Attention: Fairline 32 Sedan Owners

willdouglas

willdouglas

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Joined
30 Jul 2007
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Thames, London
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Hi ybw-ers

I am considering purchasing a Fairline 32 Sedan with twin Volvo Penta TAMD 40B Diesels, for use on the Thames (tidal and non-tidal).

I would be hugely grateful for opinions on the good and bad points of this boat from owners past and present.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Will
 
Well having had one until two days ago (see earlier post) I can't recommend them enough.

Masses of space inside. Rock solid build, it just feels so solid and stable onboard. I can't speak for how it handles at sea being land locked. Storage onboard is fantastic. You really don't realize this quite so much until you try to clean it out!

Window frames and hatch can get a little leaky sometimes but just add a bit of silicon rubber - that does the trick.

If there is anything you would like to know - ask away!
 
Thanks very much for your swift reply Silverboy. I looked at your photos of the delivery of Sherbert Dip. She looks like a nice acquisition.

Do you mind me asking why you switched to a new boat from the Fairline?
 
Thanks

We really decided that we didn't need the space and wanted a more modern boat. Also we had twin V6 petrols which weren't the cheapest to run. Diesels will be fine though.

But don't let that put you off it's still a fantastic boat which we were sad to see go.
 
My parents owned one for about 22 years and I spent many happy weekends and holidays onboard. Ours was a 1977 boat with petrols - originally straight 6 VPs then re-engined with V8 VPs - The latter took her up to 35 knots (but very thirsty!). From memory, the diesel boats performed very well and tend to fetch at least £10k more than the petrol equivalents on the second hand market. Don't know any more about the TAMD40B's though.
Engine access was very good.
Our boat was retrimmed and windows/hatch re-sealed at the same time - they were all leaking beforehand!
Agree with the previous comment about storage - there is masses of it.
The Bennett hull has a very shallow draft and the high flybridge provides a lot of windage so can be blown around a bit when close quarter handling. Our boat was kept on the south coast of England and was a good sea boat.
The build quality is good but condition will obviously depend on how well it's been kept.
We particulary liked the dinette layout on our boat - the heads had two doors so could be accessed by the bow cabin and rest of the boat - great if you want to shut kids or guests away with a bit of privacy.
Is it a mark 1 or a mark 2 boat you are looking at?
Our boat was a mk 1 which has a smaller flybridge than the mk 2 - you could only really seat 3 at a push on the flybridge - visibility from the lower helm position was pretty good.
Exterior colour schemes varied on the mk 1 boats - ours had blue stripes with green tinted windows, there was also a brown stripe and brown tinted window option. The later mk1 and mk 2 boats were a little more conservative/modern.
Let me know if you have any more specific questions.
 
Hi
Had one about 20 years ago in brown/white..based at Brighton..With same engines..Lovely well balanced sea boat shame its for the Thames with fixed trim tabs it was a well balanced sea boat went straight on the plain to about 25ks
If its in good nik grab it
 
Thanks TeeToo and Sunwaves for your responses. I am encouraged by both of them. The space, stability and seaworthiness are appealing attributes. The vessel in question is a 1979 MK 1.
 
I have a mark 1 with the 130hp VP diesels. Had her for five years now, great boat. Echo the comments ref. leaking windows and hatches. Apart from that no major problems.
 
If this boat has outdrives,devote 90% of your checking out time to making sure they are in a useable working condition and have not been neglected.Especially the lift mechanism.
Will probably be 270 or 280 or even 280T model, fairly bullet proof if looked after but an expensive nightmare if not.If shafts ignore all above. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
The engines are loverly reliable and cheap to maintain old donkeys and should give you 1-2 gallons per hour at Thames speeds.
If shafts ignore all above. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
totally agree - had one some years ago and the outdrives drove me to despair - have them checked with a fine tooth comb by somebody who really knows outdrives. My 280 legs (i think the norm) cost me a fortune to put right. the only part of your statement I wouldn't hold with, is that they are bomb proof if not neglected. I had mine professionally serviced and they still let me down again and again especially kick up latches.
after this boat I vowed never to own a boat with legs EVER again. Maybe OK on a new boat but 1977 example will cause grief check and check again. real shame because they are bloody good boats otherwise.
 
