Broom as a live aboard/solo cruising boat

[PaulRainbow]

We have a MK1 Princess 45, TAMD71A's, works fine in the rivers on one engine, ticking over. Both engines @ 800RPM = 6 knots. One engine @1000 RPM = 6 knots, depending on tide. One engine @ 800 RPM = 4-5 knots.

At sea, would have to be a twin engined boat in the sizes the OP is thinking of.

The Broom 36 in post #1 would make a nice liveaboard, very good use of space. You'd need to be fit and nimble if doing a lot of inland locks though, i reckon.

 

[ianc1200]

Interested re both the height & issues regarding going too fast on French canals etc. But in the original post was there a mistake re air draft - surely those Brooms aren't getting under 3.0m? I know my friend's Broom Crown with everything down could just get under a 3.15m Dutch bridge, and a lot of French canals have an air draft of 3.5m (some of the most interesting are less though). Also weed on French canals to be considered, the recent CA Europe Inland Waterways newsletter had an interesting article, it's getting really bad in some areas, so thick you can't even get close to moorings, but perhaps boats with keel coolers to be considered?

 

[Greg2]

Our Broom 41 was a planing hull and it too had a small keg keel and it tracked very well at low speed and with ten degrees of opposite rudder was also fine running on one engine. I remember a mate saying that he tried running on one engine with his Sealine that had a planing hull and found it very difficult to go in a straight line as the boat wanted to go round in circles! Noting Paul’s comment about his planing hull I guess it depends upon the design of a particular hull.

Back to the Broom 38 it is worth noting that it was designed for use inland with occasional sea passages i.e. Brooms were thinking specifically about channel crossing and the inland waterways of Europe. When first trialled it turned out that the 38 was also an excellent sea boat and if memory serves the designation was changed to Broom 38CL, with the CL denoting ‘coastal.’

As the OP appears to be new to boats it is worth saying that whilst the blue hull of the boat in the link looks great that colour ‘blooms’ in UV light so the shine will be all polish and the gel will be a bit chalky in reality. Only superficial but worth factoring in that waxing and polishing the hull will be a thing. Still a very nice boat and one that I would consider. .
.

 

[Wavey]

I agree with Greg2’s postings.

My wife and I had a Broom 42cl (semi displacement) which we lived on on the Thames for a couple of years before buying a home ashore and moving the boat to the Solent. Brooms and similar boats are ideal live aboards given the amount of accommodation and space they give you for a relatively short length. It helps that the build quality is superb.

After my wife passed I kept the Broom for a couple of years and continued to cruise the Solent. Essentially I was single handed the whole time. With the twin engines and a bow thruster on remote control I could put the boat anywhere anytime. Forget Dockmate or similar, you don’t need them once you’ve familiar with the boat.

One benefit of Brooms and similar designs is that the upper helm is so close to the stern quarters. Close quarter handling requires no helm input just use of the engine controls to put the stern where you want it. A couple of steps or so and you can easily get to the stern and get a line secured while you keep the bow where you want it with the remote until you’re ready to sort out the bow line. It requires practice but after a while, a bit like driving a car, it becomes second nature and you begin to do things instinctively. As Greg points out it’s easier with a semi displacement hull. Tuition will help you start off on the right foot.

As regards engines I’m a big fan of Yanmars. Parts can be expensive but in ten years of ownership mine needed nothing other than routine servicing. They never missed a beat. I know little of the Volvos fitted to such boats but definitely avoid Mercruisers.

 

[ingenious]

Max air draft for the French canals down to the Med is cited as 3.5m so 3.2m should be fine.

While that is true of making a direct transit to the med, there are some on other canals I'd like to go to that are lower, in particular Canal du Midi. It's quite a long way in the future if be thinking of that but it's one of the loveliest canals

 

[ingenious]

As the OP appears to be new to boats it is worth saying that whilst the blue hull of the boat in the link looks great that colour ‘blooms’ in UV light so the shine will be all polish and the gel will be a bit chalky in reality. Only superficial but worth factoring in that waxing and polishing the hull will be a thing. Still a very nice boat and one that I would consider. .

