What boat would you buy to circumnavigate the UK and beyond, with only £5k?

[bpbpbp]

Assuming the boat is in decent condition, and has the bare minimum to get you sailing, making additions and upgrades year on year?

My list is currently Vega, Halcyon, Invicta as I'm influenced towards older folkboats.

I'm 193 cm tall and would prefer more room, and to be less worried about full keel and protected rudder - but this is the advice I am always given.

Keen to hear from others!

 

[Minerva]

Assuming the boat is in decent condition, and has the bare minimum to get you sailing, making additions and upgrades year on year?

My list is currently Vega, Halcyon, Invicta as I'm influenced towards older folkboats.

I'm 193 cm tall and would prefer more room, and to be less worried about full keel and protected rudder - but this is the advice I am always given.

Keen to hear from others!

I'm 192cm tall and had a Folksong. I couldn't even sit up straight in it - let alone stand. I would kneel on the floor and head would touch the deckhead!

I'd suggest getting on board a few boats and see how you get on; my suspicion is for £5k you'll be in a world of dilapidated project boats* though and spend more time doing boat work than sailing. However, I'd probably add the centaur to your list.

If you can work a few extra months to stretch your budget to £10k then your probably going have a much better time


*Been there & done; that wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Tranona]

The boat design is largely irrelevant as just about any boat designed for coastal cruising will do the job. The challenge you have is finding a boat in good enough condition to undertake such a project for £5k. The smaller older boats such as you mention are all available at that sort of price, mainly because they are out of fashion and as a consequence often have not been kept up to a good enough standard to use in the way you intend.

Long winded way of saying you probably have unreasonable expectations and while you might be able to buy a boat that is only the start of further expenditure in terms of preparation and keeping it working.

 

[steve yates]

Buy a small trailer sailer in good condition and take your time.

 

[dunedin]

Assuming the boat is in decent condition, and has the bare minimum to get you sailing, making additions and upgrades year on year?

My list is currently Vega, Halcyon, Invicta as I'm influenced towards older folkboats.

I'm 193 cm tall and would prefer more room, and to be less worried about full keel and protected rudder - but this is the advice I am always given.

Keen to hear from others!

As Tranona says will be a challenge finding something in good condition at that price - that should be the priority.

I wouldn’t worry about “full keel and protected rudder”. I suspect that 90+% of boats that sail round Britain / UK are not “full keel” but just common cruising boats - bilge keel, centreboard, fin keel, whatever.
Decent engine and anchor gear important if budget an issue - and space to live and keep gear.

 

[bpbpbp]

I'm 192cm tall and had a Folksong. I couldn't even sit up straight in it - let alone stand. I would kneel on the floor and head would touch the deckhead!

I'd suggest getting on board a few boats and see how you get on; my suspicion is for £5k you'll be in a world of dilapidated project boats* though and spend more time doing boat work than sailing. However, I'd probably add the centaur to your list.

If you can work a few extra months to stretch your budget to £10k then your probably going have a much better time


*Been there & done; that wouldn't recommend it.

I could be patient and get to around the £10k mark, next season perhaps - might getter a better deal in winter?

What boats would you recommend?

I know safety is more than just boat spec (passage planning, weather windows, being sensible with a well prepared boat) but the image of a heavy displacement, long keeled, protected rudder boat is the only thing currently giving me the confidence to imagine myself single-handing across oceans and pursuing a boat purchase.

 

[B27]

Decide what you want to do.
We've gone from a UK circumnavigation to cross oceans.

Pretty different things.
Sailing around the UK is generally a bunch of short passages.
Crossing oceans is 10 days plus, which implies carrying stores, surviving weather etc.


Most of the long keel boats which people bang on about are very old, and cheap ones will require spending a lot of time and money to get them in a fit state to go around the UK.
I suggest going and looking at a few cheap boats, then writing a plan to get them up to scratch.
I don't think £5k will go far.
£1k for a mooring while you get the boat ready.
Sails need to be in good nick to cope with many hours of potential strong wind.
The engine needs to be good.
Rigging likewise.
Safety kit adds up.
Even decent suitable clothing is going to take >10% of your budget?

Also, the whole round Britain thing is often over-rated. Particularly solo. It seems to turn into a lot of motoring to make make port. It's also more difficult the slower the boat.
You're really a bit late to look at doing it this year anyway, it takes time to buy a boat, time to get it ready.

 

[bpbpbp]

Decide what you want to do.
We've gone from a UK circumnavigation to cross oceans.

Pretty different things.
Sailing around the UK is generally a bunch of short passages.
Crossing oceans is 10 days plus, which implies carrying stores, surviving weather etc.


Most of the long keel boats which people bang on about are very old, and cheap ones will require spending a lot of time and money to get them in a fit state to go around the UK.
I suggest going and looking at a few cheap boats, then writing a plan to get them up to scratch.
I don't think £5k will go far.
£1k for a mooring while you get the boat ready.
Sails need to be in good nick to cope with many hours of potential strong wind.
The engine needs to be good.
Rigging likewise.
Safety kit adds up.
Even decent suitable clothing is going to take >10% of your budget?

Also, the whole round Britain thing is often over-rated. Particularly solo. It seems to turn into a lot of motoring to make make port. It's also more difficult the slower the boat.
You're really a bit late to look at doing it this year anyway, it takes time to buy a boat, time to get it ready.

