Broom. What does the panel think.

O

oldgit

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 Nov 2001
Messages
29,300
Location
Medway
Visit site
A Brown Crown at Harleyford has caught my eye. The interior looks fairly modern....but the engines are fairly small.
VP40A.
As these on good day produced only 130Hp and the Broom being a lardy olde tub,not really man enough to get a decent offshore speed if you want to go somewhere. ????
Comments most welcome esp. from anyone prepared to admit they own a Br**m.
 
oldgit said:
A Brown Crown at Harleyford has caught my eye. The interior looks fairly modern....but the engines are fairly small.
VP40A.
As these on good day produced only 130Hp and the Broom being a lardy olde tub,not really man enough to get a decent offshore speed if you want to go somewhere. ????
Comments most welcome esp. from anyone prepared to admit they own a Br**m.
Click to expand...

You are not the only Thames forumite looking at that particular boat....
I thought those engines were 148hp?
Used to be owned by Mark Warner who was ATYC chairman for years and it will have had lots of money lavished on it even though the current owner let it go a bit.
 
According to Brooms those engines fitted to the Crown were the 148hp variant. From the wording of OGs post I think perhaps he means they never actually achieved that in reality.

Max speed was something close to 18 knots and cruising at about 12 knots.

If the engines are sound that's a lot of boat for the money. Has been discussed on here before but I think perhaps in the Mobo forum. Can't remember in what context though.
 
Wavey said:
According to Brooms those engines fitted to the Crown were the 148hp variant. From the wording of OGs post I think perhaps he means they never actually achieved that in reality.

Max speed was something close to 18 knots and cruising at about 12 knots.

If the engines are sound that's a lot of boat for the money. Has been discussed on here before but I think perhaps in the Mobo forum. Can't remember in what context though.
Click to expand...

The 40A in my P33 were def 130 hp.These had a square heat exchanger. Mega money to replace.
The 40B may have been 148 hp.These had round heat exchanger.

That boat is optimistically priced there is one in very similar condition not far way at £20k less.
 
oldgit said:
The 40A in my P33 were def 130 hp.These had a square heat exchanger. Mega money to replace.
The 40B may have been 148 hp.These had round heat exchanger.

That boat is optimistically priced there is one in very similar condition not far way at £20k less.
Click to expand...
The 40A was available from 110hp to 148hp variants. Brooms used the 148s
The 40B was 158hp and was used by Brooms in the later Crowns.

Info is from Brooms themselves

A Crown for under £40k asking price strikes me as suspect.
 
oldgit said:
A Brown Crown at Harleyford has caught my eye. The interior looks fairly modern....but the engines are fairly small.
VP40A.
As these on good day produced only 130Hp and the Broom being a lardy olde tub,not really man enough to get a decent offshore speed if you want to go somewhere. ????
Comments most welcome esp. from anyone prepared to admit they own a Br**m.
Click to expand...

The very 1st question you must ask yourself......how old are Mr&Mrs Old Git and is that old enough;)
 
The Crown is a super boat but a speedster she ain't. With that engine combo you will cruise circa 9-11 knots.
When Mark Warner owned the boat she was probably the most lavishly maintained boat in the UK. Money was no object. What she's like now? Who knows? There's another for sale at the UTMYC owned by David Stern.
 
Plenty of Crowns around and not selling easily. Mainly because they are too pricey. That particular Crown has been on the market for nearly two years, so I would go in pretty hard on the price.

As others have mentioned, the words Broom Crown and speed don't necessarily go together.
 
A Crown for under £40k asking price strikes me as suspect.
Click to expand...

