Boat Recommendations

[Gustywinds]

Hi, thanks for letting me join
I’m a recently retired 60- something who has had several boating holidays in the past, in Ireland, U.K. but mostly in France and mostly fairly short (1-2 weeks)
I’m now thinking of buying my own boat so we can spend a lot more time afloat.
Again, probably mostly in France but I want to be able to do coastal tours and, specifically cross the channel.
Due to a variety of factors ( including the post-Brexit travel restriction on my wife which doesn’t affect me as I also have an Irish passport), I can see me spending a fair bit of time solo, mainly moving regions.
So I am looking for ideas for a boat with:
At least one fixed double berth, preferably a second which could be single.
Diesel engine, doesn’t have to be huge power, I guess 150hp ish
Bow thruster essential, stern desirable (or retrofitable)
Option to add wireless remotes
Draft of ~ 1m-1.5m, air draft around 3.0m (max 3.2) with radar hoop, antennae down/removed (This is specifically for Canal du Midi which is one of my favourite places).
Budgeting up to £100k (but top end would have to include all the desirables)
Browsing the various broker sites, the Nimbus 280/310/320 and Aquador 2* and 32 seem options but few sites seem to give air draft figures.
Any others I should consider?

Regards,
Dave

 

[dunedin]

I know nothing of motor boat choices, but wondered about one of your statements - Due to a variety of factors ( including the post-Brexit travel restriction on my wife which doesn’t affect me as I also have an Irish passport), I can see me spending a fair bit of time solo
I am no expert but I think your wife can avoid the Schengen 90/180 day issue if travelling with you as an EU passport holder. Worth checking if that helps your plans.

 

[Gustywinds]

I know nothing of motor boat choices, but wondered about one of your statements - Due to a variety of factors ( including the post-Brexit travel restriction on my wife which doesn’t affect me as I also have an Irish passport), I can see me spending a fair bit of time solo
I am no expert but I think your wife can avoid the Schengen 90/180 day issue if travelling with you as an EU passport holder. Worth checking if that helps your plans.

I was told she could go through the EU Passport gate at Schiphol with me (after we had gone through separately) but I'll have to look into the days thing further. The other thing she isn't keen on being onboard for channel crossing or going down the Rhone - she even felt the swell in the Etang du Thau last year!

 

[Ferris]

Always liked the halvorsen 32. Nice build, layout and cummins engines. A bit rare however.

https://uk.boats.com/power-boats/2003-halvorsen-32-gourmet-cruiser-8701895/

Also Kent 33 is lovely but very rare.

Hardy 32 - not as mad on layout as above but all decent, beamy boats that would look after you.

Others might be Aquastar 33’s but maybe a bit old or maybe a nice Mitchell 31 mk3 which are lovely but smaller accommodation than some others mentioned.

You could go aft cabin type boats from Broom etc. but I suspect you may want an aft cockpit?

 

[Billy Blue]

Hi, thanks for letting me join
I’m a recently retired 60- something who has had several boating holidays in the past, in Ireland, U.K. but mostly in France and mostly fairly short (1-2 weeks)
I’m now thinking of buying my own boat so we can spend a lot more time afloat.
Again, probably mostly in France but I want to be able to do coastal tours and, specifically cross the channel.
Due to a variety of factors ( including the post-Brexit travel restriction on my wife which doesn’t affect me as I also have an Irish passport), I can see me spending a fair bit of time solo, mainly moving regions.
So I am looking for ideas for a boat with:
At least one fixed double berth, preferably a second which could be single.
Diesel engine, doesn’t have to be huge power, I guess 150hp ish
Bow thruster essential, stern desirable (or retrofitable)
Option to add wireless remotes
Draft of ~ 1m-1.5m, air draft around 3.0m (max 3.2) with radar hoop, antennae down/removed (This is specifically for Canal du Midi which is one of my favourite places).
Budgeting up to £100k (but top end would have to include all the desirables)
Browsing the various broker sites, the Nimbus 280/310/320 and Aquador 2* and 32 seem options but few sites seem to give air draft figures.
Any others I should consider?

Regards,
Dave

Saga 26HT or Saga 315. Both have air draft you require.

 

[dpb]

Are you intending to base your boat in UK or, say, the South of France.
Makes a big difference to your choices and way of boating.
e.g. there are plenty of suitable boats for the Canal du Midi for sale in the region that you will not find here.

 

[DavidJ]

Are you intending to base your boat in UK or, say, the South of France.
Makes a big difference to your choices and way of boating.
e.g. there are plenty of suitable boats for the Canal du Midi for sale in the region that you will not find here.

Agree
As line 1 says you need to choose, I believe, one or the other.
I don’t like the idea of crossing the channel in a 20 year old (slow) boat, solo! (Realistically that’s what your budget will dictate for a boat in excellent condition)
Buy EU and it’s all EUtax paid with no complications (all heavily debated on this forum)
Best of luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[kashurst]

There are loads of boats around that will tick your requirements. With your £100K budget you should have quite a few to choose from.
They all float, river/canal cruising is very easy on the boat, the rare cross channel trips will I assume be done on calm days so pretty much any boat will work great. Some people don't like boats that have been kept on rivers as they don't get properly used - unless designed for river/canal use. However river/lake boats suffer much less from corrosion of pretty much everything caused by sea air.

The thing I would look for is rather than a specific boat look at a range of boats that are potentially suitable and pick the one in the best condition, with good documentation about servicing etc. Doesn't have to be main dealer/professional servicing, many people do their own stuff very very well, and the smart ones will have receipts for parts etc. Curtains and carpets are cheap to replace, concentrate on the hull condition and the engine bay - thats the expensive bit. Don't get hung up on modern electronics either, you won't use them much and again they are getting cheaper all the time.

