|
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
I haven't boated much (just boating on friends boats)and want to get
an idea of a managagable size boat to purchase. Is 31 ft too long, or should I purchase a 27 or 28 footer to begin? Looking back, what would you have done differently when you you first took the plunge buying your first boat? |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
|
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
|
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
Assuming you are looking at a full cabin boat and will be storing it at a
marina, bigger is always better. It is very difficult to find a buyer for a boat in this size. Starting at a 26 and then going to a 28 in a year or so and then to a 30 in another year is not practical as it may take a year or so just to sell the one you have. If you know you want something to cruise at slower speeds and spend the weekend on w/ friends and stuff, then the bigger you can afford the more you will enjoy the boat. Just remember, dock fees are based on size and insurance and gas use goes up also. I would definitely be looking for twin diesels in this size boat. Once you decide on the most money you can afford for the boat, start looking. Just remember, you are definitely in a buyers market in these boats. If you show up with money to buy, you can negotiate a real deal as the owner is constantly looking at maintenance and dock fee cost every day he keeps it. Good luck and happy hunting. -- Tony my boats at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com "John H" wrote in message ... On 13 Mar 2004 14:26:06 -0800, (Trevor) wrote: I haven't boated much (just boating on friends boats)and want to get an idea of a managagable size boat to purchase. Is 31 ft too long, or should I purchase a 27 or 28 footer to begin? Looking back, what would you have done differently when you you first took the plunge buying your first boat? Take a boating course and start small! John H On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay! |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
I would have bought a 52 foot Hatteras or Bertram instead of a 13 foot Boston Whaler Sport with a 25 horse Merc. Of course, I was 12 at the time, but still... :) Thanks for making me spill my coffee, Tom. |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
Trevor wrote:
I haven't boated much (just boating on friends boats)and want to get an idea of a managagable size boat to purchase. Is 31 ft too long, or should I purchase a 27 or 28 footer to begin? Looking back, what would you have done differently when you you first took the plunge buying your first boat? A lot depends on where and how you plan to use the boat. Large lakes or ocean/great lakes vs small shallow lakes vs river and streams will all play a part in ones selection. Overall size will be effected by these as well. Are currents a issue, what about wind the list is endless. I would suggest that you look around at where you want to boat and observe the various types of craft in use. Them determine what type would fit the scope of what you want to do. If the craft is large and you are a little scared of handeling it see if you can hire someone who has experiance with these typeps of craft to show you the tricks on handeling. I would aslo suggest looking into a boating safty course before even purchasing a boat. You will learn just basic handeling and the rules of the road. But also be able to get insite from folks that are already on the water. Good Luck and happy boating.. Capt Jack R.. ps these folks have classes avaiable in most areas http://www.cgaux.org/ |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 17:10:32 GMT, Petey the Wonder Dog
wrote: Far as I can tell, someone wrote: I would have bought a 52 foot Hatteras or Bertram instead of a 13 foot Boston Whaler Sport with a 25 horse Merc. Of course, I was 12 at the time, but still... :) Thanks for making me spill my coffee, Tom. Sorry. :) Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
Hi Trevor, I think you need to learn to boat before you learn to yacht. The larger the boat, the more knowledge and skill are required to operate it s·a·f·e·l·y. Let me toss a couple of test questions at you. If you can't answer them off the top of your head you should conceder a very docile boat. Not a cabin cruiser. (That learning curve would be like trying to take high school driver's education in a moving van.) If you cannot answer *any* of the questions, You REALLY need to take the USCG-A or Power Squadron boating safety class before taking the boat out. 1. You are traveling a river. Your direction is away from the ocean. You see a blinking green light or green marker panel. Where is the channel in relation to the green marker? What if the marker were Red? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. It is night time. You see a red light and to the right, a white light. A. What is it? B. Which direction is it going? C. Do you have right of way? You see a single white light. What is it? D. You see a green on the left side, a red on the right side, and a white above the two. What should you do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. How many fire extinguishers is a 20 foot boat required to carry? How about a 26' boat. What type(s) or weights? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. You have a family aboard. Yourself, woman who does not swim, and 2 children. A boy, 16 years old and a girl, 7 years old. You are 35 miles from the nearest land. A. What type of lifejackets do you need? B. What type of signal devices are required? C. Who is required to wear a lifejacket? 5. You bought a signal rocket or flare kit in January 2000. What must you do? For a first boat you might want to conceder a deck boat or pontoon boat. Deckboats have excellent performance and offer many amenities. Deckboats and pontoons can be equipped with a canvas "cabin" for camping. They are often equipped with a pottie and freshwater supply. Pontoons are very fuel efficient too. A big consideration in today's fuel economy. (BTW a PC cruiser will burn 20+ gallons of premium per hour.) Hint: The answers to these questions can be found on my website(below) or by looking at http://www.cgaux.org/ -- Capt. Frank __c \ _ | \_ __\_| oooo \_____ ~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~ www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks "Trevor" wrote in message om... I haven't boated much (just boating on friends boats)and want to get an idea of a managagable size boat to purchase. Is 31 ft too long, or should I purchase a 27 or 28 footer to begin? Looking back, what would you have done differently when you you first took the plunge buying your first boat? |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
