What Are Your "must Haves" On A Boat?

[annv]

Hi Many of the things you have put down are easily changed i would suggest that a air gap of 8 ft will get you most places,  as you intend lengthy stays being able to add or replace the water tank with a larger one, i have a 135 gallon one lasts a couple of weeks or more, a bow thruster is very useful when side winds make mooring challenging and if reversing any distance,  a large holding tank or space to add one is also a good idea, a depth sounder is not much use at all, on my last boat i had three they all read differently depending on mud density other than that getting a cheaper boat without your wants and adding what you want is much preferable the paying a higher price and being stuck with someone else's choice most of what you want can be easily changed/ added work wise. John

[Cockatoo]

Updated List:

 

Essential:

Minimum of two cabins.

Two heads (or one head and a separate shower)

Shore power

Battery charger

Heater

Depth guage

Electric mudweight

Oven

Fridge

Hob (2 burner ok, 4 burner better)

Holding tank (I've included this because I am looking at ads all over the place)

Bowthruster

 

 

Desirable:

LED lighting

Nav lights

4 Burner hob

Solar Panels (WherryNice)

Large water/holding tanks (annv)

[Cockatoo]

8 minutes ago, annv said:

Hi Many of the things you have put down are easily changed i would suggest that a air gap of 8 ft will get you most places,  as you intend lengthy stays being able to add or replace the water tank with a larger one, i have a 135 gallon one lasts a couple of weeks or more, a bow thruster is very useful when side winds make mooring challenging and if reversing any distance,  a large holding tank or space to add one is also a good idea, a depth sounder is not much use at all, on my last boat i had three they all read differently depending on mud density other than that getting a cheaper boat without your wants and adding what you want is much preferable the paying a higher price and being stuck with someone else's choice most of what you want can be easily changed/ added work wise. John

I must admit I do like the idea of getting a bit of a 'fixer upper'. I can turn my hand to most things like plumbing, electrics, floor laying and the mechanical stuff meanwhile Debs is a dab hand with a paintbrush (I get more paint/varnish on me than whatever I am supposed to be painting). The only thing is woodwork, I am rubbish at it, so I would be paying someone else to do that and any gaswork.

 

[Ray]

Holding tank gauge. Useful if using the boat a lot, no inconvenient conveniences.

I don't know if they can be retro fitted also I've not found them reliable in the older boats I've bought but I'm assuming it is possible to get decent working models now.

[dnks34]

A basic yet easential must have for me before anything else on any future boat purchase would be the boat must have beds that are not directly beneath poorly designed metal window frames meaning the bedding gets dripped on all night with condensation.  

If you are lucky you wake in the morning having had your face washed during your sleep, which is at least time saving even if somewhat iritating with drip drip drip on your head all night.

[vanessan]

14 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

If you are lucky you wake in the morning having had your face washed during your sleep, which is at least time saving even if somewhat iritating with drip drip drip on your head all night

Saves time and water too. 

[ChrisB]

A boat with a mast and sails is always the best starting point.

[Meantime]

2 hours ago, SteveDuk said:

I must admit I do like the idea of getting a bit of a 'fixer upper'. I can turn my hand to most things like plumbing, electrics, floor laying and the mechanical stuff meanwhile Debs is a dab hand with a paintbrush (I get more paint/varnish on me than whatever I am supposed to be painting). The only thing is woodwork, I am rubbish at it, so I would be paying someone else to do that and any gaswork.

 

When I purchased my boat it was based upon the type of boat I wanted and then largely driven by my skill set. I purposely chose something that didn't need to much attention in the way of woodwork or GRP. I also won't touch the gas system, leave that to the experts. Everything else I was happy to tackle, hence my boat not having shore power, chargers, invertor, immersion and a host of other things I have since added at my leisure. 

[scaniaman]

Have you ever thought of a steely, SD, a widebeam narrow boat or dutch barge perhaps?  There`s plenty of second hand ones on the market, or maybe getting a brand new sailaway which needs fitting out. It would also mean you could move it to another waterway if you wished. It would also make you good friends with the tupperwares.   

[Maxwellian]

Steelys make a considerable mess of the plastic thing you just hit :)

[KaptinKev]

6 hours ago, ChrisB said:

A boat with a mast and sails is always the best starting point.

Personally, I prefer to be a stinky. 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

2 hours ago, scaniaman said:

Have you ever thought of a steely, SD, a widebeam narrow boat or dutch barge perhaps?  There`s plenty of second hand ones on the market, or maybe getting a brand new sailaway which needs fitting out. It would also mean you could move it to another waterway if you wished. It would also make you good friends with the tupperwares.   

Moorings for these are even harder to find though plus the weight and finding a yard to lift one.

[ExSurveyor]

19 minutes ago, Pumpmedic said:

Moorings for these are even harder to find though plus the weight and finding a yard to lift one.

