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.

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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.

There’s an interesting quote on the website of Finnish boatbuilder Botnia Marin. Attributed to Founder and Chairman Johan Carpelan it reads: “Targas are designed and built according to how the sea in reality is – not as one wishes it to be. Our guiding principle is to send you out to sea as a proud and confident captain with a smile on your face.” Fine words indeed, but does the Botnia medicine work? Well, according to Targa 44 owner Charles Craven, it really does: “You know what?” says Charles. “I feel like this boat looks after me.”

Given that Charles is a self-confessed adventurer whose resumé includes high-end motor racing as well as taking his boat out in conditions where others would turn back, he probably needs a bit of looking after. “I like to challenge myself so that I feel a little bit out of my comfort zone,” he says. “I like to push; I like to push the fear, if you see what I mean. Yeah, but in a controlled fashion and giving myself the best chance of safety.”

To illustrate his thrill-seeking tendencies, Charles recounted the last leg of his journey after collecting his Targa 44 from Botnia Marin’s factory in Malax on Finland’s west coast. “Boy, did we see some weather on that trip,” he says. “On the last day, we were cutting across from Dublin to Inverkip, where I keep the boat. It was an eight- or nine-hour day and for the last three to four hours, it was Force 6 with gusts up to 8 and 9 according to the weather station at Campbeltown. Although I was petrified, the boat was fine!”

Charles went on to tell us that his 44 feels like a tank which simply cuts through the sea, whereas his other boat – a Botnia Targa 32 – is more like a jetski. That said, the twin Volvo Penta D6 440hp sterndrives propelling his Targa 44 top out at a more than respectable 39 knots. Not bad for a boat, which if you include the bathing platform, isn’t far short of 50ft long!

The flybridge is quite spartan by the standard of some rivals

Our 2015 model

The Targa 44 we tracked down for this review, a 2015 example being offered by Berthon, Lymington, for £559,000 excluding VAT, is equipped with the slightly less powerful twin D6 400s which, according to the broker, is still good for 32 knots. Botnia Marin also provided us with fuel figures for a vessel equipped with 435hp IPS 600 units.

Apparently, these forward-facing pod drives will allow it to reach around 37 knots. The key operational difference in Charles’ opinion is that sterndrives make for more of a “driver’s boat” – hardly surprising that’s what he opted for!
While Botnia appears to have all the power, performance and handling bases covered, what about the creature comforts? Charles, who stands 6ft 2in in his stockinged feet, assures us the master cabin bed is more than large enough for him and that in trips of up to nine days at sea there was nothing that he missed.

Large, open cockpit is supremely safe and easy to move around

Among the prerequisites others might consider essential for a vessel of this size is crew, but Charles stresses that the Targa’s 44 twin pilothouse doors opening out onto the side decks’ high-sided, super-safe gunwales make berthing very simple even for single-handed skippers.

If you want to talk about desirability, it’s arguable that the Targa 44 doesn’t have quite the luxury factor that others in its size class might have. But that’s because this boat is primarily designed as a safe and sturdy passagemaker rather than a floating hotel. So although the build quality throughout is impeccable, what you don’t get with the Targa 44 are luxuriously appointed cabins and a separate saloon and galley area.

Similarly, while the aft cockpit is a generously proportioned space with bags of room for deck furniture and the flybridge will accommodate six or seven people, the upper deck is relatively modest in terms of its outright size.

That said, one thing we really like about the Targa 44 is that it has a proper little ship feel about it. That impression begins the moment you step aboard, as the side decks are on a level with the aft cockpit. Protected by waist-high teak-topped handrails, these walkways remain flat until you reach the pilothouse’s full-height sliding side doors, at which point, a couple of steps take you up to the foredeck. Glance back from here and the reverse raked windscreen of the pilothouse confirms that this is a boat built for business.

Swathes of satin-finished teak are a hallmark of the Targa’s top quality interior fitout

Cockpit and saloon

On our review boat, the pilothouse is entered from the cockpit by way of a sliding aft patio door. This was one of two options offered by Botnia, the other being an enclosed aft end to the pilothouse with access only via the side deck doors. This frees up the space for additional storage where the patio doors would have been. The saloon also has a flat floor throughout so the cockpit, dinette, galley and helm are all on the same level, making it very easy and safe for guests of all ages to move around.

Of course, a downside of the wide side decks is that the pilothouse is relatively narrow. It does feel a touch tight as you make your way through, but Botnia has nonetheless managed to fit everything in – a dining table, a six-seater wraparound settee (which doubles as an occasional berth), an oven, a two-burner hob, a sink, a fridge and some storage spaces.

Wide side decks mean the saloon is relatively narrow but well laid out and equipped

There’s also plenty of delicious woodwork and cabinetry on show here, all with a satin finish which again screams quality. Up at the helm, there’s a single driving seat to starboard and twin co-pilot seats to port. Radar and plotter displays sit above two lengthy ranks of Carling switches. And visibility, both to the sides as well as forward through that low-glare reverse windscreen, is excellent.

Split cabins

The boat’s cabins are accessed from either end of the saloon. Three forward steps lead down to the bow cabin, which on our review boat has a double bed nestled into the forepeak. This is a permanent built-in fixture rather than a V-berth with infill, but that option was also available on the Targa 44.

The forward cabin either has this permanent double or a convertible vee berth

There’s lots more satin wood-faced storage space in the forward cabin, as well as a good size of ensuite, which on our boat also comes with a washing machine. Another point of note here is that adjacent to the bow cabin’s entrance steps is another bed – a crawl-into space which can be screened off from view by a curtain. It’s an unusual feature for sure, but one that could prove useful when travelling with a child on board.

At the opposite end of the saloon is the entrance to the owner’s cabin. Again, there are three steps down and there’s another crawl-into bed alongside the stairs, this time a compact double. The ensuite is surprisingly sizable and, while the master itself has a large bed and plenty of storage around it, it’s still a cabin built to meet your practical needs rather than to provide a luxurious retreat.

Will it work for you?

When it was introduced in 2007, the Targa 44 represented an evolutionary step from the Targa 42, with its longer length allowing the possibility to fit Volvo Penta IPS drives. The Targa 46, which was launched in 2017, was again an evolution of the Targa 44. Mainstream production of the 44 would continue until 2024 but even then, that didn’t mean the end because today, it is still produced in very limited numbers for commercial workboat applications.

The aft cabin also has a small single berth at the entrance – ideal for parents with a child

Clearly then, the Botnia Targa 44 feels like a breed apart. It’s not a boat for everyone but for those with a spirit of adventure, who value function over form, and who want the ability to put to sea in even the most demanding conditions, this is a vessel you should consider. As owner Charles says: “I’ve looked at plenty of boats and for me, the 44 ticks all the boxes. It’s strong, solid and dependable. In fact, to my mind, it’s bulletproof – and I like that!”

Botnia Targa 44 specifications

MODEL: Botnia Targa 44
DESIGNER: Oy Botnia Marin AB
HULL TYPE: Planing
RCD: Category B (15 people)
LOA: 47ft 1in (14.36m)
BEAM: 10ft 10in (3.34m)
DRAFT: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
DISPLACEMENT: 12,400kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 2,000L
WATER CAPACITY: 350L
TOP SPEED: 37.2kn (speed and fuel figures supplied by Botnia for a Targa 44 with 2X IPS 600 435hp engines)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 3.52L/nm @ 25.5 knots
RANGE: 453nm at 25.5 knots with 20% reserve

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.

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This article Botnia Targa 44 used boat review: A bulletproof passagemaker ready for anything appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

During its first 15 years in business, you might argue that Princess Yachts developed its skills and reputation by concentrating on relatively workmanlike designs. Then in 1980, up popped design guru, Bernard Olesinski, and the firm’s transition to sportscruisers began. It would take a further 15 years for the original V-class to arrive – and while it did so in style with two models, the V39 and V52, these first generation V-class craft were open boats and so very different to our review boat.

What we have here is a hard-topped 2014 V52 sports yacht on offer with Princess Yachts, Swanwick for £530,000 UK VAT paid. It comes from the second incarnation to carry the V52 badge, which was launched at the 2010 Southampton Boat Show and remained in production for six years.

A mid-life facelift in 2013 also saw the hull’s three vertical glazed hull windows replaced by direct bonded glass to spruce up the boat’s profile and increase interior light. And that production run resulted in around 120 V52s being built. Just a cursory internet search reveals examples as far afield as the Caribbean and Australia, but given its global success, you don’t have to go that far to find one. We found ours in Chichester, where owner Paul Tredwell, showed us around…

“I’ve been around boats all my life and came to Princess after owning a Fairline. We had a Targa 43, which we used a lot until the kids got slightly bigger and the aft cabin they shared wasn’t quite good enough anymore,” said Paul. “So we needed to find something with three cabins to appease the children. We also wanted something a little larger and with the same sea keeping as the Targa 43, which was superb.

Slide-out stools that stow under the table increase the dining capacity to eight

“Apart from space below, the other issue with the Fairline was the canopies, which you would put on and take off quite a lot. As fantastic as it is when you have an open boat, we all know the weather changes in the UK and you end up scrambling to put the canopies on and off. Then at the end of the day, it’s always the person who owns the boat, washing it down and putting the canopies on for two hours while everyone else goes out and enjoys themselves.

“After a while that got a bit tedious so our aim was to find something that we could step on and go. That was our challenge, and in early 2022, we ended up with the V52.”

Family day spaces

The V52 certainly ticks lots of family boating boxes. At the aft end, there’s a standard hi-lo bathing platform big enough to carry a sizable tender. There’s also an aft cockpit with a massive ten-seater horseshoe seating unit, plus a starboard wet bar and grill.

Nestled beneath the seating unit, and accessed by way of steps, is a compact crew cabin which we suspect is more likely to be used for stowing toys and baggage rather than crew. As for sunbathers, they’re best catered for up front, where a pair of hinged sunpads recline at whatever angle you fancy. Access is good too, thanks to sturdy guardrails and teak-clad side decks that gently rise towards the bow.

Sliding aft doors and a single-level deck create a sociable connection between the cockpit and saloon

Moving forward from the aft cockpit, the wheelhouse is entered via a super-heavy but nicely balanced three-part sliding door. Touch and feel is an important factor for premium builders and Princess’s commitment to quality is abundantly clear here. Inside, the saloon is defined by straight unobstructed lines. Running the full length of the port side is the principal indoor dining area, where a second large horseshoe seating unit wraps around a generous dining table. By our count, the settee would comfortably accommodate eight guests, and there are also two extra pull-out pouffes ready and waiting beneath the table.

To starboard, a straight run of Rovere oak-faced cabinets provides plenty of storage and a fridge. It’s topped by a smooth wooden counter top which, just like the table opposite, is reassuringly thick, robust and beautifully finished with a stylish leather inlay. Completing the saloon’s key features is a pop-up TV and an ice-maker below the navigator’s seat.

Article continues below…

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The helm keeps on ticking those premium boxes. Twin leather seats? Yes. Adjustable helm? Yes. Anti-glare surfaces? Yes. Excellent all-round visibility? Yes. Crisp and ergonomic control layout? Yes. Among those controls are two Carling switches, which operate the saloon’s ventilation system: an opening side window alongside the helm and a sunshine roof above.

We have seen one or two electric sunroofs that appear a bit worse for wear (possibly due to maintenance shortcomings) but the one fitted to our 11-year-old review boat opened as if it were brand new. And that’s important because it’s an absolutely enormous panel.

The quality of finish at the leather-trimmed helm is typically Princess

Down four steps from the saloon lies a U-shaped galley. Despite its relatively compact dimensions, it packs in everything you could reasonably require – a fridge/freezer, three ring ceramic hob, microwave/oven grill, sink, dishwasher, storage space and plenty of worktop. Forward of the galley are two of the review boat’s three cabins. The first is located to starboard (although on some V52s this space is occupied by a second dinette, which Princess offered as an option).

Even though this is the smallest of the V52’s cabins, it’s far from cramped with full size bunk beds, a three-drawer storage unit, full-height wardrobe, space for dressing and excellent headroom throughout. What this cabin does not have is an ensuite, so facilities are shared with the second cabin, which occupies the forepeak. Thanks to the Jack-and-Jill doors connecting it directly to the spacious day heads, this bow cabin is able to claim ensuite status. And in addition to V-berth beds that can be swung together to form a double, it offers a tall wardrobe and loads of storage.

The galley-down layout may no longer be in vogue but it still works very well

The full-beam master cabin is accessed from a door to the rear of the galley, adjacent to the steps down from the saloon. Two further steps take you past the cabin’s spacious ensuite and down to the bedroom area, which in addition to a king-size double provides a two-seater settee, a full height wardrobe and bags of storage space. Being a post-facelift vessel, our review boat’s master cabin also benefits from the large lozenge-shaped bonded glass windows for extra light.

Proven performance

In terms of propulsion, Princess offered three options for the V52: twin Volvo Penta D11s rated at either 670 or 725hp, or twin 715hp Caterpillar C12s. In our original test of the V52, we drove a model equipped with C12s, which achieved 34.9 knots. But our review boat has the larger 725 hp D11s and owner, Paul, reports a top speed of 36 knots, even with a full tank.

The bonded windows of this later generation V52 bring big benefits for the owner

“At that speed, you’re using around 144 litres per hour per side,” he adds as a cautionary note. “However, drop down to 24-28 knots and you’ll use between 70 and 84 litres, or go down to 18 knots and it falls to 50-60 litres. So fuel economy-wise, the boat’s actually very, very good – unless you open the throttles wide up!

“At 28 knots, it sits really comfortably and will go through pretty much any sea. I remember returning from Cowes when we had sea coming all the way over the top of the boat, but inside, we were relaxing with a cup of tea. No one in the family was worried at any point. The boat just ploughed through it all. Its seakeeping is as good as any boat I’ve ever been on. Slow speed manoeuvring is no problem either – it has variable bow and stern thrusters and the windage is less than a flybridge, so you can put this boat anywhere.”

The day heads sits directly across from the guest twin

The upshot

Although Paul is selling his V52 as part of a plan to move to Med boating, he remains firmly committed to it as the right boat for a growing family in home waters: “The kids now have their own cabin each, and they can bring a friend. We’ve had eight people on board, dining, fishing, barbecuing and swimming on the rare occasions it’s warm enough to get into the sea. It’s brilliant, it just does everything, In fact, in my view the V52 is the perfect UK boat.”

Princess V52 specifications

MODEL: Princess V52
DESIGNER: Princess Yachts with Bernard Olesinski
HULL TYPE: Variable Vee
RCD: B (12 people)
LOA: 54ft 6in (16.61m)
BEAM: 14ft 7in (4.45m)
DRAFT: 3ft 9in (1.14m)
DISPLACEMENT: 13,200kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 2,000L
WATER CAPACITY: 364L
TOP SPEED: 34.9 knots (with CAT C12 715hp engines – fuel figures below are for same engine)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 166.38l/nm @ 25.4 knots
RANGE: 244nm at 25.4 knots with 20% reserve

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 Princess V52 used boat review: The perfect UK boat? 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.

I know I’ve done the new car prices analogy to death, but seriously, £50,000 no longer even buys you a top of the range Honda Civic! Yet that’s where I’ve set the price cap this month for a collection of entry-level boats that just might tempt you onto the water. But I stress, this isn’t a price challenge – that’s merely the top end. The cheapest offering that I’ve brought you is less than the cheapest new car for sale in the UK full stop! (Dacia Sandero is the cheapest new car with an actual engine, according to Google AI, at £14,285).

All of them will allow you to sleep on board (with varying degrees of comfort) and head to sea (subject to a careful inspection and a common sense approach to risk and weather). But lets not get too hung up on the money, because what you also have in front of you is freedom, joy, family time and above all, escape.

Yes, you might have breakdowns, aggravation and expense, but hey, welcome to boating! Remember, your glass is neither half full nor half empty, it’s simply twice as large as it needs to be. Enjoy!

Sea Ray 200 Overnighter

Built: 1991
Price: £8,950

I started my marine career in 1989 at a Sea Ray dealership, and so got to play with a lot of Sea Ray boats. One that stood out as a great blend of trailerable practicality with good seakeeping was the Sea Ray 200 CC. In 1990 that boat was updated to the 200 OV (Overnighter) you see here.

Interior

This is a cuddy cabin boat, so consider a night on board to be akin to a night in a two-man tent, albeit slightly more comfortable and a lot more fun. There is a large vee-shaped double bed beneath the foredeck with a deck hatch above it and a space beneath it for a chemical loo that you will never use. There’s no standing headroom but there’s plenty of space for two to lie down. Berth the boat in a marina so you can use their facilities and showers and it’s perfectly enjoyable.

The cuddy cabin has limited headroom but is fine for overnight ‘camping’

Exterior

The result of that tiny cabin is plenty of space where you most want it in a boat like this, in the cockpit. The layout is typical for the era, a pair of back-to-back seats either side that fold flat to create sun loungers, and a pair of jump seats either side of the engine box that slot in level with its upholstered top to create another slim sunpad. Updates over the 200 CC include a curved windscreen rather than the previous flat-pane one, plus a full-width bathing platform. Despite its age, it’s still a great looking boat!

Performance

Sea Ray offered a Mercruiser 205hp 4.3 litre V6 or the lusty 5.7 litre V8 fitted to this boat, which produced 260hp when it was new for a top speed somewhere up toward 40 knots. It may have lost a pony or two in the intervening 30+ years, but if it’s in good shape generally, there should still be ample performance.

The back to back seats fold flat to create a pair of slightly lumpy sunloungers

Seakeeping

This boat has a great hull that punched well above its weight. However this model morphed into the 220 OV a year or two later as manufacturers began including the new integral bathing platforms within the length related model designation, and confusingly Sea Ray then brought out a smaller cuddy cabin called the 200 OV, which proved a harder ride. Make sure you’re getting the correct 200 OV!

Sea Ray 200 Overnighter specifications

Length: 24ft 0in (7.3m)
Beam: 7ft 0in (2.1m)
Draft: 3ft 5in (1.0m)
Displacement: 2 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 100 litres
Engine: Mercruiser 5.7 litre V8 260hp petrol engine
For sale: Boats.co.uk

Princess 37

Built: 1979
Price: £29,950

I remember the Princess 37 being launched at the Earl’s Court Boat Show back in 1974! Admittedly I was a child at that point, my father kindly satisfying the boat obsession I had even at that age. I can still recall the glass hatches that were fitted into the saloon floor so that visitors could admire the huge Ford Mermaid diesel engines.

Interior

The Princess 37 was launched before the optimum sub-40ft flybridge layout became established, so it’s rather different to the boats that followed. On this model, the guest cabin is in the bow instead of the owner’s cabin, vee berths staggered in height so that the foot of one runs across the foot of the other. The owner’s cabin is aft of this to port, with a double bed against the aft bulkhead. It has its own en suite, completely separate to the day heads. The galley is down here too, sporting the then popular eye-level cooker and grill. The saloon on the main deck has the helm to starboard and an L-shaped settee to port. Rather than a second settee aft of the helm station, there’s a full signal flag locker too! Old skool.

The interior looks dated but this is still a perfectly usable boat with plenty of potential

Exterior

Whilst it does look dated, the Princess 37 is still a well proportioned boat. There’s no transom door, access is a scramble over the cockpit coaming, and the flybridge ladder doesn’t even go through a hatch, it is simply bolted to the back of the flybridge deck. This boat has been fitted with a full-width bathing platform, which is a very useful modification.

Performance

Princess not only offered a range of engines from displacement speed plodders at 120hp each to the biggest fitted at 300hp aside, it also offered different hulls depending on whether the engines were powerful enough to give planing performance. Lower powered boats got Y hulls, which had a long shallow keel to aid low-speed directional stability. More powerful boats were given V hulls to enable them to plane at speed. This boat, with twin 180hp Ford Mermaid engines, should have the V hull and a top speed close to 18 knots if the engines are fit.

The owner’s cabin enjoys plenty of wood cabinetry and its own ensuite facilities

Seakeeping

Stately, probably best sums up the Princess 37 at sea. Certainly not a bad boat, but very much of its era.

Princess 37 specifications

Length: 37ft 0in (11.3m)
Beam: 12ft 11in (4.0m)
Draft: 2ft 11in (0.9m)
Displacement: 9 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 800 litres
Engines: Twin Ford Mermaid 180hp diesel engines
For sale: Boats.co.uk

Crownline 270CR

Built: 2007
Price: £46,950

The challenge for boat designers is that, annoyingly, people buying shorter boats are not shorter in height, so as the length decreases and the height of the boat remains the same to accommodate a typical adult standing up, the risk is that the boat begins to look stumpy and out of proportion. There are ways around this, and Crownline utilised pretty much all of them in the design of the 270, because despite its sub 30ft length, this is a genuinely great-looking boat!

Interior

The interior is conventional. Crownline gives you standing headroom where you need it, at the base of the steps where you’ll discover a fairly basic galley to port and a wet heads with a pull-out shower to starboard. Ahead of this, the roofline tapers down, but it doesn’t matter because this is where you’ll be sat at the dinette, or sleeping, if you’ve converted it to a double bed. But you don’t need to, as there’s a second bed back behind the steps under the cockpit floor.

The cockpit still looks very clean and tidy for a 2007 boat with plenty of seating options

Exterior

Where Crownline has been clever is in giving this boat high topsides cunningly disguised by the wide blue hull band and then a very sleek and low profile superstructure. Garnish with a forward-sloping radar arch and rubbing band that sweeps down to the bathing platform, and the result is a great looking boat! In typically American fashion, side decks have been abandoned, allowing the cockpit to stretch to the edges; foredeck access is through the centre opening windscreen only. The sunbed aft can be extended by folding the aft seat backrest forward and there’s a useful ‘boot’ beneath it.

Performance

Pretty much all of these went out with a single Mercruiser 350 Magnum beneath the cockpit sole. That 350 refers to cubic inches rather than horsepower, what we would call 5.7 litres. It’s about 300hp, which is ample, giving a top speed in the high 30-knot region.

Convertible dinette is one of two double berths squeezed into this compact family cruiser

Seakeeping

We described the Crownline 270CR on test as ‘poised, balanced and comfortable, the deep vee hull landing smoothly and comfortably’. Cornering was pretty impressive too, ‘banking hard into a turn like a fast motorbike’.

Crownline 270CR specifications

Length: 27ft 0in (8.3m)
Beam: 8ft 6in (2.6m)
Draft: 3ft 2in (1.0m)
Displacement: 4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 270 litres
Engine: Mercruiser 350 Magnum 300hp petrol engine
For sale: Burton Waters

Sealine 255 Senator

Built: 1989
Price: £19,950

In the 1980s, three of the big four British motor boat builders made boats you could tow behind a Range Rover – Sunseeker the Mustang 20, Fairline the 21 Weekend and Sealine the 195 Attaché. Indeed Sealine topped out at about 30ft with the Sealine 305 Statesman, the only flybridge boat in its range. Slap bang in the middle of its fleet, just below the 285 Ambassador and launched at the Earl’s Court Boat Show in 1987, sat the 255 Senator.

