advice on elan yachts

[matelot]

It looks as if I've sold my boat so I'm in the market for a newer one, a bit more sporty and about 34 foot. One candidate is Elan yachts. Looked over them at the show yesterday and quite liked the design but wasnt as impressed by the standard of workmanship evident in the cabin.

Would be grateful for any owner reports both good and bad . Where would you place Elan in the yacht quality spectrum from Legend to Swan? About the same as Benny, or X yachts, or Hanse - all of which are altrernative candidates.

 

[moondancer]

Of those my choice would be an X yacht.

 

[Cerddinen]

Before buying an Elan 34 make sure you read the test in Yachts and Yachting - I recall the test describing the boat as a bit tender. I can also recall some criticism of the 344. The Elan 333 was an exceptionally good boat in all respects. The 34 not quite as good. The interior finish on the Elan is partly a matter of personal preference. I think the current very modern treatment is eye-catching but has the appearance of being lower quality than it actually is. The X yachts is the best on your list, but twice the price of the others.

 

[Tranona]

Elan position themselves above Bavaria, pricewise and "performance" We looked seriously at a 344 a couple of years ago, and there were many good features such as the cockpit layout and level of kit. Good designer so will perform well. However, was less impressed with the cabin. Very cramped because of the huge loo and shower. Engine access poor, no proper chart table and rather dull finish. There is a sporty model with higher performance but from a quick look less room inside.

If you are buying new in this price range you are sort of stuck with IKEA interiors, except perhaps in a Dufour and you have to move up 30% or so in price to escape this - and even then many of the more expensive boats are following that style trend.

I think the mass produced boats of 5 years ago were "better" but probably because they fit my prejudice on style better. Every time I go back to my 2001 Bav 37 I wonder why I look at new boats - particularly as now the price gap is huge!

Good luck with your search.

 

[flaming]

The thing that is often forgotten about "ikea" interiors is how much weight they save over solid wood interiors. Yes if I was planning of living aboard a boat for very long periods of time a solid wood interior would be my choice, but for average crusing and club racing I'll take the weight saving and increase in performance please!

 

[Refueler]

[ QUOTE ]
The thing that is often forgotten about "ikea" interiors is how much weight they save over solid wood interiors. Yes if I was planning of living aboard a boat for very long periods of time a solid wood interior would be my choice, but for average crusing and club racing I'll take the weight saving and increase in performance please!

[/ QUOTE ]

And unless you really go up-market most of the well-known boats of today and recent - cut into the table or worktop and see what is really under the nice wood finish.

 

[Tranona]

Its not the weight - my Bavaria is mostly composite for doors and ply for bulkheads - it is the "style" and surface finish that I don't like. The latest Bavarias remind me of what I used to sell when I was a salesman at MFI 25 years ago! That stuff will date horribly.

 

[jonjo]

The trouble with high level discussion about the quality of yacht brands is that they all go through phases of poor quality and/or interior design aberration.

In your shoes I would buy a 5 year old Elan 333. Buying anything new in the economic climate will lead to months of high anxiety unless you can walk into an agent with a solicitor and buy a stock boat for cash.

 

[dunedin]

It is a lot to do with personal preferences, but I too would suggest good Elan 333 may be better than an Elan 34

PS I went the second hand route with an ELAN 362 - great boat and great interior

 

[Amphitrite]

Sailed both a 333 and a 40 and really loved both. Regarding quality, I would place them a lot higher than BenBavJen, but not as high as HR, Najad. They seem to pay a lot of attention to details, and when I had a look at the Elan's in Duesseldorf just yesterday this confirmed my views...

 

[cgull]

I chartered an Elan 333 in Cornwall 2008, very impressed. Then went on a 1yr old 34 Elan, it was falling apart! Looks like the old ones are better!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Looked at a small Elan at LIBS yesterday. Huge heads (relatively), vestigial chart table, indefinable air of tackiness, nothing looked quite right.

 

[johnphilip]

As an enthusiastic owner I am prejudiced towards the 333. Reading some of the other posts don't look at the 344 if you want performance. Elan do 2 separate ranges of boats, cruisers and racer/cruisers. The 344 is the cruiser and the 333 the latter.
Again it may be owners prejudice but I agree that the joinery on the 333 seems a lot less MFI than the newer 340 (that replaced the 333 and took the boat a step further towards the racing end of the spectrum) They are great sailing boats, in light airs they are sailing when many have resorted to the diesel. When it is windy they seem initially rather tender but in fact they thrive being driven hard to windward, not so comfortable but responsive, fast and fun to sail, the deep keel shows its value. Downwind they do require your concentration but not your brute force, compared to, for instance our old Fulmar they are far less work to hold on course, but you are on a performance boat and you cannot leave the helm unattended, although the autopilot seems to work fine except in extreme conditions. 333 is the way to go.