I agree with Capt. Frank, but I would also add that is might be a good idea
to charter a few boats to get an idea what kind of boat you want, and then buy a used boat. After a few years of boating you will have a much better idea of what you want, and you won't take the big depreciation of a new boat. I think with some coaching from an experienced boater, you should be albe to handle a 22-24' boat. "Capt Frank Hopkins" wrote in message hlink.net... Hi Trevor, I think you need to learn to boat before you learn to yacht. The larger the boat, the more knowledge and skill are required to operate it s·a·f·e·l·y. Let me toss a couple of test questions at you. If you can't answer them off the top of your head you should conceder a very docile boat. Not a cabin cruiser. (That learning curve would be like trying to take high school driver's education in a moving van.) If you cannot answer *any* of the questions, You REALLY need to take the USCG-A or Power Squadron boating safety class before taking the boat out. 1. You are traveling a river. Your direction is away from the ocean. You see a blinking green light or green marker panel. Where is the channel in relation to the green marker? What if the marker were Red? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. It is night time. You see a red light and to the right, a white light. A. What is it? B. Which direction is it going? C. Do you have right of way? You see a single white light. What is it? D. You see a green on the left side, a red on the right side, and a white above the two. What should you do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. How many fire extinguishers is a 20 foot boat required to carry? How about a 26' boat. What type(s) or weights? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. You have a family aboard. Yourself, woman who does not swim, and 2 children. A boy, 16 years old and a girl, 7 years old. You are 35 miles from the nearest land. A. What type of lifejackets do you need? B. What type of signal devices are required? C. Who is required to wear a lifejacket? 5. You bought a signal rocket or flare kit in January 2000. What must you do? For a first boat you might want to conceder a deck boat or pontoon boat. Deckboats have excellent performance and offer many amenities. Deckboats and pontoons can be equipped with a canvas "cabin" for camping. They are often equipped with a pottie and freshwater supply. Pontoons are very fuel efficient too. A big consideration in today's fuel economy. (BTW a PC cruiser will burn 20+ gallons of premium per hour.) Hint: The answers to these questions can be found on my website(below) or by looking at http://www.cgaux.org/ -- Capt. Frank __c \ _ | \_ __\_| oooo \_____ ~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~ www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks "Trevor" wrote in message om... I haven't boated much (just boating on friends boats)and want to get an idea of a managagable size boat to purchase. Is 31 ft too long, or should I purchase a 27 or 28 footer to begin? Looking back, what would you have done differently when you you first took the plunge buying your first boat? |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
well i can tell you that if you havent really drivin a boat you sure dont
want a 30 footer! i would suggest maybe a 25ft then next season upgrade "Trevor" wrote in message om... I haven't boated much (just boating on friends boats)and want to get an idea of a managagable size boat to purchase. Is 31 ft too long, or should I purchase a 27 or 28 footer to begin? Looking back, what would you have done differently when you you first took the plunge buying your first boat? |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
|
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
grin, it sounds like you have run into some real inexperienced boaters up
your way. Nothing is worse than to be a the gas dock and watching someone out of control heading for you. I didn't find the person who started this thread to be completely out of line. If someone is experienced in handling a outboard or inboard/outboard boat, when they change to a inboard boat, or one even a new boat with more freeboard, they will have to relearn how to handle the boat. I completely agree with you, concerning the importance of learning the rules of the road, and taking a safety course. But, there are lots of knowledgeable, competent boaters who's first boating experience is on boats larger than 27'. I have seen new boaters buying 50' yachts and are now competent boaters. The smart ones have found a knowledable boater to help them learn how to handle the boat. Some will pay a professional to teach them, others will have friends show them the ropes. In my marina it is very common to see dock mates teaching the inexperience boaters how to safely dock a boat. They do this because they love boats, but also because they dont' want the newbie to slam into their boat. ; ) Hopefully, you mild rant will emphasize to him the importance of learning how to handle the boat before he leaves the dock alone. "Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message ... On 13 Mar 2004 14:26:06 -0800, (Trevor) wrote: I haven't boated much (just boating on friends boats)and want to get an idea of a managagable size boat to purchase. Is 31 ft too long, or should I purchase a 27 or 28 footer to begin? On second thought, and because there doesn't seem to be a lot going on in the NG this morning, I've changed my mind on this. Buy a 50 footer - hell, if you can afford it, buy one of those used 120 foot Sheik yachts from Urbootie. It's not like any of those foreign captains around Newport can operate the damn things properly anyway. It's full speed, six foot wakes and if you are a small boat that gets tossed eight feet into the air as they go by, tough. "I'm on a schedule - the Boss's wife needs a facial - or a face, I forget which." There is a rant in there somewhere - I'm just not up to it this morning. Never mind. Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 14:19:37 GMT, "John Smith"