Interior

For a 25ft sportscruiser, the accommodation is really rather good. It’s the usual horseshoe of dinette in the bow that converts to a double bed and then a galley opposite the heads and a double berth beneath the cockpit, but look at the details. That double berth aft is split off from the rest of the accommodation by a door, making this a proper separate cabin, something you almost never see at this size point. The galley has a proper two-burner gas stove with a grill rather than the token single burner alcohol stove so many boats of this era got, and there are opening windows in the coachroof.

Dated interior belies a surprisingly practical family cruising machine for a sub-27ft boat

Exterior

Despite what some might claim, Tom Murrant, ex-aircraft engineer and founder of Sealine International, actually penned this one. A generous 9ft 6in beam gives space for both a decent cockpit and proper side decks. Sealine was always at the vanguard of design, which is why this boat has a transom door where many boats of this age don’t.

Performance

Options when new were a single 270hp petrol or 200hp diesel, or twin 130hp or 167hp petrols, but the twin 146hp motors fitted to this boat were the most popular. In our 1987 test these achieved 32 knots.

The transom door (a rarity for this era) makes access to the cockpit much easier

Seakeeping

Our two days of testing also served up a variety of sea conditions, “all of which the Senator coped with well for a boat of its size”.

Sealine 255 Senator specifications

Length: 26ft 6in (8.1m)
Beam: 9ft 6in (2.6m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 385 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta AQ151 146hp petrol engines
For sale: Tingdene

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.

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This article 4 of the best entry-level yachts you can buy for under £50,000 appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

One of the best kept boating secrets in the UK is Spanish builder, Astondoa. Based near Alicante, the firm has been knocking out all sorts of vessels from wooden fishing boats in its early days right up to today’s range of coupés and flybridges, as well as bespoke steel megayachts. It’s a great Iberian success story, but how many people have heard of the brand over here, let alone seen one on the water?

In spite of several attempts to crack the British market, Astondoa never really took off in this country – and that’s exemplified by the fact that our review boat, a 2003 Astondoa Open 40, being offered by Bray Marine Sales for £119,950, sat brand new on the shelf for two years before a buyer was found.

Exactly why this should be remains a mystery. OK, there was competition at the time from manufacturers like Fairline, whose Targa 40 went on to become a modern day classic, but with its sleek, aggressive lines, the Astondoa Open 40 looks equally good and its build quality is also excellent. When we tested one back in 2004, it turned in a more than respectable top speed of 36 knots, and that was with 310hp Volvo Penta D6 engines. The larger 330hp variants would have been nudging 40 knots.

And surely that should have made it a viable contender in this popular sector of the market?

The curved, inward-facing companion seat creates extra headroom down below

In addition to Volvo Penta D6 units, a variety of other power sources were fitted to 40 Opens. We found examples with other Volvo Penta options, including 247hp TAMD74As, 260hp KAD44s and that engine’s successor, the 285hp KAD300. For those seeking greater power, Yanmar’s 6LP-STZE, rated at 400hp, could also be fitted. So irrespective of UK popularity, it appears that Astondoa had all the bases covered.

One thing that certainly impresses on our review boat is the enormous tender garage. Lying beneath a double sun pad, which extends well into the cockpit, the garage is equipped with both an electric winch and an integral set of roller wheels for easy launch and retrieval. Tucked inside our review boat’s garage was a 2.7m dinghy and there was still some room to spare.

Article continues below…

Linssen Grand Sturdy 29.9 Sedan used boat review: Perfect couple’s weekender

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We haven’t tested it ourselves but the word on the street is that the garage is large enough to accommodate a Seadoo Spark and on a boat of this scale, that’s a great asset. But either way, there’s a huge hatch beneath the dinghy space, which lifts to reveal the engines. A second smaller hatch in the saloon offers another way in but the access here is distinctly limited.

Multiple seating zones and unusual angles feel slicker than the equivalent Fairline

The day spaces

In addition to the tender garage, the aft end also offers a compact bathing platform with an integral swim ladder and it’s from here that two steps lead up past the sunpads and into the cockpit proper. Our review boat, which has spent most of its life in fresh water, has had its upholstery renewed and the replacement silver-grey Silvertex fabric looks very stylish.

In terms of layout, the large curved settee to starboard wraps around the table and provides seating for five or six adults. Opposite is a wet bar with a top-opening fridge and storage beneath, and ahead of this is a two-seat unit set at 45 degrees to face the helm.

The skipper gets a fixed double seat, a wood-effect dash and a low-slung screen

This alone puts the Open 40 pretty much at the top of its class but it offers a tad more too. You get a double helm seat rather than a single and it looks as if Astondoa has put a touch more thought into the cockpit design because the seating arrangement, with its elegant curves and easy flow, feels slicker than the angular lines of the equivalent Fairline.

The helm is another stylish spot with white-faced gauges in a wood-effect dash. The double seat is fixed but it’s well positioned for average-sized people and we suspect that most people will choose to helm standing up anyway. If that’s you, be aware that the windscreen doesn’t do much to protect you from the elements – but hey, this is a fast open sportscruiser, so that’s all part of the fun.

The lower saloon takes a hit for larger spaces elsewhere but the quality is lovely

The cruising set up

Stepping through the companionway, four steepish steps lead down into the saloon and galley area. There are curved mouldings everywhere here and as we clamber down the steps, we feel as if we are descending into a very pleasant goldfish bowl.

Having such a large tender garage means something has to give and it turns out that that something is the size of the saloon. Headroom of 6ft 5in is good though. It goes a long way towards compensating for the compact dimensions – and with a plush leather dinette sofa and an array of beautiful cherry wood cabinetry, this cosy section of the boat is actually quite an attractive place to be.

Across from the dinette, the galley is also quite compact. And while there’s a double hob, sink, microwave oven, fridge and storage, what there isn’t is an abundance of is worktop space. Happily though, Astondoa has done what it can to mitigate that with a set of bi-fold wooden covers above the sink and hob, which fold back out of the way once the food prep is done.

The high-gloss cherry wood cabinetry of the owner’s bow cabin feels very welcoming

As for the boat’s two cabins, they are both pretty well sized. Behind the saloon, the guest cabin has good headroom with enough space above its twin beds to allow people to sit up and read a book in comfort. There’s also a centrally mounted bedside unit incorporating a set of drawers and at the foot of the beds is a dressing area, a settee and a pair of lockers.

The master cabin is also well appointed with a central double island bed and overhead lockers on both sides, plus a pair of wardrobes and a useful pull-out drawer beneath the bed. There’s also lashings of that lovely cherry wood, giving the cabin a warm and welcoming (as well as quite premium) appeal. The boat’s heads, meanwhile, is situated between the owner’s cabin and the galley. It’s a fairly big space, with a toilet and shower in a wet area alongside a glass screen to help keep the sink and storage unit dry.

The spacious guest twin gets a handy changing area and plenty of storage

The big question

Clearly then, the Astondoa 40 Open is a boat with an awful lot to offer – and that takes us back to the question of its popularity problems in the UK. One man who bucked the trend and bought his 40 Open four years ago is Thames boater, Lee Reynolds. Lee explained he spends a good deal of time in Spain and was therefore perfectly conversant with the Astondoa brand: “It’s a lovely boat,” he says. “To anybody that’s after a good-looking high-quality sportscruiser, I’d say just go and enjoy it.

There’s plenty of headroom in the guest’s midships twin to sit up in bed and read

“Initially, it was the layout that attracted us. I’ve got quite a large family and the boat has a very social layout. We’ve had large parties on board and it’s always been great. And as for the quality, Astondoa doesn’t skimp on anything. The doors shut beautifully, everything’s really solid and the finish of the wood is really good.

“While I only use the boat on the Thames, I’d say it’s an easy boat to handle. The manoeuvrability is excellent. It’s got a bow thruster and twin engines so it’s very easy to control and it drives beautifully when you get it out on the open water. We’ve been really pleased with it. It’s a great boat.”

A decent size of bathroom/day heads sits between the bow cabin and the galley

If you’re considering an Astondoa 40 Open, the bad news, as you might expect, is that you won’t find much local choice. Look further afield though – to Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands, for example – and your options will broaden considerably.

While importing a vessel from abroad can have cost implications in terms of transport and VAT, our internet trawl for Astondoa 40 Opens found purchase prices that are more than reasonable. Our review boat, for example, is on the market for around £20,000 less than a Fairline Targa 40 of similar vintage. And given how much it offers, that makes it a very serious contender.

There’s a massive engine hatch in here and (apparently) space for a Sea-Doo Spark

Astondoa 40 Open specifications

HULL TYPE: Deep Vee
RCD: Category B
LOA: 40ft 0in (12.19m)
BEAM: 11ft 7in (3.6m)
DRAFT: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
AIR DRAFT: 11ft 4in (3.46m)
DISPLACEMENT: 8,500kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 767L
WATER CAPACITY: 295L (fuel figures below estimated on the basis of 64L/hr @ 24kn and 12L/hr @ 6kn)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 2.7L/nm @ 24 knots
RANGE: 230nm at 24 knots with 20% reserve

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 Astondoa 40 Open used boat review: Why this Iberian gem beats the big names 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…

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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.

Does the idea of chugging through bucolic rural idylls at the stately pace of 4 knots while your guests sip a glass of fizz appeal? Then what better way to realise your dream than by investing in a timeless river cruiser?

And guess what – Bray Marine Sales might have just the thing for you: a 2008 Linssen Grand Sturdy 29.9 Sedan situated at Harleyford Marina, priced at £129,000.

Brimming with Dutch boat builder Linssen’s knowledge and experience of what makes a great little river cruiser, the 29.9 Sedan sits alongside its Aft Cabin stablemate at the smaller end of the renowned Grand Sturdy 9-series.

With their all-steel construction and a hefty rope rubbing strake (rubber in the case of the Nordic variant), these boats are called Grand Sturdy for a very good reason. Being a heavy boat – the 29.9 tips the scales at 7,600kg – it’s also a super-stable platform, offering a dependable no-surprises experience, for a simple and relaxing life on the water.

Interestingly, though, when Linssen introduced its 9-series boats back in 2004, it represented the brand’s first real foray into the mass market. The 29.9 was there from the very beginning; an entirely new design built on a new and innovative production line, which Linssen dubbed the Logicam system.

Prior to this, Linssen’s boats had been largely bespoke, but with clear demand for a smaller boat (before the 29.9, the yard’s smallest model was a 32-footer) and a little help from their friends at Dutch design house Vripack, Linssen moved towards a modular interior fitout for use across the range. As a result, much the same cabinetry and furniture units can be found in other 9-series Sedan and Aft Cabin craft of this era.

It may be built on a production line but the quality of the interior is still very high

Boating made easier

While Linssen’s idea for the 29.9 Sedan had been to create an entry-level vessel to encourage people to get into boating, things panned out somewhat differently in the UK. In fact, with Brits being Brits, the opposite appears to have happened.

As Bray Marine Sales confirmed, owners of 29.9s are more likely to be older boaters stepping down from larger vessels rather than newbies – and the reason for this is that the Sedan layout is largely step-free. As broker Lee put it, “It’s a bungalow” – and that’s not meant as a disparaging comment.

Article continues below…

It’s actually a very strong selling point for potential customers who’ve had enough of all that “scurrying up and down a companionway”, as our own writer put it during the 2010 MBY review.

One owner who very much agrees with that view is Chris Fentiman, the seller of our review boat. Having reached the age of 76, Chris has decided that the time has come to hang up his boating gloves. Over the years, he has owned numerous larger boats, including a Westward 35 and a number of Brooms.

Chris and partner, Karen, love the water and it was partly because of a knee replacement that he made the decision to move to a 29.9 Sedan three years ago: “Basically, when we had people on board our other boats, you were up and down, up and down, up and down,” he says. “But with the Linssen, it’s all on one level up to a point. And that makes it quite an easy-going boat.”

The sofa converts to a double bed if you need extra sleeping space for children or guests

For some, downsizing can mean making unwelcome compromises, but that’s not been the case for Chris: “For a couple, it’s great,” he says. “OK, so the sofa does convert into a bed, which is fine if you have a couple of kids but at my age, I haven’t got any young children! We keep the boat on the Thames and live aboard when we go away. In fact, we recently went right up the river for four days and had a lovely time.

“It’s also a lovely looking boat. I think it’s very stylish and that’s a big part of what drew me to it in the first place. It’s a pleasure to live with too. It’s got a great big sunshine roof in the wheelhouse and the hood goes down at the rear so you have somewhere nice to sit. And I’m not the only one who appreciates it.

The aft cockpit can be used all year round with the help of its excellent folding canopies

Whenever I go into the locks, everybody says, ‘I really like your boat!’ And speaking of locks, it’s a very manoeuvrable boat. When I had an aft cabin boat, it was like a sailing boat going into locks. The wind would really take it but the Sedan is nice and flat. It is heavy but it’s a very positive boat to steer and while I’ve had loads of boats, this one is my favourite.”

In terms of accessibility, the 29.9 Sedan scores very highly indeed. Our only gripe on this front was getting aboard in the first place, as our review boat didn’t have the walk-through transom fitted to later examples. That meant
we had to clamber up and over the gunwale, so a small set of steps would help here.

The single helm station also benefi ts from an opening window

But once on board, it’s all plain sailing with just a single step up to the side decks and a flat floor running from the aft cockpit to the helm. Thereafter, two steps lead down to the heads and the boat’s single cabin.

Friendly deck layout

Considering the size of this boat, the aft cockpit is a highly attractive and generously proportioned social space. A wraparound seating unit extends the full width of the beam and round on both sides to the wheelhouse doors and there’s space for a couple of freestanding director’s chairs. Crew moving around the outside for roping and fendering, or perhaps for lowering the boat’s collapsible mast, are well catered for with chunky guardrails as they head towards the foredeck.

There’s only one proper cabin but it’s a very good one for its size

When you enter the wheelhouse itself, it evokes a bygone age of first-class rail travel. The heavy wooden doors, which incorporate oversized rectangular windows set in metal frames with rounded corners, swing open to reveal a saloon clad in wood.

Space is at a premium in here but Linssen has still managed to cram in a decent galley to port, complete with worktops which fold up to reveal a sink and a two-burner gas hob. There’s storage below the countertop and a fridge below the helm seat, but there’s no integrated oven or microwave, so keen cooks may need to add a few embellishments here.

The shower is in a separate compartment to the heads

Opposite the galley is an L-shaped four-man settee that extends the full length of the saloon, but if you want to dine in here, you need to unclip the table from its mount in the aft cockpit and bring it inside. Ahead of the galley on the port side is the helm, which has a single seat, a vertical ship’s wheel and a neatly laid-out cluster of controls, including remotely operated seacocks and the boat’s bow and stern thruster controls. With the wheelhouse being fully glazed on all sides, visibility from the helm is also very good.

The two steps down to the boat’s cabin and heads are mounted in the centre of the saloon’s forward bulkhead. While the heads are limited to just a toilet and washbasin, Linssen has added Jack and Jill doors to create an ensuite.

Heads has Jack and Jill doors so guests can use it

That may have been nice for the marketing bumpf but it hardly seems necessary on a boat that is most likely to be used by a couple, given that the second entrance is directly outside the door. The cabin itself is another temple of wood. The bed is totally surrounded by wooden panelling, which is broken only by the doors and a decent-sized wardrobe on either side. And there’s one more door in the cabin which opens up to reveal a separate shower stall, which is particularly welcome on a cruise.

The steaming mast folds fl at to reduce the air draft when ducking under bridges

Why buy?

As a couple’s weekender for gentle inland fun, the Linssen 29.9 Sedan is a very sweet option. Neither too big to be manageable, nor too small to be comfortable, it ticks a great many leisure cruising boxes. With rivers like the Thames limited to 4 knots, the boat’s 55hp Volvo Penta D2-55 (the only option offered) is more than enough. And with fuel consumption measured in sips rather than gulps, it’s an economical boat to run. As broker Lee puts it, “You’ll be spending more on Prosecco than diesel with a Linssen 29.9 Sedan!”

Linssen Grand Sturdy 29.9 Sedan specifications

MODEL: Linssen 29.9 Grand Sturdy Sedan
DESIGNER: Linssen Yachts/Vripack
HULL TYPE: Displacement
RCD: Category C
LOA: 31ft 7in (9.6m)
BEAM: 11ft 0in (3.3m)
DRAFT: 3ft 3in (1.01m)
AIR DRAFT: 7ft 9in (2.4m)
DISPLACEMENT: 7,600kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 240l
WATER CAPACITY: 220l
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 1.08l/nm @ 6.5 knots
RANGE: 178nm at 6.5 knots with 20% reserve

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 Linssen Grand Sturdy 29.9 Sedan used boat review: Perfect couple’s weekender appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

You have to wonder how far into the future Sunseeker founder, Robert Braithwaite, was looking when in 1969, he launched what has arguably become the best known brand in boating. The Poole-based firm asserts that in the early 1970s, there were simply no big builders of boats for the UK sports and leisure markets. We’re not sure Princess, Fairline and Fletcher would agree, but Braithwaite set out to fill the gap.

While its models started off small, Sunseeker’s boats grew larger and more aggressive as performance and style became key. Creature comforts below decks sometimes played second fiddle to speed but that’s not quite the full story, because in the mid 1970s, the Sunseeker 36 Daycab was launched offering four berths, a galley and a toilet.

It helped kickstart the move into more spacious cruising boats and since then, its extensive range of sportscruisers, flybridges and motor yachts have graced oceans all over the world. One of its most successful flybridge models to date is this boat, the Sunseeker Manhattan 52.

In its five years of production between 2007 and 2011, 111 examples were built, before it was superseded by the even stronger-selling Series 2 model in 2016. The example we tracked down was being offered by Hamble Point-based broker, Parker Adams, for the not insignificant sum of £495,950 including VAT.

A canvas enclosure (right) makes the sociable aft cockpit usable all year round

Half a million pounds is towards the top end of the price spectrum for a Manhattan 52, particularly given that this is one of the earliest 2007 models, so we were anticipating something a little bit special when we travelled to Fambridge Yacht Haven in Essex to view it – and we weren’t disappointed…

The broker had assured us that the boat was immaculate – and while that’s something we’ve heard in the past, in this instance, he was bang on. This particular Manhattan 52 looks as good now as the day it was built, with barely a mark on any of its interior woodwork, nor a snag of note in any of the soft furnishings. Every surface is in close to concours condition.

The owner, Jeff Welsted revealed his initial attraction to the boat: “I’m in the timber game, so I was attracted to the woodwork, which was in absolutely superb condition. My previous boat was a Princess 50 from the same period and I’d say this one is double what that was in terms of its finishing and quality. I mean, it certainly is lovely, isn’t it?”

There’s sociable seating for eight at the flybridge’s aft dining station

Jeff has owned the boat for just 18 months but has decided to sell it following the death of his long-time boating companion. During his ownership, it spent most of its time on the River Crouch: “We would do day trips or sometimes overnights, going as far as Ipswich. The only really long journey I did with her was when we brought her back from her previous berth on the Isle of Wight. We did get into some big seas off Eastbourne, when she was taking them over the top, but the boat was no problem at all. It’s got plenty of power to just drive out of trouble.”

In this case, that power is delivered by twin MAN R6 800hp diesels on shaft drives. That was one of three options offered by Sunseeker, the other two being twin Caterpillar C12s or Volvo D12s. Bow and stern thrusters enhance manoeuvrability, and Jeff says he’s able to spin his boat on a sixpence.

The upper helm gets a two-man bench and a handy forward sun pad

Big social spaces

Able to sleep up to six guests at a time, on board comfort was another key consideration for Jeff – and once again, the Manhattan 52 was more than up to the job. “You’re not getting in each other’s way – there’s plenty of room,” he says. With its combination of three very large and attractive seating areas at the flybridge, aft cockpit and saloon, that’s not hard to believe. On the flybridge, there’s a starboard two-seat helm plus a double sun pad up front and an eight-man U-shaped settee that wraps itself around a dining table aft.

Below, in the aft cockpit, a four-seat bench faces forward, with a table and plenty of space for director’s chairs. The bench, which is backed by an aft-facing sun pad above the bathing platform, also provides access to the boat’s compact crew cabin. Just lift the port cushion and the hatch underneath and you’re in.

When the smoked glass sliding doors to the rear of the wheelhouse glide open to reveal the saloon, the sheer mouthwatering gorgeousness of this boat really comes to the fore. In fact, it’s almost enough to make you pray for a rainy day, just to justify going inside. On entering the saloon, a freestanding beige leather armchair awaits in the rear port quarter.

With its raised seat and wraparound dash, the lower helm is very well arranged

Opposite that is a second U-shaped settee, more or less directly below the one on the fly. This one, however, is clad in leather to match the armchair and fronted by a beautifully finished fold-out dining table. The contrast between the leather and the saloon’s cherry wood interior is simply stunning – and the subtlety of the feature integration is also very impressive. There’s a cocktail cabinet, a pop-up TV, integrated entertainment systems and two large fluted decorative pillars containing the aircon and heating outlets.

At the front of the saloon, a pair of steps leads up to a forward-facing two-man settee and the lower single helm seat, both of which are finished in dark brown leather. Sporting the same darker leather is the instrument console, which wraps around the helm to provide an ergonomically-efficient layout, with all controls within easy reach of your hand.

In the absence of alternative options, this galley-down layoutis common to all Manhattan 52s

Three-cabin layout

From the forward end of the wheelhouse, chrome rails guard the staircase down to the galley, cabins and heads. As you would expect, the galley lacks for nothing. There’s stacks of storage space, plenty of worktop, a three-hotplate electric hob, an oven and a full-height fridge-freezer.

The owner’s angled bed helps open up space at the integrated dressing table

Ahead of the galley are two doors, one to the boat’s second cabin, a generous double in the forepeak, and the other to its ensuite heads, which has Jack and Jill doors so it can be used as a day heads if required.

Moving back through the galley area leads to the boat’s other two cabins: a snug starboard bunk room and the full-beam owner’s cabin. The master is interesting in that its double bed is mounted at an angle. This has the effect of creating a large open dressing space in front of the cabin’s full-height wardrobe, while also allowing sufficient room to move easily along the built-in storage drawers to the integrated dressing table area at the bedhead. It’s as clever as it is unusual and would be very easy to live with. On the opposite side of the bed is a large, fully-fitted ensuite with toilet, washbasin and shower.

In addition to a starboard bunk room, there’s a spacious VIP cabin in the bow

Value for money?

