How/Why did you buy your boat?

[Mowjo]

Ok as mentioned here I don't hang about so here's how I came to now own Crackers a Hampton Safari MkII,,

We sold our House and Cafe about a year ago and have had a bit of spare cash sitting in the bank doing nothing, it was our retirement fund, most days I take a walk to Oulton Broad as I only live 5 minutes away, Friday for the first time in 6 years the Wife says it's a nice day I'll come with you, were sitting at the Cafe having a cuppa when out of the blue she say's I miss the boat and would like to get another one, not wanting to disagree I said Ok, back home Pooter out to see whats about at the right price and what type of boat, wife says I'd like one one one level this time and the only boat that fitted the bill was the Hampton Safari's, I found two at Beccles phoned and arranged to see them Saturday, the one I was interested in was a MkIII but they couldn't get hold of the owner but was said as we were going to Beccles we'd look over the outside and wait for him to get back with a viewing time/day, one we saw needed a bit spending on it to just make it a tidy boat, the Mk III looked great, I get talking to a guy that moors there and he told me it had been up for sale for over two years because the owner wouldn't budge on price and that the boat also had water damage, that ruled out those two, while having a Cuppa and talking boats another guy mentions a MkII on the opposite bank that was up for sale again it looked good, right price, but the owner who is usualy is on the boat every day didn't appear, so we left a note telling him we were interested and our phone No, meanwhile I remembered that Neil mention something about one for sale at Potter, in the car off to Potter we head, look at the boat and didn't like it one bit, walking back to the car I turned around and looked back and saw what I though was another Hampton, back we go and there it was, no price on it and no Idea if it was actually for sale, nice and tidy on the outside and I already though it would be more than we wanted to pay going on the condition of the others we saw, Wife goes off to the office to find out about it, come back smiling and tells me the boat only came in on Wednesday and the hadn't had time to put it up for sale or do the Piccies, she then tells me they are asking £14,950, In my mind I'm thinking if the inside is as good as outside a bargain at that price, inside we go and my Flabber was Ghasted it was a beauty, and just needed a clean, being me i'm under the floor in the Engine in the Cupboards if I could get in it I was, Bilges were spotless and you could eat you dinner off the engine, I fire it up and it Purred, well for a diesel it did, next thing I look up and there's the wife with a big grin on her face holding a bit of paper, while I was probing she had been in the office and bought the boat fot £14k, and actually started cleaning the inside while I was in the office finishing the paperwork, Monday morning we paid the Balance jumped in the boat and Off to B/Edge we headed, Basicaly we started lookin for a boat Friday afternoon and were the new owners of Crackers Saturday lunchtime, In 24 hours we had looked at four boats and bought the 5th, I'm normally quick when I buy a boat as I can see past problems and normally change the boat interior to suit my needs, but this was a record time even for me,, The funny part is when we sold our Seamaster 813 about 18 months ago we both said we wouldn't be getting another boat, I think we lied, Thats the last time I take the wife for a walk, God knows what we'll come home with next time,,

Regards Frank,,,

[Mowjo]

Mmmm! I just had a nasty thought! the Airshow is coming soon, this year we will NOT be going,,,,

[Guest]

Mmmm! I just had a nasty thought! the Airshow is coming soon, this year we will NOT be going,,,,

they moved it forward wasnt please to hear that when we booked our holiday last year

Jonny

[Mowjo]

Jonny! is that a new boat I see you have there, or just one your dreaming about,,,

Regards Frank,,,,

[Guest]

Jonny! is that a new boat I see you have there, or just one your dreaming about,,,

Regards Frank,,,,

no dream Frank

Jonny

[Antares_9]

We had been thinking of a change and had already drawn up a list of features, non negotiable stuff, preferred stuff and would be nice to have stuff. We always go to SIBS so decided to have a look and draw up a short list but had no intention of buying at the show, just seeing what boats fitted our specification. After a good look at a number of the boats we went to the Benny stand but they did not have the boat we wanted to see which was disappointing because it looked a good candidate on paper, anyway Chris from Fox’s said no problem as there are two new ones awaiting delivery to the customer in Southampton so he sent for a car and off we went. Driving into the yard revealed a pair of nice looking blue hulls, tick. Immediately on boarding the thing it just felt right with a large self draining cockpit accessed by a transom gate from the swim platform which sported a long easily deployed recovery ladder, that was three of the non negotiables sorted before we even went inside. Perfect with just the layout we wanted only the size of the table (too big) was an issue for me and still is a bone of contention with SWBO. Outside again the cockpit lazarette hatches lifted to reveal a cavernous void within, another must have ticked off, it also gave excellent access to the steering gear, fuel tank, water tank etc, still looking good so back inside for a look at where I could fit all the nav kit, again nice overhead easily removable panels at the helm for mounting stuff and a nice folding forward facing seat for the navigator with plenty of space for the main chart plotter. Engine room hatches lifted revealed the nicely laid out installation below with good access to everything apart from the engine type all was still looking good. Outside again and the side decks were a decent width and depth with good protection from the guard rail leading to an easy to work large flat fore deck sporting a hugely oversized 1KW windlass with 10mm chain but the wrong type of anchor, easily changed for a plough pattern or Delta. So after a bit more poking around back to the show we went and into the Benny sales office to look at prices, I could’t believe the price, how was it possible to get so much boat for that money? I soon found out, you can’t. To get the specification we wanted the extras list was endless, blue hull, hot water system, shore power, battery maintenance system, windlass, anchor and chain, electronic navigation pack, radar arch, bow thrusters, etc. And most of all, the engine I wanted which carried a huge premium. Undeterred Rachel & I decided we would try and get a deal out of them for a new build with the first of the D4 motors that they would be fitting to comply with emission regulations (not my main reason for specifying it ) So a deal was done with a guarantee trade in on our then current boat which was about 5K less than we paid for it new, looking better. So deposits paid and a commission to build one for us (all subject to sea trial) was agreed, the sea trial went far better than expected and stage payments made during build, come delivery time they had sold our old boat on brokerage for more than the guaranteed trade in price so we were happy bunnies, six years and many hundreds of hours on the clock and despite the almost impulse buy (it was a lovely sunny day) we regret nothing, apart from that bloody table that is, it still irritates me, oh, and the fact we did not specify beaching legs.

