When people hear that I bought a 34‑foot Sunseeker for £13,000, their reactions tend to fall into two categories. The first group thinks I’m lying. The second thinks I’ve bought a floating disaster. In truth, it was somewhere between the two: a genuine bargain wrapped in years of neglect, questionable repairs and the kind of mechanical surprises that only reveal themselves once you’re too far in to back out.

But that’s the point of this story. In a market where even tired petrol-powered 30‑footers are advertised for north of £50k, the idea of buying a fast, capable, twin‑diesel sportscruiser from a brand with the pedigree of Sunseeker for £13k sounds impossible – unless you’re willing to do the work yourself.

If you have the skills, the tools and the patience, there are still opportunities out there. They’re just disguised as problems! That said, it’s important to approach this with the full understanding that you are buying a liability rather than an asset. You have to make it into an asset.

And before you leap to the conclusion that it’s easy for me to say that, as I must be a trained mechanic, I am not and never have been. However, my career did include 27 years in the Ambulance Service, which does at least make me a good problem solver. This coupled with a passion for boating led me down the path of boat restoration both as a hobby and as an affordable means of going boating.

Before purchase. Photo: Paul Fareham

Bargain baggage

The Sunseeker XPS 34 is a bit of an 80s legend, a bona fide classic with a true performance hull designed by the legendary Don Shead. That meant a proper deep V-hull shape, a long foredeck and the kind of stance that promises speed even when sitting on the pontoon. Originally, it would have been fitted with a pair of petrol-guzzling V8s but the one I stumbled across had been refitted with a pair of more modern Volvo Penta KAD 44 diesels in 2000. On paper, it was everything I wanted.
In the flesh, it was… well, let’s call it “honest.”

You have to start with a boat that motivates you. It’s a bit like buying a classic car or bike – you know it’s going to soak up large amounts of time and money so it needs to energise you. This boat did, so I bought it.

Every project boat owner goes through the same emotional cycle; first excitement, followed by concern and then denial until finally you reach the inevitable conclusion and acceptance that the only way forward is to strip everything down and rebuild it properly. I have learned that if you assume nothing is in good working order, you won’t be disappointed when it isn’t.

The helm was just one of the many areas he worked on. Photo: Paul Fareham

The first few weeks were spent crawling through bilges, tracing wires, checking compression and making lists. Lots of lists.

The more I looked, the more I realised that while the boat had its fair share of issues, it wasn’t a lost cause – simply a victim of years of “that’ll do” maintenance.

The engines ran but the cooling systems were clogged with scale. The turbos had excessive play. The elbows were corroded. The injectors were suspect. A previous sump repair was a crime against engineering. The wiring was a fire hazard and an old transducer hole in the hull had been repaired with a bolt and rubber washer! But none of this scared me because if you can do the work yourself, the economics change completely.

Engines out

There’s a moment in every restoration where you fully commit. For me, it was the day I lifted the engines out. Having survived four previous boat projects, I had come to the conclusion that access is the main killer of motivation. Crawling around engines trying to remove components soon drains any enthusiasm you once had, so I hired a barn, brought in a HIAB and spent a long day disconnecting everything: fuel lines, exhausts, wiring looms, cooling hoses, mounts and the stubborn bolts that always seem to be placed by someone who hates the next person that might need to undo them. With the engines now hanging in the air, dripping old coolant and diesel, I knew there was no turning back.

Lifting out the two Volvo Penta KAD 44 diesels at the start of the engine rebuild project. Photo: Paul Fareham

It was time to strip them down, assess what needed doing and either repair or replace anything worn or damaged. All the main internal parts like the pistons, cylinder bores and cranks looked fine. The seawater cooling systems not so much. Years of salt, scale and neglect had left them partially blocked. I stripped out everything: the heat exchangers, aftercoolers, oil coolers, raw‑water pumps and all the hoses and clamps.

Every component was cleaned, descaled, pressure‑tested and rebuilt with new seals. The raw‑water pumps got new impellers, bearings and wear plates. This alone would have cost thousands of pounds in labour at a yard. I spent a few hundred on parts and a few weekends of graft making sure I followed the workshop manual.

Both the turbos were tired – not destroyed but badly worn. In my experience, having turbos rebuilt is a fool’s errand so I replaced them with new ones. The internet is your friend when sourcing parts. For example, a new turbo from the actual manufacturer of the part is half the price that the OEM will sell it to you for, even though it’s the exact same unit.

In the meantime, I sent the injectors off for professional servicing. While they were away, the heads went off for a skim and the valves were cleaned, reground and fitted with new oil stem seals.

The sump was a complete disaster zone. For some inexplicable reason a previous “mechanic” had sandblasted it and wrapped it in fibreglass. To this day I still don’t understand why but can only assume it was a misguided attempt at stopping a persistent oil leak. When I finally removed all the fibreglass and then the sump itself, I could see nothing that a new sump gasket wouldn’t have sorted. However, not wanting to take any chances, I sourced a secondhand sump in excellent condition and replaced it for peace of mind.

The heads were skimmed and the valves reground and fitted with new oil stem seals. Photo: Paul Fareham

With the engines out, I tackled the engine bay itself. It was filthy from years of oil mist, dust and overspray. I degreased it, sanded it, primed it and painted it in a clean, bright finish that makes leaks easy to spot. A clean bilge is a must in my book. How else can you tell if you have an oil, seawater or coolant leak? Once mixed in with all the other grime, they all look the same.

Then it was onto the outdrives – the devil’s egg whisks as someone once called them. It’s always an emotional moment when you undo the oil drain plug to see what comes out. Cream (emulsified oil and water) would have been upsetting but fortunately the oil was clean and clear. They were in good condition, as were the stainless-steel props so I stuck with a standard service and re-antifoul. It’s worth mentioning that I always stick to OEM parts for this. The seals and driveshaft bellows are critical components so aftermarket alternatives are just not worth the risk for the relatively small price difference.

The wiring was a mess; four batteries, five isolators, countless random fuses, cable runs that made no sense. I ripped everything out and started again. The shorter the cable runs, the less resistance there will be. It’s a very simple concept that many boat builders seemed to ignore back in the 1980s.

The previous fibreglass sump ‘repair’. Photo: Paul Fareham

I installed Albright heavy‑duty remote isolators, properly sized marine‑grade cable with logical routing, clear labelling, a new VSR system and a modern battery charger. The result is a system I trust – no mystery wires, no bodges, no surprises.

You have to take a common sense approach to interior renovation. I try to avoid removing any items that are sound and well made, but find ways to modernise and elevate them instead. Vinyl wrap is extremely useful for hard surfaces. It can cover a multitude of sins from the 1980s and can be removed in moments should you or anyone else decide to change it again in the future. I opted for a simple grey wrap that looked fresh, modern and inoffensive.

Shades of grey

Lighting is also vital, and replacing the old energy-hungry halogens with warm‑white LEDs was a no-brainer – lower power draw, better light and more modern styling. LED strip lighting was another game-changer that really lifted areas via backlighting.

Tatty blue upholstery was freshened up with vinyl spray dye. Photo: Paul Fareham

In my experience, if you want support for boating activities from your significant other, get the toilet facilities right, hence the reason I splashed out on a new electric flush toilet.

The classic red and blue hull stripes are classic Sunseeker but looked too dated for my liking. All it needed was some careful preparation, masking tape and decent two-part marine paint. With the hull stripes repainted in grey, the cockpit cushions needed a similar makeover. Once again the masking tape came out along with some grey coloured vinyl spray dye. The result, modern but still classic upholstery for rattle-can prices.

Bespoke graphics and carbon fibre effect wrap add a final flourish to the new look helm. Photo: Paul Fareham

Keeping with the grey theme, I replaced the old black race frame helm seats with stylish new bucket seats featuring a splash of grey and added some matching EVA foam decking to the cockpit floor for a combined cost of just £450. The folding cabin doors were solid, well-made items so I simply primed and sprayed them a darker grey for a bit of contrast.

Finally, the heavily corroded switch panels needed replacing so using 3mm aluminium plate, grey carbon wrap and inkjet printable transparent sheets, I cut them to shape, printed out my chosen text and logos and coated them with a clear top layer, all for a few pounds.

Refreshed upholstery and judicious use of vinyl wrap lifted the interior. Photo: Paul Fareham

The moment of truth

After three months of continuous evenings and weekends rebuilding and repainting them, the engines were finally ready to go back in. I aligned the mounts, connected the systems, bled the fuel lines, and turned the keys. They fired instantly. No smoke. No hesitation. Just the deep, confident thrum of two diesels that had been given a second life. It’s moments like this that make projects so addictive. It’s the payoff for every scraped knuckle, every late night and every moment of doubt.

After such extensive works it’s vital to sea trial the boat thoroughly before attempting a longer passage with friends and family. Build up slowly and constantly check everything you’ve done. My eyes were glued to the temperature and pressure gauges at all times.

You’d never know it’s nearly 40 years old from the way it looks now. Photo: Paul Fareham

Over a period of two weeks, I found and resolved a few minor issues such as small hose leaks and an exhaust bellow on the outdrive that I hadn’t tightened enough so that was a refreshing dip into the harbour to pop it back on! Once confident, it was time to unleash her. Straight out the gate, she flew to 40 knots, eventually topping out at 45.

Emotions at this point are always mixed. Pride at a job well done, excitement of the boating adventures to come, disappointment as I’ve got nothing else to fix and curiosity at what else might be out there. Eventually, curiosity killed the cat, or rather my ownership of this fine craft. After some wonderful times out and about around the Isle of Man, I sold Xcess to a new owner to help fund a new boat project. But that’s another story!

Straight out of the gate she flew to 40 knots, eventually topping out at 45. Photo: Paul Fareham

Final thoughts

Boating has become expensive. Too expensive, in many cases. But the path to affordable boating still exists, it just requires effort. The key is research. The internet is a wonderful thing but can also be filled with opinions rather than knowledge. I have been a member of the motor boat forum on MBY.com for almost two decades and it’s still my go to for questions, technical knowledge and humour. I would recommend joining it to anyone wanting to learn more about things that float (and avoid those that don’t).

If you lack the skills, the time, the tools or the patience, then £13k buys you a headache but if you do have them, or at least the willingness to learn them, then £13k buys you a boat you could never otherwise afford, a project that becomes part of your life, a machine you understand intimately and a sense of pride no amount of money can buy. £13,000 didn’t buy me a perfect boat but it did buy me the chance to create one.

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article I bought this fixer-upper Sunseeker for £13,000. Here's what I learned appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

When you lower the soft top of a 1980s-era Mercedes SL, you insert handles into the windscreen header rail and twist to release the front of the roof. Then get out, reach into the back and pull the lever that releases the rear of the roof. Raising that allows you to lift the deck lid. Carefully fold the roof into the compartment, close the deck lid and you’re done.

Meanwhile, in my own SL several decades later, I press one button.

That manual method wouldn’t be acceptable in a modern luxury car, and the same is becoming true of boats, people simply don’t want to wrangle a canopy on and off anymore. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the difference in value between an open Fairline Targa 38 with a canopy and the hard top sliding-roof version. That being the case, here are four hard top sportscruisers that give you open air thrills and sleek styling but the ability to close the roof at the touch of a button.

Beneteau Gran Turismo 38

Built: 2011
Price: £165,000

Launched in 2011, this model is actually based on Beneteau’s previous MC37, which dates back to 2006, combining an established hull with lessons learned from five years of selling the earlier model. And it proved successful: Beneteau sold 245 of these in four years before replacing it with the Gran Turismo 40.

Plenty of sociable cockpit seating and a rare centreline helm with space for three

Interior

Although the usual owner’s cabin forward, mid cabin aft and saloon opposite the galley in-between, there is one particularly interesting feature of the layout. Rather than putting the cabin door and steps in the centre and then the door to the mid cabin to one side, accessing a double berth that runs transversely, Beneteau put the cabin door to the port side, which allows the mid cabin door to be in the centre, giving access to a cabin that runs lengthways beneath the cockpit. There are a couple of advantages to this. It puts access in the deepest part of the hull, giving headroom without the need to steal it from the base of seating on the deck above. And that allows a deep walkway between two single beds that can be infilled to a double.

Exterior

The benefit of that unusual layout is felt in the cockpit too. Beneteau was able to position the helm on the centreline, and without sideways seating needed to create headroom, there is room for a double helm seat and a further single seat facing forward, which cunningly have a gap between them so everyone can get in and out without causing havoc. A solid sliding roof in the hardtop means the aperture is smaller but more durable.

Performance

Beneteau fitted twin D4 engines in either 260hp or 300hp configuration. Unsurprisingly, 70% went out with the 300s since there’s no size or weight disadvantage, only extra cost when new. Figure on low to mid 30-knot performance.

Offset companionway creates room for a central door into the spacious guest twin/double

Seakeeping

Another unusual facet (this boat is full of them) is Beneteau’s patented AirStep hull. The idea is to draw air under the hull to reduce friction and improve efficiency. We tested the MC37 with this hull, describing it as “very good out on the water. It offers a sporty ride and has the ability to perform incredibly rapid turns.”

Beneteau Gran Turismo 38 specifications

Length: 38ft 7in (11.8m)
Beam: 12ft 2in (3.7m)
Draft: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
Displacement: 7.4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 650 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D4 300 300hp diesel engines
For sale: One Marine

Azimut Atlantis 34

Built: 2019
Price: £189,950

Italian builder Azimut is one of the most prolific and successful boat builders in the world. From top-end custom superyachts built under the Benetti flag through to production superyachts that fly under the Grande banner, Magellano trawler yachts, flybridge models, Verve dayboats and Seadeck hybrid craft, there’s something to suit everyone’s requirements – provided you’re extremely wealthy of course! Underpinning the fleet is the range of Atlantis entry-level boats. Currently comprising the 51 and the 45, the Atlantis model range once included boats in the 30ft range, such as this Atlantis 34.

The dinette in the open-plan lower saloon converts into a huge double bed

Interior

In the mid 30ft sportscruiser set up, manufacturers can choose to squeeze in a small forward cabin for a two-cabin layout, or opt to just have the mid cabin and use the front of the boat for a large converting dinette. That’s what Azimut did with this model. A large chaise longue next to the helm increases headroom in that mid cabin, making it one of the most spacious in its class – important given it’s the only permanent sleeping space. Convert the dinette to a berth and it’s a huge double, as wide at the aft end as it is long – 6ft 4in! There’s a sense of quality too, with the Azimut parentage elevating the finish.

Exterior

Only ever available as a hard top, the lid is very well integrated into the design; the windscreen frame simply sweeping aft supported by two black pillars that visually disappear. The chaise next to the helm seems an odd place for a sunbed – of course it’s really there to increase headroom below, but in practice it makes a great place to relax underway.

Performance

Only one engine option was offered when this model was born, and it’s the pair of Volvo Penta D3-220 engines fitted to this boat. We hit 30 knots when we tested a brand new example in Italy back in 2013.

The unusual rear-facing chaise longue is needed to create headroom in the cabin below

Seakeeping

“At all speeds it’s very steady across the water, with little tab required,” we reported on that test. “The Atlantis feels utterly solid and rattle-free, helped by the strength and stiffness of the resin-infused hull.”

Azimut Atlantis 34 specifications

Length: 33ft 7in (10.2m)
Beam: 11ft 6in (3.5m)
Draft: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 650 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D3-220 220hp diesel engines
For sale: Boats.co.uk

Bavaria SR41

Built: 2022
Price: £299,950

Launched in 2020, Bavaria’s SR41 was the blueprint for a new model line of boats that were intended to combine the sportiness of the brand’s S line of open boats with the more upmarket feel of its R line deck saloon cruisers. The SR35 and SR38 have since joined the line-up.

There’s a full beam midship owner’s cabin tucked behind the companionway stairs

Interior

Head downstairs and the lower deck appears entirely conventional – but only for as long as you remain facing forward. You’ll find the usual galley opposite a dinette, there’s a heads forward of that dinette to port and in the bow, a forward cabin with a centreline double bed, so far so ordinary. Turn around and head aft, however, and you’re in for a treat. Instead of the usual compact guest cabin squeezed under the cockpit, there’s a full beam owner’s cabin, complete with hull windows and a double bed that you can access from either side. Incredibly, there is even a private ensuite back here, complete with a separate shower cubicle.

Exterior

There are a couple of interesting features in the cockpit too, the most obvious right aft. Most 40ft sportscruisers have seating that wraps along the transom facing inwards. This does have that but behind it is another section of seating that extends out towards the bathing platform. Rock the aft backrest forward and you have an aft-facing dinette – perfect when at anchor. There was also an option for doors at the aft end of the hard top to make it a coupé.

Performance

When new, options ranged from a pair of petrol V8 Mercruisers to twin Volvo Penta diesels. The latter were more popular with buyers being able to pick from either the four-cylinder D4-300s or six-cylinder D6-380 engines. This boat has the latter, which should push past 35 knots.

The backrest of the aft bench swings over to create a second dinette that faces out to sea

Seakeeping

We described it as tenacious in the turns and enormous fun to throw about, and whilst the conditions were not challenging on our test day, any chop or wash from passing vessels was dispatched confidently. Elevated noise levels were the only fly in the ointment.

Bavaria SR41 specifications

Length: 43ft 3in (13.2m)
Beam: 13ft 1in (4m)
Draft: 3ft 4in (1.0m)
Displacement: 9 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 750 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6-380 380hp diesel engines
For sale: Argo Yachting

Sealine SC35

Built: 2011
Price: £169,950

It’s hard to overestimate what a seismic shift in style the SC35 was when it hit the water in 2007. Those sharp angles and slab sides were game-changers at the time. This particular boat is a 40th anniversary special edition model celebrating 40 years of Sealine boats, hence the ivory hull and leather upholstery. Interestingly, Sealine also launched an S35 which was this boat, but with an open cockpit. Almost everyone opted for the pricier SC35 version – is this where the shift from open to hard top sportscruisers began?

Wide beam and tall, vertical topsides create room for a very spacious saloon and cabins

Interior

Those tall topsides pay dividends down below, as does its wide beam because whilst this is an entirely conventional layout with a cabin at either end and a saloon/galley in the middle, the room down here, and in particular the sense of space garnered by the headroom, is remarkable. In fact it was so good that it almost single-handedly killed the larger Sealine SC38 that was already in production because it offered almost everything that boat did bar a completely separate shower compartment.

Exterior

The hardtop on this boat stretches right back until it’s level with the transom. This minimises the canopies needed to totally enclose the cockpit, but also means that the fabric roof aperture is vast! Add the fact that you can remove the tops of the side windows and you end up with probably the most open feeling hard-top boat on the market.

Performance

The American Brunswick Corporation owned Sealine Boats between 2001 and 2011, which probably explains the existence of twin Cummins Mercruiser QSD 4.2L 320hp engines on the options list. But the vast majority went out with twin Volvo Penta D4 engines in 260hp or 300hp guise, giving plus or minus 30 knots.

Full-length hard top makes for a very sheltered cockpit with a huge fabric sunroof

Seakeeping

Powerboat racer/designer Ocke Mannerfelt fine-tuned the hull of this one, which probably explains why we enthusiastically described it as “simply one of the best hulls that you will helm.”

Sealine SC35 specifications

Length: 38ft 10in (11.8m)
Beam: 12ft 4in (3.8m)
Draft: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 750 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D4-260 260hp diesel engines
For sale: Salterns Brokerage

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Four of the best hard top sports cruisers on you can buy now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Considering my grandfather, Charles Wadham Lyne, chose to be a poor vicar, he wasn’t quite as hard up as he might have been thanks to the decisions of his forebears. Thankfully his great uncle Charles Lyne chose to be a rich merchant, which meant my grandparents could indulge in the occasional luxury, such as boating holidays on the Broads during the 1920s.

Given his interest in boating, there is every chance he spotted their holidays advertised in The Motor Boat, which by then was already a well-established periodical, having published its first issue in 1904.

Coincidentally, at about the same time, Hugh Poths of Boston, Lincolnshire, and almost certainly another reader of The Motor Boat, retired from his position as the manager of the Tai Thong Rubber Works Co., in Malaya (now Malaysia). Before leaving, Hugh had purchased and arranged for a quantity of the local teak to be shipped back to England for a special project.

Moored on the river Witham in Boston circa 1930. Photo: Charles Lyne

Cover star

Hugh had decided to have a boat built which he and his family could enjoy cruising on the local rivers. Once resettled in Lincolnshire, he chose H C Banham Ltd as the company to build it. As well as being local, Banhams ran a holiday charter business and knew what was required of an inland waterways boat.

Making available his ample supply of quality Malayan teak, Hugh commissioned a boat that would allow him to enjoy the delights of the inland waterways, including the narrow canals.

Sometime in 1925, Banham’s designer, A. H. Comben, put pencil to paper and adapted one of his existing Broads cruiser designs to meet Hugh’s wishes. Boatbuilder John A. Hodgkinson then set about creating this rather special boat.

Photo: Charles Lyne

As it neared completion in the spring of 1926, someone suggested that it might be of interest to The Motor Boat magazine, and sure enough, in the April 1926 issue, it was featured over one-and-a-half pages.

Described as being a “most interesting vessel” the article continues “due to the restrictions necessitated by lock dimensions, it is by no means an easy matter to evolve a good canal cruiser, but in this case the designer appears to have achieved the desired object and the boat is of by no means unprepossessing appearance.”

With the old diesel engine gone, the forward cockpit has been repurposed as a four-person dinette. Photo: Charles Lyne

Reading between the lines, the author was pleasantly surprised by how pretty it was, despite its unusually long, thin design – the LOA of 40ft dwarfs its narrow 6ft 11in beam.

On 10 May 1926 (amidst the turmoil of the General Strike), Hugh Poths registered this boat as ship no. 147966 with a 9.7bhp motor and a cruising speed of 5.6 mph. He named it Malaya.

Malaya crossing The Wash in summer 1938 – quite an undertaking in a boat designed for sheltered inland waterways. Photo: Charles Lyne

Lone Survivor

Malaya may not have been the first cruiser designed specifically as a leisure craft for use on the narrow canals of England and Wales (rather than a converted barge) but as far as we know, she is the oldest surviving example.

The Poths family enjoyed their unique boat for more than three decades, undertaking several long voyages. In the summer of 1938, for instance, Hugh’s eldest son Jack took Malaya across the Wash from Boston to King’s Lynn and up the Great Ouse to Denver Sluice and beyond, to Cambridge– a 14-hour voyage across open seas in a boat designed for inland waters.

Jack Poths with Hugh Poths (jnr) and Mary. Photo: Charles Lyne

After 33 years of happy ownership, the Poths family decided to sell Malaya. Her new owner, Jack Craddock, was a garage owner and a keen supporter of the newly formed Inland Waterways Association. Her history gets a little murky after that before she appeared on the market once again in 1980.

This time she was sold to Rod Beever, who saved her from being scrapped but was possibly not well advised on the subsequent restoration, which removed all her internal bulkheads in a rather ill-fated attempt to modernise her.

The lack of bulkheads, which formed an integral part of the structure, meant that Malaya gradually developed a middle-aged spread to the point where she struggled to pass through some of the narrow canal locks she was originally designed for.

Moored outside the Cutter Inn, Ely, in 1953. Photo: Charles Lyne

Going Cheap

By the time I first spotted an advert for her in 2012, Malaya was in a very sorry state. Being newly retired with lots of time on my hands but very little money, it sounded like just the kind of project I was looking for.

I’d been into boats for years, having grown up watching my grandfather’s 9.5mm films of holidaying on the Broads, so later in life, with an adaptable wife and three sons in tow, I suggested we try exactly the same sort of holiday I’d seen my grandparents enjoying: a cruiser on The Broads. We all loved it.

Hugh Poths (jnr) at the wheel of Malaya. Photo: Charles Lyne

One thing led to another and soon we were regularly hiring narrowboats for holidays. Then in 1998, we purchased a 1/12th share in a purpose-built narrowboat, giving us four weeks of cruising every year at a much lower cost than hiring.

We enjoyed many happy days on that ‘Ditch Crawler’, as some coastal boaters like to call it, and while its speed obviously fell some way short of an adrenalin rush, it most certainly boosted our dopamine and endorphin levels as we pottered along, taking in the fascinating sights and sounds of the rich variety of canal and river scenes.

In Boggs Lock on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal in 1963. Photo: Charles Lyne

So, many years later, when I spotted an advert for an elderly wooden narrowboat in need of restoration, my interest was piqued. Further investigation revealed that it was being sold very cheaply (to the right buyer) as it needed a significant amount of work: £20,000 – £30,000, according to the surveyor’s report.

It came with some disadvantages – such as a rather large and extremely noisy diesel engine – and was only configured to sleep two people. But, with a bit of work from us, she could be ours to cruise whenever we fancied.

Malaya takes to the water again in 2018 after a six-year restoration. Photo: Charles Lyne

Restoring an old narrowboat: Test drive

A short demonstration cruise on the River Weaver proved to be rather interesting! At some point Malaya had been fitted with a 37.5hp Beta diesel engine. It sounded monstrous; every stroke of the pistons reverberated through the structure.

New owner Charles Lyne at the helm of his lovingly restored Malaya. Photo: Charles Lyne

We later discovered that the owners wore ear-defenders whenever they went for a cruise.

Thankfully, I already had a plan to replace it with an electric motor and knew of a spacious under-cover area where I could restore it. I also discovered that the father of one of our son’s friends was a carpenter and a bit of a wooden boat specialist.

Malaya being wheeled into the cow shed in 2012. Photo: Charles Lyne

I invited Dave up to the River Weaver so he could check what work was needed. His response was largely positive but it would require considerable time and expense. He’d be able to do the skilled work as long as I could do the rest of it.

That was all the encouragement I needed. On a cold December day Dave and I drove up to the boatyard to oversee her being craned onto the back of a low-loader but first we needed to remove the heavy diesel engine. Dave set about disconnecting the engine from the diesel tank, cooling system, exhaust, battery and throttles.

Removing the old Beta diesel engine. Photo: Charles Lyne

Even then the engine couldn’t just be lifted out due to the limited gap between the gunwales and the roof. It had to be done in stages: lifting the engine, supporting it on pallets, shortening the strops and repeating multiple times until the strops were short enough to clear it.

Shirley and Hugh Poths, previous owners Mac and Dave, and Barbara Lyne formally relaunch Malaya in 2019. Photo: Charles Lyne

Disaster strikes

Two days later, a huge low-loader arrived at our farmyard with what looked like a very small boat on its back. In the intervening days, Dave had been busy assembling a custom-built trolley from old lorry wheels, timber beams and steel plates, so we could wheel our new (old) boat into the cowshed/workshop.

With Malaya safely under cover, we celebrated Christmas with our traditional Boxing Day BBQ. While the BBQ was warming up, I popped over to the cowshed to check on our investment. Disaster! The rain had flooded the farmyard and the shed. Malaya was still high and dry but many of the things I’d bought to restore her, including an expensive diesel generator, were already underwater. Not a good start.

Sparks fly as the restoration begins. Photo: Charles Lyne

The weather continued to dog our efforts. By mid-January we were under several inches of snow but eventually work could begin. Dave had given me a brief: clear the inside of the boat of everything. Partitions and flooring went first, then the sea toilet, which after polishing up its brasswork and adding a smart new seat, I sold on Ebay.

With the boat empty, we now had to decide where to site the new electric motor – up at the front where the diesel had been or in the middle, closer to the centre of gravity and the batteries in order to minimise cable losses. We chose the latter. Dave set about cutting down the propshaft with a disc cutter while I stood by with a fire extinguisher in case the stream of red-hot sparks set fire to Malaya’s drying timbers.

New deck beams. Photo: Charles Lyne

In order to prevent the boat from changing shape any more than it had already, I supported the roof with Acrow props and once the windows had been removed, we wrapped heavy duty ratchet straps around the hull and through the window frames to squeeze the beam back into shape.

Meanwhile, Dave taught me all about copper nails and roves, so I could assist him with the 2,000 fastenings that were required to hold all the planks securely in place.

The restored helm. Photo: Charles Lyne

Article continues below…

Renovating a bargain boat: I ended up with so much boat for so little money

After a 13-month delay our Rustler 41 motor yacht is finally ready!

Launch day

Perhaps inevitably, the restoration proved far more time consuming and expensive than expected. I’d hoped we’d finish it in two or three years, in the end it was almost exactly six years before we gently lowered Malaya into the Thames at Lechlade.

The original throttle was adapted for use on Malaya’s new electric motor. Photo: Charles Lyne

Despite having carefully caulked all the joins in the carvel-built hull prior to painting, I knew that it would be some time before the dry timbers below the waterline would swell and start to seal properly. I’d armed myself with a variety of pumps for that very reason but I still spent an anxious first night aboard, bilge-watching and pumping until the leakage rate gradually slowed.

‘Sea’ trials proved that most things worked as intended. The one disappointing aspect was the cruising range. I’d made up two coffin-sized battery boxes under the seats in the centre cabin to keep the high current cables (up to 450 amps) as short as possible. Each bank contained six 110 Ah batteries, each of which I’d hoped would be sufficient for a day’s cruising, so I could recharge alternate banks overnight.

Newly rebuilt foredeck overhang. Photo: Charles Lyne

In practice, even with both banks in parallel, there wasn’t enough capacity for a day’s cruising. I tried replacing them with 130 Ah lead-carbon batteries, which were better, but still disappointing. Eventually, I bit the bullet and installed LiFePO4 (lithium-iron phosphate) batteries which offer significantly more usable capacity in the same volume.

This has proved to be been hugely beneficial, not just in terms of range but also because I can now monitor the battery charging, temperatures and tank levels by remote.

A fully restored Malaya is lifted into the Thames at Lechlade. Photo: Charles Lyne

Hooray Henley

That was all in the future, though, back in 2019 we were still learning about our ‘new’ boat. For some years during the restoration we’d been visiting the Thames Traditional Boat Festival in Henley-on-Thames and decided this would be the ideal place to show off her newly completed restoration.

Malaya’s original registration number. Photo: Charles Lyne

Our progress downriver from Lechlade to Henley can best be described as stately. Although we could certainly go faster, doing so flattened the batteries too quickly, so we soon got used to being overtaken by almost every other river user from swans to paddle boarders!

The helm gives few clues to its new power source. Photo: Charles Lyne

We did eventually get to Henley – albeit four days later – having recharged at various locks and in at least one case, a charging point belonging to a fellow electric boat owner.

Having had the good fortune to find the descendants of Hugh Poths still residing in the Lincolnshire area, it seemed appropriate to ask the youngest Hugh Poths to officially relaunch his great grandfather’s old boat at Henley.

Galley mixes modern appliances with classic style. Photo: Charles Lyne

Hugh and his wife Shirley have since joined us at many of the subsequent Henley Trads and will hopefully join us again for Malaya’s 100th anniversary this year.

Malaya recharging her batteries outside the Kings Arms at Sandford Lock. Photo: Charles Lyne

We’re hoping that perhaps Motor Boat & Yachting would like to attend this milestone as well and complete the happy reunion that started all those years ago…

The new electrics panel. Photo: Charles Lyne

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Restoring an old narrowboat: The 100-Year-Old teak canal cruiser’s journey to electric power appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The 1990s was a big period of change in the boating industry. You might think this was due to emerging technology or new construction methods. But interestingly, it was actually led by far more prosaic reasons, simply the need to survive.

The 1980s boom, all red braces and Porsche 911 Turbos, gave way to the early 1990s global recession and spending, particularly on leisure pursuits like boats, dried up. Some manufacturers went to ground, slashing R&D costs in a bid to survive. Birchwood Boats, a major player in the 1980s, with boats as big as the 60ft TS57, withered and died. But other companies realised that the way out was product led – give the consumer newer, cleverer, smarter boats and you might just tempt them to open their collective wallets again. It worked.

These are just some of the exciting new models from some of Britain’s biggest builders of the moment.

Sunseeker Camargue 44

Built: 1998
Price: £129,950

The first Sunseeker Camargue model was the Camargue 46 launched in 1989. A slightly odd layout saw a completely separate ensuite aft cabin hidden beneath the sunpad behind the cockpit, the forward accommodation providing the saloon, galley and owner’s cabin. But in the 1990s, Sunseeker really got into the groove with Camargues, producing the 55, 50 and this fabulous 44 model. Launched at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, over 200 of them found homes between 1997 and 2003, many in the UK.

High gloss cherry looks a little dated but there’s no doubting the quality of the interior finish

Interior

The idea of the Camargue models was to create something that retained traditional Sunseeker sportiness in the styling, but offered a whole lot more accommodation than earlier models, a “sensible Sunseeker”, if you will. At 13ft wide, there’s plenty of space for two ensuite cabins, split by a saloon and one of the largest galleys you’re likely to find in a boat of this size, style and era. High-gloss cherry is arguably a little dated compared to modern pale satin finishes but it still looks fantastic.

Exterior

Despite the near 30-year-old design, this is a fabulous looking boat, all voluptuous curves topped off by an aggressively forward sloping winged radar arch. Pretty much every mid 40ft sportscruiser these days has a tender garage but if you want to store a tender on this boat, it lives on the bathing platform leaving masses of room for a big single-level cockpit.

Performance

When new, you could spec your Camargue 44 with twin Volvo Penta TAMD 63 or 74 engines, giving between 370hp and 480hp each, but the most popular engines by far were the Caterpillar 3126 offering 420hp a side for a top speed of 30 knots.

Both cabins have their own ensuite bathrooms and sit at opposite ends of the saloon

Seakeeping

The Camargue 44 was fitted with vee drives, since outdrive offerings of the time weren’t powerful enough. These send the drive forward into a gearbox then back under the engines on short-angled shafts, allowing the engines to sit further back in the hull. The Don Shead hull with 13 tonnes of displacement gives a solid ride.

Sunseeker Camargue 44 specifications

Length: 46ft 5in (14.1m)
Beam: 13ft 9in (4.2m)
Draft: 3ft 5in (1.0m)
Displacement: 13 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,060 litres
Engines: Twin Caterpillar 3128 420hp diesel engines
For sale: Sunseeker Brokerage

Sealine 330 Statesman

Built: 1996
Price: £64,950

The boat building industry in the 1990s was very different to today’s corporate world of investment companies. Back then, the big British builders were still owned, or at least run, by their founders – David King headed up Princess Yachts, Sam Newington was boss of Fairline, Robert Braithwaite ran Sunseeker and Tom Murrant controlled Sealine.

All of these men were boaters, in fact, Tom Murrant kept and used his boats out of Torquay Marina. He was the first to come up with stairs to the flybridge, rather than a ladder, after his wife complained it was impossible to bring a tray of drinks up a ladder – you don’t get that kind of feedback anymore.

The galley-up layout was almost unheard of at the time but is now commonplace

Interior

The 330 Statesman, launched in 1994 is the perfect example of a boat developed by someone who really gets boating. From those flybridge stairs (the smallest aft cockpit flybridge boat at the time to get them) to the two-cabin single heads lower deck, this was first and foremost a practical boat. Sealine achieved space for this by putting the galley on the main deck in the forward port corner of the saloon, commonplace now but almost unheard of for compact flybridge boats at the time.

Article continues below…

4 of the best motor yachts on the market right now for £100,000

4 of the best all-weather motor boats on the market right now

Exterior

Beyond those steps (and it’s impossible to overstate what a game changer they were – by the end of the 1990s, virtually every manufacturer had introduced them), practical details included a clamshell opening at the trailing edge of the flybridge for canopies to roll up into. The flybridge itself was necessarily small, just a three- person bench and a sunpad.

Performance

Outdrive engines helped hugely with the packaging, Sealine fitting Volvo Penta or Mercruiser engines, the former mostly KAD32 170hp, the latter usually the 180hp engines fitted to this boat giving a 20-knot top end.

The forward owner’s cabin is surprisingly big and bright for a 33ft flybridge boat

Seakeeping

The hull was that of Sealine’s S34, itself a good sea boat. The extra height and windage of the flybridge design mean that the standard fit trim tabs are useful, and retrofitting a bow thruster is worthy of consideration.

Sealine 330 Statesman specifications

Length: 34ft 6in (10.5m)
Beam: 11ft 0in (3.3m)
Draft: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 644 litres
Engines: Twin Mercruiser 180hp diesel engines
For sale: Ancasta

Fairline Targa 37

Built: 1996
Price: £69,995

The Targa line of Fairline boats began in 1984 with the Targa 33 and blossomed into quite the range. This was the 10th Targa model that Fairline produced. It started life in 1994 as a Targa 36. This morphed into the Targa 37 by dint of an extended bathing platform. It introduced a new look for the Targa range, both inside and out, which still appears far fresher than most 30-year-old craft.

A refresh has brought the interior up to date but even the original was modern for its era

Interior

Although the layout follows the tried and tested cabin at each end with a saloon and galley between them set-up that began with the Touring version of the original Targa 33, there are some notable upgrades. The double berth in the forward cabin is a centreline island bed rather than squashed to one side, and access to the mid cabin aft is greatly improved by the L shaped cockpit seating above. However what changed dramatically was the interior finishes. Gone was traditional teak, replaced with pale maple woods and painted surfaces. Indeed this particular boat interior has been refreshed even further by its current owner.

Exterior

Transom doors and integral platforms we’d already seen on earlier Fairline Targas, but what the 36/37 model you see here brought to the party was new GRP moulded side hoops linked by a header rail forming the windscreen frame, a huge leap forward from the ubiquitous stainless steel of old. Meanwhile, the double knuckle that split the hull topsides of old was deleted in favour of a smoother more modern look. This boat is a particularly fine example that has been well maintained and belies its true age.

Performance

A few Targa 37s went out with V8 petrol engines but the vast majority of got Volvo Penta’s KAD 42 supercharged and turbocharged 3.6-litre straight six 230hp diesels, or the later KAD 44 EDC 260hp motors. Figure on low 30 knots for the former, mid 30 knots for the latter.

Centre line island double in the owner’s cabin is a big step up on the Targa 33’s offset bed

Seakeeping

Fairlines of this era are all great sea boats and this is no exception. Fast, well balanced and capable, it makes a fine offshore cruising boat.

Fairline Targa 37 specifications

Length: 36ft 6in (11.1m)
Beam: 11ft 8in (3.5m)
Draft: 3ft 2in (1.0m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 640 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta KAD 42 230hp diesel engines
For sale: One Marine

Princess 420

Built: 1996
Price: £89,950

In 1973, Princess took a major step into the big league, building its first shaft drive flybridge boat, the Princess 37. At 37 feet, it was far bigger than the previous flagship Princess 32 and a big step for a fledgling builder, but it proved a good move, running for eight years. In 1981 it was replaced by the Princess 38 which set the layout template that flowed through every subsequent model since as it evolved through the 385, 388, 398, 410 before being replaced by the 420 you see here.

The ‘superyacht’ style burr maple woodwork was the height of luxury in the 1990s

Interior

That enduring layout was basically an ensuite double berth owners cabin in the bow, a twin-bedded guest cabin with access to the day heads and a galley all on the lower deck, and then a saloon on the main deck with a double helm forward to starboard.

It only finally changed when the Princess F45 launched, which swapped the traditional twin shaft drive diesels layout for IPS pods which, combined with a galley up layout, created space for a full beam owner’s cabin. What the 420 brought to the party was a new interior finish. After decades of teak interiors, Princess flirted briefly with pear before introducing ‘superyacht finishes’ across the range in the 1990s. Either the burr maple you see in this boat, or the much rarer dark mahogany.

Exterior

On the outside, there were various changes to entice the cautious 1990s buyer. The whole profile of the boat was far more modern, from the lower sleeker radar arch to the three- section sliding saloon doors. But the big news was following the flybridge stair trend – not just easier with a tray of drinks, but they kept the family dog, who wasn’t keen on the ladder, happy too.

Performance

Twin Caterpillar 3116TA 255hp engines were a rarity, with most leaving the factory with a pair of Volvo Penta TAMD 63P diesels beneath the saloon floor for a top speed in the high 20s.

The forward owner’s cabin is supported by a twin guest cabin amidships

Seakeeping

A shaft drive flybridge was (and still is) stock in trade for Princess Yachts, so expect a solid capable cruising boat and you’ll not be disappointed.

Princess 420 specifications

Length: 42ft 10in (13.2m)
Beam: 13ft 8in (4.2m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 11 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,300 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 63P 370hp diesel engines
For sale: Clarke & Carter

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article 4 of the best 90s classic motor boats on the market now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The term millionaire is an interesting one, still conjuring up as it does images of impossible wealth. A mansion in the country, peacocks on the lawn, lighting cigars with £10 notes in the back of a chauffeur driven Rolls-Royce and, of course, a huge motor yacht. But the truth is that these days, a million barely buys you a new 40-footer, let alone the rest of the lifestyle to go with it – hardly the stuff of millionaire dreams. Thankfully, as ever, solace lies in the used boat market where the original millionaire lifestyle is still possible if you have a healthy six figures to plough into a boat. Here are four fantastic examples for Jeeves to point the Roller at.

4 big, bargain motor boats

Fairline Squadron 65

Built: 2010 Price: £650,000

Despite the occasional financial buffeting, there is no doubt that Fairline belongs in the highest echelons of production boat building. Based in Oundle with a history that goes back almost 60 years, it introduced the Squadron range in 1991 with the launch of the Squadron 62 – the predecessor of this 2010 Squadron 65.

High quality woodwork is a hallmark of Fairlines and the Squadron 65 is no exception

Interior

The stand-out feature of this boat is the amount of natural light that floods the interior. Huge windows are par for the course these days, but this boat was launched back in 2009. The forward cabin is a prime example, with a run of glazing that stretches the full length of the ceiling.

The full beam owner’s cabin is even better with big hull windows allowing a view out from the king-sized bed. Only cabin three shows its age a little by having porthole windows. That said, it still has its own ensuite bathroom. Intriguingly, Fairline added a further day heads halfway down the stairs, something you almost never find on a sub 80ft boat. The galley is up, but not aft, being positioned in the forward port corner of the saloon.

Exterior

New enough to have a hydraulic high/low bathing platform for tender launch and storage, this isn’t the only treat at the very stern of this vessel. There’s a really neat lift up section built into the transom that rises on a solid hinged arm to provide a proper overhead shower.

Yet more glazing across the back of the boat and stairs rather than a ladder transform the crew cabin into a genuinely useable fourth guest cabin. Meanwhile, the flybridge is one of the largest in its class, with multiple sunpads featuring prop-up backrests for support.

Performance

Twin MAN V10 1,100hp engines displace a monster 18.27 litres each, meaning that the combined 2,200hp is doled out at a relaxed engine speed of just 2,300rpm, at which point our test boat was pulling over 30 knots!

The midship owner’s cabin faces across the beam with hull windows on both sides

Seakeeping

It’s a big heavy boat that stretches past 65ft, so decent seakeeping is assured, although with a focus on internal volume, we didn’t find it quite as lithe as the earlier Squadron 66.

Fairline Squadron 65 specifications

Length: 66ft 11in (20.4m)
Beam: 17ft 2in (5.2m)
Draft: 4ft 6in (1.4m)
Displacement: 30 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 3,542 litres
Engines: Twin MAN V10 1100 CRM 1,100hp diesel engines
For Sale: One Marine

Trader 64 Sunliner

Built: 2007 Price: £699,000

Designed by Tony Castro, built by Tarquin and launched in 2007, the Trader 64 leans towards the explorer yacht end of the market. Designed for relaxed long-range liveaboard cruising rather than fast blasts from point to point, it’s backed up by a Category A RCD rating for offshore use.

The Trader 64 feels like a home from home thanks to its big open-plan saloon and galley

Interior

Any mid-60ft boat is going to have generously proportioned internal spaces, but throw in an aft-cabin layout that takes the accommodation right back to the transom and you have something truly palatial. Not surprisingly, the owner’s cabin takes full advantage of those square aft quarters to deliver an exceptionally large and private sleeping space.

The ensuite heads is forward, putting a double bulkhead between its lucky occupants and the machinery space. And of course it is completely separated from the three further cabins on the lower deck forward.

The VIP with its centreline double in the bow has its own ensuite while two further guest cabins, one with single beds side by side and one with cross-over bunk beds, share the day heads. Between them, the saloon has a galley-aft layout and the helm is up on a separate bridge level.

Article continues below…

4 of the best all-weather motor boats on the market right now

4 Of The Best Classic Motor Yachts You Can Buy Now

Exterior

The downside of an aft cabin layout is the lack of storage under the aft deck as that’s where the cabin is. However, Tarquin worked hard to mitigate this with multiple smaller deck lockers and storage under the seats and sunbeds. The tender lives aloft on a flybridge that features unusual crescents which extend out over the side decks like the wing stations on a ship. Wide side decks and twin anchors at the bow provide further evidence of its big-boat cruising credentials.

