Botnia Targa or Swift Trawler?

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atk

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Thoughts....? I've tried reseraching, even tried a few a different boats out, but I'm stuck at that moment of the terrifying SPEND.

I have 2 young children (family of 4) and will be moored in Falmouth. I want to be able to do trips across channel, Scillys and possibly Ireland. I guess I am looking for a degree of comfort (so to stay for a few nights on board without feeling like I'm camping), but I also want that confidence of still travelling when the seas pick up.

I used to be convinced on a swift trawler, but now find myself pushing towards a botnia (my thought process being the comfort onboard the swift, including for everyone else to move about during a bumpy crossing - but now thinking that with the botnia we could just make shorter, easier work of a bumby crossing..)

Any thoughts or other boats I may not have considered?

Thanks in advance
 
I chartered a Botnia Targa 31 for a year and did well over 200 hours on her, all in the north Irish Sea. We used her in all sea states from pretty wonderful to truly horrid.

She was a solid safe boat and handled the rough stuff well, but when it came to buying a boat for the same purposes, I bought a Rodman 1250, more space, better side decks, a softer and much drier ride.

I found the Targa far too hard a ride in the rough sea, being a planing hull, and really wanting to be on the plane regardless of sea state. If not on the plane, you really needed to be down to displacement speeds, did not seem to be any happy middle option.

The boat could handle it OK but it was just too hard and crashing for my body, sometimes requiring to go below below and brace oneself against the bulkheads and roof when not driving, just to lessen the pain in the back.

It was also a pretty wet experience, with green stuff running down the decks. They do certainly work, but I tend to think of them as a wet RIB with a cabin and the accommodation feels really cramped. I understand the new 32 tries to address this accommodation issue, so they may be better now.

Certainly with 3 adults onboard, the Targa 31 felt fairly crowded, particularly if stuck in harbour together for a few wet days and nights. I would suggest that the bigger Targas, 35, 37 or bigger, would be better for all of you - maybe that's the size you were considering.

Compared to our Rodman, the Targa is easier to operate single handed, with its side access doors, I believe the ST has a similar arrangement.

The Rodman is a much drier boat and has a much kinder hull but will still plane at over 34 knots and can handle all the rough stuff in the Irish Sea, operate at any speed to suit the conditions and still stay dry.

I've no experience of the ST whatsoever but I believe that the hull design is more like our Rodman than the planing hull of the Targa so I would think it will have a softer ride and more space.

Both boats will handle more sea than I want to experience, and both will have enough speed to get you home and avoid the worst of it.

I suspect the Targa will be easier to sell when you decide to change it and will probably have a higher residual value than the ST, but the ST will be a better cruising boat and more than capable of the journeys you describe and still get you to your destination safely.
 
These are very different boats IMHO. The Botnia is a serious get you anywhere anytime boat, while the Trawler is really all about accommodation. If it is just you/partner then Botnia is great, if your partner like travelling in all weathers. If you are thinking about a family boat, the ST will win hands down.
 
The reputation the Botnia has for sea-going ability is second to none...but my suggestion is go out and have a run in one...and the Swift Trawler to see how they compare. I would agree that they are two quite different boats so have a run out in both because thats the only way to properly find out which would suit your boating plans better.
 
The reputation the Botnia has for sea-going ability is second to none...but my suggestion is go out for a run in one...and the Swift Trawler to see how they compare. I agree that they are both quite different boats so go out for a run in both because thats the only way you will get a proper idea of which suits your boating plans better.
 
rafiki_ said:
These are very different boats IMHO. The Botnia is a serious get you anywhere anytime boat, while the Trawler is really all about accommodation. If it is just you/partner then Botnia is great, if your partner like travelling in all weathers. If you are thinking about a family boat, the ST will win hands down.
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That sums it up nicely.

With regard to a crashy ride, our comfort levels often improve with an increase,
rather than decrease in speed, in roughish conditions.

Yes, the ride is wet but the feeling of security is brilliant.

If I regularly had 4 adults sleeping on board then the Targa would have to be 40ft+. With 2 adults and 2 small children a 31ft one would become cramped as the kids got bigger.
 
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This is great feedback! So far, I've only spoken to salesman so (as much as they have been helpful) this is really helpful.
Although part of me unrealistically dreams of having a large RNLI boat or one of those bomb -proof pilot boats and go out searching for the perfect storm... The truth is I am after a boat which is for a family to travel in, but is able to confidently travel in uncomfortable waters (and I mean travel rather than sit). I wouldn't be taking the family out into conditions for the sake of it.
Thanks for the help!
 
"The reputation the Botnia has for sea-going ability is second to none."



Really ses who ?.....................Botnias Advertising dept and the odd wannabe who purchased one and is highly unlikely to admit he bought a perfectly ordinary boat no better and no worse than anything else.
When the poo really hits the fan it will be something totally different that takes the pilot out to the ship in all weathers or the big orange boat that throws you a tow rope when all else cowers in port.

A marine version Chelsea Tractor with excellent PR . :)
 
atk said:
Thoughts....? I've tried reseraching, even tried a few a different boats out, but I'm stuck at that moment of the terrifying SPEND.

I have 2 young children (family of 4) and will be moored in Falmouth. I want to be able to do trips across channel, Scillys and possibly Ireland. I guess I am looking for a degree of comfort (so to stay for a few nights on board without feeling like I'm camping), but I also want that confidence of still travelling when the seas pick up.

