{"id":137765,"date":"2025-12-11T06:24:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T06:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/?p=137765"},"modified":"2025-12-11T08:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T08:59:08","slug":"4-of-the-best-all-weather-motor-boats-on-the-market-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/specials\/4-of-the-best-all-weather-motor-boats-on-the-market-right-now-137765","title":{"rendered":"4 of the best all-weather motor boats on the market right now"},"content":"When I was a small boy, my grandfather explained to me that, as you get older, so time speeds up and the years become shorter. He explained why \u2013 it\u2019s because when you are five years old, a year is 20% of your life, but when you\u2019re 50 it\u2019s only two percent. And, as with most things, he has been proven absolutely correct.\r\n\r\nWhen you\u2019re five, something happening the following year is so far over the horizon that it doesn\u2019t merit a single thought. When you\u2019re 50, you\u2019re eyeing up a five-year extended warranty and wondering whether it\u2019s enough.\r\n\r\nHowever, the thing that\u2019s never been explained is the elasticity across 12 months \u2013 why summers seem to flash past and the September boat shows are taking place again, but the winter seems to take a millennium \u2013 two millennia if you\u2019re a boater. That\u2019s why we always find ourselves perusing all-weather boats at this time of year. So we\u2019ve scoured the market to bring you these four highly flexible vessels...\r\n

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Hardy Mariner 25<\/h2>\r\nBuilt: 2001 <\/em> Price: \u00a339,950<\/em>\r\n\r\nHardy is far from alone in this (see Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess for full details), but if you want to see how the boating landscape has changed in the last 50 years, compare the current line up with what a builder was making in the 1970s and 1980s. Today the Hardy range starts at 45ft and extends to 65ft - a far cry from the 18 Navigators, 20 Pilots, 22 Fishing Pilots and 24 Fast Fishers of the past.\r\n\r\nYou can\u2019t blame them. It\u2019s simply where the market seems to have gone, with mass-produced Merry Fishers now filling in the blanks at the bottom end. But in amongst those smaller models, the Hardy Mariner 26, was a fine looking compact motorboat.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137772\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" With the most popular Yanmar 230hp diesel on a straight shaft, this is a 20+ knot boat[\/caption]\r\n

Interior<\/h2>\r\nThe 25 was made before yards started designing boats from the inside out, so the interior is fairly compact, but very practical and extremely solid. There\u2019s a converting dinette forward with the galley behind it and a heads opposite. There\u2019s also a quarter berth that runs aft of the galley to starboard, giving a third berth or very useful extra storage. The wheelhouse is also compact but very adaptable. A sliding roof and opening rear doors allow the two occupants as much fresh air as they\u2019d like, or you can close it up and crank up the diesel heating on colder days.\r\n

Exterior<\/h2>\r\nThe traditional deep blue hull band and rope fendering are present and correct, however this boat is just a little sleeker and more modern than the traditional Hardy boats of this era. Again, majoring on practicality, the side decks are wide and deeply bulwarked and the cockpit is deep and feels secure.\r\n

Performance<\/h2>\r\nA 170hp Yanmar diesel was available but unless the boat was to be based inland, most buyers opted for the larger 230hp Yanmar fitted to this boat. That brings you 20+ knots and a comfortable 16-knot cruise.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137773\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" It\u2019s compact and practical rather than spacious or plush but you still get three berths[\/caption]\r\n

Seakeeping<\/h2>\r\nAlthough it uses a semi-displacement hull with a long shallow keel, the Mariner 26 will get up and go. Straight shaft drive keeps the mechanicals simple and a bow thruster helps with the deficit in manoeuvrability that is inevitable with this set up.\r\n

Hardy Mariner 25 specifications<\/h2>\r\nLength:<\/strong> 25ft 0in (7.6m)\r\nBeam:<\/strong> 9ft 7in (2.9m)\r\nDraft:<\/strong> 2ft 0in (0.6m)\r\nDisplacement:<\/strong> 4 tonnes\r\nFuel capacity:<\/strong> 219 litres\r\nEngine:<\/strong> Yanmar 4LM-STE 230hp diesel engine\r\nFor Sale:<\/strong> Parkstone Bay Yachts<\/a>\r\n