Performance

Featuring a deep keel semi-displacement hull rather than a full planing one, the Trader 64 is designed to run at low speeds for maximum efficiency. But twin Caterpillar C18 1,015hp diesels still give a 20 knot top end.

Even by big boat standards, the owner’s cabin is exceptionally spacious and private

Seakeeping

52 tonnes of boat steadied by standard-fit twin hydraulic stabilisers should give a pretty impassive ride.

Trader 64 Sunliner specifications

Length: 65ft 0in (19.8m)
Beam: 17ft 9in (5.4m)
Draft: 5ft 9in (1.8m)
Displacement: 52 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 7,000 litres
Engines: Twin Caterpillar C18 1,015hp diesel engines
For Sale: Sunseeker Poole

Princess 21M

Built: 2009 Price: £945,000

Princess has had a variety of model ranges over the years, all with their own names and identities. The F-class flybridges, V-class sportscruisers, S-class sports yachts and X-class tri-deck models all have their place. But the M-class is the daddy, because M stands for motor yacht and is reserved for the superyacht range.

The largest ever was the Princess 40M, a 40-metre leviathan, but at the other end of the scale, the original 21M still cuts a dash. At just under 70ft, it falls below the 24-metre industry classification for superyachts but this boat still has the look and feel of the big league without the crippling cost that usually goes with it.

Internal stairs to the fl ybridge is a practical but rarely seen luxury on modern 70-footers

Interior

The high-gloss cherry wood may be of its era, but it still looks spectacular, particularly in places like the cabin doors, where the grain is quartered (four panels with opposing wood grain angles). You rarely see carpentry like that anymore from production builders.

It’s not the only thing – the sweep of internal stairs that spiral up from the main deck to the flybridge is another forgotten gem. Despite the aft cockpit, it still sports a four-cabin layout, even if the smallest of them has bunk beds and shares the day heads with the third guest cabin. There’s a hidden stairwell accessed from the cockpit that takes you down to the crew accommodation as well as to the walk-in engine-room and a separate engineering space with twin generators.

Exterior

Launched originally in 2004, this model pre-dated hydraulic platforms and large hull windows (other than to the owner’s cabin), but a crane on the flybridge can lift a tender onto the bathing platform and/or the trailing edge of the upper deck. Deeply bulwarked side decks and flybridge overhangs cement the mini-superyacht feel.

Performance

A choice of twin MAN diesels, either 1,050hp each or the upgraded 1,300hp motors fitted to this boat, should push it towards 30 knots, albeit at a considerable cost to fuel efficiency.

High gloss fi nish may look dated but there’s no doubting the quality of the woodwork

Seakeeping

Multiply the size by the weight and then add the Olesinski-designed hull and you have something best described as capable. Very capable.

Princess 21M specifications

Length: 71ft 5in (21.6m)
Beam: 18ft 1in (5.5m)
Draft: 5ft 2in (1.6m)
Displacement: 41.3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 5,000 litres
Engines: Twin MAN D2842 LE404 1,300hp diesel engines
For Sale: Parker Adams

Sunseeker Predator 56

Built: 2001 Price: £245,000

As we have seen, it’s entirely possible to buy a seriously big league boat from a big league builder for under a million pounds. But as I shall now demonstrate, it’s also possible to buy some serious kit from one of the most prestigious builders on the planet for under a quarter of a million pounds! Welcome to the frankly epic Sunseeker Predator 56. 150 of these were sold between 1999 and 2004, and it’s not hard to see why.

A lower saloon and galley separates the owner’s cabin from the forward VIP

Interior

Although dating from this century, at 2001 this boat only just sneaks in. Nowhere is this clearer than inside, where it’s a feast of turn-of-the-century Sunseeker, complete with lashings of beautifully capped high-gloss cherry wood and acres of cream leather. Is this a bad thing? Hell no, it looks fabulous, but if your tastes are more modern then it could easily be turned down with a change of upholstery and some panel re-trimming.

Sunseeker offered two- or three-cabin versions, this is the more popular two cabin with a full beam owner’s cabin in the centre of the boat, where the three cabin got a pair of twins, and another double cabin in the bow. A large saloon and galley sit between them, with all the white goods concealed by yet more glossy woodwork.

Exterior

Despite its age, this boat was fitted with a high/low platform for tender storage, which means the usual space-sapping garage is missing and the cockpit seating stretches right to the transom. This is also one of the first boats to get the now ubiquitous open-backed hard top. It was an optional extra, but can you imagine the amount of canopy you’d be fighting without it?

Performance

Sunseeker offered twin 800hp diesels from either MAN or Caterpillar (for the American market), both giving over 30 knots flat out for an easy mid 20-knot cruise.

Who needs mirrors when you can see your reflection in the high gloss cherry woodwork?

Seakeeping

We described the Predator 56 as having ‘a reputation for fun, dynamic handling, carving into turns and keeping the skipper very happy.’

Sunseeker Predator 56 specifications

Length: 60ft 2in (18.3m)
Beam: 15ft 1in (4.6m)
Draft: 4ft 5in (1.3m)
Displacement: 24 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 2,350 litres
Engines: Twin MAN 800hp diesel engines
For Sale: Sunseeker Poole

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article 4 of the biggest bargain motor boats on the market right now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In the 1990s, Audi built perfectly pleasant but fairly nondescript German saloon cars and hatchbacks. In 1995 the company showed a mad concept sportscar that looked like a cross between a turtle and a bar of soap.

It’s lovely, everyone said, but obviously it will never enter production. Then in 1998, it entered production almost unchanged as the TT, confounding everyone because it was just so completely alien to anything the marque had done before.

It was a similarly left-field move when Sunseeker launched the XS2000 the following year – it was just so un-Sunseeker! Yes, the company had previously developed high-performance boats with powerboat racer, Don Shead, but those were the fast, elegant weekenders of the Hawk range – the 27 Hawk, 29 Mohawk, 37 Tomahawk and 43 Thunderhawk. Yes they were low, sleek and highly capable, but they were recognisably Sunseeker.

With up to 1,100hp on tap and input from Italian designer, Fabio Buzzi, the XS2000 was a race boat in disguise

The XS2000 was developed by Italian powerboat racer and designer, Fabio Buzzi. If you’d put this boat into the London Boat Show without badges and asked people
to guess who’d built it, it’s extremely unlikely that anyone would have opted for Sunseeker. This wasn’t a fast weekender. It was a barely civilised out-and-out race boat!

Yes, it did technically have overnighting accommodation but you couldn’t reach it from the cockpit. You had to access it from a hatch on the foredeck so forget going down there while underway.

Sunseeker did modify Buzzi’s original cockpit layout of four stand-up racing bolsters, retaining the front two but incorporating a bench seat aft and adding a sunpad over the engine hatch. But this was basically a production racing boat in disguise, and it really wasn’t a very convincing disguise.

An absurdly narrow beam and fewer seats than a 20ft bow rider left you in no doubt about its purpose

Constructed of hand-laid FRP Kevlar/balsa/e-sandwich, the hull had two steps to reduce drag and a squared-off spoonbill bow designed to create lift in the event of stuffing it into a wave at high speed.

There was a bathing platform back aft, but it was mostly there to support the twin Trimax racing drives and rudders and to protect the Rolla five-bladed propellers that were spun via two-speed gearboxes by either twin 420hp Yanmar diesel engines or a pair of 550hp Mercruiser petrols.

Bizarrely, there was also a twin 350hp option, in case anyone wanted a slightly slower high-performance race boat. But when we sea trialled this absolute weapon of a machine, we achieved about 65 knots on test with the bigger diesel engines.

Even then, Sunseeker was convinced that there was another 5 knots to go with a little bit of fine tuning. But it was an utterly bonkers and ultra-cool boat back in the 90s, and it’s become even more so with the benefit of hindsight.

Article continues below…

Sunseeker Superhawk 55 yacht tour: The coolest new Sunseeker of the decade

World’s Coolest Boats: Fairline F//Line 33 – Its Hull Is up There With the Best We’ve Tested

Sunseeker XS2000 Specifications:

Year: 1999
LOA: 39ft 4in (12.0m)
Beam: 7ft 7in (2.3m)
Power: Twin Yanmar 430hp diesel engines
Speed: 70 knots est
Price when new: From £175,000

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article World's coolest boats: Sunseeker XS2000 is brilliantly bonkers appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

I’ve always loved boats, both sail and power, and have been lucky enough to own a number of different ones over the years. I sold my last motor boat, a Palm Beach GT60, a couple of years ago.

It was a beautiful boat that my wife and I cruised extensively in the US and the UK, but someone made me a good offer for it, and I decided to accept it while I pondered over what our next purchase might be.

In the meantime, I went in search of something smaller we could use locally in the Solent.

A full respray helped restore this 1997 Hinckley Picnic to as-new condition

We used to have a RIB for this and while it was fast and seaworthy, we often ended up getting cold and wet on the way home, so I wanted something that would give us a bit more protection. It still needed to be a good sea boat with a decent turn of speed and enough space to host family and friends during the day but also small enough for me to handle on my own. And as with all my boats, it had to be pretty to look at and properly built. Not much to ask, then!

As luck would have it, a fellow member of the Royal Yacht Squadron was selling a Hinckley Picnic Boat. It was a 1997 model called Picnic that wasn’t in great condition but ticked all the boxes. It had a good pedigree from a well regarded US boat builder, a proven hull design, timeless good looks and a layout that suited our needs.

Owner Stuart is delighted with the finished result

The hardtop provided a good level of protection for the helm and co-pilot, but there was still a big open aft cockpit for day guests. It even had a small cabin and heads compartment so my wife Emma and I could stay onboard for a night or two at a time.

As with all Hinckley Picnic Boats, it had a waterjet drive, which I wasn’t too sure about, but I reckoned I could live with it given the advantages it offered in terms of speed, manoeuvrability and draft.

The bowsprit was custom made from teak to hold the anchor clear of the stem

A Lucky find: Spotting the Hinckley Picnic Boat

It was being sold through the UK Hinckley centre, Vortec Marine, and because of its age and condition the asking price was below £100,000. I knew it would need some work doing to it, but it was safe to use and everything was running ok. I made an offer, and before long, Picnic was mine.

I decided to run it for the rest of the season before having any work done. As well as making the most of the summer months, it would enable me to get to know the boat better and figure out what needed doing. I did, however, take the precaution of signing up to Sea Start, just in case!

The new Yanmar 440hp is lowered into the engine bay

For the most part it performed as expected but as well as looking rather tired inside and out, there were a number of things that I wanted to get sorted.

The antifouling needed stripping off and redoing; all the varnishing was shot; the headlining was sagging; there were hairline cracks in the gelcoat; the helm and co-pilot seats were a bit ropey; and the only way of dropping anchor / anchor types was physically heaving it out of the locker and chucking it overboard. I was also concerned about the long-term reliability of the drivetrain.

If my wife and young adult children were ever going to have the confidence to take it out on their own, both they and I needed to know it would look after them. I asked Vortec to draw up a full schedule of works, including a new engine and waterjet. There didn’t seem much point in going to all the effort and expense of a refit and still being stuck with a near 30-year-old engine.

The new waterjet required a completely different transom mount

Richard Burlingham at Vortec had a good look at the boat and came back with his recommendations. Unfortunately it wasn’t quite as simple as we’d hoped; the hairline cracks in the topsides had actually penetrated through to the fibreglass beneath so the whole lot needed to be taken back and rebuilt before it could be repainted.

There were also signs of rot in some of the structural bulkheads due to water ingress in the bilges. And while the new 440hp Yanmar 6RY engine should be a relatively simple swap for the old one, replacing the waterjet was another story. Hamilton no longer made that model and the new one had a completely different transom and intake mount.

Needless to say, it all added to the expense but at this point half-measures weren’t really an option. I gave him the go-ahead and in October 2023 Picnic was lifted out for the work to be done over winter.

The topside gelcoat was ground back to the fibreglass matting

Sorting the topsides out went pretty much to plan. A gelplane was used to grind back the gelcoat, a thin layer of Biaxial cloth was then laminated to the existing fibreglass with epoxy resin to reinforce it before it was built back up again with three layers of Awlfair fairing and boarded back to leave a perfectly smooth surface.

A final layer of epoxy sealed it all in before being repainted in the same light grey Awlcraft colour I’ve had on all my boats. I think it adds a more modern look to the classic Hinckley lines and helps it stand out from all the other dark blue Picnic Boats out there.

A new layer of biaxial cloth was epoxied on as an extra protective layer

Out with the old

The damp bulkheads proved rather more problematic. It appears that a drainage duct in the bottom of the bilges had split, allowing water to seep into the unsealed bulkhead holes which had then tracked up to the deck itself.

All these damp areas had to be cut out and a new drainage pipe bonded into place before the deck and bulkheads could be rebuilt. They also fitted new carbon stiffeners to the boat hull and laminated over the new conduit to ensure it wouldn’t leak in future.

After applying the biaxial cloth, it was then filled and fared to leave a totally smooth painting surfaces

The only good news was that because we were also removing the engine, waterjet and tanks, the Vortec team had full access to all areas of the bilges. With everything out, the whole bilge area could be thoroughly cleaned, sanded and recoated with a resin gel wash to leave a completely clean surface.

Before that could happen, the transom had to be adapted to take the new waterjet. While the old jet had a round mounting plate, the new one was square and considerably larger. To accommodate this the transom had to be rebuilt with a special recess for the new mounting plates. As waterjets can go from full ahead to full astern without any gear box change, this also meant calling in a structural engineer to ensure it was strong enough to take the sudden change of loading.

The entire transom had to be rebuilt with a specially shaped recess to accept the new drive

The water inlet underneath the hull was a bit simpler but still had to be remade in a different shape and size to accept the new mounting plates. It’s not something you want to get wrong when you’re cutting a big hole in the bottom of your boat! Inevitably the new engine also needed slightly different mounting beds so these had to be rebuilt as well, not to mention a new coupling and shaft to connect it up to the waterjet.

Much like a shaft- drive boat, this all had to be carefully aligned to ensure it was at exactly the high water and angle. New fuel and black-water waste tank were also fitted before the engine was installed to avoid any chance of them having to come out again.

Soggy bulkheads had to be removed

The final piece of the re-engining jigsaw was fitting new helm controls. We’d intended to replace the original Hinckley jet-stick like for like but there was a six-month lead time before a new one could be delivered. Vortec suggested using a Glendinning system instead, which was not only easier to get hold of but roughly half the cost.

Full fly-by-wire throttle, steering and joystick controls now gives us fingertip control for both docking and cruising. Working out how to fit a satisfactory remote anchor mechanism was another mission. The Picnic’s upright stem means that a simple bow roller would risk the anchor flukes scratching the topsides every time it was deployed.

The refitters had to chock up the deck while a new water conduit was fitted

The only way to avoid this was by fitting a bowsprit that projected out far enough in front of the stem for the anchor to drop well clear of it. In the end, Vortec designed and made up a bespoke teak and stainless steel bowsprit with a matching Lewmar Delta anchor and windlass.

This did involve adding a new bulkhead and access hatch at the forward end of the cabin but the end result looks very neat and is so much safer and easier than dropping and retrieving it by hand. With the engineering now complete, the team could move onto the cockpit and interior changes.

The bowsprit starts to take shape in Vortec’s wood shop

This was largely a refresh rather than a full refit, the one exception being the helm and navigator’s seats. The original layout had a basic pedestal helm seat on either side of the companionway. I decided to replace this with a more supportive electric Stidd helm seat to starboard and a back-to-back co-pilot seat to port. This would give us an extra aft-facing seat under the cover of the hardtop and create a more sociable layout in the cockpit.

Once secure, new bulkheads and engine beds were installed

We also fitted Flexiteek decking throughout the cockpit and on the bathing platform, partly for aesthetic reasons but also because it’s softer and non-slip under foot than the previous moulded GRP.

While we were at it I asked for an extra grabhandle and transom shower to make climbing out and rinsing down after a swim easier.

A revitalised Picnic should be good for another 20 years of use by Stuart and his family

Inside job

All the varnished exterior woodwork including the window frames, capping rails, cockpit table and companionway doors were sanded back to bare wood and 10 new coats of Awlwood applied. Vortec originally allowed 180 hours for this but it ended up taking 425, which thankfully they didn’t bill for!

All the fittings were sanded back to bare wood and coated with multiple layers of varnish

The coachroof also had to be ground back, reinforced and repainted to repair some localised cracks and delamination. The final part of the equation was updating the interior fit-out. The sagging headlining was replaced with fresh vinyl and all the lighting inside and out was changed to LEDs.

The galley worktop was machined to accept the existing fridge and hob

A new Tecma toilet was fitted in the heads along with new taps both here and in the galley. The old galley’s worksurface was also removed and a new Corian one fitted with cut-outs for the two ring hob, sink and best boat fridge. Lastly, the teak and holly floor was replaced.

I always knew it was going to be a bit of a mission to get the job done on time and on budget, and needless to say, costs did creep up, largely because of unseen complications that only became apparent once the engine and waterjet were removed.

Modern Corian worktop and taps add a new lease of life to the original galley

The total refit ended up costing around £350,000 but it has totally transformed our enjoyment of the boat. My wife is now comfortable taking it out on her own, it’s a simpler and easier boat to helm and a safer one too thanks to the new anchoring mechanism.

It’s also a more comfortable boat to spend time on thanks to the new helm seat, heads and cockpit changes. I’m not sure it will have added that much to the secondhand value of the boat but that was never the intention.

New fly-by-wire Glendinning throttle and joystick replace the original Hinckley items

What it has done is given us a craft that is now perfectly suited to our needs with all the style, quality and reliability of a brand new Hinckley Picnic for a fraction of the cost. We have taken it across the English Channel to Guernsey, cruised it up the Thames to Henley and back and are now planning to head off to the West Country for a week or two.

Measuring the shaft alignment between the engine and the waterjet

Giving it a new lease of life means it’ll be good for another 20 years and when we do decide to sell it, its timeless design means there will always be a ready buyer for it.

New Stidd captain’s chair and a back-to-back navigator’s seat add comfort and versatility

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Saving a Beloved Hinckley Picnic Boat With a £350K Refit appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The 45-50ft sportscruiser market has long been one of the most hotly contested sectors in the motor boating world – and that’s great news for used boat buyers in search of a quality secondhand purchase. From high-spec kit like the Sunseeker Portofino 47, Princess V48 and Fairline 47 GT through to more modestly equipped and accessibly priced vessels, there’s something for everyone who’s serious about getting afloat in a fast and comfortable mid-size cruising boat.

A notch down from the premier league players are boats such as the subject of this report, the Beneteau GT46. Matched in the market against the likes of Bavaria’s Sport S45 and Jeanneau’s Leader 46, the GT46 more than holds its own in terms of performance, styling, comfort and family-friendliness.

The aft bench reclines at the touch of a button like a dentist’s chair

The example we tracked down is on the books of Swanwick-based Solent Motor Yachts with an asking price of £324,950, tax paid. While that’s pretty much in line with Bavaria and Jeanneau models of a similar vintage, it’s considerably less than the top-tier brands. A Princess V48 of the same age, for example, might easily set you back in excess of half a million, so the sheer value on offer looks very strong indeed.

As for the styling, the GT46 still looks very fresh with a sleek sporty profile, a pleasing mix of curves and angles and that all-important hard top providing year-round protection. And actually, as the eponymous brand of Groupe Beneteau, the world’s largest builder of leisure boats and a firm that has been around since 1884, the build quality here is very sound too.

The gap between the helm seats enables you to come and go as you please

Where you tend to save the money with a Beneteau is in the fixtures and fittings and, with due respect to its other qualities, you can see that here. Take the twin bi-fold doors, which seal off the wheelhouse from the cockpit. Rather than taking a straight line from A to B, they close by following a complex track, which is part straight and part curved.

When the two doors come together, they form three sides of a hexagon that projects out into the aft deck, leaving part of the track arrangement exposed. Nothing wrong with that in practical terms, but it is a bit fiddly to operate and it looks a bit odd. The reason the doors have to stick out is to accommodate a quirky pair of extension units that join the seats on either side of the saloon’s dining table.

Annual fuel burn: 3,350 litres (based on 25 hours at 26 knots and 25 hours at 9 knots)

The extensions can be swung in or out to either face the table or elongate the seating units. In fact, the one on the starboard side converts the seat into a chaise longue, which is great, but it doesn’t quite line up with the seat because the bi-fold doors get in the way!

The TV solution feels a shade rudimentary by modern standards

Used Beneteau GT46’s cockpit and saloon

The aft cockpit also features a second pair of seats. While they face forward in the normal way, they also recline at the touch of a button just like a dentist’s chair. Keep pressing and they eventually form a fully flat sunbathing area. It’s a really cool and unusual feature, which your kids are going to love.

Back inside the saloon, the dining table folds in half to create a passageway through the main deck. On our 2016 boat, this table was showing some signs of wear with its surface calling out for a coat of varnish. The degradation, however, was limited to the top surface of the table, because when we opened it up, the finish on the underside was as good as new.

The review boat trades the optional third cabin for a lower starboard dinette

Ahead of the table and seats is a fridge built into the side wall of the superstructure and a centrally mounted wet bar and grill. Having these units in such close proximity to the dining table sets the boat up for entertaining and adds considerable value to the saloon and aft cockpit as the social hub of the boat. The theme of sociability continues at the helm, where the starboard seat is complemented by a centrally mounted bench large enough for two.

Folding doors and seat extensions are a great way to join up the indoor and outdoor spaces

Both seats are bolstered and the views forward and to either side are largely unobstructed by virtue of the large side windows that wrap around the GT46’s wheelhouse. Two of these windows, located on either side at the rear of the saloon, also open. That’s great when things warm up on an imperfect day and you want to keep the saloon fresh without sacrificing the shelter and refinement. Combine them with the big overhead sunroof at the forward end of the saloon and you get a lovely through-flow of air without having to open the big aft doors.

Better still, in spite of its vintage and its price bracket, both the sunroof and the windows are operated electrically from the helm.

The owner’s bathroom is very much the more lavish of the two

Article continues below…

Princess 58 used boat review: Cherished flybridge yacht from a "halcyon" era

Cranchi Zaffiro 34 used boat review: A thing of beauty

Down below

Below decks, the GT46 is cut from a slightly more standard cloth. The midships galley is perfectly functional and of a good size, with ample storage and worktop space, plus a full range of fitments, including an oven, a double hob, a one-and-a-half bowl sink and a fridge and freezer. Opposite the galley is a dinette with a table that drops down to form an occasional third berth. And that’s useful because, despite being 46ft in length, this particular GT46 is a two-cabin boat.

Given that there’s a wet bar up top, the lower galley is remarkably well specced

A third cabin was available as an option but it came at the expense of the lower dinette. While this boat’s two cabins are both doubles, the forward cabin features scissor beds, which can be prised apart to form two singles in the V of the forepeak. It doesn’t have an ensuite but the entrance to the day heads is just outside the door.

As for the master cabin, that’s located to the rear of the galley and dinette, and that does have its own bathroom, complete with a separate shower area, plus a toilet and washbasin. From the cabin doors to the wardrobes and locker doors, you would have to say that the joinery throughout the lower deck is more about function than form. It’s an area where building to a budget obviously plays its part, so don’t expect to see the kind of cabinetry the big British brands fitted to their boats of this era. Again though, you have to ask yourself whether you’re really willing to pay the premium these boats demand.

Playful mouldings and dynamic, asymmetrical hull windows make the GT46 look very cool

Owner testimony

Phil Sexton, the owner of our review boat, is clearly very conscious of this: “It’s not a full gin palace, but it’s pretty good,” he says. “We keep the boat on the Hamble and I go away with my wife, daughter and our two dogs quite a lot. We’ve cruised to Guernsey a few times and taken trips to the Scilly Isles, so we’ve travelled to some pretty far-flung places.

The owner’s cabin gets plenty of light and space plus decent headroom and its own ensuite

“It’s exactly what we need for these kinds of waters. Not too big. Easy to manage, easy to maintain, and so far, she has been an extraordinarily reliable boat. The seakeeping is brilliant too. We’ve been out in some challenging conditions and it’s pretty stable. In fact, one of the big things we noticed when we moved up from our previous boat, a Cranchi 39, is the stability and that goes for when you’re on the berth as well. It’s a very, very solid boat.”

“When it comes to manoeuvring, it’s a doddle too because we’ve got a Volvo Penta joystick. You can basically manoeuvre it any way you like. I do sometimes use the bow thruster to give it a little bit of a flick, but largely I don’t need to, because I’m just doing everything on the joystick, which really takes away the challenge of berthing.”

Volvo Penta’s sterndrive joystick makes close-quarters manoeuvring simple

His impressions are soundly backed up by our own 2016 sea trial. We noted that its ability to attack a head sea was excellent. A speed of 20-25 knots was easily maintained without overwhelming the hull or the passengers. And that was with the same 370hp Volvo Penta D6 engines that are fitted to this review boat, so with the 430hp IPS-600 units that were specced on a great many GT46s, the ride should be even more impressive.

Used Beneteau GT46 Verdict

The Beneteau GT46 is a fast and fun, family-friendly sportscruiser with plenty of appeal. If you want good looks, good performance and reliable seakeeping, this boat has it all. What it doesn’t have is the lush, plush touch and feel of a premium brand boat. But for those whose budget dictates that proven function trumps outright finesse, the GT46 is worthy of very serious consideration.

The forward guest cabin has a scissor action berth that opens up to become a V-shaped twin

Used Beneteau GT46 Specifications:

Designer: Nuvolari Lenard
Hull type: Planing
RCD: Category B (12 people)
LOA: 45ft 8in (13.92m)
Beam: 13ft 8in (4.16m)
Draft: 3ft 2in (0.96m)
Displacement: 10 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 900L
Water capacity: 400L
Top speed: 32 knots
Fuel consumption: 112.5l/nm @ 26.4 knots
Range: 169nm at 26.4 knots with 20% reserve
Price range: £320,000 – £450,000
In Build: 2016 – 2021

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Used Beneteau GT46 Review: Is it a Budget Buy or a Smart Choice for a 46ft Sports Cruiser? appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Regular readers might recall that in 2019 I bought a very cheap 1980s Fairline Corniche 31. It only cost me £31,000 but the wiring was a mess and the interior was very tired and dated. With neither the budget to afford a professional refit nor the expertise to do it myself, I had to learn how to do everything from scratch before getting stuck in.

After watching dozens of ‘how to’ videos and scouring Ebay and DIY shops for cheap alternatives to premium marine equipment, I managed to turn our dark and dingy old classic into a bright, modern, floating home from home for the princely sum of just £10,000.

In the years since then we’ve had some fabulous adventures on board but after a while a number of things started to niggle me. When the conditions were right it was a wonderful boat but in any kind of waves it was really quite uncomfortable and it burnt through fuel at a frightening rate. A single trip to Poole and back from the Solent cost me over £500 – that was 5% of my entire refit budget!

‘I opened up the helm console to discover a bird’s nest of wiring, including one cable too hot to touch’

I also wanted to be more independent so we could stay at anchor for several days at a time.

As well as the cost of berthing in marinas, the whole point of owning a boat is to get away from it all, not just hop from one floating boat park to the next. However nice the boat was, it still felt a bit like we were staying in posh campsites.

The mast was adapted from an old sailing dinghy rig

Renovating a bargain boat: Trawling the Market

I hadn’t really planned on buying a new boat but one day I was driving past Deacons in Southampton when I saw a rather handsome looking trawler yacht for sale. I couldn’t resist popping in for a closer look. It turned out to be something called a Hershine 37.

The broker told me they were built in Taiwan during the 1970s and 1980s largely for the US market, where buyers appreciated their robust build, seakindly manners and spacious interior. However, only a handful of them ever made it to the UK, hence the relatively modest asking price of £70,000 for this 1978 example.

Refitting the saloon

I had a good look round and felt this could be just the thing we were looking for. It had a sturdy displacement hull, a single 200hp Volvo TAMD40 engine, two ensuite cabins separated by a spacious saloon and galley, and plenty of outside space including a sizeable flybridge.

The interior was very traditional with acres of teak-faced ply and forest green leather upholstery that made it feel like a mix between a gentleman’s club and the inside of a tree, but everything seemed in pretty good nick and it ticked a lot of boxes.

The hull had been treated with Coppercoat so I wouldn’t have to antifoul it every year, it could take to the ground so I could keep it on a drying mooring, the single shaftdrive engine would be easy to maintain and cheap to run, and the owner had recently installed an expensive fuel polishing system to guard against fuel bug. In short, it looked like a lot of boat for the money.

Sea Star’s sturdy displacement hull and single engine design make for a slow but very comfortable and efficient cruiser

Before deciding whether to make an offer, I put the Corniche on the market at an asking price of £55,000. It sold the next day for £53,000!

I took my wife, Lauren, to view the Hershine and she gave it her seal of approval. Her only condition was that it mustn’t become another all-consuming refit project. The last thing she wanted was to lose her husband for a further year. I didn’t have any issue with that.

It may have been a bit dark and dated but everything seemed to work and I could live with the decor in exchange for everything else it offered. I put in a cheeky offer of £40,000 and by the end of September 2023 Sea Star was ours.

As it looks now after another DIY transformation on a strict budget of £15,000

Broken Promises

As promised, I did nothing to it for the first six months. Well, almost nothing. I asked a mate of mine to spray-paint a few of the plywood panels in the saloon to brighten things up a bit. And we both agreed that the ensuite bathroom in the aft cabin needed a refresh.

I mean, who puts a hip bath on a boat? It’s far too small to have a relaxing bath in and utterly hopeless for actually washing in. And it had this bizarre sliding basin over the toilet that weighed a tonne and had to be wrestled in and out every time you washed your hands.

The original teak decking came up a treat with a bit of cleaning

I ripped it all out and put in a simple domestic shower unit, a fixed sink, a radiator and a new electric toilet from Force 4. Stick-on vinyl tiles from Amazon, teak grating for the floor and an offcut of kitchen worktop completed the look, all for a shade over £1,100.

I reassured Lauren that was it, and set about making the most of our new boat for the summer of 2024. The first few day trips were a great success but the first night we slept on board didn’t go so well. The double bed in the aft cabin was tiny and half of it was tucked under the side deck with so little headroom that I nearly knocked myself out getting out of bed in the night for a pee. We ended up topping and tailing just to get some sleep.

Work begins on the forward heads, replacing the old manual toilet and heavy sliding sink in favour of a modern electric loo, corner sink and shower

The next day it was raining and we ended up sitting in the saloon trying to watch a movie but the green dinette seats were so firm and the backrests so upright, it was like sitting on a church pew. I told Lauren there and then that I couldn’t keep my promise any longer, I was going to have to redo the interior.

Only this time, it wouldn’t take as long, now that I knew what I was doing. Besides, I was only going to do the aft cabin and the saloon since the galley and forecabin were fine. As a final incentive, I told Lauren I would get it done over the winter so she wouldn’t have to see any of it until I was finished.

Stick-on vinyl tiling, a sliding timbre door for the shelf recess and some well chosen
accessories result in a fresh, modern ensuite

Cabin Rebuild

I started by stripping out the old bed and wardrobe, tearing up the carpet and removing all the panelling. Initially, I looked at buying a ready-made bed but nothing I could find fitted the space so I went to B&Q, bought a load of wood and started laying it out on the floor to see how I could make better use of the space.

Once I’d settled on the shape, I built the frame and ordered a made-to-measure mattress. I also bought an electric ram so I could lift the base at the touch of a button and store all my tools underneath it. Lauren still doesn’t know she’s sleeping on top of my power tools!

For the headboard I found a nice piece of fluted panelling which I cut to fit and installed on the aft bulkhead. The wardrobe took a bit of planning as I wanted to watch television in bed, so I designed a new unit with a false interior panel that left room for a TV on the side facing the bed.

Ross designed and built the aft cabin bed himself with space for his tools under the mattress

The wardrobe door was another challenge as a conventional hinged one would have clashed with the cabin door. In the end I found a roller door online that was originally designed for a motor home. Once I had painted and upholstered the side panels with my usual vinyl and spray glue, I then topped it off with another wood offcut I bought on Facebook Marketplace and some traditional brass fiddle rails. The cost for the aft cabin refit came to £1,288.

The forward cabin is where our daughter Georgia (10) sleeps. The vee berth beds were fine so that was just a case of brightening it up with some fresh paint, retrimming the deckhead and bulkheads with white vinyl, installing a new bedhead and fitting electrical sockets and lights for the grand sum of £260.

The finished aft cabin is much lighter and more comfortable, with room on both sides of the bed and a built-in television

I’d already done an initial refresh of her ensuite in spring 2024 but this time I started all over again, fitting the same electric toilet as ours, a pull-out shower that was originally designed for a bidet, vinyl tiling from Amazon and finding more space behind the toilet for a handy shelf and locker. Total cost £560.

The saloon proved a little trickier. Part of the problem was how to make everything work around the old galley units. In the end, I decided to strip out the galley too – in for a penny, in for a pound! Now I needed inspiration for what to replace it with so I watched countless MBY video tours of modern trawler yachts.

A quick repaint sufficed for their first season afloat

I loved the look of the Beneteau Swift Trawler 34, especially its practical U-shaped galley. I actually joined a Facebook group for Swift Trawler owners so
I could ask questions and seek advice about what they did and didn’t like. One of them even sent me all the measurements of his galley.

I marked them all out on the floor and came to the conclusion it was far too small. I also wanted to use off-the-shelf kitchen cabinets rather than making them all myself and inevitably they were larger than most boat galley units. In the end I contacted a young chippy, sent him the drawings and asked whether he could built it for me.

The forward cabin just needed a light refresh to brighten things up a bit

He took the drawings to Howdens, got them to design it on their software, ordered it all and installed it himself. I found a simple two-ring induction hob for the worktop, bought a sink and combination oven/microwave online and managed to re-use the Dometic fridge from the existing galley. I even fitted a Water2 filter system that I’d seen Bear Grylls advertising on Facebook for £129.

Nobody could tell me whether it would work on a boat but I went ahead anyway and am delighted with it. I would now happily drink straight from the tap. The whole galley ended up costing me just over £6,000 – a little more expensive than if I had made it myself but a lot quicker and far less hassle.

The original helm wiring was a mess

Saloon Style

The sofa was another online find. It took a while to track something down that fitted the corner space but eventually I found a Swiss company called Beliani that made a stylish looking sofa bed for £500. The icing on the cake was a folding centre backrest that turned into a snack table with a built-in bottle holder.

Reupholstered cushions and a smart set of outdoor furniture transform the flybridge

That just left the problem of where to put the television. There was a narrow side unit between the helm and the galley where a small television could sit but it was hardly the home cinema experience I was hoping for. Once again I stumbled across the solution while watching another boat video tour. It showed the television swinging down from a recess in the deckhead.

I made a box with a hinged bottom to fit the television, attached it to the deckhead, wired it all up and now have my own manual version that drops down when we want to watch it and clips out of the way when we don’t.

The uncomfortable sofa and wood panelling

To make the space cosier I decided to swap the original worn parquet flooring for modern grey carpet. However the saloon had multiple hatches in it for access to the engine and bilges. From previous experience, I knew that cutting holes in fitted carpets soon led to frayed edges.

Carpet tiles were the obvious solution but finding ones which didn’t look like they belonged in an office block took a while. Eventually I tracked down something called Cosy Toes carpet tiles from DCTUK.com. These had a lovely deep pile but were still stain-safe and hard wearing. I bought 68 of them and cut them to fit so the fitted edges lined up with the hatch openings.

The finished saloon has a modern fitted kitchen from Howdens and a clever convertible sofabed

The blinds were all made to measure and ordered online from Blindstogo.co.uk, except for the two rear ones which are mounted on a slanting bulkhead. Thankfully, I found a guy on Ebay selling caravan blinds with encapsulated cassette-style frames. The standard ones were too big but I asked if he could make some to fit and sure enough when he contacted his supplier in Turkey, they made them to measure for just £80 each.

Article continues below…

Princess 58 used boat review: Cherished flybridge yacht from a "halcyon" era

How I refitted a 1980s Fairline Corniche 31 for less than £10,000

Engine, Electrics, Exterior

As the depth sounder on Sea Star wasn’t working properly, I opened up the helm console only to discover a bird’s nest of wiring, including one cable that was too hot to touch. Safety being my top priority, I ripped the whole lot out and started again with one big power cable leading to each helm.

New digital fuel gauges and programmable Veriton dials for the flybridge helm gave me all the information I needed to drive the boat from inside or out.

A mate of mine works for Raymarine and managed to get me an Axiom 12 and Axiom 7 MFD at trade rates as well as a new autopilot control, radar and VHF. I also kept the old Garmin chartplotter as a back-up and added a new sound system using Fusion speakers and a cheap Chinese copy of the head unit.

Ross overhauled the Volvo Penta TAMD40 engine and repositioned
the fuel filters

I bought a set of garden furniture from the Range for the flybridge aft deck and a new removable teak table for £400.

I also reupholstered the cushions for the fixed furniture myself and fitted a small Dometic fridge in the locker where the gas bottle used to be. I did splash out on a new bimini and frame, though, which at £1,200 was one of my more expensive buys.

The mast for the steadying sail, steaming light and radar scanner was another headache. The original one had been removed and sawn up by mistake before I bought it and when the quote for making a new one came in at £8,000, I nearly fainted.

Ross’s home-made drop down television cabinet

After a bit of scratching around I found an old aluminium dinghy mast going for free, cut it down to size, fitted new spreaders and stays and asked my brother-in-law to make up a stainless steel footing. The total cost came to £235.

I do all my own servicing anyway so I gave the engine a once over and fitted new glow plugs, alternator and water pump. I also added a camera in the engine bay and repositioned the fuel filters so they were easier to clean without crawling into the bilges. My final job of the refit was to clean the decks using a two part Wessex treatment and a lick of Semco teak sealer.

The sofa’s folding backrest bceomes a drinks table

Final Reckoning

I finished the rebuild of Sea Star in July 2025, just in time for the school holidays. The refit cost came to just over £15,000, so all-up the boat owes me just £55,000. When Lauren came to see it for the first time, she could barely believe it was the same boat.

White bulkheads, ceiling panels and blinds enhance the natural light from all those doors and windows

Sea Star still has all the charm of a traditional trawler yacht exterior but the interior is now a fresh, modern and above all comfortable place for the three of us to live aboard. The proof of the pudding will be when we set off this summer for our first proper cruise.

If all goes well, we will only be popping into marinas for refuelling and recharging the batteries – a portable AC power pack and solar panels are next on my list. And this time I really hope it will be our forever boat…at least until I stumble across the next unmissable bargain!

Ross shows of his newly refitted pride and joy

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

This article Renovating a bargain boat: I ended up with so much boat for so little money appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

There’s no easy way to say this, but the truth is that many recent new models from mainstream production boat manufacturers aren’t very pretty. And, to be fair, with good reason. There is no doubt that space sells – each new model has to offer more room, more facilities and more features than its predecessor, and the only way that can be achieved is by making them taller, fatter and more bloated.

It’s simple physics, and it’s no different from the car world where big ugly SUVs are taking over from the svelte saloons and estate cars of the past. But outside of the mainstream there are niche builders who are not chasing volume (in either sales or onboard space).

These companies are building modern classics for the buyers who are prioritising good looks and great seakeeping, the kind of people who back in the 1970s would have prized a Fairey Huntsman over a Princess 37. Here are four of the finest…

4 of the best modern classic motor yachts

Dale Classic 37

Built: 2022
Price: £815,000

Dale Motor Yachts is the very epitome of niche boat building. Rather than competing with the mainstream manufacturers, Neyland-based Dale Motor Yachts hand builds attractive, high quality, semi-custom motor boats for clients who want a craft that not only looks the part but also offers an exceptionally sea-kindly ride.

Twin bi-fold doors open up to allow easy access between the cockpit and saloon

Interior

A combination of a relatively narrow beam, low profile and shaft drive engines (which positions them further forward in the hull than IPS or vee drives would) inevitably means the interior is smaller than many production 37-footers, but this was never intended to be a floating caravan. That said, although the headroom in the guest cabin is a little tight, the owner’s cabin in the bow is surprisingly good, aided by a tall, full-width foredeck that extends the generous standing headroom right out to the edges. Both cabins share a single heads/shower-room to port.

The fully enclosed saloon has a dinette to port, which can be made larger by motoring the helm seats forward at rest, and a well-equipped galley to starboard.

Exterior

Payback is on the outside because this is a glorious- looking vessel, well outside the sphere of anything a volume (in both senses of the word) manufacturer is likely to come up with. That high, wide, flat foredeck links via a couple of steps to low profile side decks that run past the cockpit to the transom. Add a flat-topped wheelhouse roof that extends both back over the cockpit to provide shelter for its occupants but also forward over the windscreen like a small visor and the result is an incredibly elegant-looking vessel. Beautiful hand-crafted woodwork inside and out is the icing on the cake.

Performance

Twin Yanmar 6LY 5.8-litre diesels fire 440hp each down those straight shaft drives, pushing the Classic 37 toward 30 knots.

The owner’s cabin and heads compartment both feature full standing headroom

Seakeeping

Arthur Mursell of TT Design fame was coaxed out of retirement to fashion the 37’s semi-planing hull. It prioritises a soft ride and secure sea-keeping over pure speed enabling it to punch confidently through big seas without slamming.

Dale Classic 37 specifications

Length: 37ft 5in (11.4m)
Beam: 12ft 2in (3.7m)
Draft: 3ft 8in (1.1m)
Displacement: 10 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,280 litres
Engines: Twin Yanmar 6LY 440hp diesels
For sale: Dale Motor Yachts

Chris-Craft Launch 28

Built: 2023
Price: £225,000

Founded by Christopher Columbus Smith, the original Chris-Craft Boats dates back to 1883. The Michigan-based company built elegant wooden runabouts so beautiful that they inspired Carlo Riva to manufacture similar vessels in Italy. Famous Chris-Craft owners included Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

In the 1990s, Chris-Craft was owned by Outboard Marine Corporation and was building generic GRP cruisers before sliding into bankruptcy in 2000. Florida-based Stellican bought them out and returned to making beautiful, and expensive, dayboats and weekenders that harked back to the marque’s golden era, albeit out of fibreglass.

Swivelling helm seat allows the skipper to join in the party when the boat’s at rest

Interior

The description of the 28 Launch interior is going to be the shortest ever, because there is none, this is a completely open day boat. However there is a small, very useful, heads compartment hidden beneath the helm.

Exterior

A bow rider layout with a walk-through windscreen means that almost every inch of this vessel is easily accessed day space. From the outside it looks fantastic; long, low and lithe, and finished in cream offset by lustrous navy topsides. The simple curved stainless-steel windscreen frame has shades of vintage Corvette about it.

As you get closer, the news just gets better. The Heritage Trim upgrade adds teak trim to the foredeck and bathing platform. The high-quality cream upholstery has dark contrast piping, the dashboard looks like it’s out of a 1960s sportscar and there are polished wood accents dotted discreetly around the place.

Performance

You can order this boat new with a Mercury Verado 400hp outboard, but somehow the inboard petrol V8 suits the style better. Volvo Penta and Mercuiser are both options, each offering 350hp, 380hp or 430hp. The 5.3 litre 350hp Volvo Penta V8-CE 5.3L fitted to this boat has more than enough power, with a top speed of just under 40 knots.

Exquisite detailing adds to the appeal of this stylish day boat

Seakeeping

We tested one of these in the Solent and discovered that whilst the beamy hull doesn’t have quite the incisive slice of a Cormate, it does feel solidly put together and it’s an impressively dry ride, particularly valuable given that it is a bow rider.

Chris-Craft Launch 28 specifications

Length: 28ft 6in (8.7m)
Beam: 8ft 6in (2.6m)
Draft: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 3.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 322 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta V8-CE 5.3L 350hp petrol engine
For sale: Argo Yachting

Fairline F Line 33

Built: 2021
Price: £349,950

A few years ago, and by enormous coincidence, the UK’s three big production power yacht builders simultaneously decided that they needed an image boosting ‘superboat’ in their ranges. Princess launched the R35 in 2018, featuring hydrofoils that gave it incredible cornering abilities, which would have been handy had there been any corners out at sea.

