First Boat 45ft what advice would you give

[U4]

Whilst to some extent I agree with you. Be carefull. On here there is great experience and knowledge. It's your choice, do you want their help and advice, or just want to piss them off. It may be at the moment, you just want to sail round a duck pond. Eventually you might want to actually go some where. Be carefull of getting blanked. You might miss out on a whole load of help.

Good advice and thank you..... I certainly dont want to piss everyone off and welcome advice and help!

[U4]

your reply above shows you have far more in common with me than the "It's fine to buy a boat & just drive off brigade

Yes I think you are right!! Can we be friends now

[mikef]

Good advice and thank you..... I certainly dont want to piss everyone off and welcome advice and help!

Don't take any notice Aigua. There's some grumpy old curmudgeons on this forum who think you shouldn't be allowed to buy any boat longer than 10ft until you've served 20yrs paddling coracles on a duckpond. Btw these old gits never buy a round in the pub either
As far as I'm concerned, anyone who sinks their hard earned into buying a new 45footer ought to be congratulated for putting money into the beleagured boat industry not vilified because they've not served their apprenticeship in wooden dinghies. Yup, these people should be firmly encouraged to do some training and get some qualifications but driving a boat, mobo or sail, isn't exactly rocket science so with some training and experience, they'll be fine

[MikeJ42]

The fact is you wouldn’t give a 7.5 ton lorry to a learner driver…for good reason. A new boater will have accidents, you learn by your mistakes.

You bump off your neighbour a couple of times whilst berthing and embarrassingly say sorry, but it doesn’t matter too much cos your boat is 21ft and 3/4 of a ton (the weight being the critical factor here).

For all the support here, bet you wouldn’t want to be in the adjacent berth when the new skipper practices his first/third/ninth/etc berthing attempt.

I actually think it would be irresponsible not to show some concern. I would encourage a first time friend with that kind of spending power to buy something a little less demanding. 12 tonnes caught in a cross wind can be a handful.

[mikef]

The fact is you wouldn’t give a 7.5 ton lorry to a learner driver…for good reason. A new boater will have accidents, you learn by your mistakes.

You bump off your neighbour a couple of times whilst berthing and embarrassingly say sorry, but it doesn’t matter too much cos your boat is 21ft and 3/4 of a ton (the weight being the critical factor here).

For all the support here, bet you wouldn’t want to be in the adjacent berth when the new skipper practices his first/third/ninth/etc berthing attempt.

I actually think it would be irresponsible not to show some concern. I would encourage a first time friend with that kind of spending power to buy something a little less demanding. 12 tonnes caught in a cross wind can be a handful.

Well actually there's one or two so called experienced skippers who I know who I'd rather not be moored next to either but thats another story. Provided the new owners of the 45 footer are intelligent enough to realise that they need training and qualifications, I dont think its a problem. There are plenty of owners of 20 footers out there who dont appear to have had any training judging by their antics. I dont think its about the size of the boat but the attitude of the owner

[MikeJ42]

Well actually there's one or two so called experienced skippers who I know who I'd rather not be moored next to either but thats another story. Provided the new owners of the 45 footer are intelligent enough to realise that they need training and qualifications, I dont think its a problem. There are plenty of owners of 20 footers out there who dont appear to have had any training judging by their antics. I dont think its about the size of the boat but the attitude of the owner

I had formal RYA training before getting my first (21ft Shetland) boat. I recon that accounted for 15% of my handling confidence and plain old experience made up for the other 85%.

I might be a bit of a numpty, but my brain could not compute all the different things I needed to consider during close quarters handling when I first started. Now it is like riding a bike. Bike…motorbike…I feel another analogy coming on.

The point is that you can get away with misshandling a small boat...small car...small motorbike...

[Searush]

(snip)
. I dont think its about the size of the boat but the attitude of the owner

Exactly, and the OP said these guys did not understand what they were letting themselves in for. "The more I learn, the more I realise how little I know" The other quote is "You don't know what you don't know until you find it out".

& Mikef, please don't transfer your predjudices onto me.

Aggy, No probs, never not been friends. Most learn from discussions as they get to understand other viewpoints. Others just continue to hold on to their predjudices.

[Tank]

A mate of mine bought his first boat, a 32 ft targa, twin petrol v8's, when he got a few bob. He started his own skip company, worked bloody hard and made a success of it and reaped the benefits of his hard graft, he was and is a superb HGV driver and can stuff a 44footer in a place that i would baulk at trying to put a 7 tonner in, but he wanted a boat, and try as i might to advise him that he should start with a 20 footer or there abouts, and get the hang of it., as it were, another of his mates said, go for the big bugger, it's a piece of p*ss.
Result , total carnage in the marina and a bloke who will never go near a boat again, what a bloody shame, nice bloke, real grafter, superb HGV driver. i really would not go out and buy a 40+ footer as my first boat. it sounds daft.
But i do wish him well( even though i am bloody green with envey ) hope it dont end in tears
tank

[Assassin]

Well, i for one would say welcome to boating, as for where to begin, i would say familiarity with the craft itself ranging from knowing what to check and when to check it. When familiar with the systems i would say progress to starting the engine/engines and see how they sound, check the water cooling, and watch the instruments to see where they normally settle.

I would advise to become conversant with the boats systems such as elecric anchor, hydraulic passerelle, and any other system as these can all be done with the boat moored, and safe.

Once familiar with the boat i would advise an instructor or other experienced person or friend to take them out for a short run and let them take the helm to get a feel for the craft, and work through a number of manouveres and various exercises.

[PlanB]

We bought a 45 footer as our first boat. We had on-board tuition(Day Skipper Practical) soon afterwards and spent a lot of time practising before venturing out of the marina - via a lock onto a windy tidal river.
Three years and much research later we set off for the Med, Biscay route. We have never damaged ourselves or another boat.
The moral of this story is that if you are sensible people, do your homework, get trained, take things slowly and don't take risks - you can do it.