Birchwood 33. Pros and cons please

[captaincobby]

I’m looking at aft cabin cruisers and think a Birchwood 33 ticks most boxes for my plans

Mainly used in Uk but want to try French canals eventually.

Want an aft cabin as will have occasional guests

Outside seating area

This will be my first river/ coastal cruiser in the Uk so hoping for advice on what to look for ( I’ve read all Birchwood window leak!!!! )

If you are selling please let me know

Thanks

 

[Seastoke]

Will a birch wood fit down French canals.

 

[Momac]

Will a birch wood fit down French canals.

Whether it will fit down all French canals I wouldn't know . Probably not.
But I do know the boat pictured below which is a Birchwood TS37 has, relatively recently, travelled from the UK through the French waterways to the Med and is now in Malta

 

[captaincobby]

Will a birch wood fit down French canals.

I’m unsure about which ones but I’m sure it will fit through enough to tour

 

[kashurst]

There is/was a Birchwood 33 in Torrevieja marina that sailed from Goole UK to Spain via the French canals.

 

[oldgit]

I’m looking at aft cabin cruisers and think a Birchwood 33 ticks most boxes for my plans

Mainly used in Uk but want to try French canals eventually.

This will be my first river/ coastal cruiser in the Uk so hoping for advice on what to look for ( I’ve read all Birchwood window leak!!!! )



Thanks

Some thoughts.
Boat typical of the period , your main concern should be, as for any boat of that age, how has it been looked after by the present seller and previous owners.
The first owners will have probably thrown money at it like no tomorrow but after that its usually down hill all the way.
Its called deferred mantainence, vital regular and expensive servicing is either scimped or not done at all leaving latent problems for the next unwary buyer.
Simple lack of use is probably the biggest threat to any boat and Covid has compounded this. Many boats did not move during Covid and many have not moved since, these boats are now appearing on the market, some still sporting some very very optimistic Covid pricing.
Personal opinion, anything for sale in a non tidal freshwater location requires more care than in a boat for sale in tidal coastal location.
The fact that you will not be drifting to a river bank but calling the Lifeboat can concentrate minds wonderfully when it comes to changing fuel/oil filters etc.

The Birchwood is more than capable of fullfilling your requirements but you need find a goodun . Within this class of boat the Broom is considered a very well built boat, prices reflect this and the Princess or Fairline of the period is alleged to have better seakeeping.
What engines.
Need to ensure that the engines are not only 100% working but can you still get spares, not talking about sundries but things like heat exchangers ?
Get somebody to look at your prospective purchase who knows what they are looking at.
Some old hands might suggest that the use of the nose on opening the cabin door will speak volumes, a reek of damp or diesel should ring alarm bells.
Diesel should be in a tank not marianated in the upholstery or stored in the bilges.
Err think thats about it , good luck.

 

[ianc1200]

Re the blue TS 37 above there are some really great YouTube video's the owner has done on his trip through the French Canals - search YouTube "Stephen J Payne". I started looking at Birchwood 33's (and started a thread regarding re-engining a B33 with smaller engines on this forum in the Spring), there were several for sale on-line. On the Birchwood FB group one owner of a 33 had modified the wheelhouse to drop and get under Osney Bridge at Oxford, with it's 7' 6" clearance. There was one B33 in it appeared very good condition, for sale at 44k, but even then I couldn't get a response from the brokers. One was on Ebay and it appeared couldn't be sold for 16k, very tatty but had been to Paris and was kitted out for continental cruising. Several of the B33's for sale had Ford Dorset 6 cyl diesels, which many told me spares would never be a problem. Ultimately I upped my requirements, looked at two TS37's (both were top quality, but too high to climb up on) but bought an Aquastar 38. I'm sure a B33 wouldn't have too many problems on the main French canals re bridge heights.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Friend had one for a while…..he enjoyed his….no major dramas with it.
Make sure it’s a factory one as a lot were finished by other yards or DIY’ed and aren’t as well fitted out.
He had Ford 120hp six cylinders which suited the boat and more importantly sounded lovely!
As you mention windows leak plus wheelhouse roof sunroof had issues with leaks and turned the balsa core in the roof to mush….wasn’t the end of the world to sort.
Check fuel tanks….his were very rusty and should have been replaced….did read somewhere but cannot find it anymore that they are removable without moving the engines but don’t take that as gospel and certainly check them.
Nothing else comes to mind.