A year later Sunseeker launched its 70mph Hawk 38 but omitted to include any sort of cabin in the design. And the same year, Fairline came out with something every bit as cool as its competitors, but cleverly made it rather more useful as a boat too.

Swing-out doors on both sides of the cockpit give easy access to the side decks

Interior

You expect to find a converting dinette under the foredeck of a mid 30ft sports boat. The R35 had one, the Windy 34 Alizé has one, and sure enough, the F//Line 33 has one. But what you don’t expect is Fairline’s party trick, another cabin running back beneath the cockpit with a double bed. Yes, headroom is low in here, this is a sportsboat, but it’s still a game changer. It means that a couple doesn’t have to keep converting the dinette to sleep, and a family of four can stay aboard. It’s just a pity there aren’t any windows on the lower deck.

Exterior

Alberto Mancini penned this one, and it is a corker! The tent-like canopies don’t do it any favours but once removed it looks lean, muscular and modern. The foredeck is flat (this boat has the optional pulpit rails) and there’s no radar arch to ruin the lines. The helm is in the centre with a wet bar behind it. Walkways either side run past two bench seats that face each other either side of a table that drops to turn this area into a sunpad. A later cockpit layout puts a C-shaped dinette to starboard instead.

Performance

Twin 240hp petrol engines were standard, with the option to upgrade to twin 430hp petrols or twin 220hp diesels. Circa 50 knots and big bills with the most powerful option, 28 knots and parsimonious fuel costs with the diesels.

No hull windows below deck but there is a separate mid-cabin and heads compartment

Seakeeping

The deep- vee hull rides and corners like a thoroughbred and offers some spectacular cornering heel too!

Fairline F Line 33 specifications

Length: 32ft 9in (10.0m)
Beam: 11ft 6in (3.5m)
Draft: 2ft 10in (0.9m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 680 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D3-220 220hp diesel engines
For sale: boats.co.uk

Riva 63 Virtus

Built: 2014
Price: €1,500,000

Launched in 1962, the Riva Aquarama is arguably the coolest boat of all time. So it’s a great relief that Italian builder Riva never lost that magic and has been building beautiful boats ever since.

In 2001, a year after the Ferretti Group bought Riva, the Aquariva was launched, a beautiful homage to that first Aquarama. The Rivarama 44 followed, then the Rivale 52 and Virtus 63. Many customers of the Virtus came through the ranks of each of those previous models, upgrading as larger versions became available.

Like an open sportsboat but bigger, flasher and with sleeping space for six below

Interior

Like its smaller sisters, this is very much an open Med-based sportsboat, it just so happens that at over 60ft long, there’s actually very decent accommodation forward on the lower deck. Drop down the companionway and the first thing you’ll find is a generous saloon with a galley to port completely concealed within a sideboard, and day heads to starboard. The owner’s cabin is forward in the bows. Back aft, you’ll find a small, perfectly formed cabin with cross-over single berths and a spacious VIP guest cabin, also en suite.

Exterior

Good though the interior is, it’s clear that on-deck living is what this boat is about, with a monster cockpit that has seating on all sides plus a decent sunbed aft with a tender garage beneath it.

But above all, this is a really great-looking boat with a wonderful sweeping curve to the topsides and a central spar rather than a goalpost arch for radar and communication domes. Even the bimini and frame retracts completely away into a covered recess around the front half of the cockpit.

Performance

Only one engine option was offered, twin MAN V12 1360CR shaft drive diesels that punt the top speed up to about 40 knots and allow a swift 35-knot cruise.

The lower saloon and galley is surprisingly big for such a lean-looking speed machine

Seakeeping

63ft of hull combines with shaft drive and rudders to create a long-distance GT machine rather than a highly nimble sportsboat. This is a boat that you ease out of Palma after an early lunch, wind up to that fast cruise and arrive looking fabulous in Ibiza in time for dinner.

Riva 63 Virtus specifications

Length: 64ft 3in (19.6m)
Beam: 15ft 9in (4.8m)
Draft: 5ft 3in (1.6m)
Displacement: 32 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 3,300 litres
Engines: Twin MAN 1360CR 1,360hp diesels
For sale: Ventura UK

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article 4 of the best modern classic motor yachts on the market right now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

April may have been the cruellest month according to T S Eliot but for me, it’s March – the month when boredom gets the better of me, my mind wanders and mad projects take shape in my mind. Last year, the mad project was to buy a classic motoryacht.

Such ideas never come out of thin air and this one probably dates back to 1977, when I crewed a Bristol Channel pilot cutter from Iceland to Lymington. The skipper was Bill Tillman, a legendary explorer. The desire for the sea and adventure never disappeared and every season, I’d sail on friends’ boats and even took part in RORC races and the Fastnet. Roll on 40 years, and I was in retirement, had a bit of cash to spare, an undimmed love of the sea and my usual March madness.

My criteria were twin engines, liveaboard comfort and sea-kindly handling. Photo: Rob Adams

March Madness

That’s how, in March 2023, I found myself searching the internet for something to scratch that itch, though this time I thought I would go for a motor boat. I reckoned if I got a sailing boat, I would end up doing all the sail changes and helming, whereas on a motor boat, my wife could get involved too.

My criteria were twin engines, comfortable to live aboard for a few months at a time and seaworthy – as in not a river cruiser. My long-suffering wife, Shona, was supportive of the mad project, if not exactly over the moon, and the dogs seemed unconcerned. Little did they know.

I found what looked like a promising project in Norfolk. Enola was a 48ft Thornycroft with beautiful lines, but… she had been out of the water for more than 15 years and although the asking price was a tempting £15,000, the estimate for the hull and deck work was £30,000. So I was looking at a £45k investment. I changed my search criteria to £45,000 to see what else that could buy me, and found Silver Bird. She was lying in Fort William and was well within my revised budget.

The whole crew, hard at work, whipping the lines for the tender. Photo: Rob Adams

Life-Changing

We left the hounds with the in-laws and drove 600 miles to see Silver Bird lying in Loch Linnhe. It was love at first sight. The boat had been built in 1938 by James Silver in Rosneath, to a design by John Bain. It was pitch pine on oak frames with lots of mahogany inside – 43ft, two cabins, two heads, large galley, spacious saloon. Perfect.

We went for a sea trial, agreed a price and made plans to cruise her home. She had been surveyed in 2019, with a few small issues fixed, so I was happy to drive all the way back up north a week later, this time with the dogs, and set off on our epic trip south.

Looking after Silver Bird has transformed our lives. I say looking after as we are acutely aware that we are just custodians of a piece of history. She was originally launched in 1938 and commandeered in 1939. The first owner had one summer enjoying his new yacht before she served for five years patrolling the Clyde.

Article continues below…

I like to think of German U Boats putting the periscope up, seeing Silver Bird and then making a discreet exit. How could anything get past her? After the war, she was returned to her owner and began her life as a luxury gentleman’s yacht in Scottish waters, Brighton, Mylor, Scotland again, then Birdham Pool, Chichester, where we keep her in winter, and in Mylor, Cornwall, as I write these words. Her twin sister, Silver Crescent, lies alongside. And that is very special.

Some will question our sanity to take on and cruise a classic motoryacht from Scotland to the Solent with just the two of us and two spaniels. Luckily I had forgotten none of my basic seamanship, so passage planning, tides, rules of the road and boat handling were not a concern.

Marine electronics have come on in leaps and bounds though. I was amazed at the functionality of modern plotters, tablets and NMEA instruments and I love them! So the first thing I did at Dunstaffnage marina was buy paper charts. Charts for planning, GPS to tell you where you are.

As we left the shelter of the Scottish lochs, we got to know how Silver Bird handled a reasonable sea. Let’s be honest here, all motor boats bob around like corks in bottles compared to long keel sailing boats, but John Bain knew his stuff.

Rob in his element, Welsh ensign flying high. Photo: Rob Adams

Silver Bird went through some nasty seas in a Force 6 but she never buried her bows and never lifted a prop. We have total confidence in her. Like all wooden boats, she ‘works’ a bit. I run the bilge pumps last thing at night but a bit of water keeps her bilges sweet!

Pilots say that any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. It’s much the same with boating. The trickiest part is mooring and at 43ft and 15 tonnes with no bow thruster, getting on to a pontoon in a marina when surrounded by millions of quids worth of plastic certainly concentrates the mind.

This is where twin screws are pretty well essential, as is that feel for where the old girl wants to go, in the hope that’s where you want her to go too! But even if I say so myself, I’m getting pretty good at spinning her round – one engine ahead, one astern and leave the helm well alone. We now make the breast rope the first rope ashore. If you have a line amidships, you can then pull the boat in and the skipper can use the engines to go forward or backwards.

We are acutely aware that we are just custodians of a piece of history. Photo: Rob Adams

Homeward bound

We set a leisurely pace on our trip south, stopping every night, and preferring marinas as it’s easier to get the dogs off and on. We loved Kerrera marina opposite Oban – very tranquil, superb host, a great bar and restaurant and frequent ferries to Oban.

My wife suggested we take the Crinan canal to avoid going round the Mull of Kintyre, which was a great idea. We took three days and hired a guide. Peter, who was worth his weight in gold, phoned ahead to ask for locks to be set in our favour. He also did most of the work with the gates, leaving me to do the parking. We stayed one night at the midpoint and one in the basin at Ardrishaig, all included in the price.

The north-west coast has few ports, so choices are limited. We decided to miss the Isle of Man and head from Whitehaven to Liverpool. We had our first problem with diesel bug on that leg, losing the port engine, which reduced our speed and left us plugging the tide for 15 miles up the Mersey, but we made it.

There are port and starboard bunks in the bow cabin. Photo: Rob Adams

Everyone has a pet solution to the problems of diesel bug. I worked on the principle that you cannot be certain of eradicating it, so it’s better to plan for it. I fitted tandem fuel filters so I can switch one out and the other in while underway. I also used 30 micron filters, less likely to block and old diesel engines will happily let small particles through the injectors.

I do use Marine 16 as well and so far this season, we have been trouble-free. We spent a month in Liverpool so I could clear the ever-growing job list. This included fitting a Garmin autohelm, a complex job requiring some new pipework for the hydraulic motor, as well as fitting the main box and the wibbly wobbly sensor.

Once I got it talking to the GPS, it held the desired course in seas up to about Force 5 before I had to take over. Other work included fitting lots of sheets of Treadmaster in order to generate some grip on deck, as well as making a pair of deck lockers, an outside table and some davits.

We set sail again for Conwy, then the Menai Strait and Caernarfon, where we were stuck for 10 days, waiting for a decent weather window. The time was well spent as we applied to join the Royal Welsh Yacht Club and were accepted by the time we reached the Solent.

The galley is also split over two sides. Photo: Rob Adams

Legs south took us to Milford Haven, where we needed a new exhaust elbow to be fabricated, thanks to Dave and Dave of Windjammer Marine, who did a fantastic job of it. Onwards we went to Padstow, which was lovely, and gave me my first experience of mooring stern-to. The harbourmaster had warned the boats on either side of our impending arrival and, as the narrow berth came into view, I noticed about 15 people with as many fenders, ready to assist. As we nudged our way in, the other boats decided that moving sideways was the best course.

We also did a night trip down the Bristol channel and round Land’s End. I love cruising at night, the only caveat being you have to have complete confidence in your crew if you want to get some shut-eye. This was a given for Brian. We may have only met in the pub two nights previously, but as soon as I learned that he had also sailed with Tilman back in 1966, I knew he would turn out to be a top-class crew member.

And so to Birdham Pool for 1 October via Penzance, Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth, Dartmouth, Weymouth, Poole, Lymington and Cowes. The winter months gave plenty of time for some major work – a 90% rewire, new helm position, new NMEA 2000-compatible Garmin GPS, NMEA instrument senders for the engines, water tanks and bilges. I built and fitted the twin fuel filters using Chinese copy filters, which are excellent and less than a tenth the price of the known brand.

The latest addition has been fore and aft solar panel systems with separate controllers and two separate 100-amp lithium batteries. We haven’t needed the mains all summer. It’s a minimum saving of three quid a night and it lets us stay on pontoons with no facilities, like those in Salcombe and Fowey.

Charts remain the order of the day. Photo: Rob Adams

It takes two

Throughout all this, my wife has been a keen and knowledgeable crew member and a valuable second pair of eyes, spotting lobster pots, navigation marks and other vessels, including working out if they are on a collision course. While I am the only helm, having an active crew member is vital. The dogs are not really keen on making passage. They hunker down by us on the aft deck and snooze, probably dreaming of catching seagulls.

We decided not to take an annual berth, as we felt that would only encourage us to stay put and avoid paying for two berths when we travelled. So this summer, if you can call it that, we rented out our house to help with the mooring costs and left Birdham Pool on 1 June bound for Mylor, Falmouth, with no plans to return until 1 October.

The sociable aft deck has new tables and storage lockers. Photo: Rob Adams

Our route was the reverse of our 2023 route, staying at Island Harbour, south of Cowes, a lovely marina with great dog walks to the Folly Inn and Richardsons, an excellent chandler and boat yard. The Dan Bran pontoon in Lymington also offers excellent value, and a good discount if you stay seven nights. There’s a pleasant walk into town, close to the excellent restaurant and bar in the yacht haven, as well as the Royal Lymington if you fancy a posh pint with a great view.

In Poole, we stayed at the town quay. We were there on Harry Paye day, when the shenanigans of a local pirate are celebrated – it was great fun. We stayed alongside in Weymouth, where friends met us for the rather tedious trek across Lyme Bay to Dartmouth.

If you decide to visit Dartmouth, be prepared for some pretty hefty harbour dues. It cost us £15 in dues on top of £52 for the marina! Onwards we went to Salcombe, then Fowey and then Mylor, where we are now moored alongside Silver Bird’s sister ship. To be honest, life is idyllic.

Proper sea dogs, Mika and Kimi. Photo: Rob Adams

Visiting friends are rewarded with a day trip to Malpas, which takes about an hour. We usually end up at the Heron pub for lunch or dinner but St Mawes and Helford offer choices for other day trips.

Old is gold

We love life on Silver Bird. A classic wooden boat may not be for everyone but if you have plenty of time and you love varnishing, they offer a lot of boat for your money. She also attracts a lot of positive attention. Harbour staff as well as other yachtsmen help with our lines and we are often given a berth close to the shore as the boat makes a great focal point for those in the restaurant or bar. She is rather special.

This winter could see the ageing and noisy BMC Commodore engines replaced. It will be expensive but it will increase our cruising speed from 6 to 8 knots and the noise reduction will be much appreciated.

The investment should also ensure that Silver Bird will continue to be a desirable yacht, and should hopefully make her 100th birthday. As I mentioned earlier, we are only her custodians.

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article How we bought our first classic boat appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Living in Chelmsford in sunny Essex has its benefits for our boating-mad family – the county is blessed with the second longest coastline in the UK (after Cornwall). As a child I spent a lot of time on family boating holidays but until recently I had never owned my own boat. Instead, I satisfied my urge to be afloat by paddle-boarding around the Essex coast, joining a club and exploring countless hidden gems I didn’t even know existed.

An impromptu purchase of Motor Boat & Yachting magazine during lockdown first sowed the idea of buying a boat and what started as a trickle of interest soon turned into an avalanche of research as I looked into local marinas and the types of motor boats we might be able to afford. The seed was firmly planted and a post-lockdown trip to the Norfolk coast via a boat dealer gave the whole family the chance to clamber over a wide range of used boats and got everybody interested in taking it further.

I decided to refresh my practical skills by completing my RYA Powerboat 2 qualification with Essex Outdoors on the river Blackwater. I’d concluded this would be the best place for us to keep a boat as it’s close to our home (40-minutes drive) and has masses of interesting things to see without even leaving the estuary. Further afield there would be the potential to explore the Suffolk and Norfolk coastline to the north, and the Thames and Kent coastline to the south.

David and Alison Hartley preparing for a new life afloat

We started researching potential berthing options and enjoyed several days out on both sides of the estuary, looking at marinas and swinging moorings, pubs and restaurants, and exploring various wildlife sanctuaries and WW2 artefacts along the shoreline. We looked at other options too, on the river Crouch and Thames, but for us the Blackwater was the best balance of scenery, convenience and variety of adventures.

We initially set a budget of around £100k to buy a boat, thinking that we would want two cabins and a decent galley for spending weekends aboard. We looked at a series of rather jaded second-hand boats at the price point, most of which were 20 years old or more, and felt a little dejected about what our budget would buy.

Even if we could find a boat we liked for the right money, we would still need to spend a whole lot more on updating the upholstery, electronics and grubby teak decks. I studied mechanical engineering at university and am reasonably handy with a spanner but the prospect of constantly having my head in the engine bay battling with 20-year-old diesel engines and fuel systems did not appeal.

The goldilocks effect

We also found that many of the older boats had very little outside space – the bathing platforms were tiny and the bow area was often just a heavily-sloping sunpad cushion that was tricky to access. We looked at multiple boats from the early 1990s through to the early 2010s but none of the layouts were quite right – we certainly didn’t relish the prospect of being tucked away in a galley or saloon deep in the hull.

The pair decided that outdoor space took priority over having numerous cabins

Any boats that did have better outside spaces seemed to have endless square yards of canvas covers that would have to be stowed away before going anywhere. Alison and I both have full-on jobs and we soon came to the realisation that we needed something that was quick and easy to use with minimal maintenance or repair work. We decided it would be better to save up enough money to get a new boat than buying an older one that required masses of time to sort out.

A trip to the 2021 Southampton boat show confirmed our thinking, especially when we discovered the likes of Axopar, XO and Saxdor. Their craft offered loads of outside space, easy-to-manage outboard engines and still provided somewhere to sleep and cook if we wanted to. This started to change our thinking about how we would actually use the boat, realising that day trips and occasional overnighting were more valuable to us than multiple sleeping cabins that would rarely get used.

Article continues below…

Best boats for beginners: 4 affordable options for your first boat

Best boat tubes and towable toys 2025: For boating thrills and spills

We were homing in on a Saxdor 320GTC as the favourite – the fold down sides would be perfect for paddleboarding expeditions and there was no canvas anywhere in sight! We spent 2022 building a war chest to go shopping for a new boat.

A trip to the NEC Boatlife show in February 2023 gave us another chance to see the Saxdor 320 GTC in person and re-affirmed that it would be perfect for our needs. Adding the optional extras, delivery to the UK, VAT and exchange rates gave us a bit of a shock when compared to the headline price on the manufacturer’s website, but by opting for a single engine rather than twins we could bring the price down to just over £200,000.

It was double our original budget but with two teenage girls getting perilously close to being old enough to leave home, we threw caution to the wind and decided to go for it so we could share a few years on the water as a family before they leave the nest and head off to university and beyond.

The local Essex coastline has plenty of cruising opportunities

Kitting out

When it came to finalising the spec, the dealer had a 400hp engine in stock, which meant they could shorten the delivery time by fitting the engine in the UK (there was a global shortage of Mercury engines following the post-Covid boating boom). As for optional extras, we specified a bow thruster and auto trim tabs to make it easier to handle and twin plotters to aid navigation.

For winter use we went for Webasto diesel heating and cooking hob. Other options, like the side windows at £5,500, seemed unnecessarily expensive so we elected to do without them on the basis that the two doors and full-length sunroof provided enough ventilation!

We also saved on some factory-fit electronics such as AIS, VHF radio and extra speakers for the Fusion sound system, by having them fitted by Platinum Marine in Southampton. We did forget to check if antifoul is included in the price – it wasn’t, which meant an unbudgeted added cost!

Owning his own boat was a long-held dream

With the boat due to arrive in late May, it was time to get ready for life afloat. We began to accumulate lifejackets, first aid kits, fire extinguishers and kitchenware in a large pile in the shed. I also frantically started studying the RYA Day Skipper Theory course with Skippers Online, realising early on that it needed to be treated as a marathon and not a sprint!

I would strongly recommend this course to anyone heading out onto coastal waters, it has proven its worth time and again during our first summer of boating – especially the mental maths required to calculate tidal heights in the notoriously shallow and tidal river Blackwater.

I also completed my Marine Radio VHF Certificate with Premier Sailing in Chelmsford and with their guidance managed to register with OFCOM for an MMSI number. Alison also completed her PB2 training, gaining a reputation for being the speed freak of the cohort!

Ironically, having specified twin electronic SIMRAD chart plotters, one of our favourite purchases was a set of paper charts for the Essex and Suffolk coasts. We spent ages poring over details of the local area, fascinated by the names and features of all the tiny creeks and tributaries that we would be able to explore.

Our neighbours, who are very experienced sailors, also gave us masses of helpful tips on the best places to anchor, eat and sleep as well as the mishaps that might occur and how to deal with them – huge thanks to (another) Alison and Dave for their advice. The East Coast Pilot guide book has proven to be a brilliant resource as well, with an active Facebook group for the very latest updates and observations on local conditions, and some lovely photographs as well.

The Saxdor 320 GTC turned David’s head at the Southampton Boat Show

Annoying delay

The end of May delivery date came around fairly quickly but unfortunately the boat did not! Due to several mystery delays on the production line, the boat eventually arrived from Poland into Southampton at the beginning of July, which in hindsight doesn’t sound like a long wait but was painful at the time due to fever-pitch levels of excitement.

We had arranged for some boat-handling tuition on the Solent immediately after our handover session with the dealer. Unfortunately, due to 45-50mph winds, the session was cancelled. With road transport from Southampton to Essex already booked for the following week we’d now have to take delivery of it without ever having driven it.

My back-up plan was to quickly order some dock fenders and get them screwed on to the corners of our pontoon berth to avoid any parking mishaps. Alison and I also made a pact that there would be a no-blame culture on any scuffs to our new toy, and that we should just get on with enjoying it.

David’s daughter helps with the boat’s first spring clean

Practice makes perfect

The first few weeks of ownership were blighted by relentless westerly winds blowing through the marina, but we survived our first few close-quarter manoeuvres in and out of our berth without any damage to our boat, and most importantly anyone else’s! The bow thruster was whizzing away at first but we quickly got the hang of how she would move in the wind and were soon sliding in and out of the berth under engine alone.

Each time we went out on the water, we tried to tick off a different bit of practical training for our newly-formed family crew. On our first full day trip, Alison needed to dial into a work meeting, so it was a good opportunity to practise anchoring. We bobbed around off Osea Island for a couple of hours, with me frantically checking the chart plotter to see if we were drifting while the girls sunbathed on the bow.

On the next few trips we practised launching a paddleboard from the side platforms, lassoing a mooring buoy and getting picked up by the launch at Mersea Island to take us ashore to the island festival. Each trip slowly built our confidence and we soon felt able to invite friends onboard for some gentle cruising around the Blackwater.

Taking in the sights on the boat’s maiden voyage

Because we live so close to the boat, at the end of the working day there was still time to rush down to the boat to get an hour or two on the water to soak up the sunset and creep back into
our berth in the last dregs of daylight.

So far the boat has behaved impeccably (fingers crossed), the only minor glitches being a poor installation of the hose that protects the fuel and hydraulic lines going into the engine, and some adjustment of the mechanism that locks the port folding platform into place. I was able to sort both of these snags myself using a basic tool kit that I keep on board.

The task that I did massively underestimate was the amount of time it would take to get up to speed on the various electronic gadgets. The excitement of trying to get out on the water as soon as possible after the boat arrived meant that the time required to properly learn how to use the chart plotter, radio and engine information systems seemed like an eternity.

Sunset trips along the River Blackwater are a perfect way to end the working day

Decisions that paid off

Despite having some concerns about whether a single engine would cut the mustard, we are really pleased with the performance of the boat – we get just over 30 knots fully loaded with the trim tabs activated. However, we are coming to realise that pottering along at 8 knots into a setting sun with everybody chatting is much more relaxing than racing around. That said, it is nice to be able to make solid progress when needed, especially if it is starting to rain or the tide is ebbing away. We also love the outside space that the Saxdor offers – our decision to prioritise this over cabin space was the right choice.

All in all, it has been a high-intensity start to our boating career, with training, logistics, planning, organisation and plenty of trepidation all giving way to a huge amount of enjoyment and learning opportunities. We’re now looking forward to our first full season on the water as fully fledged boat owners and wondering why it took us so long to take that first step.

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Buying a first boat: 'We decided to go for it so we could share a few years on the water as a family before the girls leave the nest' appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Check out any UK marina and the sheer quantity of them is proof enough of that. But given how strong the big UK builders were in the 40ft flybridge sector for many years, it seems all the more peculiar that, for the most part, they appear to have focused their attentions elsewhere.

It makes sense then that this month’s offerings all come from abroad.

There’s great value from French builder, Jeanneau; there’s a stylish Italian offering in the form of the Sessa Fly 40; and there’s a pair of Spanish boats too – the rock-solid Rodman 41 and the cool looking Astondoa 39.

Ages, styles and prices might vary, but they all offer great family layouts, decent costs and a handy mix of seagoing ability and home-style comfort.

The Jeanneau Velasco 37. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

Jeanneau Velasco 37

First up on the list of the best family boats with a 40ft flybridge is the Velasco 37F, a perfect example of what Jeanneau does so well.

It’s not trying to be too luxurious and there’s no especially clever thinking. It’s simply a good, functional, practical family flybridge cruiser, and there’s nothing at all wrong with that.

Interior

The interior is a clear illustration of that user-friendly approach.

While putting the galley along the port side of the saloon might have threatened to eat into the sociable day spaces, there’s still a decent C-shaped settee to starboard with a drop-down table, for occasional use as an extra berth.

The convertible starboard dinette sits opposite a long port galley. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

That also pays dividends down below where Jeanneau has again kept things simple. There are just two cabins and a single heads but as a result, everything is a good size.

The heads has a separate shower and the forward cabin has a centreline double bed, which is not always a given on this size of boat.

There’s an extending section so you can choose a longer bed at the expense of some floor space. Cabin two also feels like a very well proportioned part of the boat.

Exterior

Jeanneau has fitted a sliding side door next to the lower helm – very useful and rare on a sub 50ft flybridge, let alone a circa 40ft boat.

There are no stairs to the flybridge, just a traditional ladder, but that does create more space in the cockpit, not to mention a less obstructed view from the saloon.

Jeanneau Velasco 37’s exterior. Date: 2016. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

Up top, a moveable backrest at the front of the dinette gives the optionof forward-facing seating next to the helm, and a similar arrangement at the aft end increases sunbathing space.

Performance

Lift a hatch in the saloon floor to reveal a pair of Volvo Penta D4-300s hooked up to shaft drives – again, nice and simple. Top speed should be toward the high 20s, with a comfortable 20-knot cruise.

Seakeeping

Jeanneau hulls are generally excellent, and shaft drive should give predictable handling. Bow and stern thrusters also allow you to ‘cheat’ when berthing and push either end sideways at will.

Astondoa 39. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

Astondoa 39

We might not be that familiar with Astondoa in the UK but actually, this family-run Spanish shipyard has been building boats for more than 100 years.

As you might expect then, its range is extremely broad, spanning everything from a 37ft outboard-powered weekender to a 125ft superyacht.

With its Olesinski hull and twin 370hp shaft drives, it ought to be good for 30 knots. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

However, the company insists that its focus is on quality rather than quantity, with a high degree of customisation ensuring that no two yachts are ever precisely alike.

Interior

The high-gloss cherry cabinetry of this boat is very much of its time but the great thing is that it’s applied sparingly, broken up by pale linings, carpets and upholstery so it looks classy, rather than overwhelming.

High-gloss cherry wood is nicely broken up with pale fabrics and bulkhead linings. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

The galley-down layout is again typical of the era, meaning that there are two cabins on the lower deck – the owner’s cabin forward and a guest cabin to starboard.

And just one heads compartment rather than two (with easy en suite access from the owner’s cabin) means plenty of space to move.

On the sociable main deck, there are settees on either side that face each other across the central companionway – and the port settee also converts into an occasional extra double for cruising with friends.

Exterior

A ladder takes you aloft to the flybridge, where you’ll find plenty more sociable seating as well as the upper helm position.

Side decks are a decent size and nicely bulwarked, and the bathing platform is huge!

Performance

A pair of Volvo Penta TAMD 63P diesels nestle beneath the saloon floor, sending 370hp apiece down shaft drives to four-bladed propellers for a top speed of around 30 knots.

Seakeeping

According to Berthon, Bernard Olesinski, more famous for his Princess and Fairline hulls, was behind this one, so it should prove to have a good ride.

Interestingly, they say that it has an RCD Category A classification too, which is rare on this sort of boat.

Deeply tunnelled propellers reduce both draft and engine height, as well as aiding directional stability.

Article continues below…

Jeanneau NC9 used boat report: Affordable alternative to a Scandi wheelhouse cruiser

Sessa Marine Fly 40

If anyone can add excitement to the functional 40ft flybridge market, it's the Italian yard

£391947

Rodman 41. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

Rodman 41

Spanish yard Rodman is a builder of serious commercial craft from patrol boats to large ferries, so it’s no surprise that its leisure boat-building arm creates some sturdy cruisers.

They might not represent the pinnacle of fashion but they’re always very solid and dependable. Therefore, they deserve a spot on the list of the best family boats with a 40-foot flybridge.

Interior

Launched in 2000, the 41 was Rodman’s first attempt at a proper motor cruiser and it came to the party with a completely blank sheet of paper.

Opting to raise the forward end of the main deck saloon area and place the galley there next to the helm was a neat touch, as it completely opened up not just the footprint of the lower deck, but also the headroom, which usually gets a little pinched as it slides beneath the main deck.

The result is a genuinely convincing three-cabin layout and that’s not something you tend to find at this size.

Even without the saloon dinette, this is an authentic three-cabin cruiser. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

There are staggered bunk beds in the third cabin, reducing the slightly claustrophobic effect of the lower bunk.

Cabin two shares the day heads and is a proper twin-bedded affair. And the forward owner’s cabin comes with a central island double bed
and its own bathroom.

Exterior

The Rodman 41 is a no-nonsense sort of design that ages well.

As a conventional flybridge, you get steps rather than a ladder to gain access to the upper deck from the aft cockpit. You also get wide, safe side decks and a very generous bathing platform.

Performance

This model was first developed for twin shaft drive installations.

A raised main deck helm and galley generates plenty of headroom down below. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

When Volvo Penta launched IPS in 2005, Rodman was one of the first to adopt this new technology but it didn’t simply fit pods into the existing hull.

Instead a new hull mould with aft sections was specifically optimised for IPS and twin IPS500s were used.

Seakeeping

This boat is smooth and quiet, particularly on the flybridge where the engines are all but inaudible.

Despite being a solid 12 tonnes, acceleration is lively, cornering is enthusiastic and it’s pretty good in a chop too.

Sessa Fly 40. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

Sessa Fly 40

Next on our list of best family boats is the Sessa Fly 40.

The 40ft flybridge sector was very firmly established by the time Italian builder Sessa brought out its first example. So in order to differentiate its new baby from the existing herd, it went big on Italian style.

Inside and out, this is a cool-looking vessel, and yet it’s been achieved without any loss of practicality or usefulness.

Interior

Considering that this boat is over a decade old, it’s incredible just how fresh and modern this interior is – a testimony to how far ahead the Italians were with interior finishes when this boat was built.

A galley-down layout frees up plenty of main deck saloon space. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

With chenille upholstery, carpet inlaid into wooden flooring, pale hessian headlining and deep brown mouldings, it looks superb.

Despite its galley-down layout (with optional washing machine), Sessa has still included two cabins and two heads on the lower deck, as well as an enormous storage void under the saloon floor.

Exterior

Style is equally sophisticated on the outside. In this case, we have a jet-black hull, though metallic silver grey was another attractive option.

We also have saloon windows that sweep dramatically down to deck level, as well as stainless steel fittings everywhere you look.

There are also some neat touches elsewhere, not least in the vinyl-upholstered underside of the flybridge overhang above the cockpit – a feature that we’re only recently starting to see from other brands.

Only the two-piece windscreen and the portholes (rather than hull windows) date it slightly.

The layout is pretty conventional flybridge fare but it works well. And there’s a huge bathing platform for tender retrieval and storage duties.

Performance

In an era when most builders were still using shaft drives, Sessa was quick to get on board with Volvo Penta IPS pod drives. On this boat, they’re hooked up to twin IPS400 engines based on the D4-300s.

Given that it’s over a decade old, it feels astonishingly fresh and modern. Photo: Motor Boat & Yachting

When we tested it new, that delivered a 28-knot top end and a 22-knot cruise.

Seakeeping

The Sessa Fly 400 is remarkably quiet from the upper helm. Steering is electronic and finger-light, manoeuvring is joystick controlled and it feels solid at speed too.

This article Best 40ft family flybridge boats on the market now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Should former England footballer Peter Crouch ever be in the market for a 40ft sportscruiser he could do far worse than check out Bavaria’s Sport 400 Coupé. Why? Because like an upside-down cake, this boat hides one of its principal attributes – a cavernously lofty saloon – below the array of confections up top.

In fact, with 6ft 11in of below-decks headroom (that’s Mr Crouch plus four), we can only imagine there must have been some very tall designers in the Marco Casali design studio when this boat was conceived!

Launched in 2014 and superseded first by the S40 (principally a rebranding exercise) and then the S41 (an extensively revised model), the Bavaria Sport 400 was offered in three guises, Open, Hardtop and the model we focus on here, the Bavaria Sport 400 Coupé, which features a three-part sliding patio door that converts the open-backed hardtop into a fully enclosed wheelhouse – handy for the British climate.

With big performance matching the big space on offer below decks, the Sport 400 range served Bavaria well: “It was one of our best sellers,” comments Ben Nichols of Bavaria’s UK importer, Clipper Marine. “It represented good value for money and is an excellent sea boat, with any windage concerns offset by it being quite a heavy boat.”

Offered with a choice Mercruiser and Volvo Penta engine options spanning 300 to 400hp, the Bavaria Sport 400 is also no slouch; models equipped with twin Volvo Penta D6 370s, for example, nudge the speedo up to 38 knots.

The wide-opening doors link the cockpit and saloon into a single space

Our review boat, a 2016 example on offer with Swanwick-based Solent Motor Yachts for £259,950 VAT paid, has the range topping D6 400s, good for a claimed 40 knots. It also has Volvo Penta’s optional Aquamatic joystick, which together with its bow thruster make this a very easy boat to manoeuvre. We caught up with its owner, Adrian Thompson, while he and his wife Abbi were making the most of the boat on a late summer excursion to Cowes.

Speed machine

“There’s no question that this is a very fast boat and as long as you’re prepared to travel at speed she’s very good,” says Adrian. “She doesn’t like slow running in rough seas, she’ll wobble quite a lot. But because she has a deep-vee hull, once you get her onto the first stage of the plane, she settles down nicely. And when you get a day like this, very calm, she’ll do up to 40 knots flat out – it’s an incredible piece of kit.”

Adrian and Abbi’s reason for selling is that after owning a series of boats in the UK and now approaching retirement, they are looking for a new boating adventure: “Most of our boating has been between Poole and Chichester and we know all the Solent ports like the back of our hands,” says Adrian. “So we’re looking at something in the Med now and we’d love a 50ft flybridge, with a Princess at the top of the tree.”

Article continues below…

Azimut Verve 48 sea trial review: 1,800hp party boat

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 used boat review: a lot of boat for the money

For all its space below decks, with that colossal saloon, a generous dinette and large L-shaped galley, the Bavaria Sport 400 Coupé is compromised in a few minor respects. One of the natural consequences of all that head space are the four steep steps leading down from the main deck. These need negotiating with care, especially when underway.

As well as the shared living spaces down here, it also has two generously proportioned cabins and a single heads, albeit a big one with a toilet, a large vanity unit and a separate shower stall.

Although a lone washroom might be an issue for some buyers, it’s not been a concern for Adrian and Abbi: “While it’s generally just the two of us, we do have guests, about one weekend out of four,” says Adrian. “We all stay on the boat, normally for one or two nights, but as marinas these days have very nice facilities the fact we’ve only got one loo hasn’t really been a problem.”

The exposed mechanism of the navigator’s chair allows it to face both ways at the right height

The cabins also pose a bit of a conundrum, albeit a good one, for while the cabin in the forepeak lays claim to being the master by virtue of its double bed, the second cabin, located aft, is arguably the more appealing of the two.

For starters, it’s significantly larger, with a layout that accentuates its spaciousness. Then there’s a sizeable settee, which the forward cabin lacks, plus plenty of storage. There’s even a wine rack just inside the door – another reason to reserve this cabin for yourself! Our review boat didn’t appear to have any way of joining the two singles together but if you could find a way this might offer the best of both worlds.

Clambering up those four steps brings you to the upper saloon, which is a busier space than the lower one. While we have only praise for the helm, which benefits from a wide, bolstered seat and an excellent view forward, the pair of seats opposite make for something of an odd couple.

The inner of the two is a flip-over seat, which when in its forward-facing position leaves the pivoting metal supports on show. When reversed to provide another seat at the compact dinette the resulting arrangement of one forward -acing and one rearward facing seat looks a little ungainly.

Helm window and sunroof keep things cool underway but air con is a boon at anchor

The outer seat also has a trick up its sleeve, for with the addition of a lengthy cushion, mostly supported by the GRP adjacent to the companionway, it can be converted into a forward-facing lounger.

Top deck sings

On the plus side, opening up the three-stage patio door brings the aft cockpit into play, with its large table surrounded on three sides by a horseshoe-shaped seating unit. Both the table and the central backrest of the seat can be dropped down to form a sunpad area if required.

Together, the upper saloon and aft cockpit provide all the room and amenities a boat like this deserves. Add to that a massive electrically-operated sunshine roof, and the top deck really begins to sing. Bavaria has also managed to pack a unit containing a wet bar, grill and refrigerator into the upper saloon, an important addition which largely mitigates the need for the cook to venture to the galley below while underway.

Deck-level wetbar means there’s no need to pop downstairs to the galley for a drink

Out on deck, the expansive feel of the Sport 400 Coupé continues. There’s a whopping bathing platform, more than big enough to store a toy or two, and the foredeck offers another generously proportioned double sunpad. Linking the outside areas together are well protected side decks. Accessible from either side of the aft cockpit these continue beyond the sunpads all the way to the bow.

Bavaria is well regarded for the solid construction of its boats and the Sport 400 Coupé is no exception. Most of the equipment aboard our review boat, seven years old with approximately 395 hours on the clock, was in as-new condition, the only exception being the wooden worktop of the wet bar, which would benefit from a rub down and refinishing.

Towering headroom is a key feature of the lower saloon but the steps down are quite steep

Go for extras

Offering his advice to would-be owners, Adrian Thompson says, “What I would say to anyone interested in a Sport 400 Coupé is to ensure it is optioned up. We liked the fact ours has air con and a generator – with all that glass it gets pretty warm on sunny days so the air con has been a godsend. We were the second owners of our boat and we decided to make a number of improvements, including replacing the toilet with a freshwater loo and renewing the carpets. In that way, we made it our own.”

The forward master cabin features an island double and plenty of natural light

There is a lot to commend the Bavaria Sport 400 Coupé – performance, space, modern styling, an enclosed main deck for year-round use: this boat has the lot. If you can live with a few minor compromises, and we suspect most can, it won’t be long before Adrian and Abbi say a fond farewell to their boat and move on to a new chapter of Mediterranean boating bliss.

Bavaria Sport 400 Coupé surveyor’s report

The Bavaria Sport range of sportscruisers has steadily built itself a reputation for offering customers a tempting mix of voluminous, fun to drive, good value for money craft. I have surveyed several of these over the years and have found few areas of recurring build issues.

Bavaria’s ‘Vacutec’ vacuum-infusion build method provides consistent quality of lay-up but also reduces weight compared to monolithic construction by a claimed 20%. Isophthalic resins are used, in line with most quality builders, to provide superior resistance to moisture ingress over the years.

The heads has a separate shower compartment

The hull form on these craft is a relatively deep variable vee and the outdrive powertrain provides strong acceleration, efficient cruising and sporty steering.

Points to note when considering buying:

• Inspect the roof assembly. This is an important selling point on this boat so ensure all guides are clear and that the unit slides smoothly over several operations.
• Beware of all the sharp edges and radii around the furniture modules, especially below deck in a seaway.
• Look out for stress cracking and/or staining from strained rail mounts along the deck moulding upstands.
• The large swim platform may be prone to impact damage around the quarters. Check for signs of damage or hasty repairs.
• Carefully check the large sliding door seals out to the cockpit. Ensure all are free to open smoothly and lock into their respective open positions.
• Hull cleanliness makes a significant impact to performance and fuel efficiency especially on fast sportscruisers so consider a mid-season lift out for a pressure wash and anode check.
• Check the machinery service history and insist on a thorough sea trial with your surveyor. A good long run at wide open throttle should reveal any issues with heat exchangers and related components.
• Outdrive sterngear has its advantages but also requires regular servicing and careful inspection. Have these thoroughly checked prior to purchase by a competent engineer.

A sound example should provide a fast, fun, spacious cruising experience and, if well maintained, should also be an easy sale when it’s time to move on.

Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

Extended bathing platform is fixed rather than hydraulic but can easily accommodate an inflatable tender

Bavaria Sport 400 Coupé specifications

Type: sportscruiser
Designer: Marco Casali
Hull type: Variable vee planing
RCD: Category B for 12 people
LOA: 43ft 6in (13.25m)
Beam: 13ft 0in (3.96m)
Draft: 4ft 7in (1.4m)
Dry weight: 9.1 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 950 litres
Water capacity: 250 litres
Top speed: 40 knots with twin 400hp Volvo D6s
Fuel consumption: 3.4 litres per nm @ 27 knots (D6 370s)
Range: 223nm @ 27 knots with 20% reserve

Running Costs:

Annual fuel burn: 2,850 litres (based on 25 hours at 27 knots and 25 hours at 6 knots)
Marina berthing: £9,400 (based on £710 per m for a Hamble River marina downstream of Bursledon bridge

This article Bavaria Sport 400 Coupé used boat review appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

While one might reasonably imagine the ‘Merry Fisher’ part of the Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095’s title takes its name from a character in Izaak Walton’s seminal fishing classic The Compleat Angler, the facts of the matter are somewhat different.

For while the word ‘Fisher’ does indeed point towards the initially conceived use for the boat, the ‘Merry’ part has nothing to do with jollity (or intoxication) but happens to be the name of the man who designed it: Merry de la Poëze. Nonetheless, it was a memorable call for a range which has not only endured but gone from strength to strength since the French manufacturer Jeanneau launched it way back in 1987.

Since then around 30,000 Merry Fishers have been built and today there are two types: the Sport, which features a forward-raked windscreen and is aimed at sporty types in general, including fisherfolk, and the regular Merry Fisher coastal cruiser, likely to be favoured by families looking for an affordable weekender.

The model we are looking at is a 2019 Merry Fisher 1095 being offered by Ancasta Port Solent for £185,000 VAT paid.

Modern interior is bright, practical and easy to maintain if not particularly high end

Launched in December 2017 at the Paris Boat Show, with the first examples arriving in the UK the following year, the 1095 is the second-largest model in the Merry Fisher range, which provides options from the 18ft 605 up to the 40ft 1295 Fly.

Unlike its big brother, the 1095 is available in either flybridge or pilothouse format. While Jeanneau would not be drawn on how many 1095s have been sold to date, it did tell us that two out of three orders were for the pilothouse model, making our review boat the more likely kind to be found on the used market.

What sets the Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 apart from virtually every other sub-36ft boat is that it can be specified with three cabins below decks. What’s more, none of these cabins are mere spaces with mattresses separated by curtains – they are all bona fide rooms, each of which is entered by its own door off a central vestibule sited two steps down from the wheelhouse.

Article continues below…

Beneteau GT38 used boat review: Gracefully-aged sportscruiser has held its value

Hardy 36 Commodore used boat review: This British-built yacht is a pocket battleship

That’s an awful lot of accommodation to pack into a vessel that is just 10.92 metres long, a fact not lost on the seller of our test boat, Carl Goddard, who together with his wife Debbie, seven-year-old daughter Jasmine and the family dog, have enjoyed many Merry Fisher days out and about on the south coast.

“The three cabins is why I went for it,” says Carl. “We wanted the accommodation and the 1095 ticked all the boxes for us on the budget we had at the time – I can’t think of many other boats that size that have got three cabins. While I’ve no complaints with the 1095, our nieces also come with us sometimes and then I can find myself tripping over everyone, which is why I’m now looking at selling and getting a larger three-cabin boat.”

Helping make a three-cabin arrangement possible within such a compact vessel is the use of outboard power rather than inboard engines on sterndrives or shafts.

