Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
I have often wondered whether people suffer a little expectation bias with these things.
Botnia Targa or Swift Trawler?
- Thread starter atk
- Start date
Kawasaki
Well-Known Member
Thats impressive
Because of what I do and where I do it I know where you are coming from ref the sea conditions
Must have helmed 100 different boats over the last couple of years
Including a Botnia Targa 33
Over two days in the Strait and out at sea a few years back
Wasnt particular rough but you know the short choppy seas we get
Well I was mightly impressed thats all I can say!
I too have puzzled ref the hull shape form when I have studied them on the hard
As others have said there appears to be nothing so different or special compared to similar bottoms!!
Rodman sounds good
They look good too but it's one Make I've never stepped foot on
Must blag a trip on one
atk
New Member
I like the look of that Rodman, and will look into that further.
I'll potter in my Orkney 24 ph a little while longer, until I can fully explore and try out the suggestions given here - and wait for 'just the right' used boat to come along.
I do all take what you're saying about the hard (& wet) ride of the Botnias, and that I am unlikely to actually need what it is essentially for. I guess it's just my visual taste is a little more partial to the "heave-away" look over the "guesthouse foyer" look, haha
I'll potter in my Orkney 24 ph a little while longer, until I can fully explore and try out the suggestions given here - and wait for 'just the right' used boat to come along.
I do all take what you're saying about the hard (& wet) ride of the Botnias, and that I am unlikely to actually need what it is essentially for. I guess it's just my visual taste is a little more partial to the "heave-away" look over the "guesthouse foyer" look, haha
Just whilst discussing Rodman, I delivered a 1250 around the French, Spanish and Portguese coasts before heading straight out 530nm to Madeira.
This was an older boat, but apart from a windscreen that leaked like a sieve I couldn't fault it.
From Santander to Cascais we had a F7 on the stb 1/4 and pretty heavy quartering seas (6m all the way down the Portuguese coast).
She didn't like the autopilot in these seas, but handled fine assuming you stayed on your toes. Maintained 20+ knots for the entire coastal part of the trip.
On the open water part of the trip she settled in to a much more sedate 3m ocean swell and was very comfortable indeed. Great access around the boat and fairly sensible layout considering the reduced space created by Walk Around decks.
If I could, I'd own one in the bat of an eyelid.
HOWEVER, if you are set on Botnia Targa stylie, but really want sensible accomodation and a finish that doesn't look like half the Brazilian rain forest has provided the raw materials for then try looking at the Delta range of powerboats from Sweden. http://www.deltapowerboats.se
All the speed and handling of a Targa, but far more comfortable living space.
This was an older boat, but apart from a windscreen that leaked like a sieve I couldn't fault it.
From Santander to Cascais we had a F7 on the stb 1/4 and pretty heavy quartering seas (6m all the way down the Portuguese coast).
She didn't like the autopilot in these seas, but handled fine assuming you stayed on your toes. Maintained 20+ knots for the entire coastal part of the trip.
On the open water part of the trip she settled in to a much more sedate 3m ocean swell and was very comfortable indeed. Great access around the boat and fairly sensible layout considering the reduced space created by Walk Around decks.
If I could, I'd own one in the bat of an eyelid.
HOWEVER, if you are set on Botnia Targa stylie, but really want sensible accomodation and a finish that doesn't look like half the Brazilian rain forest has provided the raw materials for then try looking at the Delta range of powerboats from Sweden. http://www.deltapowerboats.se
All the speed and handling of a Targa, but far more comfortable living space.
A_8
Well-Known Member
Regarding the Botnia Targa there are many in the waters where I cruise and I too have wondered why their reputation for handling ruff seas are that good.
As have been discussed it is a medium v hull but....It's bow is quite narrow and drawn aft (hoping that translates right) compared to a Princess or Fairline, even more so compared to my Prestige and knowing how the ocean behaves particularly in the Baltic Sea but also South off where I live it makes sense to design the hull like B Targas are.
The sea in these areas typically gives waves that are much shorter and steeper then what you get in the North Sea or even a few tens of nautical miles North from where I live. It's actually a huge difference in terms of how the sea behaves given the same wind conditions.
If you are close to the coast in shallow or wind against tide waters I believe the B Targa is (relatively) great heading into the waves. If you on the other hand are cruising a bit more offshore in deep waters I would not want to spend it in a B Targa, it will be very wet, curve itself in a stressful manner and there is a larger risk that the bow won't be able to keep on top in large side or following waves.
As always with boat stuff its about compromises and you have to find what's right for you given where and how you intend to use the boat.
As have been discussed it is a medium v hull but....It's bow is quite narrow and drawn aft (hoping that translates right) compared to a Princess or Fairline, even more so compared to my Prestige and knowing how the ocean behaves particularly in the Baltic Sea but also South off where I live it makes sense to design the hull like B Targas are.