I see, thanks.

Instead of trying to get a one-size-fits-all boat for unrealistic money, I should start with a slightly bigger budget if I can (£10k) and focus on coastal sailing locally, leading to maybe my first channel crossing eventually.

I have sailing clothing and a life jacket.

Now I need to research suitable £10k boats, go and visit as many as I can., with a focus on best condition boat rather than pedigree, and get over the fear of light displacement and spade rudders.

 

[WoodyP]

Kingfisher K30 would be in this price range if you can find one. Skeg hung rudder twin keels and strongly built. One of them went off on a round world race with Chay Blyth but withdrew before trying the southern ocean leg, but others have done the Jester challenge.

 

[Tranona]

I see, thanks.

Instead of trying to get a one-size-fits-all boat for unrealistic money, I should start with a slightly bigger budget if I can (£10k) and focus on coastal sailing locally, leading to maybe my first channel crossing eventually.

I have sailing clothing and a life jacket.

Now I need to research suitable £10k boats, go and visit as many as I can., with a focus on best condition boat rather than pedigree, and get over the fear of light displacement and spade rudders.

Only a tiny minority of cruising boats are old style long keel and the majority really don't seem to have a problem with their boats and enjoy the better performance, greater comfort and space. £5-10k gets you into a different world of boats where there is a better chance of finding one in usable condition. Examples here yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/boats/sadler/26 and here yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/varne-27-for-sale/734435

 

[steveeasy]

Hanse 311. Pick them up cheap as chips.

Steveeasy

 

[srm]

Is this going to be your first cruising boat? If so buy something popular that will be easy to sell. The reason being that as you build experience you will refine your ideas about what you really want (as opposed to what the rest of us think will suit you). As an example all my monohulls have had much the same hull form, ranging from 29ft to 42 ft. Medium to heavy displacement with keel hung rudder. But others here are equally happy with spade rudders and lighter displacement.

Also, as I have mentioned in other threads, it takes me around three seasons to get a boat to the state that I am happy with it and only need regular maintenance and the odd replacement or upgrade. I sailed each season around 1000nm and made alterations etc. each winter.

If you are serious about single handed long distance sailing then invest in a wind vane self steering gear. Electric tiller/wheel pilots for small boats are not really built for continuous 24/7 use. Used wind vane gears can be found at around 50% of new price if you are patient. I put a wind vane gear on my second boat, then had one on all the others as they are just as useful for coastal sailing, need no electricity and very little maintenance. My last one had done an Atlantic circuit on a big boat, then I bought it and used it on my last two boats.

The bad news is that 5K is unlikely to meet your requirements, boats are expensive, even when you are willing to do a lot of the work yourself. Having said that occasionally good, well equipped boats do come on the market at realistic prices when the owner realises they have to let them go for health or other reasons. The new owner of my last boat is very happy to have a sound, fully equipped, ocean capable boat at a very low price, that admittedly needed quite a lot of hours of mainly cosmetic work. He had been looking for a suitable boat, within his limited budget, for a couple of years.

 

[fredrussell]

Hanse 311. Pick them up cheap as chips.

Steveeasy

Cracking boats but for £10k ??

 

[bpbpbp]

Kingfisher K30 would be in this price range if you can find one. Skeg hung rudder twin keels and strongly built. One of them went off on a round world race with Chay Blyth but withdrew before trying the southern ocean leg, but others have done the Jester challenge.

Thanks I'll check them out.

That's another thing, bilge vs fin - the same peers recommending folk boats turn their noses up at bilges. "No fun to sail windward", "Keel damage from taking the ground", "Keels fall off if not encapsulated", "Slamming is annoying".

I had a Leisure 23 and found it pretty boring and slow to sail.

 

[bpbpbp]

Only a tiny minority of cruising boats are old style long keel and the majority really don't seem to have a problem with their boats and enjoy the better performance, greater comfort and space. £5-10k gets you into a different world of boats where there is a better chance of finding one in usable condition. Examples here yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/boats/sadler/26 and here yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/varne-27-for-sale/734435

Thanks!

 

[bpbpbp]

Maybe I should sell some stuff I don't really need, and buy this Monsun 31?

 

[V1701]

I bought a 1969 Bowman 26 with a nearly new beta 10 engine, recent standing rigging, good sails and replacement bunk cushions in 2018 for £4300, headroom of about 6 foot. It helped that it was for sale in wales not on s coast. Nic 26 also has good headroom but they tend to go for higher prices and are very heavily built. Vega has 5'7" headroom, had one for 2 years & lived on it but I'm a shortarse so could stand in the main cabin...

I still think you should get that McWester 32...

 

[graham]

If your on a budget consider a bilge keeler which will be able to use cheap or free anchorages , harbours etc.

 

[Minerva]

Another benefit of a bilge Keeler is you don't need a cradle to haul out with over winter - saving £100's per winter. Thats if you opt to haul out at all. They can 'easily' do below waterline stuff between tides (although a brave man would change seacocks whilst dried out between tides!

 

[WoodyP]

Kingfisher doesn't slam and they don't lose keels . They also sail pretty well and are good sea boats. With a good motor they will go to windward as well as any other boat