Aft cockpit has plenty of seating and there’s a spacious lazarette under the deck hatch

While the upside of this is extra space on board for the designers to play with, two chunky outboards hanging off the back does mean the boat doesn’t offer much in the way of a bathing platform – there are just two mini platforms, one either side of the engines. While a ladder is integrated into the starboard one, bathers need to assemble in the aft cockpit as there’s only room for one on the platform at a time.

While you may come across a variety of different outboards fitted to Merry Fisher 1095s, the twin 300hp Yamahas fitted to our review boat were a popular choice.

In terms of performance they top out at 37.6 knots, making the 1095 mighty quick as well as accommodation-heavy. However, at that speed the engines will guzzle 205 litres per hour, reducing the boat’s range to 117 nautical miles. At a more sedate 23 knots fuel consumption more than halves and the range is extended by 35%.

Well thought out helm and single bolstered seat do everything that’s required of them

Speedy and assured

The maximum speed Carl has taken his 1095 to is 33 knots. “It gets on the plane really quickly and thunders along at that speed,” he says. “And the variable-V hull makes for a comfortable ride – in calm conditions she’s as happy as Larry.”

But on one occasion Carl did get caught out: “Our plan was to get to Torquay. We left our base at Port Solent and met up with a friend from Brighton who has a sailing boat. We went first of all to Swanwick and then on to Yarmouth, after which we headed out of the Solent past the Needles. It turned out to be so rough it was unbelievable – I had the wipers on full and still couldn’t see where I was going!

But the boat coped with it beautifully; I was still able to make 13 or 14 knots in horrifically rough water. In the event, we got as far as Poole, stayed there for a few days until the weather calmed down then headed back.”

The forward master cabin has an oval shaped bed to balance bed length and floor space

As Carl points out, a number of other key features make the 1095 stand out as an attractive option. For starters, there’s the aft cockpit. Here, the rear seat unit slides back 12 inches or so when the engines are deployed to create a generously proportioned area with L-shaped seating for up to six adults.

There’s also a storage box-cum-pouffe opposite which is handy for the kids. One quirk here is that the cockpit’s table is offset to port, meaning that anyone at the starboard end of the bench seat doesn’t have the benefit of a dining table in front of them. Below the aft cockpit, and accessed by a large hatch in the deck, is a massive lazarette – another bonus of outboard power. “There’s plenty of room down there for a deflated dinghy, paddleboards and so on,” says Carl.

Moving around the boat is easiest from the starboard side, for although there are side decks on both sides of the wheelhouse, accessing the port-hand one involves clambering past the aft cockpit’s table and seats.

Two-seater dinette bench flips round to face forward when under way

There’s also a side gate on the starboard side to allow direct access from the pontoon. While a very useful feature, care has to be taken when using this gate for its latch bolt risks scratching the wheelhouse coaming when extended.

Once onto the side decks everything becomes easy, with high gunwales along the length of the wheelhouse and hefty protective guardrails giving a good, secure feel all round. Reaching the foredeck and its double sunpad area involves climbing two steps on the side decks, but once again the rails are there to provide a solid grip as you go.

Entry to the wheelhouse is either from the aft cockpit by way of a three-part patio door, or via the boat’s helmside door – ideal for anyone single-handing the boat. Inside, although compact, the wheelhouse features a decent-sized galley and a four-seater dinette with a flip-over seat which faces forward when under way.

The whole of this cockpit area can be enclosed with the optional covers

Opening the patio door effectively adds the aft cockpit to the living space and with the boat’s two manual sunshine roofs opened up, the entire area becomes refreshingly bright and breezy. Up front, the helm is workmanlike and clearly laid out, with a comfortable and well-positioned bolstered single seat.

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095: Verdict

Below decks are those three cabins – two doubles and a single with a bed that’s wide enough for a couple of small kids. There’s not a great deal of headroom down here and the fact that all three cabins are served by a single heads may not be to everyone’s liking – but once again, let’s not forget this boat is less than 36ft long.

The other point to note is that the Merry Fisher is a boat built on a budget – its fixtures and fittings are perhaps best described as practical rather than premium but will nonetheless deliver many years of service if treated with a little TLC.

To sum it all up, a Merry Fisher 1095 gives you a lot of boat for your money, not just in terms of value but also with regard to accommodation, performance and all-round family appeal. And because it was, and still is, such a popular choice when new, there should be a decent number of used ones to choose from – we had no trouble finding three good examples for sale in the UK.

The solitary heads compartment has to be shared between all three cabins

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095: Surveyor’s report

The Jeanneau 1095 is one of the larger examples of the popular Merry Fisher range of sportsfisher/cruisers. These have built up a reputation for being practical, versatile, good value for money all-purpose family cruisers.

I have surveyed several of these over the years. Extensive use of vacuum infusion, cored laminate and inner mouldings makes for consistent build quality but access to certain parts of the bilges can be tricky.

Points to note when considering buying:

• The windage on this style of craft is relatively high, making them tricky to manoeuvre in windy conditions, despite having a bow thruster. Check for minor impact damage to shoulders, quarters and midships areas.
• Ensure all window, door and sunroof guides are clear and that the units slide efficiently over several operations. These are a key selling point and need keeping clean to avoid them becoming stiff or leaky over time.
• Hull cleanliness makes a big difference to speed and fuel efficiency on this style of craft so check when it was last antifouled and consider a mid-season lift out for pressure washing and an anode check.
• Check the engines’ service history and insist on a thorough sea trial with your surveyor. Ask to see the last computer service record sheet, which will highlight any areas of concern and give an indication of how hard it has been used.
• Check for correct gearbox drive and operation of the kill cord. Many electronic throttle controls do not have a safety detent with potentially disastrous results if knocked inadvertently.
• Ensure that both the engines are fitted with insurance- approved outboard locks as many insurers won’t provide theft cover without them.
• Ensure that all hydraulic steering lines and connections are sound, smooth in operation and well protected from the salty environment.
• Check for mould spores in all the cockpit and underdeck recesses. Given the lack of access, damp and mildew often sets in.
• Check for moisture damage to furniture just inside the saloon. Often salt water or rain ingresses through the open doors. Check the finish of the door and locker furniture. These are often prone to damp deterioration.

-Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 specifications

Type: Pilothouse cruiser
Designer: Centkowski & Denert/Jeanneau Design
Hull type: Variable-vee planing
RCD Category: B for 8 people, C for 10 people
LOA: 35ft 9in (10.92m)
Beam: 11ft 0in (3.37m)
Draft: 2ft 3in (0.69m)
Air draft: Max 10ft 5in (3.08m) Min 9ft 5in (2.82m)
Weight: (ex engines) 4,822kg
Fuel capacity: 2 X 400 litres
Water capacity: 160 litres
Engines: 2 x Yamaha F300 petrol outboards
Top speed: 37 knots
Fuel consumption: 4.2 litres per nm @ 28.1 knots
Cruising range: 150.6nm at 28.1 knots with 20% reserve

Running costs

Annual fuel burn: 3,380 litres (based on 25 hours at 28 knots and 25 hours at 6.5 knots)
Marina mooring: £7,810 (based on £710 per metre for a marina berth on the Hamble River, Southampton

This article Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1095 used boat review: a lot of boat for the money appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Here’s an interesting thing about flybridge boats. Almost nobody drives from the lower helm, ever! Cold, rain, wind – owners are still up on top keeping a good lookout. And here’s something even more intriguing.

Quite a few years ago, one or two manufacturers, upon canvassing their customers to discern exactly how they were using their boats and realising this, started offering flybridge boats without the lower helm, increasing the saloon area.

Inexplicably, the result of doing so was that no-one bought them, because there was no lower helm. All of which brings us to all-season boats because it appears that if you want a boat that people will actually drive from inside, you’d better make it a dedicated internal helm only.

Add a seriously capable hull to deal with more inclement winter sea conditions and you’ll likely end up with something like this month’s quartet of used boats chosen specifically for year-round all-season boating.

4 of the best all-season boats

Seaward 29

Built: 2000
Price: £65,000

Launched almost 30 years ago, the Seaward 29 is still part of the Seaward new boat fleet with only incremental upgrades along the way (mostly behind the scenes). It is the very epitome of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

And that is because there is not a single nod to fashion about the whole vessel. It is simply a solid, practical, proper heavy weather motor boat.

Interior

A ‘proper motor boat’ is best defined as a vessel designed first and foremost to be a boat, rather than floating accommodation. Hull and decks are optimised for use afloat (indeed Seaward builds many boats for commercial use) and whatever that leaves as an interior is then fitted out simply and solidly.

Which is why the interior of this model lacks frills, and indeed lacks space compared with some circa 30ft offerings because (for example) the wide side decks pinch the cabin a little.

On the lower deck you’ll find vee berths in the forepeak with heads to port and galley to starboard. Step up to the deck saloon and there are a pair of businesslike helm seats, one either side, with guest seating behind them.

Vee berths in the forepeak are relatively spartan but there’s a decent amount of stowage

Exterior

The dividends for the compact internal volume are paid outside, where you’ll find a deep well-sheltered cockpit aft and wide non-slip side decks sloping gently upward toward the bow. Proper little bollards rather than cleats speak of the commercial roots of this boat.

Performance

When Seaward started making ‘baby Nelson’ compact pilot style boats, beginning with the Seaward 23 in 1989, it typically fitted Mermaid diesel engines. Oddly, a niche Japanese market sprang up for these quirky little boats which lead to a fruitful association with Japanese engine manufacturer Yanmar.

As a result, all Seaward 29s were fitted with twin Yanmars, from 160hp to 260hp each. This boat has twin 230hp Yanmars, good for a 20-knot top end.

Helm station, like the rest of the 29, prioritises competence and quality over style

Seakeeping

Now we’re getting to the real meat of this boat, and why Seawards are prized by commercial users: the semi-displacement hull. Designed by Arthur Mursell of TT Designs, it is a serious offshore bruiser, out punching almost everything else of its size in rough seas.

Specifications

LOA: 29ft 4in (9.0m)
Beam: 10ft 0in (3.0m)
Draft: 2ft 10in (0.9m)
Displacement: 7.8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 700 litres
Engines: Twin Yanmar 4LH 230hp diesel
Location: Burnham-on-Crouch
Contact: BH Boat Sales

Article continues below…

How to go winter boating: Top tips for staying safe and warm

Best all-weather boats: Our pick of the secondhand market

Botnia Targa 27.2GT

Built: 2021
Price: £197,500

There’s a theme to these all-season boatbuilders and it’s one of very gentle model evolution. We once described Botnia as “tending to modernise at roughly the same pace as the Royal Family”.

So the option to fit some of its models with outboard engines, introduced first on the Botnia Targa 25.1 in 2019, was as big a departure for the builder as seeing King Charles with a mohawk. It comes in response to increased demand for the performance, low maintenance costs and ease of use that these power plants offer.

Interior

The Botnia Targa 27.2 traces its roots back to the 27 of 1991. The 27.2 of 2018 looked very similar, but sported a new hull with slightly more beam. The internal layout followed the same lines of a heads forward of the wheelhouse with a compact galley next to the helm and a bench seat aft.

Behind that you’ll discover a small cabin with a double berth on one side and two ‘head to head’ single berths on the other.

There’s a perfectly adequate cabin with a double berth and two single berths opposite

Exterior

Finnish built and with a typically Finnish deck layout, the cockpit is actually in the bow, with a horseshoe of seating containing deck lockers. Twin sliding doors, one each side lead into the wheelhouse, and traditionally the 27.2 has a small three-person external helm built into the trailing edge of the wheelhouse roof.

But this is where the GT designation comes into play because the GT swaps that external helm for a rear sliding door giving direct access from the stern cockpit to the wheelhouse.

Performance

Launched with single Volvo Penta diesel engines, choices were all D6 variants, typically 330hp, 370hp or 400hp and latterly the more recent 440hp version. We tested the boat with the D6 400 and achieved a heady 39 knots. The introduction of twin outboards kicked the performance up another notch.

This boat has a pair of Mercury Verado outboards that offer a combined 600hp, pushing the top end into the mid 40-knot arena.

It’s a well-packaged layout with a heads forward of the helm and a small galley to port

Seakeeping

A planing hull with a deep vee, all Botnia Targas are adroit at cleaving imperiously through big waves, leaving huge curtains of spray hanging in the air behind them.

Specifications

LOA: 30ft 1in (9.2m)
Beam: 10ft 2in (3.1m)
Draft: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 4.2 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 530 litres
Engines: Twin Mercury Verado 300hp outboards
Location: Poole
Contact: Wessex Marine

Dale Classic 35

Built: 2014
Price: £345,000

Dale boats are built in South West Wales, with direct access to the often challenging Irish Sea. Like Seaward, Dale turns to Arthur Mursell for the hull design, but the deck and superstructure of this one are worlds apart from the traditional pilot boat style.

This particular Dale Classic 35 was custom designed and built specifically for the original owner.

Interior

An open-backed wheelhouse layout means that all of the internal accommodation is on the lower deck, accessed by a beautiful polished wood folding door. The interior was designed to accommodate the owner’s 6ft 5in tall son, so there’s plenty of headroom for us lesser mortals.

As you’d expect from Dale, the American cherry woodwork is traditional but magnificent, with carefully fiddled storage for plates, glasses etc so that nothing becomes displaced at sea. Move forward past the heads to port and galley to starboard and you’ll discover a cozy hoop of seating in the bow that will convert to a double bed.

American cherry adds a touch of class while comfy bow seats convert to a double bed

Exterior

The flush flat foredeck dominates the look of this boat; even the cleats are folding to ensure as low a profile as possible, and the lack of guardrails was a deliberate choice by the owner who wanted to keep the profile as pure in appearance as he could.

The open backed wheelhouse means that the cockpit runs well forward, creating plenty of sheltered outdoor space. Dominating the helm position are a pair of gorgeous Release Marine chairs imported from the USA, and behind those, a pair of aft facing corner seats.

And apart from an aft bench seat and a nifty table that folds out of the floor, not a lot else, the owner choosing to keep this space as open and versatile as possible.

Performance

Unusually for a Mursell design, power from its single Volvo Penta D6-400 engine is delivered through a sterndrive, which gives it terrific agility out on the water. We achieved 33 knots when we tested this actual boat when it was brand new, so 20-25 knots is a comfortable cruising gait.

Open-backed wheelhouse gives the best of both worlds with plenty of socialising space

Seakeeping

“Absolutely superb” is how we described the handling, and of course that Mursell hull, honed in the no-nonsense seas off Pembrokeshire can handle the rough stuff too.

Specifications

LOA: 35ft 0in (11.1m)
Beam: 11ft 8in (3.4m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.9m)
Displacement: 6 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 580 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D6-400 400hp diesel
Location: Beaulieu River
Contact: Dale Motor Yachts

Sargo 31 Explorer

Built: 2020
Price: £300,000

From the all-season boats selected for this article you could easily be forgiven for thinking that the UK and Finland dominate the all-weather boatbuilding genre, and barring a handful of notable exceptions, you wouldn’t be far wrong. For this boat, we’re back to Finland and the ever popular ‘commuter’ style of walkaround wheelhouse boats.

Interior

Very Finnish in concept, you’ve got your forward sloping windscreen and your sliding side doors for the wheelhouse, but you’ve also got a door in the rear bulkhead and crucially, a huge sliding roof.

For a wheelhouse boat, this is about as open air an experience as you’re ever likely to get, considering that you can close it all back up in less than 30 seconds – perfect for the British summer!

Two bucket seats nestle at the helm to starboard, a tiny galley in the forward port corner and a dinette behind. Vee berth and heads are on the lower deck forward, and lifting a seat base in the dinette reveals a small but entirely useable separate double guest cabin.

Vee berth on the lower deck forward with heads, and there’s a small double guest cabin too

Exterior

The ‘Explorer’ spec of this boat accounts for the distinctive grey topsides and wheelhouse roof in place of the standard plain white gelcoat, and many Explorer spec boats get matt black rails too, although the original owner of this boat opted for traditional stainless steel ones.

The walkaround decks are completely stepless, with just a gentle upward slope as you head forward along the safe and well protected side decks. Practical details include a very solid looking D-section rub-rail around the gunwale and bathing platform, and there is a lift section in the platform allowing easy access to the outdrive.

Performance

On the cusp of twin engines most of these got a single D6 in 330hp, 370hp or 400hp guise (this boat has the D6-400 for about 32 knots). But there was a single Yanmar V8 370hp option and twin engines were also available – a pair of D4-300s that punt the boat up to 45 knots!

Sliding side doors and sunroof open up the wheelhouse to the elements on warmer days

Seakeeping

It’s Finnish, it’s a walkaround, you’d expect it to be good and you’d be right. We described it as “a combination of RIB-baiting agility and prowess through the rough stuff that makes the boat a joy to drive”.

Specifications

LOA: 32ft 7in (10m)
Beam: 10ft 0in (3.3m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1m)
Displacement: 5.1 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 500 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D6-400 400hp diesel
Location: Hamble
Contact: Marco Marine

First published in the January 2024 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Best all-season boats: 4 reassuringly rugged options from the secondhand market appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In build: 2011 – 2022
Price range: £180,000 – £245,000

Windy began building boats 57 years ago and while it hasn’t yet built quite as many models as Heinz has varieties, the company’s back catalogue does encompass a formidable range of popular sportscruisers such as the Windy 28 Ghibli, Windy 31 Tornado, Windy 40 Bora and Windy 37 Grand Mistral.

In common with its Windy siblings, the subject of this report is named after a wind: the Zonda, a dry wind which howls around the eastern slopes of the Andes at 150mph. And you can see what Windy had in mind when they named this boat!

Admittedly, this 31ft weekender can’t actually match the speed of its Latin American namesake but it’s nonetheless a boat with the performance and handling to take your breath away.

When we reviewed the Windy 31 Zonda as a new boat back in 2011, our writer described it as Windy’s best-ever hull. He went on to praise its handling and balance, saying that at speed, it felt like a piece of waterborne armour.

So there’s two boxes ticked for starters. It’s fast and it’s safe – exactly what’s needed for rapid passagemaking in an open-top sportscruiser. In terms of its place within Windy’s heritage, the 31 Zonda was launched in 2011 as the successor to the 31 Tornado. Although similar in size, the 31 Zonda was a very different beast.

Article continues below…

Grandezza 34 OC used boat report: This Finnish boat will make you look like a better skipper

Windy 29 Coho used boat report: A sleek and slippery salmon of a sportsboat

Less about the cabins and more about performance, it featured a lower, leaner hull with sportier lines, a genuinely deep vee with a 24-degree deadrise angle at the transom and the vestigial side decks of the Tornado replaced by split-windscreen access to the foredeck.

Today, Windy continues to offer two Zonda variants: the 32 Grand Zonda and the 32 Grand Zonda RS. Both were introduced in 2021 and while they are much the same boat as the Windy 31 Zonda, the key difference is a bathing platform that’s around 10in longer.

The RS designation indicates a styling package that includes a hull wrap, as well as upgraded upholstery and trim. Spec-for-spec, it is possible to pick up an early 32 for around the same price as a late model 31, but expect to pay a premium for an RS model as its styling pack added around £25,000 to the new boat price.

We tested the Windy 31 Zonda as a new boat in 2011

Sleek lines

The Windy 31 Zonda was offered with a choice of single or twin engines. While our review boat has twin Volvo Penta D3 220hp units, many of them were fitted with a single Volvo D6 engine of 370, 400 or 440hp.

With like-for-like power, the single-engine models tend to be a little quicker and cheaper to run due to the reduction in drag and servicing fees but some buyers do still prefer the reassurance that two engines give you. There was also an option for twin 380hp V8 petrols, although not many UK buyers went for this.

A quick glance at the 31’s sleek lines leaves you in no doubt that, whatever’s lurking under the sunpad, this is a machine for the boater in a hurry who values good looks, strong performance and a cockpit dedicated to daytime entertaining rather than liveaboard cruising.

The Windy 31 Zonda uses a traditional deep-vee hull with a very fine entry to cut through the waves

Our review boat’s owner, Nigel Blackwell, bought his Windy 31 Zonda, Pharsalia II, new in 2014 from the UK’s Windy importer at the time, Berthon. “I live in Greece and have a place in Corfu,” Nigel tells us. “While I had a Dale 45 in Greece and a Dale 23 in Corfu, I wanted to have something I could go inter-island on and get there reasonably quickly.

The Dale 45 wasn’t an option because from where I live in Greece, it would have taken me four hours to get to Paxos, and would have cost €1,000 in fuel. I also needed a boat with a decent hull shape because the Corfu and Paxos channels cut up very heavily in the afternoons and you need a proper hull shape to go through them.

“Back in the UK, I tested a Windy 31 Zonda, and thought ‘That’s fun’. I could get to Paxos in 1h 15mins in this, have lunch and then come back.” And that’s precisely what Nigel did – but what about the 31 Zonda’s seakeeping in those challenging conditions?

While the dash looks rather busy by modern standards,the ergonomics are strong

“It’s the old story, isn’t it,” says Nigel. “You’ll give up before the boat does. The hull is terrific, but, even though the boat’s perfectly happy, it’s a rough ride. All in all, I think the seakeeping qualities are pretty good – but you have to have the name of a good chiropractor if you own a speedboat!”

Nine years on, the boat is now back in the UK and on the books with Berthon for an asking price of £197,950 VAT paid. “There’s a point where all these things come to an end,” says Nigel. “Because I wasn’t in a marina, keeping the boat in good condition and getting supplies was very difficult.

“Also, I’m nearly 80 now. I need help for berthing and I also need the reassurance of someone on board, just in case there’s a sea accident of any kind. So I thought it would be better to bring her home. It’s heart-wrenching really – it’s a fabulous boat.”

This classical Windy cockpit arrangement is still very much in use on the latest models

Having spent time in the Med, the cockpit fabric in our review boat was showing some signs of degradation; a little fading here, some crumpling there. While dark blue looks fabulous when new, it is prone to fading and staining over the years. However, this is relatively easy and affordable to replace.

The only other thing we noted in the cockpit is that the chaise longue is more of a chaise midi – with your feet left dangling over the end.

Apart from that, what a great space the cockpit is. The large aft sunpad has a track-mounted headrest which slides the entire length of the cushion so you can stretch out, facing backwards over the stern or forwards into the boat.

A sliding backrest enables you to face the table or create a huge aft-facing sunpad

Position it a couple of feet from the leading edge and it also acts as backrest, creating a forward-facing aft bench to match the aft-facing one opposite. Place the table and its leg (both of which stow neatly in the engine room when not in use) in front of it and hey presto – an instant dinette!

Although you’d never spot it when not in use, there’s also a good-sized bimini top which stows neatly away under the sunpad with special recesses down either side for the stainless steel supports.

It’s a quick and easy-to- use system that Windy has perfected over the years. Incidentally, access to the engine room is a cinch. At the press of a button, the entire rear sunpad hinges up to reveal the engine(s) and stowage spaces below.

Secure helm

Up at the helm, there’s a reassuringly well-padded and bolstered double seat to starboard and an additional single seat to port. Just left of the helm are three stubby steps which lead to the split windscreen.

That provides easy access to the foredeck, which is entirely flat and provides a useful extra sunbathing spot. Below decks, things are less expansive, as the low foredeck and slender hull inevitably restrict interior volume.

The headroom down here is no more than 5ft, except at the galley where you can stand with your head popping out of the companionway. This is actually well appointed for a vessel of this size and includes a double electric hob in the case of our generator-equipped review boat.

Headroom is tight but the scale of the bed is surprisingly generous

A sizeable double bed fills virtually the entire forepeak area of the boat and extends all the way back to the galley – handy for breakfast in bed, but again the headroom is restricted. The heads are also tight, but the washbasin’s tap does double up as a basic pull-out shower head.

Windy 31 Zonda: Our verdict

Berthon estimates that between 30 and 50 Windy 31 Zondas were manufactured in total, with the entire production run taking place at the company’s facility in Poland. With many examples now scattered around Europe, it’s relatively rare to find two on sale in the UK, as was the case when this report was penned.

While for some, the accommodation down below may be a limiting factor, purists who value performance, sea-keeping and robust build quality are likely to be very impressed. For that reason, we doubt it will be long before both examples currently on sale are once again haring around in the hands of new owners sporting ear-to-ear grins.

There is standing headroom at the galley, thanks to the companionway door above

Windy 31 Zonda: Surveyor’s report

Windy Boats have carved out a reputation for building high-quality performance cruisers. The Windy 31 Zonda fits this brief to perfection, offering 40+ knots from a range of single or twin diesel or petrol engines.

Launched in 2011, the Windy 31 Zonda is constructed using resin infusion, giving a lighter and stiffer boat, and making the build more uniform and consistent.

The standard of build is high with good quality resins used for the hull mouldings, fully lined cockpit locker lids and premium equipment and systems. This should ensure superior longevity and strong resale values if well maintained.

Our review boat is fitted with a pair of D3-220s operating through sterndrives

Points to note when considering buying:

• Open sportsboats often suffer from damp penetration into linings, fittings and furniture. Even on a quality boat, chromes, vinyls, linings and fittings suffer degradation from regular exposure to the marine environment. Most of these can be replaced if necessary, albeit at a cost.
• Look for evidence of salt deposits and corrosion around metal fittings on deck and in the cockpit, as well as signs of mould or mildew on the upholstery and linings above and below deck.
• Any boat with this level of performance could have been driven hard – and while it is built to take it, every boat has its limits, so carefully inspect and hammer-sound the high-stress sections of the hull where it lands after take-off. Also lift the furniture inside to check for signs of internal movement or cracks.
• Ensure the machinery has been correctly serviced and check that the heat exchangers, engine exhaust lines, anodes and sterndrive seals have been replaced.

A well maintained Zonda will provide a graceful, fast and enjoyable craft, which should stay in demand when the time comes to sell.

-Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

You can easily seat six people around the cockpit dinette

Windy 31 Zonda specifications

Type: Open sportscruiser
Designer: Hans J Johnsen
Hull type: Deep-vee planing
RCD: Category B
LOA: 31ft 1in (9.48m)
Beam: 9ft 9in (2.97m)
Draft: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
Displacement: 3,900kg
Fuel capacity: 517 litres
Water capacity: 100 litres
Top speed: 40-50 knots
Fuel consumption: 1.54 litres per nautical mile @ 33 knots
Cruising range: 268nm at 33 knots with 20% reserve

Running costs

Annual fuel burn: 1,525 litres (based on 25 hours @ 33 knots and 25 hours @ 6 knots)
Marina mooring: £6,865 (based on £710 per metre for a Hamble River marina mooring downstream of Bursledon bridge)

What’s on the market?

Price: £197,950
Date: 2014
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D3 220hp
Lying: Lymington
Contact: Berthon International

Price: £189,950
Date: 2012
Engines: 1 x Volvo Penta D6 370hp
Lying: Swanwick
Contact: Bates Wharf

First published in the December 2023 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Windy 31 Zonda used boat report: This purist's speedboat delivers ear-to-ear grins appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Have you noticed how everyone is driving SUVs and MPVs instead of traditional family saloon or estate cars these days? Ford has stopped making the Mondeo altogether, a fact that would have been unimaginable two decades ago.

We’re seeing a similar shift in the boat world, with the rise of SUV (sport utility vessels) from the likes of Axopar and Saxdor becoming the default choice for family boats, a market segment once dominated by the likes of Fletcher and Bayliner.

But while they are here to stay, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of more traditional concepts like cuddy cabin boats, because they do such a brilliant job of bridging the gap between fun open boats and full-on sportscruisers.

The priority stays on performance, looks and cockpit space, but that cuddy gives you space to stow gear, get changed, shelter from the weather and even overnight if you can go without a few creature comforts. Here are four great options…

4 of the best cuddy cabin boats

Cranchi E26 Classic

Built: 2019
Price: £139,995

A doyen of cuddy cabin designs from way back when, Cranchi has a rich back catalogue of boats, like the 24 Turchese and 28CSL, so if anyone was primed to tap back into the cuddy cabin market, it was this Italian builder.

Launched in 2019, the Cranchi E26 comes in two forms. The Rider is an open-bow outboard engine version to tap into the modern zeitgeist. But the Classic is a proper old-school cuddy cabin inboard engine sportster.

Interior

The whole point of cuddy cabin boats is to have a small cabin beneath the foredeck, so it’s simply a fact rather than a criticism that there isn’t much to be found below decks. All you get is a crawl-in space with seating and infills to create a small double berth.

An optional sea toilet looks rather incongruous sat in the middle of the floor rather than hidden beneath a berth, but it’s a useful option, as is the fridge that reduces internal seating slightly. But it’s probably a worthwhile trade off, given that these interiors are rarely used for sleeping in.

The cuddy has seating with infills to create a double berth, plus an optional sea toilet

Exterior

The cockpit layout is very traditional. It has twin pedestal helm seats forward and a bench seat aft with an extended chaise longue section. There’s a sunpad above the engine hatch with a lift-out centre section to create a walk-through to the full-width bathing platform.

But it is beautifully executed. Cranchi has imbued it with a retro vibe that really suits the character of the boat. The upholstery is redolent of a 1960s Lamborghini, there’s striped teak on the floor and the single-spoke steering wheel is cool.

Performance

Cranchi offered the E26 with a single Volvo Penta D4-270, which produced about 32 knots when we tested it. There was also the option of Volvo Penta petrols – a 280hp V6 or 350hp V8. This boat is fitted with the V6 variant, which should give a similar 32-knot top end. The V8 would lift that to the high 30s.

The traditional layout of the helm features twin pedestal seats with cool retro styling

Seakeeping

We found the E26 to be “poised and alert” at speed, with a “tremendous running attitude and masses of grip”.

Specifications

LOA: 25ft 9in (7.8m)
Beam: 8ft 2in (2.5m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 2.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 270 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta V6 280hp petrol engine
Location: Windermere
Contact: boats.co.uk

Best cabin cruisers: 5 of the most versatile options under 30ft

Cranchi E26 review: This Italian stallion is a modern classic in the making

Marex 270 Estremo

Built: 2011
Price: £79,950

Norwegian company, Marex, builds some of the most sensible motor cruisers on the ocean, specialising in hard-top wheelhouse cruisers with manual sliding roofs, big windows and easy-to-deploy canopies.

In fact, there’s even a promotional video for the recent Marex 330 Scandinavia that shows the owner putting a fender out! If you can show me just one Sunseeker video where the owner is handling any deck gear, I’d be amazed!

And then one day, someone in the Marex design team (I’m presuming) woke up full of existential crisis, drove to work, pausing only to trade his Volvo estate for a Harley Davidson, penned the Marex 270 Estremo, threw it at the company bosses and ran off with Ingrid from accounts.

Unsure what to do with this strange apparition that looked a bit like a boat but didn’t have a roof, they built it! It’s a rare beast. There’s only one in the UK and we love it!

Interior

This is a proper cuddy cabin boat, so below decks there is just a vee-shaped dinette that converts to a double bed. But of course it is a Marex, so the quality of fit-out is first class and there are lots of practical touches such as a separate heads compartment and plenty of storage.

The fit-out in the cuddy is every bit as high-end as you’d expect from Marex

Exterior

In the cockpit, there’s a similar sense of Lamborghini by Volvo. The floor is low, dropping the centre of gravity and keeping the lines of the craft sleek, but in the forward port corner is a very useful galley, complete with hob, fridge and sink.

The helm has a pair of bucket seats snuggled up against each other and back aft, a long sunpad over the engine compartment has a backrest that slides forward to create a bench seat or aft to maximise lounging space.

Performance

The standard engine is a perfectly adequate Volvo Penta D4-260, but if you really want to impress, opt for the D6-370 fitted to this boat. We described the acceleration on test as “outrageous” on its way to a 40+ knot top end!

Behind the helm seats, the aft bench uses a sliding backrest so you can expand your sunpad

Seakeeping

A very deep vee hull gives great seakeeping, “limpet-like” grip and spectacular high-speed cornering angles.

Specifications

LOA: 26ft 9in (8.2m)
Beam: 9ft 2in (2.8m)
Draft: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 2.8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 400 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D6-370 370hp diesel
Location: Poole
Contact: Wessex Marine

Rinker 232 Captiva

Built: 2005
Price: £25,995

Rinker is an American brand that actually dates back to the 1950s, when farmer Lossie L.E Rinker of the Midwest began building fishing boats and then racing boats on the White River.

It was when Rinker’s sons joined the business that Rinkerbuilt was founded in Syracuse, Indiana, becoming one of the first manufacturers to build boats using fibreglass.

More recently, part of the Polaris Group, production halted in 2020 after “considering market dynamics and the continued uncertainty around the sustained impact of the COVID-19 pandemic”. Ironically, the boat market then exploded in popularity shortly afterwards.

Interior

It’s a cuddy cabin boat so the usual caveats of limited headroom and facilities apply, but actually this is a pretty nice space. It’s well trimmed with a tiny porthole to each side, as well as an opening hatch in the ceiling. The U-shaped seating area also has a table on a demountable leg and infills to create a double berth.

The full-beam cockpit features an L-shaped sofa with a neat little recess for a cooler

Exterior

As ever, the outside is the place to be. This boat has the extended bathing platform, perfect for watersports enthusiasts, and the cockpit extends right to the edges, with an opening windscreen giving easy access onto the foredeck.

There’s a fair bit of seating ahead of the sunpad over the engine space. An L-shaped settee to starboard has a cooler beneath it and there’s a built-in seat to port, as well as twin helm seats that can swivel to join the party.

A colour-coded red camper canopy matches the scarlet topsides and encloses this whole area. Or you can take the sides out and leave the top up as a bimini to provide some shade.

Performance

The ubiquitous Mercruiser 350 Magnum V8 petrol engine is de rigueur in an American sportsboat of this size and type. That 350 refers to swept size in cubic inches (it’s 5.7 litres). It actually produces 300hp to give a top speed of about 40 knots.

The helm seats swivel so you can join the cockpit party

Seakeeping

The whole point of a cuddy cabin boat is its low-slung sporty stance, and the Rinker 232 Captiva takes full advantage of that with fast, confident handling and strong agility through the turns.

Specifications

LOA: 23ft 6in (7.2m)
Beam: 8ft 3in (2.5m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.9m)
Displacement: 2 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 284 litres
Engine: Mercruiser 350 Magnum 300hp petrol engine
Location: Brixham
Contact: One Marine

Yamarin 68DC

Built: 2014
Price: £59,950

Geographically, Finland isn’t actually part of Scandinavia but in boat building terms, boats from Finland fall squarely into the practical, high quality, ultra-capable subset we call Scandinavian boats.

Dating back to 1972, the name Yamarin derives from the fact that its parent company was a Yamaha outboard engine dealer. Rather than having to buy an outboard engine and then find a boat to put it on, it made sense to provide customers with a complete boating package.

And since the boats would all have Yamaha engines, the decision was made to combine Yamaha with Marine, thus creating Yamarin.

There are three model ranges: SC are open boats with a side console, BR are open bow riders and the cuddy cabin boats sail under the DC moniker for Day Cruiser. The number denotes the length, so at 6.8m, this is a 68DC.

Interior

That Day Cruiser badge sums up the cuddy cabin boat philosophy rather well. Yes, of course you can sleep on board, but these boats are mostly used for day cruising, with the cabin reserved as a handy place to tuck yourself away or use the facilities.

In this case, when you lift the centre of the forward bed, you will find a plumbed-in sea toilet. That’s a major blessing during the day, but you might not make yourself too popular with whoever you’re sharing the cabin with if you need to use it at night!

A plumbed-in sea toilet is located beneath the centre of the bed

Exterior

In common with most Scandinavian boats, the cockpit is deemed the living space, which is why the compact galley (a fridge and a sink) is up here rather than down below. The double helm is opposite and there’s a swinging backrest allowing this seating area to join the sociable U-shaped settees aft.

The fact that the 68DC is outboard-powered means this area reaches almost all the way to the back of the boat, so a sunpad over the engine space is not required. The canopy stows neatly into the transom area, making it quick and easy to deploy.

Performance

Expect Yamaha outboards from 115hp to 250hp. This one has the top-rated 250hp unit for a 40-knot top end.

A wraparound seating zone with compact wet bar creates a very sociable day space

Seakeeping

Back to where we came in, this might not technically be a Scandinavian boat, but it exhibits the superior seakeeping you would expect of a boat from this region.

Specifications

LOA: 22ft 4in (6.8m)
Beam: 8ft 2in (2.5m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1m)
Displacement: 1.8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 190 litres
Engine: Yamaha F250 250hp petrol engine
Location: Torquay
Contact: One Marine

First published in the December 2023 issue of MBY.

This article Best cuddy cabin boats: 4 surprisingly cool options on the used market appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In build: 2010 – current
Price range: £200,000 – £330,000

Surprisingly, many used boats are offered for sale without the degree of preparation most prospective purchasers would reasonably expect. Unpolished hulls, scruffy covers and unloved interiors are all far too common in a marketplace where the asking price is often in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

But not so in the case of the Sargo 31 Explorer featured here, a 2020 model with just 80 hours on the clock, being offered by Sargo Boats UK’s sister company, Marco Marine based in Hamble Point.

From its Coppercoated hull, polished prop, freshly antifouled outdrive and stern thrusters to its gleaming anthracite-coloured hull and an interior featuring, among other things, a dining table you would happily eat your dinner off without plates, this boat is in tip-top condition throughout, which is as it should be given its £300,000 (VAT paid) price tag.

MBY has featured a run of used boats from the Nordic region this year (the Nimbus 335 Coupe and Grandezza 34 OC being two other recent examples), and this month the spotlight falls on another quality product from Europe’s northernmost outpost.

In the case of Sargo, home is the Finnish town of Kokkola. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Bothnia around 500 kilometres north of Helsinki, this is where carpenter Edy Sarin began building boats back in 1967.

Today, run by Edy’s three sons and a daughter, Sarins Båtar offers a range of 11 boats including five Sargo Explorers with lengths of 28, 31, 33, 36 and 45ft. Unsurprisingly, given where they come from, Sargo Explorers are built to cope with whatever the weather decides to hurl at them.

Article continues below…

Sargo 33 used boat report: This all-weather boat is like a rough, tough Tonka Toy

Owner’s upgrade: Why upsizing to my 32ft boat wasn’t all plain sailing

That means a robust, ruggedly constructed deep vee planing hull topped by a super-solid pilothouse that’s cosy in winter but incorporates two full-height sliding doors which help keep it cool in summer.

Those doors are also a boon to single-handed operation, which again dovetails into the Nordic way of life as many Finns use their boats for commuting to work. According to Sargo Boats UK’s Richard Poulson, Sargo’s all-weather nature is also a big plus point for UK buyers.

“We’re finding that people are buying them so they can use them all year round,” he confirms. “Often it’s people who have had boats for a long time coming back down the boating scale. They just want something that’s safe, easy to use, still has a turn of speed, and is reliable.

Boats built before 2018 have an aft-facing cockpit bench recessed into the wheelhouse

“We also have buyers who are looking for something that’s safe for their kids or grandchildren. But the common factor is that they use their boat year round. Money’s obviously tight and they don’t want to have a boat they can only use in the summer.”

Ben Allen, who owns a similar Sargo 31 Explorer to the one featured here and is currently in the process of trading up to a Sargo 36, agrees: “It’s a robust boat that looks after you in rough weather,” he says.

“I did a huge number of hours in my Sargo 31, around 100 a year, so was using the boat all year round. In fact, my favourite ever trip in it was out to Newtown Creek in the Solent in February in the snow. The heating was on and it was completely comfortable – and I was the only boat in the creek!”

Sargo 31 Explorer interior: A safe place

Safety is another word associated with Sargo and we can see why – the Sargo 31 has some of the best walkaround decks in a boat of this size.

Later boats have a longer wheelhouse with a smaller bench seat and an aft door

There’s plenty of width, the bulwarks are around thigh-high and the guardrails (finished in powder-coated black as standard with chrome as an option) are far sturdier than the 22mm gauge ones commonly used by boatbuilders.

But, of course, this super-safe approach means compromises elsewhere and that comes in the width of the pilothouse, which is on the snug side for a craft of this size.

While there is little Sargo could do to address the width issue, it did increase the volume of the superstructure in 2018 when it introduced its current generation of 31s. It did this by extending the length of the pilothouse further aft and adding a door into the cockpit.

The wheel and lower dashboard tilts for more comfortable driving when seated

“That saw the boat’s popularity suddenly grow massively,” comments Richard Poulson. “They also use CAD [computer-aided design] to make the most of the space inside the boat.

“The 31s have got two cabins, and in the saloon area you can drop the table to form another double if you want. You get a full galley as well, which is extremely well appointed for a boat of this size.”

There’s no denying the galley is a tour de force, not just in terms of what it offers – a three-burner hob, one-and-a-half bowl sink, oven, fridge and a decent amount of storage space in the case of our review boat – but also with regard to its build quality.

Comprehensive galley is hidden under a wooden worktop when not in use

From the heavy duty wood and metal units to the beautifully crafted woodwork of the worktop, which lifts up on gas struts to reveal the hob and sink, the finish and attention to detail here is deeply impressive.

Quality throughout

Opposite the galley is the dinette, where the quality theme continues. Its sturdy wooden table is surrounded on three sides by faux suede-covered seating with enough room to comfortably accommodate four adults.

When converting to an extra berth the table lowers on a heavy duty electrically operated leg originally designed for outdoor use. The backrest of the dinette’s forward seat also flips over to create a forward-facing navigator’s seat when under way, while the rear seat hinges upwards to provide access to the boat’s second cabin.

Second cabin is accessed through a lift-up cushion at the aft end of the dinette

Across from the dinette, the helm station is an exercise in neat-and-tidy Nordic functionality. It’s ergonomic too, for not only does the single bolstered seat slide backwards and forwards but the entire panel housing the wheel, throttle and key controls tilts up and down so that they are equally comfortable to use when standing or seated.

To the left of the helm, the companionway has bifold doors and a bifold wooden hatch that when closed creates a natural place to lay out charts. Further to port, another section of the worktop hinges up to reveal a storage locker large enough to stow large format Admiralty charts and other bits and bobs.

Sargo’s designers have even found space to fit a drop-down TV, phone storage container and a pair of drinks holders into the helm area as well. Accessing the owner’s cabin and the heads is a matter of unfolding the companionway’s doors and hatch and descending two steps to a small lobby with a storage locker to port.

Forward vee berth can be filled in to create a good-sized double berth

To starboard is the heads, a compact wet room with a toilet and a washbasin with a pull-out showerhead tap. The primary cabin is in the bow and features modest storage and a vee-berth with an infill to make a double.

As mentioned earlier, entry to the second cabin is underneath the rear dinette seat, which tilts forward to reveal three steps down into a space which, somewhat surprisingly, is large enough to accommodate a full size double bed.

There’s not a huge amount of headroom down here but who’s complaining in a boat this size? And so to power and performance. Various propulsion options – single Volvo Penta D6s or twin D4s – have been offered on the Sargo 31 Explorer over the years.

Single or twin sterndrives allow you to choose your preferred balance of performance, efficiency and redundancy

Our review boat was equipped with a single D6 sterndrive rated at 400hp. To help with manoeuvrability, the boat has a bow thruster and locally fitted twin stern thrusters, one either side of the outdrive.

Ben Allen opted for the more powerful 440hp D6 variant in his Sargo 31: “It’s quick,” he says. “It tops out at around 38 knots, which is good fun because people don’t expect a boat that looks like that to go so fast!

“The seakeeping is really good too. It’s sporty – you can really crank it over. On full lock you end up looking through the window in the roof – that’s how much it leans – it just grips and turns and off you go!”

The backrest of the dinette flips over to create a forward-facing navigator’s bench

Sargo 31 Explorer: Our verdict

In common with its rivals, which include the Botnia Targa 32 and Nord Star 31+, the Sargo 31 Explorer offers a lot of performance and practicality in a relatively compact and extremely capable package.

It has the ability to go almost anywhere at any time of year, transporting its passengers safely and comfortably even in conditions other boat owners might baulk at.

Sargo has also done a fine job of overcoming the size limitations of a relatively narrow pilothouse, so as long as you don’t expect Princess levels of space and luxury, potential buyers will find plenty to justify our review boat’s £300k price tag.

