Component quality - Motorhomes vs Boats (2 Viewers)

[L' Hobo]

Sky hook
Actually, its the first time I have been in a place to 'take the ground' since buying her from the builder in late 2016. So I was a little wary. Its also my first twin keel'er, so not even tried before. My previous boats would have fallen over! It sits on the keels and rudder of course, as I guess you knew. The ladder is for getting out of the water. Its a bugger when its on the beach though, like in the photo. We used the dinghy to stand on. Which was needed anyway when the tide was in. Its tied on!
The boom makes a good crane arm. Often a technique used to get a person out of the water and back in the boat. A bit too low for lifting you over the guard wire though L'Hobo

Aha! Me Hearties, when we sailed round the Cape in our square-riggers, we just slung a Bosun's-Chair from one of the yards
Who said progress was for the best???

 

[Tony50]

Like has been said maxing profit is paramount , also competing with the opposition is also important ,take Mercedes vans (not Motorhomes ) they years ago galvanized the bodies , to compete /cut costs with others stopped galvanizing consequently they had a lot of claims for rust

 

[Offagain]

Spot on it is Kastos, about 10yrs ago, we would up tie there to keep away from the anchor draggers or sit at anchor opposite the steps to the beach in 5m.
The walk up the restaurant (can't remember the name) was worth it for the view alone.

It’s a good spot if you can nab it, but most go side to as the bottom is very rocky over there so holding is variable and if it does catch you run the risk of getting the anchor stuck.
The first 20m of the opposite quay are now reserved for trip boats 1100-1300 but if you time it right you can sneak on just as the last one is leaving!
The restaurant on the hill is the Windmill restaurant, the actual windmill further up is a bar. You would have been there when Chef John’s was open in the town. He passed away a few years ago and it hasn’t been a restaurant since then.
It‘s so busy here now that boats often line ashore on the landward side of the bay, and, when we were there a couple of weeks ago, there were around 20 anchored outside the harbour plus a seafarer flotilla rafted together with lines to the outside of the breakwater!
We’ve been chartering here on and off since 2007 and now keep a Bavaria 44 (nothing special but she does the job) in Cleopatra boatyard, Preveza.
We will be hauling out next weekend and, once we’ve put the boat to bed for the winter, going on a road trip in the motor home for a couple of weeks while we wait for our biometric residency cards to come back from Athens.

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[Garry - June]

Lived aboard our Broadblue (Prout) 38 Catamaran fulltime in the Med for 5 yrs.... it was heavy for a Cat... very over engineered.... but like anything... including our Motorhome, it needed constant maintenance... parts wise we always held our breath when we were quoted the price of anything....the comment, "If its for a boat then add a zero on the price" was often correct... yet as you say many interior fitments are the same on a boat to a motorhome... they get away with it by saying its the "marinised" version... but the point to remember is they both need constant maintenance to keep them operating at peak level..... funnily enough we went to visit our old boat a week ago in Portugal and it was the biggest mistake i could have made... the new owners don't do cleaning and general maintenance like i did... it was a mess... i felt quite sad for it..

 

[Offagain]

"If its for a boat then add a zero on the price

Break
Out
Another
Thousand

 

[John Barrett]

SNIP

but the point to remember is they both need constant maintenance to keep them operating at peak level..... funnily enough we went to visit our old boat a week ago in Portugal and it was the biggest mistake i could have made... the new owners don't do cleaning and general maintenance like i did... it was a mess... i felt quite sad for it..

Agreed. After ten years of ownership the chores (and the cost) outweighed the pleasure and we bought Hugo the Hymer B640! We visited the Lattes marina three years later and the new owners weren't interested in maintenance either!

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[minesapint]

Our Hymer Grand Canyon has plastic hinges and only one strut support on its overhead lockers, is this really acceptable on a 80k van!
We also have a particularly naff kitchen tap that's already let us down once.
Apart from that its been fault free but those hinges do bother me, a failure waiting to happen.

We have had problems with many of the fittings and build on our Burstner, the list is far to long to publish on here. It is not the same build quality as our first van a Dethleff way back in 2004 and after that a 2007 Hymer, both superior to the new Burstner..
The Dethleff and Hymer build quality was so much more robust, but it comes down to weight and cost at the end of the day.

