Thinking of buying a nice boat to cruise in

StereoSound

I want to leave it docked somewhere. I want a boat that can sleep maybe 4 comfortably. Don't know anything about boat maintenance or docking fees. I'd like to take it out around the coast at the weekend and do a bit of fishing and the like from the deck. Something with a cooker, sink and fridge installed. I want a nice looking machine. What sort of money would I be looking at for something like this ? Do I have to register it in the state like a car and pay tax and insurance ?

fergal.b

If you are looking at a power boat the bottom end boats would be something like a bayliner 2655 and at the other end maybe a sealine there can be a huge difference in price between age and condition and if you are going to spend a few quid it would be worth getting a survey done especially as you are new to boating. You don't need to register it but you will have to insure it if you want to use any marina's, about €300 for insurance and €1500 a year for a marina prices change all over the country. I would also recommend doing a power boat course and a VHF course before you hit the waves.





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AndyBoBandy

For something to comfortably sleep 4 in, you'd probably be looking at the ones starting from about 40-45k

Check both Ireland & The U.K.

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boatsearchresults.aspx

For something that's also 'nice looking' (although that can be many things to many people), start looking around 80k

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boatsearchresults.aspx

Price a marina berth for 12 months (or if only planning 6 or 9 months in the water, also factor in lift out/in, and yard storage). roughly 4-5k for a 30ft + boat for 12 months on a marina). Also budget/account for annual maintenance (and fuel consumption).

1000% get a survey before buying any boat. (you'll also need a recent survey for insurance anyway).

Do definitely do a power boat course before buying a boat. It will be worth it when you take ownership of your new expensive boat, and actually know how to safely operate it.

As Fergal also mentioned, I'd highly recommend doing the VHF course and obtaining the cert on offer for successful completion of the exam. In most cases when at sea, a VHF is your only reliable line of communication with rescue services as well as other traffic at sea, so anyone taking a boat to sea should know how to use a VHF radio.
You'll also need the VHF cert to apply for a Ships Radio Licence.

You can import a boat from any E.U. state without paying any import taxes/duties (unlike for cars) as long as the boat was bought in the EU after 1986 (pre 1986 built boats that are in the E.U. are assumed to be tax compliant), and sufficient proof that VAT was paid in the E.U. exists (original bill of sale), so shop around, some places will have similar boats available, but at lower prices than in Ireland.

In a lot of ads for boats throughout Europe, the ads usually state if tax is paid or not.

Me personally though, If I was spending 80k on something for cruising, I'd be going for something like this;

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1353517/?searchid=18100583&page=1

or this;

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1721544/?searchid=18100583&page=4

AndyBoBandy

If sailing is your thing (or you wanted it to be your thing), you can get a lot more bang for your buck in terns of comfort levels available.

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1724808/?searchid=18110180&page=1

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1627903/?searchid=18110180&page=5

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1645288/?searchid=18110180&page=2

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1610487/?searchid=18110180&page=1

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1665896/?searchid=18110180&page=3

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1756885/?searchid=18110266&page=1

seasidedub

Wow - do you not HAVE to do the courses and exams?

In most of Europe you have to have done a course plus exam for 6 metre long, and a different one for more. You have to carry that "licence " on you - the coastguard and marine police can ask you for it, and I know for definite that in Croatia you can't rent a boat without the licence. Sailed a bit in Finland too and you need the 6m course.

AndyBoBandy

You don’t need any course or licence in Ireland (only a VHF cert for operating a VHF radio).

You can get an ICC card from Irish Sailing (International Competency Certificate), which is internationally recognised to allow you to charter boats etc... but in Irish waters, no such cert is required.

iwishihadaname

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

For something to comfortably sleep 4 in, you'd probably be looking at the ones starting from about 40-45k

Check both Ireland & The U.K.

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boatsearchresults.aspx

For something that's also 'nice looking' (although that can be many things to many people), start looking around 80k

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boatsearchresults.aspx

Price a marina berth for 12 months (or if only planning 6 or 9 months in the water, also factor in lift out/in, and yard storage). roughly 4-5k for a 30ft + boat for 12 months on a marina). Also budget/account for annual maintenance (and fuel consumption).

1000% get a survey before buying any boat. (you'll also need a recent survey for insurance anyway).

Do definitely do a power boat course before buying a boat. It will be worth it when you take ownership of your new expensive boat, and actually know how to safely operate it.

As Fergal also mentioned, I'd highly recommend doing the VHF course and obtaining the cert on offer for successful completion of the exam. In most cases when at sea, a VHF is your only reliable line of communication with rescue services as well as other traffic at sea, so anyone taking a boat to sea should know how to use a VHF radio.
You'll also need the VHF cert to apply for a Ships Radio Licence.

You can import a boat from any E.U. state without paying any import taxes/duties (unlike for cars) as long as the boat was bought in the EU after 1986 (pre 1986 built boats that are in the E.U. are assumed to be tax compliant), and sufficient proof that VAT was paid in the E.U. exists (original bill of sale), so shop around, some places will have similar boats available, but at lower prices than in Ireland.

In a lot of ads for boats throughout Europe, the ads usually state if tax is paid or not.

Me personally though, If I was spending 80k on something for cruising, I'd be going for something like this;

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1353517/?searchid=18100583&page=1

or this;

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1721544/?searchid=18100583&page=4

How much generally should you budget for maintenance? Thinking of getting a 6 berth cruiser. Someone said about 10% of the boats cost?