Sargo 31 Explorer specifications

Type: Pilothouse cruiser
Designer: Sarins Båtar Oy Ab
Hull type: Deep V planing
RCD category: B
LOA 32ft 8in (9.96m)
Beam: 10ft 10in (3.3m)
Draft: 3ft 5in (1.05m)
Air draft: 4.05m or 3.25m with folding arch and radar fitted
Displacement: 5.1 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 500 litres
Water capacity: 120 litres
Top speed: 38 knots (440hp engine)
Fuel economy: 2 litres per nm @ 27.1 knots (440hp engine)
Range: 200nm @ 27.1 kn with 20% reserve (440hp engine)

COSTS & OPTIONS

Annual fuel burn: 1,458 litres (based on 25 hours at 27.1 kn and 25 hours at 5.9 kn)
Mooring: £7,100 for an annual marina mooring on the Hamble River downstream of Bursledon bridge (based on £710 per metre)

Surveyor’s report

Sargo has carved out an impressive reputation with its no-nonsense, heavily built range of pilothouse boats and the Sargo 31 Explorer has no trouble living up to it. The example I surveyed was a total pleasure for me to dig deep into the build, both as a surveyor and as a professional seafarer.

The finish, even in hidden areas, and the attention to detail was very impressive. The sea trial was also an absolute joy and I am confident it will prove a lot of fun for any new owner, whether pottering or undertaking a cross-Channel dash in a blow.

The one I viewed was fitted with twin Volvo Penta D4 300s and reached a maximum speed of 37 knots, with fast cruising of 25 knots at 2,500rpm in a choppy sea. The hull form is quite deep vee and the twin outdrives provided speed and stability with the handling of a sportsboat.

Safe walkaround decks with high gunwales and handholds are a major hallmark of this boat and provide a reassuring feel for all on board. Given the solid build quality and limited availability, prices are likely to remain high. Points to note when considering buying:

• Given the bulletproof feel of the boat, there is a risk of over-exuberant use by unsympathetic owners so inspect deck/superstructure radii for stress cracking from heavy pounding in a seaway. Likewise the window rebates and cockpit/deck joints.
• Check the Volvo servicing history, not forgetting heat exchanger cleaning and crankcase breather filters. A thorough sea trial should highlight potential issues here.
• Duoprop outdrives require strict maintenance routines, so check all service records and anode wastage rates.
• Ensure all the opening door, window and hatch slides and seals are clean and well lubricated to ensure ease of use.

These are robust and powerful fast cruising boats. Provided you find a good example, and you are happy with an outdrive driven boat, you are likely to be delighted with its feel on the water.

– Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

What’s on the market?

Price: £300,000
Date: 2020
Engines: 1 x Volvo Penta D6 400hp
Lying: Hamble Point
Contact: Marco Marine

Price: £229,000
Date: 2015
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D4 300hp
Lying: Falmouth
Contact: Red Ensign

First published in the November 2023 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Sargo 31 Explorer used boat report: A compact and comfortable go-anywhere cruiser appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Neighbours of mine have possibly the most beautiful 1960s Porsche 911 I’ve ever seen. Period-perfect details include the Fuchs alloys it sits on, the delicate chromed vents in the front, the chrome overriders on the rear bumper and the twin stainless steel exhausts jetting out of the centre of the rear.

Inside there is beautiful chequered upholstery and a period-appropriate three-spoke Momo-style steering wheel. But what’s really interesting is that it’s not a Sixties car at all, it’s a Nineties 964 version 911 and that means that it drives like a far more modern car and has such modern niceties as heated seats and air conditioning.

The result is all the style of the Sixties era but with the comfort and dynamics of a far more modern car. And it’s a combination that isn’t exclusive to the automotive industry. Here are three beautifully retro-styled vessels that evoke times past, plus one genuine classic for those who really do insist upon the real deal.

Supermarine Spearfish 32

Built: 2021
Price: £258,000

If you want authenticity to go with your retro-styled boat then you’ve come to the right place. The Spearfish name dates back to the late 1960s when Fairey Marine commissioned Alan Burnard to come up with a GRP boat that followed the concept of its ‘instant classics’ Swordsman and Huntsman.

The Spearfish 30 was born, plus a military version called the Spear. Northshore, in Chichester, builds the current version utilising the original Spearfish 30 mould tools.

Interior

In the same vein as those early boats, this is a vessel designed from the outside in. Make the boat look great (and it really does look great) and fit out whatever is inside as a cabin, a far cry from the modern concept of making a huge cabin and then trying to style a boat around it.

As a result there is no mid cabin, just a converting dinette in the forepeak and a galley opposite the heads. It is beautifully executed, with a clean modern aesthetic that makes the most of the space.

Space below is limited but what there is has been beautifully designed and executed

Exterior

That no-compromise philosophy results in arguably the best looking circa 30ft boat on the water. It absolutely nails the classic Fairey vibe with its rounded heavily flared bow, low coachroof and beautiful curve of stainless steel windscreen frame, topped with a radar wing supported by pale grey spars.

Lack of a mid cabin means that the cockpit sole is sat deep into the hull, lowering the centre of gravity as well as maintaining the low profile look. Three SHOX 6300 shock absorbing helm seats dominate the forward section of the cockpit with a dinette aft ahead of two long sunloungers that stretch out to the transom.

Performance

Twin Mercruiser TDI 4.2L V8 diesels produce 370hp apiece, giving strong acceleration – 3,200rpm is a 30 knot canter and 4,200rpm a 46 knot flat-out blast!

Modern navigation equipment and suspension seats make it fast, comfortable and fun

Seakeeping

We tested this boat in a choppy Solent, finding it “genuinely more comfortable at higher speeds, when the hull fell into step with the rhythm of the crests, nonchalantly ironing them out,” concluding that, “In the Spearfish 32, the legend lives on.”

Specifications

Length: 35ft 2in (11m)
Beam: 9ft 8in (3m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.8m)
Displacement: 4.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 600 litres
Engines: Twin Mercruiser TDI 4.2L V8 370hp diesel engines
Location: Chichester
Contact: Supermarine Motor Yachts Ltd

Article continues below…

Spirit P70 test drive: This British beauty is more than worth the wait

Secondhand boat buyers’ guide: 4 of the best practical classics for sale

Spirit P40 2+2

Built: 2016
Price: £580,000

If you’ve seen either of the James Bond films Casino Royale or the (treacherous) No Time To Die, you’ll have seen a Spirit yacht in action. It’s what the movie producers put Daniel Craig aboard when they wanted to place the world’s classiest secret agent in the nautical equivalent of his classic Aston Martins.

Perhaps best known for its classically styled wood epoxy sailing yachts, the Suffolk-based boat builder also produces a handful of wooden motor launches and cruisers, the largest of which is the utterly beautiful Spirit P70. And a little further down the range, this Spirit P40 is another exquisite example of master craftsmanship.

Interior

Intriguingly, the P40 is an open cockpit sportscruiser with a single wood-framed ensuite owner’s cabin beneath the foredeck. Intriguing because that’s clearly not what you are looking at here.

This ‘2+2’ version was built for an owner who wanted more weather protection. So the owner’s cabin beneath the foredeck remains, but instead of the open cockpit, this particular boat has a ‘summer house’, an enclosed deck saloon with a small galley area just aft of the central helm position and then two settees running along either side.

Now that is what an owner’s cabin on all wooden motor yachts should look like!

Exterior

The result of the ‘summer house’ is to put most of the usually outside areas inside, making this a true all-year-round proposition. There is, however, an aft deck outside, and of course the fabulous looking flat topped flush foredeck. The hull retains its magnificent bow flare and unusual vertically stowed Ultra anchor.

Performance

Epoxy wood sounds heavy but is surprisingly light, which is why this boat weighs the same as the considerably smaller Supermarine Spearfish 32. And although not as fast, it still manages a commendable 35 knots from far smaller 260hp Yanmar diesels running through sterndrives.

The deck saloon ‘summer house’ is finished to the same exquisite standards as the hull

Seakeeping

A true planing lightweight hull and a narrow beam (the Spirit P40 is actually narrower than the Spearfish) combine with outdrives to give lively performance very much in
the ethos of the gentleman’s sports yacht conception.

Specifications

Length: 40ft 4in (12.3m)
Beam: 9ft 6in (2.9m)
Draft: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 4.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 700 litres
Engines: Twin Yanmar 260hp diesel engines
Location: UK
Contact: Sandeman

Duchy 35

Built: 2019
Price: £630,000 (ex. VAT)

Visit Cockwells in Cornwall and you’re likely to find founder and managing director Dave Cockwell in overalls in the factory helping to build some of the finest custom made boats in the country. He is a proper boat builder and he builds proper boats, from one-off superyacht tenders to private yacht commissions.

A few years ago the company started producing a series production boat called the Duchy 27 which could be built on spec rather than requiring a firm order. So successful was it that a larger version was launched in 2017, the Duchy 35.

Interior

Two layout options were offered, either two cabins, each with a double berth, plus the heads on the lower deck and the galley in the saloon, or this version, which has a single cabin forward and the galley on the lower deck, clearing the saloon for seating, dining and of course the helm.

And it’s at the helm where you realise that behind the classic lines lies bang-up-to-date engineering. The entire switching for the boat, for example, is handled by an Empress Canbus system, so everything from fuel levels to lighting can be monitored or switched from one of the two Raymarine screens at the helm.

This particular boat also sports full air conditioning, a Seakeeper stabiliser and solar panels.

Galley down layout frees up the wheelhouse for a pair of long sofas and a dining table

Exterior

The hull was originally created in wood as a plug for the mould from which the GRP hulls are formed. It’s an extremely easy boat to access and work, with doors everywhere – a transom door, side door from cockpit to side deck, saloon doors that bifold against the sides and a further door next to the helm. This particular boat has polished wooden cabin sides too.

Performance

Standard engines are a pair of 270hp Nanni diesels on shaft drive which gave 26 knots when we tested the first boat. This particular example has the upgraded 350hp motors which should nudge 30 knots.

Wonderfully sociable cockpit is perfect for picnics at anchor with the Seakeeper running

Seakeeping

We tested this boat in near gale force winds and discovered that the semi-displacement hull gave the wipers a workout but delivered a rock solid and ultra confident ride.

Specifications

Length: 38ft 0in (11.5m)
Beam: 12ft 6in (3.8m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.8m)
Displacement: 8.8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 600 litres
Engines: Twin Nanni T8V350 350hp diesel engines
Location: Guernsey
Contact: Cockwells

Thornycroft Battle Class

Built: 1944
Price: £199,999

There are, of course, two ways of getting a retro-styled boat with facilities more modern than the exterior might have you believe. The first, as demonstrated above, is to build a modern boat with retro styling, but the second, as evidenced here, is to start with an old boat and add some modern comforts.

This particular vessel started life as one of 14 Battlefield Class high-speed target towing launches built by Thornycroft for the MOD in 1944 and is believed to be the only seagoing vessel left of her class.

There is some incredible history behind this boat from her service days with the Royal Army Service Corp as well as her time in commercial use as a survey vessel when she surveyed the sea floor for the Channel Tunnel.

Interior

The interior is where the biggest changes have been made, transforming what was once a utilitarian working ship into something far more cosy and comfortable.

So there’s now a large air conditioned saloon aft, a galley equipped with mod cons such as a dishwasher, and six berths in three cabins, including a huge owner’s cabin complete with ensuite – luxuries that those crewing her around the end of World War Two could barely have dreamt of.

Saloon now boasts unheard of luxuries for a former MOD high-speed target towing craft

Exterior

Sensibly, the exterior has been left very traditional – surely the point of a classic boat like this. Diagonal wooden planking is clearly evident in the topsides, protected by a heavy duty mahogany rubbing strake. A flybridge with repeater engine controls and wheel has been added so sympathetically that you’d think it was original.

Performance

Rolls-Royce supercharged C6SFLM diesel engines on shafts with hydraulic Self-Change gearboxes were apparently rebuilt by Perkins prior to sale in 1994 and give an 8-10 knot cruising speed with a maximum speed of about 14 knots.

The mix of old and new works surprisingly well in the revamped wheelhouse

Seakeeping

At nearly 70ft long and built out of wood with an eye for strength over performance, it’s fair to expect seakeeping to be every bit as stately as the rest of this fine ship.

Specifications

Length: 69ft 0in (21m)
Beam: 15ft 8in (4.8m)
Draft: 4ft 7in (1.4m)
Displacement: 36 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 19,000 litres
Engines: Twin Rolls Royce supercharged C6SFLM diesel inboard engines
Location: Kent
Contact: Waterside Boat Sales

First published in the November 2023 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Best retro boats: 4 appealingly old fashioned options available on the used market appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In build: 2008 – 2023
Price range: £100,000 – £260,000

Whether driven by science, legislation or the court of public opinion, the spectacle of corporations scrambling onto the sustainability bandwagon has become part and parcel of life today.

At the top end of the scale are the titans who drive new technology like Elon Musk, while at the low end come the virtue signallers who do little but blurt out toe-curling platitudes: “Our amazing people proudly pledge to protect the planet,” you know the kind of thing.

But somewhere in the middle are the canny operators, those who seize the moment by running with here and now solutions backed up by headline-grabbing marketing. Firmly cemented into this latter category is Greenline Yachts, whose 33ft motor cruiser we review here.

Greenline Yachts was created in 2008 by J&J Design, a Slovenian firm credited with more than 300 designs for 55 boat builders around the world.

Described as “a new range of environmentally sustainable, comfortable boats of unbeatable convenience and value,” it didn’t take long for the Greenline 33 Hybrid to make a splash – according to J&J Design, the model became the world’s best selling 10m boat, winning 21 Boat of the Year or design awards in the process.

In total, 550 examples were delivered to customers in 28 countries before production of the 33 ceased in early 2023, by which time the Greenline brand had been sold on to another Slovenian corporation, SVP Yachts.

Article continues below…

Bavaria S33 HT used boat report: Tardis-like sportscruiser boasts options aplenty

Best hybrid diesel electric boats: The best of both worlds?

A major head-turner for Greenline was its adoption of the word ‘hybrid’. Emblazoned on the side of the Greenline 33 and promoted at every given opportunity, the company developed something of a reputation as an environmental pioneer.

The irony is that not every Greenline 33 Hybrid is a hybrid boat, as the electric motor and battery pack were an optional extra rather than part of the standard specification. It was more a case that the vessel was hybrid ready rather than hybrid equipped.

Specifying the boat with just a diesel engine was, in fact, a route chosen by many when they discovered the additional cost of the 7kW electric motor and 48V/240Ah lithium polymer battery bank needed to transform the 33 into a diesel-electric hybrid boat (£23,500 plus another £7,673 for the solar panels on the roof back in 2010).

Roof mounted solar panels were an option when new to boost the range of the diesel/electric hybrid model. Photo: Beken of Cowes

If you did go for the full hybrid package when new this would give you a claimed 20nm range at 4 knots under electric power alone (longer with the solar panels), although older used examples are unlikely to match that now due to gradual battery degradation.

In solus diesel format Greenline offered a wide choice of options spanning the 60hp to 260hp range from manufacturers including Volvo Penta, Volkswagen and Nanni. Among the owners electing to tread the diesel-only path were Martin and Shân Alexander, who purchased their Greenline 33 new in 2011.

Eco economy

“We opted for a Nanni 60hp propulsion unit as we were looking for something economical,” says Martin. To prove the point, throughout the 12 years he and Shân have owned the boat, Martin has kept a detailed fuel log. “Over the course of 925 engine hours our average fuel burn has been 5.7 litres per hour,” he says.

Single 60hp Nanni engine is located in an insulated well under the saloon floor

With a maximum speed of 10 knots and a cruising speed of 8 knots, Martin and Shân’s Greenline 33 was never going to go anywhere in a hurry but as sailors of more than 30 years standing, that wasn’t an issue.

“We wanted to explore new waters like the European canals, so we needed something without a mast,” explains Martin. “The 33 is an RCD Category B boat, so she’s perfectly happy offshore – she crossed the English Channel and made two long trips in France.

In our original test of a Greenline 33, our writer noted the boat’s “superdisplacement” hull (as Greenline tags it) has something of the sailboat about it, being very efficient but having a gentle rolling motion in any kind of beam sea.

Two wing keels are fitted to aid stability, which help but don’t stop it entirely. But that, of course was never going to bother an experienced sailor and Martin never even mentioned it.

“We did encounter some pretty lumpy times, particularly around Boulogne, but she coped with it well,” he says. “The sea state was more of an issue for us than wind; if the waves exceeded 1.5m, we wouldn’t go out.”

In addition to their French excursions and coastal boating from their Ocean Village, Southampton base, Martin and Shân undertook two lengthy stints on the Thames.

Sliding glass door and a lift-up window create a big opening between cockpit and saloon

These journeys entailed living aboard for extended periods of time, something which Martin and Shân took in their stride: “We’d take the boat away for two months in the summer and always found her extremely comfortable,” says Martin.

Make do and modify

With those long treks in mind, the couple specified their Greenline 33 accordingly. Together with that Nanni engine and its miserly fuel consumption, Martin and Shân opted for storage units and a television platform in the saloon rather than a second cabin, which we are advised would have been fairly small in any case.

Also declined was the option of a drop down dining table and fold out settee bed in favour of fixed units. The result is a boat ideally configured for a couple, but which could stretch to sleeping four, with two guests on the settees.

The airy deck-level saloon is perfect for low speed cruising on coastal or inland waters

While all-round visibility in the Greenline 33 saloon is excellent, opening sections are restricted to two small sliding windows, one to port and one to starboard, plus a centre opening windscreen.

This could result in a somewhat stuffy environment were it not for the sliding rear door and huge glazing panel aft of the galley which hinges up and stows at roof level.

Another neat trick is that once the rear window is raised, an extension to the galley worktop flips down to create extra workspace or a servery area for the aft cockpit. “That window was a big feature for me,” says Shân.

Aft galley has a folding worktop extension that creates a small cockpit bar/servery

“It opens up like a sort of ice cream shop and connects the galley to the cockpit – you become part of the party rather than being tucked away in a little galley.”

In fact, for a boat of its size the galley in the Greenline 33 is not small at all; it’s a generously proportioned, well equipped area with plenty of storage space. Adjoining both the cockpit and the saloon’s dinette makes it an extremely practical space whatever the weather.

Seated helm only

There’s no complaints with the rest of the saloon either; the settees are both large and well upholstered, the dining table has two leaves which enable it to be used from either settee, and the helm is cleanly laid out and functional.

The helm enjoys excellent visibility all round but there is no seat adjustment

Two points to note are that there’s no bolster at the helm, as its two-person seat flips over to form part of the starboard side settee, and it’s a seated helm only as there’s little room for standing between the helm seat and the wheel.

Our main grumble inside the pilothouse is access to the engine, which lives beneath a large hatch under the dining table. To reach the motor it’s necessary to peel back the carpets and remove the cushions from the starboard settee before hinging the dining table over until it rests on the settee base.

While there’s bags of room inside the engine room for maintenance purposes, especially with the compact 60hp Nanni unit, it’s a bit of a palaver from a daily checks point of view.

The scissor action berths push together to become a king-size island double berth

Below decks the single cabin in the forepeak is an excellent space which can be used either as a vee berth or, by scissoring the two beds together, a double with a king size bed.

There’s storage on either side of the cabin, including two large hanging garment lockers, and lights on three sides add to the general bright and breezy feel of the boat. The single heads has Jack and Jill doors, enabling it to be used either as an ensuite or day heads.

Super-safe side decks

Back outside, the aft cockpit has two large stowage lockers in the floor and two corner seats/storage units. No other furniture is provided, meaning a free standing table and chairs would be required for al fresco dining.

The two-person helm bench folds over to become part of the dinette seating

For anyone wishing to swim, or step off the stern onto a pontoon, the transom folds down flat courtesy of an electronic winch to become a bathing platform. Alternatively, there’s a side entranceway on the starboard side of the cockpit, although nothing to port.

A final appealing aspect of the Greenline 33 is its super-safe side decks with bulwarks that extend to near waist high. As Shân pointed out, that makes ropework easy: “I’ve got two hands free to hand the line to someone, it really works well and you feel very safe,” she says.

In summary, the Greenline 33 is an interesting proposition for anyone looking for a boat that’s equally at home in coastal waters or gliding through the rivers and canals of Europe.

Ensuite heads compartment/shower room has dual access to the companionway

It provides comfortable accommodation in a competitively priced package equipped throughout with decent quality fixtures and fittings. And there’s one last thing too; at just 9.99m long it’s a boat which can be quickly and relatively economically transported from one cruising ground to another.

Greenline 33 surveyor’s report

Collaboration between Seaway, J&J Designs and Volkswagen has resulted in a boat with a difference. Options of diesel only or a hybrid version with a VW diesel engine and a 7kW motor/5kW generator, plus lithium ion batteries and conventional AGM lead acid batteries, create a versatile vessel with a comfy cruising speed of about 10-12 knots, or 6 knots under electric power.

Maximum range is reputed to be 700nm in diesel mode. Solid hull lay-up with polyester resin, foam cored decks and vacuum infusion means good build consistency, with no risk of core delamination. The interior finish is relatively basic but sound enough and easy to look after.

Points to consider when buying:

• If opting for a hybrid, ensure that the battery still holds a decent charge and you have a suitably qualified engineer to maintain all the equipment.n As with all boats the service history should be checked thoroughly whichever engine or drive system is fitted.
• Keep an eye out for any signs of cracking around the mullions for the windscreen and side windows.
• With a single engine, a shallow draft and high topsides, this boat needs getting used to when manoeuvring at close quarters. A bow thruster was standard but a stern thruster was an option so check whether the boat you are looking at has one and ensure these are operating on sea trial.
• Check the bow thruster compartment for evidence of excessive carbon deposits.

– Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

Basic helm station has room for a larger MFD. Bow and stern thruster help with docking

Greenline 33 specifications

LOA: 32ft 9in (9.99m)
Beam: 11ft 5in (3.49m)
Draft: 2ft 4in (0.70m)
Fuel capacity: 430 litres
Water capacity: 300 litres
Engine: 60hp Nanni
Max speed: 8 knots
Cruising range: Up to 491nm at 7 knots (based on owner’s average fuel burn of 5.7lph)
Type: River and coastal cruiser
Designer: J&J Designs
Hull type: Fast displacement
RCD category: B

Greenline 33 running costs

Annual fuel burn: 285 litres (based on 25 hours at 8 knots and 25 hours at 6 knots)
Mooring: £7,092 (based on £710 per m, annual marina mooring on the Hamble River downstream of Bursledon bridge)

What’s on the market?

Price: £114,950
Date: 2011
Engine: Nanni 60hp
Lying: Swanwick
Contact: www.clippermarine.co.uk

Price: £149,950
Date: 2014
Engine: Mercury VW 150hp
Lying: Chertsey
Contact: www.tbsboats.com

Price: €245,000
Date: 2021
Engine: Volvo Penta D3 175hp
Lying: Slovenia
Contact: www.atal.si

First published in the October 2023 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Greenline 33 used boat report: The pioneering hybrid boat still making waves 15 years on appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

While prices seem broadly steady, it is beginning to feel like a little more choice at least is beginning to creep into the used boat market. Where 12 months ago most of the good stuff was sold before it even got as far as broker’s websites, there is now more of a selection to choose from, which is good news for buyers and for anyone writing a used boat column.

What it means in particular is that we’ve been able to bring you a really interesting and varied selection for your delectation this month. Your £100,000 will put you behind the wheel of one of the best built and best-handling driving machines on the water, or at the helm of a mid-40ft Princess cruiser with home-from-home accommodation.

Or perhaps you’d opt for the brilliantly practical hard top Grandezza or the quirky but intriguing Nimbus 380 Commander? You pays your money and you gets plenty of choice.

4 of the best boats under £100,000

Grandezza 27OC

Built: 2012
Price: £89,950

Finnish company Grandezza makes two versions of this boat (to be precise, they currently make two versions of the 28, but it’s basically an upgrade of this 27 model).

There’s an open version with removable canopies over the cockpit, known as the 27DC and this, the enclosed (albeit open-backed) hardtop version known as the Grandezza 27OC. And it’s this version in particular that lends itself so very well to the British climate.

Interior

The lower deck of the 27 (in open or hardtop version) is a simple, cosy and nicely finished affair. Open plan, it sports a pair of double berths, one in the forepeak offset to port and another further aft that runs back beneath the cockpit.

It’s unusual in that most four-berth sub-30 footers require at least one bed to convert from seating but these are both permanent (as well as a small separate settee). There’s also a compact but perfectly functional heads down here.

Permanent double berth foward is unusual on a boat of this size and style

Exterior

Those two permanent doubles are made possible by putting all of the living accommodation on the main deck in the cockpit, but sheltered by that hardtop. So the galley is to starboard behind a single seat alongside the helm, and the helm itself features a double seat with a small settee behind it facing aft across a table to a larger settee.

This starboard area is raised, which gives a better view, but also more headroom for the bed beneath it. All of this is protected by that hardtop which arches right back to the transom. And by giving that such a big roof, it’s created space for a pretty decent sliding opening section above the helm.

Performance

Grandezza offered various options, from a 320hp V8 petrol through three Volvo Penta diesel engines of 220hp, 260hp or 300hp. All are single installations mated to a sterndrive.

We tested this boat in the beautiful Finnish archipelago with the same specification mid-range D4-260 that this boat has, and it ran surprisingly well, giving us 34 knots flat-out which means that even with a bit of age and growth, 30 knots should still be on the cards.

Covered cockpit can be used all year round and is both practical and smartly finished

Seakeeping

We also discovered that it was blesssed with a comfortable ride, sure-footed handling and a very sheltered helm position.

Specifications

LOA: 27ft 2in (8.3m)
Beam: 9ft 3in (2.8m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 3.3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 265 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D4-260 260hp diesel engine
Location: Southampton
Contact: Approved Boats

Article continues below…

Best boats around £150k: Our pick of the secondhand market

Secondhand boat buyers’ guide: 4 of the best boats for sale for under £80,000

Princess 435

Built: 1991
Price: £99,950

Launched in 1987, the 435 is a rare beast, an aft cabin Princess that offers accommodation the full length of the boat. It wasn’t the first, it followed the Princess 414 (1981-1987) that evolved from the 41 (1977-1982), but it was the last.

When production ceased in 1992 it bought to a close a 15-year unbroken run of aft cabin models from what was then known as Marine Projects. The yard has never revisited the idea since.

Interior

That aft cabin layout is key because it creates space for a huge square owner’s cabin right at the back of the boat complete, of course, with its own en suite. Steps lead up forward to the main deck with a sizeable saloon, featuring a C-shaped seating area opposite a sideboard plus a lower helm – then further steps drop you down to the forward lower deck.

The galley was always placed to port, but opposite there was the option of either a dinette or a third cabin. The dinette of this boat is the preferred option as it opens this area out and can always be used for sleeping if required. Finally, cabin two is in the bow with its central island bed and en suite access to the day head.

The aft cabin is a wonderfully private space with its own en suite bathroom

Exterior

While its predecessors had been John Bennett designs, Bernard Olesinski designed this one, having started penning Princesses just a few years earlier.

That aft cabin layout means a raised aft deck instead of a cockpit, but that does put it closer to the flybridge, meaning moulded stairs rather than the ladder that most flybridge boats of this era got. There are some neat design flourishes too, like the strakes around the aft cabin windows – very 1980s Ferrari Testarossa.

Performance

Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 61 306hp engines were standard, an upgrade to TAMD 71s an option. Originally these were 71A at 358hp but later boats (like this one) got the 380hp 71B motors for a top speed approaching 30 knots.

The galley is on the lower deck but so is the dinette, leaving the saloon free for lounging

Seakeeping

Big boat, shaft drive and an Olesinski hull is now a proven formula, and it gained that reputation on the backs of solid performers like this boat.

Specifications

LOA: 41ft 9in (12.7m)
Beam: 13ft 11in (4.2m)
Draft: 3ft 5in (1.1m)
Displacement: 10 tonnes Fuel capacity: 1,364 litres
Engines: Volvo Penta TAMD 71B 380hp diesel engines
Location: Plymouth
Contact: Ancasta

Windy 28 Ghibli

Built: 2008
Price: £92,500

When I was looking to buy my last boat, the one I wanted – really wanted – was a Windy 28 Ghibli, and six years later I still get slightly unnecessary when I see one. It’s a winning combination of looks, Scandinavian build quality, legendary seakeeping and very strong performance.

Interior

First the bad news. Although it’s nearly 30ft long, this is still very much a cuddy cabin boat. Forget mid cabins and standing headroom, what you get down here is a V-shaped dinette with a table that drops, allowing infills to make up a double, and a heads that you need to reverse into to sit down.

There’s also a small galley area. What it is, however, is beautifully trimmed with some great details like the embossed star in the deeply lacquered table.

The cabin is tight but nicely finished and comfortable enough for weekending

Exterior

And now the good news. Since the cabin is so compact, it leaves the rest of the boat (perhaps 70% of the length) as a huge and comfortable outdoor space.

Helm and navigator seats sit deep, protected by a beautiful stainless steel rimmed wrap-around windscreen complete with trademark inner grab rail, while the centre of the cockpit is a comfortable lounging area around another (detachable) table.

Finally, a sunpad stretches back across the engine space with a walkway next to it to create an easy stroll to the bathing platform. A lack of side decks maximises space and the boat’s low profile might not do much for headroom but pays dividends for the boat’s looks – low, sleek and beautiful.

Performance

The majority of 28 Ghiblis are single-engine, most notably the KAD 44/300 series giving 260/285hp. When the D series engines came on stream, the D4-260 was available but most single engine customers opted for D6 350 and 370 motors.

Twin engines were also on the options list, initially a pair of D3 160s but later twin engine boats (including this one) had D3-190 diesels, which give well over 40 knots but also a very efficient 42 litres per hour at about 30 knots – both a corollary of its low profile, narrow beam and easily driven hull.

Driver-focussed helm and big open cockpit make this ideal for sunny days at sea

Seakeeping

Legendary. A Hans J Johnsen hull like most Windy boats of this era, it’s a boat designed not to need to slow down when the sea gets up.

Specifications

LOA: 27ft 9in (8.5m)
Beam: 8ft 10in (2.7m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.8m)
Displacement: 2.7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 375 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D3-190 190hp diesel engines
Location: Lymington
Contact: Berthon International

Nimbus 380 Commander

Built: 2001
Price: £105,000

The Nimbus 380 Commander is a (very) gentle evolution of the 370 Commander, the key visual difference being the far chunkier bathing platform of the newer model.

Beyond that and a few other tweaks, this is the same quirky lovable pilothouse cruiser we know and love – almost a cut-price Fleming in terms of the layout (although that sells it short as the Nimbus is a fine quality boat in its own right).

Interior

It’s inside where it earns its ‘quirky’ spurs because this is a layout unlike almost any other (except the aforementioned, far larger, far more expensive Fleming).

Enter the saloon through the aft doors and you’ll actually have to step down a couple of rungs despite this being ostensibly the main deck. There’s a dinette to port with a table that halves in size and lowers to turn this into a lounge area.

Opposite, the entire starboard side is taken up with a huge galley, meaning this can even double as a sort of kitchen diner. Move forward and it’s back up a couple of steps to a separate pilothouse with sliding doors either side and internal access straight up to the flybridge.

Down again to the lower deck forward for two cabins and the heads. It’s a layout that on paper shouldn’t work, yet it does. Brilliantly.

There’s room for two cabins and a heads compartment forward on the lower deck

Exterior

The flybridge is interesting because it’s behind the lower helm rather than over it. Suddenly the reason for that sunken saloon makes sense, it keeps the flybridge low and stops the boat looking ungainly.

With all the doors (aft, two side and one directly between the two helm stations), access is probably the best you’re likely to find on any sub-40ft flybridge cruiser.

Performance

A pair of Volvo Penta KAMD 43 230hp six-cylinder diesel engines live beneath the aft deck, power driving forwards into vee boxes that then send it back through conventional shaft drives beneath the engines. The broker reckons on 25 knots flat-out with a 20-knot cruise.

The main saloon seating and dining area is actually a few steps down from the deck

Seakeeping

Twin shafts combine with a shallow hull keel to make this a very steady boat at low speeds with excellent manoeuvrability. Pick up the speed to discover a solid and steady semi-displacement feel.

Specifications

LOA: 37ft 8in (11.3m)
Beam: 11ft 9in (3.6m)
Draft: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 755 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta KAMD 43 230hp diesels
Location: Swansea
Contact: yachts.co

First published in the October 2023 issue of MBY.

Four more boats under £100,000 from the October 2022 issue

Beneteau Antares 10.80

Built: 2002
Price: £89,995

Beneteau offers a variety of ranges, all subdivided into different sizes. Flyers are the sportsboats, Gran Turismos the sportscruisers, Swift Trawlers the, err, trawlers that are quite swift and so forth.

The Antares range has always been about practical living and pragmatic looks, and this Beneteau Antares 10.80 is no exception with upright conservative styling and sensible detailing. It’s also, according to the broker, “beautifully presented”, and if the photos are to be believed, it certainly looks to be in turn-key condition.

Interior

“Warm and traditional”, was how we described the interior of the 10.80 when we reviewed it in 2007, and it’s as true today, with its polished wood and cream leather. In fact this model dates back to 1998, which would explain the more traditional feel.

Beneteau eked out space for two decent cabins on the lower deck, one a twin and the other a double, which creates the perfect family configuration. There’s a heads on the lower deck too, but no galley – that lives on the main deck along the starboard side of the saloon.

Forward double cabin isn’t huge but provides a good set-up for familes of four

Exterior

That 1990s styling is particularly evident on the outside but none the worse for it; although slightly dated in places by things like the eyebrow over the windscreens that extends down either side, this is a well proportioned, family-friendly boat.

There’s more than a nod to fishing in the plethora of rod holders but the cockpit includes a small bench seat, and scaling the flybridge ladder introduces you to more seating and a second helm position aloft.

Performance

A pair of Volvo Penta’s ubiquitous KAMD 44 EDC diesel engines lie beneath the saloon floor, pushing 285hp aside through a pair of new five-bladed propellers for a top speed of circa 30 knots and a low to mid 20-knot cruising gait.

Big windows and thin mullions maximise light and views in the traditionally styled saloon

Seakeeping

Shaft drive is another nod to traditionalism, and a good one on a used boat as this is about the simplest layout available. It also keeps the weight of the engines further forward in the hull, which Beneteau combined with a fine entry for good upwind performance, while a shallow keel aids low-speed directional stability.

Specifications

LOA: 35ft 5in (10.8m)
Beam: 11ft 4in (3.4m)
Draught: 3ft 4in (1.0m)
Displacement: 6 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 640 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta KAMD 44EDC 285hp diesels
Location: Southampton
Contact: Parker Adams Boat Sales

Nimbus 370

Built: 1998
Price: £99,950

Scandinavians are not afraid to do things differently, and this Nimbus 370, a model first launched in 1995, is a case in point. It might not follow established concepts and layouts, but it does offer something genuinely different and genuinely useful.

Specifically, three entrances to the interior, six berths, a separate wheelhouse as well as a flybridge – linked via an internal stairway – all within 40ft.

Interior

The interior of this boat is fascinating. Stepping from the aft cockpit into the saloon feels reasonably normal. The galley is on the starboard side, opposite a dinette which converts to create a double bed.

It’s when you head forward that things get interesting because, instead of stepping down to the lower deck, you step up to a proper little wheelhouse, complete with sliding doors on either side – great for access of course, but also brilliant for airflow on a warm day.

Forward again, and finally you head down to a lower deck that utilises the raised wheelhouse to create extra headroom in part of the second cabin, plus the owner’s cabin and the heads.

The forward cabin is one of three sleeping spaces on board the Nimbus 370

Exterior

You’d think that the raised pilothouse might make the Nimbus 370 look top heavy, but cunningly, Nimbus positioned the flybridge behind the raised section and above the saloon so in fact there are no obvious flybridge sides, just stainless steel rails with canvas dodgers, the tops of which are level with the wheelhouse roof.

And it’s that low level position behind the wheelhouse that allows easy access from the flybridge straight down to the lower helm.

Performance

All twin installations, early versions of the 370, were powered by Volvo Penta’s TAMD 41 200hp. These were later replaced by the Yanmar 230hp motors fitted to this boat, and then Volvo’s KAMD 43 230hp engines with D4 260hp engines fitted to the last ones. Figure on up to about 26 knots, depending on engine option.

The saloon and galley have steps leading up to a raised pilothouse and cabins beyond

Seakeeping

One of the many packaging tricks utilised was installing the engines right aft beneath the cockpit, leaving space for accommodation beneath the saloon floor. Although this shifts the centre of gravity aft, seakeeping is still good.

Specifications

LOA: 37ft 8in (11.5m)
Beam: 11ft 9in (3.6m)
Draught: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 755 litres
Engines: Twin Yanmar 4LH STE 230hp diesel engines
Location: Mylor
Contact: Ancasta

Four Winns 255 Vista

Built: 2017
Price: £98,500

Four Winns is a long established American boat builder based in Cadillac, Michigan, with a rich history of sportscruiser models marketed under the Vista label that once stretched as high as 45ft in length.

Interestingly, every Vista model has now been deleted from the line up, which currently consists entirely of bow-rider sportsboats and a solitary outboard powered wheelhouse model. The reason for this change of direction is down to the Beneteau Group’s takeover in 2014, meaning this Vista 255 is one of the last of an illustrious line.

Interior

The layout of the 255 Vista is an entirely conventional U-shaped dinette forward with a galley opposite the heads at the bottom of the companionway and a double berth running transversely beneath the forward section of the cockpit. What’s more interesting is the finish, because this is a surprisingly attractive and well-trimmed boat inside.

Dark woods, pale fabrics, cream leather and a hardwood floor lend it an entirely upmarket and contemporary vibe. It’s well specced too, although strangely, there appears to be no hob.

Smartly finished cabin is bright, modern and classy for a mass market production boat

Exterior

In fact, there is a hob, but it’s in the cockpit, an electric unit mounted on the wet bar fitted behind the helm seat. It’s a pretty spacious cockpit, with aft seating that turns into a sunbed and a small dinette area.

In part this is due to the favourite American trick on boats of this size of taking the cockpit right to the edges of the boat – access to the foredeck is via an opening section in the windscreen rather than traditional side decks, but also the bathing platform is kept pretty short, again maximising the floorspace in the cockpit.

Performance

A single Mercruiser 4.3 litre V6 lives beneath the cockpit floor, producing up to 240hp on demand for a top speed of about 30 knots and a reasonably economical 20-knot cruise.

Cockpit wetbar includes an electric hob for cooking meals outdoors

Seakeeping

Inevitably, tall and narrow boats such as these can be prone to being a little sensitive to a beam wind, but trim tabs are fitted to return it to an even keel again.

Specifications

LOA: 25ft 2in (7.7m)
Beam: 8ft 4in (2.5m)
Draught: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 265 litres
Engine: Mercruiser 4.3 litre V6 240hp petrol engine
Location: Southampton
Contact: Argo Yachting

Sealine S34

Built: 1998
Price: £89,950

The mid 30ft sportscruiser market, these days mostly the preserve of the French, was a hard fought sector for British builders back in the 1990s. Fairline fielded its Targa 35, Princess Yachts offered the excellent 346/366 Riviera and Sealine produced over 300 of these practical and likeable Sealine S34s.

Interior

Sealine always majors on interior space and practicality, and this model is no exception. The layout is the usual owner’s cabin forward with a second cabin aft, running beneath the cockpit. A galley, dinette and heads split them.

But it is noticeable for its storage solutions, such as a split mattress in the forward cabin making it easy to lift one section to access a huge locker beneath the berth.

The forward master cabin is complemented by a second guest cabin under the cockpit

Exterior

Neat details include a clamshell opening to the radar arch, allowing the aft section of canopy to be simply rolled up in situ and stowed away, while at the other end of the boat the anchor is concealed by a neat ‘beak’ at the bow.

Unusually, the cockpit floor is one single level (most boats of this type have a raised forward section to increase headroom in the mid cabin) and there are excellent rails on deck, such as those along the edge of the windscreen, making access forward far easier.

Performance

Sealine fitted a huge range of engines to these boats, all twin installations, including petrol, diesel, Mercruiser and Volvo Penta. Some of the very last boats got the later D4 series engines but the vast majority were fitted with the earlier KAD series.

KAD 44 260hp motors were the largest, KAD 43 230hp were also popular. But most (about two thirds in fact) went out with the KAD 32 170hp motors that this boat has.

Whilst not as fast, they still achieve a respectable high 20-knot max and a low 20-knot cruise, and being four-cylinder engines they are lighter and smaller, offering more space in the engine room.

A full set of covers and plenty of seating make the cockpit useable in most weathers

Seakeeping

The hull was shared with the Sealine F33 flybridge model. A lower profile and centre of gravity means that the S34 feels far more stable.

Specifications

LOA: 34ft 6in (10.5m)
Beam: 11ft 10in (3.3m)
Draught: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 5.3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 564 litres
Engines: Volvo Penta KAD32 170hp diesel engines
Location: Chatham
Contact: Network Yacht Brokers

First published in the October 2022 issue of MBY.

Four more boats under £100,000 from the June 2021 issue

Fairline Targa 37

Built: 1997
Price: £94,950

Introduced as the Targa 36 in 1994, an extended bathing platform saw it quickly morph into the Targa 37, a successful addition to the Fairline range that ran until 2000, by which time almost 200 had been built.

Interior

The layout is entirely typical. A cabin each end of the accommodation, the forward one with a central double berth and the mid-cabin aft burrowing beneath the forward section of the cockpit and featuring a pair of single berths that convert to a double plus a tiny settee, dressing table and hanging locker.

Between them, a dinette (converting to take the sleeping to six) sits opposite the galley. But what sets this boat apart is the build quality — the fit out mirrors the more expensive Fairline Squadron boats of this period with beautifully formed cherry or maple woodwork.

High-quality finish of the woodwork in the lower saloon is a ture Fairline hallmark

Interior

The two arching GRP spars framing the side windows of the windscreen define Fairline Targas of this era. Hull topsides were available in white, teal or blue, the former the most practical (it hides marks and won’t fade), the teal the least popular and the dark blue the smartest and most sought after.

The cockpit layout works well, a lower entertaining area aft and then a raised section further forward that affords the helm a better view as well as adding a vital few inches of headroom to the mid-cabin below.

Performance

Twin V8 petrol engines were on the options list, which would give smooth lively performance at the expense (literally) of increased fuel consumption.

Which is why the majority of Targa 37s went out with a pair of Volvo Penta diesel engines, either the KAD 42 at 230hp aside for low to mid 30 knots performance or the slightly more powerful KAD 44 motors that pushed out 260hp and gave a couple more knots.

The forward owners’ cabin is supplemented by a twin guest cabin and convertible dinette

Seakeeping

Fairline opted for a medium to deep-vee hull form and a wide beam to prioritise internal accommodation. But this is still a willing and able driver’s machine that handles well.

Specification

LOA: 36ft 6in (11.1m)
Beam: 11ft 8in (3.5m)
Draught: 3ft 2in (1.0m)
Displacement: 6.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 640 litres
Engines: Twin 230hp Volvo Penta KAD 42 diesels
Contact: TBS Boats

Finnmaster T8

Built: 2017
Price: £95,000

There are two distinct lines in the Finnish boat builder’s Finn-Marin stable. Finnmaster is its sensible range of smaller sportier craft whilst Grandezza is the flagship brand of larger and more glamorous sportscruisers.

Launched in 2014, the T8 was the first of a new ‘T-Series’ of Finnmaster sportsboats designed to fuse the practical of the former with the glamour of the latter.

Interior

Ostensibly a sportsboat rather than a cruiser, there is in fact more going on below decks than you might expect. Instead of the usual horseshoe dinette, there’s a proper fixed double bed forward, and a small settee opposite a usefully generous heads.

The surprise, however, is when you look aft as Finnmaster has squeezed a further double berth lengthways back under the cockpit. Normally you’d need a full on sportscruiser to get a mid-berth at this size point.

Seating for eight around the large folding table with easy to access storage lockers

Exterior

There is no space sapping sunpad at the stern, the cockpit dinette extends right to the transom. In conjunction with a small seat to starboard and two swivelling helm seats, this allows eight people to sit around the large folding table, which also converts to a sunpad with the help of a cushion.

There are plenty of storage lockers under the seats, accessed by hinging the bases forward rather than having to remove them, and there’s a small galley to starboard, complete with a diesel hob, sink and fridge.

Performance

You’d expect 300hp to provide ample urge and it does. We tested this model with an equally potent 300hp Suzuki, which punted the T8 quickly onto the plane and wound out past 40 knots. Cruising at 30 knots was effortless at 4,700rpm — over 1,000rpm down on maximum.