 

[Lemut]

Diesel creap?
On the subject of cheap fittings/design? We took delivery of a new Burstner 727 on a Ducato chassis in September 21. If you hold your foot on the brake peddle it will slowly lower. My dealer says its a known fault on all Ducato's due to the brake servo operating from a separate pump and not directly from the engine vacuum. He states that Fiat have issued a service bulitin to MOT stations instructing (???) them not to fail any vehicles for this err, condition.
Have any of you Ducato users experienced this issue or am I getting the normal dealer bull effluent?
If this is a result of cost cutting, which in my opinion impacts safety, Fiat need to be taken to task.

 

[robnchris]

It’s a good spot if you can nab it, but most go side to as the bottom is very rocky over there so holding is variable and if it does catch you run the risk of getting the anchor stuck.
The first 20m of the opposite quay are now reserved for trip boats 1100-1300 but if you time it right you can sneak on just as the last one is leaving!
The restaurant on the hill is the Windmill restaurant, the actual windmill further up is a bar. You would have been there when Chef John’s was open in the town. He passed away a few years ago and it hasn’t been a restaurant since then.
It‘s so busy here now that boats often line ashore on the landward side of the bay, and, when we were there a couple of weeks ago, there were around 20 anchored outside the harbour plus a seafarer flotilla rafted together with lines to the outside of the breakwater!
We’ve been chartering here on and off since 2007 and now keep a Bavaria 44 (nothing special but she does the job) in Cleopatra boatyard, Preveza.
We will be hauling out next weekend and, once we’ve put the boat to bed for the winter, going on a road trip in the motor home for a couple of weeks while we wait for our biometric residency cards to come back from Athens.

Hi. Yes we know the windmill, the place we are thinking about was straight up from the town a rather difficult path along side a fence good fun when coming back down, we used to go in to the harbour in our RIB tie it up to a lampost never had any trouble it was always still there when we came back, the lady that owned the restaurant was a fabulous cook.

There were some really good places to put in to, we liked Meganissi though taverna Spilia at the far end not Panos & Babis's bar, we never felt welcome at Panos whilst at Steve & Gerry's they always made an effort, don't know why but they would let us use the electric hook up, fill up with water and use their washing machines and showers but never charged us, we did of course eat in the taverna most afternoons and every night, I did make them some 6" dia stainless rings for their harbour wall which might have helped, that and Chris always wearing a bikini when taking the lines to tie up to lazy lines.

Nidri despite being busy it is also a good place to tie up, we used to get on the Neilson Quay or tie up to a hotel floating pontoon think it was The Armonia.
As it was Chris was still working so I spent a lot of time out there on my own, Chris would fly to various islands were I would pick her up sail for a couple of weeks and then drop her at wherever we were and she would fly home, after 10 years keeping the boat in Levkas we moved it up to Gouvia Marina on Corfu which was easier for Chris to nip out to on Easyjet, the sailing got a bit boring for me so we put the Catalina up for sale thinking it would take a long time to sell her instead quite the opposite, we advertised her on the Tuesday and she was sold before the weekend, a chap and his wife flew in from Italy looked at her and said ok we'll buy.

So after sailing yachts for most of our lives we are now land lubbers enjoying our motorhome and touring the world, all in all not a bad life.

Have a fabulous time on your road trip, hope putting the boat to bed all goes ok, Cleopatra is a good yard from what I remember.

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[cyberyacht]

I had a client who had his Sealine at Gouvia. Used to have his mail sent to Takis Taverna which sounded quite exotic stuck in the UK. It was a bit of a base for the Brits. Visited it once when I was out there - it was the Greek equivalent of a greasy spoon. Definitely not exotic.

 

[Molly A]

I owned Contessa 32 'White Knight of Purbeck' before the SHE 36. Fabulous sea keeper but a bit small for us after I'd fitted central heating, refrigeration, teak cockpit seats etc!
View attachment 547974

Beautiful boat! Nothing really compares for form and function. But, totally skinny with really short berths which was always a problem as my partner is 6ft 2in and my son, 6ft 8in!
Ours was Spirit of Taranto, we won the Contessa class in the 2007 Round the Island Race on our ferry first race. She used to be owned by the Joint Forces Sailing club at Haslar, she was used exclusively by the officers for cruising. She was then owned by Ted Heaths delivery skipper on Morning Cloud. We had her for 8 years, sailed her all over tbe channel, fabulous boat, people mistook her for one of the newer built ones in the 90s...

 

[Peppadog]

My YC berth neighbour, Lieutenant Mike Parsons (Army retired) owns C32 Pelican, one of the Army training school boats. He ended his career teaching on Pelican and put in the winning bid to buy her when the Army decided they needed bigger boats and went for Sigma 33's.