Brundall Gardens have a big,  wide lift,  they were lifting a big ole steel barge earlier.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

12 minutes ago, psychicsurveyor said:

Brundall Gardens have a big,  wide lift,  they were lifting a big ole steel barge earlier.

Fair enough 

[ExSurveyor]

Essential item,

Bosch coffee machine.

I have a tank monitor on the waste tank,  I fitted it two years ago,  foil strips on the outside connected to a monitor display,  very easy to fit and doesn't get fouled.

Not cheap at £200 but has been very reliable. Tek Tanks supply them.

 

[Malanka]

You may wish to consider a smart battery charger rather than a straight charger. Helps with battery life considerably.

Bilge pump you can’t turn off

Alarm for break ins

Decent sound system 

Externally mounted ( high up) dongle

lots of three pin plugs for all the leccy stuff you’re getting

12 and usb sockets

Economical diesel heater

 

 

[Cockatoo]

5 hours ago, Malanka said:

You may wish to consider a smart battery charger rather than a straight charger. Helps with battery life considerably.

Bilge pump you can’t turn off

Alarm for break ins

Decent sound system 

Externally mounted ( high up) dongle

lots of three pin plugs for all the leccy stuff you’re getting

12 and usb sockets

Economical diesel heater

 

 

That's a good point about the smart charger, I will edit the list.

I've just realised that I will have to cut down on the number of techy things I use on a daily basis. At the moment, plugged in by the TV are:

The TV

Home Theater System

Media Server

Android Box

PS4 + Wheel (2 plugs)

Router

Powered Ethernet Hub

So that's eight things but of course they will be staying here. Except the PS4 and wheel of course. I can't do without my daily thrash round La Sarthe in the Jag XJ13 (the best Jag that never really was)

As far as 240v sockets go, as long as they are on a ring main then we can put them anywhere we can get access to. As for 12v and USB, it seems you only need to go near the shops nowadays and you come home with something that needs plugging in to USB, even the thing for trimming the dogs claws which looks like a cheap chinese Dremel to me and I've got a perfectly good Dremel in the shed........... oops that's a rant for another day. (and breathe)

[Cockatoo]

Updated List:

 

Essential:

Minimum of two cabins.

Two heads (or one head and a separate shower)

Shore power

Battery charger

Heater

Depth guage

Electric mudweight

Oven

Fridge

Hob (2 burner ok, 4 burner better)

Holding tank (I've included this because I am looking at ads all over the place)

Bowthruster

 

 

Desirable:

LED lighting

Nav lights

4 Burner hob

Solar Panels (WherryNice)

Large water/holding tanks (annv)

Smart Charger (Malanka)

Alarm (Malanka)

Waste tank gauge (Ray)

[Cockatoo]

10 hours ago, scaniaman said:

Have you ever thought of a steely, SD, a widebeam narrow boat or dutch barge perhaps?  There`s plenty of second hand ones on the market, or maybe getting a brand new sailaway which needs fitting out. It would also mean you could move it to another waterway if you wished. It would also make you good friends with the tupperwares.   

I used to live on a Dutch Barge on the Thames, it belonged to a friend of mine, and I absolutely loved it but I don't think it would be practical on the Broads

[annv]

Hi Steve there are many firms that make holding tanks any shape or size the problem being where to place/fit it close enough to toilets and on a centra line and a run for two 1 1/2 inch discharge hoses with a deck fittings, a water tank is much easier to find space for, the same for batteries a nickel iron set up will much better and more cost effective for a liver board only 22 pence per cycle as against £1 for lead acid and £1=50 for AGM,  Gel,  LFP. Solar panels are excellent to keep batteries charged when left for months at a time, this would not apply to you as you will be on mains power But if spending long periods away from home moored up a large array or a generator would be handy, certainly you should fit a advanced regulator for max performance from your alternator otherwise you will need to sail/run engine for two or more hours each day if not on shore power, these are easerly fitted the cost being high for  low user but more cost effective the more you use them. John

[Regulo]

See, that's something else I've fitted and forgot about! An advanced alternator regulator. Great bit of kit, easy install if you can use a soldering iron, and follow simple instructions.

[MauriceMynah]

58 minutes ago, Regulo said:

See, that's something else I've fitted and forgot about! An advanced alternator regulator. Great bit of kit, easy install if you can use a soldering iron, and follow simple instructions.

That rules me out then. :-)

[CambridgeCabby]

Instead of fitting an expensive sound system , why not acquire a good quality Bluetooth speaker , we have an expensive stereo fitted with Sony marine speakers in the cockpit and saloon (was there when boat purchased), but we use a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker instead ,find it far more user friendly 

[Cockatoo]

To be perfectly honest we are complete phillistines when it comes to music. It could be a baked bean tin on a bit of string if we like the tune

[Matt]

I think I would add an immersion or diesel water heater for hot water without having to start the engine.


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