, you get to see more places and theres no mooring fees. Most nice marinas have restaurants, laundry, showers, 240v power etc and daily fees are £12-25 around here, in England I think prices are higher.
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