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Botnia Targa 30.1<\/h2>\r\nBuilt: 2023 <\/em> Price: \u00a3275,000<\/em>\r\n\r\nLaunched in 2016, the 30.1 is often regarded as the first of the bigger Targas in a fleet that stretches from 23ft to 46ft. That\u2019s because it\u2019s the smallest model that is most commonly specced with twin engines and the smallest with a cabin at each end.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137768\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" With its sheltered wheelhouse, it\u2019s more a four-season commuter than an outright cruiser[\/caption]\r\n

Interior<\/h2>\r\nReferred to in Finland as a \u2018fast commuter\u2019, it\u2019s a boat designed to get you from point to point at high speed in all weathers. Because of that, the combined wheelhouse and saloon in the centre of the boat is clearly the focal point.\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s accessed by sliding doors on both sides and if you enter via the starboard one, you\u2019ll find yourself at a simple and well laid-out helm that features the clever trick of being able to adjust easily to a seated or standing position by dint of a rotating section that includes the wheel and throttles.\r\n\r\nThe tiny galley on the starboard side does, however, underpin the commuter vibe of this boat. This isn\u2019t a model that majors on cruising, but the forward vee berths and double and single berths in a separate aft cabin mean you could spend a comfortable few days on board.\r\n

Exterior<\/h2>\r\nThanks to its walkaround design, this boat makes moving around exceptionally easy. And while the main outdoor living space is the bow cockpit, most Targa 30.1s also got a small flybridge built into the trailing edge of the saloon roof. That said, the sleeker flat-topped roof that you see here was also available.\r\n

Performance<\/h2>\r\nInitially, twin Volvo Penta D4 diesel engines or a single D6 were the options, but with the rise in popularity of outboard engines, Targa started offering these in 2023. Twin Mercury Verado 300hp outboards give near-silent low-speed running combined with over 40 knots at the top end.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137769\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" A rotating barrel puts the wheel and throttle exactly where you want them[\/caption]\r\n

Seakeeping<\/h2>\r\nSeakeeping is what these boats are all about, the deep-vee planing hull slicing through big seas, leaving curtains of water hanging in the air on either side as it blasts through.\r\n

Botnia Targa 30.1 specifications<\/h2>\r\nLength:<\/strong> 33ft 1in (10.1m)\r\nBeam:<\/strong> 10ft 7in (3.3m)\r\nDraft:<\/strong> 3ft 6in (1.1m)\r\nDisplacement:<\/strong> 6 tonnes\r\nFuel capacity:<\/strong> 600 litres\r\nEngines:<\/strong> Twin Mercury Verado 300hp outboard engines\r\nFor Sale:<\/strong> Wessex Marine<\/a>\r\n

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Seaward 35<\/h2>\r\nBuilt: 2011 <\/em> Price: \u00a3199,950<\/em>\r\n\r\nWhen we think of all-weather boats, we think of internal helms and central heating. But it\u2019s not just colder in winter, it\u2019s often windier and rougher. And when year-round commercial operators like pilots, harbour patrols and customs officers choose their boats, most of them go for Nelson semi-displacement hulls. So when Seaward was formed in 1980 in Guernsey, where seakeeping is particularly important, it based its models squarely on Nelson hulls.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137778\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Damped seats and solid oak joinery feel almost as purposeful as the Nelson-derived hull[\/caption]\r\n

Interior<\/h2>\r\nYou\u2019ll have noticed how boats are getting higher and fatter to gain more internal volume. That\u2019s not an option with a Nelson hull. It is what it is and you build whatever you can fit inside it. Which is why this boat feels a little tighter than a typical modern 35-footer.\r\n\r\nFitted out in beautifully solid oak joinery, the deck saloon is dominated by a pair of KAB suspension seats, one at the helm and one adjacent, and there\u2019s a couple of settees behind them, next to a drop-leaf table. Head down to the lower deck and there\u2019s a dinette opposite the galley and a vee berth in the forward cabin.\r\n

Exterior<\/h2>\r\nThis is a highly professional-looking machine with its low-profile, dark blue hull and porthole-style windows. And that impression continues when you get up close and spot the thick D-section black fendering, the Treadmaster non-slip decking and the pilot rail that encircles the deck saloon and coachroof. It gives you a sturdy waist-high inner rail, whenever you step outside of the deep and well protected cockpit.\r\n

Performance<\/h2>\r\nTwin Yanmar 6LPA-STP2 diesels live beneath the saloon floor, keeping the centre of gravity forward and firing 315hp apiece down straight shaft drives. Top speed is 25 knots, with a cruising speed of around 20.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137779\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" There\u2019s a dinette opposite the lower galley, plus a vee berth in the forward cabin[\/caption]\r\n

