Birchwood 400 - is this a rebranded boat or an original Birchwood mould?

[Adamac]

For a 20 year old boat, is there anything else like it out there (for the money)?

I am a complete newbie to the powerboat scene - or at least as far as owning my own - and have been looking for a 36 to 42 ft boat with 2 good cabins, an optional 5th/6th berth, good size saloon, and a flybridge.

It seams to me that for around 80k to 95k the birchwood 400 (circa 18 to 22 years old) is in a class of its own...

I can’t appear to find anything with such a good design for the price!
Aft master cabin, dinette AND saloon area (both converting to extra double beds), diving platform with proper moulded stairs up to sun deck/flybridge...

Anything else in this class seams to be 150k minimum...

The problem is that there aren’t many of them out there!!

Is one of the “Re-branded” boats I’ve read that Birchwood did ? If so, what I’d the original make?
Anything else out there about 20 years old for under 90/95k?

 

[Whitelighter]

Nope it’s a genuine birch wood.

The rebranded boats are much more recent - late 2000s on after the original company finally went bust for the last time.
They are decent boats - you can get an early F43 (search 390 and 410 to find them) for under £100k.

You might also like the sea line 450 which is a big F43. Again these are under £100k

 

[Adamac]

Hi Whitelighter,
Thanks! I’ve read in a lot of forums people saying that birchwood aren’t very good with one chap saying “I’ve seen some holed by a box of tomatoes”... are these unfair you think? I mean, is there a known problem with the strength of their hulls?
Thanks again!

 

[Whitelighter]

youll lern quickly on here the following:

Everyone has the best boat
Asking someone if their boat is good is like asking a bloke if his girlfriend is good looking. What do you expect him to say
'Seakeeping' is a very undefined trait that some boats have and some don't, depending on the marketing blurb of the company who made it (or the perception of the brand)
Everyone should have an Itama

Honestly, if the boat has been floating since 1999/2000 its not luck is it? One plastic boat is pretty much like another. Some brands are easier to sell so command higher prices but if you buy right then you wont go far wrong. My best advice is buy the boat that's right for you, not to please a load of internet strangers

 

[rafiki_]

I have always liked Birchwoods. Their styling is a bit quirky but packaging good, like a Sealine. Aft cabin boats a speciality.

 

[Andy Cox]

I noticed a TS54 for sale earlier. I quite like the styling and it does seem to offer quite a lot for the price which I think was about £120k.

I have fond memories as a youngster going on family holidays on the Caledonian Canal and chartering a new Birchwood TS37. I guess I have bit of a soft spot for the brand.

Andy

 

[Adamac]

Hahaha!!!!
I like your style!!! Thank you for the straight talking!

 

[Switch]

I owned a 2004 Birchwood 370 with KAD300's for a couple of years. I found the build quality and fittings first class. I only sold it as i wanted something a bit bigger.