Bruce Roberts 495

I have a great old girl - a 36' steel BR ketch (see my avatar) , built 1980 by Colonial Craft of Cumbria and fitted out by Jordans of Whitby.
Very well founded, sea kindly, dry (as in sea keeping as well as mildew and booze!) and she will outlive me I'm sure.

There is an owners club whose members may included v495 owners.

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/brucerobertsyachtowners
 
I've been involved with the building of lots of steel boats including a number of Bruce Roberts. There's nothing wrong with them and lots of people have had lots of pleasure from them.

But the standard warning of 'Caveat Emptor' must be written large somewhere you will see it at every moment you are considering this purchase. Then put orange flashing lights around the sign and then add a warning siren.

But not specifically because it's a BR 495, but because it is a steel boat and steel boats need buying with a lot of care. Especially when they're asking £125,000 for one with teak laid decks and what looks to be a basic standard of interior finish.

Take off any rose tinted glasses you may have and do your sums very carefully. Steel boats are NOT automatically good financial investments - they are outside of the 'norm' and will only have a limited market appeal.
 
TimBennet said:
I've been involved with the building of lots of steel boats including a number of Bruce Roberts. There's nothing wrong with them and lots of people have had lots of pleasure from them.

But the standard warning of 'Caveat Emptor' must be written large somewhere you will see it at every moment you are considering this purchase. Then put orange flashing lights around the sign and then add a warning siren.

But not specifically because it's a BR 495, but because it is a steel boat and steel boats need buying with a lot of care. Especially when they're asking £125,000 for one with teak laid decks and what looks to be a basic standard of interior finish.

Take off any rose tinted glasses you may have and do your sums very carefully. Steel boats are NOT automatically good financial investments - they are outside of the 'norm' and will only have a limited market appeal.
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I totally agree but would add that marine surveyors reports often miss things. This happened to me in that last June (under the head and forepeak chain locker) when the slurry blasting to remove years of antifouling penetrated completely through the hull. Neither place had been even mentioned by the surveyor who should, I am told, have been aware that these are common areas of corrosion from inside. Fortunately the cost of £1200 was very reasonable and the slurry blasting did not reveal any other suspect areas.

However, if you can afford to pay for a haul out and a reliable surveyor, and as she is only 10years old, you may get a lot of yacht for the money.

I agree the standard of interior finish is basic - mine is done to a much higher standard by Jordans, but its what you cannot easily inspect that really matters.

Photo of the hull repairs at Portavadie last June. I'm fitting a bow thruster this year.
 
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I agree that no boat is an 'automatic good investment'. However I've seen in my (long) career buyers become misty eyed when buying metal boats to a degree even more so than normal. And that's saying a lot. They are swayed by the rufty tuff image, talk of them being 'ice strengthened', Dutch built, epoxy coatings that 'last for ever', only 10 years old, over specced, etc, etc.

None of these things necessarily mean anything. The buyers only reality should be the vessel under consideration and they should completely disregard the myths, hearsay and truisms.
A surveyor is essential but you need to find a good one who's experienced with steel yachts (not commercial vessels). Even then, there are limits to what they can find (teak decks?), although should be wide awake to problems from the inside in way of chain bins, under tanks, cockpit lockers etc.

I would really study the alternatives on the market available in other materials for a similar price and write down what advantages a steel boat gives YOU, and then write down all the downsides in such a purchase. Only then can you be sure than such a boat represents any sort of worthwhile purchase for YOU.
 
TimBennet said:
I agree that no boat is an 'automatic good investment'. However I've seen in my (long) career buyers become misty eyed when buying metal boats to a degree even more so than normal. And that's saying a lot. They are swayed by the rufty tuff image, talk of them being 'ice strengthened', Dutch built, epoxy coatings that 'last for ever', only 10 years old, over specced, etc, etc.

None of these things necessarily mean anything. The buyers only reality should be the vessel under consideration and they should completely disregard the myths, hearsay and truisms.
A surveyor is essential but you need to find a good one who's experienced with steel yachts (not commercial vessels). Even then, there are limits to what they can find (teak decks?), although should be wide awake to problems from the inside in way of chain bins, under tanks, cockpit lockers etc.

I would really study the alternatives on the market available in other materials for a similar price and write down what advantages a steel boat gives YOU, and then write down all the downsides in such a purchase. Only then can you be sure than such a boat represents any sort of worthwhile purchase for YOU.
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Good advice but sometimes the intangible like "character" comes into it - like buying a home I suppose. In my case I did view two Moody 33s but they didn't do it for me but in many ways would have been a more sensible (and spacious) purchase.
I made the right choice for me but for anyone who is not keen on diy repairs and maintenance, it would have been a big mistake.
 
We have a BR Spray 38, we wanted something substantial and different. Fantastic boat, it'll never win any races but very sea kindly, reassuringly safe and comfortable. Poor DIY hull constructions are a problem together with poor quality amateur fit-outs. Ours was professionally yard built and professionally fitted out in oak. She's a cutter rigged ketch, not everyone's cup of tea but we love her.
 
Philiz said:
We have a BR Spray 38, we wanted something substantial and different. Fantastic boat, it'll never win any races but very sea kindly, reassuringly safe and comfortable. Poor DIY hull constructions are a problem together with poor quality amateur fit-outs. Ours was professionally yard built and professionally fitted out in oak. She's a cutter rigged ketch, not everyone's cup of tea but we love her.
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I'm only the third owner in 33years - the previous two kept her for 15years each so I guess, that like me, they loved her too. The quality & condition of the interior woodwork was one of the many things that helped me make up my mind and I'd never part with her.
Looking over the original invoices, the hull cost £4k and the fitting out £40k though I don't know exactly what this included as the invoice is not itemised. In 1980 that was a substantial sum which was also reassuring.

I remember the comment "she chose me" that was made by a forumite commenting on his choice of yacht - funnily enough, I know exactly what he means!!
 
We had a Bruce Roberts 30 GRP; great boat for open sea. All Bruce Roberts designs are good long voyage boats and I have never heard of any bad experiences about the designs; however, a lot of them are DIY and therefore the quality varies a lot. Steel boats are my favourite but steel and salt do not go together and an extensive survey will be advisable IMHO, however, I am sure you know all these.
 
ianj99 said:
I'm only the third owner in 33years - the previous two kept her for 15years each so I guess, that like me, they loved her too. The quality & condition of the interior woodwork was one of the many things that helped me make up my mind and I'd never part with her.
Looking over the original invoices, the hull cost £4k and the fitting out £40k though I don't know exactly what this included as the invoice is not itemised. In 1980 that was a substantial sum which was also reassuring.

I remember the comment "she chose me" that was made by a forumite commenting on his choice of yacht - funnily enough, I know exactly what he means!!
Click to expand...

We are the second owners of ours. I know what he means too!
 
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