Disagree with post 6 about location….friend went all over looking for one and ended up with one that had been river based…..looked at some right dogs on the coast….

Last one that I know of that sold was a factory boat with fords plus very good gelcoat went for 17k so you should be in that ballpark for one.

I’ve seen a few for sale over the years in France so you’d probably be ok.
Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Dino]

Stephen Paynes YouTube channel is Jaywalking the World. Very good watch.
Have a look at some Broom Continentals, Ocean 37’s and Crowns to compare the living space. They are great boats for semi-liveaboard.

 

[Alicatt]

Stephen Paynes YouTube channel is Jaywalking the World. Very good watch.
Have a look at some Broom Continentals, Ocean 37’s and Crowns to compare the living space. They are great boats for semi-liveaboard.

Having the Ocean 37 and spent a few weeks on board living and working on her, not that she needed much done, it is a very comfortable boat to be on, our only complaint is the lack of a double bed in the aft cabin.
From @oldgit 's book "25 Years of Motor Cruisers" and how that translates into reality

 

[ianc1200]

If I hadn't of found a suitable Aquastar, I was going to go for a Broom Crown. The aft cabin on the Crown, with it's full height, & separate shower and wc compartments, was much better than the AQ38. But it didn't have the forward dinette and galley my wife wanted, and it is high to get onto (but better than the Birchwood TS 37). Plus friends who have a Crown said only get one with Volvo's, not Perkins 6354's, none of which were on the market. Ultimately that has to be a very important consideration - engine spares availability & cost. This guy from Canvey Island does a good around of a Crown, with the Perkins, which he said he had rebuilt by Perkins at an eyewatering cost.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Broom’s are good boats but the old ones have a major flaw….
It’ll be the OP’s first UK boat and some of you want to saddle him with a laid over Perkins boat…….
Most if not all experts say you must go into it with your eyes completely open and budget for re powering.

 

[Alicatt]

Broom’s are good boats but the old ones have a major flaw….
It’ll be the OP’s first UK boat and some of you want to saddle him with a laid over Perkins boat…….
Most if not all experts say you must go into it with your eyes completely open and budget for re powering.

Yeah the engines are getting a bit long in the tooth now, mine has averaged about 100hours per year at around the 4000 hour mark many have done more some have done less, but they are old and smokey, as per the video above... £24k to get the two engines refurbished is a bit eyewatering

 

[oldgit]

£24k to get the two engines refurbished is a bit eyewatering

A well known poster, on our club, moorings had a couple of brand new Nanni`s fitted to a Broom for not that much more money .

 

[Alicatt]

A well known poster, on our club, moorings had a couple of brand new Nanni`s fitted to a Broom for not that much more money .

So I've read in the Broom Owners Club, there have been a few conversions using Nanni and Yanmar engines

 

[ianc1200]

The Aquastar 38 we bought has twin Cummins 6BTA 250hp. For interest I checked how much a pair of these, refurbished by Cummins were - I found an advert for $66k without gearboxes refurbed by Cummins......

 

[Flynnbarr]

A well known poster, on our club, moorings had a couple of brand new Nanni`s fitted to a Broom for not that much more money .

……

That was a fair few years ago…..8-10?…..post covid prices of engines/gearboxes/labour are eye watering.
Price a couple up with the labour and get back to us on that one please !

Alicatt…..don’t abuse your engines and they’ll hopefully go on forever….they used to say you couldn’t kill a Perkins plus they do have a lovely burble to them

 

[ianc1200]

Price a couple up with the labour and get back to us on that one please

Would love to know! I did look at engine costs only for six cylinder about 150hp Beta's (non RCA use only) and Vetus Deutz - about 20 - 22k each incl VAT.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Would love to know! I did look at engine costs only for six cylinder about 150hp Beta's (non RCA use only) and Vetus Deutz - about 20 - 22k each incl VAT.

Engines only…..
2 x 6 cylinder 220hp
2019- 36k inc
2023-62k inc.

 

[Alicatt]

……

That was a fair few years ago…..8-10?…..post covid prices of engines/gearboxes/labour are eye watering.
Price a couple up with the labour and get back to us on that one please !

Alicatt…..don’t abuse your engines and they’ll hopefully go on forever….they used to say you couldn’t kill a Perkins plus they do have a lovely burble to them

Oh they sound great, even at idle, so meaty