Mike has organised many club cruises to France and the Channel Islands. There often twenty boats attending.

I understand most or all the Army boats of the day were all named after birds. Can anyone confirm that?

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[Don Campbell]

Interesting comments about Westerly Yachts. They only ever made one or two "club racers" and the rest were good solid cruising boats built to high standards. Their fittings were always up to the job and to be honest if you were looking around for a cheap 30 year old yacht right now and only wanted to cruise you wouldn't go far wrong with a Westerly

 

[Don Campbell]

Beautiful boat! Nothing really compares for form and function. But, totally skinny with really short berths which was always a problem as my partner is 6ft 2in and my son, 6ft 8in!
Ours was Spirit of Taranto, we won the Contessa class in the 2007 Round the Island Race on our ferry first race. She used to be owned by the Joint Forces Sailing club at Haslar, she was used exclusively by the officers for cruising. She was then owned by Ted Heaths delivery skipper on Morning Cloud. We had her for 8 years, sailed her all over tbe channel, fabulous boat, people mistook her for one of the newer built ones in the 90s...

Just one small correction Molly. All the yachts at Haslar were used by all ranks and none were exclusively for officers. I also had a Contessa for a while and I rate it as one of the best ever but the accommadation was always a trade off for sailing qualities. It's a bit like a MH - horses for courses.

 

[Peppadog]

The 32’ Fulmar sails better than most. Apart from drooping head linings, all Westerley’s were very well made.

The Westerley Centaur. The Ford Cortina of the seas As told to me by a proud owner

Edit: correction to my earlier post. Lt. Colonel Mike Parsons. I had demoted him in error!

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[Don Campbell]

My YC berth neighbour, Lieutenant Mike Parsons (Army retired) owns C32 Pelican, one of the Army training school boats. He ended his career teaching on Pelican and put in the winning bid to buy her when the Army decided they needed bigger boats and went for Sigma 33's.

Mike has organised many club cruises to France and the Channel Islands. There often twenty boats attending.

I understand most or all the Army boats of the day were all named after birds. Can anyone confirm that?

They weren't all named after birds but for the Contessa fleet that was the case.

 

[John Barrett]

Just one small correction Molly. All the yachts at Haslar were used by all ranks and none were exclusively for officers. I also had a Contessa for a while and I rate it as one of the best ever but the accommadation was always a trade off for sailing qualities. It's a bit like a MH - horses for courses.

My Contessa 32 was ex Royal Signals, and it was a worn out dog! We set to work and it became a little floating palace. So much so that when the racing boys came aboard they would say something like "Don't let my wife see this!".

 

[Peppadog]

So. We’ve exhausted the subject of build quality between boats and motorhomes. Discovered there are a fair number of us that have, or had boats as well. So there must be similarities?

Well they both inspire a freedom to go where you please I think. Going from Marina to Marina, home or abroad is not dissimilar to going from site to site. There are probably as many live aboards in the boating world as full timers in ‘vans etc.

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[Peppadog]

They weren't all named after birds but for the Contessa fleet that was the case.

Thank you. I didn’t know that.
I believe Pelican was based in the Norwegian Fiords when Mike skippered her prior to retirement.

 

[Don Campbell]

Thank you. I didn’t know that.
I believe Pelican was based in the Norwegian Fiords when Mike skippered her prior to retirement.

I'm pretty sure Pelican was one of the British Kiel Yacht Club's Contessas (they had 12 I seem to remember) and they were based in Kiel fjord. When BKYC closed the Contessas went to UK and were sold off. I spent some time running the BKYC in the early 70's and might have met your neighbour (but only if he's as old as I am!) but I can't possibly remember all the people who came through there and enjoyed the excellent facilities at Kiel.

 

[John Barrett]

I'm pretty sure Pelican was one of the British Kiel Yacht Club's Contessas (they had 12 I seem to remember) and they were based in Kiel fjord. When BKYC closed the Contessas went to UK and were sold off. I spent some time running the BKYC in the early 70's and might have met your neighbour (but only if he's as old as I am!) but I can't possibly remember all the people who came through there and enjoyed the excellent facilities at Kiel.

I was the 16 year old Purser on 56ft. Avalanche during my first Baltic cruise out of BKYC, 1964. I shared the Skipper's cabin with Lt. COL Townsend, a truly lovely man! That trip was the start of my love affair with classic yachts.

