Just Saying Hello!

[Dave Payne]

Hello everyone,

 

Just wanted to say hi, have been reading the forum as a guest for a while and thought i should join and start asking some newbie questions soon.

 

Myself and wifey plan to purchase an NB in about 3 years, then fit it out and use for weekends/holiday with the hope of living aboard once children have flew the nest...

 

Lots to learn so excuse me if i ask some basic stupid questions.

 

Thanks!

[matty40s]

Welcome, and its flown, pump out, mooring and trad stern in order of importance.

[Dave Payne]

_{Sorry meant to say once i have threw them out the nest!}

_{Was thinking cruiser stern to be honest!}

[Hawkmoth]

Hi, and welcome,

As you will quickly find out, stern type is a matter of taste.

We went for semi-trad, but with hindsight we would now go for cruiser because it's more social.

Good luck, the decision and planning are part of the fun,

Bob

[Jo_]

Hi, and welcome,

As you will quickly find out, stern type is a matter of taste.

We went for semi-trad, but with hindsight we would now go for cruiser because it's more social.

Good luck, the decision and planning are part of the fun,

Bob

 

"Cruiser because it's more social" is exactly the reason my husband won't have one. Doesn't want anyone on the stern with him - unless they're briefly visiting with a cup of coffee or ginger beer! And a slice of coffee and walnut cake. So I suppose that's a matter of taste too.

[sassan]

Cruiser stern for holiday boats, trad stern for liveaboards, that's my opinion (social space vs shed). I note that he didn't actually ask, we all just suddenly started volunteering opinions on the subject.

 

Maybe we're all just fired up from the toilet thread...

[Mrs Trackman]

We couldn't wait for ours to all fly so we left and went to live on board instead.

[Hawkmoth]

 

"Cruiser because it's more social" is exactly the reason my husband won't have one. Doesn't want anyone on the stern with him - unless they're briefly visiting with a cup of coffee or ginger beer! And a slice of coffee and walnut cake. So I suppose that's a matter of taste too.

It certainly is, hence my point. I prefer company on the back, be it wife or friends. But, yes, I do like the occasional coffee and walnut cake!

Bob

[p6rob]

If you decide on a sociable cruiser stern, get a wide one. Mines narrow, lozenge shaped, like a trad stern. You can fit four people on this cruiser stern... ...but you can't see, or steer, without almost knocking someone into the cut.

[Dave Payne]

Cruiser stern it will be we think, don't like the idea of being stuck at the rear by myself in the rain whilst wifey gets to keep dry!

 

Think if we go for a 55-60ft with cruiser stern we should get about 40-45ft internal space which should be enough, according to my plans on the post it notes!

[OldGoat]

A cruiser stern is great for sociability - I miss that,

somewhere to put the bike,

or generator (if you must....)

 

A trad stern is great if

you want to maximise space for the engine (assuming modern whizzy thing) and other electrical thngies; lorra batteries, control panels, somewhere to store wet weather clothes and so forth)

Essential if you want to do some out of season cruising,

when it's sheeting down with rain, pulling the hatch towards you and shutting the rear doors keeps you warmer and (if lucky) keep your feet dry

When it's cold doing the above keeps you warm.

 

Semi-trad looked great when they first came out but impossible for crew to sit comfortably as the cabin curvature gets you in the middle of your back.

 

 

[DaveC]

Get a cruiser (socialable) stern with a pram hood!!!!

 

 

Dave

[junior]

Cruiser stern it will be we think, don't like the idea of being stuck at the rear by myself in the rain whilst wifey gets to keep dry!

 

Think if we go for a 55-60ft with cruiser stern we should get about 40-45ft internal space which should be enough, according to my plans on the post it notes!

Have you looked at many boats? The reason I ask is that I hadn't, yet decided 40ft would do me for a liveaboard. I soon found that by looking at boats of this (and different sizes) I couldn't physically get what I wanted in to a 40ft boat.

 

Get yourself to whilton Marina if you can. I had no intention of buying from them as I hadn't heard brilliant things about them. However they have loads of boats there of varying shapes and sizes and will give you as many keys as you want to look around the boats at your own pace.

 

I spent half a day there and by the time I left I had changed all the parameters of what In terms of spec and size. I'm a single bloke and i now won't look at anything under 50ft (trad stern). I don't want a bath, but I do want a full size double wardrobe....the list goes on. All this was determined by looking round boats I had no intention of buying.

[patty-ann]

Don't bank on throwing them out of the nest cos if like mine they will return. I am planning on buying my boat as a top secret exercise, chilblains to be informed when all signed, sealed and delivered and I am a mere speck in their horizon. We can but dream and with work dreams can become reality.

[AidanLincs]

Myself and wifey plan to purchase an NB in about 3 years

 

Ah yes. I thought that too. Lasted six months.

 

[comfortably numb]

A good point from Junior about looking at as many boats as you can including ones you don't (think) you'd want. When looking for a boat to live aboard we went from wanting a 58' trad stern to maximise cabin space and have more comfortable winter cruising, to a semi-trad which we started off thinking would give us the best of both worlds but ended up realising that it would give us neither. But finally plumped for a cruiser stern for the extra stern room all the time and not just when friends are aboard, but kept our cabin capacity by getting a 62' instead of a 58.

 

I can see the merits of all 3 configurations and in the end it's down to personal choice of course, and it wasn't an easy decision.

