Sealine 410 1995 Honest opinion!

Colin and Lucy

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Hi there I’m new and a complete novice!

We visit the Broads every year and hire a boat for the family. Husband has got excited about the above boat for sale offered at 99,000. They will accept 90,000.

Were expecting a bit of work on an older boat but if this is a complete lemon please don’t hold back on any advice!

Been on the market since March
 

Concerto

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Welcome to the forum.

You would be better asking this question on the motor boat section of the forum as most on this section are sailing yachts.
Motor Boat Forum

Having had a little bit of experience of motor boats, I would say this boat is totally differnt to a Broads hire boat. It is a sea going vessel designed to plane (and drink lots of fuel).

In the current secondhand boat market, good boats are selling in a matter of days. So, a boat that has been on the market since March suggests it is either grossly overpriced or there is something wrong with it or both.

With any boat you are considering, do have a full survey and an engine check, especially if they are still the original engines. This will cost, but will pick up faults you would not know about. It would be wise to think about where you want to keep a boat and check how much it will cost per year. A marina berth in the Solent is far more expensive than other areas of the country. For example my 32ft yacht, it is over double what I pay in Chatham - and that would be a lot of fuel.

Also worth reading this RYA article on buying a boat as it has sound advice.
boat-buying-made-easy
Joining the RYA will give you even more access to their web site and other benefits.

There is a Sealine Owners Club which not idependant of the manufacturer, but you would be better joining the indepedant Sealine Forum and the Sealine facebook group to aks specific questions.
Sealine Owners Club
Sealine Forum
Sealine Forum

Hope this is of help.
 

Colin and Lucy

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Welcome to the forum.

You would be better asking this question on the motor boat section of the forum as most on this section are sailing yachts.
Motor Boat Forum

Having had a little bit of experience of motor boats, I would say this boat is totally differnt to a Broads hire boat. It is a sea going vessel designed to plane (and drink lots of fuel).

In the current secondhand boat market, good boats are selling in a matter of days. So, a boat that has been on the market since March suggests it is either grossly overpriced or there is something wrong with it or both.

With any boat you are considering, do have a full survey and an engine check, especially if they are still the original engines. This will cost, but will pick up faults you would not know about. It would be wise to think about where you want to keep a boat and check how much it will cost per year. A marina berth in the Solent is far more expensive than other areas of the country. For example my 32ft yacht, it is over double what I pay in Chatham - and that would be a lot of fuel.

Also worth reading this RYA article on buying a boat as it has sound advice.
boat-buying-made-easy
Joining the RYA will give you even more access to their web site and other benefits.

There is a Sealine Owners Club which not idependant of the manufacturer, but you would be better joining the indepedant Sealine Forum and the Sealine facebook group to aks specific questions.
Sealine Owners Club
Sealine Forum
Sealine Forum

Hope this is of help.
Welcome to the forum.

You would be better asking this question on the motor boat section of the forum as most on this section are sailing yachts.
Motor Boat Forum

Having had a little bit of experience of motor boats, I would say this boat is totally differnt to a Broads hire boat. It is a sea going vessel designed to plane (and drink lots of fuel).

In the current secondhand boat market, good boats are selling in a matter of days. So, a boat that has been on the market since March suggests it is either grossly overpriced or there is something wrong with it or both.

With any boat you are considering, do have a full survey and an engine check, especially if they are still the original engines. This will cost, but will pick up faults you would not know about. It would be wise to think about where you want to keep a boat and check how much it will cost per year. A marina berth in the Solent is far more expensive than other areas of the country. For example my 32ft yacht, it is over double what I pay in Chatham - and that would be a lot of fuel.

Also worth reading this RYA article on buying a boat as it has sound advice.
boat-buying-made-easy
Joining the RYA will give you even more access to their web site and other benefits.

There is a Sealine Owners Club which not idependant of the manufacturer, but you would be better joining the indepedant Sealine Forum and the Sealine facebook group to aks specific questions.
Sealine Owners Club
Sealine Forum
Sealine Forum

Hope this is of help.
 

Colin and Lucy

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Welcome to the forum.

You would be better asking this question on the motor boat section of the forum as most on this section are sailing yachts.
Motor Boat Forum

Having had a little bit of experience of motor boats, I would say this boat is totally differnt to a Broads hire boat. It is a sea going vessel designed to plane (and drink lots of fuel).

In the current secondhand boat market, good boats are selling in a matter of days. So, a boat that has been on the market since March suggests it is either grossly overpriced or there is something wrong with it or both.

With any boat you are considering, do have a full survey and an engine check, especially if they are still the original engines. This will cost, but will pick up faults you would not know about. It would be wise to think about where you want to keep a boat and check how much it will cost per year. A marina berth in the Solent is far more expensive than other areas of the country. For example my 32ft yacht, it is over double what I pay in Chatham - and that would be a lot of fuel.