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[Peppadog]

I'm pretty sure Pelican was one of the British Kiel Yacht Club's Contessas (they had 12 I seem to remember) and they were based in Kiel fjord. When BKYC closed the Contessas went to UK and were sold off. I spent some time running the BKYC in the early 70's and might have met your neighbour (but only if he's as old as I am!) but I can't possibly remember all the people who came through there and enjoyed the excellent facilities at Kiel.

Mike’s in his mid to late 70’s now. And not as well as he was unfortunately.

Would they have been sold off twenty five or so years back? If so it fits with his various tales enjoyed in the cockpit after ten or eleven hours bashing over to Cherbourg. Mike solo in Pelican and me solo in my old Contessa 26, Rin Jinn (so thats him in ten, and me at least an hour behind of course). Our wives would come over the next day on the Ferry from Poole. Our boats are based in Parkstone YC.

I think he was as regular a skipper on these Army boats as possible! He was certainly a YM instructor and I think, examiner.

 

[Jamesh]

Interesting comments about Westerly Yachts. They only ever made one or two "club racers" and the rest were good solid cruising boats built to high standards. Their fittings were always up to the job and to be honest if you were looking around for a cheap 30 year old yacht right now and only wanted to cruise you wouldn't go far wrong with a Westerly

Gk 24 + 29 iirc .....

Cheers James

 

[Jamesh]

The 32’ Fulmar sails better than most. Apart from drooping head linings, all Westerley’s were very well made.

The Westerley Centaur. The Ford Cortina of the seas As told to me by a proud owner

Edit: correction to my earlier post. Lt. Colonel Mike Parsons. I had demoted him in error!

There was one going for £2.5k sorely tempted!!

Cheers James

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[Don Campbell]

Mike’s in his mid to late 70’s now. And not as well as he was unfortunately.

Would they have been sold off twenty five or so years back? If so it fits with his various tales enjoyed in the cockpit after ten or eleven hours bashing over to Cherbourg. Mike solo in Pelican and me solo in my old Contessa 26, Rin Jinn (so thats him in ten, and me at least an hour behind of course). Our wives would come over the next day on the Ferry from Poole. Our boats are based in Parkstone YC.

I think he was as regular a skipper on these Army boats as possible! He was certainly a YM instructor and I think, examiner.

That all fits in time wise. I would very probably have known him back then but he was one of hundreds if not thousands who came through Kiel on courses and charters on the huge fleet of yachts that were there ranging from 100 square metres to the Contessas and some smaller boats. The baltic was a magic place to sail in, the only problem being the cost of Scandinavian booze, but we did have access to NAAFI duty free!!.

 

[Peppadog]

There was one going for £2.5k sorely tempted!!

Cheers James

Thats a gift. Even assuming £10k to get it spot on its a very cheap boat.

 

[Don Campbell]

I was the 16 year old Purser on 56ft. Avalanche during my first Baltic cruise out of BKYC, 1964. I shared the Skipper's cabin with Lt. COL Townsend, a truly lovely man! That trip was the start of my love affair with classic yachts.

Hi John, Avalanche was the 100 sq metre that belonged to the Royal Engineers and was based in Kiel. Stan Townsend was a very good friend of mine and died a long time ago but he was a great guy and very devoted to teaching young people sailing. I used to have a love affair with Classic yachts also as we owned a Classic Ocean Racer called Uomie (Google it) that we bought from BKYC in 1971 and owned for nearly 40 years until the charm of spending the whole winter in a freezing boatyard going up and down ladders wore off and we exchanged anchors dragging and halyards rattling for a motorhome, We then did 76,000 miles over 6 years in USA going out several times a year for about 5 weeks and collecting it from wherever we had stored it. We did all the National Parks in the States, some of them several times, and it was a fantastic experience.

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[Peppadog]

Don. I just looked for a link to Pelican in BKYC, but instead found she is up for sale with Jeremy Rogers, who built her. I did say Mike was not well. He clearly thinks he won't be sailing again. That thought will be going down very badly I fear.
Nigel

Pelican CO32 | Contessa 32 for Sale

 

[Don Campbell]

Nigel,
Sad to say we all get too old for sailing in the end but at 81 I just bought a new dinghy. I think Jeremy does brokerage and sells a lot of the old Contessas. They are still an excellent buy and this one, although pricey, looks to be in excellent shape, so will probably sell for pretty close to the asking price if the survey is good. The hull on all the Contessas was built to a much higher classification than some of the modern yachts. Go into any yard and knock on the hull of a modern Beneteau and then an old Contessa or Westerly and you will hear ding ding and clunk clunk.