In terms of setting a value, age is probably not the key driver when it comes to the Manhattan 52. After all, Sunseeker was content with its design from the outset, so it never offered any layout variants or gave the boat a mid-life facelift. That means that all of the 100+ examples out there are virtually identical – the only variations relating to propulsion, optional extras and owner upgrades.

Obviously, the maintenance history and ancillary equipment is vital but, providing all is sound, then the manner in which the boat has been looked after and its cosmetic appearance tend to be the chief indicators of price. All of which means that, despite our review boat being of an older vintage, its price seems entirely in keeping with its condition.

The quality and condition of the cherrywood joinery is absolutely first class

Sunseeker Manhattan 52 specifications

HULL TYPE: Deep vee
RCD: Category B
LOA: 57ft 9in (17.60m)
BEAM: 15ft 2in (4.63m)
DRAFT: 4ft 2in (1.26m)
DISPLACEMENT: 27 tonnes
FUEL CAPACITY: 2,200L
WATER CAPACITY: 600L
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.47L/nm @ 20.6 knots (with Volvo Penta D11 725hp engines fitted to a next-generation 52, as tested by MBY in 2016)
RANGE: 228nm at 24.1 knots with 20% reserve

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 Sunseeker Manhattan 52 used boat review: Still outshines the rest appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

While a significant number of armchair experts insist the name “Trawler Yacht” has been adopted from the fishing industry, reflecting the traditional trawler’s range, stability, and durability, others (like me) disagree. Stability? I once spent a long winter’s day on a commercial trawler fishing out of Brixham, which tottered and rolled like a Friday-night drunk.

The fact that the engine packed up in the pitch black, somewhere between Berry Head and Portland Bill, would lead me to question the durability element too. In the absence of a consensus, it’s probably best to sidestep my own unfortunate experiences and go with Beneteau’s take on what its trawler boats are all about.

Beneteau says the concept boils down to safety, reliability, and something they call ‘autonomy.’ Autonomy is basically the ability to remain at sea for extended tours of duty. There is no doubt that Beneteau has successfully argued its corner on that score. Between 2003 and 2020, it delivered more than 1,300 Swift Trawlers to customers around the world.

The Swift Trawler 30, on offer with Ancasta Lymington at an asking price of £185,000 tax paid, represents the baby of the range when it was launched back in 2015. It was quietly retired from the range five years later but never directly replaced. Instead, it was left to the ST35 to carry the can, although that too is being replaced by the all-new ST37 when it comes on stream next year. Swift Trawlers now run from the aforementioned 37-footer right up to the flagship Grand Trawler 63.

While the forward part of the flybridge is brilliantly sociable, the aft deck is left wide open

Comfort at sea

One potential issue with relatively short flybridge boats such as this is their propensity to roll about a bit when the sea state picks up. This is due to the extra weight up top. But for many, including Ross McDonald, the owner of our review boat, that’s not a deal breaker.

Ross’s background is in sailing, but having dabbled in motor boating with a Sea Ray 255 Sundancer, he elected to make the move to a larger powered vessel. He bought his Swift Trawler 30 in 2021. Having crossed the Atlantic in his sailing days, he knows a fair bit about foul weather too.

We asked him how his semi-displacement Beneteau fares when the going gets tough. “Well firstly, I’d say that compared to the Sea Ray, she is infinitely better!” he stated. “But if I were out and it was above a Force 4, then I would begin to think it’s time to go back.” Ross added that he doesn’t think he would go out if it were more, and if it starts to get lumpy, he slows it right down, perhaps dropping from 15 knots to around 10.

The linear starboard settee needs a couple of freestanding chairs to be seen at its best

Layout options

In terms of accommodation, Beneteau describes the Swift Trawler 30 as a “liveaboard” boat. That’s quite a claim for a vessel that’s just 32ft 9in long with a beam of around 11ft 6in. But the reality is not quite as simple as that because the 30 was offered in two formats. The first was a single-cabin boat with a split bathroom.

Article continues below…

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In this single-cabin format, the heads and washbasin are to starboard with a separate shower room to port. Configured this way, extended stays or even living aboard could be justified for a couple. The alternative layout saw the separate shower room replaced by a compact bunk cabin. This is fine for a weekend with kids but not much more than that.

Regardless of format, though, the Swift Trawler 30 does have a number of features that lend themselves to Beneteau’s autonomy principle. First of all, there’s the master cabin. Nestled in the forepeak, it provides a full-size double bed with small wardrobes on either side. Additional storage is provided beneath the mattress, which hinges up to reveal a generous locker.

There’s nothing like a trawler for serious internal volume

While space is at a premium in this cabin, as evidenced by a centre-split door instead of a full-size one, Beneteau has successfully shoehorned a significant amount into the space.

Internal arrangement

Our review boat was of the split bathroom/shower variety. In this format, both the heads and the shower room enjoy generous proportions—more generous than many larger vessels, which is certainly a plus point for extended cruising. Up in the wheelhouse, Beneteau has worked its space-creating magic again. This is most notably seen in the over-achieving galley.

The galley provides plenty of workspace and storage, plus an oven, a two-burner diesel hob, a fridge/freezer, and a one-and-a-half bowl sink. Sharing the port side of the saloon aft of the galley is a floor-to-ceiling storage unit, which is also home to the boat’s television. The starboard side of the wheelhouse is mainly taken up by a bench seating unit capable of accommodating three to four people.

The test boat’s split facilities are ideal for liveaboard duties

This seating pairs up with a free-standing table that has wings that fold out to convert into a dining table when required. It’s perhaps not the most spacious or attractive dinette arrangement, but it’s perfectly adequate, especially when you remember the dimensions of this boat. One thing we weren’t particularly fond of, though, was the fact that the heavy table has to be lifted out of the way to access the engine.

This heavy table is fine for two people but a bit of a grunt for the single-handed mariner. Furthermore, the floor itself uses an oddly slippery wood-effect surface, which means you need to pick the right footwear. As for the double-seated lower helm, we have no such reservations. It’s very workmanlike and functional, and there’s a comfy hinge-down foot brace below the wheel. Visibility is excellent and there’s a door to starboard, providing instant access to the side deck.

A hinged ladder and twin transom gates make the deep-set cockpit much more versatile

Cockpit and flybridge

Leaving the wheelhouse via the three-part aft sliding door takes you to the aft cockpit. Once again, every effort has been made to maximise the space here. The flybridge ladder, for instance, is hinged at the top and can be folded flat against the saloon doors to increase deck space.

The transom, meanwhile, uses two doors, which swing outwards, connecting the cockpit directly to the bathing platform. The panels on our review boat were also fitted with optional flip-down seats, providing a further seating possibility for this highly versatile spot. For such a compact boat, the flybridge is surprisingly large with a single starboard helm position.

The skipper gets direct side deck access, a huge wheel and great visibility,

This helm can be folded flat to reduce the air draft when passing under bridges. It also has an integrated coffee table on its left, which butts up against a four-seat unit, thereby connecting the helm very neatly with the guests. However, the space behind the helm has been left empty for free-standing furniture or deck storage. There’s just about enough room for a small table and a couple of directors chairs.

The absence of a wet bar and grill means that any food would need to be prepared in the galley and then hauled up the fly’s seven-step ladder.

The port galley achieves way more than you would expect of a 33ft boat

Engine options

The Swift Trawler 30 is a single-engined boat, which makes the optional stern thruster (and bow thruster) highly advisable. Our review boat had both and was equipped with a Volvo Penta D6-370 diesel. This sees it top out at just over 20 knots.

Other power outputs included the D4-300 and D6-480. While a small flybridge boat always needs to be respected in a big sea, the 30 is a versatile and attractive example. It is a compact and modern trawler-style motoryacht at a relatively accessible price.

A tender and a set of cockpit canvases add some useful extra practicality to the mix

Swift Trawler 30 specifications

MODEL: Beneteau Swift Trawler 30
DESIGNER: Beneteau Power-Micad & Andreani Design (interior)
HULL TYPE: Semi-displacement
RCD: B (8 persons)
LOA: 32ft 9in (9.99m)
BEAM: 11ft 7in (3.53m)
DRAFT: 3ft 5in (1.05m)
DISPLACEMENT: 6,000kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 720l
WATER CAPACITY: 300l
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 4.09/nm @ 19.1 knots
RANGE: 140nm at 19.1 knots with 20% reserve

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 Swift Trawler 30 used boat review: Big boat space in a smaller hull appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Living approximately two miles from the geographical centre of England was, and still is to a lesser degree, not the ideal location to start a passion for boating. However, back in 1973, my dad bought a Mirror 10 sailing dinghy kit and so it began. I was 10 years old at the time and enthusiastically helped with the build.

Around 12 months later we had a fully functioning sailing dinghy. I signed up for sailing lessons through my school and along with my brother enjoyed many happy weekends messing about on the water.

My big break came in 1979 when I left school having passed only one O-Level. My parents decided that although I was never going to be an academic, a few more qualifications could be useful so enrolled me into the local college to retake my exams. It turned out that I was not the only failure, and on the first day at college a small group from our school gathered together.

We all knew of each other but none of us were particularly good friends at the time. One of the group was a girl named Kay. Her parents had just bought an old 32ft wooden motorsailer.

Having discovered our shared passion for boating, we started to spend more time together and before long I got an invite down to the boat. It was kept on the Hamble and for the next six months the two of us spent most weekends preparing the boat for relaunch. I was completely smitten with the whole boating life. And Kay.

After 12 years of ownership they treated Bandit to a full interior refit. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

First love

We got to know the area really well and during a regular shopping trip to Southampton in March 1985, I asked Kay to marry me. We got married in August that same year.

Due to a combination of work (we both started our own companies) and other commitments, Kay and I spent less time on the boat until it became too much for her parents to look after and they sold it. Ironically, we soon realised how much we missed it and purchased our first boat together, a Fairline Carrera 24. We took it out at every opportunity. But life, and kids, caught up with us and in 1995 we sold her and remained boatless for a further 18 years.

Despite that extended break, my interest in boats never diminished and I regularly scanned boating magazines dreaming of my next purchase. It was during a trip to the south of France, when we hired a small electric boat to explore Port Grimaud, that we decided to take action. We wrote down a wish-list for our ideal boat. Kay’s main stipulation was to walk aboard and have electricity and water available. I had a slightly longer list! Our now 15-year-old daughter, Amy, had heard it all before and was convinced it would never happen.

Initially, I thought that an aft cabin boat was the way to go and viewed several trawler-type boats, including a C-Kip and Corvette 32, but Kay decided they were all too old-fashioned.

The original tired cockpit upholstery. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

I liked the more traditional look but took the hint. Eventually, I found a couple of Fairline Turbo 36s, which seemed to meet both our requirements. In May 2013 we got as far as a second viewing before deciding it wasn’t a perfect fit for us after all.

While despondently eating our dinner at the Navigator in Bursledon, Amy stumbled across an advert for a Fairline 36 Sedan for sale in Brighton. The next morning, we arranged a viewing and drove for what seemed like hours to Brighton.

Despite not having the aft cabin, we instantly fell in love with the Sedan. The large cockpit with seating all the way round ran through into a saloon, giving a linked indoor/outdoor living area all on one level. Coupled with the flybridge for hot sunny days, it was a winning combination.

The two cabins had ample space and full standing headroom. The only compromise was that it only had one heads but we decided we could live with that. It had been re-engined in 2002 with brand new Volvo Penta TAMD 63 engines and extended fuel tanks. After a second viewing, our offer was accepted. We now needed somewhere to keep it.

The layout of the saloon still worked a treat but there was no hiding the sagging head lining and dated leather seating. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

We had looked at a Turbo 36 at a small family run yard in Bursledon on the River Hamble called the Cabin Boatyard and knew that the berth would be coming available later that summer. Berth secured, we now had everything in place.

On 13 July 2013, we arrived on our mooring after a faultless trip from Brighton on a smooth, glass-like sea. Faultless apart from a slight misjudgment of the Bursledon road bridge, which I have never been allowed to forget! Thankfully, there was no serious damage except to my pride.

We have owned the boat ever since, using her all year round as a weekend escape as well as a summer holiday home. We have added heating to make the winter months more comfortable and meticulously maintain the hull and engines with regular servicing and lift-outs. In 2022 we had the gearboxes rebuilt and new throttle cables fitted. Bandit is a well looked after and loved boat.

Head linings and lights removed ready for new LEDs and modern fabrics. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

Upsize or refit?

However, like all boat owners we eventually convinced ourselves that we needed a bigger boat. We got as far as viewing several larger, newer boats before coming to the realisation that Bandit actually did everything we wanted. We also knew she was mechanically sound and what she cost to run, unlike a larger, secondhand boat. So instead of changing boats we decided to look at refreshing the interior instead. The saloon head linings were becoming detached, the upholstery in the cockpit and flybridge was looking a bit tired, and everything needed a bit of TLC.

The first couple of companies we contacted did not inspire us with confidence so after reading a couple of articles in MBY and doing some internet research, we contacted Setag Yachts.

I was unsure whether Bandit would be a project they wanted to get involved with as most of the work they undertake is on larger, newer boats but after a few emails and photos sent, a meeting was set up with Chris Gates (CEO) and Sarah (designer) aboard Bandit.

Every inch of the saloon was given the full Setag treatment. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

They were both very enthusiastic and Sarah came up with some great ideas to keep the classic look but using modern fabrics to bring the interior up to date. We decided to concentrate on the areas we use the most such as the cockpit and saloon, so ideas and fabrics were discussed and a presentation forwarded with sample swatches.

We wanted to keep some reference to the original red and navy detailing in the cockpit and the fluting on the cushions as these were the classic colours and details from the era of the boat. After seeing the proposed ideas, we decided to do the flybridge seating as well to keep some continuity. At that point it seemed a shame not to go the whole hog and refit the cabins as well, as these were also showing signs of age.

The master cabin’s carpets, head lining and bed covering were all replaced. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

Everything agreed and deposit paid, Kyle (production manager and delivery skipper at Setag) and I set off from our mooring at Cabin Boatyard at 5am on 12 March 2025. Despite near freezing temperatures, the conditions were favourable with light winds and a slight sea.

Adrenaline pumping and excitement at fever pitch, I steered the whole journey from the flybridge, keeping a lookout for the obligatory lobster pots and enjoying the scenery. We arrived in Plymouth seven hours later, having averaged 21 knots the whole way there. I slept very well that night.

New cushions and fabrics transform the look and feel of the bright new saloon. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

Work begins

The original timescale for the refit was between 6-8 weeks but it soon became apparent that it was going to take considerably longer due to some unexpected issues. The source of some water ingress had to be found and stopped, which had in turn caused some of the wooden panels to rot. Consequently, every panel that was being re-covered had to be remade first.

The saloon headlining was then reconfigured to run from front to back instead of side to side. This made the space seem bigger and a lot more pleasing on the eye.

We also stripped all the navigation equipment from above the inside helm and removed the old speakers from the side panels, to leave cleaner lines throughout. On the flybridge, I wanted a flip-back helm seat to open the area up and create a more sociable space but Setag convinced me to keep the original helm seat and make a new base instead.

This sits on four studs, meaning I can still lift and reverse the seat to achieve the effect I wanted while retaining the classic looks of the original. This is my favourite single aspect of the whole refit.

You’d never guess the true age of the boat from the newly updated owners’ cabin. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

They also made a backrest for the rear end of the flybridge, incorporating the colour scheme and design from the cockpit.

New headboards in the cabins made from the same fabric as the saloon seating, along with new linings, carpets and LED mood lighting kept a consistent and cohesive look throughout the boat.

On 23 July 2025, Kyle and I set off from Plymouth on the return journey, this time in much warmer weather than our outbound trip. Once again Bandit performed faultlessly and to make things even more memorable we were joined by several pods of porpoises along the way.

The second cabin appears bigger and brighter with its fresh new fabrics and finishes. Photos: Stuart Potts and Setag Yachts

Forty and fabulous

Bandit still does everything we want in a boat, only now she looks and feels like a new boat, while retaining the classic lines and layout we first fell in love with all those years ago. Having looked but failed to find anything we liked better for a budget we could afford we spent the money giving our beloved boat a makeover and with it a new lease of life.

It has to be said, we winced occasionally as our bank account emptied but we are delighted with the results and the love for our boat is as strong now as it has ever been, if not stronger. Yes, it is a 1980s boat and has a few external blemishes (work in progress) but because it was re-engined in the early 2000s, is mechanically sound and built like the proverbial brick outhouse, it has many more years left.

The refit has brought it up to date and the finish is now as good if not better than many modern boats. As we are hoping to wind down our working hours, and hopefully spend more time on board, keeping the running costs in check was also an important factor.

Sometimes when you find someone and something you love, it’s worth going that extra mile. This year we are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary and we have a 40-year-old boat to match. Some things are just meant to last.

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 Fairline fix: How this motor yacht refit proves old boats can be the best boats appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

When I was a small boy, my grandfather explained to me that, as you get older, so time speeds up and the years become shorter. He explained why – it’s because when you are five years old, a year is 20% of your life, but when you’re 50 it’s only two percent. And, as with most things, he has been proven absolutely correct.

When you’re five, something happening the following year is so far over the horizon that it doesn’t merit a single thought. When you’re 50, you’re eyeing up a five-year extended warranty and wondering whether it’s enough.

However, the thing that’s never been explained is the elasticity across 12 months – why summers seem to flash past and the September boat shows are taking place again, but the winter seems to take a millennium – two millennia if you’re a boater. That’s why we always find ourselves perusing all-weather boats at this time of year. So we’ve scoured the market to bring you these four highly flexible vessels…

Hardy Mariner 25

Built: 2001 Price: £39,950

Hardy is far from alone in this (see Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess for full details), but if you want to see how the boating landscape has changed in the last 50 years, compare the current line up with what a builder was making in the 1970s and 1980s. Today the Hardy range starts at 45ft and extends to 65ft – a far cry from the 18 Navigators, 20 Pilots, 22 Fishing Pilots and 24 Fast Fishers of the past.

You can’t blame them. It’s simply where the market seems to have gone, with mass-produced Merry Fishers now filling in the blanks at the bottom end. But in amongst those smaller models, the Hardy Mariner 26, was a fine looking compact motorboat.

With the most popular Yanmar 230hp diesel on a straight shaft, this is a 20+ knot boat

Interior

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

Exterior

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

Performance

A 170hp Yanmar diesel was available but unless the boat was to be based inland, most buyers opted for the larger 230hp Yanmar fitted to this boat. That brings you 20+ knots and a comfortable 16-knot cruise.

It’s compact and practical rather than spacious or plush but you still get three berths

Seakeeping

Although it uses a semi-displacement hull with a long shallow keel, the Mariner 26 will get up and go. Straight shaft drive keeps the mechanicals simple and a bow thruster helps with the deficit in manoeuvrability that is inevitable with this set up.

Hardy Mariner 25 specifications

Length: 25ft 0in (7.6m)
Beam: 9ft 7in (2.9m)
Draft: 2ft 0in (0.6m)
Displacement: 4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 219 litres
Engine: Yanmar 4LM-STE 230hp diesel engine
For Sale: Parkstone Bay Yachts

Botnia Targa 30.1

Built: 2023 Price: £275,000

Launched in 2016, the 30.1 is often regarded as the first of the bigger Targas in a fleet that stretches from 23ft to 46ft. That’s because it’s the smallest model that is most commonly specced with twin engines and the smallest with a cabin at each end.

With its sheltered wheelhouse, it’s more a four-season commuter than an outright cruiser

Interior

Referred to in Finland as a ‘fast commuter’, it’s a boat designed to get you from point to point at high speed in all weathers. Because of that, the combined wheelhouse and saloon in the centre of the boat is clearly the focal point.

It’s accessed by sliding doors on both sides and if you enter via the starboard one, you’ll find yourself at a simple and well laid-out helm that features the clever trick of being able to adjust easily to a seated or standing position by dint of a rotating section that includes the wheel and throttles.

The tiny galley on the starboard side does, however, underpin the commuter vibe of this boat. This isn’t a model that majors on cruising, but the forward vee berths and double and single berths in a separate aft cabin mean you could spend a comfortable few days on board.

Exterior

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

Performance

Initially, twin Volvo Penta D4 diesel engines or a single D6 were the options, but with the rise in popularity of outboard engines, Targa started offering these in 2023. Twin Mercury Verado 300hp outboards give near-silent low-speed running combined with over 40 knots at the top end.

A rotating barrel puts the wheel and throttle exactly where you want them

Seakeeping

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

Botnia Targa 30.1 specifications

Length: 33ft 1in (10.1m)
Beam: 10ft 7in (3.3m)
Draft: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 6 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 600 litres
Engines: Twin Mercury Verado 300hp outboard engines
For Sale: Wessex Marine

Seaward 35

Built: 2011 Price: £199,950

When we think of all-weather boats, we think of internal helms and central heating. But it’s not just colder in winter, it’s often windier and rougher. And when year-round commercial operators like pilots, harbour patrols and customs officers choose their boats, most of them go for Nelson semi-displacement hulls. So when Seaward was formed in 1980 in Guernsey, where seakeeping is particularly important, it based its models squarely on Nelson hulls.

Damped seats and solid oak joinery feel almost as purposeful as the Nelson-derived hull

Interior

You’ll have noticed how boats are getting higher and fatter to gain more internal volume. That’s not an option with a Nelson hull. It is what it is and you build whatever you can fit inside it. Which is why this boat feels a little tighter than a typical modern 35-footer.

Fitted out in beautifully solid oak joinery, the deck saloon is dominated by a pair of KAB suspension seats, one at the helm and one adjacent, and there’s a couple of settees behind them, next to a drop-leaf table. Head down to the lower deck and there’s a dinette opposite the galley and a vee berth in the forward cabin.

Exterior

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

Performance

Twin Yanmar 6LPA-STP2 diesels live beneath the saloon floor, keeping the centre of gravity forward and firing 315hp apiece down straight shaft drives. Top speed is 25 knots, with a cruising speed of around 20.

There’s a dinette opposite the lower galley, plus a vee berth in the forward cabin

Seakeeping

That Nelson hull is an absolute thoroughbred. There’s a reason why these boats have names like Bruiser and Buster, and it’s all about serious deep-sea wave-busting offshore performance. There are faster boats, but not many of them will maintain their speed like this one when conditions really deteriorate.

Seaward 35 specifications

Length: 37ft 0in (11.3m)
Beam: 11ft 3in (3.4m)
Draft: 3ft 10in (1.2m)
Displacement: 10 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,268 litres
Engines: Twin Yanmar 6LPA-STP2 315hp diesel engines
For Sale: Berthon International

Nord Star 28+

Built: 2023 Price: £239,995

BMW, Mercedes and Audi are so focussed on a similar market that no one buys one or the other without checking out all three manufacturers first. And in the boating world, it’s the same with Targa, Sargo and Nord Star. All Finnish built, all high performance walkaround commuters and all aimed at the same buyers.

