Some advice needed please

[kamaangir]

I need your help in deciding what to choose. I have a plan that I intend to unleash early part of the new year (hopefully), this involves packing the wife and the baby to live with her mother for 6 months or so (in Croatia) and me to work in the uk and earn some money so we can buy a place of our own in the next few years. I was going to give up the flat we are renting and buy a caravan to live in then thought why not live on a boat instead?

I have always liked sailing but living in central London do not get to do a lot of it, I am a total and utter sailing novice but in my defence I am mad and stuburn!

I work as an electrical engineer normally but have lots of interests and hobbies that I may turn to if I need to change jobs.

I have realised that it is quite hard to get residential mooring in the south east, and where available its more expensive then renting a room in London. But I have found that residential moorings are accepted in south docks marina in SE London:

www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200065/south_dock_marina/903/south_dock_marina_mooring_fees_2010

The above is the fees not sure how it all works but I will give them a ring some time.

Now for boats I would like a sail boat with an inboard and from the reading that I have done I can see that needs to be somethingh over 20' to be practical, my budget is very low at the minute but then so is my expectation.

I would not mind a project as long as I could get it to swim with in a month or so, but it need not be seaworthy till I have done some sailing with more exprienced people and some sailing courses. Essentialy it will be a floating caravan for 4 or 5 months.

these are some of the boats I am considering at the moment:

uk.boats.com/boat-details/Gaff-Cutter-29/114683421

www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/PAA15295

www.boatshed.com/wooden__sailing_yacht-boat-116021.html

Please bear in mind that I am a total novice but am more than willing to learn.
I don't find the prospect of a steep learning curve a deterent!
Also I get sea sick!
Any way thank you for reading my long post!

[Roy]

This is only my opinion, I am no expert.

Keep in mind, any boat with a wooden hull will need a lot of upkeep,
replacing planks under the waterline can be expensive.
Not saying you couldn't replace the odd plank yourself, but it is a skilled job.

Well the 32ft Herbert Woods 1966 wooden yacht was built and designed as a river boat,
I wouldn't think it would be suitable for sea work.
He was a good boat builder but they were designed for the Norfolk Broads and rivers.

The Morgan Giles 1966. GRP, less maintenance than wood, but this one does sound as though
there is a lot of work invoved in getting it ship shape (been neglected for some time) needs a
good look at, close up.

1920 Gaff Cutter looks a better bet. but with a wood hull and keeping in mind the age,
I think I would want a professional inspection, especially if you want to take it to sea.

Anyone else with more knowlege of sea going craft, would like to offer their opinion
it would be most welcome.

[Roy]

By the way have you had a look at this post yet ? CLICK HERE

just some other things to consider too.

[kamaangir]

Yep had a read of that, very informative. Cheers

[rustymember]

so how long are you planning on living on this boat? Is the missus gonna come back in 6 months and join you? Obviously if you're going to be on it for a while and then if she's going to join you then that is a big thing to consider. There is a lot of work, potentially (depending how long you're staying on it), with a wooden boat and you'll need to learn a lot so might not be the best bet if this is only a short term affair.

You can get some bargains out there especially at the minute so it's a buyers market and the good news with boats is they tend to keep their price though if you need to put a lot of money into furnishing and kitting it out to live in and then plan on selling it you might not get this cash back.

Get yourself a bigger boat and move the family aboard