Best place to see used cruisers

Paulg25

Paulg25

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Hi All
I'm in the market for a used cruiser. Available funds mean it will be old! I'm looking for something with liveaboard potential but suitable for the occasional coastal trip. Went to look at a Princess 33 but too small (also a wreck!|) so decided to look for bigger. Went to see a Moonraker 36 which was better but had been neglected for too long. Have seen pictures or Birchwoods and Brooms on line and these would appear to be more like what I think I am looking for. The thing is, there are so many different cruisers out there I could spend months going all over looking at them.
Is there a Marina full of boats for sale where I can them all in the same place. Or is this, as I suspect, wishful thinking!! :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Hi welcome to the forum , well you will have to travel, have you looked on Apollo duck , it always helps if you have a budget for people to help you , where are you based , also you will get a better boat if it is petrol engines as they don't sell well but are good to live aboard and occasional use .
 
Paulg25 said:
Hi All
I'm in the market for a used cruiser. Available funds mean it will be old! I'm looking for something with liveaboard potential but suitable for the occasional coastal trip. Went to look at a Princess 33 but too small (also a wreck!|) so decided to look for bigger. Went to see a Moonraker 36 which was better but had been neglected for too long. Have seen pictures or Birchwoods and Brooms on line and these would appear to be more like what I think I am looking for. :
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Is this any good ?
https://www.farndonmarina.co.uk/bro...7-fairline-40-ocean-challenger-farndon-marina
Price in budget?
Enough space?
I dont think you are going to find multiple boats for sale I one place that meet your needs.
 
Paulg25 said:
Hi All
I'm in the market for a used cruiser. Available funds mean it will be old! I'm looking for something with liveaboard potential but suitable for the occasional coastal trip. Went to look at a Princess 33 but too small (also a wreck!|) so decided to look for bigger. Went to see a Moonraker 36 which was better but had been neglected for too long. Have seen pictures or Birchwoods and Brooms on line and these would appear to be more like what I think I am looking for. The thing is, there are so many different cruisers out there I could spend months going all over looking at them.
Is there a Marina full of boats for sale where I can them all in the same place. Or is this, as I suspect, wishful thinking!! :rolleyes::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Hi,
I had the same dilema, just buy a ticket to Nice and rent a car. In the south of France, the marinas are open and there is EVERY boat brand, model and age. There is nothing like seing them live. I did that and it was really worth the money!
See you
 
rafiki_ said:
You will be best looking on he Thames or Norfolk Broads.
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+1
The Thames valley is an ideal area to see a lot of boats in very small area. Many marinas in close proximity and you will discover just about every flavour of boat on the market today.
Download the brokers lists and narrow down what you can afford, seriously doubt you actually know what you want until you go and look, finding out what you need does not become apparent until much much later.
If you do find the boat of your dreams while searching on the Thames, bear in mind you could almost certainly find a similar boat cheaper elsewhere.
Older boats in general. You are probably going to need to be doing a lot of work yourself, buying in help can quickly make your pride and joy little more than an expensive hole "in the water".
Personally think that the condition of the mechanicals is 80% of a boats worth, hull/interior and electrics making up the other 20%.
One word of warning, agreed, some owners do sell their boats in order to buy another one, the other 100% are getting rid because they are fed up with spending money on the blimming thing. Caveat Emptor. :)
Marinas and yards are chock full of old boats quietly racking up bills.
Unlike a newer and perhaps popular boat where a 5 or 10% off offer might be rejected, an offer of 50% or less on the asking price of an neglected tub just might result in a purchase.

" WOULD MAKE AN IDEAL LIVE ABOARD"

Translated ...this boat is to big and to old to actually go anywhere so we are desperately trying to get if off our books anyway we can, we are also failing to mention it will be almost impossible to find anywhere that will allow you to live on this !

Me a cynic ?
 
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We have just bought a Princess 415 from the Norfolk Broads as a cruiser and liveaboard from next year...like others have said you have to do lot of research reading and internet trawling and be prepared to travel. One thing you can do when you find what looks like a possibility is find a more local boat of the same model, but maybe not as good and go and see it just to check out the physical size in and out for yourself. We did that and it really helped to narrow down our target.
Best of luck.....
 
Offshore57 said:
We have just bought a Princess 415 from the Norfolk Broads as a cruiser and liveaboard from next year...like others have said you have to do lot of research reading and internet trawling and be prepared to travel. One thing you can do when you find what looks like a possibility is find a more local boat of the same model, but maybe not as good and go and see it just to check out the physical size in and out for yourself. We did that and it really helped to narrow down our target.
Best of luck.....
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Like buying online, go to inspect the goods in the shop round the corner ...then buy elsewhere.

Ps. Know where is a Turbo 36 available at very good price with 99% of the interminable list of Turbo 36 horrid jobs done, Sternglands etc...... but if I hint to anyone the boats available , the owners wife will kill me. :)
 
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oldgit said:
+1
The Thames valley is an ideal area to see a lot of boats in very small area. Many marinas in close proximity and you will discover just about every flavour of boat on the market today.
Download the brokers lists and narrow down what you can afford, seriously doubt you actually know what you want until you go and look, finding out what you need does not become apparent until much much later.
If you do find the boat of your dreams while searching on the Thames, bear in mind you could almost certainly find a similar boat cheaper elsewhere.
Older boats in general. You are probably going to need to be doing a lot of work yourself, buying in help can quickly make your pride and joy little more than an expensive hole "in the water".
Personally think that the condition of the mechanicals is 80% of a boats worth, hull/interior and electrics making up the other 20%.
One word of warning, agreed, some owners do sell their boats in order to buy another one, the other 100% are getting rid because they are fed up with spending money on the blimming thing. Caveat Emptor. :)
Marinas and yards are chock full of old boats quietly racking up bills.
Unlike a newer and perhaps popular boat where a 5 or 10% off offer might be rejected, an offer of 50% or less on the asking price of an neglected tub just might result in a purchase.

