Good Middle of the Road Builders in Europe?

[nattylite]

Hi Guys,

I am a newbe to this forum so please forgive any of the terminology I get wrong.

Anyways, I am looking to move to the Mediterranean in a couple years and buy my first boat. I plan to get a motoryacht (50-75 ft) as a live aboard. I have noticed I can afford a bigger boat if I buy over there as opposed to the states. What are some good middle of the road boat builders in the Mediterranean? I should have about 125K to spend.

Anything I should avoid?

Any knowledgeable input is greatly appreciated.

Maxwell

[nattylite]

Wow... 11 days and no response

anyone out there?

Maxwell

[auguste]

Hmmmmmmmmmm

The problem may be that your plan needs to be re-examined as thery are not realistic IMHO

With $125,000 you would probably not be able to pay operating costs for*a 75 footer for more than a year or two . . . dockage alone will cost you a bundle

Buying a boat*in Europe*is not necessarily cheaper . . . new or used

Fuel can cost $5 to $7 per US gallon

Sorry . . . suggest you downsize by 75% or incerase your budget by 10 times or more

Nice dream, but just that a dream . . . SORRY

[marti]

Nattylite, sent me a PM or email and I will tell you all about it but don't be dissapointed!
It's like Auguste says, feul at 6 dollar a gallon and 125G doesn't buy much boat overhere to (in the lenght you want)

[reefhunter2]

You can get some pretty good deals on used boats in England and France, but you need to do your research. $125,000 Euro's doesn't get you too much in a new boat. 50-75ft is a yacht, not a boat. What you can get is a motorsailor in that size range. For sure you need a survey.

[nattylite]

auguste - 8/29/2004 4:51 PM



Hmmmmmmmmmm

The problem may be that your plan needs to be re-examined as thery are not realistic IMHO

With $125,000 you would probably not be able to pay operating costs for*a 75 footer for more than a year or two . . . dockage alone will cost you a bundle

Buying a boat*in Europe*is not necessarily cheaper . . . new or used

Fuel can cost $5 to $7 per US gallon

Sorry . . . suggest you downsize by 75% or incerase your budget by 10 times or more

Nice dream, but just that a dream . . . SORRY

Thanks for the reply.

I am planning on working while over there as well. What kind of yearly operating cost do you think I should plan on? Any ballpark?

Thanks

[nattylite]

marti - 8/30/2004 1:23 AM

Nattylite, sent me a PM or email and I will tell you all about it but don't be dissapointed!
It's like Auguste says, feul at 6 dollar a gallon and 125G doesn't buy much boat overhere to (in the lenght you want)

PM sent

[nattylite]

hawknest00 - 8/30/2004 5:46 AM

You can get some pretty good deals on used boats in England and France, but you need to do your research. $125,000 Euro's doesn't get you too much in a new boat. 50-75ft is a yacht, not a boat. What you can get is a motorsailor in that size range. For sure you need a survey.

Thanks for the reply.

What is a survey?

Is it possable for 2 people to sail a motorsailer in my price range? I plan on staying docked in Italy and taking the boat out a couple of times a month in the Mediteranean.

What do you think?

[Bullshipper]

From the type of questions you are asking, I would advise you not to invest this much money in the floating house you are dreaming about.
You WILL lose some serious coin, and the maintenance on something that is old enough to fit into your budget will certainly challange you as a newbee on this large of a craft, that usually has a full time captain and mate that are paid to maintain it and navigate it around busy harbors.
Rent a condo at the marina, and get yourself a $5K day sailor to learn some of the ropes before you take the plunge into what you're proposing.

[marti]

Don't worry Bull, I have sent him some of the magazine links so he gets aware of the prices, even I have to think twice before hitting the water on a 70 foot boat

[Bullshipper]

You da man Marti

[rushman]

Hi from rushman.

Forget the boat and get a mobile home It is also a requirement that you have certificate competence in some countries in europe.

Regards rushman

[marti]

Rushman, never even thought of that I think it's in almost all countries now in Europe, if a boat goes faster than 14 MPH or is longer than 45 foot you need a drivers licence for boats!
I know italy, spain , holland, germany you need the papers for sure.

[auguste]

Hi

Been thinking about this and I must say that*I agree with many of the points already made

1.* Yes certificates and courses are required to captain vessels of the size you are contemplating . . . even if they are privately owned vessels

2.** The cost to do annual bottom paint and cleaning can easily exceed $10,000 per year . . . in many countries you have to be licensed to apply bottom paint . . . not a do it yourself option

3.* Spent some time on the Med . . . I could never afford to keep a boat there at a public marina except on some out of the way place with little or no services

4.* High property taxes on boats, like homes

5.* Do you know how many hundreds of dollars per hour of fuel you will burn going fo a cruise on a 50 to 70 footer

6.* Stongly suggest you rent an appartment for a year and snoop around to see if you can find something that you like and you can afford . . . we are not saying that you do not have money . . . what we are saying is find out how much it costs before you jump in with both feet

Sorry if we are bursting your dream, but my gut feel is that a boat that size will cost you a minimum of $25 to $35,000 per year to maintain, and that does not include fuel and maintenance on the engines, drives, generators etc.

- - - - -

There are always surprises.* In my case I brought down my 34 footer to OBX . . . it is going to cost me twice what I thought to keep my boat in the water, and that is not counting fuel.

I could not afford to have a 50 to 70 footer in OBX NC . . . I am not independently wealthy

Good luck with your dream

[auguste]

Nattylite

Marti is from Holland and is a very knowledgeable person . . . he has travelled extensively throughout Europe . . . I would rely heavily on Marti's experience and perspective as he is well connected . . .

[marti]

Well you guy's said it, I was thinking of letting him finding out for him self. with a little help from me(LOL), we all have our dreams and some are just dreams and others can be realized,this one is a bit difficult for all the money that it will cost him but not knowing him ,other than some verry simplistic Questions who am I to burst the bubble, I only can inform him the best I can and(try to) throw the live line if he's getting in to deep(LOL)

[auguste]

marti - 9/1/2004 4:22 AM Well you guy's said it, I was thinking of letting him finding out for him self. with a little help from me(LOL), we all have our dreams and some are just dreams and others can be realized,this one is a bit difficult for all the money that it will cost him but not knowing him ,other than some verry simplistic Questions who am I to burst the bubble, I only can inform him the best I can and(try to) throw the live line if he's getting in to deep(LOL)

Hi Marti

I can understand his dream . . . but*I would rather have him pissed at me because I burst his dream bubble, then have him pissed at me because I didn't tell him the truth at the start . . . that's how I feel about it

[marti]

Well if he takes it it's oke, but most have to find out for themselfs

[cgrand]

sounds to me like nattylite needs to lay OFF the natty lite for a while & regroup

[auguste]

cgrand - 9/1/2004 9:30 AM sounds to me like nattylite needs to lay OFF the natty lite for a while & regroup

Yup