Cheers Big-Al, oldgit and blueglass for your informative comments. What a friendly and helpful lot you are!

Could I dig deeper in to the outdrive issues raised?

Our survey says the same about each outdrive - mostly positive.... "The outdrive is a Volvo Penta duo prop. The three and four bladed propellors are in good condition. The propellor is secured by locking cone. The propellors were spun by hand and no undue bearing noise was evident. The outdrive oil is clean. The gaiters are still serviceable. The trim tabs function correctly."

However, on the port outdrive report the surveyor adds "The outdrive raised and lowered a little relunctantly."

Should we be worried that this outdrive raised and lowered a little reluctantly?

Or are there other more specific things to look out for. Perhaps you could let me know what are the problems you chaps/chappesses experienced with outdrives? And blueglass, do you mind letting me know how much you spent fixing the problem?

Your comments are most appreciated.
 
The only problem we had with the outdrives was that a rubber bellow needed replaced but both were done under the warranty we got. Apart from that they were totally reliable.
 
Great ans spacious boats ... a bit high windage I'd agree to ...even with the Phantom version (which I have experience from).

A bit hard in sea against you at speed, but with powertrim you can force the bow down a fair bit.... but then again on a river that should not be a problem.

Drive lifting reluctantly can be lack of hydraulic oil, pump, or leakage... would have done some more investigation here perhaps. Those Engines was not std in 1977, as that was the end of the dreaded MD 32 era and beginning of the AQD40's with 280 drives (not duo-props).... so at some stage she must have been re-engined. With the 40B's you'd be pottering around a fair bit and I'd consider "hotter" thermostats to make the engines run warmer and better on the low RPM's you'll be using. She is engined for coastal runs, so suspect she was used in salt water, so you'd probably have to change the anodes for predomenantly use in fresh water.

Anyway if well kept, great boat with loads of space and reliable engines!
 
Thanks for the advice Divemaster 1 (and for your ongoing help Siver_boy). She has indeed been re-engined. You're comments on "hotter thermostats" are especially interesting and we'll investigate both that and the outdrive further.

Novice query alert: Regarding anodes - -if the boat is berthed on the Tidal Thames at West London which anodes are most suitable?
 
A pleasure...

Someone else have to answer the anode question, as I do not know the salinity levels in the Thames where you'd be ... your marina or boatyard should be able of advising you on that...
 
Oh, and also make sure the hydraulic steering is okay. Ours leaked a bit and became a bit vague but it's easily topped up - I have a manual for it that I can e-mail if required.
 
First of all can I say your survey report on the legs is far too superficial - you need a much closer inspection.
main problem with our outdrives was the kick up latch ( if I remember the correct name - I am going back 12 years or more) which are notoriously fickle. the idea is that if you hit an underwater obstruction the drives kick up to minimise damage. so, to go astern a latch is meant to engage to hold the leg down, otherwise they simply kick up into the air with reverse propulsion. Ours kicked up immediately so going astern was impossible - do check this. To fix it and get the legs serviced cost well over £1,000 even 12 years ago. 6months later they were kicking up again. I met several owners around this time that got so fed up with this problem they had the legs bolted down and would take their chance on hitting something in the water. Sounded like a good way to get a big hole in the boat to me.
Hope you can get round this because otherwise we liked the boat a lot. Difficult to handle in the wind at close quarters and the morse linkage from throttles is a but vague but you learn to compensate.
Good luck, dave
 
Problems with outdrives 1-999 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Bellows split letting water into leg knackering U/J and then bearings in transom shield. Boat out of water engine out AND leg off.£1K
Oil seals for propshaft AND gearshift shaft wear and leak.Water in leg if caught in time ...Boat out of water and replace seals and change oil.£ 650.00
Rams corrode and leak,Oil out water in ....Boat out of water etc etc etc
Rams,worst case x 8,lets call it £2.5k + labour just hope the pumps are not shagged as well.
Props hitting bottom(Thames bit shallow see).Keep Steeldevelopments on speedial or like me have spare set of props) £100 PA.
Any body fancy care to take me on at a prop change competition.Betcha 50p I can raise the leg ,swap my prop, and be back underway,in under 10mins.............Grrrr
 
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