 

But when it came to choosing pump out versus cassette...................

[Ange]

Have you looked at many boats? The reason I ask is that I hadn't, yet decided 40ft would do me for a liveaboard. I soon found that by looking at boats of this (and different sizes) I couldn't physically get what I wanted in to a 40ft boat.

 

Get yourself to whilton Marina if you can. I had no intention of buying from them as I hadn't heard brilliant things about them. However they have loads of boats there of varying shapes and sizes and will give you as many keys as you want to look around the boats at your own pace.

 

I spent half a day there and by the time I left I had changed all the parameters of what In terms of spec and size. I'm a single bloke and i now won't look at anything under 50ft (trad stern). I don't want a bath, but I do want a full size double wardrobe....the list goes on. All this was determined by looking round boats I had no intention of buying.

Seconded about Whilton Marina - we spent loads of time there looking at boats, some of them way out of our price range, to get a feeling of different boat layouts.

 

As for stern I'd go along with trad for liveaboard and cruiser for holiday boat. That's coming from someone who really would have preferred a cruiser stern, ended up with a trad because the boat was "the one" but is now pleased after 4 years living aboard that we've got a trad. The number of days we've got people aboard and would love to be more sociable on the back are far far outweighed by the number of days it's just the two of us aboard, Dave can do engine stuff in the dry, and when we have to cruise in the rain the steerer can stand on the steps and shut the doors behind him so that only half of him is wet and cold

 

Edited to add - hello and welcome to the OP - forgot me manners there for a moment!

Edited August 2, 2013 by Ange

[Biggles]

Get a big fat widebeam with a bow thruster, wheel steering and pump out , oil central heating and a gas fire. Reverse layout, and not a rose or castle in sight on a shiny boat. You'll fit in just fine. Make sure you over prop your hugely over powered engine for extra acceptance.

 

Welcome.

[canals are us?]

I didn't have any set style of boat but after viewing 6 boats the boat found me! I'm a single liveaboard and the boat was a 50ft trad and I have to say I like the modern engine room to store things like the vacuum cleaner, boots, brolly, boating items etc. I also like the engine being in a very waterproof housing.

 

James

[boots]

Cruiser stern it will be we think, don't like the idea of being stuck at the rear by myself in the rain whilst wifey gets to keep dry!

 

Don't think a cruiser stern will make a difference as to whether you are alone in the rain!

[AidanLincs]

Don't think a cruiser stern will make a difference as to whether you are alone in the rain!

 

Does if he locks the door.

[Guest]

....... did any one mention semi-trad???

 

Some of the benefits of a 'sociable' cruiser stern, and the appearance of a trad. (at least side on) if that sort of thing bothers you.

 

And to keep the engine fixing person/boat steering person dry you can add a pram hood!!!

 

 

 

and yes welcome to the forum OP.

 

[ditchcrawler]

Cruiser stern it will be we think, don't like the idea of being stuck at the rear by myself in the rain whilst wifey gets to keep dry!

 

Think if we go for a 55-60ft with cruiser stern we should get about 40-45ft internal space which should be enough, according to my plans on the post it notes!

You are not out in the rain with a trad

Get a big fat widebeam with a bow thruster, wheel steering and pump out , oil central heating and a gas fire. Reverse layout, and not a rose or castle in sight on a shiny boat. You'll fit in just fine. Make sure you over prop your hugely over powered engine for extra acceptance.

 

Welcome.

And lots of 240 volts

[Dave Payne]

Have you looked at many boats? The reason I ask is that I hadn't, yet decided 40ft would do me for a liveaboard. I soon found that by looking at boats of this (and different sizes) I couldn't physically get what I wanted in to a 40ft boat.

 

Get yourself to whilton Marina if you can. I had no intention of buying from them as I hadn't heard brilliant things about them. However they have loads of boats there of varying shapes and sizes and will give you as many keys as you want to look around the boats at your own pace.

 

I spent half a day there and by the time I left I had changed all the parameters of what In terms of spec and size. I'm a single bloke and i now won't look at anything under 50ft (trad stern). I don't want a bath, but I do want a full size double wardrobe....the list goes on. All this was determined by looking round boats I had no intention of buying.

 

Popped down Whilton yesterday, as you say spent a few hours walking round the marina checking out boats, to be honest it didn't change my mind at all, just made me more determined to get a cruiser stern...

 

Also made me think that buying an empty shell fitting it out ourselves is the way forward, all the boats we saw at the bottom end of the prices were horrible, smelly old ones, and the higher end of the pries didn't seem much better...

 

Also none of them had the layout we want.

 

Thanks for the tips people!

[i love my narrowboat]

Hello everyone,

 

Just wanted to say hi, have been reading the forum as a guest for a while and thought i should join and start asking some newbie questions soon.

 

Myself and wifey plan to purchase an NB in about 3 years, then fit it out and use for weekends/holiday with the hope of living aboard once children have flew the nest...

 

Lots to learn so excuse me if i ask some basic stupid questions.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Welcome to the forum, enjoy the banter and don't take to heart any insults ;-)

....... did any one mention semi-trad???

 

Some of the benefits of a 'sociable' cruiser stern, and the appearance of a trad. (at least side on) if that sort of thing bothers you.

 

And to keep the engine fixing person/boat steering person dry you can add a pram hood!!!

 

 

 

and yes welcome to the forum OP.

 

 

 

Sweet little dog