Yachting and Boating World forums: first boat

I may be in for some flaming here, but anyway:

Don't buy a sport cruiser for Thames use. You'll never go above 5mph, and everything about them is wrong for River use.

Ever wondered why the more traditional cruisers are so popular? Things like Freemans, Fairlines and Birchwoods, for example?

It's because they work.

They steer well at low speeds, have more space in the Cockpit and cabin, for a given hull length, as they don't have huge pointy fronts which waste space (And cost you extra to moor up!) and locks are easier as you can walk down the gunwhale walkways instead of the wibbly-wobbly walk of death along a (Wet?) cabin roof to the bows.

We had a lovely little sports cruiser last year, and while she was very pretty, and the cockpit was capacious, the cabin had limited headroom, berths were compromised, and storage limited too.
She wandered like a drunken shopping trolley, so constant effort and vigilance was required at the helm, and when it rained, there was no roof, and no wipers (Some have them, but many don't!)

So we accepted the fact that looks are not everything, and traded her in for a far cheaper trad cruiser of the same size, but with lots more space, storage, better steering and which is far more user friendly.

Boy, did we look at some boats before choosing THIS time!

Tidal use is different by the way, but bear in mind the sub-planing speed limit on a lot of the tidal section, my argument stands.....

What budget are you aiming for?

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The scourge of Windsor, and notorious founder member of the 'Upper Thames Birchwood Massive' now outlawed by the EA and River pressure groups, currently planning a nice comfy retirement in the aft cabin of a Broom.
Now can anybody recommend any non-marking slippers?

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