wrote: ~~ Snippage happens ~~ Hopefully, you mild rant will emphasize to him the importance of learning how to handle the boat before he leaves the dock alone. I do it all the time around my marina - you see guys and gals with big shiny Sea Rays or whatevers with no practical experience beyond a USCGA or USPS course all of a sudden discovering that a 32 foot boat doesn't drive like the family SUV. Hey, if you can afford it, do it. Like a lot of folks in reply to this thread said, get soembody to show you the ropes, take a course, get an idea of what you are getting into. I was throwing my Dad's 37 foot converted lobster boat around Marblehead Harbor when I was 14 - learned a lot with that old tub. So it's certainly doable. As to Newport, well it's not the small boat operators as much as it is the weirdos who run full throttle up the East Passage billy-be-damned if anybody else is around. I've actually slowed down for a gaggle of old 12 meter racing yachts and had a 70 footer of Italian manufacture PASS me, straight through the sailers and into the harbor. Lot's of "sign language" after that event. :) Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 16:02:44 GMT, "Capt Frank Hopkins"
wrote: Hey Tom, It was one of those six foot wakes that made me decide to join the Coast Guard many years ago. I was in high school and dating a cutie. We were out in my father's Larson 21, anchored and "fishing" in a narrow section of the ICW. One of those 60 foot yatch-ettes came blasting past. After a ride in the air we washed up ten feet on the mudbank. Getting the boat off the mud was a dirty job, and dear old dad was real impressed with the oyster shell scratches on the hull. Needless to say, I didn't get anywhere with the cutie that day. -- LOL!!!! Well, I've had an incident with the Navy. Once I was out in my Dad's boat with some friends and as it happened, the Navy was doing a "port" visit to Marblehead. They the anchored the freakin' destroyer right next to the main Salem channel and in a solid fog, I managed to run to it. They had no lights, no horns, no nuttin'. Needless to say, my Dad, a former wartime USCG officer, was not amused with either me or the Navy. Sorry about that cutie thing - bummer. Tell me, did you ever use the out of gas gag on the boat? :) Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
No never did use the out of gas gag, but have pulled the "dead battery and can't start until the solar charger does its work in the morning." routine. That one worked really well until one college babe wanted to know how come the FM radio and anchor light were still running. She was a sporty first mate that night. ? Alas... The days of youth.... -- Capt. Frank __c \ _ | \_ __\_| oooo \_____ ~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~ www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks "Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message ... On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 16:02:44 GMT, "Capt Frank Hopkins" wrote: Hey Tom, It was one of those six foot wakes that made me decide to join the Coast Guard many years ago. I was in high school and dating a cutie. We were out in my father's Larson 21, anchored and "fishing" in a narrow section of the ICW. One of those 60 foot yatch-ettes came blasting past. After a ride in the air we washed up ten feet on the mudbank. Getting the boat off the mud was a dirty job, and dear old dad was real impressed with the oyster shell scratches on the hull. Needless to say, I didn't get anywhere with the cutie that day. -- LOL!!!! Well, I've had an incident with the Navy. Once I was out in my Dad's boat with some friends and as it happened, the Navy was doing a "port" visit to Marblehead. They the anchored the freakin' destroyer right next to the main Salem channel and in a solid fog, I managed to run to it. They had no lights, no horns, no nuttin'. Needless to say, my Dad, a former wartime USCG officer, was not amused with either me or the Navy. Sorry about that cutie thing - bummer. Tell me, did you ever use the out of gas gag on the boat? :) Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 05:37:14 GMT, "Capt Frank Hopkins"
wrote: No never did use the out of gas gag, but have pulled the "dead battery and can't start until the solar charger does its work in the morning." routine. That one worked really well until one college babe wanted to know how come the FM radio and anchor light were still running. She was a sporty first mate that night. ? Alas... The days of youth.... Alas? Hell, bring 'em back. Where is Ponce deLeon when you need him? Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
Actually Tom, I live about 15 miles southwest of St. Augustine. Home to the DeLeon's Fountain of Youth. It is sulpher water. I was down there Saturday seeking a new slip for the boat. One of the really nice things about living here is the4 year-round babe parade. Dear old Dad once said,"The closer the water, the prettier the women!" He was quite the philosopher. And useually right. -- Capt. Frank __c \ _ | \_ __\_| oooo \_____ ~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~ www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks "Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message ... On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 05:37:14 GMT, "Capt Frank Hopkins" wrote: No never did use the out of gas gag, but have pulled the "dead battery and can't start until the solar charger does its work in the morning." routine. That one worked really well until one college babe wanted to know how come the FM radio and anchor light were still running. She was a sporty first mate that night. ? Alas... The days of youth.... Alas? Hell, bring 'em back. Where is Ponce deLeon when you need him? Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
newbie buying a used cruiser-what size best?
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:01:09 GMT, "Capt Frank Hopkins"
wrote: He was quite the philosopher. And useually right. Yep - my Dad was a great guy and used to tell tales cleverly disguised as parables if you listened close enough - which, more often than not, I did because I love a good story. :) Later, Tom S. Woodstock, CT ----------- "Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learnt..." Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653 |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:47 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 BoatBanter.com