The boat is being sold by Broom and may well be stock boat. Reason it is so cheap (suspect they would take offers on even that price) is that it has only one helm.
Not that big a job to replicate the steering hydraulics/throttles and repeat instruments downstairs ?
They are some very keenly priced boats around.Heavy old classics such as the Broom and Turbo 36 seem to be leading the way on price if you want to sell.
http://www.broomboats.com/brokerage/boatdetails.php?boatid=1019545
 
Last edited:
oldgit said:
The boat is being sold by Broom and may well be stock boat. Reason it is so cheap (suspect they would take offers on even that price) is that it has only one helm.
Not that big a job to replicate the steering hydraulics/throttles and repeat instruments downstairs ?
They are some very keenly priced boats around.Heavy old classics such as the Broom and Turbo 36 seem to be leading the way on price if you want to sell.
http://www.broomboats.com/brokerage/boatdetails.php?boatid=1019545
Click to expand...

Why bother?
I don't know anyone with a sheltered upper helm who goes below to steer.
That boat has been for sale for quite a while,done the rounds up that way,NYA etc.
 
Flynnbarr said:
Why bother?
I don't know anyone with a sheltered upper helm who goes below to steer.
That boat has been for sale for quite a while,done the rounds up that way,NYA etc.
Click to expand...

Agreed. No inside helm is a plus point for me. Previous boat had one and used it once in almost 20 years of ownership. Suspect that Crown is so cheap as that's probably the worst fit out I've ever seen.
 
byron said:
The Crown is a super boat but a speedster she ain't. With that engine combo you will cruise circa 9-11 knots.
When Mark Warner owned the boat she was probably the most lavishly maintained boat in the UK. Money was no object. What she's like now? Who knows? There's another for sale at the UTMYC owned by David Stern.
Click to expand...
The boat at UTMYC only has twin single berths in aft cabin, thats a waste as one of the best bits of the boat is the island double!
 
apollo said:
The boat at UTMYC only has twin single berths in aft cabin, thats a waste as one of the best bits of the boat is the island double!
Click to expand...

Must have been a special fit out for one of the American clients that travel on our tours who invariably, when faced with a double room rather than a twin, kick up a stink. "I've been married to her for 25 years and now you want me to sleep with her!"
 
Cashbuyer said:
Plenty of Crowns around and not selling easily. Mainly because they are too pricey. That particular Crown has been on the market for nearly two years, so I would go in pretty hard on the price..
Click to expand...

I think there is a general trend away from old 70/80s boats to modern sportsboats with out-drives and no decks, was discussing this with a broker friend recently.
There are also some Monarchs around again that have had expensive refurbishments and even the 38s are dropping in price too.
Peeps comparing age to that of a car, and want the latest models with ECUs and Electronic Controls (ugh!).
That's fine if that's what folks want, i have owned all sorts of boats including all the usual contenders from Sealine and Princess,this is my 8th and easily the best of the bunch.
All down to how many desperate folks out there willing to give them away, at the moment there seems to be quite a few.
I dont plan on selling any time soon and would rather set fire to it than give it away.
 
Wavey said:
Must have been a special fit out for one of the American clients that travel on our tours who invariably, when faced with a double room rather than a twin, kick up a stink. "I've been married to her for 25 years and now you want me to sleep with her!"
Click to expand...

You have to remember its UTMYC, i am sure those kind of shenanigans doesn't happen very often...
 
apollo said:
You have to remember its UTMYC, i am sure those kind of shenanigans doesn't happen very often...
Click to expand...



Its all down really to getting off ones bum and having a look.
The one on the Thames is adverstised as a poss P/X.
Might risk a visit to the badlands of Berks at have a butchers but having been up to the fens recently am not to keen to repeat the experience.
 
VW campers are ridiculously expensive, dated and marmite material. I think of old boats and certainly Brooms in a similar way apart from the price tag. Except I love the look of 60's/70's boats, they are becoming classics (at least the well looked after ones are)
Good luck with finding a nice Broom, :encouragement:
 
As I will be 55 next birthday I am currently looking at Brooms. Not yet settled on 35 or 37. We love the Island bed on the 37, but the 35 would be more economical in terms of marina costs. Plus less windows so fewer net curtains LOL!

My Birchwood 33 is on the sales pontoon at Penton Hook...... :)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top