Broom Continental or Crown

[Dino]

Hi,
I'm thinking I might upgrade over the next 6 months or so. I always liked the Broom 37 Continental but they are getting a little long in the tooth now and I'm not mad about the two singles in the aft cabin. The Ocean 37 doesn't really appeal to me as the raised aft deck is a lot smaller and the interior doesn't work as well with the galley in the main saloon and the u shaped seating doesn't really lend itself to lounging, more eating dinner.
So I think the Crown might be the best option. They are newer and a slightly more modern design, it has an island double and a good interior layout and aft deck.
Is there anything in need to look for when viewing these boats? I see some have Volvo Pentas, are these better?
I will be inland based but would like the option of going to sea. How does the Crown handle the rough stuff?
Also, I hope to live aboard next summer and the boat will be used singlehanded a lot.
Are there any other boats I should be considering!
Thanks!

 

[paul salliss]

You would be far better off talking to the BOC

 

[Medskipper]

The Broom Crown was a superb boat in its day but it does tick some of the boxes you mention. I would go for the Volvos because there are always plenty of spares. Plenty of space as a liveaboard but it won't be very fast as sea as its a heavy boat. Semi displacement hull so more comfortable in rough weather than a planing hull. All in all great boat but aging now.

 

[volvopaul]

Most brooms are good boats but the availability of Perkins parts for the 6354 is virtually non existent so personally I wouldn't buy one due to this, it's the same with Ford sabre and mermaid engines now that are Dorset and Dover based units.

 

[aquapower]

The Broom Crown was a superb boat in its day but it does tick some of the boxes you mention. I would go for the Volvos because there are always plenty of spares. Plenty of space as a liveaboard but it won't be very fast as sea as its a heavy boat. Semi displacement hull so more comfortable in rough weather than a planing hull. All in all great boat but aging now.

You will find that getting one with Volvos is easier said than done, there weren't meant built with them.

 

[Montemar]

The Broom Owners Club website has a list of all models and a brief description of each plus a photograph. You do not need to be a member to see this. Occasionally boats come up for sale through the forum but you will need to join to see this. You could make a request through it and may strike lucky.
Good luck!

 

[Wavey]

Heavy built to Broom's usual exacting standards. No specific negatives other than the usual points to check with any boat of that age that would be covered by a decent survey. Crewed on one some years back from Vlissingen to Ramsgate. Won't get you anywhere in a hurry being semi displacement but decent sea-keeping qualities. Here's a couple with Volvos:

http://www.boatshed.com/broom_crown_37-boat-214304.html

http://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1982/Broom-37-Crown-2978759/Netherlands#.V8PwZzXSlhE

Shame you're not in the market for one now. The one in Holland looks a cracker.

The Broom Owners Club will cost you £25 pa and well worth joining if you do buy one.

 

[admillington]

The hulls on the Continental and Crown are the same. My parents had a 37 Continental in 70s and it was a good sea boat - we were based in Ramsgate so it was always a sea trip. My major concern would be the Perkins Engines - they were HT versions so laid flat and of course you will be pottering along with old turbo engines that might smoke a bit.

 

[Wavey]

Google is your friend

http://www.parts4engines.com/perkins-ht-6-354/

The owners club have also done extensive research into the availability of spares as there's an awful lot of Brooms still running around with 6354 lumps in them.

 

[oceanfroggie]

Both fine vessels. The Crown is significantly larger inside. Personally I like the layout and look of the Continental especially those large aft cabin windows. Avoid old Perkins engines. Both boats are SD and really max speed is about 14kts otherwise they tend to plane on their keel. Most folks helm them at speeds between 5-7.5kt. Some folks here have re-engined Continentals with modern engines. Good sea keeping.

 

[Dino]

Thanks for all the info and sorry for the slow reply. I'm surprised to hear that 6354 parts are so hard to find seeing as there are so many boats fitted with them.
I presume the 6354 185hp units are the same just souled up a bit. Are they a better unit?
The boat will mainly be used at 6-8 knots but I would like a bit of extra power so that I can head out to sea occasionally.

 

[No Regrets]

You could buy a cheap one with Perkins and drop a pair of 200hp Nanni's in for £20k or less.

A fellow Bray member did just this and appears to be very happy!

 

[apollo]

£20k....i wish mate, it was a tad more than that..

 

[mersey]

Thanks for all the info and sorry for the slow reply. I'm surprised to hear that 6354 parts are so hard to find seeing as there are so many boats fitted with them.
I presume the 6354 185hp units are the same just souled up a bit. Are they a better unit?
The boat will mainly be used at 6-8 knots but I would like a bit of extra power so that I can head out to sea occasionally.

175hp not 185hp.

I have 145s in my Broom and they are running fine.

As another poster pointed out, the previous technical coordinator of the owners club put together a document detailing where all parts are availabile from, as he has the same engines in his boat. Never had an issue with spares.

 

[oceanfroggie]

£20k....i wish mate, it was a tad more than that..

Nice clip. What speed was she doing? Looks like about 13-14kt

 

[Greg2]

We used to have an Ocean 37 and as already said it had the same hull as the Continental and the Crown. We had the Perkins 145hp (some later ones were upgraded to 175hp) and it was 17 knots at WOT and cruise at 10 to 12 knots. Good in a head sea (albiet with a bit of water over the top) and being round bilged would roll a bit in a beam or quartering sea. Good sea oats though and built to Broom's usual high standard and in those days that meant like a tank!

No question that the Crown has the best layout of the three but don't be fooled into thinking the others were no good. The layout on the Ocean actually works quite well once you get used to the galley worktop being partially under the side deck!

Cockpits on all three leave a lot to be desired IMHO although some of the later Crowns showed some imporvements. .

 

[apollo]

More like 19k have occasionally clocked 20k

 

[Flynnbarr]

Old Perkins that burble nicely and refuse to die......who is telling the truth concerning spares,the respected experts or the owners ?!

 

[Latestarter1]

Old Perkins that burble nicely and refuse to die......who is telling the truth concerning spares,the respected experts or the owners ?!

N/A 6.354's particularly Dot 4's are absolutely fine, particularly as the N/A Dot 4 uses a Bowman exhaust manifold instead of the nausea of the iron raw water cooled manifold.

Contra rotating engines upright or horizontal engines have a number of key components which are NLA. A horizontal, contra, turbocharged motor simply forget it.

Turbocharged engines are a different story.

Engines not converted to Holst H1c and still using 3LD turbochargers are pretty hopeless in terms of transient response and genuine 3LD parts are NLA.

T6 354 Dot 2's have pneumatically governed DPA fuel pumps and not the later mechanically governed pumps, genuine parts for earlier pump NLA. Throttle shaft bodies wear and real difficult to set up.

Perkins T6.354 used to be a popular application in Fairey boats and I know of at least six boats which have had the T6's removed and are being currently re-powered. Fairey owners tend to use their boats frequently and too many spoiled weekends and holidays have forced owners to think again about their power plants.

Finally even when new head gasket integrity on turbo engines as well as rear main oil seals have always been an issue.

Many Broom owners which have horizontal engines think that they are stuck with HT motors so tend to be in denial as it affects the value of their boat, however I have proved that there is life after HT motors with a little thought.



Regardless of the talk of new piston availability never come across owner who

 

[oceanfroggie]

More like 19k have occasionally clocked 20k

Wow thats impressive. She looked like she was pushing a wall of water.

A friend of ours has a fabulous 37 Continental, but he maintains she almost planes on the wide keel at speeds over 14kt and has a tendency to change direction if pushing up on the keel.