yet another newbie

[cuillean_dubh]

Hi All....brilliant forum......I can see myself spending hours here

 

In the next few months I will be taking the plunge and looking to buy a sail away which hopefully will be moored up in the Union Canal whilst I fit her out. Never done anything like this before but I've trained as a cabinet maker and currently am a self employed electrician with a very good friend who is a plumber and solar panel installer! With a lot of help from this forum and a bit of research I hope to be able to knock something together which will serve my needs. Having owned several 30 year old landrovers, I'm not bad at tinkering with diesel engines either

My initial budget will be around £25 - £30k and as a single bloke (with two spaniels) I'm going to be looking at a boat around 40 to 50 feet which hopefully will provide ample space and allow me to navigate on my lonesome.

 

Are there any particular builders who stand out above the rest within that budget for a sail away?

[dor]

Look VERY carefully into your costs if you budget is only 25-30K. A 40ft boat will cost nearly as much to do as one that is 50ft+. A sailaway will take most of your budget alone if you include painting.

 

It is fairly easy to budget for the major items, but it is amazing how all the little things add up. Don't forget to include licence and mooring fees whilst fitting out, and the going rate for fitting out a boat if you work as well seems to be in excess of two years.

 

Sorry if this sounds negative, but the waterways are littered with unfinished boats as people discover that the project is bigger than they imagined or they run out of funds. If you do go ahead, it might be worth looking for an unfinished project, or a second hand boat that needs refitting.

[Pam S]

Hi All....brilliant forum......I can see myself spending hours here

 

In the next few months I will be taking the plunge and looking to buy a sail away which hopefully will be moored up in the Union Canal whilst I fit her out.

 

I'm assuming that you really do mean the Union Canal - in Scotland - rather than the Grand Union - in England. If so then your choice of builder (or unfinishd project) is going to be rather more limited unless you also build in the not inconsiderable cost of transporting it from England to Scotland. I know - it would be great to have a canal system that linked the Forth and Clyde with the Lancaster but there are a few lumpy bits in the way! Wouldn't advise a newbie to take a narrowboat round the coast!

 

Just a thought

 

Pam S

[onthecut]

Hi Cuillean Dubh.

 

Boating and Land Rovering ----- I reckon you've got life sussed !!

 

 

Mike.

[cuillean_dubh]

Look VERY carefully into your costs if you budget is only 25-30K. A 40ft boat will cost nearly as much to do as one that is 50ft+. A sailaway will take most of your budget alone if you include painting.

 

It is fairly easy to budget for the major items, but it is amazing how all the little things add up. Don't forget to include licence and mooring fees whilst fitting out, and the going rate for fitting out a boat if you work as well seems to be in excess of two years.

 

Sorry if this sounds negative, but the waterways are littered with unfinished boats as people discover that the project is bigger than they imagined or they run out of funds. If you do go ahead, it might be worth looking for an unfinished project, or a second hand boat that needs refitting.

 

£30k is the budget available for the sail away. There is other monies for the outfitting.....I'm hoping to come in under £10k As I'm self employed with very little in the way of financial commitments, time should not be too great an issue.

 

I like the idea of an unfinished project....that would be worth looking into

[cuillean_dubh]

"Lumpy bits".....I can see i'm going to enjoy this place

 

I do indeed mean the Scottish one......I live in the borders and it's the closet one to me?

 

I was thinking more of a boat transporter than attempting to sail it up the NE coast!.....mind you, that's set me to thinking......might be a lot simpler to fit it out at home......I'm sure I can find space for it....and it would save on initial mooring costs etc and be a constant nagging reminder to get on and do it lol

[Adam]

Ye, i live in the Borders aswell and i'm sure it's the closest. Have you tried hiring or anything first to see if you enjoy boating?

[anthony]

Im in a similar position to yourself although we are looking at a 57 to 60 foot sailaway with a few extras like wiring looms installed.

We have been quoted by Liverpool boats 23000 for a sailaway cruiser with sprayfoam insulation trad front with bow flairs.

We are thinking of the semi trad now though for a little extra. So 7 grand or there about will be our budget.

 

I love the way people keep mentioning the fact their are lots of unfinished projects around I just wish they would show me where as I have seen about 1.

The 45 foot mark seems to throw up a hell of a lot of boats though i must admit.

Edited November 8, 2007 by anthony