Next Purchase Headache

pandy180sx

Currently have a 4.6m Rib. Got it at the end of the summer 2 years ago. Used it a handfull of times that summer.

Last summer I put it on a marina down in East cork in the cork harbour. Weather last summer was ****e but i really knocked great usage out of her. Literally between arriving at the marina and pulling out would be leass than 10 minutes.

As far as a first boat it was brilliant to learn in. Cut my teeth into learning how to launch , retrieve, docking , understanding how a boat handles in the water etc. There was a 60hp on the back of it so it was able to move aswell so had good craic in the harbour.

I'm going to use her another season this year and i feel i've had my moneys worth of her then.

Looking at upgrading the end of this year and really don't know what way to lean on what to get next.

1)
Sailing. I'm in two minds about the sailing. One is get a day boat. 19 - 21ft and learn my trade in the harbour. The harbour is plenty big to have a good summer learning around the harbour.

Ideally would eventually love to go 26ft or something around that size where i could comfortably go outside the harbour and take weekends to kinsale / youghal etc. Don't know by going 21ft for a year or two of learning am i wasting time and money and just learn in a bigger boat capable of what i want from the start.

Big thing i feel with a sailing boat is not having the numbers needed to get out on her. Think wih a power boat thats resoanably sized you could always get out and knock great use out of it.

2)
Get a bigger power boat that can do everything i want. Something that would have enough power to pull a ring, good for fishing, could still go down to kinsale etc. on a day trip or stay over for the night and just be a good all rounder boat.

On the power boat side i think when the weather was good i'd know great use out of a bow rider but i think not having a cuddy excludes it from bad weather , overnight stays.

A quicksilver, Avror, Merry Fisher pilot house type boat would be great. I wouldn't need a crew to get on out on her. Cabin to use her when its misty, great for fishing and power to get in and out, tow a ring with the lads etc.



Anyone been in the same position or anybody with the any of the above feel there is any pro or cons with what they have ??

fergal.b

I think only you can make up your mind on this if you keep it small something like a cuddy cabin it would be easy to tow around and if the weather is bad on the coast or the tide is out you could always head inland to a lake or river, it gives you more options when you do get the time to go boating giving you more time on the water.





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fenris

From a sailing perspective, 25 foot is a big step up in comfort and seaworthyness from a 21 foot, but is just a easy if not easier to handle short or single handed as it is likely to be less twitchy and will handle bigger sea with comfort.
I started on a 21 foot Jenneau Sun 2000 and fairly quickly upgraded to a Bene First 25.7 with an inboard diesel.
Looking back, I would have been grand just going straight to the First 25.7 but it would have felt like too big a step at the time, my suggestion would be to just go for the bigger boat at the outset.

I normally sail either single handed or with two young kids,
we are normally out of the marina within 10 minute of arrival and get out a couple of times a week, a bit of fishing and enough space to pop whatever we catch on the pan, how bad!
25 foot brings you into caravan level of comfort rather than tent, as in a person can move about down below without everyone else having to shuffle about to make room. Big enough to weekend in for two adults and two kids.

The setup of the boat is key to sailing short handed, you want to be able to manage comfortably from the cockpit and not need to go scrambling about it possible.
There is an 83 year old in the marina that single hands a 31 foot yacht very comfortably and is out several times a week without any stress or drama.

If you can get someone to take you out on a yacht of that size it would be worth it, especially if they are more cruising than barebones racing focused, you can always race later if the bug bites, racing needs more crew than cruising.

If you are looking for a change sailing is worth a look, you are moving slower but there is a lot going on to engage with on the way.

Sh1tbag OToole

What sort is the rib, just out of interest?