Also worth reading this RYA article on buying a boat as it has sound advice.
boat-buying-made-easy
Joining the RYA will give you even more access to their web site and other benefits.

There is a Sealine Owners Club which not idependant of the manufacturer, but you would be better joining the indepedant Sealine Forum and the Sealine facebook group to aks specific questions.
Sealine Owners Club
Sealine Forum
Sealine Forum

Hope this is of help.
Thank you so much for the thorough and speedy reply! Most kind of you.
 

Homer J

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There will be better qualified than me but it sounds expensive and if it hasn’t sold since March…..

If it’s exactly the type you want then look at a few more for comparison
 

KompetentKrew

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The Sealine 410 has two 370hp diesel engines and a cruising speed of 24 knots.

The broads have a speed limit of 7 knots, therefore the engines will run barely at tick-over, which is not good for them.

I'm sure this is a great boat for exploring, but it is designed to burn 60 litres of fuel per hour. You would probably be happier with a displacement boat.

You could probably take 100 rental holidays on the broads - or more - just for the price of buying this boat. And boats are not cheap to run.
 

kashurst

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Hi - I used to own a Sealine 410 for 6 years. We used it on the river Trent, then North Wales, West Coast of Scotland etc
Great boat - very good at sea, very easy to live aboard as there is loads of room. The boat will be quite happy on the broads, with lots of fenders - subject to bridges! However with experience and training you can go exploring up and down the coast at sea. It is quite easy (but not cheap) to put the boat on a lorry and move to a new area in future. So if you get bored with the broads just move.

At 5 - 6 knots the fuel burn will be tiny. Not especially different to any other similar sized boat. It will drive quite happily on one engine as well. To keep the engines happy take the boat onto breydon water for a good blast every now and then.
At 20 knots it will do about 1mpg.

All boats need quite a bit of looking after, at this age there will be a few things that need doing - if you are serious get an independent survey. Price wise UK boat prices have all jumped because of covid and now brexit so £90K sounds OK to me without seeing it.

edit: have a look at Sealine F43s as well, they are essentially the same boat, just a later upgraded version to get an idea of prices and condition.
 
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Colin and Lucy

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Hi - I used to own a Sealine 410 for 6 years. We used it on the river Trent, then North Wales, West Coast of Scotland etc
Great boat - very good at sea, very easy to live aboard as there is loads of room. The boat will be quite happy on the broads, with lots of fenders - subject to bridges! However with experience and training you can go exploring up and down the coast at sea. It is quite easy (but not cheap) to put the boat on a lorry and move to a new area in future. So if you get bored with the broads just move.

At 5 - 6 knots the fuel burn will be tiny. Not especially different to any other similar sized boat. It will drive quite happily on one engine as well. To keep the engines happy take the boat onto breydon water for a good blast every now and then.
At 20 knots it will do about 1mpg.

All boats need quite a bit of looking after, at this age there will be a few things that need doing - if you are serious get an independent survey. Price wise UK boat prices have all jumped because of covid and now brexit so £90K sounds OK to me without seeing it.

edit: have a look at Sealine F43s as well, they are essentially the same boat, just a later upgraded version to get an idea of prices and condition.
 

Colin and Lucy

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Great advice thank you so much. Good to hear a positive happy ex owner!

We’re taking her out for a test at the wkend then of course it’s a case of getting a really good survey done. I do hope they are brutally honest if they think it’s going to be more hassle than it’s worth!
 

John100156

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Yes as Kashurst says, it might be worth looking for a slightly newer Sealine F43, I had one for about 7 years and the space/accommodation for its size is hard to beat. Some very minor issues I found:

.1 Can be difficult when reversing in stern-to, to see the bathing platform from the upper helm - a camera sorts that.
.2 Climbing over the back to board the boat - but this can give you greater privacy.
.3 Lifting the saloon floor to get decent access to engine room, albeit you can get down through a small hatch for general checks.

Otherwise, a really great boat. Excellent accommodation particularly if you have guests, good distance between bow and stern cabins each having access to a local shower/WC (separated in the stern cabin).

I do agree though, you would not be realising its full potential as it is a good sea-keeping boat and if constantly pootling about, I recall we use to get some black soot on the bathing platform from time-to-time but we had the TAMD63P engines. If its good accommodation you are seeking, hard to beat for that size of boat!

You would just about do 5-6kn at tick over with both engines running...! On a run I use to get about 0.8-1mpg cruising at 22-4kn depending on loading, I had a heavy dinghy and motor on the back of mine!
 

longjohnsilver

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Great advice thank you so much. Good to hear a positive happy ex owner!

We’re taking her out for a test at the wkend then of course it’s a case of getting a really good survey done. I do hope they are brutally honest if they think it’s going to be more hassle than it’s worth!
I presume /hope you’re planning on doing all or some of the test at sea where you can take the engines up to maximum revs to check that neither overheat or produce any bad vibrations, as well as making sure she will do the speed you want.