I used to be convinced on a swift trawler, but now find myself pushing towards a botnia (my thought process being the comfort onboard the swift, including for everyone else to move about during a bumpy crossing - but now thinking that with the botnia we could just make shorter, easier work of a bumby crossing..)

Any thoughts or other boats I may not have considered?

Thanks in advance
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I dont know your experience of boating, but if limited, I think you should concentrate on normal boating use. Now, if your normal boating use is setting off into the eye of a storm and that is the thing your wife and kids think is huge fun- hour after hour being scared sh*tless, I think the Targa is probably better.
However, if you expect 95% of your boating is going to be in the kind of conditions that almost every other motorboater chooses to venture out into, then I think the swift trawler will suit.
Yes, you can get caught out, of course, but most people think is nicer to stay in port and wait (especially when wives and kids are along) if the weather is lousy.
As someone else said, it is pretty physical being smashed about at sea, however good the boat.
And just in case it is you who falls ill and gets injured, your wife can take the helm and get you all home safely?
 
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oldgit said:
"The reputation the Botnia has for sea-going ability is second to none."



Really ses who ?.....................Botnias Advertising dept and the odd wannabe who purchased one and is highly unlikely to admit he bought a perfectly ordinary boat no better and no worse than anything else.
Click to expand...
Agree with that. I look at Botnias myself and ask why they have such a good reputation for seakeeping. Yes they have quite a high freeboard but the hulls seem to be standard medium V stuff and I don't really understand why they are deemed to be a better seaboat than, say, a Fairline or Sunseeker of similar length. For sure they seem to be well screwed together and the helm position is excellent but that doesn't add up to a great seaboat. As you say, Botnia and their importer, Wessex, have been very astute at positioning the brand and the slogan '4x4 of the sea' is a clever piece of marketing
 
Deleted User said:
Agree with that. I look at Botnias myself and ask why they have such a good reputation for seakeeping. Yes they have quite a high freeboard but the hulls seem to be standard medium V stuff and I don't really understand why they are deemed to be a better seaboat than, say, a Fairline or Sunseeker of similar length. For sure they seem to be well screwed together and the helm position is excellent but that doesn't add up to a great seaboat. As you say, Botnia and their importer, Wessex, have been very astute at positioning the brand and the slogan '4x4 of the sea' is a clever piece of marketing
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Dont think many harbour patrols etc choose the Uk brands you mention , and I suggest they are the users out all day long?
Not convinced eceryone is being fooled simply by an advert
 
oldgit said:
"The reputation the Botnia has for sea-going ability is second to none."



Really ses who ?.....................Botnias Advertising dept and the odd wannabe who purchased one and is highly unlikely to admit he bought a perfectly ordinary boat no better and no worse than anything else.
When the poo really hits the fan it will be something totally different that takes the pilot out to the ship in all weathers or the big orange boat that throws you a tow rope when all else cowers in port.

A marine version Chelsea Tractor with excellent PR . :)
Click to expand...

Is this opinion because that Chavvy bloke down the Medway bought one and only uses it for lads boozy fishing trips :D
 
gjgm said:
Dont think many harbour patrols etc choose the Uk brands you mention , and I suggest they are the users out all day long?
Not convinced eceryone is being fooled simply by an advert
Click to expand...
Maybe they choose them for their practicality? Their upright wheelhouse design with excellent helm position, walkround decks and high build quality make them eminently suitable for commercial operation and I guess they're much cheaper than custom built harbour type boats. I'm not arguing that Botnias aren't great boats; they are and I'd buy one myself if I was in that market, I just question why they are considered better sea boats than other medium V hulled planing pleasure boats
 
Deleted User said:
Maybe they choose them for their practicality? Their upright wheelhouse design with excellent helm position, walkround decks and high build quality make them eminently suitable for commercial operation and I guess they're much cheaper than custom built harbour type boats. I'm not arguing that Botnias aren't great boats; they are and I'd buy one myself if I was in that market, I just question why they are considered better sea boats than other medium V hulled planing pleasure boats
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Well, maybe there isnt alot of point in splitting hairs over the hull on its own ;)
I guess a good sea boat also needs all the attributes you mention, so lets agree it is the overall package!
When I see one out of the water, the hull does seem quite "medium" and I confess to wondering-so what is so unique about that hull.
I do recall one time in a lumpy Lyme Bay that the only two boats moving at any pace was mine... and a Targa.
 
The only Targas I know of in the Thames estuary belong to the EA and the Police,have yet to see any of the police ones below the barrier and as for the EA one,have never seen it move from its mooring at MBM other than for the odd trip out to take water samples.
 
Police round my way seem to have boats shaped remarkably like a Nelson or an Aquastar. Bit of a wet ride but bliss when you can turn off the wipers and just drive on the radar.
 
All the pilot stuff round here looks to be some sort of brick built by Nelson judging by the wash it leaves behind.......you can watch the wife desperatly look for something to grab on to,even when the evil thing is still a 25 knot dot on the horizon !
 
As far as whether the Botnia has got the substance to go with its reputation...of course it has!!! Seeing as we're on the YBW forum...has anybody read the boat reports?? Are they all wrong when they regard Targa as one of the best sea boats money can buy?!!

Sorry about the rant there!! But if anybody has been lucky enough to go out on a Targa in a sea...like I have...they will understand.
 
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