However just like the cars, while in broad brush strokes, they’re all very similar, up close, they’re all aimed at slightly different buyers. The BMW is for the enthusiast, Mercedes is for those prioritising comfort, and the Audi is aimed squarely at people who want to drive 3ft behind any car that is in the way!

Access to the second cabin is found beneath the portside of the aft dinette

Interior

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

Exterior

Of course, as ever with boats, there’s a compromise, and the 28+ misses out on the forward cockpit of some of its competitors. There’s also a single step up on the side decks as you head forward. But the aft cockpit has more seating than some, and breaks in the rails either side of the sliding side doors make close-quarters handling easy.

Performance

A single Volvo Penta D6 340 gives about 34 knots with economical running. There’s a twin outboard option now with 47-knot potential – it’s not quite as economical however!

A dedicated lower galley suggests the Nord Star is designed as a family cruiser

Seakeeping

Like all Finnish commuter-style boats, the 28+ is designed to get there fast and in comfort, whatever the conditions.

Nord Star 28+ specifications

Length: 31ft 2in (9.5m)
Beam: 10ft 2in (3.1m)
Draft: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
Displacement: 5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 585 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D6-340 340hp diesel engines
For Sale: MCC Marine

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.

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This article 4 of the best all-weather motor boats on the market right now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

What’s the difference between a hard top sportscruiser, and a coupé? No, it’s not a tired Vegas comedian’s joke (I’m here all week, try the fish, etc) but a genuine question – after all, they look much the same from the outside.

In a word, it’s doors. Whilst the hard top sportscruiser is like an open sportscruiser with a lid providing some shelter to the helm and cockpit, a coupé closes off the section under that hard top with aft doors so that you can heat or cool the space inside depending on whether you boat in the UK, or somewhere more sensible!

Most builders then fit a big sunroof (so you can still get a lungful of fresh air when you need it) and turn this area into an inside deck saloon with carpets and soft furnishings rather than cockpit-style teak decks and weatherproof upholstery, but that’s it – doors maketh the coupé. And here are four splendid examples.

The best Coupé motor yachts on the market now

Nimbus 335 Coupé

Built: 2014
Price: £172,500

If you want practical all-weather thinking then you need to head to the Nordic regions. Finland, for example, has the highest number of boats per capita, while Sweden boasts the greatest number of islands at a staggering 267,570. Add short summers and challenging seas and it’s clear that the focus is on extending the boating season by building all-weather coupés with extremely capable seakeeping.

The main living spaces are all on one level for safe and sociable family cruising

Interior

Swedish-based Nimbus takes advantage of the coupé layout to put both the saloon and galley on the main deck. Surrounded by big windows for great views and plenty of natural light, it makes for a very sociable living area. The big dinette to port features a front section that flips over to create additional forward-facing seating next to the helm. That leaves space on the lower deck for a double cabin amidships and a vee-berthed forward cabin, plus heads.

Exterior

The coupé format works well precisely because of its ability to shut out the weather when needed, but also the ability to bring the outside in when desired. So there are opening glass sunroofs in the deckhead but also a large sliding side door next to the helm, something that even the Princess V55 doesn’t have. As well as creating the feeling of a more open boat, it also gives direct access to the wider starboard side deck for easier berthing, especially when cruising single-handed. The port deck is narrower in order to create more space in the saloon.

Performance

Use of a vee drive allows the engine to live beneath the cockpit floor rather than the saloon’s. This makes for quieter running as well as freeing up the space for the double guest cabin. The single D4-260 offers sufficient grunt for a circa 25-knot top end and a steady cruising pace of 20 knots.

The forward cabin has a vee berth that makes up to a comfortable double

Seakeeping

We’ve discussed practicality, but the other area in which Scandinavian boats often score highly is seakeeping. Taking full advantage of that short summer means going out almost regardless of sea conditions.

Nimbus 335 Coupé specifications

Length: 33ft 10in (10.4m)
Beam: 10ft 6in (3.1m)
Draft: 3ft 4in (1.1m)
Displacement: 5.3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 480 litres
Engine: Volvo Penta D4-260 diesel engine
For Sale: Michael Schmidt & Partner

Princess V55

Built: 2021
Price: £1,399,000

The very first Princess V models were the Princess V52 and V39, launched together back in 1993, the former morphing into the first V55 four years later. These were open cockpit boats, but the range grew and evolved through the following 30 years until there’s not a single open V boat left. The smallest V40 is now a hard top only and everything above the V50 is now coupé only, including this V55 which launched in 2019.

Drop-down doors completely disappear when open to link the inside and outside spaces

Interior

The layout is dramatically different. Where the original had all of the accommodation on the lower deck, the coupé nature of the current model moves the saloon and galley upstairs, creating space for a massive full beam mid cabin for the owner and a generous VIP cabin forward. This has scissor berths so you can set it up as a pair of single beds or a double. There is also a third twin bunk cabin.

Exterior

Of course the inevitable result is a smaller outdoor space, the idea being that you fling those doors open, slide back the sunroof and use the cockpit and saloon as a single combined living area. In fact, there’s still plenty of outside space, from the L-shaped dinette in the cockpit to the sunpad over the tender garage, and a clever foredeck arrangement that provides yet more seating and sunbathing up front. Big hull windows and sweeping curves ensure it looks good too.

Performance

It’s interesting to see how this model has grown. Over a foot wider than the original, as well as being taller, longer and heavier, which is why it has so much more space, but also why the original boat achieved close to 40 knots from a pair of 800hp MAN diesels whereas this version winds out to about 35 knots from its twin 1,000hp Volvo Penta D13 diesels.

Full beam owner’s cabin ensures it’s as comfortable to stay on as it is to helm

Seakeeping

Princess has always had a good reputation for seakeeping and that hasn’t changed despite all the extra volume. In testing conditions off Plymouth we described it as ‘as good to drive as it is to look at’.

Princess V55 specifications

Length: 58ft 5in (17.8m)
Beam: 15ft 3in (4.7m)
Draft: 4ft 9in (1.4m)
Displacement: 29 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 2,500 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D13-1000 1,000hp diesel engines
For Sale: Princess Motor Yacht Sales

Sunseeker Predator 52

Built: 2009
Price: £419,950

Launched at the Southampton Boat Show in 2007, the Predator 52 was the smallest of the Predator range at the time (fun fact, in over a decade of Find Me A…, this is the first Sunseeker Predator ever featured!). Sunseeker used the Manhattan 52 hull and much of its interior, but you’d never know because this is a very different and far sportier-looking vessel.

The main deck is split into two distinct areas separated by a couple of steps up

Interior

That Manhattan hull equals generous internal volume, which is why the lower deck has a full-beam ensuite mid cabin for the owner (still comparatively rare on a boat of this style at the time) as well as a VIP guest cabin forward with a centreline double plus a twin bunk cabin that shares the day heads.

This boat does predate the galley-up layout so that’s down here too, which means that the deck saloon, split across two levels, is all about comfortable lounging and eating on the lower section, leaving the raised forward section for helming duties with a few friends on the seats opposite. Matt walnut replaces the high gloss cherry of earlier Sunseekers, and still looks classy and well finished today.

Exterior

A massive sliding roof across the raised forward section of the main deck opens the helm to the elements in clement conditions, or seals it off when the weather turns at the touch of the proverbial. Back aft, the huge sunpad hid either a tender garage or a small crew cabin for one person, depending on the choice of the first owner. This boat has the crew cabin option, the tender living instead on the high/low platform.

Performance

Although IPS was later offered using a pair of Volvo Penta’s D12 775hp engines, the Predator 52 was launched with a pair of MAN 800hp diesels on shafts. Both options offered a top speed just short of 30 knots and a mid 20-knot cruise.

A full beam mid-cabin was still a rarity on this size of coupé back in 2009

Seakeeping

It’s 25 tonnes and almost 60ft (LOA) of British beef so safe to say that offshore seakeeping should be suitably robust. This boat has been fitted with bow and stern thrusters plus a Raymarine camera system linked to two Axiom multi-function displays to help docking manoeuvres as well so you shouldn’t have any trouble berthing it.

Sunseeker Predator 52 specifications

Length: 55ft 10in (17m)
Beam: 15ft 2in (4.6m)
Draft: 4ft 2in (1.3m)
Displacement: 25 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 2,140 litres
Engines: Twin MAN 800hp diesel engines
For Sale: boats.co.uk

Bavaria R40

Built: 2023
Price: £360,000 ex VAT

It’s testimony to the amount of difference between a hardtop sportscruiser and a coupé that Bavaria offers both at an almost identical size: the SR41 HT and this boat, the R40. But where the upper deck is all cockpit in the SR, the deck saloon layout of the R40 is very different. Indeed Bavaria even offers a flybridge version of this model.

Clean lines and contemporary colour scheme mark this out as a more modern offering

Interior

Bavaria has stretched the driving position of this boat right across the forward end of the saloon, placing two seats at the helm and a further one to port, making this a fabulous place for crew to gather when under way. The view is great; there’s an opening sunroof overhead and a sliding side door next to the helm. The galley runs down the port side of the saloon opposite an L-shaped dinette, but it’s the lower deck that is particularly impressive. Head downstairs and there’s a cabin ahead and aft of you, both with centreline double beds and both ensuite (the forward one being slightly smaller, with its ensuite doubling as the day heads).

Exterior

A nicely proportioned vessel, the coupé arguably looks better than the flybridge variant. And it gains that sliding roof, which would be impossible with an upper deck. The cockpit is a good size, and there was the option of a barbecue unit hovering over the bathing platform. This boat doesn’t have it, but it does have the very useful hydraulic bathing platform for tender storage.

Performance

Bavaria offered this boat with a pair of Volvo Penta’s D6 330 and D6 370 engines when it launched in 2016. That larger engine option was later uprated to 380hp, which is what this boat has. This should push the top speed towards the mid 30 knots, ensuring relaxed, fuel efficient cruising in the mid 20s.

Not many 40ft coupés can offer a full beam mid cabin as stylish and spacious as this one

Seakeeping

In testing conditions in the Solent, our man at the helm reported, ‘The hull rose to the challenge with gusto and took it all (which was a lot) in its stride’. The dry ride also got a mention, with not a drop of spray hitting the windscreen, despite the lumpy conditions.

Bavaria R40 specifications

Length: 41ft 11in (12.8m)
Beam: 13ft 1in (4m)
Draft: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
Displacement: 9.3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 900 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6-380 380hp diesel engines
For Sale: Clipper Marine

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 coupé motor yachts you can buy right now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

There’s no question that boats like the Sealine F530 are perfectly at home in the Med and other sunspots around the world. But in the UK? Well, that’s up for debate, especially for those who do their boating in places such as Britain’s south coast where marina space is at a premium – not just in terms of cost but also with regard to pontoon availability for plus-size boats.

At a shade over 16m in overall length, the Sealine F530 may not be the biggest boat in the ocean but it’s plenty long enough to warrant forward planning when it comes to looking for a visitor’s berth.

However, finding a berth was not a concern for us as we tickled our way along the Hamble for a photoshoot on a baking summer’s afternoon. On days like this, the appeal of the big Sealine becomes immediately apparent.

As we surveyed all around us from our lofty, expansive and sun-drenched flybridge perch, Richard, our broker from Solent Motor Yachts, who is offering this vessel for £649,950 VAT paid, fiddled with the Dynamic Position System (DPS) to hold the boat rock-steady as another vessel inched past us on the river’s narrow and crowded channel.

The flybridge dining station is easily big enough to seat nine people

Despite the Hamble’s notorious tide running fast, the DPS performed its task admirably, impressing not only us but also the somewhat nervous-looking helm of the passing vessel.

Richard just grinned: “Good, isn’t it?” he said. And yes, it was.

Bang for your buck

DPS is just one of the many impressive features of this boat. Pretty much everything about the F530 is big and arguably you get more for your money here than with any other 50-footer of its era.

For starters, there are no fewer than three outdoor entertaining areas. Occupying around half of the boat’s length, the flybridge is the largest of these.

Even without the canvases in place, the sociable aft cockpit is well sheltered by the flybridge

Accessed via a set of seven steps from the aft cockpit, the rearmost section of the fly features an enormous U-shaped settee, capable of seating up to nine people very comfortably.

Fronting the settee is a king-size fold-out table with five drinks/bottle holders integrated into its top. Butting up against the aft edge of the settee is the boat’s wet bar and grill.

This means the entire upstairs catering and dining are seamlessly connected but also neatly separated from the fly’s business end.

In fact, it’s not all business up front, as opposite the double helm seat and fully-appointed helm station is a second double seat, ahead of which Sealine has added a spacious double sunpad so you can keep the skipper company.

The galley is positioned aft, very much in the fashion of the latest flybridge cruisers

Extra outdoor fun

The second outdoor entertaining space is the aft cockpit. Nestled beneath the rear end of the flybridge, it feels wonderfully well protected and makes full use of the F530’s wide beam.

There are two integral three-seater couches and bags of room for free-standing chairs around the other two sides of the floor-mounted fold-out table, which, like its upstairs counterpart, also incorporates a five-glass/bottle holder.

With the saloon’s rear doors open, the aft cockpit links directly to the galley area and a fold-out countertop completes the connection, making serving very easy.

In inclement weather, the aft cockpit can be sealed from the elements with wraparound canvas covers.

The skipper gets great views and easy deck access on both sides of the boat

Keeping the warmth in the main saloon is then simply a matter of closing the folding glass doors. To find the third outdoor entertaining zone, it’s necessary to take a trip along the boat’s wide and well-protected side decks.

For the first half of the journey, the side decks are step-free with gunwales that are almost waist high. Thereafter, three steps and a set of beefy handrails lead up to the bow.

There’s a tremendous sense of safety and security throughout this boat – and that’s just as well, as we imagine countless bottles of Prosecco must have travelled this route in order to reach the guests lounging at the foredeck’s large horseshoe settee.

While there’s no fridge up here, there is a very accommodating table. Returning to the saloon, the galley occupies the rear section abutting the aft cockpit.

This is a large, well-appointed space with a full range of appliances and storage space integrated into high-quality, high-gloss cabinetry. On our review boat, a sleek black worktop added greatly to the galley’s look and feel.

Light, views and integration with the outdoor spaces are superb for a boat of this age

Acres of glass

Moving forward, the single most striking feature of the saloon is the amount of glazing. In fact, the sides of the saloon are almost entirely made of glass and the result is one of the brightest and lightest spaces you’ll find aboard any boat.

In MBY’s original review of the F530 back in 2016, our writer noted that the windows are fantastic on the inside but, in his opinion, would take some getting used to from the outside.

Today, however, those comments seem less relevant, as vast glazing panels have become the norm. Perhaps the F530 was just ahead of its time but either way, the effect of all this light is stunning.

The unusual flip-over helm seat creates an aft-facing chaise longue

There’s another huge seating unit and table in here and dining in an environment like this would undoubtedly be a real pleasure.

Positioned to starboard, the lower helm affords excellent views all round. Side doors on both sides of the boat allow quick and easy access to the side decks, as well as improved ventilation.

The lower helm seat also has an unusual trick up its sleeve. Pull the metal lever protruding from the side and it can be folded down to provide a chaise in the dining area.

The high-spec owner’s cabin gets impressive views and an attractive breakfast bar to port

Accommodation

Four steps down the companionway, three cabins await. The entrance to the master is to starboard.

As you enter, a corridor runs aft past the ensuite to the cabin proper – a full-beam midships affair, luxuriously equipped with a large double bed, wardrobe and dressing table plus a two-seater table unit to port.

The VIP cabin is in the forepeak. This also has a large double bed and plenty of storage space.

The ensuite comes with Jack and Jill doors, allowing it to be used as a day heads, and by the occupants of the boat’s third cabin, which came either with a double bed or a pair of singles.

The VIP comes with masses of storage and an ensuite that’s shared as the day heads

Performance

For propulsion, Sealine opted to fit Volvo Penta IPS drives as standard on the F530. Featuring forward-facing counter-rotating props on steerable pods, it offers several advantages over shafts in terms of fuel efficiency, speed, handling and quietness.

We certainly had no major complaints in our original F530 test – and that’s despite our (prototype) boat being equipped with IPS600s.

Later production models had either IPS700s with a top speed of 30 knots or IPS800s, which could achieve around 34 knots.

Whichever rig you chose, the space aft of the engine room was also well used with one of three alternative options – a no-frills empty space, a large lazarette or a compact crew cabin.

You could spec the third cabin as a dedicated twin or as an all-over double

Sealine F530 specifications

DESIGNER: Dixon Yacht Design/Sealine
HULL TYPE: Variable V
RCD: B (12 persons)
LOA: 52ft 11in (16.13m)BEAM: 14ft 11in (4.56m)
DRAFT: 3ft 11in (1.2m)
DISPLACEMENT: 20,370kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 1,560l
WATER CAPACITY: 766l
TOP SPEED: 30 knots (with Volvo Penta IPS700 engines – Sealine figure)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.06L/nm @ 21.1 knots (all fuel figures derived from 2016 MBY test of the prototype, which (in contrast to subsequent production models) used the smaller IPS600 engines.
RANGE: 176nm at 18.5 knots with 20% reserve

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 Sealine F530 used boat review: More bang for your buck 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.

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

Boat ownership is all I’ve ever known. The farm we own is basically a peninsula in the Fal Estuary. There’s a launching beach just 400 yards down the hill from the farmstead and we have a couple of deepwater moorings. In fact, I would have to concede that circumstances here are pretty much perfect for messing about in boats. And very much like Per Harrtoft in last month’s magazine, that’s probably how we ended up with two of them!

When we bought Molly, our Aquador 32C, in early 2022, we already owned Sula, our Yamarin 59HT. And as great as Molly is, we continued to love Sula. She’s as perfect as you can get for a launch-and-retrieve sportsboat.

It takes us less than 15 minutes to throw our gear on board, trundle down the hill and get afloat. But although she’s ostensibly a dayboat, we’ve spent many nights on board – and you can revisit our adventures in old issues of MBY.

Molly is also a fabulous boat, but she is only afloat from early May to the end of September. There are many times in the remaining months when it is a joy to be out on the water and the simplicity of getting afloat with Sula is a major plus. The Yamarin combines the best of Finnish boatbuilding with a 115hp Yamaha outboard, which is the engine chosen by the RNLI to power its Atlantic 85 inshore rescue RIBs. Sula is also remarkably good in rough seas. In fact, with her flared bow, I have only once seen green water on the foredeck.

The Yamarin emerged thick with straw and dust

So the big question was what to do with Sula once Molly arrived. We weren’t sure how it would go with the bigger boat and there are very few Yamarin 59HTs in Britain – especially with the 115 Yam rather than the more commonplace 90hp.

So we thought we would keep her. We have the shed space so it involves no extra cost at all. With interest rates being little higher than inflation and investments far from certain in this very uncertain world, we felt that the money may as well be tied up in a boat – plus it meant we would get to keep using her.

We had a blow-out holiday last spring that meant we were away throughout May and half of June. Circumstances dictated that it was a fortnight after our return before Molly could be put into the water and for those two weeks, the weather was lovely. Sula to the rescue! While she had been in a dry shed, it was one where half of it housed our North Devon cattle during the winter.

The Yamarin is tough to beat as a family dayboat

A shed where three times per week, we bedded the cattle with a straw shredder that blasts the straw and dust 40-50ft down the shed. She looked very sad covered in a layer of thick dust and straw but it’s amazing what an industrial jetwash with liquid foam can do.

An hour cleaning up the outside and half a day with a bucket and sponge cleaning the interior meant that Sula came up a treat. The battery was charged for 24 hours and I topped up her internal fuel tank with fresh E5 petrol and a good dose of fuel conditioner.

I checked the oils, lubed the cables and put some fresh grease in the wheel bearings. I put a hose to the engine and she started instantly. I ran her for a while and then we launched. The engine was initially a bit lumpy at higher revs, but it soon settled down. And it has since had a full service marine engine and is now purring a treat.

Family outings are cosy but fun on the 59HT

She is, of course, a very different beast from Molly. Molly is solid and steady; Sula is lithe and lively. Molly tops out at 17-18 knots and cruises at 13-14. Sula will hit 35 knots and enjoy a relaxed cruise at 20. Molly draws 3 feet and has exposed rudders and propeller while Sula can be beached with the engine trimmed up. But I wouldn’t want to go to Scilly in Sula!

Boats that make sense

Funnily enough, we nearly didn’t buy the Yamarin. We had bought a 16ft Fletcher, with the same configuration as Sula. We like being sheltered without being too confined so that kind of layout works well for us. But the guy selling her was doing so because he had just bought a Yamarin 59HT – and when we saw it, we knew it was what we were really looking for.

For longer trips Molly has proved to be a great choice

We kept watch in a lazy window-shopping kind of way before spotting one for sale in Devon for £24,000. It was four years old with just 36 hours on the clock. The guy had bought a bigger boat and Sula was being kept in a dry shed at his home.

About six months later, it was still for sale so I offered £20,000 and he immediately said yes. But it was at that point that two thoughts crossed my mind. The first was “Damn, I should have offered less!” The second was “Hells bells, now I have to stump up twenty grand!”

But that was 13 years ago so it’s been a brilliant buy for us and the fact of the matter is that we love both our boats. A great deal of thought went into choosing them and they work a treat for our lifestyle, so we have no plans to sell either of them any time soon.

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 Why two boats are better than one: How we came to own an Aquador and a Yamarin appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Price challenges are always my favourite to research and write about, so when I hit the internet (and the brokerage pages of MBY, naturally) with a mythical £200,000 burning a boat-sized hole in my pocket it didn’t take long to come up with four cracking examples.

It took MBY’s editor to point out the obvious to me: that I’d chosen four 30ft two-year-old boats – there are a LOT of 30ft two-year-old boats to choose from at £200,000 it turns out.

But that’s not the point of the price challenge – the idea is to come up with a breadth of options out there on the current brokerage market, and a little more digging produced this fantastic crop. From a gentleman’s picnic boat to a two-cabin two-heads flybridge cruiser, there’s something for everyone.

The best motor yachts for under £200k

Jeanneau NC33

Built: 2018
Price: £199,500

Launched in the UK at the 2017 Southampton Boat Show, we got our hands on the first one in the country just before it moved into the show on a September day tailor-made to demonstrate the attributes of this adaptable compact cruiser. The NC deck saloon range was specifically targeted at the north European market, with the Leader range of open cockpit boats more suited for reliably warmer climates. At the time there was a range of both options, now just the NC37 remains and the Leader line has been dropped completely.