The same seller also has a 1999 boat in White/cream and I'm intending seeing both. Broom Ocean 38 for sale UK, Broom boats for sale, Broom used boat sales, Broom Motor Boats For Sale 1999 Broom Ocean 38 - Apollo Duck

Btw, I'm not completely new to boats, had a little Seamaster 27 on the Broads for 8 years late '80s early '90s and done several hire holidays over the years.

 

[ingenious]

Interested re both the height & issues regarding going too fast on French canals etc. But in the original post was there a mistake re air draft - surely those Brooms aren't getting under 3.0m? I know my friend's Broom Crown with everything down could just get under a 3.15m Dutch bridge, and a lot of French canals have an air draft of 3.5m (some of the most interesting are less though). Also weed on French canals to be considered, the recent CA Europe Inland Waterways newsletter had an interesting article, it's getting really bad in some areas, so thick you can't even get close to moorings, but perhaps boats with keel coolers to be considered?

I'm going by the figures on the Broom Owners site. I'm aware of two bridges on Canal du Midi which have ~3.5m at centre of arch but down to 3m at a width of 3m.
I will have an opportunity to measure when I look at some next week.
Yes, weed is an issue, we got intakes clogged on Nivernais a few years back.

 

[ingenious]

You'd need to be fit and nimble if doing a lot of inland locks though, i reckon.

There's the reason why I was thinking of remotes. I'm a 63 year old and not the nimblest. Part of the reason for looking at boating is to get more exercise!

 

[ingenious]

After my wife passed I kept the Broom for a couple of years and continued to cruise the Solent. Essentially I was single handed the whole time. With the twin engines and a bow thruster on remote control I could put the boat anywhere anytime. Forget Dockmate or similar, you don’t need them once you’ve familiar with the boat.

Yes, the reason I will be solo is that my wife passed away 3 years ago. Prior to that we owned a small boat on the Broads for eight years and then took several hire holidays in France and one in Holland. The last one we had was a LeBoat with bow and stern thruster and it was easy to solo park as long as the lock keeper wasn't being too hasty with the gates

 

[Alicatt]

There's the reason why I was thinking of remotes. I'm a 63 year old and not the nimblest. Part of the reason for looking at boating is to get more exercise!

I’m 68 and with bad knees, the Ocean 37 is not too bad to get around on, it was the accommodation layout that we really liked on the boat.
Air draught on the Ocean 37 can come down to 2.5m to the top of the upper helm when everything is folded down, including the windscreen, we have two low bridges on our home canal, one is at 4.4m and the other is 4.5 we have to fold the antennas down and lower the Radar arch to get in or out but at least the tent can stay up.
If you are on the BOC website then you will be able to see the article I put in about taking Hunter from Holland’s deep back to Kerkhoven where we keep her, it is in the latest Sweeping Statements.

 

[ingenious]

On Tranona’s point I would agree that semi-displacement with a keel that is the same depth or deeper than the props is preferable as there is a degree of protection for the props. That said, the type of canals that you would use (i.e. EU canals) with this size of boat would also likely be okay with a planing hull as long as you take care when going close to the banks.

A bit of an anomaly in that the BOC site in that they say the 36 has a planing hull but there is this post saying it is semi displacement.


There is also a picture I found online showing the very boat I initially linked being lifted.


What type of hull is it?

 

[ingenious]

I’m 68 and with bad knees, the Ocean 37 is not too bad to get around on, it was the accommodation layout that we really liked on the boat.
Air draught on the Ocean 37 can come down to 2.5m to the top of the upper helm when everything is folded down, including the windscreen, we have two low bridges on our home canal, one is at 4.4m and the other is 4.5 we have to fold the antennas down and lower the Radar arch to get in or out but at least the tent can stay up.
If you are on the BOC website then you will be able to see the article I put in about taking Hunter from Holland’s deep back to Kerkhoven where we keep her, it is in the latest Sweeping Statements.

The 37 has a planing hull? Have you had any issues with that?
I must admit the 37 looks like a very good option.
Does your 37 have internal helm as well as the one up top?

