Do Sealines crack ?

[Guest]

Hello all

New to forum and contemplating a used Sealine 37 Flamenco as my first boat.

Been lurking for a while and have picked up some useful info re: Volvo engines and the Sealine 36/37 hull in previous threads. My thanks to Kim Hollamby for thoroughly testing this hull and easing my concern that it may be a bad seaboat (would welcome any further comments on this issue from those with experience).

I'm still worried though. I have received alot of opinion from many people, including surveyors and brokers, that Sealines suffer from cracking. As far as I can tell this goes a long way to explaining the price difference between a Sealine and say the equivalent Fairline.

Is cracking a problem common to many performance motor boats and can it be easily fixed. If fixed is it likely to re-occur on a regular basis or can I prevent it by taking care in bad conditions.

Many thanks for you help

 

[DavidJ]

Chris
Just bought my third Sealine (which incidently is an S37) The hull has been around for years and years as the 360, 365,etc and I'm not aware of cracking problems. I think the Flybridge and Sports have the same hull. Sealine have always been perceived as third place to Princess and Fairline and I think the price reflects their way of taking market share. I certainly don't believe that any boat company would sell cheap because the hulls crack.
Great boats, great secondhand value. I bought new because the secondhand prices were too high. There are some good cheap 37's with Mercruser engines but you will have a devil of a job selling on.
Be aware of high hours boats with Volvo KAD 42's where the early models had piston and head gasket problems. High hours is 1000hrs for these engines. I don't know when the pistons were beefed up.
hope this helps
David

 

[markc]

Seen one with internal moulding cracks, and heard of a new one on a transporter where one of the supporting struts went through the hull (true or not, I don't know!). However, not seen many Sealine carcasses washed up on the shores around the Solent!

Mark

 

[kimhollamby]

All boats can crack

It's important to remember that any fast planing boat can be subjected to stresses for which it wasn't designed if driven very hard and so it is possible to break just about anything if you set your mind to it and don't mind the damage to your own body and the painful screams of your crew.

Weight has been designed out of modern planing boats in order to get performance up. To go for bomb-proof these days would mean opting for something like a Nelson with commercial lay-up - and even that would have its limits.

The bit about a hole being punched into a hull whilst under transportation is another typical case in point. If the boat had been lowered onto a post and most of its weight was supported on a narrow point between frames it is wholly possible for it to punch a hole through without anything being wrong with the design at all. You see a similar thing when owners get it wrong and 'T bone' the end of pontoon fingers with topsides.

For all of those reasons the survey on any fast boat is particularly important, irrespective of manufacturer. Stress cracking around internal stringers is not usually irredeemable and gelcoat star crazing is often a symptom of local stresses, rather than deep underlying faults, but you'll want both thoroughly investigated and dealt with before parting with cash.



Associate Publisher ybw.com websites kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[Col]

A friend had an S28 which developed a 12 inch long crack on a journey to the C.I.
Although it was 2-3 years old, Sealine had the boat shipped back and repaired at their cost. Crack was due to bottom of locker bashing the floor.He is now on his fourth Sealine (F37) so it didn't put him off.

 

[Guest]

Reassured, thanks

It's good to hear from an existing owner who hasn't experienced any problems.

The boat I'm looking at has Mercruisers but It's cheaper as a result and I'm planning to keep it a good while (hope I like it !).

In any case the wife has been aboard and I don't think there is anything else on the market at the price with the same space. It would be hard to persuade her to accept anything less.

 

[DavidJ]

Re: Reassured, thanks

There was a thread some months ago called "Is a Volvo worth 10% more" (than a Mercruser) which you may find interesting.
The Americans love Mercrusers
David

 

[Scubadoo]

I remember 3 years ago two Sealine owners both with the same boat, I think they were F44. One owner asked the other if he had cracking around the windowscreen, he replied saying no and added, you really push your boat in all conditions and I'm not surprised. So I guess their is much value in what Kim has said.

I own a S24 for the last 2+ years and not experience any cracking and have not heard anything from other Sealine owners.

S360/S37 nice boats and I wish I could afford one, your right some cheaper S360 around with mercruisers (tempting).

RM.

 

[martin]

Had a new F33 for 3 yrs and had no problem (with cracks). Went through F6 outside brighton one year and everything stayed exactly where it was sposed to... Was a B... to get rid of it though. Had twin volvo's, all serviced etc..and priced to move...no luck after a year gave up and PX'd.

Check out back pages of MBY...always seemed to me that there were loads of them for sale and all at very high prices...not many sold though..I think a lot of people like em and change upwards.

 

[toobaz]

Chris
Yes...............if the boat has been driven hard and hung up wet!
However, I have to concur with Kim.
Having owned a few boats and one of them being a Sealine 285 which suffered cracking down both spray rails, leading to her partial sinking. Even though we did everything by the numbers prior to purchasing and thinking we had covered every possible problem.
My only advise to you would be have a complete hull report, know your surveyor and know the boats history, if there is any point your unsure of..........walk away!
Sealines are great boats, however age and use is a very important issue.
Regards,
Barry

 

[tripleace]

sealine cracks?

I have a 365 with 3 engines, if anything is going to give it a load more stress its an extra 200hp and the ability to jump around the water.

She is 14 years old and I can say she is clean of all cracks.

Mind you I believe the build quality was better in 88.

I thought the 95 onward boats were lighter in construction?

heard the boats with that thing that looks like the Nimrod radar plane had problems?

 

[tcm]

Re: Flamenco

I rented one of these in the med a while ago, good looking boat in my humble opinion. There's a tendency to accidentally switch off the blimmin batteries with those switches inside the deck fridge, so beware! Also, early ones had a real teak floor option, which then warped a bit, making it difficult to shut the engine hatch, and it could swallow people whole if it lifted up at sea. Other than that, bit of tlc, and reasonable approach to diy will be fine. Upholstery praps uses slightly cheapo materials, but can be redone ashore no prob. Likewise carpeting, but all easy stuff if/when needed.

 

[c_j]

I also considered S37 as first boat and looked at many. Eventually I was put off by resale concerns. I know you may think you will keep the boat for ages but peace of mind about value is for me a major factor and I have seen S37 esp with mercs hang around for ages. In fact a 96 boat which I saw advertised 2 years ago still appears for sale.

The fantastic space you get inside a S37 in comparison to a Targa 37 is a major selling point and my family were sold on the S37 but eventually I went for a Princess V40 which had never occured to me because I thought it would be just too expensive.

The build in general of the Princess is better IMHO and prefer the lines.

Good luck, it brings it all back to me of those lovely weekends looking for S37's!

CJ
chris@stone.uk.com