Saloon, galley, helm and cockpit are all on one level for safe, sociable family cruising

Interior

And it’s the deck saloon layout that worked so well on a day that alternated between sunny but chilly, and downpours of rain (and even chillier). There’s a comparatively small cockpit, and then sliding doors into a combined saloon and galley on the same level, with the helm ahead to starboard. This frees up space on the lower deck for two generous double cabins and a large heads. But a big sliding roof over the helm plus a sliding helm door mean that when the sun is shining, it’s actually a pretty open air (yet still sheltered) helm. A flip-over seat at the head of the dinette creates more forward facing seating for your crew.

Exterior

Asymmetric side decks give a nice wide walkway from bow to stern on the starboard side (accessed by that helm door), the narrower one to port still useable but squeezed to eke out interior space. The entire transom moulding and seat slides, giving priority to either the cockpit space or the bathing platform.

Performance

Twin Volvo Penta D3-220 diesel engines are the motors of choice for this model, being fitted to both the test boat and this example. With a clean hull and lightly loaded, they will push the boat easily onto the plane and top out just over a healthy 30 knots, making a low 20-knot cruise quiet and comfortable at around 3,000rpm.

The forward owner’s cabin is complemented by a second double guest cabin further aft

Seakeeping

Southampton water wasn’t throwing up much of a challenge on the day of our test but a couple of big ships kindly provided enough wash to get the NC33 sufficiently airborne to confirm a reasonably soft landing.

Jeanneau NC33 specifications

Length: 34ft 5in (10.5m)
Beam: 10ft 10in (3.3m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 5.4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 520 litres
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D3-220 220hp diesel engines
For Sale: Boatpoint

Duchy 27

Built: 2019
Price: £199,950

Dave Cockwell, the man behind the Cockwells Modern and Classic Boatbuilding yard based just outside Falmouth in Cornwall, summed up the Duchy 27 perfectly. “We’re not trying to compete with anyone. All we’re doing is building a really nice boat that we hope people will like.” Because that’s what this boat is.

It’s not flash, it’s not an apartment on the water nor a flying machine. It’s simply a really nice boat.

Plentiful seating in the cockpit and a handy little table for those lunchtime picnics

Interior

The best way to sum it up is as a British picnic boat but there is a perfectly useable cabin down below taking up about a third of the length of the vessel, and it’s as simple and straightforward as the rest of the boat. A hoop of seating forward surrounds a table that drops to create a double berth. Aft to port is a compact galley and opposite to starboard a simple heads and shower. It’s deal for ducking out of the weather, and perfectly acceptable for a night aboard.

Exterior

The cockpit is where this boat is at. The centre section of the transom folds over to create an entry-point to the cockpit and a neat step from the bathing platform. And you’ll find a lovely deep horseshoe of seating around another table – perfect for picnics. The engine box in the centre provides fore and aft seating while at the front, an open-backed wheelhouse with sliding side windows and roof hatches protects the helmsman and navigator.

Performance

The centrally mounted Nanni T.4 diesel engine transmits its 200hp down a straightforward shaftdrive. It’s a well judged engine for this boat, you can potter along at 8 knots with just 1,500rpm showing on the tachometer, 2,200rpm lifts the bow and gives a steady 14 knots but 2,600rpm is probably the boat’s favourite speed, offering 18 knots and drinking about a litre per mile, the 263-litre tank therefore giving an easy 200-mile range with plenty in reserve.

The compact cabin has everything you need for a cosy night or two away

Seakeeping

A narrow beamed deep-vee semi-displacement hull will always provide optimum seakeeping, which this Andrew Wolstenholme hull proves very well.

Duchy 27 specifications

Length: 27ft 0in (8m)
Beam: 9ft 2in (2.8m)
Draft: 2ft 9in (0.8m)
Displacement: 3.3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 263 litres
Engine: Nanni T4 200hp diesel engine
For Sale: Ancasta

Broom 42CL

Built: 2001
Price: £185,000

Introduced in 2000 and in production for seven years during which time 49 were built, the 42CL was the largest of Broom’s seagoing CL range when it launched, a range designed to handle offshore duties as well as the inland waterways that was Norfolk Broads based Broom’s stock-in-trade.

A big central saloon connected to a combined galley/dinette are ideal for longer cruises

Interior

An aft cabin layout, as almost all Brooms of this era were, the accommodation stretches from stem to transom. The massive aft cabin is the first show stopper, taking advantage of the hull’s square aft quarters to deliver something more akin to a bedroom, with a central double berth and separate toilet in the forward port corner, shower on the other side.

Head up and forward and you’ll find a large saloon with the unusual feature of direct access onto the port side deck via a sliding door as well as the more usual route aft and up onto the aft deck. The lower forward deck sports a sociable dinette opposite the galley, with the day heads accessed from here too. A vee berthed guest cabin nestles right in the bow.

Exterior

This is emphatically not a flybridge boat. What you get instead is the helm on the aft deck looking forward across the saloon roof. Apart from keeping the air draft down (important on a boat that has inland waterways in mind), it also allows for a large windscreen and full canopies to keep the helm dry in all weathers. Neat touches include nice low side decks and steps built into the hull amidships, making boarding from pontoons very easy, but Broom also added steps rather than a ladder from the bathing platform to the aft deck.

Performance

Twin Yanmar diesels nestle beneath the saloon floor. Broom offered 350hp, 400hp and 440hp versions of the Yanmar 6LY engines, as well as Volvo Penta’s D6 350 engines toward the end of production. The 350hp variants fitted to this boat are the most popular (and unstressed) option, and give a top speed in the mid 20-knot area.

The aft cabin is as large, comfortable and private as some shore-based bedrooms

Seakeeping

The semi-displacement hull has a shallow keel aiding low speed tracking, but the hull is very solid and perfectly suited to offshore running.

Broom 42CL specifications

Length: 42ft 6in (13m)
Beam: 13ft 11in (4.2m)
Draft: 3ft 6in (1.1m)
Displacement: 30 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,200 litres
Engines: 2 x Yanmar 6LY 350hp diesel engines
For Sale: TBS Boats

Sealine F380

Built: 2015
Price: £189,995

Unveiled at the Düsseldorf show in January 2014, the F380 was the very first model launched by the Hanse Group in Germany after it took on the Sealine brand. Based on the existing Sealine S380 sportscruiser hull although slightly longer, it translates into a very good looking and well balanced flybridge offering.

One of the most spacious interiors you’ll find on any
sub-40ft boat

Interior

Sealine stated at the time that the F380 had the largest interior volume in its class, an entirely believable claim because this is a seriously large sub 40ft boat. A conventional layout by the standards of the time, the owner’s ensuite cabin is in the bow, there’s a guest cabin to starboard, a day heads and galley to port and then steps up to the main deck saloon with the raised helm on the starboard side. But the big news is storage. Despite all that volume, there are lockers, drawers, bins and cupboards everywhere, not to mention a huge storage space beneath the saloon floor.

Exterior

Despite all that interior volume, the outside is surprisingly uncompromised. Side decks are eight inches wide and bulwarked, the cockpit is a sensible size and there are decent steps up to the high railed flybridge. It’s a good looking boat too, with its sweep of curved glass windscreen, although the small hull portholes date it by modern standards.

Performance

Being based on the S380 hull means sterndrives, so the engines are well aft beneath the cockpit floor. The boat we tested had twin six cylinder Volvo 5.5-litre D6 330hp diesel engines, but most went out with the physically smaller four cylinder 3.7-litre D4-300 engines, which lose a total of 60hp but counter with lighter weight, useful given their location. We saw
32 knots flat out, the D4 engines are probably not much less.

The cabins are just as well proportioned as the saloon, galley and the two bathrooms

Seakeeping

With those big engines set well aft, and the legs in and tabs down, you can drop below 15 knots still planing, giving a wide cruising speed band. We described the ride as ‘good, rather than exceptional’, entirely in keeping with such a voluminous boat, but its keenness to change direction given a handful of lock was certainly impressive.

Sealine F380 specifications

Length: 37ft 4in (11.4m)
Beam: 12ft 4in (3.8m)
Draft: 4ft 0in (1.2m)
Displacement: 10 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 910 litres
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D4-300 300hp diesel engines
For Sale: Southpier Marine

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 Motor Yachts You Can Buy Now For Under £200k 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.

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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.

Finding a vintage boat is easy, pick anything over 25 years old and voila, as they say in Germany. But picking a classic, well that is a little more nuanced because to truly be a classic, there has to be something a little more to it than just being old.

It has to have had a storied history, or be an icon of its genre, or perhaps be a perfect example of what the brand stood for in that moment in time. And maybe it doesn’t even need to be old at all, maybe some boats, like some cars and some watches, are simply destined to be classics from inception.

And to that end, we have four examples of each of those categories here, from the rich past of Lady Hertha to the signpost of company direction in the early eighties that the Princess 33 clearly was. All are bona fide classic boats.

Princess 33 MK2

Built: 1984
Price: £29,950

Can we call the Princess 33 MK2 a classic? I believe so because this is actually quite an iconic boat in the history of Princess Yachts.

Marine Projects, as it was originally known, started life in 1965 with the Project 31, which morphed into the first ever Princess in 1969, the Princess 32. Its first flybridge was the 37 in 1973 and the MK1 Princess 33 followed in 1974.

This was a deck saloon boat, with the option of a small flybridge. The 33 Mk2 that followed it in 1981 differed by being predominantly a flybridge boat (although a non flybridge version was available) and it set the tone for all Princess boats through the 1980s.

The main deck saloon is simple but spacious and could easily be updated at minimal cost

Interior

It also set the pattern for the builder’s interiors, with most of its models from this era following a similar saloon on the main deck, galley and cabins on the lower deck layout.

In fact there were two lower deck layout options. Whilst the vee berths in the forward cabin and L-shaped galley to port, aft of the heads, was fixed, buyers could opt for a dinette to starboard or the second cabin of the boat featured here with its bunk beds.

Exterior

As mentioned, this boat was built as a flybridge and is so well proportioned that the occasional non-flybridge version looks slightly odd. Accessed by a ladder, the flybridge is a little larger than the token effort of the MK1, and has a three-person seat at the helm with a radar mast behind it.

Performance

Marine Projects offered a wide variety of Volvo Penta engines, from petrol sterndrives through to diesel sterndrives and diesel shaft drives, which this boat has. Arguably the optimum choice, the twin 165hp TAMD 40 engines should give speeds of towards 20 knots.

The main forward cabin is supplemented by a lower dinette or a second cabin

Seakeeping

The best thing about shaft drive, beyond the sheer simplicity compared to sterndrives, is the fact that it pushes the weight of the engines forward, helping to keep the bow down. John Bennett designed these earlier Princesses and they are solid performers.

Princess 33 MK2 specifications

Length: 33ft 0in (10m)
Beam: 11ft 3in (3.4m)
Draft: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 590 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta TAMD 40 165hp diesel engines
For Sale: Karl Farrant Marine Sales

Grand Banks 42

Built: 1970
Price: £39,500

The Grand Banks 42 could be credited for setting the template for every Grand Banks up to recent times, and indeed arguably the template for the entire trawler yacht genre, with many other companies such as Island Gypsy and C-Kip producing boats modelled along similar lines.

Even modern ‘trawler yachts’ such as the Beneteau Swift Trawler range owe at least a nod to Grand Banks for the visuals, if not their more modern interiors. Although not the first Grand Banks (that was the 36 Classic launched in 1964), the 42 was certainly one of the most successful and long lived – it was launched in 1975 and ran for 30 years!

Traditional wood heavy interior is in keeping with its classic trawler yacht exterior lines

Interior

Featuring an aft cabin layout, one of the great things about the classic trawler yacht is the way that the accommodation spreads itself across almost the full length of the vessel, and it’s clear to see why these are so popular for extended cruising or even living aboard.

The aft cabin is designated the owner’s cabin, with its double bed and ensuite. A couple of steps forward take you up to the saloon which also houses the galley and the lower helm, a set up which is very sociable when underway. Drop down to the lower deck to find vee berths in the forward cabin and another heads.

Exterior

An early example, this is a proper wooden boat (later Grand Banks were GRP). The hull is carvel planking in mahogany, bronze fastened to wooden frames while the superstructure is painted plywood. The side decks on these classic layouts encircle the entire boat, with the aft deck raised above the aft cabin, in turn offering access to a large flybridge via another couple of steps. A mast and boom can be used to lift a tender onto the raised coachroof.

Performance

Twin Ford Lehman 6-cylinder 120hp naturally aspirated diesel engines offer stately progress, cruising at a gentle 10-12 knots which is in keeping with this sort of boat.

With a cabin and heads at either end this makes for a comfortable cruising boat

Seakeeping

A heavy full displacement hull with a deep forefoot is designed with long distance cruising in mind. There is a pleasingly unstoppable nature to the way they travel.

Grand Banks 42 specifications

Length: 42ft 7in (13m)
Beam: 13ft 7in (4.1m)
Draft: 4ft 2in (1.3m)
Displacement: 20 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,200 litres
Engines: Ford Lehman 120hp diesel
For Sale: Wooden Ships

Swordsman 40

Built: 2004
Price: £169,950

Does a classic have to be vintage to qualify? I don’t think so, and this 2004 Swordsman 40 backs me up. It’s based along the lines of the ultimate classics, the Fairey range of wooden cruisers from the 1960s that included the Huntsman, Spearfish and, of course, the original Swordsman, which started off life as a 33-footer but was later extended to 38 and 42ft versions.

Giving that name authenticity is a GRP hull designed by Alan Burnard, who penned those beautiful Fairey boats way back when. It was originally intended for a fibreglass offshore patrol boat called the Fairey Dagger and was based on a modified version of the original Fairey Swordsman hull.

Wide sides make for a rather slender but well protected cockpit and helm

Interior

Like many of those original Fairey Swordsman boats, this is an aft cabin layout. Accessed at the aft end of the cockpit, it’s a completely private space cut off from the rest of the accommodation and sports a transverse double bed and an ensuite. If you head forward from the cockpit and drop to the lower deck you’ll find the galley and dinette plus another heads and a forward cabin with vee berths. Lots of teak cements that classic vibe.

Exterior

From the flared bow to the Flag Blue topsides and the ring of wide teak decks fitted with a varnished teak capping rail, this has the look and feel of a bona fide classic. Squeezed a little by those wide decks and cabins, the cockpit features twin helm seats forward and a small pair of L-shaped settees at the aft end.

Performance

Rolls-Royce KaMeWa waterjets keep the draft low and the manoeuvrability high. They’re linked to a pair of Cummins 480hp diesel engines beneath the cockpit floor and controlled by four lever race-style Morse engine controls. Top speed is a thoroughly modern 40 knots!

Cosy aft cabin is awash with handcrafted teak for that authentic classic vibe

Seakeeping

That Fairey Dagger hull designed by Alan Burnard tells you all that you need to know, you’re unlikely to find better seakeeping from a 40ft sportscruiser. Interestingly, water jets have no forward and reverse gears, reverse thrust is created by dropping ‘buckets’ that redirect thrust forward, giving the unusual and spectacular ability to go from full ahead to full astern without throttling down.

Swordsman 40 specifications

Length: 40ft 0in (12.2m)
Beam: 11ft 5in (3.5m)
Draft: 2ft 4in (0.7m)
Displacement: 9 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,136 litres
Engines: Twin Cummins 480hp diesel engines
For Sale: Berthon

Yarrow & Co

Built: 1935/2024
Price: €3,950,000

If you want history, Lady Hertha has it in spades. Originally called Destiny she was built in 1935 by Yarrow & Co on the Clyde River in Scotland for Lt Eric Gordon, a veteran of World War One.

Gordon enlisted with the 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry but was so seriously wounded that he was officially declared “not fit for anything but general service at home.” He begged to differ, joined the Royal Flying Corps (the only service not requiring a medical) and was flying a Sopwith Camel six weeks later! And the military history doesn’t end there because in 1943 Destiny was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and wound up in Bootle Docks as a fire boat, complete with four 700gpm pumps and eight deliveries. She re-entered private ownership in 1955.

Tastefully remodelled interior looks beautiful but is far better suited to modern life

Interior

Now named Lady Hertha, the joy of this boat is that, despite the absolutely classic look and feel, she has undergone extensive refits in the hands firstly of Amico & Co in Genoa and within the careful stewardship of her current owner, who bought her 13 years ago as his first boat!

The layout has altered, with the three cabins aft now converted into one guest cabin and one owner’s cabin far larger than the original. The formal dining room on the lower deck forward is now a third cabin, inside dining having moved to the front section of the saloon. Beyond that, everything from air conditioning and wiring to modern push-button plumbing has been incorporated, all of it carefully concealed to retain the classic feel.

Exterior

It’s a similar story on the outside, with subtle and light touch modifications in no way impinging on the fabulously original styling. The bridge, for example, is a feast of period-perfect details like the huge wheel and massive brass compass, but sympathetically integrated are Raymarine electronics and a modern autopilot system.

Performance

Re-engined in 1955, the original motors made way for a pair of Gardiner 150hp eight-cylinder diesels offering a stately 9-knot cruise at just 750rpm.

The spacious master cabin is a luxurious haven for any potential new owner

Seakeeping

Designed by G L Watson, she’s 86ft of steel hull, solid teak decking and teak superstructure. Seakeeping, therefore, is as stately as everything else about her.

Yarrow & Co specifications

Length: 86ft 7in (26.4m)
Beam: 17ft 5in (5.3m)
Draft: 9ft 10in (3.0m)
Displacement: 60 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 10,000 litres
Engines: Gardiner 150hp diesel engines
For Sale: Fraser Yachts; www.fraseryachts.com

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.

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When Princess began building boats 60 years ago, the firm was known as Marine Projects (Plymouth) Limited. Its first boat, the Project 31 was a handsome 31ft cabin cruiser launched in 1965 but it wasn’t until 1969 that the Princess name first appeared on a new 32ft design. The first flybridge model, the John Bennett-designed Princess 37 followed for years later at the 1973 London Boat Show.

The Princess 58 featured here is a direct descendant of that 37 and was built from 2006 to 2010. It was replaced the following year by the Princess 60.

At the time of its launch it was considered the pinnacle of modernity with a lavish full beam owner’s cabin featuring triple vertical hull windows, two further guest cabins and a large saloon divided into an informal lounge area aft and a more formal dining area forward.

It still looks good today, especially that elegant exterior design with its flowing lines, relatively low slung flybridge and distinctive two tier saloon windows. The only thing that gives its age away is the location of the galley on the lower deck. These days cooking is seen as a social activity so the galley tends to be located on the main deck, often at the aft end so it ties in with the cockpit.

Extensive array of flybridge seating is perfect for big groups of day guests

From the outset quality has been a hallmark of the Princess brand and today there can be no doubt that the company continues to make some fabulous boats. For many though, the late noughties represents the halcyon days when sumptuous furnishings, curvaceous mouldings, real wood cabinetry and deep gloss finishes ruled the roost. And that is good news for discerning boaters with half a million pounds to spare.

This 2009 model 58 is on sale with Swanwick-based Solent Motor Yachts for £549,950 including VAT.

The saloon is divided into a lounging area aft and a dining and helm area forward

The owner’s opinion

The current owner of our review boat, Derek Vaughan-Smith, is also the broker selling it.

In fact, this is the second time Derek has owned this particular vessel which, as he explains, matches the needs of his family to a tee: “The Princess 58 is a boat we’ve owned previously and we find that the balance between its length and cabin layout represents the best of all things as far as we are concerned.

Article continues below…

Elan Power 30 used boat review: This sportscruiser deserved more attention

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“We’ve also had a Princess 50 Mk III, which is the mid-cabin version, but that gives you a much smaller bunk cabin as your third cabin. This one trumps that by giving you two double cabins and a proper twin, which is great for us as family boaters, because it means our two daughters, aged four and eleven, can each have their own room. The 58 also has a much larger galley and the dinette and the huge saloon just gives you so much more space, even though it hasn’t gone up massively in length. So these are the biggest plus points for us.”

The MFD screen is a little small by today’s standards but the ergonomics are spot on

Saloon and galley

Step inside the wheelhouse and you see exactly what Derek means. The saloon is mightily expansive. Its rear section is occupied by two large leather settees – L-shaped to port and horseshoe to starboard. Nestling into the U of the horseshoe unit is a freestanding coffee table that’s heavy enough to stay put in all but the roughest seas.

Wade forward through the luxurious deep-pile carpet, up two steps, and a second entertaining area awaits. Here a dinette to port is faced on the starboard side by a sleek drinks cabinet. Ahead of this is the helm with its two deep-cushioned, fully adjustable leather seats. With its clean lines, multi-function display, ergonomic control layout and good all-round visibility, the wheelhouse helm provides an excellent alternative to the fly should conditions force you to take shelter.

The lower deck galley is well equipped but can feel a bit cut off from the rest of the party

From here, five steps lead you down to the galley. While you could argue it feels a tad detached from the saloon and aft cockpit, what it lacks in proximity it certainly makes up for in space. It comes fully equipped with a combo microwave oven, a four-hotplate hob, a fridge-freezer, a large sink and bags of workspace. So although you might grumble a little at having to clamber up and down stairs to serve your guests, it’s ideal for a keen chef and if you’re intending to enjoy extended stays on board.

Sleeping for six

Tucked away under the companionway stairs is a washing machine – again handy for longer stays on board. You pass that en route to the full-beam aft master cabin and once again, Princess’s eye for quality really shines through.

Full beam master cabin is a real treat despite a few dips in the floor and ceiling height

The double bed is flanked by gorgeous deep gloss cherry wood cabinetry, including twin dressing tables and a full-size wardrobe. A wide-screen TV is integrated into the bulkhead at the foot of the bed and the ensuite bathroom features a fully enclosed shower stall to keep the rest of the space dry.

Up in the forepeak, the 58’s VIP cabin is what a lot of owners of sub-50ft boats might easily mistake for a master cabin. It features a large centre-mounted double bed with plenty of room to move around, plus a full-height wardrobe and bags of storage on either side of the bed.

High gloss cabinetry in the forward VIP still looks in great condition

Needless to say, there’s stacks of that beautiful cherry wood in here too. And the VIP’s ensuite (another fully equipped and spacious heads with a separate shower stall) has Jack and Jill doors, enabling it to be used by the occupants of the third cabin and as a day heads if required.

As for cabin three itself, it’s a twin room with ample space to move between the beds, as well as a generous wardrobe, plenty of storage space and, in common with the other two cabins, excellent headroom.

Above decks, the Princess 58 makes best use of every square inch. There’s a good sized fixed bathing platform at the stern, large enough to accommodate a tender or personal watercraft. Ahead of that, the cockpit has a five/six seater bench along its aft edge and plenty of room for a freestanding table and chairs. There’s also a large lazarette, plus secondary access to the engine room via a hatch in the deck.