Fixed double bed forward is complemented by another double under the cockpit

Seakeeping

The T8 feels 100% sportsboat. Despite the slightly raised forward cockpit you still sit low and well protected by the high wraparound screen, giving you the confidence to exploit the performance of the 21-degree deadrise hull.

Specification

LOA: 26ft 7in (8.1m)
Beam: 8ft 11in (2.7m)
Draught: 2ft 0in (0.6m)
Displacement: 2.2 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 261 litres
Engine: Yamaha F300 BETX 300hp outboard
Contact: Approved Boats

Intercruiser Cabrio 28

Built: 2013
Price: £95,000

There seems to be a real desire amongst the Dutch (surely the most relaxed and laid back people in the world) to be outside in the fresh air, and it is reflected in their boats. Rather than the buttoned down closed-up go faster craft of the UK, where even sportscruisers are sporting lids these days, the typical Dutch boat is a small, low, and rather elegant displacement craft with the helm right aft like a yacht and a single diesel engine. They call them sloops and Holland’s massive waterway system is full of them.

Interior

The cabin top is low profile so as not to spoil the purity of the lines or the view from the cockpit. It keeps the air draft low for river cruising too. Inside, headroom is compromised as a result, but the deck hatch opening runs well forward so you can stand at the galley.

Opposite this is a simple heads compartment and at the front is a large dinette, the table dropping to create a double berth. It’s all very straightforward and sensible but the quality of finish and construction is superb, with solid feeling cabinetry and high grade upholstery.

The forward dinette next to the galley converts to a double berth for overnighting duties

Exterior

With an elegantly rounded stern and a large bathing platform, the cockpit features a large comfy settee that loops around an aft-mounted centre console with a big vertical wooden wheel, instrumentation and engine controls.

It puts the helmsman right at the back of the boat, making for particularly social cruising. Side decks are wide and easily accessed, and there’s a full length canopy to protect the cockpit that can also be used as a spray hood.

Performance

The Vetus 52hp diesel engine gives a very river friendly 5-knot cruising speed with a top end a knot or two more. In fact Intercruiser fits a range of engines up to 170hp for offshore performance if you need it.

Sociable cockpit has the helm centre stage with a long settee looping all the way round it

Seakeeping

A long keel aids directional stability and protects the propeller, which is particularly useful in the type of shallow inland areas this boat is likely to find itself.

Specification

LOA: 27ft 9in (8.5m)
Beam: 9ft 10in (3.0m)
Draught: 2ft 8in (0.8m)
Displacement: 4.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 100 litres
Engine: Vetus 52hp diesel engine
Contact: Val Wyatt Marine

Sealine S38

Built: 2003
Price: £97,500

Launched at the Earl’s Court Boat Show (remember that?) in 2003, the Sealine S38 replaced the long running S37 (itself previously the 360 Ambassador) in Sealine’s range. It sounds very similar but was actually a roomier and far more advanced boat — the traditional wiring loom replaced by multiplex technology, for example.

Interior

The layout is the typical owner’s cabin forward and mid-cabin aft, separated by the galley and dinette, but there are a couple of standout features rare in sub 40-foot boats.

The most obvious is in the mid-cabin, where the usual twin singles running athwartships are present and correct, but you’ll also discover a third berth tucked away in here, brilliant for anyone with more than two kids (or for children’s friends to be able to come along). Further forward, the heads is split between a separate shower cubicle on one side and a toilet on the other.

The lower saloon is big and bright enough for day time use but still cosy at night

Exterior

There is seating for four at the helm, two on a double bench facing it, and two more adjacent on a port side settee, and back aft on the single level cockpit you’ll find a dinette that can convert to a sunpad. The oversized radar arch offers a little shade as well as canopy storage. Up at the bow, anchor storage built into the stem rather than hanging over the foredeck is a neat solution.

Performance

Engine choices were all based around Volvo Penta’s KAD 40 series sterndrive units. All twin installations, you could choose from 43 (230hp), 44 (260hp) or 300 (285hp). The largest option achieved 35 knots, the smaller 44 motors fitted to this boat should be within a few knots of this.

Forward owner’s cabin is generous in size with good storage and quality finishing

Seakeeping

For our test we improvised by using the wash of a 42ft photo boat. Our helmsman said: “Whatever we threw at it, the boat remained controllable, responding to wheel inputs even through the wash.

“There was the odd muted complaint through the hull as we levelled it into a steep one, but by and large it gave an impressive performance”.

Specification

LOA: 37ft 1in (11.3m)
Beam: 12ft 3in (3.7m)
Draught: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 6.3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 678 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta KAD 44 260hp diesels
Contact: Hutchins Marine

First published in the June 2021 issue of Motor Boat & Yachting.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Best boats under £100,000 from the secondhand market appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In build: 2017 – Current
Price range: £220,000 – £320,000

With more than 76,000 islands, 56,000 lakes and 300,000 kilometres of coastline to choose from, the Finns are never far from water. Unsurprising then that they should make best use of it, with traditions ranging from the downright peculiar (e.g. washing their rugs in the brackish water of the Baltic) to building some of the finest vessels afloat.

In fact, the nation’s boatbuilding prowess knows no bounds; from the 250,000GT Icon of the Seas passenger liner right the way down to Finnmaster’s petite 5.5m Husky R5.

But Finnmaster’s output isn’t just limited to outboard-powered sportsboats, the yard also builds a range of larger Grandezza sportscruisers and coupés from 25ft to 37ft, including this boat, the Grandezza 34 OC.

We tracked down this 2019 example being offered for sale through the marque’s UK importer, Gibbs Quay for £250,000, in Chichester Marina.

Launched in 2017 and still a current model, the Grandezza 34 OC, which stands for Open Cockpit, succeeded the 33 OC, a substantially similar model apart from a shorter bathing platform and less glazing in the hull, which was built between 2013 and 2016.

Article continues below…

Marex 330 Scandinavia test drive review: Is this the cleverest 35-footer on the market?

Grandezza 37CA review: This sportscruiser is the best boat you’ve never heard of

With an LOA of 32ft 11in (10.03m) the Grandezza 34 OC is the second largest model in the range, topped only by the Grandezza 37 CA coupé (which impressed us so much that it won Best Sportscruiser up to 40ft at the 2021 Motor Boat Awards).

In addition to offbeat pastimes, the Finns are also pretty good when it comes to innovation – this is the country which gave us the sauna, SMS texting and some of the world’s most innovative brands (Botnia Targa, Axopar, XO and Saxdor among others).

That thirst for innovation has infiltrated the Grandezza brand too, and the 34 OC has a number of stand-out features. The offset double bed in the owner’s cabin, for instance, has a pull-out extension and infill to create a full king-size bed.

Forward owner’s cabin enjoys plenty of natural light from those long hull windows

Another noteworthy feature is the aft-facing transom settee, which can be folded flat to form a sunpad in the rear cockpit. A third point of interest is that almost all Grandezza 34 OCs are single-engined. As Gibbs Quay’s Jason Adams explained, this is more fuel efficient than running two smaller engines and helps reduce servicing costs.

There are a handful of twin petrol boats around but most of these were built for the Swiss lakes where diesel engines are banned.

Dynamic duo

Jason also told us that every Grandezza 34 OC they specify comes with twin stern thrusters as well as a bow thruster. While some may baulk at the prospect of a vessel with only one engine, there’s no denying the twin stern thrusters make up for any shortcomings in terms of manoeuvrability.

One man who bought into the concept is owner Steve Tuhey: “I previously had a Larson 24 and was looking to move up in size but wanted to stay with a single engine for reasons of fuel economy and maintenance,” he says.

“My concern, though, was that with single engines you lose a bit of manoeuvrability, but with its three thrusters the Grandezza 34 OC is incredible – I wanted something that would make me look better than I am, and this boat does it!

“Also, we keep the boat at Chichester marina where there’s a lock, which can be an absolute nightmare if the wind is swirling.

Twin helm seat with flip-up bolsters is ideally suited to cruising as a couple

“Now it’s no problem, and if I come up and at the last minute the lock keeper tells me to go from port to starboard, or vice versa, all I do is push both thruster levers (the two stern thrusters are served by a single lever) and over we go – it saves me from looking incompetent!

“The boat is great out on the water as well. I’ve been out in a Force 6 in it, which is as rough as I’ll ever do, and it handled it very well. It’s quite a heavy boat so it sits well in the water.

“That was a thing with the Larson; it’s a very light boat so a bit of bad weather or wind and it was all over the place. But not the Grandezza, it copes with it very, very well.”

High quality fit and finish is a key part of the Grandezza 34’s premium appeal

Steve’s boat is powered by a 380hp Volvo Penta D6. While we have not tested a Grandezza 34 OC with that particular engine we have been given access to figures produced by a Formula One engineer, who owns one with a 370hp D6.

His calculations show that at 25 knots the boat consumes a sip under 42lph. At a top speed of 35 knots that figure increases to 68lph hour, while at the other end of the spectrum 6 knots equates to just 4lph.

Access to the engine is by way of a hydraulically raised hatch in the centre of the cockpit. Controlled by a helm-mounted switch, it’s not just the hatch that lifts but the entire cockpit table assembly, half the settee surrounding it and a chunk of decking, too.

Access all areas

It’s an impressive sight – check out the video above – and leaves the D6 looking almost lost in an engine bay large enough to fit two engines. The benefit of this is unfettered access to all sides of the engine, which as any owner of a twin-engined boat will agree is a distinct advantage when it comes to maintenance.

While there is undoubtedly much to admire about this boat, one feature we weren’t so enamoured with is the side decks.

With no toe rail at the outer edge to stop your foot slipping over the edge and guard rails which flare out from the hull to give extra width between them and the superstructure, you need to take care when transiting to and from the foredeck. No doubt it’s something that owners soon get used to.

The lack of toe rails creates marginally wider side decks but at the expense of a retaining lip to prevent slips

Apart from that, there is very little to criticise. We spotted some minor degradation to the woodwork around the aft end of the galley, which is possibly due to salt ingress through the open cockpit, but that’s about it.

Returning to the positives, the list is extensive. The two-tone diamond stitched cockpit upholstery has a very luxurious look and feel. The dinette table is high quality and has a powered leg which drops to accommodate an infill for an extra bed/sunpad, a handy feature for larger families.

The galley is good too, with a sizeable worktop which hinges up to reveal a double sink and diesel hob. Under the counter is storage space, a fridge and, beneath the single bolstered seat opposite the helm, another chiller draw.

Stylish hard top design with aft covers and opening sunroof is ideal for the British climate

The helm itself has an excellent double seat with individual bolsters and is mounted on sliders so it can be adjusted to accommodate skippers of all shapes and sizes. We found the helm to be particularly comfortable with no sense of being jammed up against the wheel, not something that can be said for all boats of this size.

Cool interior

Two steps down from the cockpit are the boat’s two cabins and its single heads. A nice extra touch is a full height wardrobe in the lobby at the foot of the steps. This is ideal for storing life jackets and wet weather clothing.

Both cabins are doubles with sufficient headroom to allow sitting up in bed. There’s plenty of illumination down here, courtesy of the large glazed hull windows which combine with the boat’s dark woodwork to give the whole area a very cool vibe.

The mid-cabin bed extends across the beam of the boat underneath the helm

Finally, the heads are another good-sized area with the toilet and shower in their own space, separated by a panel from the washbasin and its overhead and below-the-counter lockers.

In summary, what really struck us about the 34 OC is just how much Grandezza has managed to pack into a 10m boat. Nowhere feels cramped and the amount of room afforded to the cockpit, cabins and socialising spaces is mightily impressive.

Finally, the boat’s open cockpit combined with the hardtop’s large electric sunshine roof means you can enjoy that great outdoor feel whenever the sun shines down on this impressive family boat.

Shared bathroom is cleverly designed to make the most of its limited footprint

Grandezza 34 OC surveyor’s report

In true Scandinavian style this is a well-built boat with good detailing and first class execution that makes a fine mid-sized cruising boat for family day trips or longer excursions.

Points to note when considering buying:

• Considerable loads from the roof structure are relying on the slender window frame sections. Look closely at the windscreen mullions and side screen supports and all adjacent structures for signs of cracking or movement.
• Look out for the sharp corners and edges on the furniture modules which can be painful if thrown against under way.
• Check for cracking around the grab rail mount flanges; they’re all mounted externally on the exposed vertical sections of the deck moulding to help create more side deck width but are prone to impact damage when berthing.
• Make sure all the usual outdrive maintenance has been carried out such as bellows, seals and steering ram seals.
• Check the Volvo servicing history prior to purchase, not forgetting heat exchanger cleaning and crankcase breather filters, plus always arrange a full sea trial.

These are robust and fast cruising boats. Provided you find a good example, and are satisfied with the layout, you should be delighted with the way it performs.

– Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

The backrest of this aft facing bench folds flat to create a double sunpad

Grandezza 34 OC specifications

LOA: 32ft 10in (10.03m)
Beam: 10ft 7in (3.23m)
Draft: 3ft 11in (1.2m)
Air draft: 11ft 8in (3.5m)
Fuel capacity: 490 litres
Water capacity: 120 litres
Engine: 380hp Volvo Penta D6
Top speed: 35 knots
Fuel economy: 1.63l/nm @25kn
Range: 240nm & 25 knots with 20% reserve
RCD category: B

Running costs

Annual fuel burn: 1,269 litres (based on 25 hours at 25.3kn and 25 hours at 6.9kn)
Annual marina mooring: £7,120 (based on £710 per m on the Hamble River downstream of Bursledon bridge)

What’s on the market

Price: £250,000
Date: 2019
Engine: 1 x Volvo Penta D6 380hp
Lying: Chichester
Contact: Gibbs Boat Sales

Price: €299,430
Date: 2021
Engine: 1 x Volvo Penta D6 380hp
Lying: Stockholm
Contact: Scan Boat

First published in the September 2023 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Grandezza 34 OC used boat report: This Finnish boat will make you look like a better skipper appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Offshore boats can certainly venture upstream, but dedicated river boats are optimised for inland cruising. So this month, we are back on the river, decked out in a straw boater and striped blazer, glass of Pimm’s in hand (once safely moored for the afternoon, of course).

Key features to look for in the best river boats include easily accessible decks, as docking (be that in locks or outside waterside pubs) tends to be far more frequent; a hull designed to run efficiently at displacement speeds whilst creating minimal wash; larger rudders that operate well at low speeds; and layouts aimed at living aboard and socialising more than wave-bashing and sunbathing.

Here are three great examples that offer all of this, plus one modern take on dayboat river cruising.

4 of the best river boats on the market right now

Broom Ocean 29

Built: 1995
Price: £67,000

Ocean 29 is an interesting name for a boat so clearly intended for inland use. Although there’s no reason at all why this boat couldn’t put to sea, its performance and its hull configuration are ideal for gentle river cruising. Even the builder was based by a river – Broom’s yard was situated on the picturesque Norfolk Broads at Brundall.

We say ‘was’ because although the company still exists, and indeed is in the same location, boat building has now ceased after more than 100 years of production. The business now focuses on its marina and boat hire operations.

Interior

The layout is straightforward and effective. A clear sliding cabin door and a couple of steps lead down to a saloon with an L- shaped dinette to starboard converting to a double berth and a galley to port.

There is a separate forward cabin with a transverse double berth and a pretty decent hanging locker. The heads doubles as a wet room with a shower.

The forward transverse double has plenty of storage lockers

Exterior

That optimisation for river boat use is most clearly evident in the fact that, not only does the radar arch fold flat to reduce height for bridge clearance, the windscreen does as well, enabling it to limbo beneath really low structures. Decent side decks make deck work easy and there’s a small bathing platform as well.

The cockpit itself is sociable for such a small boat, with a big hoop of wrap-around seating aft and a removable canopy. There’s plenty of storage too, beneath the cockpit seating but also in a large lazarette below the cockpit sole.

Performance

The Nanni 4.150 releases its rampaging 35hp down a single shaft drive for a top speed of about 7 knots and a river-friendly 5-knot cruise. As mentioned, you could certainly put to sea with these levels of performance but it really is better suited to river cruising.

The straightforward layout features a functional dinette that converts to a double berth

Seakeeping

A small keel and big rudder aid stability and manoeuvrability – a bow thruster assisting with the latter.

Specifications

LOA: 29ft 0in (8.8m)
Beam: 10ft 4in (3.2m)
Draft: 3ft 6in (0.8m)
Displacement: 4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 100 litres
Engine: Nanni 4.150 35hp diesel
Location: River Thames
Contact: Val Wyatt Marine

Sheerline 950AC

Built: 1995
Price: £64,950

Another Norfolk Broads-based business, Sheerline, like Broom, has a rich back catalogue stuffed full of river boats built for both hire fleet and private ownership. And like Broom, the business dates back more than a century, having started as George Smith and Co back in 1910.

Interior

The layout of the standard boat is not dissimilar to the Broom Ocean 29 in that it has the owner’s cabin forward, a dinette that converts to a double berth in the saloon opposite the galley, and a single heads.

But the AC (aft cabin) version gains a useful second guest cabin just aft of the saloon, where you’ll find a double berth running transversely beneath the forward section of the cockpit.

The AC version has a second cabin to complement this one

Exterior

Most examples of the Sheerline 950 feature a large open cockpit beneath a canopy (although there was also a centre cockpit version popular with hire fleets). This one is slightly unusual in that it features an open-backed wheelhouse, giving a more protected, yet still open to the elements, helm.

The roof stretches about halfway back across the generous 10ft by 9ft cockpit, leaving the oblong of cockpit seating alfresco, although there are canopies to enclose this area and turn the whole cockpit into a further interior space. Wide side decks are essential on waterways with locks to negotiate.

Performance

A 43hp diesel suits this style of boat perfectly, offering ample river-friendly performance with meagre fuel consumption. Unusually, in order to create space for that extra cabin, the engine is mounted transversely, with a hydraulic drive to the shaft rather than the usual straight shaft drive. Expect about 7 knots flat out with a 5-knot cruise.

Saloon is opposite the galley with a convertible dinette

Seakeeping

Sheerline has always focussed on river boats (although there has been the occasional dedicated offshore machine, like the 1050). This one’s hull is optimised for low-speed running in order to maximise fuel economy and minimise wash. Bow and stern thrusters help with close quarter manoeuvring in locks and marinas.

Specifications

LOA: 31ft 1in (9.5m)
Beam: 13ft 5in (4.1m)
Draft: 3ft 2in (1.0m)
Displacement: 4.4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 170 litres
Engine: Nanni 4190 43hp diesel engines
Location: River Thames
Contact: Tingdene Boating

Aquanaut 110OK

Built: 2010
Price: £165,000

The Dutch really understand inland cruising and tend to favour steel hulls over moulded GRP ones. The Aquanaut Yachting shipyard is a prime example, which has been building steel boats in the heart of Sneek since 1961. Its current range reaches up past 50ft.

There are various advantages and disadvantages to steel boats. The disadvantage is weight, but that doesn’t really matter when you are sticking to displacement cruising speeds.

And the advantages are inherent strength (out of control hire boats are a threat to paintwork, but rarely structure) and a vast amount of available customisation, since the build process is not constrained by mouldings.

Interior

Aquanaut build aft-cabin and aft-cockpit boats, the benefit of the former being a private cabin at each end of the boat. The advantage of the latter, seen here, is a cockpit on the same level as the saloon with wide opening doors connecting these two areas.

In fact, the doors bifold right up against the cockpit sides, creating a single seamless socialising space, while a removable cockpit canopy means the whole area that can be used in all weathers.

River boat credentials include a free-standing stool for the skipper to perch on and opening windscreen panes for increased ventilation. There’s a decent sized galley on the lower deck opposite a heads large enough to feature a separate shower area.

The owner’s cabin in the bow has a central island bed

Exterior

That aft cockpit configuration keeps the air draft down, an important consideration inland. High rails with gates either side encircle wide decks, making deck work easy, and a dark blue hull is the finishing touch.

Performance

Top speed is limited by the hull speed, which is why the 87hp Perkins M92B is more than sufficient to power this boat to her 7-knot maximum.

Wooden bi-fold doors link the cockpit with the saloon

Seakeeping

Dutch-built steel boats come in one of three hull forms. Hard-chine cruisers are the cheapest to build, offer good volume and stability. Round bilge boats offer strength and stability. But the multi chine hull of this boat (think of the profile a little like the edge of a 50 pence coin) combines the benefits of both.

Specifications

LOA: 36ft 4in (11.1m)
Beam: 11ft 6in (3.5m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.8m)
Displacement: 11 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 500 litres
Engine: Perkins M92B 87hp diesel engine
Location: River Thames
Contact: Bray Marine Sales

Rand Picnic 18

Built: 2021
Price: £36,995

At the risk of upsetting the rag and stick brigade, I find sailing mostly rubbish but occasionally brilliant. There’s never enough wind except when there is too much, and when there is the right amount it’s in the wrong direction, meaning you have to zig-zag everywhere at a jaunty angle.

But when everything works, the magical feel of gently cruising along in virtual silence with just the noise of the wake bubbling at the forefoot is utterly beguiling. Imagine if you could have that whilst upright and travelling in a straight line?

Electric boats are the answer and it’s been with us for a surprisingly long time – the Rand 18 Picnic was launched in 2015.

Interior

As an open day boat there is no interior as such, but there is a full-length cockpit to enjoy. A big horseshoe of seating takes up the front half, giving loads of space for up to ten people to relax or dine at a large table that can drop and infill to create a comfy sunbed, with space for a cooler underneath.

The helm is aft, sloop-style, meaning that whoever is in control remains very much a part of the party. Storage beneath the seats adds to the practicality.

Soft grey finish and inlaid teak gives this day boat a chic, modern appeal

Exterior

The boat has an attractive yet simple Scandinavian design, and is finished in pale grey with a faux teak inlaid bathing platform. This is a sharp and distinctly modern-looking boat, as befits something as 21st century as an electric-powered boat.

Performance

Rand developed this boat for both inboard and outboard solutions, and petrol or electric power. With the largest 60hp outboard fitted, a 60hp Mercury EFI, it’s good for 30 knots.

This boat has the somewhat less powerful but considerably quieter Torqeedo Cruise 4.0FP inboard engine, its 25kW motor powered by a 9.1 kWh AGM battery for a river-appropriate maximum speed of 5 knots.

Huge U-shaped dining table drops and transforms into a comfortable sunpad

Seakeeping

Rand describes the Picnic 18 as “simple to operate, with perfect steering capabilities and a high degree of stability.”

Specifications

LOA: 17ft 5in (5.3m)
Beam: 6ft 10in (2.1m)
Draft: 1ft 0in (0.3m)
Displacement: 0.4 tonnes
Battery capacity: 9.1 kWh Motor Torqeedo Cruise 4.0FP 25kW
Location: River Thames
Contact: Bates Wharf

First published in the September 2023 issue of MBY.

Four more river boats from the August 2022 issue

Super Van Craft 13.80

Built: 1988
Price: £159,950

Occasionally I stumble upon a boat so wonderful that I actually build one of these articles around it, just so that I can bring it to your attention.

The fantastically monikered Super Van Craft 13.80 is a case in point. Built by Klaassen Shipwards, Voorschoten in 1988, this Dutch steel motor yacht is surely the finest and most elegant way to cruise any inland water.

Interior

An aft cabin layout, the interior stretches from stem to stern. There are three berths in the forepeak in a vee configuration (bunk beds on one side, a single on the other), plus an ensuite heads.

Further aft on the lower deck a long straight galley to port lives opposite a comfortable looking dinette that converts into extra sleeping. There’s a separate washing machine and dryer on this level too, handy for longer-term cruising.

Head up and aft through the saloon and you’ll drop down to the owner’s cabin with a central island double bed and another ensuite split between a toilet and sink to port and a separate shower to starboard.

The wood panelled aft cabin enjoys wonderful space and privacy

Exterior

Classy and elegant though the interior is, it’s the exterior that provides the initial siren call. Long and low with a painted white hull, teak-laid decks and varnished wooden superstructure and handrails, it’s a genuinely beautiful boat that wouldn’t look out of place moored in St Tropez in the 1960s.

The aft deck would make a great entertaining space with its full beam aft seat, and the helm lives here too with its “proper little ship” vertical wooden wheel and varnished wooden dashboard with its row of organ stop switches set in a stainless steel strip.

Performance

A full displacement boat, the pair of DAF 120hp engines top out at a leisurely 8.5 knots and she cruises at just under 6 knots.

The huge twin-level saloon features an upper lounge plus a lower galley and dinette

Seakeeping

A solid steel motor boat, you don’t need to worry too much about being blown around in a breeze, but you do need to plan ahead a little as she’ll carry some way. Bow and stern thrusters have been fitted which should help to lower the pulse in close quarters.

Specifications

LOA: 47ft 2in (14.4m)
Beam: 12ft 6in (3.9m)
Draught: 4ft 3in (1.3m)
Displacement: 18 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,000 litres
Engines: DAF 120hp diesels
Location: River Thames
Contact: Val Wyatt Marine

Broom 33

Built: 1994
Price: £89,000

Charles Broom began creating “beautifully crafted sailing cruisers for gentlemen” in Brundall on the Norfolk Broads in 1898, and the company has remained on exactly the same spot throughout its illustrious history.

Motor boat production began in the 1920s with a 30-footer powered by a Morris petrol engine. The company started fibreglass boat production 40 years later in the 1960s, then,
in 1989, the 33 was introduced as a successor to the highly successful 9/70 and 10/70, and featured an all-new hull design from Andrew Wolstenholme.

The company still exists, but now runs a marina and a hire boat fleet.

Interior

An aft cabin layout splits the two main sleeping areas with an ensuite owner’s cabin back aft and a vee-berthed guest cabin forward. A decent sized galley and heads also live up front on the lower deck, with the main deck saloon featuring an internal helm position, making this a true year-round proposition.

The aft cabin layout provides good privacy both for the owner and the guests

Exterior

Putting the outside helm on the aft deck instead of on a separate flybridge above the saloon reduces deck space a little, but it does lower the height of the boat, important for inland waterway use.

In fact it’s possible to drop the radar arch and the windscreen to limbo beneath lower structures, a fact that has helped this boat cruise the River Thames, the Broads and France.

Performance

The Broom 33 came with a variety of twin shaft drive diesels, usually between 180hp and 230hp, including Volvo TAMD41s, KAMD 40s and Mercruiser 180s and 220s, although the basic boat was actually quoted with 100hp TAMD31s, which offered about 10 knots.

The largest reached 25 knots and the twin 150hp engines on this boat are probably giving mid-teen performance.

Rather dated interior but the gentlemanly Broom 33 is a very capable sea boat too

Seakeeping

Obviously you’re not going to be using that level of performance on inland waterways, but they do give Channel crossing reach, great for Europe’s waterways. When we tested the boat in 1990 we found that the hull gave a soft ride into the waves and handled well with seas on the beam or stern.

Specifications

LOA: 34ft 3in (10.4m)
Beam: 12ft 2in (3.7m)
Draught: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 7.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 720 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TMD 41B 150hp diesel engines
Location: River Thames
Contact: Boat Showrooms

Aquanaut Drifter 1150AK

Built: 2003
Price: £159,950

Built entirely with inland cruising in mind, this is a big strong metal boat designed to take the knocks of a commercial lock gate or a badly driven hire boat. That steel construction means that the builder is not tied to the specifics of a mould in determining the shape, so there’s a huge amount of variation available.

Interior

A steel boat broker once told me that clients often specify an internal helm position when they order their first inland cruiser, but never on the second as the reality is that these seldom get used.

The lack of one here results in a fairly palatial saloon area with plenty of social seating. This being another aft cabin boat, there is a big owner’s cabin beneath the aft deck.

An island double bed and separate compartments for shower and toilet give a ‘home from home’ vibe, as do masses of storage. There’s a good sized galley with a dinette opposite forward on the lower deck, and ahead of that is the guest cabin with vee berths.

The absence of an internal helm results in a very large and sociable saloon

Exterior

A centrally mounted helm reduces air draught and also makes it easy to enclose the helm with canopies. On the coachroof forward is a mast for navigation lights and antennas, but this can be lowered and the windscreen hinges down in sections.

Side decks are wide and there’s a central break in the guardrails on both sides allowing easy access to a dockside, exactly what you need for inland waters.

Performance

The single Perkins M135 shaft drive diesel engine is both naturally aspirated and mechanical, keeping everything simple and easy to maintain as well as being suitable for very low speed long distance cruising (something turbo diesels are less keen on for extended periods).

You can plan for 8-10 knots flat out, but more important is the boat’s ability to run at 4 or 5 knots for hour after gentle hour.

The convertible lower deck dinette expands the Aquanaut’s sleeping capacity

Seakeeping

Although designed with inland cruising in mind, the Drifter series all have a multi-chine hull (think of the edge of a 50 pence piece – remember coins?) which improves sea keeping for the odd occasion you want to head from one inland waterway to another.

Specifications

LOA: 38ft 1in (11.6m)
Beam: 12ft 6in (3.8m)
Draught: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 9 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 495 litres
Engine: Perkins M135 135hp diesel engines
Location: River Thames
Contact: Bray Marine Sales

Banks Martin Beaulieu 30

Built: 2017
Price: £159,950

Until almost a decade ago, one of Kidderminster’s most famous exports was Sealine boats. They’d been built there for 40 years before going into administration and being absorbed by Hanse Yachts AG and moved to Germany.

River boat builder Banks Martin is based in Kidderminster and sure enough, one of its principle directors was a long-standing Sealine man as are many of the staff – there’s a lot of boat building skill to be found in Kidderminster.

The avowed aim of Banks Martin is to “combine the undoubtedly higher quality, standards and design of sea going vessels, and bring this to the river and estuary.”

Interior

The Beaulieu 30 is the first model to be launched by this fledging company. The styling is smart, but traditional, a flat-roofed cabin with huge windows down both sides and across the front which throw plenty of light into the cabin, not to mention allow a great view out.

The cabin itself is open plan with a double bed forward and a dinette to port. There’s a tiny mid cabin too, which just has a single bed running back beneath the cockpit. The galley is opposite and the heads is back aft, just inside the door.

The open-plan cabin makes amazing use of space for a sub-30ft boat

Exterior

The aft cockpit has an open-backed wheelhouse, so there is a roof over the helm and side windows, but nothing between it and the open rear of the cockpit (although the whole area can be enclosed with canopies). There’s a bathing platform too, arguably less useful on a river but it points to the Category C nature that includes estuaries and coastal use.

Performance

Banks Martin are offering inboard or outboard engine options. This particular boat is fitted with a 75hp Volvo Penta diesel which gives a maximum speed of about 9 knots for an easy, and river- friendly, 6-knot cruise.

With big views and an efficient six-knot cruise, this is a great boat for relaxed inland fun

Seakeeping

A semi-displacement hull is designed to give good low speed handling and a powerful bow thruster makes close-quarters manoeuvrability far easier.

Specifications

LOA: 29ft 2in (8.9m)
Beam: 9ft 9in (3.0m)
Draught: 2ft 5in (0.7m)
Displacement: 4.2 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 145 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta 75hp diesel
Location: River Thames
Contact: Bates Wharf

First published in the August 2022 issue of MBY.

Four more river boats from the November 2020 issue

Linssen 34.9 Sedan

Built: 2010
Price: £169,999

Based in Maasbracht, Holland, Linssen Yachts was originally set up by Jac Linssen as a small-scale woodwork and ship repair business. Over the years it developed into a significant steel yacht building yard with a strong reputation for high quality motor cruisers.

Family run from the beginning, it’s now into its third generation and builds boats from 30-50ft. The Linssen 34.9 was available in two versions, an aft cabin cruiser or a Sedan, which features an aft cockpit and reduced air draught, enabling it to slip underneath lower bridges.

Interior

Double doors lead into a very high quality interior lined in classic cherry wood. The galley is on the port side, opposite a dinette that features an ‘Easy Sleep Convert System’ that allows it to be quickly converted into a slatted double berth for occasional guests.

Intriguingly, there’s a small desk area ahead of the dinette opposite the helm position, complete with club chair. Head down to the lower deck and you’ll find the heads on one side, shower on the other and a central double bed in the fore cabin.

The Linssen 34.9 Sedan has only one dedicated sleeping cabin but the settee in the saloon also converts to a bed

Exterior

Unlike the aft cabin variant with its raised aft deck, the Linssen 34.9 Sedan has the cockpit on the same level as the saloon. Protected by a large framed canopy, it extends the living area even in inclement weather. On better days, drop the canopy and slide back the roof section over the helm to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Performance

A heavy and strictly displacement speed boat, don’t expect fireworks from the Volvo Penta D2 75hp. However, it is a very quiet riverboat with a top speed of 10 knots.

Beautifully finished saloon enjoys fine views out but still feels cosy in all weathers

Seakeeping

There’s not much seakeeping to be done inland, but given the low speed and steel construction you can expect your gin and tonic to be stirred but not shaken.

Specification

Length: 35ft 0in (10.7m)
Beam: 11ft 0in (3.3m)
Draught: 3ft 4in (1.0m)
Displacement: 8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 240 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D2 75hp diesel
Location: River Thames
Contact: Boat Showrooms

Aquanaut Drifter CS1300 AK

Built: 2014
Price: £349,950

Dutch builder Aquanaut is proud of the level of customisation it offers. Because steel boats don’t require the inflexible moulds and fixed structural bulkheads of GRP craft, the company is free to do whatever it wants within reason.

As UK boat dealer (and vendor of this boat) TBS Boats once told me, “With a steel boat you don’t require new mouldings to make fundamental changes, all you need is a good CAD designer and plenty of imagination. All of the Aquanauts we’ve supplied have basically been bespoke builds; no two have been the same.”

Interior

Aquanaut Drifters are available in both aft cabin (AK) and aft cockpit (AC) layouts. European Voyagers are aft cockpit flybridge variants and the Privilege range are the same below the waterline but with softer sexier styling. So the AK designation of this model highlights the huge aft master cabin with separate ensuite toilet and shower compartments.

Guests are taken care of at the opposite end of the boat via vee berths in the forward cabin. A very generous galley, also on the forward lower deck, has a dinette opposite. Up on the main deck you’ll find a large saloon area.

Spectacular aft cabin makes this an ideal liveaboard for cruising European waterways

Exterior

Step up and aft from the saloon to find yourself on a massive aft deck above the master cabin. The single helm is here with a pair of comfortable captain’s chairs and there’s a large U-shaped seating area behind it around a table. Decks are wide and flat. The windscreen is hinged, allowing it to fold to reduce air draught for low bridges.

Performance

Expect about 8 knots from the single Perkins 148hp diesel, which allows easy river speed cruising of between 4-6 knots.

High quality bespoke interior can be customised to suit the owner’s requirements

Seakeeping

Although ostensibly an inland boat, multi chine underwater sections and twin keels aid seakeeping and stability for offshore passages.

Specification

LOA: 42ft 6in (13.1m)
Beam: 14ft 3in (4.4m)
Draught: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 16 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 800 litres
Engine: Perkins M115Ti 148hp diesel
Location: River Thames
Contact: TBS Boats

Intercruiser 27 Cabin

Built: 2011
Price: £79,950

Another riverboat, another Dutch builder. Interboat is a small family business employing about 50 people and building boats from 21ft through to 34ft. Its smallest are the Intertender and Interboat models – the 27 is the smallest of its luxurious Intercruiser range.

Interior

Designed very much as an open dayboat, the 27 Cabin does, nonetheless, have a small sleeping area and toilet in the bow. A discreet door right at the front of the cockpit drops you down to a lower level with a toilet compartment through a further door ahead of that.

On either side, a single berth burrows back beneath the cockpit seating allowing two to sleep. It might not be ideal for a week on board, but overnighting is possible, and an afternoon nap a definite.

The forward door leads down to the two-person sleeping area and heads compartment

Exterior

Most of the boat is cockpit, with enough space for 10 people. It’s a ‘sloop’ configuration, which is the Dutch term for a boat with the helm right at the back like a sailing boat. It works well for idle river pottering, allowing the helmsman to engage and chat with his or her guests rather than being at the front with everyone else behind.

Ahead of the helm is a small galley unit with a stove and sink while a fridge drawer can be found beneath the seating. An optional upgrade on this boat is the fitted windscreen forward and adaptable canopy system.

Performance

A four-cylinder Vetus diesel engine puts out 52hp, giving a top speed of 8 knots and allowing cruising anywhere between 3–6 knots. Interboat will actually fit these with anything between 22hp and 170hp, the latter giving about 18 knots and intended for coastal work – unleashing all 170hp on the upper Thames might raise an eyebrow or two!

The aft helm position makes for a very sociable cockpit with all your guests ahead of you

Seakeeping

Although built for inland cruising, the 27 Cabin has plenty of scope for coastal running provided that (just like any other boat) conditions are right.

Specification

LOA: 27ft 9in (8.5m)
Beam: 9ft 8in (3.0m)
Draught: 2ft 6in (0.8m)
Displacement: 5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 100 litres
Engine: Vetus 52hp diesel
Location: River Thames
Contact: Val Wyatt Marine

Stevens 1350 Vlet

Built: 2011
Price: €397,500

Taking customisation to a new level, UK Stevens dealer Karl Farrant Marine Sales regards the brochure as little more than a ‘suggestions’ guide. Want an inch more headroom or three inches off the LOA when you order a new boat? You got it.

As a result, no two boats are the same. The Dutch-built boats are actually called Smelne in other countries; Karl adopted the name Stevens for the UK as he felt Smelne didn’t translate well!

Interior

All Stevens boats are available with either an aft cabin and a raised aft deck or aft cockpit on the same level as the saloon. This is the former. The standard layout is an offset double forward and a dinette opposite the galley but this owner has opted for vee berths forward and lost the lower dinette in favour of a massive galley that utilises both sides of the lower deck.

With no inside helm, the saloon on the main deck is a great size too, and the master suite occupies the lower deck beneath the raised aft cockpit.

Rich woodwork makes for a very classy aft cabin with its own ensuite bathroom

Exterior

The 13 refers to the fact that this is a 13m boat. The second half of the numerals refers to the transom arrangement. Versions include 1300, 1350, 1395 and so on, and buyers can opt for a flat transom with no platform, a large platform with sweeping staircases either side or anything in-between. The full beam aft deck houses the helm, with canopies providing weather protection.

Performance

Volvo Penta, Perkins or Vetus Deutz in single or twin engine format were offered. Twin engines don’t give more performance but do give offshore back-up reassurance. This boat has a pair of Vetus Deutz DT44 114hp engines which give about 10 knots.

Big saloon and galley creates a fabulous open-plan living area on this customised model

Seakeeping

Vlet in the title refers to the hull shape, which is multi-chined rather than a flat vee, creating additional internal volume low in the hull for more space and a lower centre of gravity for greater stability, improved further by the Magnus Master stabilisers. The result is a very capable sea boat.

Specification

LOA: 45ft 6in (13.88m)
Beam: 14ft 5in (4.4m)
Draught: 3ft 11in (1.2m)
Displacement: 20 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,200 litres
Engines: Twin Vetus Deutz DT44 114
Location: Holland
Contact: Karl Farrant Marine Sales

Four more river boats from the June 2019 issue

Stevens VLET 950 Special

Built: 2003
Price: £75,000

Built by the Smelne yard in the Netherlands, this steel cruiser is badged a Stevens (rather than Smelne) which means it was built to a high UK-specific standard specification and is British Safety Scheme compliant from the off.

Being a Smelne built boat, a huge amount of personal customisation would have been available to the original owner; no two Smelne boats are ever exactly the same.

Interior

With two permanent vee berths tucked way in the fore cabin (an infill turns these into a double berth) and the rest of the beautifully trimmed interior given over to living space, this is a terrific day cruiser or a great escape boat for a couple.

The beautifully trimmed interior offers ample living space

There’s a decent sized, well equipped galley on the lower deck opposite the heads, leaving the main deck almost entirely as living space. Deep windows down both sides enable you to watch the world go by even when seated at the dinette. The indoor helm does without a fixed seat so you can either stand or pull up a chair.

Exterior

Wide-opening saloon doors connect the interior and cockpit. Side decks are low, broad and well protected by high rails. Of particular note is a generous lazarette beneath the cockpit sole with plenty of space for folding bikes and bulky items.

Performance

The boat’s standard engine is a single Volvo Penta shaft drive diesel. It’s very well insulated, keeping noise levels to a minimum, and gives the 950 a maximum speed of about 7 knots flat out, with an easy cruising speed of up to 6 knots and a level of fuel consumption that’s simply not worth worrying about.

An infill turns the permanent vee berth into a double

Seakeeping

Seakeeping might be largely irrelevant for a riverboat, but actually the Stevens Vlet 950 is pretty good. A very low saloon floor means that you get little of the pendulum effect that exaggerates the roll you’d experience higher up on the aft deck of an aft cabin boat, and it’s a very solid, steady performer capable of admittedly low speed estuary or coastal work.

Bilge keels were also an option (in fact pretty much anything on a Smelne built boat was an option) but were rarely specified.

Specification

LOA: 31ft 1in (9.5m)
Beam: 10ft 1in (3.1m)
Draught: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 6 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 300 litres
Engines: Volvo Penta D2 55hp diesel
Contact: TBS Boats

Haines 26

Built: 2016
Price: £109,950

‘A VW camper van on the water’ was the thinking behind the Haines 26, according to the manufacturer’s managing director Justin Haines, who describes the boat as a ‘perfect weekender’.

Built at the family-run Haines yard in Catford, Norfolk, the Haines 26 is the smallest boat in the range but every bit the quality build of its larger siblings.

Interior

Two layouts were offered, one with a small single cabin to starboard and a double forward and the other the open-plan layout you see here.

In reality, every boat built so far has had the open-plan option, which puts a neat dinette at the front of the cabin and a settee/berth opposite the galley, which pulls out to create a double berth creating sleeping inside for four people.

The open-plan layout makes the most of the boat’s length and feels fresh and modern

The wood interior is available in a lighter oak finish or the classy darker walnut of this boat, and a fixed glass ‘skyscreen’ in the cabin roof as well as a perspex foredeck hatch allow plenty of natural light into the interior.

Exterior

A simple cockpit, wide non-slip side decks and a double foredeck seat sum up the exterior of the Haines 26. A transom door gives easy access to the bathing platform and the canopy is quick and easy to erect. Bonded windows and the powder coated black framed windscreen (which folds flat) give the boat a contemporary look.

Performance

The single Nanni N4.38 38hp diesel engine of this boat is an upgrade on the standard N3.30. Both are shaft drive for simplicity and reliability. An entirely river friendly top speed of 7 to 8 knots makes typical 5 knot inland cruising a doddle and even with a fuel capacity of just 135 litres, you’ll rarely need to stop for a refill.

The snug-fitting canopy turns the cockpit into a comfortable all-weather seating area

Seakeeping

The hull majors on low wash and stability, exactly what’s needed for inland waters. Manoeuvrability is also a prerequisite and a bow thruster is a must with a single shaft drive. Amazingly, most Haines 26 models left the factory with not just this but a stern thruster too, allowing the boat to go completely sideways at the touch of the thruster controls.

Specification

LOA: 26ft 0in (7.9m)
Beam: 10ft 6in (3.2m)
Draught: 2ft 6in (0.8m)
Displacement: 3.75 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 135 litres
Engine: Nanni N4.38 38hp diesel
Contact: Norfolk Yacht Agency

Aintree Wide Beam

Built: 2017
Price: £203,000

If you’re going to cruise inland, why not buy a proper narrow boat? The name gives away the build location of this one – Aintree riverboats are constructed a mile away from the famous Grand National steeplechase in Merseyside.

Rather than a model range, Aintree will supply a boat in any length up to 70ft and to different levels of completion, from a basic hull and deck requiring fitting out through to a finished vessel.

And those lengths can be had in two widths. Standard narrowboats are 6ft 10in wide. The wide beam boats from Aintree are 12ft across, gifting massively more interior volume at the expense of not being able to access some of the narrower inland waterways.

Interior

That wide beam really makes itself felt with ‘home from home’ accommodation. Accessed from the aft cockpit, steps lead down to a large kitchen area with domestic appliances, and ahead of that is a saloon with two sofas and a wood burning stove (surely a first for an MBY used boat review!)

A full-beam master is located in the bow

A passageway to starboard takes you past a guest cabin and the heads to the full-beam master cabin in the bow, complete with built-in wardrobes.

