A Fairline for the Med

[NauticalNovice]

During 2018/19 my wife and I are planning to island-hop the Greek islands for 2 years. For most of that time we will be living on the boat, so a comfortable, reliable, easy-to-manage vessel is a prerequisite. Our maximum budget for the vessel is €70,000 (Euros).

We have found a 1991 Fairline Turbo 36 at €65,000 which seems to tick most of the boxes. Power is provided by 2 Volvo Penta TAMD 61A 307HP 6 cylinder turbo diesel engines with 1000 hours.

We would greatly appreciate the opinion of Forum members as to whether this would be a suitable vessel for our purpose and if the price is about right for one that appears to have been well maintained and visually in good condition.

Thanks.

NN

 

[jfm]

During 2018/19 my wife and I are planning to island-hop the Greek islands for 2 years. For most of that time we will be living on the boat, so a comfortable, reliable, easy-to-manage vessel is a prerequisite. Our maximum budget for the vessel is €70,000 (Euros).

We have found a 1991 Fairline Turbo 36 at €65,000 which seems to tick most of the boxes. Power is provided by 2 Volvo Penta TAMD 61A 307HP 6 cylinder turbo diesel engines with 1000 hours.

We would greatly appreciate the opinion of Forum members as to whether this would be a suitable vessel for our purpose and if the price is about right for one that appears to have been well maintained and visually in good condition.

Thanks.

NN

Sounds about right if in decent condition. Others on here owned that model so can comment some more.

You might want airco and generator in the med - those can be retrofitted but that is costly. You also need a passerelle.

I'd question the design of that boat for 2 novices in the med - I think you would much prefer when mooring to be in a boat with an open aft cockpit and big swim platform - that would be much easier than an aft cabin boat with a tiny platform. Also when at anchor (which will be a lot of your time) you are sort of sitting on that boat rather than in it. It's a sort of northern climes boat, in my view. The aft deck isn't a great place to while away a day in the sun, compared with the aft cockpit of a non aft cabin boat. But that is just my view and others might say that they are perfectly ok with turbo36 type of layout so it is very much an "each to their own" topic. Do just remember with the Med that it is the outside spaces that matter, not the inside.

The one listed "Island Odyssey" looks in good condition. you would want a second chart plotter on the flybridge because you'd be driving from there a lot and it has genset (HFL - not the best brand for the med as regards parts availability but tolerable) but not airco

 

[Tranona]

Agree that open cockpit and swim platform is preferred, particularly in Greece. Most bething is backing into stone quaysides in villages without lazy lines and raised aft cabins make life really difficult. With only 2 on board a wireless or remote controlled windlass is a big plus as it leaves one crew to handle stern lines. Also better for anchoring in bays for boarding dinghy or swimming off the boat. There are very few marinas in Greece, but fuel and water are available in most villages - fuel usually delivered by tanker.

 

[kashurst]

Have a look at www.topbarcos.com. there are loads of boats for sale in the med at much lower prices than the UK.
Don't ignore the less well known Spanish and Italian brands that you rarely hear about in the UK too. There are some real bargains about. As always history and condition is everything. Look for a boat with good engine access and chances are the servicing will have been done properly too.

 

[Hardmy]

It is fully true, that handling an aft-cabin boat is a bit more difficult in the med. Especially in Greece, where infrastructure is scarce and/or dilapidated. Our tub is 48' and we handle her very often the two of us only. In any kind of wind, it is nearly impossible to moor without a helping hand on the quay who can take the lines. Because of the height, one cannot just jump from the cockpit onto the quay!

About the proposed plan to cruise the greek islands. Which region are you specifically thinking about? There are areas like the Cyclades where you won't see many smallish mobos. Whereas the Ionian or the Argolic/Saronic gulfs are defintively the perfect playground for mobos!

 

[Promarine11]

Superb when conditions get rough.

 

[Mr Googler]

Have you looked at the fairline sedan 36? Same hull as the turbo but aft cockpit.

I'm a little bias

 

[oldgit]

Am great fan of the Turbo 36 with its internal volume and seakeeping but as others have have indicated not the ideal boat for the Med.
It can get unbearably hot down there (IMHO) and suspect one single A/C unit is not going to cut it and you may well need two,one for main cabin and one for bedroom.Plus you will need some sort of unsightly tent contraption to get any respite from sun on that rear deck.
Three points.
Stern to mooring means a real clamber up the back of the boat.
Check the diesel tanks for leakage.
A major major dismantle of saloon/engine out operation and check access to stern glands,impossible to access normally,so ignored and awful access even with hole cut in shower floor.
Ideal boat for Northern climes tho !

 

[NauticalNovice]

Thanks for all the replies so far. Quite a lot to digest and think about. I will reply to all once I have had time to consider this very helpful advice.