[pks1702]

I had been messing around in Fishing Dories in the Thames Estuary most of my formative years years through to early 20's, it really is amazing how much you learn in a small boat. You quickly learn to read the water and weather and funnily enough feel much more in tune with the sea in a small boat. I then did quite a bit of sailing both UK and continental gaining my qualifications on the way. I had a break of about 7 years without going near a boat, work and other things got in the way but each time I visited my father who still lived on the Kent coast I got a hankering.

Having moved to just about as far away from the sea in the UK you can get with work; some 8 years ago a set about a plan of getting a boat again. I should add at this time that SWMBO had a fear of the water so my cunning plan was to take her on a short Broads holiday whereupon at the end she said "would you like a boat again".....

I set about stage two which was to look for a boat that would be OK on the Broads but was future proofed in that it had passage making ability.

Like David I had a tick lists of must haves and nice to haves. The musts included Semi displacement, Single engine, Good boarding ladder, wide side decks, nice to haves were Blue Hull etc.

After looking at numerous boats we happened to be going to look at one at Boat Showrooms in Shepperton. The original boat we looked at was disappointing but on the way back to the office I spotted a Viki Sedan demonstrator, we had a look and found many of the must haves were ticked and even some of the nice to haves were covered. In addition as it was a demonstrator it had bags of extras e.g. full teak decks, Bow thruster, shore power etc etc it was fully loaded. When we saw the price we could not quite believe it but went home 170 miles discussing it all the way home. When we got home I rang the broker and said we are quite interested in the Viki he said "how interested" I said "if we can agree a outline deal on the phone interested enough to drive back down tomorrow"

We got a few extras thrown in as well e.g. full canopy and cockpit seat and the rest is history.

I got SWMBO used to the Broads before persuading her to go through the pier heads at Lowestoft. She is now happy as Larry at sea these days and our ship although no ocean greyhound has proved herself as a capable sea boat.

Funny enough the next boat on our list to look at was an Antares 9 but we never made it passed the Viki.

[Jim]

It's been a long day so I'll tell you all tomorrow!

[Jim]

So much for tomorrow and a few days of hard graft, family parties etc but here goes

We booked a weeks holiday (the first for me in 15 years) in Horning and rented a house on Ferry Marina. Now, as NYA have a sales area there, I got interested in the idea of owning a boat which was something I always wanted but never could afford. There was something about a particular Falcon 22 that I liked but SWMBO said we need to discuss it first.

We got home, I booked a river trial for the following week and followed up with a firm offer that was accepted.

It was then that I discussed it with SWMBO

2004 seems a long way back these days!

[Seadog]

One buys a wooden boat with the heart not the survey. 'cause you will be spending many hours painting so you need your heart in it !

[Poppy]

I was P*ssed at the time

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

I liked but SWMBO said we need to discuss it first.

We got home, I booked a river trial for the following week and followed up with a firm offer that was accepted.

It was then that I discussed it with SWMBO

I like your style Jim, 5 years ago, i went Christmas shopping and came home with this. It`s a good job i married a very understanding girl

[Guest]

I have heard that there are two really happy days, when you own your own boat

THE DAY YOU BUY IT

AND

THE DAY YOU SELL IT

But I must also say there are so many great days in between.

[senator]

The day your offer is accepted must rate as one of the strangest emotions in life.

Absolute elation mixed with oh sh*t what have we done.

[Mowjo]

And it's even better when I let the wife loose and she gets 1k off the asking price, she did it with this one (Crackers) and with Dragonfly she got nearly 2k off the asking price, I'd have been happy to pay full price for both of them, for me even a bad day on a boat is a good one,,,

Regards Frank,,,

[Guest]

Even a bad day on a boat is a good one,,,

Best quote I've heard in a long time and one I will remember from now on. Well said Frank .