{"id":135546,"date":"2025-05-27T06:42:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T05:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/?post_type=review&p=135546"},"modified":"2025-05-27T06:43:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T05:43:07","slug":"colvic-sunquest-38-flybridge-used-boat-review-old-school-excellence","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/reviews\/flybridges\/colvic-sunquest-38-flybridge-used-boat-review-old-school-excellence","title":{"rendered":"Colvic Sunquest 38 Flybridge used boat review: Old-school excellence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like a number of boat builders, Colvic has a slightly chequered history. But unlike the others, and perhaps oddly so, given that Colvic was once a major force in British boat building, its heritage is quite difficult to chart, with only limited reference material available.<\/p>\n

What we do know, however, is that the firm began its operations in 1964 in the Blackwater estuary under the guidance of founders, Colin Burns and Victor Pascoe. Named Ardleigh Laminated Plastics, Col and Vic would later come up with a much snappier portmanteau which manifested itself both as Colvic Craft and, in collaboration with Glasgow-based GL Watson & Co, as Colvic Watson.<\/p>\n

Colvic began by producing GRP hulls that DIY enthusiasts could fit out, before going on to manufacture a range of vessels, from fishing boats to motor cruisers and yachts (including Clipper Round the World race boats).<\/p>\n

Later in its history, the company became associated with a group of ex-Fairline staff who had created an operation called Beaux Bateaux, which fitted out Colvic hulls. But problems arose in the late \u201890s when Colvic became embroiled in a lengthy legal battle over the design of its Sunquest 38, the model we feature here.<\/p>\n

In 1998, the firm lost its fight on appeal and two years later went into liquidation with the loss of 50 jobs. The assets were picked up by Colchester-based Lancer Laminating Ltd, but just four years into the new millennium, the company\u2019s doors closed once again \u2013 and this time, there would be no reprieve.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The unusual fly design uses a central helm flanked by a pair of reversible seat pods<\/p><\/div>\n

While the firm\u2019s legal issues doubtless contributed to its demise, they also had the effect of curtailing the production run of the Sunquest 38, which is a great shame, as it is sturdily built, well proportioned and very good looking. And while it might not be the most sought after of models, Colvics nonetheless command very decent resale values, thanks to a band of aficionados who appreciate their attributes.<\/p>\n

To reinforce the point, the 2000 Colvic Sunquest 38 Flybridge you see here is on the books at Tingdene Boat Sales in Windsor for \u00a3129,950 \u2013 a price that\u2019s certainly not out of kilter with comparable boats of a similar age.<\/p>\n

Focus on flexibility<\/h2>\n

Flexibility was a major factor in Colvic\u2019s appeal so it makes sense the Sunquest 38 Flybridge was offered with a host of engine choices. Various models from Volvo Penta, Perkins Sabre, Cummins, Iveco and Yanmar were all available.<\/p>\n

While several of the options were in the order of 300hp or above, our review boat was equipped with twin 225hp Perkins Sabre diesels on shafts. Although a total of 450hp is adequate for seagoing recreation, the lower rating makes it a handy river cruiser and that\u2019s precisely what owner, Dave Bayliss, used it for\u2026<\/p>\n

Article continues below…<\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cThe previous owner used to take it out through London to the sea, but my wife didn\u2019t want that so we kept it on the Thames,\u201d explained Dave. \u201cWe fell for the boat as soon as we saw it. We met the former owner and he was a perfectionist. Normally with boats, you turn up, try to turn something on and it doesn\u2019t work \u2013 but not with this one. Everything worked, it was perfect. We took it out for a run and it handled so well. It turns on a sixpence and it\u2019s just a lovely boat.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also great to live on. In fact, we used to stay on board for a couple of weeks at a time. There\u2019s a big genny on there, which is really handy, and the water tanks are big too. On one occasion, our daughter and her husband came with us on a two-week trip and it was brilliant. It\u2019s a really sociable boat with plenty of space for entertaining and you\u2019ve also got two bathrooms with showers, so it\u2019s great for a pair of couples.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Dave intimated, his boat has been beautifully maintained and is in excellent condition \u2013 and that\u2019s not just the previous owner but him too, so whoever ends up buying this particular Colvic Sunquest 38 Flybridge is going to feel justly proud of their purchase.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The deep, safe cockpit is crying out for some freestanding furniture<\/p><\/div>\n

The twin Perkins Sabre engines, for instance, absolutely gleam. From the moment you slip in, through the ship-style watertight engineroom door (located in a bulkhead within the large aft cockpit lazarette) you find yourself in a grease and oil-free environment where every pipe and cable has been fastidiously tie-wrapped into place. Compared to a lot of enginerooms we\u2019ve seen, this one is exemplary.<\/p>\n

Accessible deck layout<\/h2>\n

Back up on deck, the good news continues. Easily accessed, wide and well protected side decks lead forward to a spacious double sun pad on the foredeck. The aft cockpit also has bags of room. On our test boat, it comprises a four-man bench seat, which faces across an open deck space that\u2019s just crying out for a freestanding table and some directors\u2019 chairs.<\/p>\n

From here, a steepish eight steps lead up to the flybridge, where a central helm is flanked by seats on either side. While the starboard one faces both ways, the port one forms part of a unit that wraps around the rear of the flybridge. Again, there\u2019s no table up here but it\u2019s a very sociable flybridge that looks well set up for lazy days on the river.<\/p>\n

\"\"

A marble-topped cabinet sits opposite a large caf\u00e9-style dining area<\/p><\/div>\n