Exterior

As is typical for a narrowboat, most of its length is taken up with the cabin, leaving just a small cockpit aft. But rather than a flat deck as many boats of this type have, this has the shelter of a sunken well with seating around the stern and protection from a canopy that encloses this area. The helm position is here too, with a wheel rather than the tiller that many narrowboats usually get.

Performance

Performance is probably the wrong word – it might have a 90hp Beta engine, but this is 65ft of steel barge. Nevertheless, it’s fit for purpose, allowing the boat to cruise at the kind of brisk walking pace appropriate for inland cruising.

The homely accommodation is super comfortable

Seakeeping

Again, it’s not really about seakeeping with a boat like this. Sheer length should make it track straight, and there are bow and stern thrusters that will help position the boat. All you really need to get used to are the slow reactions of a long, heavy steel boat carrying this much momentum.

Specification

LOA: 65ft 0in (19.8m)
Beam: 12ft 0in (3.7m)
Draught: 2ft 2in (0.7m)
Displacement: 28 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 400 litres
Engine: Beta 90hp diesel
Contact: TBS Boats

Halvorsen Gourmet 32

Built: 2003
Price: £89,950

Halvorsen has a fascinating history. Founded originally by a Norwegian in 1870, the family ended up building boats in Australia where they’re still based. The boats, however, are now built in China. The 32 shows more than a nod to ‘down east’ styling, with its classic simulated planking to the topsides, sweeping sheer lines and traditional superstructure with peaked overhang to the deck saloon roof.

Interior

Halvorsen has resisted the temptation to cram in two cabins. The result is a wonderfully indulgent boat for two with a big centreline double berth in the forward cabin and separate toilet and shower compartments.

Galley aft layout is unusual for a boat from this era

Interestingly, the main deck is a galley aft layout, way before these became fashionable, tucked behind the helm on the starboard side. The port side of the deck saloon is given over to a large dinette that will convert to an occasional double if required.

Exterior

The ‘old school’ profile means low, easily accessed teak-capped side decks leading up to a foredeck with a good old-fashioned Sampson post. There’s a single central door in the aft bulkhead of the deck saloon, rather than wider-opening double doors, which reduces the connection between saloon and cockpit but does create space for two sheltered aft-facing seats – a great place to tuck yourself away with a wonderful view aft.

Performance

Although the low air draught and single engine make this boat ideal for inland work, it’s more powerful than a typical riverboat at 315hp. What that creates is genuine offshore reach and a top speed of 15 knots, making this a great boat for zipping across the Channel before diving into Europe’s inland waterways. In fact Halvorsen also offered twin engined versions with a pair of 155hp or 250hp engines.

The centreline double is a generous size

Seakeeping

It’s a semi-displacement hull, giving good seakeeping and a comfortable ride at the expense of pushing plenty of water as it barrels through big waves rather than bouncing over them like a planing hull. At low speeds the boat tracks beautifully and a standard fit bow thruster helps with close quarter work.

Specification

LOA: 32ft 0in (9.8m)
Beam: 12ft 0in (3.7m)
Draught: 3ft 8in (1.2m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 719 litres
Engine: Cummins 315hp diesel
Contact: Norfolk Yacht Agency

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Best river boats: Tempting used options for exploring inland waterways appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In build: 2009 – 2015
Price range: £125,000 – £165,000

First of all, let’s clear something up: what makes a boat a coupé? It depends on where you look but the definition we’ve used over the years is that a coupé is a sportscruiser with its helm and socialising area at main deck level within a fully enclosed hard top that leads out to an open aft cockpit.

Nimbus itself dates back to 1968 when the Nimbus Group was founded in Långedrag, near Gothenburg, on Sweden’s west coast. Starting with the Nimbus 26, the company established a reputation for building practical, seaworthy boats that stood the test of time.

The company and the range expanded over time, doubtlessly helped during the 1980s by a high-profile marketing collaboration with tennis superstar Björn Borg.

It wasn’t just tennis royalty that took a shine to its products; in 1996 the Royal Clubs of Sweden presented King Carl Gustav XVI with a Nimbus 19 Nova as a 50th birthday present, cementing its standing as a manufacturer of smart, high quality boats with lasting appeal.

It was around this time that Nimbus launched its first coupé – prior to this it had focused on open and semi-enclosed wheelhouse boats.

Article continues below…

Nimbus 465 Coupé first look: £1m flagship trawler to launch in 2024

James May’s boat: Why Captain Slow bought a surprisingly fast Marex 310

The concept proved a great success both at home in Sweden and overseas where customers relished the convenience of a fully enclosed saloon, galley and helm on a single level which could be heated in winter and opened up in summer. Nimbus gradually expanded the Coupé range over the following years, launching 28, 32, 35 and 38ft models.

In 2009 these were joined by two more, the Nimbus 335 Coupé featured here and its larger sibling the Nimbus 365. Although the 365 was a foot wider than the 335, it was only 13 inches longer, meaning the two boats were actually quite similar – the key differences being an island double bed and ensuite access to the heads as well as more space and bigger engines in the 365.

However, the 335 was around £60,000 cheaper than its big sister, making it a more attractive proposition for cost conscious customers. Around 100 of these smaller 335 models were constructed before it was phased out in 2015.

Having the saloon, galley and helm all on one level is perfect for cruising couples and kids

As with many Scandinavian boats of this size, the 335 is a single-engined craft that was originally offered with a choice of 260hp or 300hp versions of Volvo Penta D4 on simple shaft drives. These delivered claimed top speeds of 24 and 26 knots respectively.

Our review boat, a 300hp 2013 example, was on the books of Ancasta’s Chichester branch for £165,000 tax paid. It was being sold by a Scandinavian family, the Eklos. Originally from Norway, Olaf Eklo had purchased his Nimbus 335 Coupé to enjoy a more quiet lifestyle following a busy working life.

Sadly, this was not to be and just three days after the boat was delivered to Shepperton Marina, he passed away. Olaf’s son, Kristian, took on the vessel, and after learning how to handle it was soon using it with his family as a very comfortable day boat.

Single engine and shaft drive reduces maintenance and running costs

Easy rider

“It’s a very manoeuvrable boat,” says Kristian. “During my training I was prompted not to use the bow and stern thruster unless absolutely necessary and I found it quite easy unless it was windy – a lot of the boat is above water and consequently its windage is quite high. In terms of accommodation, there was always plenty of room for three or four family members.”

Another boater with experience of the model is Ken Haynes, who moved up from a Seaward 25 to a Nimbus 335 Coupé named Tigris, which he kept at Mercury marina on the Hamble. “At the time we wanted a boat with more accommodation, to take the family out,” says Ken.

“I also wanted something a bit faster than the Seaward. As it turned out it wasn’t much faster but the ride was smoother and there was less spray over the bow. While the performance was acceptable, it never achieved the 25 knots it was reputed to do. I got 23 knots occasionally but only with a clean hull and prop.

“A jet wash and thorough clean of the prop was necessary every six months, by which time speed was cut down to under 20 knots. I had the prop recalibrated twice but saw little improvement.

“Fuel consumption was pretty good, particularly if I cruised at 12 to 16 knots. In terms of handling, we probably went out in up to Force 6 with no trouble but mainly in the Solent. Handling became easier in cross winds when I managed to sort out the trim tabs!”

Ken purchased his Nimbus 335 Coupé from Offshore Powerboats of Lymington, the UK importer for Nimbus. “We only had one or two minor faults after delivery and their aftercare was first class,” he says.

Navigator’s bench flips over to join the dinette once you’ve reached your destination

An interesting design feature of the Nimbus 335 Coupé is its asymmetric side decks, with the wheelhouse being offset to port. While this results in a very narrow side deck on the port side, it frees up more space inside the saloon while still leaving room for a wide side deck on the starboard side.

This can be accessed either from the aft cockpit or via a full-height door next to the helm. The latter is an important consideration for anyone looking to operate the vessel single-handed, as it enables the skipper to quickly hop outside to lasso a cleat when berthing.

Despite the boat having a beam of just 10ft 6in, there’s a generously-sized bathing platform with lockers either side of a swim ladder, and four fender baskets for easy stowing under away. Despite the majority of the main deck space being given over to the saloon, the open aft cockpit is surprisingly spacious.

LEFT: Deck level lockers and fender baskets make good use of the bathing platform’s space. RIGHT: The open aft cockpit is fairly compact but ideal for smaller groups of up to five people

An inviting L-shaped seating area lies to port with a removable table perched atop the access hatch to the engine bay. The engine sits immediately below this hatch, meaning easy access for daily checks – no unpleasant bending or contortions required here!

Space-saving solutions

Despite the asymmetric design, the relatively narrow beam does catch up with you in the wheelhouse, which feels relatively compact due to the multiple roles it needs to fulfil. There are three separate areas – dinette, galley and helm – which rub up against one another as they compete for space.

The galley, for example, extends all the way to the rear of the helm seat. This does mean that it’s comprehensively equipped with a one-and-a-half bowl sink, two-burner hob, oven, fridge and plenty of storage drawers.

Fold up splashback protects the helm seat from cooking spills on the hob beneath

With the hob and sink covers in place, the galley also provides a good amount of worktop space for food preparation. Wisely, our review boat was also fitted with a hinge-up splashback to the left of the hob to protect the helm seat’s fabric.

Opposite the galley, the dinette provides seating for four. In common with all the interior woodwork, the dining table is fashioned from high quality mahogany and looks great. The tussle for space continues here though, where a clever flip over mechanism allows the rear-facing forward end of the dinette to become a forward-facing double seat under way. Directly in front of this is an attractive mahogany unit incorporating a chart storage tray and a pop-up television/computer monitor.

The helm has a single bolstered seat and a compact but well laid-out console. Two cup holders are provided but most other items would need to be stored on the port side unit. Visibility from the helm is good all round, and the starboard side door, together with the vessel’s two manual sunroofs, ensures a plentiful supply of fresh air and natural light.

Side door next to the helm provides fresh air and easy access to the side decks

Two steps lead down from the wheelhouse to the lower deck. To save space these are only half width and offset to alternate sides so that you have to lead with your left foot then your right to avoid stepping into thin air.

There is no companionway door here either, so anyone standing alongside the helm when the boat is moving will need to watch their step, although there are handholds to steady yourself with as you descend.

Once there you will find two cabins. The owner’s cabin, located in the forepeak, has a vee-berth with an infill to create a double bed. It’s a cosy but comfortable space, albeit with limited storage for longer cruises.

Forward vee-berth has an infill to make it into a double when needed

The second cabin is also compact but manages to include a double bed (with restricted headroom) and enough storage space to see you through a weekend. The single heads is a wet room, with the basin’s tap doubling up as a pull out shower head.

Nimbus 335 Coupé verdict

The Nimbus 335 Coupé is an easy boat to like. It’s a welcoming, versatile vessel that will appeal to those seeking a comfortable, manageable boat that’s high in quality and low in operating costs.

Well suited to families with a pair of young children or older couples looking to downsize, it’s small enough to use as a day or river boat but large enough to stay aboard for weekends or even weeks at a time.

The second cabin has a permanent double albeit with limited headroom

Like all boats it has its foibles – not everybody likes the idea of a single engine on a cruising boat of this size – but few other 33ft boats can cover quite so many bases quite so well while still being usable all year round.

Nimbus 335 Coupé surveyor’s report

Extensive use of vacuum infusion, cored laminate and inner mouldings is such that access is tricky in the tight recesses of the engine bay and service areas.

It is critical when surveying these boats to check as far as possible for good bonding of the inner moulding to the hull moulding, and careful assessment of the cored hull at low level is important, especially where it tapers back to solid construction.

Both cabins share the one heads/wet room with a pull
out shower tap

Points to note when considering buying:

• With dark-coloured gelcoats, the imprint marks from build due to the vacuum infusion process can be visible. This is not of any structural concern, but cosmetically it can be quite noticeable.
• Being of cored construction, have the undersides and topsides carefully hammer sounded and checked by an experienced surveyor to ensure the core has not become delaminated. Similarly, any impact damage should have been well repaired to ensure moisture has not ingressed into the core material.
• Access around the single engine is awkward, especially to monitor the sterngland and access the cooling water seacock. You could fit an articulated rod to the seacock handle.
• The maximum speed I achieved on the survey was 22.5 knots with the D4 260. With the 300, up to 25 knots is possible. Hull cleanliness makes a significant impact on the speed of any boat but this model seems to be particularly sensitive to it. Consider a mid-season lift out for a pressure wash and anode check. This will easily pay for itself in saved fuel consumption.
• Check the machinery service history, and insist on a thorough sea trial with your surveyor. Heat exchanger cleaning regimes are so often forgotten, and generally a thorough sea trial can detect issues.
• Check for any signs of cracking around the mullions for the A post around the windscreen, due to flexing. The dark blue gelcoat is prone to blooming over time, so allowance will need to be made for regular compounding, or ultimately painting or vinyl wrapping to preserve its looks. The tinted acrylic windows will also age over time, so regularly examine their bonding.

– Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

Nimbus 335 Coupé specifications

LOA: 33ft 9in (10.27m)
Beam: 10ft 6in (3.2m)
Draft: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Fuel capacity: 480 litres
Water capacity: 190 litres
Max speed: 25.3 knots
Cruising range: 206nm at 19.8 knots with 20% reserve
Design: Joacim Gustavsson and Mats Jacobsson
Hull type: Semi displacement
RCD category: B

Running costs

Annual fuel burn: 1,720 litres (based on 25 hours at 25.3kn and 25 hours at 6.9kn)
Annual marina mooring: £7,291 (based on £710 per m on the Hamble River downstream of Bursledon bridge)

What’s on the market

Price: £165,000 inc VAT
Date: 2013
Engine: 1 x Volvo Penta D4 300hp
Lying: Chichester
Contact: Ancasta

Price: £165,000 inc VAT
Date: 2013
Engine: 1 x Volvo Penta D4 260hp
Lying: Inverkip, Inverclyde
Contact: michaelschmidt.co.uk

First published in the August 2023 issue of MBY.

In association with SETAG Yachts. Design and refit specialists SETAG Yachts bring luxury to the pre-owned market – by creating the bespoke yacht of your dreams, with no compromise. To fall in love with your boat all over again visit www.setagyachts.com or call +44 (0)1752 648618 for more details.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Nimbus 335 Coupé used boat report: The most versatile 33fter on the market? appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

There is simply no finer place to be on a hot sunny day than at the helm of a proper old-school open-topped sportscruiser. Yes, a flybridge is more practical, yes a hardtop sportscruiser with a powered sunroof is a thousand times easier than wrestling with canopies, and yes, most of the year (in the UK at least) they’re probably both a better bet.

But nothing else on the water connects you with the sea and the warm fresh air whilst maintaining that sense of speed and fun (think Lotus Elise at 60mph compared to a Range Rover at the same velocity). So right now, open sportscruisers are where it’s at and here are four tempting options currently for sale at a suitably wide spread of prices.

4 of the best open sportscruisers for sale right now

Fairline Targa 30

Built: 1990
Price: £44,995

Fairline’s Targa range began with the Targa 33 back in 1984. After a mild tweak to take the interior layout from two to three cabins, the boat proved a huge success, so much so that by the end of the 1980s Fairline was looking to extend its new model range.

Launched in January 1990, the original Fairline Targa 30 was the answer. And I say ‘original’ because there was another very different Targa 30 about a decade later.

To confuse things further, this particular model then morphed unchanged into the Targa 33 to reflect the true hull length, including the integral bathing platform. The original Targa 33 had a ‘bolt-on’ version, which was replaced with a 34 that had an integral platform, a model that then segued into the Targa 35.

Interior

Fairline squeezed the same two cabins as its bigger sister into this boat, one at each end of the accommodation. Being a little smaller meant inevitable compromise, the forward cabin has very little floor space unless you remove a section of bed reducing it to a single, and the dinette between the two cabins is an L shape rather than a full U shape.

But it’s a worthwhile trade off, enabling up to four berths in two cabins plus a further two on the converting dinette.

L shaped dinette still has comfortable seating for four

Exterior

The Targa 30’s styling is a lot more modern than the original 33, with a curved windscreen rather than flat panes and square edges, integral bathing platform that is part of the hull moulding and a transom door. Even today, over 30 years on, this is still a great-looking boat.

Performance

The three twin petrol options were thirsty but fast, the largest being a pair of 7.4 litre V8 Volvo Pentas that topped out at over 40 knots.

Of the two diesel options, twin Volvo Penta AD31 motors were a little lightweight for offshore use, the Goldilocks option being the twin AQAD 41s fitted to this boat. We achieved 37 knots from a similar boat when it was launched, and good cruising economy.

The forward cabin has very little floor space

Seakeeping

Our sea trial took us across the Channel to Jersey, where we concluded that “her fine forward sections gave a smooth ride through all but the biggest lumps”.

Specifications

LOA: 34ft 1in (10.4m)
Beam: 11ft 2in (3.4m)
Draft: 3ft 2in (1.0m)
Displacement: 6 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 500 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta AQAD 41 200hp diesels
Location: Poole
Contact: Origin Yachts

Sunseeker Portofino 400

Built: 1997
Price: £112,500

Back in the day, you couldn’t move for British-built 40ft sportscruisers. Fairline fielded its Targa 38/39, Princess Yachts paraded its ultra successful V39/V40/V42 triumvirate, Sealine sold many of its S37 models, and Sunseeker; well Sunseeker had this, the 400 Portofino.

Interior

The basic layout of all of these British boats followed broadly similar lines. The owner’s cabin was up front, a mid cabin for guests further aft beneath the forward section of the cockpit, and a dinette opposite the galley in the middle plus, of course, the heads with its toilet and shower.

What stood the Sunseeker apart was its classic and beautiful high-gloss cherry woodwork. Although Sunseeker wasn’t the only company using these materials, somehow the organic curves and thick cappings elevated the look and feel above its rivals.

Organic curves and high quality finishes helped lift the look and feel

Exterior

A great-looking boat, there’s a sense that real care went into ensuring that the sweep of the forward sloping radar arch integrated perfectly with the stern quarters of the hull, and the decadent sweep of stainless steel windscreen is a joy.

Interestingly, this particular boat has black topsides and black canopies. Ahead of its time in the 1990s (when navy blue, also an option on the 400 Portofino, seemed to be the only alternative to white), these help to ensure that the boat still looks fresh today.

Performance

While most manufacturers offered sterndrive options only, Sunseeker was unusual in also offering a shaft-drive format. Achieved by utilising vee drive gearboxes to push the engines back aft, where they would be with the usual sterndrive layout, it created a simpler drive system.

That said, most opted for the more efficient and more responsive twin sterndrive option fitted to this boat. Sunseeker offered Yanmar and Volvo Penta options, the 230hp KAD 42 supercharged and turbocharged motors fitted to this boat giving 30+ knot performance.

High gloss cherry woodwork may be out of fashion now but it still looks wonderfully decadent

Seakeeping

Long, low and pointy, there’s a bias toward performance and seakeeping, which means the Portofino 400 is a reassuring companion offshore.

Specifications

LOA: 40ft 0in (12.2m)
Beam: 13ft 5in (4.1m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 12 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 986 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta KAD42 230hp diesel engines
Location: Brixham
Contact: RPA Boat Sales

Crownline CR340

Built: 2008
Price: £164,995

Having carefully explained how British sportscruisers tend to all have very similar layouts, this Crownline, hailing as it does from the USA, rather hammers the point home with a completely different take on how the thirty-ish-foot sportscruiser ought to be laid out. As ever with American boats, it’s all about the social spaces and it offers an intriguing alternative.

Interior

Although there is plenty of ubiquitous cherry wood in here, the first thing that strikes you upon entering is that it’s quite a bit more subtle than (for example) the Sunseeker, with a less mirror-gloss sheen plus fabric feature panels to break it up a little.

Pivot 180 degrees at the foot of the steps and you’ll discover another big difference. Whilst there is a mid cabin of sorts, it’s open plan to the saloon – basically just an open-fronted double bed that stretches beneath the cockpit.

The reason for this is that with no door or lobby area, it maximises living space. There is a separate forward cabin though, with a fairly high bed to allow it to fit further into the nose of the boat, again prioritising saloon space. As a result, the saloon itself is excellent for a sub 35ft boat.

Cherry wood is broken up with fabric feature panels

Exterior

It’s a similar story on the outside, where the lack of side decks push the cockpit right out to the edges. If you want to go forward, you climb a couple of steps next to the helm and step through an opening section in the windscreen (which is actually quite useful if you’re shorthanded as you can go directly forward from the helm rather than heading aft first to access the side decks). The result is acres of space and masses of seating in the comfortable split level cockpit.

Performance

Prod the correct button at the helm and most of the aft cockpit floor raises hydraulically giving good access to the pair of white Cummins Mercruiser QSD4.2-litre diesel engines. The likely top speed is in the 30-knot range.

The forward cabin has a transverse bed

Seakeeping

With the priority on social living, Windy is unlikely to lose too much sleep over the Crownline’s seakeeping ability, but a boat of this size and beam is unlikely to disappoint.

Specification

LOA: 36ft 1in (11.0m)
Beam: 11ft 8in (3.6m)
Draft: 3ft 0in (1.0m)
Displacement: 8.0 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 731 litres
Engines: Twin Cummins Mercruiser QSD 4.2 320hp diesel engines
Location: Torquay
Contact: One Marine

Fairline Targa 43

Built: 2004
Price: £149,950

It’s not often we feature two models from one manufacturer, and especially not from the same model line but this Targa 43 shows just how far Fairline had progressed the Targa line by 1997, when this model launched.

Whilst keeping the open cockpit ethos (now lost on the latest Targas – every current model comes with a hard top) this is a larger, more sophisticated boat than its forebears.

Interior

Described in our 1998 boat test as “among the snappiest we have seen”, the Targa 43 offers a really useful two cabin, two heads layout with excellent headroom for a sportscruiser, only the mid cabin being inevitably a little compromised by its position beneath the cockpit.

A lighter maple wood was offered but the majority got the ubiquitous high- gloss American cherry finish you see here. Fairline was really big on curves during this period, which looks great. I don’t know about ‘snappy’, I’d call it voluptuous.

Curved design details and glossy American cherry wood were favoured by Fairline during this era

Exterior

By the mid 1990s boat manufacturers had started to realise that it was possible to make windscreen frames out of something other than stainless steel, so this boat has the rather more modern GRP surround. Away from the cosmetics, its mid-40ft LOA provides length for a decent garage capable of swallowing a 2.8m tender.

Fairline modified the bathing platform on later boats like this so that a section lifted with the garage door allowing a RIB to be slid in (earlier versions required the tender to be lifted over the platform).

Performance

When we tested the boat at its launch, Fairline only offered twin 370hp Volvo Penta TAMD 63P engines, which gave us 31 knots flat out, although there were rumblings about a more powerful option. Sure enough, by the time this boat was built, an upgrade to twin TAMD 75P 480hp motors offered a useful performance hike.

The two-cabin, two-heads layout features more curves

Seakeeping

Straight shaft drive is another benefit of the larger size, putting the engines further forward for better weight distribution, and giving simpler running gear than outdrives. Combined with an Olesinski-designed hull, it makes for a very planted ride.

Specifications

LOA: 43ft 7in (13.5m)
Beam: 12ft 6in (3.8m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 9.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,247 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 75P 480hp diesel engines
Location: Jersey
Contact: JD Yachts

4 more open sportscruisers from the July 2022 issue

Neptunus Carlton S41

Built: 2002
Price: £95,000

Neptunus is a marque that you may not have come across. A Dutch yard, it built some very solid craft, mostly big flybridge boats but also the occasional sportscruiser, like this one.

Interior

A broadly conventional interior for a 40ft sportscruiser, it has the owner’s cabin in the bow, a mid cabin back aft with two single beds that run transversely beneath the cockpit, and a dinette opposite the galley between them. But it did have one AUSP (almost unique selling point). A second heads.

Pretty much unheard of at the time, it was ensuite to the mid cabin, giving your guests total privacy, not something you’d have found on a Princess V42 or Fairline Targa 43 of the same era. (The Sealine S41 had one, hence ‘almost’, but that was a far bulkier looking boat).

The two-cabins, two-heads layout is rare for a 40ft sportscruiser of this era

Exterior

With its powerful haunches, raked transom and chunky GRP sweep of windscreen frame (positioned such that it’s easy to see over when stood, although it can limit vision when seated), the Carlton S41 is a distinctive-looking boat.

It’s practical, too – the side rails extend right aft so that access to the side decks feels secure and protected, and the boarding ladder has hand rails that extend vertically above the swim platform to aid egress from the water.

Unusually, there is a small breakfast bar arrangement on the port side of the cockpit, and it’s this that creates the headroom for that second heads.

Performance

We tested a Carlton S41 with a pair of Volvo Penta KAD 44 EDC engines. With a maximum speed of 30 knots (although the manufacturer claimed to have seen 34 knots), we felt that the larger KAD 300 EDC engines coming on line at that point might be a better match. Fortunately, that is the engine option fitted to this boat.

The forward master features a fixed double berth and high quality fixtures and fittings

Seakeeping

We put the slightly breathless performance down to the sheer weight of the boat (a Princess V42 of that era with KAD 44EDC was achieving 37 knots). However, it is a sturdily built craft offering refined cruising.

Specifications

LOA: 42ft 8in (13.0m)
Beam: 12ft 4in (3.8m)
Draught: 3ft 2in (1.0m)
Displacement: 8.2 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 750 litres
Engines: Volvo Penta KAD 44EDC 260hp diesels
Location: Channel Islands
Contact: Moore Yachts

Article continues below…

Best hardtop sportscruisers: Our top picks from the used boat market

Secondhand buyers’ guide: 4 of the best 50ft sportscruisers for sale

Sunseeker Superhawk 50

Built: 2001
Price: £199,950

The Superhawk 50 was originally launched as the Superhawk 48 and could be purchased with anything from a pair of 230hp diesels through to triple 300hp Yanmar diesels.

Naturally, Sunseeker (heavily performance-orientated at the time) opined that a little more performance would be lovely, so it developed the 50.

A longer bathing platform allowed triple surface drives to be connected to 420hp Yanmar 6LY2-STE engines, putting 50 knots within reach.

Interior

Designed by Don Shead and an evolution of the Thunderhawk 43, itself based on Shead’s race-winning Rejuga offshore powerboat design, the Superhawk has a pencil of a hull; narrow, low and deep of vee.

It’s why there is a gently curving channel to walk along through the centre of the cabin to gain a little extra headroom. There’s no mid cabin as the cockpit is also kept low. It is trimmed in classic Sunseeker high-gloss cherry with the thick cappings the company did so well. Yes, it’s small inside, but so is an Aston Martin Vantage.

Exterior

Again the narrow beam makes itself felt, but the cockpit of the Superhawk 50 is a lovely place to be. There’s a huge sunpad aft above the motors, with a walkway past it to port, a deeply sunk dinette opposite a wet bar and three heavily padded stand/sit bolsters at the business end.

The helm is a plethora of gauges – this boat predates electronic instruments so the full analog dial display is repeated three times, and six levers control the engines – three throttles and three gear shifters.

Performance

It’s fast. Seriously fast. And with those surface-piercing Rolla propellers, other boaters get treated to the sight of a huge rooster tail of spray as you leave them for dead.

The interior isn’t particularly spacious but it reeks of early 2000s Sunseeker quality

Seakeeping

Out at sea is where that narrow beam and low profile pay off. The race-boat DNA creates a hull that scythes through the rough stuff, allowing all of that towering performance to be unleashed.

Specifications

LOA: 52ft 1in (15.9m)
Beam: 10ft 10in (3.3m)
Draught: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 11.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,000 litres
Engines: Triple Yanmar 6LY2-STE 420hp diesel engines
Location: Essex
Contact: boats.co.uk

Windy 37 Grand Mistral

Built: 2008
Price: £165,000

Quite often there is a single boat that inspires this feature, and this month it’s this boat. The vast majority of Windy 37 Grand Mistrals went out with the optional hard top, which makes good sense. But when I saw this open version I immediately thought “she’s just about perfect”.

Interior

Some makes of boat have an unmistakeable vibe, and Windy is no exception. I could be lead aboard blindfolded, but once inside I’d know exactly what it was. The combination of beautiful woodwork, including the practical wooden floor, the well-fitted linings and the subtle colour scheme just scream, or more accurately whisper, “Windy”.

The layout is snug but entirely conventional and none the worse for it – double cabins at either end are split by the saloon and galley. The centreline bed in the owner’s cabin forward is a nice touch in a sub-40ft boat.

A smart dinette and galley split the two double cabins; the quality is excellent

Exterior

It’s a similar deal in the cockpit where neatly paired instruments down either side of the helm console, plenty of chunky grab rails, a thick wooden cockpit table and practical touches such as the steps up to the port side deck let you know you’re aboard a proper boat from a proper builder.

Performance

Although early Grand Mistrals (the boat launched in 1997) were offered with a variety of twin Yanmar, Mercruiser or Volvo Penta engines, the vast majority got the Volvos, and in fact the other makes soon disappeared from the options form.

In production for well over a decade, the KAD 44 260hp and KAD 300 285hp engines were usurped in 2004 by Volvo Penta’s brand new D Series motors, hence the D4-260 engines in this example, which should push the top speed into the high 30s.

A centreline double bed on a sub-40ft boat is a desirable addition for a boat of the era

Seakeeping

Designed by Hans J Johnsen, this is an extremely capable boat. When we asked powerboat racer Steve Curtis to test a number of like-sized sportscruisers in June 2005, he concluded that the 37 “had the best combination of ride comfort and agility of all the boats tested”.

Specifications

LOA: 36ft 7in (11.1m)
Beam: 10ft 6in (3.5m)
Draught: 3ft 2in (1.0m)
Displacement: 6.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 800 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D4-260 260hp diesel engines
Location: Poole
Contact: Salterns Brokerage

Sealine 360 Ambassador

Built: 1995
Price: £69,950

In 1993, when the 360 Ambassador was launched, Sealine’s range stretched from a 21ft 210 Senator that you could put on a trailer through to the 450 Statesman – a 45ft flybridge cruiser, putting this model firmly into the centre and encapsulating exactly what Sealine did so well: good-value user-friendly boats.

Despite it being almost 30 years old, this is still a great looking boat – well proportioned and curvaceous.

Interior

The user-friendliness is particularly evident inside the boat. Whilst many other manufacturers were still filling their interiors with dour and heavy- looking teak, the 360 Ambassador welcomes you in with light woods and pale fabrics.

It’s well equipped, too, with a three-burner hob, gas oven and grill, plus a microwave, and there is a stack of storage. A conventional layout sees a master cabin forward and guests in the mid cabin aft.

The forward cabin gets a centreline double bed instead of being squashed against one side and the mid cabin has a single and a double berth, making this area particularly adaptable. Even the toilet and the shower are split off into two separate units.

Headroom and levels of natural light are excellent in the generous forward master

Exterior

The cockpit is on one level, without any steps to trip up or stumble down, and the backrest of the aft seat can be configured to provide seating or sunbathing space. There’s even a little wet bar with a sink and fridge.

Performance

Unusually, Sealine offered this boat with Mercruiser (petrol or diesel) or Yamaha diesel engines, as well as the more commonly found Volvo Penta KAD 42 230hp diesels fitted to this boat.

All were twin installations, and all running outdrives. We tested the boat with 247hp Yamahas and reached a fraction over 31 knots.

The bright interior used light woods in stark contrast to many of its competitors

Seakeeping

Sealines of this era vary greatly in terms of seakeeping ability, but the 360 Ambassador (and later S37) has one of the best hulls Sealine produced at the time, with a soft ride and capable handling.

Specifications

LOA: 37ft 1in (11.3m)
Beam: 12ft 2in (3.7m)
Draught: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 660 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta KAD 42 230hp diesels
Location: River Thames
Contact: Tingdene Boat Sales

First published in the July 2022 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Best open sportscruisers: 4 tempting options for wind-in-your-hair boating appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In build: 2017-2020
Price range: £800,000-£1,200,000

Looking at all the big beasts inhabiting the UK boatbuilding ecosystem, few come larger than Fairline. The firm’s current range starts with the Fairline F//Line 33 and extends via six Targa variants and the Phantom 65 up to the Squadron 68.

Add to that a host of previous models and it’s no surprise this brand is ubiquitous on the UK boating scene – there surely can’t be many marinas without a Fairline on its pontoons. It’s all a far cry from 1967 when Oundle-based entrepreneur Jack Newington built his first Fairline – a 19-footer based on a secondhand mould.

Four years prior to that Jack had started his water-based adventures with the purchase of some old gravel pits, which he duly connected by way of a trench to the nearby River Nene in order to create Oundle Marina.

In 1971 Jack’s son Sam took over the business with its 14 employees, and set about building boats and the brand in earnest. In particular he looked to the Mediterranean, where the market was rapidly growing.

Article continues below…

VIDEO: Fairline Squadron 53 review

The Fairline Squadron 53 oozes quality, from its soft curves and meticulously lacquered woods to its copious customisation options

VIDEO: Used Boat - Sunseeker Portofino 53

Classic lines, strong performance and stacks of space make the Sunseeker Portofino 53 a great used buy

Two highly successful models – the Phantom 32 and the Fairline 40 – were launched during the 1970s to satisfy demand and by the end of the decade Sam’s workforce had expanded ten-fold and the business was turning over £5m.

As the company grew so did the number and variety of models it offered. The Targa range of sportscruisers included some of the most iconic models of the 80s, 90s and 2000s, while the top of the range Squadron flybridges reached a new high with the launch of the Fairline Squadron 78 in 2003.

But as is so often the way with boatbuilders, challenging times lay ahead. To cut a long story short, three changes of ownership between 2006 and 2015 were followed by Fairline Boats entering administration in December 2015.

The assets were purchased a month later by two Russian businessmen, who set up Fairline Yachts Limited and restarted production. The brand has been launching a steady stream of new models ever since and is now in the hands of private equity firm, Hanover Investors.

Most boats were fitted with a folding flybridge bimini shade that sits behind the seat backs when not in use

The birth of the Fairline Squadron 53

One of these new generation models is the subject of this review, the Fairline Squadron 53 first launched in 2017. Designed by Alberto Mancini in partnership with Fairline’s in-house team, the 53 is a high-spec flybridge cruiser likely to appeal to both UK and European-based owners.

One such owner is Nick Culley, whose 2018 Squadron 53 is one of two being offered for sale by Fairline dealer Bates Wharf, Swanwick. Nick purchased his boat new and has since added 148 hours to the clock, mostly cruising out of Dénia on Spain’s Costa Blanca.

“I remember quite specifically how I became sold on the 53,” says Nick. “It started at the Southampton Boat Show when somebody showed me some drawings of the Mancini styling. Up until that point my perception of Fairline had been very well made boats but perhaps a little bit dated in their styling.

Teak decking and table add the finishing touch to the 53’s impressively large flybridge

“I remember thinking this new approach would give me the best of both worlds; some Italian flair, something really quite striking, but with the renowned Fairline British quality. Together with Richard Bates I visited the Fairline factory, where I saw the production line and met various people involved in the process.

“I was taken hook, line and sinker by their attention to detail. For me, it was a combination of their quality and the styling, plus I was fascinated at how they could achieve a four-cabin layout in a boat of that size. I was really impressed with Fairline’s ingenuity in terms of using space – that’s when we were hooked into this new boat which was coming out.”

The styling of the cockpit and saloon look as fresh today as it did when it was built in 2019

In addition to coastal cruising, Nick’s Mediterranean boating saw him take his Squadron 53 across to Ibiza, Formentera and Mallorca: “It turned a lot of heads and consistently performed well.

Although it sounds a bit of a cliché the experiences we had with family and friends on board are some of the best days we’ve ever had – I felt very fortunate to be the owner of that vessel.”

In terms of handling, although he has not been out in extreme weather, Nick recalls encountering strong winds on his first return from Ibiza: “My family all tucked themselves away inside, but I stayed on the flybridge – I was quite enjoying the spray that was coming my way!

“I remember thinking the Fairline felt much more substantial than my previous boat, a 45-foot flybridge. I felt safe, it was comfortable and it certainly handled the swell better.”

Fairline only offered one propulsion choice for the Squadron 53; twin Volvo Penta D11s rated at 725hp each. When MBY tested the first new Squadron 53 in 2017, we achieved a top speed of 32.9 knots with the engines spinning at 2,500rpm and fuel consumed at a rate of 285lph.

But ease back to its most efficient fast cruising speed of 26.3 knots and the fuel burn drops to 199lph. That equates to just over 0.6mpg but stylish, fast fun such as this was never going to come cheap!

The boat itself is a gem with several big sociable areas packaged in a vessel which oozes appeal at every turn. As Nick pointed out, the use of space in his four-cabin Squadron 53 is exceptional but because purchasers had the choice of several different layouts, no two secondhand boats are likely to be quite the same.

As well as three and four cabin layouts with the galley forward or aft on the main deck, the three cabin versions could also be specified with either a utility area and day head or a galley on the lower deck and extra seating in the saloon.

Above and beyond

Over and above that, Fairline were happy to accommodate owner requests wherever possible. “They went far beyond the standard options list,” confirms Nick. “We wanted some additional audio equipment and were able to spec the boat exactly as we wanted it in terms of finish, features and functionality.”

Muted helm colours help reduce unwanted reflections

All of which means that prospective purchasers of secondhand 53s can expect to find a fair degree of variety between the boats they view. That said, externally all Squadron 53s share a spacious aft cockpit with a large seating area, part of which wraps around a sizeable table and part of which doubles up as a sunbathing area.

The portside section of the seating hinges upwards to give access to the boat’s crew cabin, which is situated between the bathing platform and the engines. While perfectly functional, we suspect that most of the time this is more likely to be used for storing cushions, covers and toys than humans.

From the port side of the aft cockpit and starboard edge of the bathing platform are steps leading to the side decks. While the walkways are well protected with guardrails and a grab rail on the superstructure, the guardrail sections are retained in their sockets by smallish Allen bolts which, we are told, require periodic checking to ensure they remain tight.

With the cushions in place the foredeck is a great space to hang out

The foredeck incorporates a pop-up table with seating on three sides. While sunbathing would be possible in this area, it is worth noting that the foredeck is split by a large central recess which serves as a walkway and footwell for the table, meaning that any guests sunning themselves will be some way apart.

Access to the flybridge is via an open tread staircase in the aft cockpit. It’s a steepish but worthwhile journey, for the flybridge is a joy with a double helm, wet bar/grille, large dining table and plentiful seating. There’s also a sunbed adjacent to the helm, the back of which hinges up to provide a forward-facing lounger.

Our review boat featured Fairline’s galley-aft main deck layout, which sports clean lines throughout, copious amounts of storage, two large and exceptionally comfortable seating areas in the saloon and some of the glossiest woodwork you’ll ever see.

Seating opposite is a great place to sit under way and keep the skipper company

Like the one on the flybridge, the lower helm is clean and well laid out (if a little lacking in storage) with a glass sunroof overhead. This doesn’t open, however, due to the flybridge behind it.

The boat’s four cabins – a superb full beam owners’ suite amidships, a VIP in the forepeak with an ensuite bathroom that doubles up as day heads, a twin bed third cabin to port and a bunk bed fourth on the starboard side – are all finished to Fairline’s usual high standards.

Three out of the four cabins have their own television and each has its own full-height wardrobe. The Fairline Squadron 53 is a delight to spend time aboard with styling and build quality matched by form, function and performance. Find the right one for you and a Squadron 53 makes a very sound secondhand buy.

Full beam owner’s cabin amidships is bright, spacious and largely free from chine slap

Fairline Squadron 53 surveyor’s report

These big Fairline hulls tend to have a long, lazy motion at sea, which inspires a feeling of security. The deep-vee hull softens the motion when heading into a swell for reassuring passage making even in less than perfect conditions. Conventional shaft drive makes for ease of handling and simpler maintenance than IPS.

I have found the construction and build quality of these boats to be consistently good, with very few significant latent issues, thanks in part to the use of resin infused mouldings. Points to note when considering buying:

• Teak swim platforms tend to be scrubbed heavily, so ensure that there is plenty of useful life remaining.
• A handful of Fairlines I have inspected have shown evidence of minor longitudinal stress cracking along the inner radius of the deck and superstructure, either alongside the helm position or along the forward coachroof sections. Nothing too concerning but worth getting your surveyor to check for.
• Boats finished in dark blue can suffer from UV degradation of the gelcoat. Fairlines are better than most but all blue gels tend to bloom over the years, although it can usually be brought back to life with a professional compound and polish.
• Look for signs of water ingress affecting the interior trims and lacquers around windows, ceiling lights and under deck stanchion bases.
• Flybridge helm seats can work loose on their mountings as they often double up as a handhold.
• Headlining panels have a tendency to drop after a number of years so check these are still holding firm.
• Ensure the engine service history is checked and verified, including heat exchanger cleaning. A sea trial when surveying is vital, with an extended run at maximum revs to ensure temperatures remain within specs.

A sound example of this vessel, especially once you have found one with the right layout, spec and price to suit your needs will provide you with a sea-kindly and luxurious mobile home from home.

– Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

The folding transom bench is a nice touch

Fairline Squadron 53 specifications

LOA: 55ft 6in / 16.92m
Beam: 14ft 10in / 4.52m
Draft: 3ft 11in / 1.2m
Air draft: 18ft 2in / 5.56m (inc. arch and nav light mast)
Displacement (dry): 21,000kg
Fuel capacity: 2,412L
Water capacity: 550L
Fuel consumption: 7.86l/nm @ 22kn range 245nm at 22kn with 20% reserve
Design: Fairline Yachts / Alberto Mancini
Hull type: Deep V
RCD category: B for 14 persons

Running costs

Annual fuel burn: 5,425 litres (based on 25 hours at 26.3kn and 25 hours at 8.1kn)
Mooring: £12,070 (For an annual marina berth on the Hamble River downstream of Bursledon bridge)

What’s on the market?

Price: £995,000
Date: 2018
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D11 725hp
Lying: Swanwick
Contact: www.bateswharf.co.uk

First published in the July 2023 issue of MBY.

In association with SETAG Yachts. Design and refit specialists SETAG Yachts bring luxury to the pre-owned market – by creating the bespoke yacht of your dreams, with no compromise. To fall in love with your boat all over again visit www.setagyachts.com or call +44 (0)1752 648618 for more details.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Fairline Squadron 53 used boat report: This luxurious flybridge is a home from home appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Flybridge boats tend to have the reputation of being the Volvo estates of the motor boat world. Sure, you can see how practical they are and how much sense they make, but they’re for older people surely? The pipe and slippers option.

And then, possibly just like that Volvo estate or those slippers, quite unexpectedly one day you find yourself with a strange yearning. Yes, in your head you’re Don Johnson in Miami Vice at the helm of your sleek fast sportscruiser.

But it’s winter, your head is cold and you’re not looking forward to doing battle with the canopies upon your return to the marina. For me the road to Damascus moment was a sudden one. There I was, aimlessly browsing the MBY brokerage ads when an immaculate looking Princess 38 sprang at me from the pages and ambushed me.

Before I could help myself I was ruminating that my head would stay warm conning that from the lower helm and all hope was lost. And it turns out there are plenty of other desirable flybridges under 40ft too. Pass the slippers.

4 of the best 40ft flybridges for sale

Princess 38

Built: 2002
Price: £149,000

Many years ago, when I was a broker for Princess Yachts, I sold several of these to always satisfied owners. Launched in 1999, at the time it was the smallest boat in the range (indeed the marque’s flybridge range now starts at 45ft) and whenever a 38 owner visited a boat show I was at, I’d always take them aboard a much larger model.

The reaction was always the same: “It’s exactly like my boat, only larger.” And that was the key to this brilliant little compact cruiser, no sense that you were buying a cheaper Princess, only that you were buying a smaller one.

Interior

That sense of high-end quality begins the moment you step through the saloon doors. Indeed it begins with the saloon doors because, rather than the usual white powder coated aluminium finish, the three part sliding doors are framed with stainless steel, just as you’d expect from a seven figure 70-footer.

And so it continues – the high gloss cherry cabinetry might feel a little dated by today’s standards but there’s no criticising the quality, which is the equal of far larger models.

Most Princess 38s got a small double settee opposite the large C-shaped main settee to starboard, this one is rare in having been specced with a useful sideboard instead. On the lower deck the two cabins share one large heads rather than getting one each.

Forward owner’s cabin and guest cabin share the one heads between them

Exterior

The flybridge helm position consists of two bucket seats, but it’s impossible to access the navigation seat without displacing the helmsman. Other than that small quirk it’s a great layout with steps to the flybridge rather than a ladder and a decent sized bathing platform.