" WOULD MAKE AN IDEAL LIVE ABOARD"

Translated ...this boat is to big and to old to actually go anywhere so we are desperately trying to get if off our books anyway we can, we are also failing to mention it will be almost impossible to find anywhere that will allow you to live on this !

Me a cynic ?
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It would seem that all you say here is quite true, especially the last bit. :).

The last boat I looked at was indeed offered at 50% of asking price after I walked away.

It would seem that I have a number of problems:

As you say, I don't know what exists until I see it. (just came across a Halmatic 36).
I think I need to avoid Perkins 6.354 engines.
My budget is not big (30K absolute max).

Don't mind doing work but marine engine spares appear cost as much as my car!

PS. A level of cynicism seems to be something we all nurture as we go through life.
 
Boats.co.uk have boats of all ages etc on their site in Essex.

they are shore based, clean and usually priced at about the level they will sell at.

Its a decent place to see a lot of boats in a short time.

Bear in mind thames boats will have done 5 knots for years and years and doing a "sea trial" has its challenges. River based boats are often under maintained ( there is little consequence if it goes wrong - you just drift to the river bank) and you can expect a heap of bills.
 
jrudge said:
Boats.co.uk have boats of all ages etc on their site in Essex.

they are shore based, clean and usually priced at about the level they will sell at.

Its a decent place to see a lot of boats in a short time.

Bear in mind thames boats will have done 5 knots for years and years and doing a "sea trial" has its challenges. River based boats are often under maintained ( there is little consequence if it goes wrong - you just drift to the river bank) and you can expect a heap of bills.
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I would agree with the comment about Boats.co.uk, although it is worth checking online to see if they have anything in your price bracket first.

As already said the Thames is also a good place to look but from experience don’t expect boats to be in particulary good order. Every time we have been down to look at a boat there I end up saying to SWMBO that it was, again, a triumph of optimism over experience. Not to say that there arent good boats there but there are often better to be found elsewhere.
 
Having been a customer and purchased a boat in the dim and distant days when they were Essex Boatyards LTD, very much doubt our prospective buyer will find anything in his price range in there, unless he finds another 3 noughts down the back of the settee.
Good idea to stay away from anything 6.354, if a boat with Volvos/Fords or later upright Perkins available.
That Corniche even if bit of squeeze inside (OK for two) is a well built, tought solid old tub with engine and gearbox spares readily/cheaply available.
Lots around, really need the dinette version for space. Probably got the 41A, a bit smoky, brokers normally will mention if later 41B engines , slightly less smokey.:)
Good for both non tidal and offshore cruising. Difficult to think of anything that would give more value and those replaced stainless fuel tanks have cost somebody a serious shed load of money.Think it would have been engines out job. ?
Appears to have had replacement turbo and sporting a bowthruster.
Avoid outdrives if you value your sanity on boat this age.
 
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Enquired about a Halmatic 36 via email. There were no pictures of the inside and just said engines were Ford Sabre diesels and untested. I requested more pictures and more details.
This was the response

"Thank you for your enquiry.
Halmatic build heavy duty GRP boats for life boats, ministry of defence and leisure craft.
The boat has been partially refitted. You are welcome to view Monday to Friday."

!!!!!!!!!!

I guess they don't want to sell it. Not even open at the weekend!!!!!!!
 
jrudge said:
. River based boats are often under maintained ( there is little consequence if it goes wrong - you just drift to the river bank) and you can expect a heap of bills.
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Not necessarily.

Many are very well maintained.
Absence of corrosion in a fresh water may be an asset.

Nor is drifting with no power necessarily benign.
 
Paulg25 said:
Enquired about a Halmatic 36 via email. There were no pictures of the inside and just said engines were Ford Sabre diesels and untested. I requested more pictures and more details.
This was the response

"Thank you for your enquiry.
Halmatic build heavy duty GRP boats for life boats, ministry of defence and leisure craft.
The boat has been partially refitted. You are welcome to view Monday to Friday."

!!!!!!!!!!

I guess they don't want to sell it. Not even open at the weekend!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Almost certainly an ex workboat of some description and commercial owners tend to want to get the last farthings worth of value out of them. Usually with the "No comfort at all " fit out. Ex hire boats are also usually shagged.
Something to watch for..... "partially refitted". Somebody with no money and less expertise has ripped out half the boat leaving a semi derelict shell before finally giving up. It will be needing twice as much work/money to get it going again.
Usually only able to be viewed by lifting up a rain soaked tarpauling in the far corner of a boatyard.
The boatyard will be trying to extract 2 years back rent from the owner.
Can see at least 3 examples from my front door.
 
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Depending on what/where you are looking, there are some interesting ones around if you go wider afield ..

https://www.boatshop24.com/en/guy-couach-1200/Motorboat/1202744

Also, for the older boats, there will be marinised industrial engines around ... such as the bigger and heavier CAT's and Detroits :) , which for a mainly liveaboard is not really a big deal as you are un-likely to head for the 30 knot barrier anyway ... but parts for these should be easier / cheaper to obtain ... (I should know :) )

If liveaboard is the key, and intend to cook onboard, do pay attention to that all important galley, space for a large gas bottle etc. ... not that many boats have more than 2 burner hobs ...
 
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