Boat choice

[ShirleyKnot]

Hello everybody! I hope you might be able to help us: we're returning to boating after a few years out, and could do with some advice.

We are looking for a comfortable diesel cruiser with reasonable accomodation for the two of us (and occasionally the kids, but usually only when they are after something!), probably around 35-40 feet.

We'd like something reasonably up to date: our last boat was a very early Phantom 37, and before that we had a late 70's Princess 33, so we're not totally inexperienced, but we've not been 'on the scene' for about 5 years.

Any ideas what we should look at? Thanks in advance.

Shirley
xxx

 

[Tony7]

Nothing wrong with your last choice, why not get a newer up to spec Phantom? were you happy with the last one? things have got even better since then.

 

[whisper]

Hello and welcome. Can you give us an idea what sort of price range you are thinking about as that will have a major bearing on the boats that would be available ?

 

[ShirleyKnot]

Thanks for that. Sorry, I should have said about budgets. Himself has got all gung ho about it, but I'm trying to rein in his enthusiasm a little.

We looked at another Fairline, but they start with the Phantom 40 now, and at over £300,000 new, it is a little rich for us. I don't think we want to spend more than £200,000 if we can help it. I guess we could look at the Phantom 38, but my impression was it was a little boxy. What else is out there that is under 40'?

Also, I just read the review of the Princess in Motorboat Monthly - we plan to do a lot of cruising and I couldn't believe they could build a boat where the compass goes mad when you turn the lights on. Are other Princesses this badly designed? I don't recall our 33 was perfect, but at least it was seaworthy!

Shirley
xxx

 

[goochie]

Do you want a flybridge? If not then look closely at the Scandinavian boats - they seem well suited to our waters and very comfortable. The bigger nimbus in particular. Out of our price range I'm afraid, but for 200 you'd get a very nice one.

 

[jimg]

You mean like this?

[image]http://www.nimbus.se/Resource/Templates/.adimg?i=2825&v=Large[/image]

 

[jimg]

Why did that not work then?

 

[rickp]

Unfortunately, you need to have the url end in '.jpg' or '.gif' etc. The way some websites work, that doesn't happen /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Try hosting your image somewhere else.

Rick

 

[jhr]

Pity, it's a nice picture

 

[jfm]

Shirley:
Welcome. You might want to contact Magnum on this forum. He has a 2004 (April) princess 42 for sale. One owner and immaculate, very high spec and nice colour choices, latest furuno electronics, and a totally honest vendor!

I dont know the price but it's probly somewhere in between 200 and 300.

It's moored in Torquay, dunno if that's near you or not.

Good luck

 

[jimg]

Some one cracked it for me! Anyway here it is:

One nearly new boat going at a real good price...

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

If you're cruising mainly as a couple, have a look at aft cabin boats which usually have much larger owners cabins than aft cockpit boats plus having the benefit of the guest accomodation being at the other end of the boat. £200k would get you a nice Broom 38 which is very roomy for its size and is reputedly a v good sea boat or possibly an older Broom 41. Otherwise you could look at the Sealine F43 which has a very innovative aft cabin/cockpit layout. If you want something more traditional, a Grand Banks 36, Hardy 36 or Aquastar 38 might be worth looking at. As already mentioned the Nimbus 37 Trawler (now called 380 Commander I think)is another excellent boat

 

[ShirleyKnot]

Thanks, everyone! We want to stick with a flybridge, and I want something reasonably swoopy and stylish, as I still entertain delusions of looking svelte and tanned, rather than looking like a Norwegian fishwife (apologies of there are any Norwegians here!).

For that matter, John still drools over the pics of bikini clad nymphs on the Sunseeker ads, as well. We can dream...

The Sealine F43 is an aft cabin, isn't it? How well does that work? It always sounded like a good idea in principle.

Thanks again.

Shirley
xxx

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

F43

I owned a 410 a few years ago which was pretty much the same as the F43 except the F43 has a larger bathing platform. I thought the concept worked very well although the access door to the aft cabin and the space around the bed is quite narrow and the headroom limited to about 6'. If you're a bit tall or wide, you might find the aft cabin a bit tight. The rest of the boat is very spacious, particularly the saloon and the forward cabin (ie the second cabin) is as big as many main cabins on other boats of similar size. The exterior of the boat works very well also because the aft cabin/cockpit concept makes it very easy to move around the boat. You can board easily from the bathing platform and access to the flybridge is via a few shallow steps
The F43 goes very well with Volvo TAMD63P engines which are known to be pretty reliable and it is a good seaboat. I understand that demand is still high for the boat so resale should'nt be a problem. I bought mine, used it for 2 seasons and sold it for the same money
The only criticisms I could make were, firstly, the anchor which at 10kg was undersized for the boat and it was impossible to increase its size because of the stowage arrangement, secondly, the generator was sited under the aft cabin berth so you could'nt use it if somebody was in the bed, thirdly, the cheap 'n nasty helmseat adjusters which were crap and, lastly, the wood lacquer finish inside which scratched too easily.
If you like the F43 concept there is a bigger version called the 450/T46 which is just the same but roomier

 

[Col]

Planty & RickP both have F43's Maybe a PM to get it straight from the horses mouth ( so-to-speak )

Where will you be based BTW?

 

[rickp]

Re: F43

Deleted User pretty much nails it. The F43 is a superb boat. I wonder if Sealine have taken on board comments about the genny, as mine is ahead of the engines, rather than being under the aft-cabin bed.

ShirleyKnot - pm me if you want more info, or a poke around one.

Rick

 

[BrendanS]

Shirley, I notice you are based in Berks. Whereabouts? There's a bunch of us get together quite regularly in a pub near Wokingham (just by Dinton Pastures Country Park if you know that) and you'd be more than welcome to come along and pick our brains. The regulars are wiggo, col, rickp, djefabs and myself, and others less regular - none are mad axe murderers

 

[Wiggo]

[ QUOTE ]
The regulars are wiggo, col, rickp, djefabs and myself, and others less regular - none are mad axe murderers

[/ QUOTE ]

That's stretching the truth a bit, isn't it, Brendan?

 

[BrendanS]

OK , you are not at all regular, and take syrup of figs. That better?

 

[Wiggo]

Untrue! You could set your watch by me. Well, your calendar, anyway...