Entering the wheelhouse by way of the aft cockpit\u2019s patio doors is a joy. In fact, the first impression is that you\u2019ve just strolled into a swish upmarket caf\u00e9 rather than a 25-year-old boat. It\u2019s fitted with a plush beige carpet that looks as if it\u2019s never been trodden on.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a marble-topped cabinet to port, with a generous amount of storage space, plus an integrated fridge, which seems a touch excessive, given that there\u2019s another fridge just a few steps forward in the galley. Then again, a boat built for socialising needs all the drinks coolers it can get.<\/p>\n

Opposite that, a sumptuously upholstered settee meanders its way from the door to the helm. And just to complete the relaxed caf\u00e9 vibe, there\u2019s a freestanding glass-topped table and a pair of stools in here too.<\/p>\n

\"\"

There\u2019s a second fridge, plus a hob and microwave in the compact forward galley<\/p><\/div>\n

If you take two steps up from the settee, you find yourself at the lower helm. In addition to a functional array of dials and gauges set into a wood-faced dash, it features a generous chart area and a seat wide enough for two adults and a child.<\/p>\n

Ahead of a dividing unit opposite the helm, another three steps lead down to the galley, which is equipped with a double hob, microwave, sink, drainer and a modest amount of worktop space. Storage is provided both in the dividing unit and in the void adjacent to the microwave. You might find it\u2019s a tad compact for a boat of this size but it\u2019s a perfectly serviceable region of the boat.<\/p>\n

One final step down from the galley takes you to the boat\u2019s accommodation zone. There\u2019s a day heads to port and a guest cabin to starboard, featuring a transverse double bed with a single berth running longitudinally above the foot-end of the main bed.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The owner gets decent volume, plus a pair of hanging lockers that are deeper than they look<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s a great way to use limited space but all the same, space really is limited. In fact, this is the region of the boat that reminds you most forcibly that you\u2019re on a 38-footer. Storage space is restricted to two drawers beneath the double bed and a cubby hole under the single but, of course, if you don\u2019t tend to cruise with guests, then the entire cabin can be used for storage anyway so it\u2019s by no means a critical issue.<\/p>\n

Even so, head forward and the owner\u2019s cabin is a far more roomy affair. You get a full-size double bed and two wardrobes that are much more useful than their short doors suggest. Open them up and you see that the floor drops away on the inside, providing plenty of hanging depth for your cruising gear. That\u2019s supplemented with some attractive shelving along either side of the bed \u2013 and as you would expect, there\u2019s also a private ensuite in here, which (like the day heads) is fully equipped with a loo, a basin and a shower.<\/p>\n

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Overlapping beds make great use of the space and they\u2019re more sociable than bunks too<\/p><\/div>\n

Old-school excellence<\/h2>\n

With its graceful lines and smooth curves, the Colvic Sunquest 38 Fly could legitimately be described as \u2018old school\u2019 by today\u2019s standards. But does that make it dated? Not in our book, and certainly not in the eyes of the brand\u2019s fans.<\/p>\n

We asked owner, Dave, for his concluding thoughts and he was very forthright with his verdict. \u201cIt\u2019s a classy boat,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are so many other boats on the river, but they\u2019re all the same. The Colvic is a bit different. It\u2019s an unusual boat that\u2019s well laid out. It\u2019s an excellent family boat and it\u2019s great for entertaining too.\u201d Enough said.<\/p>\n

Colvic Sunquest 38 Flybridge specifications<\/h2>\n

DESIGNER:<\/strong> Fairbrother Mouldings
\nHULL TYPE:<\/strong> Planing
\nRCD:<\/strong> Category B
\nLOA:<\/strong> 38ft 4in (11.7m)
\nBEAM:<\/strong> 13ft 5in (4.1m)
\nDRAFT:<\/strong> 3ft 0in (0.9m)
\nAIR DRAFT:<\/strong> 12ft 4in (3.76m)
\nDISPLACEMENT:<\/strong> 10,000kg
\nFUEL CAPACITY:<\/strong> 380L
\nWATER CAPACITY:<\/strong> 180L
\nTOP SPEED:<\/strong> 24-28kn
\nFUEL CONSUMPTION:<\/strong> 1.75L\/nm @ 20 knots
\nRANGE:<\/strong> 173nm at 20 knots with 20% reserve<\/p>\n

Colvic Sunquest 38 Flybridge costs and options<\/h2>\n

FUEL:<\/strong> 1,000 litres per annum (based on 25 hours at 20 knots & 25 hours at 6 knots)
\nBERTHING:<\/strong> \u00a39,192.00 (based on \u00a3779\/metre for a Hamble River marina downstream of Bursledon bridge)<\/p>\n

\n

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Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht<\/a> world and at the luxury end of the market.<\/p>\n

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Like a number of boat builders, Colvic has a slightly chequered history. But unlike the others, and perhaps oddly so, given that Colvic was once a major force in British boat building, its heritage is quite difficult to chart, with only limited reference material available. What we do know, however, is that the firm began […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":418,"featured_media":135548,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[1620,1593,344],"review_manufacturer":[],"review_category":[42],"review_type":[],"review_award":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/135546"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/review"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135546"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/135546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":135562,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/135546\/revisions\/135562"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135546"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=135546"},{"taxonomy":"review_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_category?post=135546"},{"taxonomy":"review_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_type?post=135546"},{"taxonomy":"review_award","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_award?post=135546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}