Wide opening glass doors provide a good connection with the aft cockpit

The entrance to the crew cabin is tucked away beneath the bench seat. Some owners use this as additional storage space or even an overspill guest cabin as it’s got everything you need, including twin beds, neatly staggered at right angles, plus locker space and a very decent heads compartment.

There are steps on either side of the cockpit, leading to the teak-clad side decks, which are safely guarded and run flat all the way to the foredeck, where you’ll find a reasonably large sun pad. But for serious outdoor entertainment, the flybridge is the place to be.

Plenty of seating space but it’s not the most sociable layout and there’s no fixed table

Our 2009 review boat doesn’t feature the internal saloon-to-fly staircase of previous models but the seven-step stairwell on the port side of the cockpit is perfectly practical. And once you’re up top, everything is pretty much as you would wish. You get a central helm with twin seats and a lounger/settee on either side, plus a wet bar and a separate chiller unit. There’s also a massive seating area with dining table aft of the central wet bar and behind that, another pair of sunpads.

On the water

Derek seems fond of the way the Princess handles herself in a seastate. “It’s a heavy boat on shafts and with the SeaKeeper 9 stabiliser that’s fitted to this particular example, it’s like driving a tank,” says Derek. “It’s incredibly solid on the water.

Third cabin has proper twin beds instead of bunks

We do most of our boating in and around the Solent and it’s just so comfortable, which is exactly how my family likes it.” That’s a sentiment you tend to see repeated among owners of Princess 58s and with good reason. Because this is a vessel that’s not only capable and family-friendly but opens up a world of exciting adventures without any uncalled for drama.

Princess 58 specifications

HULL TYPE: Variable V planing
LOA: 58ft 0in (17.68m)
BEAM: 15ft 8in (4.82m)
DRAFT: 4ft 2in (1.27m)
DISPLACEMENT: 26,000kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 2,827L
WATER CAPACITY: 791L
TOP SPEED: 33 knots
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 8L/nm @ 20 knots
RANGE: 283nm at 20 knots with 20% reserve

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.

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This article Princess 58 used boat review: Cherished flybridge yacht from a "halcyon" era appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Sometimes, things just don’t seem to add up in the boating world. Take for example the Elan Power 30 – a sweet little sportscruiser if ever there was one.

When we first tested it back in 2015, we described it as a vessel with a sleek modern form that was brilliantly engaging to drive. We also pointed out that it was extremely competitively priced compared to its nearest rivals of the day, the Jeanneau Leader 9 and the Grandezza 330OC.

In fact, there was very little not to like about it. Surprising then that the Elan Power 30, a smaller sibling to the 35, 42 and 48, never really caught on and very few were sold on these shores.

Today, Slovenia-based Elan, which began in 1949 producing skis (and still does), has completely given up with motor boats (which it used to build in Croatia) and now focuses on its sailing yacht portfolio instead. And that’s a shame, because in its Power 30 sportscruiser, Elan managed to conjure up a super little boat that was actually far more than just fit for purpose.

In addition to its reliable performance and seakeeping, which for us included riding out a particularly nasty chop off Poole with commendable refinement, our 2015 reviewer enthused about “the illusion of space down below”.

But in retrospect, , it’s unfair to imply that the sense of space here is illusory because, in spite of the fact that this is a compact and good looking 30ft sportsboat, Elan packed in a pair of double cabins, a decent saloon-cum-galley and a heads compartment large enough to swing a cat.

Such is the style and condition of the fit-out that you wouldn’t know it’s a ten-year-old boat

Lower deck layout

Key to the boat’s downstairs layout success is its unusual split galley arrangement. This features a short-angled corner unit, housing a double induction hob, a fridge and a pair of drawers to starboard. The sink, meanwhile, is mounted in a separate unit amidships, next to the companionway steps and backing onto the bulkhead of the aft cabin.

This cunning configuration utilises every inch of space without compromising the square footage devoted to either the heads or the aft cabin. And returning to that starboard unit for a moment, we also love the angled front face of the top drawer and the fact that there are two lockers above the worktop, one of which houses the boat’s microwave.

Article continues below…

Between the two galley units is the entrance door to the midships guest cabin. Open it up and another surprise awaits, because Elan has succeeded not only in jamming a full-size transverse double bed into the space, but also two storage units and a wardrobe.

The one aspect of this cabin we do find a touch confusing is that the head-end of the bed has reading lights but no bedhead to prop yourself up against. That makes sitting up in bed quite difficult and, while you could turn and rest your back against the side walls, that didn’t strike us as an especially comfortable solution for a lazy pre-sleep reading session.

Passing back through the lower saloon brings us to the portside dinette, which has a four-seat sofa, fronted by an attractive wooden topped table opposite the starboard heads. Once again, the size allocated to both these areas is impressive.

The central helm improves the view while creating a handy starboard space for chartwork

The décor in the saloon, a milk-and-honey combination of light wood, beige fabric panels (including on the doors) and grey settee cushions, does a great job of creating a sense of brightness and space. But in sheer physical terms, the heads compartment is actually more generous than some we’ve seen on much larger boats than this. It houses an electric loo, a shower tray and a basin with a pull-out shower tap. There’s some worktop in here too, with storage both above and below. But best of all, the heads has Jack and Jill doors, turning it into a day heads and an owner’s ensuite all in one.

As for the owner’s cabin itself, it features a centrally-mounted double bed, plus a wardrobe to port, a small cabinet to starboard and overhead lockers all around. To make all this fit, Elan has tapered the end of the bed on both sides, but there’s still plenty of room for two adults to stretch out in here. So you have to say, for a 30-footer, the amount of below-decks accommodation is truly outstanding.

The four-man dinette can also be made up as an occasional extra berth under the covers

Main deck

Clamber up the three steps from the lower saloon to the main deck and there’s loads more space on offer. For starters, there’s another settee to starboard that’s easily big enough for four. In front of this is a table, which can be folded in two to make passing through the boat easier. It can also be dropped down to form an occasional extra berth or stored in a bracket under the engine hatch when not in use.

On the other side, there’s a two-seat settee with storage beneath it and a wet bar with grill, sink, countertop and a second fridge. There are a couple of thinnish cupboards here too but their plastic doors let the side down a touch in a boat that is otherwise very nicely trimmed.

Ahead of the main socialising area is an unusual centre-mounted single-seat helm. Being in the middle of the boat gives a great view all round and it also frees up a nice big area for charts on the starboard side. And while the cockpit can be completely enclosed with the aid of rear camper covers, you can also fold these away and slide back the large fabric sunroof, letting in almost as much light and air as a fully open boat.

The dinette faces across to a slim wet bar and settee on the port side

To make matters even better, our review boat, which is on sale with Network Yacht Brokers in Chichester for £125,000, has been upgraded with artificial teak decking to its bathing platform, side decks and foredeck surrounds. The side decks can be accessed from either side of the bathing platform and, while the walkways are admittedly a bit tight and the guardrails a bit low, the superstructure is equipped with a reassuring grab rail that runs the entire length of its roofline. And when you get to the bow, the Elan keeps on giving, with bags of room for a double sunpad and a lovely feeling of quality from the optional trim.

Owner testimony

The artificial teak upgrade was carried out to the order of the boat’s current owner, Graham Grimwood, who explains why he’s looking to move the Elan on: “I started off with RIBs and then a sailing boat – a 34-foot Hanse; but crewing turned out to be a bit of a problem and my wife Deborah wasn’t keen on the rocking movement” explains Graham. “Also, we had a growing family, so we decided to buy a motorboat instead. We found the Elan in Brighton, but just after I bought it, Covid kicked in and I couldn’t move it for six months!

The split galley opens up a walkway to the double guest cabin amidships

“When we eventually got it back to Chichester, we would go out with the children and grandchildren, sometimes going as far as Lymington but we mostly stayed in and around the harbour. Usually we’d go somewhere like East Head off West Wittering for a swim and some lunch and that was great. But now the kids have grown up, they don’t come down so much. My wife is not fussed either, so I’m looking to go back to sail – probably just something I can potter around in, single-handed in the harbour.”

The generous owner’s bed is tapered at the foot to make space for extra storage units

Locked and loaded

So what would Graham say to any potential future owner of his Elan? “Well, it’s going to make a great boat for somebody. It’s very comfortable to live aboard, there’s options for cooking and for a boat of this size, it’s fully loaded. When it comes to driving, visibility from the central helm is excellent. The only tricky thing I can envisage would perhaps be going through a lock if you were on your own, as there’s no side door by the helm. Apart from that, I can’t really see any problems.

The guest double is bigger than you expect but it’s not a place to linger when you wake

“For me, the boat has been good and reliable and I’ve kept on top of the maintenance. We fitted new batteries three years ago and the only major item I’ve had to invest in is a new prop. We had to fit that because the old one had gone brittle due to the coral worm we get in this particular part of Chichester Harbour, so that’s not exactly an everyday problem. All in all, the Elan’s a great boat and I’m sure it’s going to make someone very happy.”

We’re inclined to agree with Graham’s assessment. Though you don’t see many of them in UK waters, the Elan Power 30 is a really attractive family sportscruiser. It’s good to look at, it’s reliable at sea and, in spite of its modest size and price, its combination of day boating space and four-berth accommodation is much more user-friendly than you expect.

The artificial teak upgrade extends all the way to the foredeck

Elan Power 30 specifications

MODEL: Elan 30 Power
DESIGNER: Tony Castro
HULL TYPE: Deep Vee
RCD: C
LOA: 32ft 9in (9.42m)
BEAM: 11ft 5in (3.5m)
DRAFT: 2ft 10in (0.86m)
DISPLACEMENT: 4,500kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 500L
WATER CAPACITY: 200L
TOP SPEED: 33.5 knots
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 1.8L/Nm @ 22 knots
RANGE: 220nm at 22 knots with 20% reserve

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 Elan Power 30 used boat review: This sportscruiser deserved more attention appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The Coronet brand may have long since fallen by the wayside but back in 1970, when this particular Coronet 21 was imported into the UK from Botved Boats in Sweden, its deep-vee fibreglass hull and top quality production process was still a novelty in a world of handbuilt wooden craft.

In the 45 years since then it has only ever had two owners prior to me. It was originally purchased by a Mr Millington from his local boat dealer – a little known outfit called Poole Powerboats that later morphed into the rather better known boat-builder Sunseeker!

Mr Millington was an active member of the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Sandbanks. During the summer months it was mainly used for a 2nm dash out of Poole Harbour to the popular anchorage of Studland Bay, and every winter it was tucked up snugly in the RMYC shed. In 1979 it was purchased by its second owner, Russell Culpan, for the princely sum of £2,850. This included a pair of racy maroon swimming trunks left behind by its parting vendor!

Russell is a good friend of mine and like me lives and breathes boats. He was and still is the exclusive UK importer for Boston Whaler; I do the same for Targa and Marex. In his hands Pachazo became one of the busiest boats in Poole. Most summer mornings a ski rope would get flung over the side and we’d all be cutting the wash on our slalom skis.

The original twin Volvo Penta sterndrives had been removed for refurbishment in the 1970s

Glory Days

In those days, powerboat racing was still a big attraction in the UK and the annual Cowes-Torquay race became a pilgrimage for Russell and Pachazo, putting its overnighting potential to full use. It was also a chance for Pachazo to meet its makers, the designers Jim Wynne and Walt Walters, who used to come over to Europe to participate in the racing season. One of their factory-supported Coronets won the production cruiser award in 1967 and again in ’69 and ’70.

Pachazo never competed as a race boat but was still impressively rapid in its day, topping out at around 36 knots. It was powered by twin Volvo 130hp petrol engines on outdrives. These were simply marinised versions of a Volvo Amazon car engine.

Article continues below…

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By today’s standards they were pretty gutless but back in the day it was a luxury to have a twin-engined boat of only 21ft. Nor were they the easiest engines to maintain, with infamously temperamental carburettors and rust-prone exhaust manifolds, which rotted as quickly as you could re-weld and repair them!

After many years of faithful service Pachazo was starting to look and feel a little tired so Russell had it lifted out of the water for what was intended to be a winter refurb. The engines were lifted out and the drives and transom shields removed for rebuild.

However, pressure of work meant the Coronet’s much-needed refurbishment got shelved for that winter… and many more winters to come. When it was moved to a field for long-term storage, its future looked bleak but at some point Pachazo was recovered back to Russell’s boatyard for another long slumber behind their shed.

As much as possible of the original woodwork was sanded back and restored

When I plucked up the courage to ask what his plans were for it back in 2018, Russell said I could have it on the condition I saved it from further deterioration. I didn’t need a second invitation and with the help of my shipwright colleague Paul, we hurried over for a closer look.

The ravages of lying uncovered outside were plain to see. The engine box was rotten and there was a whole heap of broken bits. But the famous three-spoke wheel was still there, albeit in a
jigsaw puzzle of shattered pieces. And all its badges were still intact.

For a classic boat fanatic like myself, finding the original components allowed me to maintain some enthusiasm throughout the long and painful restoration process. Russell even found the original ignition keys. But they would not be turning again for a long time yet.

All the bilges were cleaned and repainted prior to the interior being refitted

Engine Woes

Remarkably, the engines and drives had been partially stripped down and sheeted over in the corner of the boatyard shed. This sounded like a blessing until we uncovered them. A hole in the roof had been letting water in for years and it was clear the AQ130s were beyond repair. This was a big problem. We had hoped to restore everything back to its original condition but with Plan A now out of the window, Plan B swung into action.

These old Volvo 130s were once so popular in Scandinavia that it didn’t take long to find some secondhand ones for sale online. We purchased four of them blind and shipped them over to Poole in the hopes we could make two good ones out of the six knackered ones we now had.

The Coronet 21 was one of the first boats built using a GRP hull and a factory production line

By this point we had spent €1,500 on some vaguely red machinery shipped to us on pallets from Denmark and Sweden, including engines, transom shields and outdrives. Our mechanic mate, Dave, took on the unenviable task of turning this heap of bits into two working engines.

First, he stripped the best two blocks and soaked them in a vat of vinegar. After a few days we could see the basis of two serviceable blocks – although seeing how caustic vinegar can be has put me off fish and chips for life!

After more searching for pistons, rings, big end bearings and the like, he finally had two B20 Volvos turning on the workbench with strong compression. But we were still missing the crucial manifolds. We were convinced we’d be able to locate two serviceable ones somewhere.

Sadly, it proved impossible. After 20 months of fruitless searching, we had to concede defeat. As one of the few parts that it didn’t share with the car engine, none had survived the ravages of time.

Multiple layers of varnish helped revive the old woodwork

We had to get over the disappointment so Plan C was devised. We’d fit a single brand new Volvo D3 220hp diesel instead – a pragmatic, if expensive, solution. Thankfully our local Volvo dealer colleagues at Golden Arrow sold us a new D3 at trade price, meaning we had everything needed to press ahead with the restoration.

The work started in earnest in October 2016. The boat was pressure-cleaned from stem to stern, removing years of green growth to reveal a battered and bruised but very original Coronet 21. For the first time in many years it had the chance of a future again.

We couldn’t wait to see if that famously glossy gelcoat would come alive again so before wheeling it into the shed we set to work on a small area of it with wet ’n’ dry paper plus cutting compound. It came up a treat so in the shed it went. We stripped the interior and emptied the fuel tank for safety. The petrol extracted was the consistency of jam and as brown as the waste from a sea toilet!

Over the following winter we stripped every single component off the boat with surgical precision, cataloguing and photographing everything so we’d know how to put it all back together again when the time came. We were aiming for a Concours standard restoration.

Old wiring

We already knew Coronets were the best- built production craft of their era but now we started to discover the vagaries of their volume build processes. The quality of marine ply and mahogany they had used was exceptional – far better than we could hope to find today – but we also found evidence of several short-cuts that had taken place, such as poor GRP lay-up in hidden corners and a forward bulkhead in the cabin that looked like an afterthought.

Butterfly Moment

We took the decision to replicate every detail as faithfully as we could and only improve elements that would affect the durability and use of the boat for the future. We firmly believed that with all our expertise we could restore the gelcoat to its original glory.

Sometime in the ’70s or ’80s the hull had undergone a ‘protective’ sealing treatment that now proved almost impossible to remove. After trying every conceivable method, we eventually concluded that re-painting it with modern two-part epoxy paint was the only viable solution.

Spotless new battery box and wiring

Our shed was good but not good enough for a perfect finish so we consulted a mate in the trade, Martyn Brake. This proved to be a very lucky break! He had space in his workshop and some spare time so off the boat went for some much deserved spa treatment!

Martyn treated it as a hospital job and the end result was every bit as miraculous as the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. We had specified the exact Pantone colour match of both the off-white hull and light green deck gelcoat plus the seemingly impossible target of retaining the non-slip pattern throughout the deck areas where the paint could easily settle.

Full of trepidation we drove over to see the finished result. Not only was the colour match perfect but the non-slip areas also looked as good as new. Pachazo appeared 50 years younger!

Martyn had done such a good job that we asked if he could also install the engine and rebuild the transom from its original twin outdrive layout to its new single one. Again, he hit the spot perfectly, including a new enlarged engine box modelled on the original, but a fraction bigger to fit the larger D3 motor.

The finishing line is finally in sight after years of neglect, delays and very hard work

He’d even managed to source the most superb matching mahogany with the classic Coronet deep-red look and natural wood grain. We also gave him the almost impossible task of refurbishing and straightening the windscreen. How he got it so perfect without breaking the glass we’ll never know.

By summer 2019, a much healthier looking Pachazo was back in our shed. Paul and I were so excited by the result of its vacation, our enthusiasm for finishing the job was sky high. Unfortunately, (or fortunately from a business perspective) we were too busy at work to give it our full attention. But little by little our efforts were showing results.

The Devil is in the Detail

The target was to use as much of the original woodwork as possible, including bulkheads, berth bases and surrounding areas. God knows how much elbow grease and how many sheets of sandpaper Paul exhausted bringing them back to life but the results were worth it.

The original dash still looks the part

The forward bulkhead needed replacing as the original one had suffered long term water damage so Paul made an exact copy from a sheet of the best marine ply. He also made perfect replicas of the original upper cabin trim panels, right down to the inspection covers for the navigation lights.

While stripping the cabin we saved a section of the original vinyl lining and managed to find a very close match for it with the help of our local upholsterer, Steve. And, to our astonishment, we removed and stripped the sea toilet down and managed to get it working again.

The transom also had to be modified to take a single DPS drive

Paul also started restoring all nine of the original cockpit deck panels, returning them to the condition they were in the day they were first dropped into the boat at the Coronet factory.

By winter 2019/20 the finish line was finally in sight but we still needed binoculars to see it! Delayed by the small matter of a pandemic, Paul and I finally got into gear again in 2022, when our workload permitted.

The cockpit is a masterpiece of simple but very elegant Scandinavian design

Stealth displays

Excited as we were by the D3’s performance potential, we didn’t want to spoil the classic look of the helm by adding modern engine readouts so we devised a hidden panel below the main console where we could fit the D3’s data displays.

Once they were fitted, our local Volvo guys at Golden Arrow came over to commission the new engine. We expected one or two teething problems on the day of our first sea trial and sure enough a fuel supply problem called an early halt to proceedings. That was soon sorted and after a very professional re-wire by Seacraft, Pachazo was running like a dream.

Back in the day, Pachazo’s twin 130hp petrols gave it a top speed of about 36 knots but it soon became clear that the single 220hp D3 diesel and its efficient Duoprop drive were more than a match for two old petrol engines.

New owner David Adams from Targa dealer Wessex Marine revels in the Coronet’s legendary handling

On flat water, Pachazo was pushing past the magic 40-knot barrier and that wonderful deep-vee hull was every bit as special as I remembered it, flying over wakes like the thoroughbred racer it was.

One of the first people out on it was its former owner, Russell Culpan, who like me was delighted to see the boat back to its former glory.

So what does the future hold now? Provided the current good weather holds and I’m not too busy selling Targas and Marexes, I’m hoping to embark on a trip to the Solent to resurrect old adventures. It’s taken a long while to get there and perhaps inevitably has cost more than originally intended but I like to think Ole Botved and Jim Wynne would be proud of what we’ve achieved…we certainly are!

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 How I restored this abandoned classic Coronet motor yacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

There’s plenty of joy to be had blasting up and down the coast on a rapid sportsboat or flybridge cruiser. But when the weather’s good, there’s something equally appealing about the slow, simple pleasures of river life.

The placid waters, the shade of the willow trees, the lure of the waterside pub, the gentle shouts of bonhomie and encouragement from other motorboat skippers. The variety of traffic, featuring everything from tiny tenders and rowing skiffs to converted liveaboards, pretty steel narrowboats and traditional Dutch barges, is also good fun.

And that’s to say nothing of the entertainment laid on by the locks and the seasonal hire boats. In short, life can be very good inland, but to enjoy it at its best, you need a boat that’s tailor-made for the job – something perhaps like one of these…

Sheerline 950

Built: 2002
Price: £81,500

Built in Wroxham, with the Norfolk Broads on the doorstep and other inland areas very much in mind, the 950 was one of Sheerline’s most successful models. In fact, it’s still in production today in the mildly updated form of the Sheerline 955. This features lots of useful detail differences and upgrades but it’s pretty much the same shape and layout as this original.

The aft-cockpit arrangement is supplemented with a very decent lower deck lounge

Interior

Although it would make a great day boat, Sheerline clearly specced this boat with longer periods on board in mind. The most obvious example of that is the full-sized domestic oven, grill and four-burner hob. The fridge isn’t massive but there’s a second one in the cockpit and there’s plenty of storage and counter top to play with too. There’s a dinette opposite that with the heads just ahead of it. The forward cabin closes off for privacy (not always the case at this size point), and comes with an offset double berth. There’s another small cabin aft with a single bed running lengthways and the high spec of this boat includes a generator, plus some very welcome diesel heating.

Exterior

Those Norfolk Broads roots shine through in the aft-cockpit layout, which features a sociable U-shaped hoop of seating around a folding table at the back end. And it also shines through in the air draft. Sheerline designed the arch to fold flat, but you can go further and fold the windscreen too. That means the top of the helm console is the tallest part of the boat, which is very helpful for limboing beneath low bridges.

Performance

The single Nanni shaftdrive diesel engine produces 64hp. When we tested a similarly equipped boat, we saw an entirely sufficient 6.7 knots with 5 knots at 1,500rpm producing extremely low fuel burn figures.

The 64hp Nanni diesel will deliver an extremely frugal 5-knot cruise

Seakeeping

The long keel of its displacement hull protects the propeller and rudder but also means that the boat tracks faithfully at low speed. When it’s time to dock, the bow and stern thruster fitted to this particular boat are likely to prove hugely beneficial.