Seakeeping<\/h2>\r\nThat Nelson hull is an absolute thoroughbred. There\u2019s a reason why these boats have names like Bruiser and Buster, and it\u2019s all about serious deep-sea wave-busting offshore performance. There are faster boats, but not many of them will maintain their speed like this one when conditions really deteriorate.\r\n

Seaward 35 specifications<\/h2>\r\nLength:<\/strong> 37ft 0in (11.3m)\r\nBeam:<\/strong> 11ft 3in (3.4m)\r\nDraft:<\/strong> 3ft 10in (1.2m)\r\nDisplacement:<\/strong> 10 tonnes\r\nFuel capacity:<\/strong> 1,268 litres\r\nEngines:<\/strong> Twin Yanmar 6LPA-STP2 315hp diesel engines\r\nFor Sale:<\/strong> Berthon International<\/a>\r\n

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Nord Star 28+<\/h2>\r\nBuilt: 2023 <\/em> Price: \u00a3239,995<\/em>\r\n\r\nBMW, Mercedes and Audi are so focussed on a similar market that no one buys one or the other without checking out all three manufacturers first. And in the boating world, it\u2019s the same with Targa, Sargo and Nord Star. All Finnish built, all high performance walkaround commuters and all aimed at the same buyers.\r\n\r\nHowever just like the cars, while in broad brush strokes, they\u2019re all very similar, up close, they\u2019re all aimed at slightly different buyers. The BMW is for the enthusiast, Mercedes is for those prioritising comfort, and the Audi is aimed squarely at people who want to drive 3ft behind any car that is in the way!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137775\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Access to the second cabin is found beneath the portside of the aft dinette[\/caption]\r\n

Interior<\/h2>\r\nIn the boating Finnish walkaround triumvirate, Nord Star is subtly configured to appeal to those wanting to spend a little more time on board \u2013 less the commuter, more the cruiser, and you only have to look at the galley to see the difference. On the Targa 30.1 it\u2019s tucked in the corner of the wheelhouse; on the 28+, it\u2019s a proper dedicated area on the lower deck. There\u2019s a forward cabin with a convertible vee berth ahead of it and a heads opposite. The wheelhouse has two very comfortable captain\u2019s chairs and a U-shaped seating area complete with a table that slides down a pole, but what\u2019s not obvious is that if you lift the portside corner of it, you\u2019ll find steps down to a second double cabin.\r\n

Exterior<\/h2>\r\nOf course, as ever with boats, there\u2019s a compromise, and the 28+ misses out on the forward cockpit of some of its competitors. There\u2019s also a single step up on the side decks as you head forward. But the aft cockpit has more seating than some, and breaks in the rails either side of the sliding side doors make close-quarters handling easy.\r\n

Performance<\/h2>\r\nA single Volvo Penta D6 340 gives about 34 knots with economical running. There\u2019s a twin outboard option now with 47-knot potential \u2013 it\u2019s not quite as economical however!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_137776\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" A dedicated lower galley suggests the Nord Star is designed as a family cruiser[\/caption]\r\n

Seakeeping<\/h2>\r\nLike all Finnish commuter-style boats, the 28+ is designed to get there fast and in comfort, whatever the conditions.\r\n

Nord Star 28+ specifications<\/h2>\r\nLength:<\/strong> 31ft 2in (9.5m)\r\nBeam:<\/strong> 10ft 2in (3.1m)\r\nDraft:<\/strong> 3ft 7in (1.1m)\r\nDisplacement:<\/strong> 5 tonnes\r\nFuel capacity:<\/strong> 585 litres\r\nEngine:<\/strong> Volvo Penta D6-340 340hp diesel engines\r\nFor Sale:<\/strong> MCC Marine<\/a>\r\n\r\n
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\"\"If you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/h2>\r\n
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","excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I was a small boy, my grandfather explained to me that, as you get older, so time speeds up and the years become shorter. He explained why \u2013 it\u2019s because when you are five years old, a year is 20% of your life, but when you\u2019re 50 it\u2019s only two percent. And, as with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":420,"featured_media":137781,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[1593,344],"review_manufacturer":[],"acf":[],"introduction":[""],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137765"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/420"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137765"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":137782,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137765\/revisions\/137782"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=137765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137765"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=137765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}