My son is on is 2nd Sealine, overall they are good comfortable boats, but he has had issues with the engines and fuel tanks. I suggest you ask your surveyor to pay particular attention to the tanks.
 

John100156

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If an F43: I would have the exhaust elbows checked, they can corrode easily and are not cheap, they run into side mouldings that are partly immersed below sea level and can leak, you have to cut the panels from the outside to repair the flange. Not done it myself, but know a man that did...!

Seastoke raised a valid point regarding OA height; whilst pootling down the Broads would be lovely up on the flybridge, you might need to duck under some bridges...! Although you can easily drop the whale fin radar arch, which hinges astern, its heavy but I did this many times on my own!
 

Greg2

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On the issue of height on the Broads, there are many flybridge boats abut, particularly on the southern rivers. The two main bridges in the south are swing bridges, which leaves only St Olaves (on the Waveney), Beccles and Norwich. The first will be a no go but not a drama because there is a different route via the New Cut. The second should be okay on the right tides to get into the basin but you won’t get up to Geledeston Lock, but then only low boats can do that. Norwich isn’t really an issue because most private owners don’t venture there due to the antics of the local brigandry in casting boats adrift ‘for a laugh’.

Getting to the Northern rivers might be doable but only on the right tides, possibly springs. Once up there there are more bridge restrictions that will limit cruising but still plenty that will be accessible. To be candid we never go up there due to the high numbers of hire boats and the virtually guaranteed bashing you will get from one or more of them.

Having said all that, if accessing all of the Broads is important then don’t go for a flybridge boat. However, if you are comfortable with the limitations I have described, and many are, then go for it if it is the right boat.
 

asteven221

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I had an F44 for 8 years which is similar and possibly the same hull. We used it on the sea and it was fitted with a bow and stern thrusters. I found the boat could be a handful in confined spaces in a strong breeze when berthing, even with thrusters. In light wind they were brilliant! In fact it is the only boat I have ever bumped in over 30 years of handling different boats without any problems. That happened when in a tight marina the breeze caught the boat on the beam and blew the boat sideways down the tight channel and I didn't have the time or space to get out the situation. I put it down to the relatively short waterline lenght for the size of the boat. Although it's a 44ft boat, the large bathing platform is above the water so that's about 4ft gone. I think the 410 has a slightly smaller platform. Then there is the design of the bow where the anchor is stored. That must represent about 4 or 5ft of boat that isn't in the water. So the upshot is that above the water it is a 44ft boat, whilst the hull is only around 36ft in the water. There is a lot of windage to deal with.

Other than the handling issue, we loved our F44. Loads of space, good seakeeping. The 410/F43 is a great boat with similar attributes. I do all my own servicing and assuming TAMD63P engines, the engines are reliable and solid. Rubber hoses are expensive and might need changed. Exhaust elbows are another common part that will need replaced if not already done in recent years. Other than that I can't think of anything untoward about these engines. I would consider a boat with these engines as a positive if I was buying another similar type of boat.

To be honest I am not sure how that boat/engines would work in a really low speed environment. I am sure that on idle our boat would do about 3 or 4 knots in still water. You could use one engine, but you will find the boat constantly trying to turn, so you have to counter that with the (small) rudders. Using the port engine will turn the boat to starboard. Using the port engine will make turning to port a bit scary in confined space as it won't want to. Another issue I could see is that you would be constantly taking the boat in and out of gear to control the speed, or going in to reverse to slow it down which doesn't seem very relaxing to me. Personally I would not be comfortable with a relatively light, high windage, big twin engine boat if my intended use was on a river/canal. It's designed for 20 knots on the sea after all. Having said that I went through the Crinan canal twice with the F44 and had no problems. That is all the experience I have of canals, so maybe my theory of using the 410 /F43/F44 in a river/canal environment is misguided. Great boat so good luck.
 

Chris_d

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I wouldn't worry about the low speed issues, there are dozens of F410/F43's pottering up and down the River Thames with both engines running at the speed limit and no issues, its loads of boat for the money.
 

John100156

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1628174733336.png

FYI: Dimensions of my old F43 above, showing the short WL length also discussed above.

The boat was susceptible, like most FB motor boats, to windage; we were berthed for years in a very tight spot, almost at the end of a narrow channel between two pontoons, with very little space to execute a normal turn under power (really we exceeded the length for the berth we were on).

I must say that I found it easy to turn in nearly its own length and berth stern to, only problem was you could not see the end of the bathing platform from the FB, although SWMBO kept me well informed: 'over to port, no starboard and when she shouted abandon ship, we're all going to die' I knew we were about 1m away from the pontoon.

We do get strong winds out in SCM, but I have to say, I personally thought the boat handled really well in close quarters, even with Morse throttle, and not like another friends F43 in the marina electronic, controls which made it even easier.

If low speed and bridge heights are not a problem, well reported on as above, I don't think it would put me off buying one!
 
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