NN

 

[Hurricane]

IMHO, I wouldn't rule out aft cabin boats.
This is probably going to be a "home from home" so you need to be comfortable.
Personally, I'm not in favour of the main cabin in the bow - you get the "slip slop" from waves on the bow - in marinas and on anchor.
Aft cabin boats often give more room as well.
I don't know the Fairline Turbo 36 but I would favour it over the Sedan 36 for this reason.
I wouldn't worry about getting on and off in a Med mooring - the quay is usually higher than a conventional bathing platform - the higher cockpit of an aft cabin boat could actually make it easier.

Look at the Sealine F43 (ok a bit more money but it highlights hat I'm saying) - fantastic aft cabin - a very comfortable Med boat.

Just my comments.

 

[Tranona]

I wouldn't worry about getting on and off in a Med mooring - the quay is usually higher than a conventional bathing platform - the higher cockpit of an aft cabin boat could actually make it easier.

That is not the case in Greece, which is why those of us with experience there counsell against aft cabin boats, both sail and power. On fact on many quays you will be stepping down from a bathing platform. As few quays have lazy lines the normal way of mooring is to drop the anchor and the helm on the flybridge to control the reversing with a combination of power and using the helm control or wireless for the windlass while the crew have the mooring warps ready aft either in the cockpit or the bathing platform. Agile crew can step ashore at the right time, although often there is somebody to take lines ashore.

One of the biggest challenges is the cross winds that occur in many harbours in the afternoon which means a bow thruster is a useful thing to have particularly on a boat with a lot of windage.

 

[John100156]

IMHO, I wouldn't rule out aft cabin boats.
This is probably going to be a "home from home" so you need to be comfortable.
Personally, I'm not in favour of the main cabin in the bow - you get the "slip slop" from waves on the bow - in marinas and on anchor.
Aft cabin boats often give more room as well.
I don't know the Fairline Turbo 36 but I would favour it over the Sedan 36 for this reason.
I wouldn't worry about getting on and off in a Med mooring - the quay is usually higher than a conventional bathing platform - the higher cockpit of an aft cabin boat could actually make it easier.

Look at the Sealine F43 (ok a bit more money but it highlights hat I'm saying) - fantastic aft cabin - a very comfortable Med boat.

Just my comments.

Well said Mike - Having taken a Targa 34 to the Med in 2008, I would agree that changing it to an F43 in 2011 was most certainly a good move. You do need the extra space. Whilst a Targa might be my first choice as a day or weekend boat, when living aboard one for 20+ weeks in 2009, it was certainly challenging, we loved the T34 but we much prefer the F43 for long-term stays. It really is a great boat with good sea-keeping for touring the Med, well I would say that.......

 

[vas]

That is not the case in Greece, which is why those of us with experience there counsell against aft cabin boats, both sail and power. On fact on many quays you will be stepping down from a bathing platform. As few quays have lazy lines the normal way of mooring is to drop the anchor and the helm on the flybridge to control the reversing with a combination of power and using the helm control or wireless for the windlass while the crew have the mooring warps ready aft either in the cockpit or the bathing platform. Agile crew can step ashore at the right time, although often there is somebody to take lines ashore.

One of the biggest challenges is the cross winds that occur in many harbours in the afternoon which means a bow thruster is a useful thing to have particularly on a boat with a lot of windage.

although I fully agree with Tranona, I'm not sure you do need a bow thruster when mooring with your own anchor and no lazy lines as you tend to drop it 50-60m away and easily reverse while dropping chain. If you miss it a bit, you simply stop dropping chain and reverse the proper engine and automagically you're back in shape. Of course this means you do drop it where you should and not all over the place
Of course i'm talking twin screw, not sure how yachties manage with one engine and prop walkabout but they seem to be doing just fine.

Since I posted on the OT bit, imho you really need some outside space that is nicely protected so that you can spend hours there. I doubt you'll be happy inside all the time and tbh if you are, why bother visit the Greek isles? If you do go for an aft cabin layout (access IS an issue) do make sure you get some bimini and side screens, else life will be unbearable in July and August.

cheers

V.

 

[John100156]

It was great sitting out on the back of our T34 in summer but when we went down below, without AC, the temperature was almost unbearable - you do get the best of both worlds with a FB boat IMO and a definate YES for AC.

 

[NauticalNovice]

I do appreciate all the replies and especially the differences of opinion...!!

I am giving a LOT of thought to this and will respond to all these helpful comments over the coming weekend. Thanks.

NN

 

[timbad]

+1 for the F43
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[RupertW]

Of course i'm talking twin screw, not sure how yachties manage with one engine and prop walkabout but they seem to be doing just fine.

V.

As a yachtie I can confirm that reversing from anchor even in a crosswind with a single screw is much easier usually than lazy lines in a marina. As long as you line up the boat and are already moving in reverse when you drop the anchor then steering against the anchor is easy even with one screw. Obviously yacht rudders are a lot bigger than mobo rudders.

Lazy lines in a tight marina and crosswind (now just back in Croatia where there are lots of these) are where motorboat or yacht can be helped a lot with a bowthruster if you use it right.