Sheerline 950 specifications

Length: 31ft 2in (9.5m)
Beam: 10ft 7in (3.2m)
Draft: 2ft 6in (0.8m)
Displacement: 5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 170 litres
Engine: Nanni 5.28OHE 64hp diesel engine
For sale: Val Wyatt Marine

Trusty T28

Built: 2013
Price: £120,000

As the flagship of Midlands-based Trusty Motor Boats, the T28 was the biggest boat the brand ever built. In addition to feeling rock solid, it has a tough motorboat aesthetic, thanks to its compact portholes, upright wheelhouse and businesslike navy blue hull.

The T28 delivers a really impressive owner’s cabin for a boat of its modest length

Interior

Given that this is a sub-30ft boat, perhaps the biggest news is that the owner’s cabin features a central island bed, rather than the usual vee berth or offset double. It also avoids the open plan living space you’d usually expect to find in the bow.

There’s a compact mid cabin on the lower deck too, with rather less headroom over the bed as it squeezes beneath the cockpit sole. The heads compartment is also down here, but everything else is on the main deck, including a compact galley that can be extended by folding the double helm seat. There’s also a dinette that will convert into another occasional double berth.

Exterior

Although this is very much a deck saloon layout, you can really open up the internal spaces to the elements via double folding aft doors. You also get sliding side windows and a large sliding glass panel in the roof. The external aft cockpit is usefully deep and that feeling of security is further augmented by the raised rails that wrap around it, and by the broad side decks that orbit the superstructure.

Performance

We tested the very first Trusty T28 – a boat that came equipped with the largest engine ever fitted. The 260hp Yanmar pushed the John Moxham semi-displacement hull up to 18 knots, which was arguably a bit faster than this boat really wanted to go, so Trusty decided to limit power to 220hp after that. But there were also river-friendly options available at 75hp and 110hp, the latter being the engine fitted to this boat. It offers good low-speed inland cruising but it still has enough shove for a bit of coastal work if required.

Integration between the deepset aft cockpit and the internal saloon is remarkably good

Seakeeping

The Trusty T28 was fitted with an unusual twin rudder installation, which translates helm inputs into decisive action, helped at low speed by the bow thruster.

Trusty T28 specifications

Length: 29ft 9in (9.1m)
Beam: 10ft 10in (3.3m)
Draft: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 335 litres
Engine: Yanmar 4JH4 HTE 110hp diesel
For sale: Ancasta

Shadow 26

Built: 1999
Price: £44,950

The original Shadow 26 was launched in 1988. Designed by award-winning designer, Bill Dixon, it was a wheelhouse cruiser that was offered with two hull options: a vee hull with outdrives for coastal use; or a displacement hull with a keel that ran with a single diesel.

Built by Victoria Marine, Motor Boats Monthly bought one to offer as a competition prize! How times have changed. When Victoria Marine merged with Westerly, the 26 was dropped but almost a decade later, the Shadow 26 was back. Norfolk- based Swancraft Cruisers had bought the moulds and offered the wheelhouse version plus the versatile Cabriolet model you see here.

In the absence of the optional forward bulkhead, this boat is attractively open-plan

Interior

With an open-plan layout, buyers were able to pick either twin berths forward or the very appealing extra seating that this boat has. That comes with an infill section, enabling it to turn into a double berth. Interestingly, another option was a bulkhead to create a separate forward cabin but this particular model has privacy curtains instead. Further aft, an L–shaped dinette (which can also convert into a bed) sits opposite the galley. Light wood brightens this area and the headroom is particularly good.

Exterior

Being based on the Norfolk Broads, this boat really benefits from the optional folding windscreen and the lowering arch, which reduce the air draft to 7ft, allowing it to pass beneath most Broads bridges. The cockpit is very simple – just helm and navigator seats forward and a bench aft with a removable table. The small bathing platform probably won’t see much use on inland waters but the stepped access to the side decks certainly will.

Performance

While a 35hp Beta engine was standard, this boat comes with the 43hp BV1903. We tested it with the smaller engine. The top speed was 7 knots but it’s unlikely that this boat’s upgraded engine will be significantly faster.

Even with the uprated 43hp engine, this is a relaxed 7-knot cruiser

Seakeeping

Handling was a delight’, we said. ‘The boat easily turns in its own length without recourse to gear changes and, despite the wind, it answers to the helm more often than not, even when going astern’.

Shadow 26 specifications

Length: 26ft 4in (8m)
Beam: 9ft 8in (2.9m)
Draft: 2ft 2in (0.7m)
Displacement: 2.4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 227 litres
Engine: Beta 43hp diesel engine
For sale: Norfolk Yacht Agency

Haines 32

Built: 2016
Price: £149,950

Launched at the Southampton Boat Show in 2014, Haines tapped into its existing customer base to come up with suggestions on how to make this the best 30ft river cruiser around. And many of the details, like the illuminated side step integrated into the hull to aid boarding, are based on that client feedback.

The bow cabin is the only dedicated sleeping space onboard this model

Interior

Haines offers two interior layouts for the 32. The most popular is the model you see here, with its large forward owner’s cabin, complete with raised island bed. It also comes with a U-shaped galley opposite the port heads, as well as a main deck saloon with helm to port, a sideboard aft of that and settees to starboard. But there is a second, much rarer, option that moves the galley up behind the helm seat and uses the vacated space on the lower deck for a second twin bunk cabin.

Neat details include saloon doors that slide and then hinge flat against the side of the boat and a reversing backrest on one of the settees, creating aft-facing seating in the cockpit. The oak finish is standard but you can also get an optional cherry or walnut finish at extra cost.

Exterior

Side decks, easily accessed from the cockpit and measuring eight inches wide, are a practical touch for river cruising, as is the deliberate lack of side rails aft of the pulpit, for easy stepping on and off amidships in locks. Flush glazing adds a modern touch and the sliding fabric section in the cockpit overhang enables you to open up the aft seating zone when the weather allows.

Performance

There are three engine options – all Nanni shaftdrive diesels. The 40hp is fine for areas like the Norfolk Broads with its limited tidal movement in the upper reaches, but the N4.65 59hp version fitted to this boat gives a top speed of 8-9 knots.

This particular model adopts the most common layout with galley down and lots of seating

Seakeeping

Designed by Andrew Wolstenholme, the Sedan has a strictly displacement hull, which is ideal for inland cruising. The long keel gives excellent direction stability at low speed, as well as good protection for the propeller and rudder.

Haines 32 specifications

Length: 32ft 0in (9.7m)
Beam: 11ft 6in (3.5m)
Draft: 2ft 8in (0.8m)
Displacement: 6 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 180 litres
Engine: Nanni N4.65 59hp diesel engines
For sale: Boat Showrooms

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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.

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This article 4 of the best 30ft riverboats you can buy right now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Cranchi is not shy when it comes to expressing the romantic side of things. “Builders of Yachts, Creators of Beauty” purrs its website, as if dripping honey. Scroll down a bit further and you’re invited to “Treat Yourself to Endless Emotions”.

Well such may be the way with Italian boat builders but, as any boat owner will testify, boats really are things of beauty – and Cranchi ought to know that better than most, because it’s been building boats for nearly 160 years.

The Cranchi story goes all the way back to 1866, when Giovanni Cranchi began a modest boat-building enterprise on the shores of Lake Como. As later generations of the family moved in, production was ramped up to the point where, in 1932, the mass production of wooden boats began in new premises in the town of Brienno on the southwestern arm of the lake. Today, Cranchi builds its fleet in even larger, albeit less romantic, premises near a busy motorway intersection in nearby Piantedo – and its range of boats really is astonishingly broad.

It offers no fewer than ten model lines, ranging from 26 to 78ft in length. The Cranchi Zaffiro 34 you see here no longer forms a part of that, as production ceased in 2011 after a 14-year run. The nearest modern equivalent is probably the swish and sporty Z35.

But back in the day, the Zaffiro 34 (which translates as Sapphire, by the way) was regarded as equally dynamic. In fact, in our 1998 review of what was then a recently-launched model, we called it “a sporty Italian thoroughbred, offering a good balance between interior and cockpit space.”

So how has it weathered over the years? To find out, we tracked down a Zaffiro 34 of 2002 vintage, on offer for £86,950 with Bray Marine Sales. Aware that, in 2003, Cranchi gave the Zaffiro a facelift, we weren’t expecting to find the most modern of boats. But notwithstanding a few uncommonly large expanses of plastic, the Zaffiro 34 actually has a great deal to offer…

Remarkably, the Cranchi uses a step-through screen, as well as dedicated side decks

Common sense layout

The main deck layout is strikingly similar to that of the Fairline Targa 34. That means there’s a generous bathing platform with a concealed swim ladder and access to the cockpit from the starboard side of the platform’s leading edge. Inside the cockpit, there’s horseshoe-shaped seating around a table to port and a large wet bar unit with fridge to starboard. Hop up the single step to the forward cockpit area and the similarities continue with curved seating to port and a starboard single-seat helm.

The big difference is that the Zaffiro 34 has a step-through windscreen. This had us scurrying back to confirm that there is no access to any side decks at the rear – but oddly enough, there is, complete with grab handles on either side of the radar arch.

Why Cranchi felt the need for a step-through windscreen as well as side decks is a bit of a mystery. After all, it inevitably puts pressure on space, making the cockpit-to-foredeck footway narrow, increasing the chance that you’ll accidentally step on the companionway hatch alongside it.

Maybe that’s why the hatch itself uses such a beefy moulding. It’s certainly not the boat’s finest visual feature and it does, of course, restrict the light entering the lower saloon when shut but, given the deck layout, you would have to say it’s a necessary evil.

The owner’s cabin is not bright by modern standards but the proportions are very good

Two proper cabins

From the companionway, three steps lead down to the saloon, galley, heads and two cabins. These areas are the beneficiaries of the 2003 facelift because, although they’re the same in terms of layout, later boats have wooden facings on their cabinet doors rather than the white plastic of our 2002 boat.

As for the arrangement, there’s a long port settee fronted by a fixed-height table, which means there’s no option of dropping it down to form an occasional third berth. The galley opposite is perfectly adequate and comes with a hob, sink, microwave and fridge, as well as storage units both above and below the counter.

Once you hurdle the carpeted crossbeam, there’s a perfectly decent guest cabin here too

The heads are fully fitted too, with toilet and wash basin plus a tap that doubles as a pull-out shower head. Cabin two has twin beds, which can be joined with an infill to create a double, and the master cabin has a full-size central double berth.

There’s storage space in both cabins, but there’s not massive amounts of room for getting changed and that’s pretty much par for a 34ft boat. But one point we did note was that in the second cabin, there is a structural crossmember just beyond the entrance. Our review model has a dark blue carpet, which makes that beam easy to miss, so you do need to take a bit of care when heading in and out.

Quicker than you think

While later Zaffiro 34s were equipped with twin 260hp Volvo Penta D4s, earlier models featured 220hp KAD 42s or KAD 43s rated at 230hp. The example we tested back in 1998 had the 220hp units and even that achieved a very respectable 35 knots on our sea trial.

For a 34ft cruiser with a lower galley, this is a really good size of wet bar

That backed up the manufacturer’s 36-knot claim, so a little more could certainly be expected from the more powerful units. We also reported that the helm position made for an easy drive and that the boat was generally well mannered at sea.

For owner Eric Cheeseman, though, seakeeping was never an issue, as he purchased his Zaffiro 34 to use on the River Thames: “My wife Lynn and I mostly used the boat for day sailing, often with five or six of us aboard, and it was perfect for that,” says Eric. “We’d typically go up to Windsor, or a bit further to the Staines area. Then sometimes, it would be the other way, past Bray. But to be honest, you can’t get too far in a day at four knots!

“When it comes to manoeuvrability, it’s a six-tonne boat, so it’s quite stable but I did have it moored up at Windsor Racecourse marina for a while and that’s quite open. I remember I did have a bit of an issue with the wind once but for the most part, it really wasn’t too bad.”

While the table is fixed, it wouldn’t be difficult to custom-fit a third berth here if needed

Sports cruiser appeal

So given that a total of 520hp isn’t going to matter to owners like Eric, whose boating ambitions lie solely on the Thames, what led him to choosing an out-and-out sportscruiser? “What attracted me was its appearance,” says Eric.

“I just love the look of it. And compared to all the other boats we saw, it does everything we wanted. In particular, it’s spacious. I’d say it seats up to 12, so if someone wanted the whole family on there, there’d be plenty of room.  I think what we were also looking for was the two separate cabins. A lot of boats we looked at just had a curtain, but Cranchi factored in a set of doors to shut the cabins off and they did a really good job of it.”

The aft saloon positions a big low-level dinette directly opposite the wet bar

As for the potential negatives, Eric is pretty clear on that too. “To anyone looking at buying a Cranchi Zaffiro, I’d say have a good look at the engines. Make sure they’ve got their history, as they can be a bit suspect if you don’t look after them. Apart from that, though, it’s a great boat with plenty of room all-round. Even that nice compact galley feels spacious enough to me.”

Following its launch, the Zaffiro 34 became a best-selling model for Cranchi and that means there’s plenty of choice on the used market. Most of them are based abroad though, so if you’re looking at one of these, especially if it’s been living under sunny Mediterranean skies, pay attention to the condition of the cockpit seats and canvas covers, because boats can suffer from sunburn, just like us!

A zipped door gives access to the aft platform and side decks, even with the canvases up

Cranchi Zaffiro 34 specifications

MODEL: Cranchi Zaffiro 34
DESIGNER: Aldo Cranchi
RCD: C8
LOA: 34ft 0in (10.36m)
BEAM: 11ft 5in (3.50m)
DRAFT: 3ft 3in (1.00m)
AIR DRAFT: 11ft 2in (3.40m)
DISPLACEMENT: 6,250kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 570L
WATER CAPACITY: 190L
TOP SPEED: 36kn (with 220hp KAD42 engines)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 2L/nm @ 25.5 knots (based on MBY original test with KAD42s)
RANGE: 223nm at 25.5 knots with 20% reserve (based on MBY original test with KAD42s)

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.

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This article Cranchi Zaffiro 34 used boat review: A thing of beauty appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The rise in popularity of the hardtop sportscruiser is not difficult to understand. Boats like the latest Princess V40 and the Fairline Targa 40 offer sporty, low-profile style and they put all of the day space on one level, while providing plenty of shelter and a roof that closes at the touch of a button.

But there’s no getting away from the fact that, no matter how big the roof opening, it still feels more like a car with a sunroof than a proper convertible. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that the side windows are always fixed (albeit sometimes with a small opening section). And there’s another problem.

How do you rig a bimini for some shade at the helm? Your only option on a hot day is to slide the roof shut, rather defeating the point. So in spite of all the effort involved in wrestling with the canopy at a sunny anchorage, nothing beats a true open boat. Something, perhaps, like one of these…

Fairline Targa 34

Built: 2002
Price: £117,995

The Fairline Targa 34 falls very firmly into the “why doesn’t anyone build boats like this anymore?” category. High quality with good seakeeping and an excellent layout, there is a very good reason why more than 300 of these were sold between its launch in 1997 and its demise a decade later.

A central lounge, with galley, heads and dinette, helps divide the two cabins

Interior

When Fairline launched the Targa 34, it had vee berths in the forward cabin and a mid cabin aft, with space for two transverse beds beneath the cockpit. Between them was the saloon, with a dinette to port, a galley to starboard and the heads ahead of that.

This proved a sticking point, as customers wanted a proper double bed forward. Two years later, Fairline relented and an offset double berth appeared in the bow. But it wasn’t as easy as simply changing the cabin layout.

The entire forward bulkhead had to be moved aft to accommodate it, resulting in the galley and heads changing places. Unofficially dubbed the Mk2, that’s the boat you see here, and it also has the rarer light wood rather than the darker, more common cherry.

Exterior

Sitting a little lower than more recent, more voluminous offerings, the Targa 34 is a sleek and well proportioned boat. The layout is very much a cockpit-orientated affair with two zones: a lower seating zone aft with a sociable dinette; and a raised driving zone forward with a single helm to starboard and an L-shaped seat alongside that for your crew.

The two-part cockpit provides sociable benches aft and companion seating forwards

Performance

Petrol engines were an option but, like Mercruiser diesels, they are rare. The vast majority got twin KAD 40 series motors. KAD 42/43s went in initially at 230hp, then KAD 44s at 260hp. This boat has the KAD 44 engines which should deliver speeds in the mid 30s.

Seakeeping

Agile yet planted, this is a great hull that punches well above its weight.

Fairline Targa 34 specifications

Length: 34ft 6in (10.5m)
Beam: 11ft 0in (3.4m)
Draft: 3ft 0in (0.9m)
Displacement: 6.4 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 570 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta KAD 44 EDC 260hp diesel engines
For Sale: Parker Adams Boat Sales 

Riva Rivamare

Built: 2018
Price: €575,000

A little like coupé and convertible cars, we accept that open boats are less practical than bigger, bulkier, more sheltered craft but we’ll take that trade-off for the looks and style. And if you want to push that trade to the max then you want this Riva. From the metallic grey finish to the teak-topped foredeck, this is one of the loveliest boats afloat.

You’re never likely to sleep in it but the quality is such that you might just be tempted

Interior

Inside is where you pay the price for those looks Despite its 39ft length, you can only sleep two by converting the vee-shaped dinette using a sliding infill. But frankly, who cares.

There’s a neat little galley with a heads opposite, and more than 6ft of headroom at the aft end of the cabin. And given that this Italian thoroughbred is designed as a dayboat, this beautifully finished cabin is more than acceptable for the odd weekend away.

Exterior

Outside is where this boat really excels. There’s not so much as a radar arch to spoil your tan and the style is preserved by means of lovely details like the gorgeous stainless steel frame around the windscreen.

The cockpit is laid out very simply: a double helm to port flanked by a single seat to starboard and a big U-shaped dinette behind them. A sunpad stretches back to the stern with a removable centre section that grants easy access to the steps built into the transom. And rather cleverly the whole transom panel is able to rotate from the base, creating an extended bathing platform at rest.

The U-shaped dinette backs onto a simple raised sunbed that extends to the transom

Performance

The Rivamare was the first twin-engined Riva without shaftdrives. The Volvo Penta D6 400 engines use sterndrives instead, achieving almost 37 knots during testing on a heavily loaded boat, but the factory felt there was more to come.

Seakeeping

MBY man, Alan Harper, found that it “came through its trials with flying colours. A slight swell overlaid by a lively 2ft chop was despatched with barely a second thought, and the whole experience of driving this craft in these attractive waters was enhanced by its being that rare creature, a true open sportscruiser.”

Riva Rivamare specifications

Length: 38ft 11in (11.9m)
Beam: 11ft 5in (3.5m)
Draft: 3ft 9in (1.2m)
Displacement: 9 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,000 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6 400hp diesel engines
For sale: Ancasta

Agapi 950

Built: 2019
Price: £85,000

In 2005 Pedar Asplund was living in Sweden and working for Ericsson. He had four boats in the family, ranging from a 36ft flybridge to a 9m RIB.

What he noticed was that the family gravitated toward the RIB, as it was the most user-friendly and fun, but they still wanted the protection and features of a larger boat when the weather took a turn for the worse. He couldn’t find what he was looking for so, having sketched a concept onto a napkin, he set about building it.

This is the kind of dinette you would more commonly expect of a sportscruiser’s cockpit

Interior

In 2010, the Agapi 950 was born and it was quite a different boat to the usual RIB of this size, particularly on the inside. There’s almost standing headroom and comfy sleeping for three or even four at a squeeze. A proper separate heads compartment with electric-flush toilet and a holding tank makes the boat far more useable than the more common loo under a seat – especially at night.

Exterior

The high-sided forward sections of the cockpit make this feel like a boat that you sit in, rather than on. In fact, with clear canopy sections linking the high windscreen to the hardtop, you’ve basically got a wheelhouse. The double helm hides a small galley unit beneath it, complete with fridge, sink and stove; and further aft, the U-shaped dinette is far more generous than most RIBs.

With twin 300s on the transom, this is an easy cruiser and an engaging 50-knot plaything

Performance

With the tubes deflated, it’s just about possible to tow this boat behind a substantial 4×4. The first one imported into the UK arrived here from the Polish manufacturing plant, having been towed 1,200 miles behind a Toyota Hilux.

But out on the water is where this boat really shines, especially with the twin 300hp outboards fitted to this model. Thirty knots is a 3,500rpm canter with another 2,000rpm and almost 20 knots still to go.

Seakeeping

Despite all that performance, when we tested an Agapi with these engines, one of the most impressive aspects was its ability to plane at very low speed. Even at 12 knots, it was still on the plane and that gives you a really broad speed range to work with.

Agapi 950 specifications

Length: 32ft 10in (10m)
Beam: 10ft 10in (3.1m)
Draft: 4ft 0in (1.2m)
Displacement: 3 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 480 litres
Engines: Twin Yamaha 300hp outboard engines
For sale: Ancasta

Windy Camira 39

Built: 2014
Price: £275,000

Windy’s Maestro 40, a hard topped family sportscruiser, was already in production when the Camira 39 was conceived and that allowed the designers to focus entirely on creating a proper open-topped sportsboat.

Launched at the Düsseldorf show in 2014, Windy (concept and build), Hans Jorgen Johnson (hull), Dubois Studio (exterior design) and Design Unlimited (interior design) all collaborated to create what has become a near-iconic open boat.

This is a tapered sportsboat with a flat foredeck so the cabins are solely for sleeping

Interior

The clearest indication of that design focus is below the long sleek foredeck, where you won’t find any proper seating at all. However, this is a 40ft boat, so there is still plenty of space for two decent double cabins, a serviceable heads with separate shower and a small overflow galley unit, comprising a fridge and microwave.

Exterior

Once again, it’s the outside spaces that really define this boat. The huge open cockpit sports a large sunpad aft, with a small tender garage underneath and walkways on either side. Two small curved sofas face the aft bench seat around a table and slide together, enabling you to rig it for maximum access or a more intimate dining area.

Most of the catering is up here too, thanks to a wet bar with a hob, fridge and sink, split on either side behind the triple helm seats. In classic Windy style, the canopy system stows away beneath the aft seat and lifts into position with gas struts.

The split wet bar and sliding benches keep the big cockpit wide open

Performance

Given the performance ethos of this boat, it’s hardly surprising that not one single owner opted for the smaller twin D6-370 option. The more potent D6 400 motors fitted to this boat deliver a 40-knot top end and a relaxed 33-knot cruise.

Seakeeping

The deep-vee hull (24 degrees even at the transom) gives great seakeeping and agile sports boat handling. After a day testing a Camira on the Solent, I described the feeling as that of “a happy dog with its head out of the car window” – and that’s exactly the euphoric sensation a fast open boat should give you.

