Birchwood 33 Registered 1978

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Jennyc

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We are thinking of buying a Birchwood 33 (Reg 78) At present we have a motor sailing boat (Westerly Berwick 31) Does anyone out there have a Birchwood 33 and if so would be grateful to hear if there are any pros and cons to owning this type of boat. Also if anyone is looking for a Westerly let me know - she is well loved and looked after but just too much for me to sail (tacking is the problem my arms just can't take it)
 
I have owned 2 Birchwood boats in 20 years of boating. My current boat is a Birchwood 37 and is a very good boat.

Birchwood boats have gone through I believe 3 different owners and each time have gone bust! This has not helped with their reputation however, When the Birchwood 33s were built they were built by the original Birchwood company who in my opinion were building good boats. The 33 still has a good following and is a good solid river and coastal boat and there are many fine examples. I would get it surveyed before buying but I would expect it to have a pretty reasonable report if the boat has been well cared for.

Hope this helps, Good luck

Barry
 
Birchwood 33

I had a 33 gt a few years ago, comfortable boat and good at sea. I found the sides to be quite high for inland moorings.
Cant comment on the factory fit out as I did mine from a kit, but they do suffer from the pox so get a good surveyor.
 
Birchwood built about 600 Birchwood 33s. Less than one third were fitted out by the factory, the rest were completed by other yards or their first owners.

Twin Ford diesels on shafts are the most common engines (although mine has two BMC 2.5 diesels on shaft).

Some boats have a large forward deck with an escape hatch, others have the cabin windscreen further forward and the centre pane opens to serve as an exit.

I have yet to see two Birchwood 33s with the same spec!

As others have said, get the boat surveyed and get someone to check out engines, gearboxes, shafts, p-brackets and cutlass bearings.


They are very comfortable boats, very roomy and handle very well.

Good luck!
 
Jennyc said:
We are thinking of buying a Birchwood 33 (Reg 78) At present we have a motor sailing boat (Westerly Berwick 31) Does anyone out there have a Birchwood 33 and if so would be grateful to hear if there are any pros and cons to owning this type of boat. Also if anyone is looking for a Westerly let me know - she is well loved and looked after but just too much for me to sail (tacking is the problem my arms just can't take it)
Click to expand...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Birchwood-33-...ewItemQQptZUK_Power_Boats?hash=item2c5155df05
 
hi i know of a birchwood 33gt soft top ie the hard top roof has been removed and a full canopy fitted, the windscreen also fold down flat for sale in hertfordshire if you are interested, i belive it is priced at around 25 thousand, and appears to be a well cared for boat, it has two 8o hp ford engines and is ready to go, the owner is selling due to illness, i can get his phone number if you wish to view the boat, alternativly i have a 1973 halmatic weymouth nelson for sale, she is 33ft 10 long by 10ft 10 wide, two 120 hp leyland engines, first class sea boat built to lloyds comercial spec, four berth aft cockpit boat offers over 52k invited, and the boat is in gillingham in the medway
 
JennyC, just a thought re your Westerly - you mentioned that "she is well loved and looked after but just too much for me to sail (tacking is the problem my arms just can't take it)"

Tacking, especially short tacking will wear out just about anybody! :)
Have you considered installing a pair of electric sheet winches in the cockpit for the headsail?
 
We have had 2 birchwoods a 33 and 35 both on similar hull our first one The 33 was not factory fit best avoided and also had engines that were to small, if using on the coast buy one that’s got 120 fords as a minimum with that it will plane and do15/16 knots with the correct propellers on , Please buy factory fit boat some of the other ones are put together very poorly, I can tell petty instantly if it’s factory fit I’m bit of an anorak, we spent 5 years trying to make ours look factory fit so know bit about them ,If you want to pm me some photos I could prob tell if it’s factory fit , there great boat both inland with low side deck so quite easy to get on and off , and great sea boat I actually miss the 35 that had 150hp fords and went really well
 
This guy has refurbed a 33 and then headed cruising to France Toby Budd
I think PBO magazine did a feature on the refurb.
I always remember being on holidays in Cannes and a Birchwood 33 cruised past the beach. It turned out it was owned by an Irish guy who kept it inland.
 
Burning question, I, trying to figure out if my 1979 Birchwood 33 Perkins 4,236 has isolated earth or not. Seems to matter with senders and other items. Any information would be great.
 
I’ve got a soft spot for them. My Dad owned and cherished one called Helena with twin 4236 Perkins that sounded quite meaty for their modest 80hp a side. Think she’s back on the market though not as loved as she was.
 
We looked at one probably 20 years ago, Martini Dry, looked a lovely boat, we only pulled out as the boatyard were acting the complete A*se.
 
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