1/ What do you want from this?
Think about this carefully – what do you want from this? What is your ideal – not only your ideal but what could you realistically ‘sell’ to your partner/wife/husband/Finance Director/kids. Seeing yourself at the helm of a classic yacht might be your dream but is it theirs? Unless your plan is easy to picture and execute then you will rapidly lose the interest of the others as they sigh and turn back to Minecraft. So, why are you doing this – what do you want to achieve from it? Here’s some pointers:
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2/ Money, realistically, how much money have you got to throw at this? Work it out and then divide it by half – that half is your budget. Why divide it by half? Because there are aspects to this you won’t have considered yet and budgets rarely get stuck to. For example – there is no good building a yacht if you haven’t factored in that you are going to have to store her and if you can’t sail and don’t have any obliging mates who can show you how to then you are going to have to factor in lessons. This is way before you even start thinking of clothing, lifejackets, VHF radios, mooring fees etc. etc. Don’t believe me? Then spend 5 minutes on eBay – type in ‘boats’ and you will see hundreds of stalled projects of sorry looking boats that have been bought by over enthusiastic novices who have seen the price tag and thought ‘I can afford that’ without considering that the picture in their minds is thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours away from what they actually have.
Even if you don’t have the money – DON’T DESPAIR. Rome wasn’t built in a day and there are plenty of ways of realising your dream without spending huge sums of money. Reading Barnacle Bill Magazine is a start as we have a passion for lowering the access into boating and sailing.
3/ Where are you going to use it? If you are lucky and live in a part of the world that has easy access to the coast, rivers, lakes and estuaries then great. However, bear in mind that the water on your doorstep might not be suitable for your chosen activity. If you live on the West Coast of Ireland and see the fine Atlantic rollers come crashing into the coast heading out there then in a vintage steam powered Thames river launch isn’t going to be an option for you. Do some research, look into local boating and sailing clubs, look for people on the water on nice days. Get a feel for what is happening locally.
4/ Storage. Where are you going to store your boat and equipment? In temperate and arctic conditions you’ll need to try and keep a boat out of the worst of the winter weather even if it is in a car port or shelter. Is it secure? How much is it going to cost?
5/ Transport. How are you going to get your craft to the water? How big is your car? If you are considering a substantial craft weighing in at 500kilos + then you have to get aware of local driving laws and towing laws. They vary around the world, check your license and insurance allows you to tow the type of weight and axle number you require. Is your car powerful enough to safely tow the boat? If you are building a boat then remember that a trailer can cost more than the boat itself so budget for it. If you plan to car top the boat then you need to be very aware of its weight. Can the boat be lifted onto the car by one person or do you need two or more? If it is a substantial boat but under the car’s roof top capability it might be a good idea to get the load weighed at a public weighbridge and have a weight certificate issued by the weighbridge. The police have been known to stop people carrying large open canoes because they look too heavy, with a certificate it just keeps the conversation short and the policeman goes away knowing you’ve considered what you are doing. If car topping also be aware that although your load might be light enough, it might be too bulky to safely car top. Modern vehicles partly depend on aerodynamics for efficiency so remember; anything you put on your roof could considerably hit your MPG. How easy is the boat to move around on shore? Not necessarily on a flat, concrete surface but on a slipway can it be moved and pushed by one person or does it take more than one. It’s no fun at all landing on a slipway only to find the shore deserted and you not strong enough to get the boat out of the water.
A second hand 'Mirror 16' is often a good bet for a family boat. However, be aware that buying a 20+ year old wooden or GRP boat can become very expensive unless it has been very well maintained it is likely to require repairs.
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