If you are going to keep it in France, buy it in France/Europe, post brexit moving boats to EU land is not as simple as it used to be.

Good luck with your search, enjoy it.

 

[Gustywinds]

Saga 26HT or Saga 315. Both have air draft you require.

Thank you, they both look really good, the 315 is quite similar to the Nimbus boats but having the aft steering position is a bonus

 

[Gustywinds]

Always liked the halvorsen 32. Nice build, layout and cummins engines. A bit rare however.

https://uk.boats.com/power-boats/2003-halvorsen-32-gourmet-cruiser-8701895/

Also Kent 33 is lovely but very rare.

Hardy 32 - not as mad on layout as above but all decent, beamy boats that would look after you.

Others might be Aquastar 33’s but maybe a bit old or maybe a nice Mitchell 31 mk3 which are lovely but smaller accommodation than some others mentioned.

You could go aft cabin type boats from Broom etc. but I suspect you may want an aft cockpit?

That Halvorsen looks gorgeous. The only thing that would concern me is the fat it has two 250HP engines which might get choked up running at barely tickover a lot of the time

 

[Alicatt]

How about a Guy Couach 1200 or something similar?
It's a French made fly bridge with a folding radar arch to get under those low bridges powered either by Renault or Iveco diseasel engines

 

[Gustywinds]

Are you intending to base your boat in UK or, say, the South of France.
Makes a big difference to your choices and way of boating.
e.g. there are plenty of suitable boats for the Canal du Midi for sale in the region that you will not find here.

Yes, my initial thoughts were just to buy an ex-hire cruiser there ( LeBoat have a Horizon the same as the one we rented last year for sale at the moment and there are also a few Nicols ones)) but this ties you down to certain area unless you get it lifted out and moved. As I mentioned, we went on the Etang du Thau in the Horizon and it was a bit bouncy, I wouldn't like to take it up the Rhone to get to the Burgundy canals wheres thinsg like the Nimbus should do that easily. As to channel crossing , all depends on weather

 

[Dino]

I’m totally biased because I’m a big Broom fan but something like this might squeeze into the top end of your budget Broom 36 for sale UK, Broom boats for sale, Broom used boat sales, Broom Motor Boats For Sale 1993 Broom 36 - Apollo Duck

 

[Momac]

Aquador 32 is very nice We looked at one a couple of years ago.
For us the sleeping quarters were too cramped and the side decks didn't feel as safe as our present boat.
As you intend extended time on board I would say something a little more interior space would be required.

Brooms as suggested (or similarly designed Westwood or Haines ) are built for inland and occasional sea use .

 

[Gustywinds]

Are you intending to base your boat in UK or, say, the South of France.
Makes a big difference to your choices and way of boating.
e.g. there are plenty of suitable boats for the Canal du Midi for sale in the region that you will not find here.

I want the flexibility to leave it pretty much anywhere. If I buy in the UK, I see myself doing some coastal trips for a few weeks/months before going to France, maybe going from France to Spain, or to Netherlands, even up to Sweden

 

[Gustywinds]

I’m totally biased because I’m a big Broom fan but something like this might squeeze into the top end of your budget Broom 36 for sale UK, Broom boats for sale, Broom used boat sales, Broom Motor Boats For Sale 1993 Broom 36 - Apollo Duck

Those look very, very tall. Can't see them getting under the likes of this!

 

[Gustywinds]

Aquador 32 is very nice We looked at one a couple of years ago.
For us the sleeping quarters were too cramped and the side decks didn't feel as safe as our present boat.
As you intend extended time on board I would say something a little more interior space would be required.

Brooms as suggested (or similarly designed Westwood or Haines ) are built for inland and occasional sea use .

Yes, somebody else recommended that further up. Like the fact it has door beside helm, sleeping looks similar to the Nimbus boats and the side decks are much better

 

[Alicatt]

Those look very, very tall. Can't see them getting under the likes of this!

There is a Broom 360 version in our marina and yes it does look tall, it fits under the bridge near the end of our canal and it has a clearance of 4.6m when the bridge is opened


Edit, my friend has a boat that is not as tall as the Broom and he has to lower his radar arch and fold down his antennas when he goes under this bridge, my boat above is just over the 2m air draught

 

[Gustywinds]

There are loads of boats around that will tick your requirements. With your £100K budget you should have quite a few to choose from.
They all float, river/canal cruising is very easy on the boat, the rare cross channel trips will I assume be done on calm days so pretty much any boat will work great. Some people don't like boats that have been kept on rivers as they don't get properly used - unless designed for river/canal use. However river/lake boats suffer much less from corrosion of pretty much everything caused by sea air.

The thing I would look for is rather than a specific boat look at a range of boats that are potentially suitable and pick the one in the best condition, with good documentation about servicing etc. Doesn't have to be main dealer/professional servicing, many people do their own stuff very very well, and the smart ones will have receipts for parts etc. Curtains and carpets are cheap to replace, concentrate on the hull condition and the engine bay - thats the expensive bit. Don't get hung up on modern electronics either, you won't use them much and again they are getting cheaper all the time.

If you are going to keep it in France, buy it in France/Europe, post brexit moving boats to EU land is not as simple as it used to be.

Good luck with your search, enjoy it.

Yep, I'm,trying to come up with a list of boats that meet the spec and will spend a while looking at specific ones

 

[Dino]

Those look very, very tall. Can't see them getting under the likes of this!

That Broom 36 has an airdraft of around 3m with the arch down. Compare them for living space and you’ll see why they are very popular for inland and coastal cruising.