Hi Bruce,
Thanks for your fast response! I was probably dreaming of picking up
a couple of 25~30 foot of the ocean type boats, the ones that seam a
bit beamier than the skinnier river types. In fantasy land, i would
have got them both as bare hulls for maybe $500 each second hand,
built a basic bridge deck to turn them into a cat, put a couple of the
small single cyllinder diesels on and been done for maybe $5k. If
they proved seaworthy enough and i could get away with it i had some
hopes of motoring them round the gulf and up the coast of vietnam to
halong bay.

Based on what you've said though, this doesnt sound very likely. More
realistically i might get a single boat of around 25 foot if i hunt
around a bit for maybe $1,500~$2,000? Would still love to grab a
bargain if i see one going though.... Please bear in mind im not
expecting to cross oceans or get any resale value on this boat once im
done with it (maybe a few months, at most). Any boat that will stay
afloat during these few months would keep me happy - and i'd be happy
to donate it to someone once i was done. I'm quite ready to adjust
the plans/destinations to suit the craft and will be bringing most of
my own safety gear with me.

There do seem to be some bargains still available in some parts of
asia... I had lived in korea for a few years where living seemed to
be getting more and more expensive and maybe close to japan nowadays,
but in vietnam I've managed to find a palce that sells brand new minsk
motorbikes for US$700. looks like i missed the end of the cheap plane
tickets, but sometime in the next couple of weeks im off to ride down
the coast before entering thailand. Maybe catch up for a beer when
I'm over? Will be in Bangkok for at least 2 months for dental work.

Best Regards,
Shaun

O.K., first of all there isn't such a thing as a "long tail boat".
There are various boats that have been fitted with a "long tail motor"
but the boats themselves vary considerably. A boat built to fish off
shore in S.W. Thailand is a different boat then a boat that is built
to carry passengers on the Chao Paya River.

Next point, long tail motors range from a single cylinder, 4 stroke,
3.5 H.P. air cooled engine to (a friend swears this is true) a small
block chevy V-8. A very common engine would be a single cylinder,
water cooled, diesel engine with a hand crank start.

Your ideas sound like a say 18 ft. wood fishing boat with a top.
Fairly common.

There isn't a "title" on boats in Thailand as such. There is a
registration, with the Harbor Master's Office, for boats above a
certain size but as far as I know not for smaller boats. At least I
don't think there is.

There is no legal reason that you can't own a boat in Thailand (I own
one). There might be a problem if it was necessary to register one as
it is doubtful that you will have some of the necessary paperwork
unless you are a resident here.

I rather doubt that you would get "punched out" for simply having a
boat. If you were to motor into a tourist spot and proceed to act as
though you were planning on carrying tourists I'm fairly sure one of
the other boat operators would say something but I doubt the first act
would be to hit you.

Just sitting here your figure of US$ 1,000 sounds cheap. That would be
about 34,000 baht which doesn't sound like a lot of money for a boat
and motor.

I'm sure that you can buy a used boat and motor but think about it for
a moment. Boats of this sort are work boats and are owned by someone
who uses them to make a living. Why would he want to sell it? It is
old and full of worm holes? The frigging motor won't start half the
time? This foolish foreigner came along and will give me enough to buy
a new boat and motor and a new gold chain for my sweety?

I'm in Bangkok at the moment and I really have no idea what a boat
would cost, or a motor. If you get to the point where you are serious
about the scheme let me know and I can get some sort of quotation for
you. I'll either be back in Phuket by that time or I can call someone.

One final thing. If you go putt-putting around the islands you
probably will be in areas where nobody speaks English. Generally you
will find the people friendly and willing to be helpful.... if you can
just talk to them.

Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)- Hide quoted text -

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