Windy Camira 39 specifications

Length: 39ft 4in (11.9m)
Beam: 12ft 0in (3.7m)
Draft: 3ft 3in (1.0m)
Displacement: 7 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 810 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D6 400 400hp diesel engines
For sale: Berthon International

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 open and soft top motorboats you can buy right now appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

During my childhood, I enjoyed many family adventures on the local rivers and canals in a Canadian canoe that my dad had built himself. I vividly remember the excitement of exploring, whether it was out on the River Wye in the early hours to hear the dawn chorus, or heroically (as I remember it), paddling a kayak alone “all the way across the harbour” during a camping holiday in Fowey. Fast forward many years and my wife Annette and I were spending more and more time on the South Devon coast, where we now live.

By 2017, that desire to explore had led me from paddles to propellers in the form of an XO 270. She was cool, fast and seaworthy and we loved her. Our trips covered much of the South Devon and Cornwall coastlines, visiting harbours and anchoring at our favourite coves.

However, with a crew comprising our young son Joe and his sidekick, Paddy the cocker spaniel, it was mainly day trips or hopping between B&Bs for longer cruises.

Then the pandemic hit and, while drowning in endless work video calls, I found myself daydreaming about what life might be like when things returned to normal. One recurring dream involved venturing further and for longer than we had ever done before. I could hear Chief Brody (of Jaws fame) whispering his iconic advice in my ear “you’re going to need a bigger boat!” But which bigger boat?

Mike Reynolds of Dale, Tim and Arthur Mursell of TT Boat Designs after putting Iolar through her paces

The boating wish list

With Plymouth as our base, we had our eyes on the Channel Islands, France, Scillies, Wales and even Ireland. This meant being able to cruise for at least a week or two. While we often take family and friends out, longer trips usually involve just me, Annette, Joe and Paddy.

We would therefore need two usable cabins, a single heads with a decent shower and a galley good enough to cook proper meals. But to ensure simple handling, to keep mooring costs down and to allow us easy access to smaller harbours, we didn’t want anything over 40ft.

We like to boat all year round and, being based in the West Country, we needed a boat that would keep us safe in a variety of seas. Annette has also suffered from sciatica, so a smooth ride was imperative. We also wanted it to be good looking in a way that felt a bit different. And lastly, we wanted a boat that we could keep for many years.

Shortlisted brands included planing boats from Targa, Sargo, Nimbus and Marex and semi-displacement boats from Dale Motor Yachts and Cockwells. We ruled out displacement boats as too slow and, while our budget led us towards used rather than new, that didn’t last. I won’t discuss this further, other than to say that we ended up buying new – and way above our budget!

The hull plug before final fairing, illustrating the fine entry of the Arthur Mursell-designed semi-displacement hull

The big decision

We looked at all of the above and more, but I kept coming back to Dale for their heritage, quality and seakeeping. So when a pre-owned Dale Classic 45 came up, I ignored my own sub-40ft rule and dropped Mike Reynolds at Dale an email.

It was already sold but Mike told me about a new model he had started working on with Arthur Mursell of TT Boat Designs – acclaimed designer of the Nelson range of pilot boats. It was a Dale Classic 36 (and no, 36 is not a typo!).

The drawings, layout and size looked very promising, so it was time to take Mike up on the offer of verifying Dale’s seakeeping claims for myself. I headed out west to take out their Dale 38 – and after a couple of hours throwing her around in some lumpy seas off St Anne’s head, I was sold.

Article continues below…

4 of the best modern classic motor yachts on the market now

How we bought our first classic boat

Creating and connecting

With only drawings and a sea trial on a different boat to go on, it certainly felt like a leap of faith. However, I had trust in Mike and the Dale team and the opportunity to be fully involved in the design and build of our new boat gave me the impetus to go for it.

First stop, a weekend on the Isle of Wight with Mike, his wife Heidi and their daughter Patsi (who is a similar age to Joe) to spend time with Arthur. It immediately felt like a team was forming and it marked the start of a strong friendship between our families.

From there on, it was collaboration all the way, as she moved from initial design to final design, to plug, to mould, to hull, to fit-out and finally to sea trials some two years later. In addition to regular trips to Wales, Friday evenings were for video calls with Mike (over glasses of wine), talking through every aspect, from the flare of the bow and the curve of the roof to the sightlines from the helm.

Tim witnessed proof of Dale’s painstaking craftsmanship first hand

I still remember Mike announcing one day “I think she needs another 12 inches of length”. We looked at it with Arthur and all agreed. For a while she became the Classic 36+12, before we eventually relented and let her become the Dale Classic 37.

But one element that didn’t change was the seakeeping. Exceptional sea manners were paramount and that could not be compromised. To that end, she has a semi-displacement hull, twin shafts on Yanmar 440hp engines and a hull built to RCD Category A standards.

The 1,350L fuel tanks are built into the keel to aid stability and with plenty of freeing ports to aid the deck drains (I learned a lot about those from Arthur!), she is also designed to shed water fast.

So does she deliver?

Our cruises to this point have shown her to be a boat with a soft ride and immense capability and that’s something we’ll talk about in future articles. But she has also delivered friendships and bonds. That’s something we had not expected and for us, it’s made Iolar even more special.

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.

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This article My Dale Classic 37: A dream boat built on trust and adventure appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

They like quality, the Dutch, so it comes as no surprise to learn that when the ISO 9001 quality standard was introduced back in 1987, firms the length and breadth of Holland began champing at the bit to gain accreditation.

Leading that charge was Aquanaut’s range of steel-hulled boats and, to this day, the firm’s website proudly boasts that it was the first in Holland to receive the ISO 9001 stamp of approval.

At the time, the company was known as Dutch Craftsmanship BV. Founded in 1961 by brothers, Johan and Wim Bakker, in the picturesque Dutch Lake District town of Sneek, the business enjoyed many years of success.

Initially, cabin cruisers were the order of the day, but these were soon superseded by trawler-style motor yachts. Built for comfort and ideal for cruising Europe’s inland waterways, they were equally capable of putting to sea.

There’s lots of space for chairs and tables so you can keep the skipper company on a cruise

Well-travelled boat

It was partly this flexibility that saw the firm’s Aquanaut-branded motoryachts become a popular choice throughout the Netherlands, Germany and France. However, like so many others in the marine industry, the company eventually fell on hard times and in 2022, Dutch Craftsmanship was declared bankrupt.

Happily, the business was rescued by another Dutch family business, De Driesprong Yacht Center, and today, known as Aquanaut Yachting Sneek BV, the yard continues to build steel-hulled boats. There are currently 13 model lines in lengths from 12 to 20 metres and among the numerous Aquanaut variants produced over the years is the Aquanaut Drifter 1350 AK featured here.

Slow speeds, big side decks and raised rails are perfect for relaxing family use

While Hebe is a 2002 model, sitting serenely on the Thames at Bray Marine Sales for a list price of £210,000, she is a very well-travelled boat, as owner Simon Dowden, a former pilot on the Thames, explains: “My wife, Jenny, and I bought Hebe in 2014. For the first two years, we kept her in the UK and then we crossed the Channel and went along the Seine to the French canals, living on the boat all the time.

You’re a long way from the galley so a fridge, a coolbox or a flask of tea could be useful

“We came off the canals and on to the Saône, travelled down to Lyon and then on to the Rhône, going all the way down to the Med. We spent some time in Aigues-Mortes and then Port Leucate, where we kept Hebe for a couple of years.

We travelled some of the canals down there and then we went to the Étang de Thau, which is a lovely place to visit, before going on to Marseille. After that we went along the coast a bit before coming back up the Rhône and Saône to St-Jean-de-Losne, another lovely spot.

We then took the canal to join the Rhine near Mulhouse before heading on to Strasbourg and eventually Holland, where we took the boat back to Aquanaut in Sneek for a refit, before bringing her back to the UK.

“Aquanaut repainted the boat, did a major service and the interior saloon was French polished. The reason we decided to do this goes back to the day I was in the doctor’s waiting room and picked up a copy of Motor Boat & Yachting. There was an article inside which said how good Aquanauts were and how well they held their price – so I decided to make sure I kept mine in the best condition I could.

“The boat has always been well looked after and when we bought her, she had already had her water and waste tanks swapped from steel to polyurethane, so they’re modern – not the same age as the boat.”

It’s great to see bow and stern thrusters on a boat with a single shaft

On-water manners

Simon is equally enthusiastic about the boat’s manoeuvrability on the water: “It’s very good indeed – you can steer even when the engine’s going astern. As long as you’re making way through the water you’ve got steerage because she’s got a nice big rudder. She’s only got a single engine, so the bow and stern thrusters obviously help as well.

“In terms of sea passages, she’s perfectly fine but I would say pick your days. She’s an RCD Category B vessel, which means she’s capable of operating offshore in winds of up to 40 knots and seas of 13 feet. And while she’ll roll and crash about a bit in a head sea, she’ll be absolutely fine. She’s a pretty robust boat!”

The lower dinette provides the option of a third double berth, just down from the saloon

Unusual layout

On their Continental odyssey, Simon and Jenny were often joined by guests, so her accommodation has been well tested. Even so, we have reservations about her layout because, despite being 44ft 9in in length, this is just a two-cabin boat. And while the owner gets a lavish full-beam aft cabin, the guest cabin comprises a short vee-berth tucked away in the forepeak – fine for kids but less so for adults.

We put this to Simon and he replied that it was never an issue: “The friends we had on there didn’t complain about the sleeping arrangements at all.” And in fairness, with the two cabins at opposite ends of the boat, privacy certainly isn’t an issue.

Even so, the washroom arrangement is another area that caught our quizzical eye. While the guest cabin is equipped with an ensuite, it only contains a toilet and a washbasin. And at the owner’s end of the boat, the ensuite is limited to a shower and a washbasin because the toilet is in the corridor outside. This means the captain’s loo doubles up as the day heads; and guests looking for a shower have to venture back into the owner’s cabin.

But if that all feels a shade unconventional, where this boat really comes alive is in the day spaces…

The Aquanaut’s galley enables you to enjoy proper cooked meals on board

Located four steps down from the saloon and butting up against the forward cabin, is the galley. Fully equipped with a four-burner hob, oven, fridge, sink and bags of storage and worktop, it’s laid out in a large horseshoe arrangement that will bring joy to a chef’s heart.

Opposite this is the dinette, which is capable of seating five in comfort. The table also drops down and converts into a third berth, enabling up to six people to spend the night on this boat.

However, back up those four steps from the galley is the star of the show. Fully glazed all round, the supersized saloon simply drinks in the light. As there’s no helm here (we’ll come to that in a minute) the entire space is given over to relaxation and socialising. There’s a gigantic seven or eight-seater U-shaped settee on the starboard side, plus a heavy wood coffee table and a superbly crafted set of cabinets that oozes quality (and French polish) on the port side.

The quality of cabinetry is as strong in the owner’s cabin as it is in the saloon

Leaving the saloon and heading up a second set of steps, a companionway leads to the helm and aft deck, both of which are designed to be enjoyed in the open air – and you really do get a sense of how fabulous it would be, pootling gently along Europe’s canals in the height of the summer.

Together, the helm and the aft cockpit form a wonderfully spacious area with plenty of room for a large freestanding table and chairs. But should the weather close in, the entire helm section can be quickly screened off with a set of all-round canvas covers. And if you enjoy cruising with family, you’ll love the walkways around the superstructure, which are nearly two feet wide and guarded by some seriously beefy rails.

A short vee berth in the bow feels a shade mean on a two-cabin boat of this scale

Slow and serene

With a single 159hp Vetus Deutz DT 64 engine, Hebe is very much built for comfort rather than speed. Even so, while that modest power means you’re unlikely to exceed 10 knots, makes for some amazingly economical cruising.

Simon tells us that, over the years, he’s averaged just one litre per nautical mile at six knots. At current diesel prices, that means the cost of travelling the 800 nautical miles from northern France to the Mediterranean, via the rivers and canals of Europe, could be comfortably achieved for less than £1,200. Pretty good for a big, sturdy 18-tonne liveaboard, wouldn’t you agree?

The big, flat roof spaces are tailor-made for a solar array

Aquanaut Drifter 1350 AK specifications

DESIGNER: Aquanaut/Vripack
HULL TYPE: displacement
RCD: Category B
LOA: 44ft 9in (13.7m)
BEAM: 14ft 4in (4.4m)
DRAFT: 3ft 11in (1.2m)
AIR DRAFT: 9ft 10in (3.0m)
DISPLACEMENT: 18,000kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 2 x 600L
WATER CAPACITY: 2 x 400L
TOP SPEED: 10 knots (owner’s figures)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 1L/nm @ 6kn (owner’s figures)
RANGE: 960nm at 6 knots with 20% reserve (based on owner’s figures)

Aquanaut Drifter 1350 AK costs and options

FUEL: 650 litres per year, based on 25 hours at 9 knots and 25 hours at 6 knots
BERTHING: £10,672 per year (based on £779/metre for a Hamble River marina downstream of Bursledon bridge)

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 Aquanaut Drifter 1350 AK used boat review: Quality Dutch craftmanship appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Half a million pounds. It sounds a lot, doesn’t it? Especially if, like me, you are from an era when being a millionaire really meant something. And it is still a lot of cash, but as wages, prices and asset values continue to spiral upwards, it’s no longer the preserve of the super-wealthy. And yet £500,000 still buys you a seriously big-league boat.

Stars of the half-million club on the used market currently include this beautiful Windy sportscruiser; a classic high-quality Princess flybridge; a rock solid, go-through-anything Aquastar; and a practical and easy-to-live aboard Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 Fly. Something for everyone – provided they have a spare £500,000. As ever, you pays your money and you takes your choice.

Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 Fly

Built: 2022
Price: £495,000

The might of Beneteau’s sizeable product range shines through with boats like the Swift Trawler 41 Fly. With the flybridge market already covered by the Antares line and sportscruisers taken care of by the Gran Turismo range, it leaves the Swift Trawler designers free to really lean into what makes this model range so popular.

And that is, in a nutshell, practical thinking. Swift Trawlers are for people who value functionality over style. They still want a decent looking boat that’s bright, spacious and comfortable to spend time aboard, often for days or even weeks at a time, but it also needs to be safe and easy to move around, with lots of storage and secure seakeeping.

The galley aft layout and step-free saloon is well suited to liveaboard cruising

Interior

The first Swift Trawler to have a galley-aft layout, the ST41 does, nonetheless, still incorporate all the Swift Trawler good stuff that makes these boats so popular, such as the side access door next to the helm and the big vertical wheel.

The helm seat itself will swivel aft to create additional seating at the dinette and the table opens to double size. On the lower deck the owner’s cabin is in the bow and gets plenty of ventilation from opening hull windows and an overhead hatch, and the heads and shower are split off into separate compartments. There are two guest cabins aft, one twin and one with a single berth, washer/dryer and extra storage.

Article continues below…

4 of the best modern classic motor yachts on the market right now

Best Flybridge Motor Yachts 2025: Tested

Exterior

Again shot through with practical detailing, the cockpit seating for example is on runners so that you can easily change between more cockpit floor space or more bathing platform real estate.

On the flybridge, there’s a central mast to support the radar rather than a goalpost-style, the side decks are easily navigated and there is a handy gate in the bulwark next to the helm door – making stepping ashore from
the helm quick and easy.

Performance

Twin Volvo Penta D4-260 or D4-300 engines were originally offered but the only choice currently on Beneteau’s website is the Yanmar 8LV320 320hp motors fitted to this boat, which should give a low to mid 20-knot top end.

Space and light are the top priorities in the owner’s cabin, as with the rest of the boat

Seakeeping

The semi displacement hull with its 3/4 length keel tracks accurately and “has a familiar Swift Trawler robustness to the way it tackles the sea” according to our sea trial.

Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 Fly specifications

Length: 41ft 0in (12m)
Beam: 13ft 9in (4.2m)
Draft: 3ft 9in (1.1m)
Displacement: 11 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,170 litres
Engines: Twin Yanmar 8LV320 320hp diesel engines
For sale: Ancasta

Princess 54

Built: 2011
Price: £525,000

London Boat Show 2006 saw the launch of Princess’s 54, the first sub-60ft boat from Princess to include the now ubiquitous full beam owner’s cabin. Unusually, it didn’t replace an existing model, instead slotting into the gap between the Princess 50 Mk2 and the Princess 57.

Despite being a popular model, it wasn’t directly replaced. It ran for six years before being pensioned off by the 2012 Princess 56 and the 2013 Princess 52.

The galley-down layout leaves the main deck free for a large saloon and dining area

Interior

Despite leading the charge toward full-beam owner cabins, the 54 was a transition boat in that it still had the galley on the lower deck rather than the galley-aft layout that soon became the norm. As a result, the third cabin has bunk beds rather than the side-by- side twins of the galley aft Princess 52 that followed.

Interestingly, this particular example was fitted out with an office, in place of cabin three, that can still be used as a single berth. The payoff for that comes on the main deck where, freed from the need to make room for the galley, there is space for a separate dinette alongside the lower helm, as well as a truly spacious saloon a couple of steps down and aft.

Exterior

Hull windows were also beginning to appear on this size of boat around this era, something we’d first seen on the Princess 67 two years earlier, but only the owner’s cabin gets them on the 54. All the other lower deck areas still make do with smaller oval portholes.

We’re also predating lift swim platforms, the passerelle being used to crane a tender onto the fixed platform. There are stairs to a generous flybridge and decent side decks.

Performance

Twin shaftdrive Volvo Penta D12 diesels of between 675hp and 775hp were offered at launch.

We tested it with 715hp D12s and achieved about 30 knots. A reader with 775hp D12s reckoned on 33 knots. This boat has the larger D13 800hp motors, which ought to add a knot or two more.

The full-beam owner’s cabin was quite a novelty when this boat launched in 2006

Seakeeping

A great hull and a capable boat but those high sides can catch the wind at low speeds, making the variable speed bow and stern-thruster upgrade to this boat a very welcome addition.

Princess 54 specifications

Length: 54ft 5in (16.6m)
Beam: 15ft 11in (4.6m)
Draft: 4ft 3in (1.3m)
Displacement: 24 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 2,500 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D13 800hp diesel engines
For sale: Princess Motor Yacht Sales

Aquastar 49

Built: 2013
Price: £495,000

A slightly niche market offering compared to the ubiquitous planing flybridge boats from the likes of Princess and Fairline, the Guernsey-built Aquastar range was based around super tough semi-displacement hulls.

Beloved of people who worked at sea irrespective of conditions – pilots, customs, harbour patrols and so forth – the idea was to fit these out with high quality handbuilt interiors and thus combine serious cruising ability with onboard luxury.

Handcrafted cabinetry in the galley looks as good today as it did when it was built in 2013

Interior

The concept made perfect sense for a while but by 2010 it was starting to fall behind due to the relative lack of light and views in the cabins. Whilst Sunseeker and Princess were introducing ever-larger glazing into the hull and superstructure, Aquastar customers were still having to peer out of comparatively smaller apertures.

The 49 was Aquastar’s attempt to counter this. Based on the 48, with its aft-cabin layout and wide beam (for a semi-displacement craft), it added three panes of glass to the transom (the centre one opening) and big side windows, transforming the slightly cave-like ambience.

There’s a separate heads and shower back here too. The saloon windows are bigger too and there’s a high-gloss finish to the mahogany and maple cabinetry throughout. Forward are two further cabins plus the galley and heads. But traditional offshore details remain, such as the handrail built into the headlining to aid moving around in rough weather.

Exterior

On the outside, the wooden cladding on the topsides was deleted but the chunky D-section rubbing band remained. The bathing platform was extended slightly and a new hardtop with opening glass sections was introduced over the aft deck.

Performance

This boat has the same 500hp Volvo Penta D9 shaftdrive diesel engines as the one we tested back in 2013. In exceptionally blustery conditions off Southampton we achieved 26 knots, finding the boat happiest at 20 knots, although a 10-knot cruise was equally comfortable.

A glazed hardtop over the raised aft deck adds shelter without sacrificing light

Seakeeping

One thing that couldn’t be improved upon was its hull dynamics. We described it as, “solid as a rock, tracking straight as an arrow and biting deep into the water as it ploughs a deep furrow towards the horizon.”

Aquastar 49 specifications

Length: 49ft 0in (14.9m)
Beam: 15ft 0in (4.6m)
Draft: 4ft 0in (1.2m)
Displacement: 15.5 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 2,200 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D9 500 500hp diesel engines
For sale: Ancasta

Windy 48 Triton

Built: 2014
Price: £499,950

Launched in 2008 and fitting into the Windy range between the 52 Xanthos and the 41 Typhoon, the 48 Triton was an expensive, high-quality boat that appealed to the connoisseur prepared to pay the circa £150,000 extra that it cost over competitors like the Sunseeker Portofino 47.

Slide-out floor and lifting throttles allow you to drive with your head out of the sunroof

Interior

Hardtop sportscruisers are often built with a fully enclosed saloon and galley on the main deck rather than a full-length cockpit to make room for three cabins on the lower deck, rather than the two-cabin layout they usually have when the saloon and galley are on the lower deck.

Interestingly, this boat has a lower deck saloon and galley yet still manages to sport three sleeping cabins. It does so by putting the owner’s cabin forward, with its own ensuite and using the space amidships that is usually reserved for a full-beam master to offer two further cabins side by side that share the day heads.

Exterior

The Triton does still have a fully enclosed deck saloon but this is set up and furnished more like an outside space with teak decking and wipe-clean GRP mouldings rather than carpets and lacquered wood cabinets. Beneath the opening sunroof, a false floor slides out from under the helm seat, allowing you to drive with your head out through the roof. Another button raises the plinth that the throttles sit on.

Windy eschewed the usual tender garage with sunpad, opting instead to take the seating all the way back to the transom to increase cockpit space. The tender lives on the (optional) high-low bathing platform.

Performance

Another unusual feature of the Triton was the availability of sterndrive power as an alternative to the IPS fitted to this boat, probably because Windy was hedging its bets as IPS had only been available for three years when this boat launched.

At the time, the maximum power with sterndrives was 370hp whereas the IPS600 installation gave 435hp a side. There was less than a knot between them, Windy quoting 34.5 knots with twin D6-370 sterndrives and 35.3 knots with IPS600.

Three cabins and a lower saloon is a rare find on a sub-50ft sportscruiser

Seakeeping

It’s a Windy, so you know it’s going to be good. The Triton’s Cat A RCD rating says it all, given that most of its competitors only offer Cat B.

Windy 48 Triton specifications

Length: 47ft 7in (14.5m)
Beam: 13ft 9in (4.2m)
Draft: 4ft 0in (1.3m)
Displacement: 13 tonnes
Fuel capacity: 1,500 litres
Engines: Twin Volvo Penta IPS600 435hp diesel engines
For sale: Berthon International

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 motor yachts you can buy right now for £500,000 appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.