stuhaynes
New member
Thought you might like to see our boat. She was built on the Thames in 1950 and launched in 1951. I've had her for almost 10 years and we live aboard her full time. Built as a 'gentlemans motor yacht' she is 30 feet long with a beam of 9 foot 6 inches. She draws 3 feet 3 inches and is built of mahogany on oak. To offset the sails she has a 2 ton keel. Her displacement weight is 9.5 tons.
To anyone who is considering living aboard a boat I heartily recommend it. We will never move back into a house. I know that 30 foot doesn't really sound much but in fact we have everything on board.
In the stern we have an auto washer dryer, freezer, seperate fridge and a combi oven/microwave/grill. We had a new canopy made to give us extra space and it worked really well.
In the salon we have everything you'd expect, including a multi-fuel stove. We work from the boat so we also house 2 computers.
We rebuilt the old galley leaving space for our brilliant Cobb cooker
We turned the bow cabin into a huge double bed, very comfy.
It always seems strange when we go away without the boat, sleeping in a bed that doesn't move. Something not quite natural.
If you're thinking about living afloat and you think you have the right temperament I really would have a go. My advice would be to go for something in the 38-40 foot range, this is what we'll be looking for as money allows. If you go for bigger than this you may have a problem getting a suitable mooring if you are inland, as we are.
If you know of any more 'Black Swans' I'd be really interested to hear. There were only 5 in the class, as far as I'm aware, and the first of those went to someone in the Shah of Persia's government in 1950. I'd love to find the other 3 if they still exist. They were all hand built, must have cost a fortune, and have a beauty that makes them very special.
Gotta go, dinner ready.
To anyone who is considering living aboard a boat I heartily recommend it. We will never move back into a house. I know that 30 foot doesn't really sound much but in fact we have everything on board.
In the stern we have an auto washer dryer, freezer, seperate fridge and a combi oven/microwave/grill. We had a new canopy made to give us extra space and it worked really well.
In the salon we have everything you'd expect, including a multi-fuel stove. We work from the boat so we also house 2 computers.
We rebuilt the old galley leaving space for our brilliant Cobb cooker
We turned the bow cabin into a huge double bed, very comfy.
It always seems strange when we go away without the boat, sleeping in a bed that doesn't move. Something not quite natural.
If you're thinking about living afloat and you think you have the right temperament I really would have a go. My advice would be to go for something in the 38-40 foot range, this is what we'll be looking for as money allows. If you go for bigger than this you may have a problem getting a suitable mooring if you are inland, as we are.
If you know of any more 'Black Swans' I'd be really interested to hear. There were only 5 in the class, as far as I'm aware, and the first of those went to someone in the Shah of Persia's government in 1950. I'd love to find the other 3 if they still exist. They were all hand built, must have cost a fortune, and have a beauty that makes them very special.
Gotta go, dinner ready.