Performance

Princess offered twin Volvo Penta KAMD44 260hp diesel engines when new, but almost all went out with a pair of the larger TAMD 63 motors, either in 318hp or 370hp variant. This boat has the former, which should offer close to 30 knots.

Gloss cherry woodwork may look dated but there’s no doubting the quality of it

Seakeeping

The hull extends beneath the bathing platform increasing waterline length, a common trick now as it increases buoyancy aft and lengthens the waterline to improve the ride and the running angle.

Specifications

LOA: 39ft 10in (12.1m)
Beam: 12ft 59in (3.9m)
Draft: 3ft 1in (0.9m)
Displacement: 8.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,000 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 63L 318hp diesels
Location: Swanwick
Contact: Princess Motor Yacht Sales

Article continues below…

Secondhand boat buying guide: four 40ft flybridge yachts reviewed

A 40ft flybridge is a great cruiser with enough space and clever layout. We review four secondhand boats on the

Best boats around £150k: Our pick of the secondhand market

Fairline Phantom 38

Built: 1997
Price: £119,950

It’s impossible, or at least unwise, to look at any Nineties or early- Noughties Princess without checking out the Fairline alternative (or vice versa), so closely do the two product ranges mirror each other during this era.

In this instance, the Princess 38’s doppelgänger was the Fairline Phantom 38, although the Phantom came first; it was launched two years earlier in 1997, terminating in 2003 (as did the Princess 38).

Interior

The basic concept might be nigh-on identical, but the execution differed markedly in a couple of key areas. Although the basic set-up was the tried and tested owner’s cabin in the bow, guest cabin to starboard, galley to port and then a saloon on the main deck, the crucial difference was that Fairline managed to squeeze in a tiny second heads, meaning both cabins had their own facilities rather than needing to share (unless you wanted a shower, the second heads was too small to offer one of those).

The rest of the lower deck is a mite squeezed as a result, but if you have regular guests aboard it’s a lovely feature. Fairline also offered a light maple finish, although this boat sports the cherry wood.

An interior refit would lift the rather dated look of this blue-heavy interior

Exterior

The exterior follows the same pattern, conceptually similar but differing in the details. Thick styling mouldings did a great job of blocking much of the view from the lower saloon windows (amusing to note that the saloon images in the brochure have the blinds drawn) although the larger upper windows offer a great view.

And the flybridge layout is superior, with a central helm flanked by two further seats and more seating aft.

Performance

Fairline eschewed the smaller Volvo Pentas, offering both versions of the twin 63 lumps plus a 355hp Caterpillar option. This boat has the largest TAMD 63P motors which would have given a solid 30 knots when new.

The interior looks notably more modern than the earlier Princess and Fairline 38s

Seakeeping

An Olesinski designed hull like the Princess, the Phantom’s shaft drive, rudders and tunnelled propellers are better suited to directional stability than agility, which is exactly what you want in a comfortable flybridge cruiser like this.

Specifications

LOA: 38ft 7in (11.7m)
Beam: 12ft 8in (3.8m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 9.8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 910 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 63P 370hp diesel engines
Location: Poole
Contact: Salterns Brokerage

Rodman 38

Built: 2002
Price: £119,950

Perhaps it’s the swage line bisecting the hull topsides, something Princess and Fairline had been fading out since the mid- Nineties, perhaps it’s the beige tint to the gelcoat, but the Spanish built Rodman 38 looks a little dated compared to the similarly sized and styled Princess 38 and Fairline Phantom 38.

Which is interesting because the Rodman 38 is actually a newer design, hitting the water in 2002 and running through to 2009. Most likely this is due to the builder’s roots. With a rich back catalogue of serious commercial vessels, its leisure craft tend to be a little more prosaic, but are absolutely rock solid.

Interior

Despite arguably lacking the nth degree of sophistication of its British rivals, there are some nice details in elements like the polished wooden trim in the ceiling, whilst the wooden floor provides a more practical, if less glamorous surface. The layout is again broadly similar, with Rodman emulating the two cabin, two head layout of the Fairline.

Like the Fairline, the Rodman has two heads as well as two cabins below decks

Exterior

Look more closely at the outside of this boat and you’ll realise that it is, in fact, more modern than it first appears. Witness the one-piece windscreen, rather than the two panes and central mullion of the other boats here, and the glass transom door rather than the old-fashioned solid GRP offering.

Rodman’s practicality shines through in the number of grab handles around the exterior and the seven-inch wide side decks. It’s a boat designed to be used.

Performance

Although launched with the traditional twin Volvo Penta KAD44 or TAMD63 P engines of its rivals plus a Yanmar diesel alternative, all connected to a shaft drive, Rodman later offered a Volvo Penta IPS500 option.

A very enthusiastic adopter of Volvo Penta’s pod drives from day one, this is a rare option in a boat of this size, style and vintage. This particular example has the twin TAMD 63P engines, the same as the boat we tested upon launch, finding 31 knots at the top end.

The interior looks notably more modern than the earlier Princess and Fairline 38s

Seakeeping

As solid as the rest of the boat, seakeeping is reassuring rather than exciting, again in keeping with expectations.

Specifications

LOA: 37ft 9in (11.5m)
Beam: 12ft 9in (3.9m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.9m)
Displacement: 8.0 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 940 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 63P 370hp diesel engines
Location: Essex
Contact: Boats.co.uk

Grand Banks 36 Sedan

Built: 1991
Price: £139,950

Looking at the three boats preceding this one, you might be forgiven for thinking that there’s only one basic layout for a sub-40ft flybridge boat, but Grand Banks is here to prove that theory wrong.

Known for its aft cabin trawler yacht vessels (the Classic range), Grand Banks also made some fine aft cockpit flybridge variants under the Sedan or Europa banner.

Interior

Not content with offering three variations of the 36 hull, Grand Banks also offered two interior layout options for its Classic and Europa models.

Both shared the same main deck layout – a comfortable saloon accessed through a sliding door in the aft bulkhead (there’s another next to the helm) with settees on either side, a galley forward to port and the helm to starboard. The standard layout then had a vee-berth in the bow on the lower deck and a bunk bed cabin to port opposite the heads.

However, this is the Master Cabin layout which loses the second cabin in favour of a much larger owner’s cabin, putting the heads and shower in separate cubicles. For a cruising couple with only occasional guests (the saloon settees convert to beds), this is a terrific layout.

Master Cabin layout has just the one cabin but it’s a pleasingly big and comfortable one

Exterior

Very trawler yacht on the outside, you’ve got your low, wide side decks, raised bulwarks and a traditional ladder to the flybridge. It’s an easy boat both to board and to crew.

The hull itself is based on a design that dates back to the days when Grand Banks were building boats out of wood, hence the simulated planking of the GRP topsides.

Performance

Various engine options were offered, covering a wide spread of power, as some customers were content to cruise at displacement speeds, for which a pair of 135hp motors were adequate, while others craved semi-planing performance.

This boat has a pair of Cummins 210hp units, similar to the Perkins 225hp engines that powered our test boat to about 15 knots.

Much like the exterior, the GB36’s interior has a timeless appeal and lasting quality

Seakeeping

A semi-displacement hull, the Grand Banks pushes stolidly through heavy seas rather than bouncing over them at speed as a planing hull does. The result is plenty of spray but a calmer ride.

Specifications

LOA: 40ft 2in (12.3m)
Beam: 12ft 6in (3.9m)
Draft: 4ft 0in (1.2m)
Displacement: 12.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 775 litres
Engines: Twin Cummins 210hp diesel engines
Location: Port Solent
For sale: Boat Showrooms

First published in the July 2023 issue of MBY.

4 more 40ft flybridges from the May 2021 issue

Princess 388

Built: 1991
Price: £79,950

One of the first Bernard Olesinski designs for Princess Yachts, it replaced the John Bennett-designed 385. Although a similar concept, a complete change of style meant it looked like a boat from the future.

Interior

The layout of the 388 mirrored its 385 predecessor and the 38 that set the template before that. It’s a set-up that just works – a central double berth in an ensuite owner’s cabin forward, a guest cabin with twin singles to starboard, and opposite that the day heads and galley.

Steps lead up from there to the saloon on the main deck. The raised double helm seat is to starboard with an L-shaped dinette aft of it and a straight settee opposite helping to create a sociable seating area.

Galley is on the lower deck with an owner’s cabin forward and a twin guest to starboard

Exterior

The outside was broadly similar in concept to the 385 but the big news was the lower deck portholes. Previously positioned in the coachroof, for the 388 they’d shifted down and were now part of the hull, the biggest change to glazing until large hull windows began to appear 20 years later.

A double knuckle in the hull visually broke up the topsides and the superstructure looked more rakish. No sign of transom doors or flybridge stairs yet, however, just the usual ladder.

Performance

Almost all Princess 388s went out with a pair of Volvo Penta TAMD 61 306hp straight six diesel engines nestled beneath the saloon floor. Connected straight to shaft drive, these old-school mechanical motors, complete with cable operated controls, are simple, well proven and pushed the boat toward 30 knots when it was new.

The raised helm and sociable saloon layout works as well today as it did 30 years ago

Seakeeping

The first boat Olesinski designed for Princess was the 45, a boat renowned to this day for rewriting the abilities of the modern planing flybridge cruiser. (Maximum geek points for knowing that the 30DS was the first Olesinski designed Princess but it was an existing concept he took to them.) The Princess 388 was Princess 45 lite – solid, capable and able to maintain high speeds when the sea was up.

Specification

LOA: 38ft 8in (11.8m)
Beam: 13ft 6in (4.1m)
Draught: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,137 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 61 306hp diesel engines
Location: Plymouth
Contact: Red Ensign

Sealine 42/5

Built: 2010
Price: £219,950

When Sealine launched the 42/5 at the Southampton Boat Show in 2001, the clue was in the name. Sealine’s SECS (Sealine Extending Cockpit System) turned the boat from a 42-footer to a 45-footer, with those extra three feet all added to the cockpit, at the push of a button.

Interior

But there is far more to the 42/5 than just the ability to change length depending on whether the marina has its tape measure out. The layout is classic 40ft flybridge, with a twist. The standard layout, which this boat has, is ensuite master cabin forward, guest cabin to starboard, galley to port then steps up to the saloon.

The twist was an alternative layout that moved the galley up to the port side of the saloon, leaving space for a third cabin on the lower deck. There was also a version of the second cabin that allowed it to convert to a small office. Post 2006 boats (like this one) got an interior refresh that included more contemporary carpentry and seating.

Forward owner’s cabin is a decent size and has plenty of storage for clothes

Exterior

Living up to its innovator billing, as well as the SECS system, Sealine gave the 42/5 the option of a cockpit barbecue and a crane to lift the tender aboard, while integrated anchor stowage in the bow was standard.

The cockpit is well protected by a long flybridge overhang, which itself creates space for sunpads at its aft end that integrate with the seating by folding the backrests flat.

Performance

Volvo Penta’s TAMD series engines were the popular choice when this boat was launched – either twin TAMD 63P at 370hp each or TAMD 74 or 75 motors at 430hp or 480hp.

Cummins were also an option, although rare in Europe, as most Cummins boats went to the USA. After 2005 the new D Series Volvos were fitted, this boat getting twin D6-435 435hp motors for a top speed close to 30 knots.

Lower galley still feels connected to the saloon in this two cabin version of the boat

Seakeeping

A shaft drive puts the engines toward the centre for safe predictable seakeeping.

Specification

LOA: 42ft 4in (12.9m)
Beam: 13ft 0in (4.2m)
Draught: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 11.8 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,410 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6 435hp engines
Location: Weymouth
Contact: J D Yachts

Fairline Squadron 42

Built: 2012
Price: £324,950

Launched in 2010, the Squadron 42 is an object lesson in just how far boat design had evolved since the 1990s. Although the same basic layout, the look and the feel are dramatically different from earlier boats of this size.

Interior

Pale woods were very much in vogue when this model launched, but there’s something reassuringly classy about the darker satin walnut interior.

The layout remains the same as the older boats featured here, but there’s a sense of space engendered by both the crisp contemporary joinery and the amount of glazing throughout, particularly in the forward cabin where the centre section of the ceiling is almost all glass.

Long strip of overhead glazing makes for a lovely bright cabin when the sunpads are removed

Exterior

The glossy dark blue topsides really set this boat off. The superstructure is a little more angular and it’s a very contemporary looking vessel. One particularly neat feature is a cockpit seat that faces forward into the boat, so far so conventional.

But tilt the backrest forward and it becomes an aft-facing seat, transforming your view from saloon doors to, well, the world. Another clever touch is a tender- launching system that cantilevers a RIB from bathing platform to water.

Performance

Buyers could opt for Volvo Penta D6 series motors in either 370hp format, as fitted to this boat, or 435hp versions. Both were linked to conventional shafts and rudders.

We tested the boat with the latter and achieved 30 knots. The smaller engines would likely be a knot or three down on this, but should still give an easy 20-knot cruise.

Sharper design looks a lot more contemporary than the other boats featured here

Seakeeping

With around a 13° transom deadrise, this Fairline was one of the first to incorporate flatter aft sections to the hull. The idea was to create easier planing ability but with the hull sharpening to a deeper vee forward for good headwind ability.

We tested the boat in a blustery Force 5 and discovered the concept worked well, although the sheer weight of the boat (15 tonnes loaded) meant it could displace some spray!

Specification

LOA: 42ft 5in (12.9m)
Beam: 13ft 10in (4.2m)
Draught: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 15 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 996 litres
Engines: Volvo Penta D6-370 370hp diesel engines
Location: Spain
Contact: Boats.co.uk

Nord Star 40

Built: 2014
Price: £364,950

Sometimes it’s hard to pigeonhole boats to a specific category and the Nord Star 40 is a case in point. At first glance it looks like a walk-around wheelhouse cruiser like a Botnia or a Sargo (both built in Finland, as this boat is).

But the crucial difference, and the reason for its inclusion in this feature, is that the Nord Star incorporates a proper flybridge deck as an option.

Interior

The interior of the boat is typically Scandinavian – extremely practical but saved from being utilitarian by a high standard of finish. The two side doors are augmented by another sliding door in the rear bulkhead, improving both access and ventilation.

Helm and navigator get individual and very comfortable-looking seats to port and starboard, and there’s a decent saloon area behind them as well as a galley aft.

Two sets of steps lead down to the owner’s cabin forward and the guest cabin aft

Drop down to the lower deck forward and you’ll find a double berth in the forward cabin and there’s a heads down here as well. Less obvious is the discovery that further aft is a separate access behind the dinette which leads down to another cabin with a double berth and its own heads.

Exterior

The outside of the boat is pure walk-around at deck level. Wide, safe, well bulwarked and teak-laid walkways either side of the wheelhouse take you forward to the foredeck or aft to the cockpit.

But what is unusual are the steps leading up to a surprisingly large flybridge situated over the wheelhouse. Until fairly recently Nord Star was the only manufacturer offering this on a walk-around style 40 footer.

Busy wheelhouse design has sliding aft doors to the cockpit and side doors to the decks

Performance

A pair of Volvo Penta D6-370 diesels sit beneath the aft deck. They transmit their combined 740hp through a pair of duo prop outdrives which push the boat close to 40 knots, making a fast 30-knot cruise possible.

Seakeeping

Those outdrives don’t just offer a relatively slippery low drag, high-speed solution, they also give fast and direct handling as direction changes are via vectored propeller thrust rather than the more passive water deflection of rudders.

And it’s Finnish, so expect a sturdily built but soft riding hull that’s more than capable of taking on choppy seas.

Specification

LOA: 42ft 7in (13.0m)
Beam: 12ft 8in (3.8m)
Draught: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 10 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 860 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6-370 370hp diesels
Location: Southampton
Contact: Approved Boats

First published in the May 2021 issue of Motor Boat & Yachting.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Best 40ft flybridges: Our pick of the secondhand market appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

In build: 2004-2008
Price range: £380,000-£595,000

When John Hardy founded Hardy Marine back in 1976 he focused on the production of small motor sailers. So popular were his high quality Colin Mudie-designed craft, that in 1982 the company’s North Walsham, Norfolk manufacturing facility was expanded to accommodate demand.

As the company grew, the focus switched to small but solidly built motor boats, including the evergreen Pilot 20 and popular Seawings range but in 1997 the company took a big step upmarket with the Andrew Wolstenholme-designed semi-displacement Hardy 36.

This was followed by the Commander 32, the Commodore 42, the Hardy 50 of 2004, and ultimately the Hardy 62 in 2013.

New life

Some years earlier, John Hardy had sold the business to Mark Funnell but Mark’s untimely passing in 2012 at the age of just 49 took the wind out of the company’s sails.

In 2013 the business was sold to Windboats, which retained ownership until 2020 when Falmouth-based Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding bought the brand and started breathing new life into the range. Hardy’s rugged construction, useful turn of speed and legendary seaworthiness means the popularity of its craft isn’t limited to leisure boaters alone.

A reputation for being able to put to sea when others are hunkering down in port attracted the interest of some big-name customers, including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, which in 2004 bought two Hardy 42s as training vessels that are still in weekly use at the RNLI College in Poole, and Raymarine, whose Hardy 42 Raymariner is used as a mobile test bed for its latest nav gear and can often be spotted in and around the Solent.

Article continues below…

Best 50ft flybridge boats: Our pick of the secondhand market

VIDEO: Grand Banks 47 used boat - trawler yacht packs punchy performance

While the power of association – the marketing mantra which asserts we judge each other by the company we keep – might lead you to think that these connections with the RNLI and Raymarine would push sales of the Hardy brand into the big league, the larger models at least remain strangely elusive. The Hardy 50 featured here, for example, is one of just six built.

All-weather

Looking back it seems the Hardy 50 was always destined to be a niche player. Its very creation came about at the request of sea-school owners David and Kim Griffiths, who wanted something a little larger than their Aquastar 48.

In addition to plenty of space, the vessel also boasts an RCD A ‘Ocean’ rating. This means it’s capable of operating in seas of up to 23ft and winds of up to Force 9 (strong gale, 41-47 knots), making the Hardy 50 a truly formidable all-weather seagoing vessel.

Hull designer Andrew Wolstenholme is the master of semi-displacement hulls and the Hardy 50’s is as good as it gets

It’s this capability and the potential for adventures it opens up that first attracted Hardy 50 owners Nick and Julia Hawes to our featured boat, Pasiphaë, which is being offered for sale by Berthon, Lymington, for £535,000 VAT paid.

In fact, the Hawes currently own two Hardys, the other being the first 62 to roll off the line back in 2013. This definitely puts them in the Hardy super-enthusiast bracket – so what’s the appeal?

“Well, I previously had a Princess V48 and was wondering what to go for next,” says Nick. “We went to a Nelson rally but then looked at the Hardy range and just fell in love with their boats. We viewed a 42 but, with its extra space, decided the 50 had to be the one for us.

High guardrails add to the feeling of security on the Hardy 50’s side decks

“Julia was new to boating and was a little bit nervous of walking along side decks so I wanted something that would be safe – and with its high guardrails all the way round, the Hardy 50 is just so safe.

“When we took it out on a sea trial, I just loved its capabilities. We bought the boat back in 2018 and since then we’ve done some good trips from Lymington to the West Country and have been across the Channel and to the Channel Islands.

“We cruise at about 17 to 20 knots but she’s capable of 30. Because you’re not racing through you don’t get the feeling of slamming through the waves. Whereas some boats leave you feeling like you’ve done a massive journey, this one just pushes on and is so comfortable – it’s not a tiring boat when you’re at sea.

“Even though we purchased the 62 just over a year ago, if we decide to downsize in three or four years’ time, we’d definitely go back to the 50.”

In terms of layout, the generously proportioned Hardy 50 is an easy boat to like. As owner Nick pointed out, the side decks – which extend aft to where a walkaround behind the aft cockpit gives access to the bathing platform – are super safe.

Up top is a flybridge with twin seats at the centrally mounted helm and extensive wraparound seating with lockers beneath to both sides and aft.

Centrally mounted helm on the flybridge with raked screen to deflect the elements

While a lowish windscreen provides partial protection from the elements, guests will still feel the wind in their smiling faces as the boat slices its way through the waves. Two sets of steps lead down from the flybridge; one to the aft cockpit, the other directly to the saloon.

Beautifully crafted

With its wet bar, grill, fridge and bags of deck space for a free-standing table and chairs the aft cockpit is the place for al fresco dining, while the main saloon provides a full complement of creature comforts for whenever the weather turns.

The saloon, which can also be accessed from doors on either side deck, is split into three distinct areas. Firstly there’s the portside-mounted helm, which like the flybridge has twin seats.

Main deck is split across two levels with a lower saloon and raised helm and dining area

Directly ahead of the helm is a beautifully crafted wooden dashboard, which is kept commendably uncluttered due to much of the instrumentation being mounted in an overhead panel which runs the full width of the saloon’s leading edge.

To starboard, just aft of the helm, is a dinette with L-shaped seating providing seating for three or four guests. While there’s a pouffe to boost the number of seats by one, this does somewhat beg the question of where would a full complement of guests dine if the weather precluded the aft cockpit?

The answer may well lie behind the dinette where two steps down lead to the bright and airy saloon proper, a cavernous area equipped with a plush horseshoe settee. While our review boat sported a coffee table in front of the settee, there’s plenty of room here for a free-standing table if need be.

Dinette in the saloon can seat four comfortably. Note the internal stairs to the flybridge

Opposite the settee is another top quality wooden unit, this one incorporating storage space and a pop-up TV. Ahead of the dinette another set of steps lead down to the wraparound galley. Ergonomically designed and well thought-out throughout, this is another area where form and function combine in perfect harmony.

Everything required in the galley – hob, oven, twin sinks, microwave and fridge – is here together with a substantial amount of storage and locker space.

Opposite the galley is a lobby area which leads to the boat’s day heads and the engineroom which, as befits an ocean-going vessel, lies behind a watertight bulkhead door. Inside, a central walkway gives excellent access to the twin MAN diesels.

Aft master cabin is ample in size with plenty of built-in storage solutions

Three cabins

Also off the lobby is the smallest of the boat’s three cabins, which is fitted with twin bunks and a modest amount of stowage space. The other two cabins are a somewhat different story with both offering plenty of room and lockers.

Located in the forepeak, the second cabin is a V-berth, while the spacious full beam aft master cabin accommodates a double-bed with copious amounts of storage to either side.

There’s even more stowage in this cabin’s forward bulkhead, which also houses the boat’s second television. Completing the picture is the master’s ensuite with toilet, basin and a separate shower stall.

Master cabin has a compact ensuite with a small separate shower compartment

In some ways, it is perhaps surprising that only six Hardy 50s exist. For not only does the model stand up well to its contemporaries in terms of the quality of its build and fitments, it also has the added advantage of that RCD A rating.

Then again, that’s something that not every boater would be looking for; nice to have, but not essential to all but the diehards among us. But if you’re among that number, and are looking for something that’s not far from a one-off, maybe the Hardy 50 is the boat for you.

Hardy 50 specifications

LOA: 50ft (15.24m)
Beam: 16ft (4.9m)
Draft: 4ft 5in (1.39m)
Air draft (mast lowered): 13ft 5in (4.1m)
Displacement: 27 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 3,636 litres
Water capacity: 660 litres
Fuel consumption: 8.9 l/nm @ 24.8kn
Cruising range: 260nm @ 24.8 knots
Type: Flybridge trawler yacht
Designer: Andrew Wolstenholme
Hull type: Semi-displacement
RCD category: A

Running costs

Annual fuel burn: 6,375 litres (based on 25 hours @ 24.8 knots and 25 hours @ 8.5 knots)
Mooring: £10,820 (Annual marina mooring on the Hamble River downstream of Bursledon bridge)

Hardy 50 surveyor’s report

Conceived and built as a larger stablemate to the Commodore 42, this handsome semi-displacement craft was handbuilt to the owner’s specifications when new.

The Andrew Wolstenholme hull features a round bilge but fine entry forward, which helps to provide a comfortable motion through head seas and up to 30-knot performance when required.

These boats make for a comfortable, refined passagemaker or work equally well as a spacious weekender that will rarely force you to change plans due to the weather.

Construction-wise, Hardys I have surveyed have been consistently good, with very few significant latent issues, such as osmosis, delamination, cracking or flexing. The quality and finish of gelcoats is almost always good, provided it has been well maintained.

Points to note when considering buying:

• Make sure the flybridge layout and the route to and from the flybridge, especially the stair design and handholds, suit your requirements.
• Whichever engine option you go for, ensure the service history is checked and verified, including heat exchanger cleaning. A thorough sea trial when surveying is vital, with an extended run at maximum revs to ensure temperatures remain within specs throughout.
• Ensure all the ancillary equipment is working – I have noticed an increase in issues with generators, heating/air conditioning systems, holding-tank pumps and electrical items due to lack of use during the pandemic.
• For the same reason, double-check fuel separators and filters prior to passagemaking. It may be necessary to have the existing fuel pumped out, polished, and returned to the tanks.
• Check the teak decks and swim platforms haven’t been over scrubbed or, if synthetic teak, ensure the material is still well bonded to the substrate.

A sound, well-maintained example of this vessel should provide you with years of comfortable cruising thanks to sound design, enduring build quality and timeless lines that will not age.

-Chris Olsen, Olsen Marine Surveying

What’s on the market?

Price: £535,000 (VAT paid)
Date: 2008
Engines: 2 x MAN R6 800hp
Lying: Lymington
Contact: Berthon International

First published in the June 2023 issue of MBY.

In association with SETAG Yachts. Design and refit specialists SETAG Yachts bring luxury to the pre-owned market – by creating the bespoke yacht of your dreams, with no compromise. To fall in love with your boat all over again visit www.setagyachts.com or call +44 (0)1752 648618 for more details.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Hardy 50 used boat report: Form and function in perfect harmony appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Peruse the new boat market and a quarter of a million pounds might not buy what it once did. However, it’s still a hefty chunk of cash and deployed carefully in the slightly more challenging secondhand arena, it can still yield a hefty amount of boat.

As ever, the sliding sides of the used boat triangle come into play: size/year/price. Having fixed the price, you can then play with the other two sides and decide whether to go bigger but older or smaller but newer.

To illustrate that point, we’ve selected four very different but equally appealing craft currently for sale from an immaculate looking current model Cranchi Z35 open sportscruiser built in 2018 to a considerably older but much larger and still very desirable Fairline Squadron 52.

Filling the 17-year age gap between them are a very tidy Sealine C330 from 2016 and a stunning Oyster LD43 ‘gentleman’s cruiser’ from 2006. As the saying goes, you pays your money and takes your pick.

4 of the best £250k boats for sale

Cranchi Z35

Built: 2018
Price: £225,000

The Cranchi range now spans 26ft to 78ft and encompasses sportsboats, luxury tenders, trawler yachts, crossovers and big flybridge craft.

But the Z35 harks back to what Cranchi has always done so very well. With a back catalogue that includes the enduring and appropriately named Endurance 39/41 and the hugely popular Zaffiro 34 (a model that it sold over 1,500 units of), this 35ft sportscruiser is heartland stuff for the Italian builder.

Interior

It’s quite refreshing to see that Cranchi has stuck with the time honoured mid 30ft sportscruiser layout that dates right back to the 1980s and boats like the Fairline 33 Targa and Princess 36 Riviera.

There’s a double bed in the owner’s cabin forward (a centreline double, which those earlier boats didn’t get) and a mid cabin aft with two singles that convert to a double. An L-shaped dinette to port sits opposite the galley and heads. It feels upmarket down here too, with well chosen high quality finishes in pale colours.

Saloon, cabins, galley and heads all feature modern styling and high quality finishes

Exterior

There is a similarly traditional bent to the exterior as well. There’s no hardtop option, no tender garage and no high-low hydraulic bathing platform – just a spacious cockpit beneath removable canopies.

Like the interior, it’s a time-served layout that just works with a big dinette area aft, a wet bar, and then a step up as you move forward to find an L-shaped seating area to port adjacent to a helm to starboard. The advantage of no hardtop is you can shade this area with a bimini whilst leaving it completely open around the sides.

Performance

Cranchi offered just the one engine option, a pair of D4 260hp sterndrive diesel engines (later upgraded by Volvo to 270hp).

But it was a wise choice as these engines suit the boat perfectly. Top speed is approaching the mid-30 knots (we achieved 34 knots on test), making 3,000rpm and 26 knots a very comfortable and relatively economical cruise.

Cockpit has masses of sociable seating and a wet bar shaded by an easy to deploy canopy

Seakeeping

Good helm ergonomics, a dry ride and a “spot-on running attitude” was how we described this boat on test.

Specifications

Length: 37ft 11in (11.5m)
Beam: 11ft 6in (3.5m)
Draft: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 7.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 600 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D4-260 260hp diesels
Location: Windsor
Contact: Tingdene Boat Sales

Article continues below…

Secondhand buyers guide: Best boats under £200,000

Best boats around £150k: Our pick of the secondhand market

Sealine C330

Built: 2016
Price: £239,950

When Sealine launched its new Bill Dixon-designed S330 back in 2014 it was an unashamedly cockpit orientated sportscruiser, albeit one with an open-backed hardtop.

The ‘coupe’ C330 launched a year later with the sole purpose of offering a more weatherproof enclosed main deck saloon. This is not simply a case of enclosing the hardtop, it is a demonstrably different boat.

Interior

While the S330 puts all of its interior living space on the lower deck (saloon, galley, cabins etc), the C330 uses its enclosed saloon on the main deck to gift the boat its interior living spaces.

So you’ll find a dinette to port and the galley opposite, behind the helm position to starboard. Although this is clearly an internal zone, Sealine has gone to great lengths to bring the outside in should you choose.

So as well as the bi-fold aft door, there’s also a lift window making the connection with the cockpit almost seamless, a sliding roof above the helm lets more light and air in, and there is even a sliding door next to the helm.

Putting all the living space on the main deck creates plenty of space on the lower deck for two decent cabins plus a generous heads.

Well-equipped galley with plenty of storage and a comfortable dinette opposite

Exterior

That opening of the interior is useful because inevitably the actual outside cockpit area is far smaller. There’s an L-shaped bench seat across the inside of the transom and a choice of short or long bathing platforms when the boat was new (this boat has the shorter platform).

A deep side deck to starboard links the cockpit to the helm door, and then a step up leads you to the foredeck where there’s a rather nice forward facing seat at the bow.

Performance

Potential owners could choose a single or twin engine installation when initially speccing the C330. The twin Volvo Penta D3-220 option fitted to this boat was the motive power for our original test boat, which hit 31 knots and cruised at about 25 knots.

Sliding roof above the helm and a glass door adjacent add to the light-filled main deck

Seakeeping

The helm position was described with the ever popular “spot on” vernacular, and it was noted that the C330 was significantly quieter than the S330, making it a more pleasant cruiser.

Specifications

Length: 32ft 10in (10.3m)
Beam: 11ft 6in (3.5m)
Draft: 2ft 11in (0.9m)
Displacement: 7.1 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 570 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D3-220 diesel engines
Location: Penton Hook
Contact: TBS Boat Sales

Oyster LD43

Built: 2006
Price: £259,950

In 2005 Ipswich-based Oyster Yachts, justifiably famous for its world-girdling luxury sailboats, decided that its customer base needed a motor boat. Designed to appeal to its refined yachting audience, a “gentleman’s cruiser” is how we might once have got away with describing it.

More a luxury runabout than a long-distance cruiser – apparently LD stood for Lunch and Dinner, the idea perhaps being that it was the ultimate picnic boat.

Interior

It’s a statement backed up by the interior, which has just the one dedicated sleeping cabin, unusual in a world where anything much over 30ft generally has at least two (in fact there was a two-cabin option, which displaced the galley from the lower deck to the main saloon to free up space for cabin two, but it was far less popular).

As a result of not trying to cram too much in, it feels spacious everywhere. That one single cabin is a generous size, as is the heads, and the galley lives up to the LD moniker. Two huge captain’s chairs dominate the forward end of the saloon with a pair of leather settees aft.

Thanks to its unusual layout the solitary cabin is a good size, as are the heads

Exterior

Open the central aft door and drop the windows either side of it, and the saloon and cockpit become one big entertaining space. This is where the fine dining takes place, courtesy of a large drop-leaf table which takes centre stage, flanked by two more comfortable settees.

Alternatively, head ashore and find a waterside restaurant but make sure it has views of your boat because this is a beautiful looking machine.

Performance

It’s not just with the concept and layout that Oyster went its own way, the drive systems are unusual too. A pair of Yanmar 480hp diesel engines is pretty normal but you don’t usually find them linked to jetdrives.

Said to offer improved manoeuvrability – aided by MouseBoat, a computer mouse shaped joystick docking control – they thrust the boat up to about 27 knots as well as offering a shallow draft.

Seakeeping

The helming experience matches the rest of the boat. Ensconced in that high backed armchair, cruising in this boat is a jolly nice place to be.

Specifications

Length: 43ft 6in (13.2m)
Beam: 13ft 5in (4.1m)
Draft: 2ft 3in (0.7m)
Displacement: 9.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,660 litres
Engines: Twin Yanmar 6LY3M-ETP 480hp diesel engines
Location: Lymington
Contact: Berthon International

Fairline Squadron 52

Built: 2001
Price: £249,995

At the beginning of this century, Fairline was keen to bust out of the usual cookie cutter layouts that boats of this era mostly fell into. In particular, it reasoned, why should boats be all about the maximum number of cabins?

Most buyers of 50ft+ boats are 50+ years old with kids that have flown the nest. So the Squadron 52 has two great cabins, not three that are inevitably more compromised.

Interior

This was the era before the ubiquitous full beam mid cabin was a thing. This boat has the mid cabin, but it’s not quite full beam. It is, however, an excellent size with an owner’s cabin feel to it.

There’s a second cabin forward, and these two cabins are so similar that either could be the owner’s, although the mid cabin has the better heads (complete with bidet!).

There’s a small two-berth crew cabin under the cockpit seat as usual, but less usual is a third cabin that spears off from the galley that’s positioned at a lower level off the saloon. Not quite big enough to grant three-cabin status, it’s more like a compact crew cabin/utility room that houses the washing machine as well.

There are two large and well-specced cabins – either would serve as the owner’s berth

Exterior

Squadrons are top of the range ‘motor yachts’ according to Fairline, which is why you get some lovely and stylish touches like the elegantly curved (rather than the usual flat panel) glass saloon doors.

The cockpit has access to the bathing platform on both sides, and steps lead up to a usefully large flybridge that has a vertical radar mast rather than a raked back arch, another nod to its motor yacht ethos.

Performance

Surprisingly for a 2001 boat, it has the D-series engines where most boats of this era have the previous TAMD units. The twin D12 700 motors should push the speed up toward 30 knots with a very easy 20-knot cruise.

Airline-style helm is a few steps up from a luxurious saloon with leather-clad sofas

Seakeeping

Bow and stern thrusters make close-quarter manoeuvring far easier, especially as there is a remote control for these, which is great for taking the pressure off the lines when on the dock if shorthanded. Out at sea you should be able to count on the safe and steady gait you would expect from an Olesinski hull with straight shaftdrive.

Specifications

Length: 52ft 6in (16.0m)
Beam: 15ft 3in (4.6m)
Draft: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
Displacement: 20.1 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 2,200 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D12-700 700hp diesel engines
Location: Southampton
Contact: Parker Adams Boat Sales

4 more £250k boats from the October 2021 issue of MBY

Sunseeker Superhawk 43

Built: 2007
Price: £249,950

Sunseeker’s reputation for sporty vessels is founded in a rich history of high-performance craft that date back to boats like the XPS34 of the mid 1980s and the Hawk and Superhawk series of the 1990s and 2000s. It was a dynasty that finally came to an end with the Superhawk 43 – the boat you see here that was manufactured between 2006 and 2009. Now only the rather left-field Hawk 38 flies the super high-performance banner for Sunseeker.

Interior

Modern boats are all about cabins. Anything much past 35ft has to have two cabins plus a saloon, and even boats as small as 25ft are now available with at least one separate sleeping cabin. So it’s intriguing to discover a 43-footer that has just the one open plan space downstairs.

With a double bed in the bow and an L-shaped settee opposite the galley, it’s all you really need for a couple to weekend comfortably aboard. Sunseeker sensibly ensured the settee backrest also lifts up to create a Pullman-style berth, freeing-up the space for an occasional two more.

It’s all open plan below, except the heads, with a double bed in the bow and a convertible settee

Exterior

The reason for that minimalist interior layout is evident from the outside – this is a proper performance boat designed from the outside in. It’s long, low, narrow and fast. It still looks sensational. There’s a pretty decent cockpit sunk deep into the boat to keep the height and centre of gravity low. The cockpit has a double helm forward and a wet bar opposite a dinette with a swing-out table plus a raised sunbathing area back aft.

Performance

Sunseeker offered a pair of Arneson surface drives mated to 480hp Yanmars or triple 325hp Yamaha diesels, but the twin Volvo Penta 350hp motors fitted to this boat are the mid-range choice and arguably the most practical and financially efficient solution, which still give an exhilarating 40-knot top end.

Cockpit is race-boat low but not short on creature comforts with a wet bar opposite the dinette

Seakeeping

A proper deep-vee twin-stepped high performance hull means that the Superhawk 43 has both power and control. It corners like a motorbike, cranked over so far that you feel like you might get your ears wet, and just as impressively, it cleaves the sea like a laser.

Sunseeker Superhawk 43 specification

LOA: 44ft 3in (13.5m)
Beam: 11ft 11in (3.6m)
Draught: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 8.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,000 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6-350 diesel engines
Location: Port Solent
Contact: Ancasta

Princess V58

Built: 2003
Price: £249,950

In 2000 Princess launched the V65, flagship of its sportscruiser series at the time. It was the first boat that Princess fitted a proper hard top to. It was an open-backed affair over the cockpit with a sliding fabric roof, rather than one with doors at the back to create an enclosed deck saloon, but it proved popular, quickly filtering down the range, so when the V58 came out in 2002, it too had a similar hardtop on the options list. Everybody seemed to want it, meaning that almost no V58s left the factory without it. Almost…

Interior

2003 predates the current convention for full beam owner’s cabins in the centre of the boat, so the standard layout of the V58 had an owner’s cabin in the bow with a double bed, and an asymmetrical pair of cabins aft to give one large cabin with an offset double berth and a smaller third cabin with bunk beds.

Unusually, this particular boat was originally ordered by an owner clearly ahead of his time. When he ordered the boat, he specified that the two aft cabins be made into one full beam midship cabin – it’s palatial!

Full-beam master cabin was a one-off owner’s request, most have two guest cabins in this space

Exterior

Clearly no follower of convention, the other area that differs markedly from the majority of Princess V58s is that the boat was ordered without the hardtop, making it one of the largest fully open sportscruisers Princess ever built. It makes for more work with the canopies, but the result is a proper ‘wind in the hair’ experience for anyone lucky enough to be enjoying the exceptionally spacious cockpit.

Performance

Princess offered Volvo Penta D12-715 715hp, MAN D2848 800hp and MAN D2840 1,050hp engines, all in twin shaftdrive format. Most got the 800hp motors, including this particular vessel, which resulted in a top speed of about 35 knots and a high 20-knot cruise.

Inviting saloon not short on veneer and leather but the effect is luxurious and there’s lots of space

Seakeeping

To test its on-paper attributes we took a Princess V58 out for a blast in Mallorca. You won’t be surprised to hear that we found that a combined 22 tonnes and the Olesinski-designed hull made short work of batting aside the choppy sea whipped up by a stiff breeze outside of Palma.

Princess V58 specification

LOA: 58ft 8in (17.9m)
Beam: 15ft 2in (4.6m)
Draught: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 22 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 2,500 litres
Engines: Twin MAN D2848 800hp diesel engines
Location: Swanwick
Contact: Princess Motor Yacht Sales

Nimbus 365

Built: 2015
Price: £249,950

We’re heavy on sportscruisers here for two reasons. Firstly, pickings are slim on the used boat market, you take what you can find to some extent, and secondly because I like them and I’m choosing them. However, in a bid to provide balance and choice, I’ve found a very practical (or ‘super’ practical, as modern vernacular irritatingly has it) deck saloon boat, hailing, as these things often do, from Scandinavia.

Interior

Function, function and function, says the Nimbus website, and it’s fair to say that we’re now about as far away from the Superhawk 43 as it’s possible to get. But the Nimbus 365 is indeed incredibly functional. The deck saloon offers great one-level living, being a step-less stroll from the cockpit and housing the galley as well as a large dinette and the helm.

In fact the only reason to visit the lower deck is to use the heads or to sleep in one of the two double cabins (there’s an owner’s cabin in the bow and a second cabin that extends back under the deck saloon). Sliding overhead glass hatches add light and a side door next to the helm open this area to the elements or can be closed to banish them as required.

Master cabin in bow is one of two double berths in lower deck where the heads are also located

Exterior

Wide side decks and high rails make this an easy boat to work, as does that side access door at the helm. Back aft, the cockpit is deep and sheltered, with an L-shaped run of seating and a demountable table.

Performance

A vee drive gives the benefits of shaft drive while keeping the engine well aft. Single Volvo Penta D6 330 and D6 370 engines were offered at launch, with this boat upgraded to the D6-435, which should improve upon the 24.5 knot v-max when we tested this model with a D6-370.

Cockpit is on the same level as the saloon and helm for maximum ease of movement

Seakeeping

That vee drive results in less responsive but steadier handling than an outdrive. Close-quarter handling is a challenge, but the bow and stern thrusters fitted make amends. Offshore, we said: ‘Nimbus romped over everything, treating us to a soft landing and only the slightest of shudders.’

Nimbus 365 specification

LOA: 35ft 9in (11.0m)
Beam: 11ft 3in (3.5m)
Draught: 3ft 8in (1.2m)
Displacement: 6.2 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 700 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D6-435 435hp diesel engine
Location: Lymington
Contact: Offshore Powerboats

Fairline Targa 44GT

Built: 2009
Price: £249,950

Fairline’s Targa 44 is a boat of choices. When new, alongside the usual selection of interior upholstery colours and woodwork options, buyers could opt for sterndrive or IPS power and choose an open boat or an open-backed hardtop with a sliding roof. This boat was clearly a no-expense-spared specification, coming as it does with the costlier IPS drives and the hardtop over the cockpit.

Interior

Fairline does boat interiors so well, and Fairlines of this era in particular. Finished in satin oak, it’s modern and classy. Spacious too, with a decent cabin at either end (the aft featuring scissor berths that swap easily between singles and a double), two heads and a dinette opposite a generous galley.

The galley is typically well-made and stylishly laid out with a comfortable dinette opposite

Exterior

While the open boat experience was an option, many owners opted for the hardtop version, which adds the GT to the nomenclature. It retains the same cockpit layout, with its wraparound seat alongside the double helm for a sociable area for crew and a simply enormous run of seating on the lower aft cockpit section complete with a useful wet bar.

The hardtop itself features a solid sliding roof section which traded its inevitably smaller aperture for the resilience and weatherproofing of fibreglass over the fabric alternative.

Performance

Fairline offered a huge range of engines in this model, all Volvo Penta twin installations. You could also choose from sterndrive or IPS pod drive. Smallest were a pair of D4-300 engines that still gave a decent 30-knot top end. D6-370s on sterndrives up the ante to about 34 knots. This boat, with the largest IPS600 D6-435 435hp engines clocked about the same when we tried one, although it was slightly down on revs, suggesting there might have been a knot or two more to be had.

Cockpit is designed to seat crew and guests in comfort and there’s a very well-equipped wet bar too

Seakeeping

When tested we described the Targa 44 with IPS drives as having ‘the perfect response to the wheel. It’s sporty enough to have fun with, but solid enough for a long cruise with the autopilot engaged.’

Fairline Targa 44GT specification

LOA: 44ft 11in (13.7m)
Beam: 13ft 3in (4.0m)
Draught: 3ft 4in (1.0m)
Displacement: 13 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 996 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta IPS600 435hp diesels
Location: Poole
Contact: Peter Keats Boat Sales

First published in the October 2021 issue of MBY.

If you enjoyed this…

Be first to all the latest boats, gadgets, cruising ideas, buying advice and readers’ adventures with a subscription to Motor Boat & Yachting. Available in both print and digital formats, our monthly magazine will be sent directly to your home or device at a substantial discount to the usual cover price. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Best boats under £250,000: 4 of the best secondhand dream machines appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.