 

[Greg2]

While that is true of making a direct transit to the med, there are some on other canals I'd like to go to that are lower, in particular Canal du Midi. It's quite a long way in the future if be thinking of that but it's one of the loveliest canals

Worth checking but my understanding is that beam and depth will be an issue with this size of boat in the Canal du Midi and there is no chance of getting anything other than a single level boat under some of the bridges. Anecdotally I have also heard that it is awfully busy and getting bashed by hire boats is a thing - friends who took their sports cruiser down to the Med via the canals went in for a look and left fairly swiftly and their advice to is was ‘don’t bother.’ I can’t verify the accuracy of this of course
.

 

[Greg2]

A bit of an anomaly in that the BOC site in that they say the 36 has a planing hull but there is this post saying it is semi displacement.

View attachment 188153
There is also a picture I found online showing the very boat I initially linked being lifted.
View attachment 188154

What type of hull is it?

That is a planing hull - looks as though she might have a skeg keel, which will be why she tracks well on one engine.
.

 

[ingenious]

Worth checking but my understanding is that beam and depth will be an issue with this size of boat in the Canal du Midi and there is no chance of getting anything other than a single level boat under some of the bridges. Anecdotally I have also heard that it is awfully busy and getting bashed by hire boats is a thing - friends who took their sports cruiser down to the Med via the canals went in for a look and left fairly swiftly and their advice to is was ‘don’t bother.’ I can’t verify the accuracy of this of course
.

Beam isn't an issue, there are huge hotel boats much wider than these. Draught may be depending on the time of year and water level. It is nominally 1.5m but can drop some if the weather has been dry. I would aim to be there in late Sept/early Oct which had the added bonus of vendange and fewer hire boats although some of them are a nightmare - we got rammed hard by some Germans in one of the very big LeBoats (12 berth)

 

[Shifty]

The 37 has a planing hull? Have you had any issues with that?
I must admit the 37 looks like a very good option.
Does your 37 have internal helm as well as the one up top?

Personally l think an internal helm on that type of boat is a waste of space especially if you intend to live aboard for extended periods. We use our boat all year round and a good fitting canopy can keep you quite cosy particularly if the heating is extend to the upstairs.

 

[ingenious]

Personally l think an internal helm on that type of boat is a waste of space especially if you intend to live aboard for extended periods. We use our boat all year round and a good fitting canopy can keep you quite cosy particularly if the heating is extend to the upstairs.

I'd be inclined to agree, reading up online it appears early 37s had but they dropped it on later. This video is one of the last and it is huge inside

 

[jrudge]

Take a step back.

You are an inexperienced boater. Why do you want to live on a boat for 8 months of the year?

The boat you are looking at is small. Why do you want to live in such a small space?

Boats have nil insulation. Keeping them warm in winter is difficult / expensive.

You will need practical things like a washing machine.

I spend 3 months a year on mine in the med . I have been boating for decades. My boat is a lot bigger than the one you are looking at. I am handy and can fix pretty much anything.

Boating is a leisure activity. Would I spend 8 months a year on it ? No. Would I do upto 4 or maybe 5 if I was berthed somewhere warm ( which I am ) maybe - but once the summer cruise is over then what ?

Doing it alone will be solitary and if you are moving you won't find any community.

People do live on board boats of course. They are typically either sailing full time and even they winter somewhere for 6 months or find it a cheap place to live ( think Brighton Marina ). A friend in Italy ( he is on here ) spends a lot of time on his boat with his wife but he is in a Marina he has been at for many years and their whole social life revolves around it with a great community so the boat is a house ( with 3 bedrooms , 3 bathrooms etc. ).

Just be clear to yourself ( forget us ) about why you want to do this and consider the practicalities. Ask on the liveaboard forum.

If you still want to do it then buy a boat. If it is an old one make sure you have the ability to fix it ( it will need constant work ) if you are moving as finding engineers all over the place will be tiresome and expensive.

 

[47GC]

Thus is so true! You can only drink so much rum and you get bored! 3/4 days and I’m ready for home. And btw I love my boat, but cabin fever is real!