The sea in these areas typically gives waves that are much shorter and steeper then what you get in the North Sea or even a few tens of nautical miles North from where I live. It's actually a huge difference in terms of how the sea behaves given the same wind conditions.
If you are close to the coast in shallow or wind against tide waters I believe the B Targa is (relatively) great heading into the waves. If you on the other hand are cruising a bit more offshore in deep waters I would not want to spend it in a B Targa, it will be very wet, curve itself in a stressful manner and there is a larger risk that the bow won't be able to keep on top in large side or following waves.
As always with boat stuff its about compromises and you have to find what's right for you given where and how you intend to use the boat.
whisper
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum. You don't work for Wessex do you?
As some others have said, it's not just a hull thing, but the whole thing ,that makes the reputation justified.
oldgit
Well-Known Member
"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?!!"
Welcome to the forum,thats a grand total of one who thinks the Targa is a good sea boat,not on the sales/advertising team or hoping that the builders will be buying a full colour half page next issue.
OK....when was the last time any magazine review called a boat...... err ordinary !
Welcome to the forum,thats a grand total of one who thinks the Targa is a good sea boat,not on the sales/advertising team or hoping that the builders will be buying a full colour half page next issue.
OK....when was the last time any magazine review called a boat...... err ordinary !
oceanfroggie
Well-Known Member
The bot targa seems a good day boat. The Irish police use them. But I wouldn't consider them a crusing boat due to the lack of accommodation. Nelson or Hardy might suit "pilot" boat sea handling but with decent accommodation suited to cold and damp northern Europe.
Al Dickson
Well-Known Member
I think to answer your question IMHO a BT will make shorter easier work of it.
We had a BT 35 for 2 years and found her a very confidence inspiring boat which I was more than happy to take the wife and kids away on in allsorts. We are based in the Clyde and took her to Ireland, round the Mull of Kintyre North to Tobermory "Round Mull", Iona Corryverckan, Grey Dogs blah Blah.
Great seakeeping boat ability to outrun or run around nasty weather, very safe on deck and plenty power. Folk used to ask what speed does she plane at - the answer is there wasn't one - differrent from a lot of other motorboats which want to stick their nose in the air half the time. We frequently passed other motorboats making heavier work of choppy conditions and were only one passed ourselves - by a bigger Targa !
If you can get over the utilitarian looks and the somewhat spartan accomodation (the new ones are a lot better) they are extremely well built (hence the price) and yachties dont tend to hate them so much (!) we sold ours after two years for not much less than we paid for her.
The reason we sold her was to go sailing - if we were going back to MB I would probably buy another one - though anything less than a 35 might be a bit cramped for 2 adults and two growing kids if you are away for more than a couple of nights.
The Swift Trawlers look great we were on the new 50 at SIBS and the quality of finish seems to be improving all the time - although SWMBO commented that even the big one was "a bit rocky" just walking round it - they will give you much more accomdation and creature comforts thana BT.
I have not driven one so perhaps other can comment on their sea keeping. There is also the question of shafts (ST) vs outdrives (BT) both have fans and detractors !
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oldgit
Well-Known Member
"We had a BT 35 for 2 years and found her a very confidence inspiring boat which I was more than happy to take the wife and kids away on in allsorts."
Nice to hear from someone who has actually owned one of these boats.
Nice to hear from someone who has actually owned one of these boats.
Rclarke
New Member
We have the Swift Trawler 44 and can say nothing but good things thus far, but we're just beginning our 2nd season.
We'll be more than happy to answer any specific questions.
Best Regards,
Richard
We'll be more than happy to answer any specific questions.
Best Regards,
Richard
rustybarge
Well-Known Member
.....seems to be some conflicting evidence whether the Botnia T acts like a standard planing hull, or not?
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Spi D
...
+1
It is about meeting your personal preferences. Nice to know that your boat will do great in one or the other condition, but a bit wrong to accept a bunch of compromises on that account if you never get to use it.
As mentioned before the Safehaven Interceptor series will cope with 'anything'. Impressed but personally wouldn't get any value from that kind of abilities (since I'd avoid going out in it) and definitely would not be able to justify the cost etc.
Check the beautiful balance at 2:14 and 2:54
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rustybarge
Well-Known Member
When the RNLI were designing their new Shannon class lifeboat, they tried out the Safehaven design and rejected it as being too hard a ride for safe use in rough seas, and they had to totally adapt the hull shape to make a softer riding hull.
You can see the difference here:http://www.rnlivideolibrary.org.uk/getvideo.aspx?vid=WteGPo7M
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cryan
Well-Known Member
Dream of a lifeboat?
http://commercial.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=341781
Of course you will need to fit her out for comfort yourself.
http://commercial.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=341781
Of course you will need to fit her out for comfort yourself.
rustybarge
Well-Known Member
Wow, it's built from steel, I always thought they were grp.
