Birchwood 370 Commando

YBW reviewed one in 1999, I am sure you can download a review which may help. Never known anyone actually own one though. Interior redesigned in 2004, although the hull looks very similar to the TS37 and 37 Supersport which were well thought of in their day! Maybe the hulls are a little dated now?

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Yeah, got the PDF of the review (5 pages) and they seem to rate it. Think the interior rdsign was fabrics and woods rather than layout. hink it is based on an earlier hull, but not sure.

Wanted to get a feel for anyone who has driven one. Allways quite liked them but then I do go for odd ball boats /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Lot of Boat for the money....but do not seem to sell fast anywhere Uk or Europe. I can not remember anyone having owned one on here when they have been discussed before. maybe you can flush someone out! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Some more details Here
 
There's "oddball" and there's "challenging" styling. I still can't get to like the concave hull sides combined with the oversize teardrop windows, but it is a lot of fibreglass for not too much money.

£70-75K ???

dv.
 
Presume you're looking at the one on Boatshed. I actually quite like it, though would want to see it in the GRP to be sure on the styling front. Looks like a good clean boat to me and well presented for sale. I reckon about £75-80k would make it a good buy. In fact, it it had an HT I'd be tempted myself.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
OK,

A 1999 I would expect to go for near £70k....as most owners will have had them for sale for a long time. Remember what you did with the Bav, buy it at the right price and sell it at the right price. I may go up to £75k if it was clean...

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Cant help you on what the boat handles like but there seems to be an awful lot of boat for the money,and a nice finish inside,if its the one im thinking of it has been up for sale for a few months so £70k to £75k would probably get this,theres only about 3/4 for sale and the prices seem to jump,
good luck

ash
 
Hi Mark,

No, you actually really sold me on the S37 - I really liked it a lot. That boat is still on the list, but I am just looking around at options as well. its all about the deal, and as it looks like I might now be buying on my todd there is the possibility of a PX deal on the Birchwood so i cant ignor it.

Thanks for the values Paul and DV - its about what I thought.
 
Not sure that the Commando was based on the TS37 hull which was a semi-d hull. I sea trialled one once and I thought it was dreadful; quite a handful in a following sea and throwing spray all over the boat in a head sea. AFAIK, the Commando has a full planing hull capable of 30kts or so which the TS37 would never have got near
Whatever possesed Birchwood to call it the Commando anyway? It's no wonder they went bust
 
Blimey, I stand corrected. The one I trialled struggled to get 20kts. AFAIK, the TS37 hull has quite a large keel so I guess it must be planing on it's keel at 30kts /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
This is actualy a very good boat, there are quite a few here on the Thames where the Birchwood badge is a bit more respected. Styling not a plus sort of distorted Targa 37 but its different and not following the herd, hull is definately not the TS37 and is a fully planing sterndrive hull with no keel, TS37 was SD hull with keel and shafts.
Have seen them advertised on the river for £65K which is a bargain for what you get.
 
I own a Birchwood 370 (2004 with KAD300's)

I bought mine just over a year ago and have been very happy with her. I looked at many types of boats before buying including Sealine S37's, Targa 37's, Cranchi 37's as well as smaller boats like Sealine S34's, Targa 34's, Cranchi zaffiro 34's and Gobbi 345's. I also chartered a Sealine S38,
F42/5 and an F37 so I had a pretty good idea of what was about and how much to pay.

I decided to buy the Birchwood for several reasons;
1) I really like the styling, see picture below and see for yourself (each to his own I suppose) but I think she's lovely.
2) For the price of a 10 year old S37 or T37 I could get a 2004 Boat. Mine was mint condition with a good spec.
3) They are rare (I like having the only boat like mine in the marina) she always gets noticed where ever we go and most people say very positive things when they have a look see!!

She's a 40knot boat although I'm happier at 25knots. Birchwoods are generally acknowledged to be good sea keeping boats and the 370 is no exception. I had heard rumours (before I bought her) that some later Birchwoods suffered from build quality issues. With this in mind I had Jim Pritchard (of Motor boat and yachting) survey my boat. He had not surveyed a 370 before and was very impressed with the build quality and construction.

From a day to day living with the boat angle; these are my plus points
1) easy engine access and good room in the engine bay to do those important checks
2) great sociable cockpit and u shape seating (I've had 10 people around mine)
3) good fender storage (two cupboards either side of the bathing platform)
4) Covers are easy to take off and put on
5) good protection from the elements due to the tear shape windows (very contempory; look at the targa 38 and monte carlo 37 with the same window style)
6) good accomodation (saloon and aft cabin particularly)
7) Good storage at the helm for sun glasses, binoculars, hand held compass etc
8) good size chart table (helm position)
9) I love the wrap around dash with all dials and gauges easy to read.

As you can see I'm a fan of the 370, I'm not saying she's any better than a lot of other boats out there but for me she ticked all the boxes. They are good boats from a generally respected stable, the fact that Birchwood are no longer around means that you get a lot of boat for your money.
Oh! and one last thing..SWMBO who visited and chartered many boats with me took about 20 seconds from first stepping on board to decide this was the boat for us...and she's very fussy believe me /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Cheers
Terry



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