Doral 250

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I'm always in the market to upgrade boats. I have pretty much decided that I love the look of the Doral 250 and seems to have everything I want, mainly a KAD engine and a damn big bathing platform. 2001-2002 models seem to be going for around 50k sterling, with todays euro conversion rates one could be had at a good price so i'd like to pounce while I have the advantage

Does anyone have one or know anyone who does? What are they like? Built quality? Sea handling (For a 25footer). Any weak points etc. etc.
 
Being from Ireland I can't just pop down to one of the yards for a look. I'd want to be sure that I want one before flying over to view one. The more I look at pics, the more I like them. Do you know of any particular weaknesses that one should look out for? I'm going to go for a KAD43/44 engine... personally i'd prefer the 43, more simplistic, but fly-by-wire would be nice /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Hi Niall,

The Merc Diesels were most popular in the dorals until recently where the split is 50/50 with Volvos. The 250 Monticello is a nice boat with the extending seat area. Build quality is very good for a 25ft boat, the fixtures and fittings are also good. The covers are a bot fiddly for my liking especially slipping it into the Radar arch.

Only down size is the cost of purchse and the issue with high values secondhand. In the UK market people are very susceptable to value and will often buy a more inferior boat for less cash.

Try and get the Elite pack on her, those add the nice bits.

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
thansk for the replies guys. Yes I would be inclined to go for the 43 if possible, but my main criteria is that it must be a Volvo with a 290 leg

I realise the price of them is pretty high for a 25ft boat, but if it's well built it's worth it to me.

Nautorius - Don't suppose you could give me any more info regarding extra packs? I've seen different add-on packs mentioned but I don't know what they mean.

What's important for me is that it has the extended rear platform and that the interior is the blue seating (There's a name for it mentioned on websites, just can't think of it off hand)

I've seen a few advertised (2001) for 45k... surely a 10% haggle could work meaning you could have one for 41k (I have my own trailer) so it's just a matter of driving on the Ferry. Total costs usually when I go over to buy a boat is 1k euro

If anyone on this forum has one i'd love to hear from you. I'd love to see one in the flesh without the pressure of "buy it now, buy it now"... the one good thing about coming over from Ireland is that the seller knows your genuinly interested and not just popping down for a spin
 
Niall

I have a 2002 Doral 250SE with KAD300 engine and duo props. It also has the extended bathing platform (teak), holding tank, additional electrics, etc (it has blue trimmed interior). Basically exactly what you are looking for - except it's not for sale.
Have had it for 2 seasons - purchased second hand from broker in Portsmouth - although boat originally from Simco. Have had a few dealings with Simco and seem very good (a friend of mine has a petrol engined 250 on brokerage with Simco at the moment).
We have been very pleased with the 250SE - as our first family motor boat - 2 small children ! Has performed well so far with few major problems - plenty of small problems - but nothing out of the ordinary. Spent 3 weeks on her last summer cruising along the Devon coastline with the kids - had a great time. Mainly use her for weekends away along the south coast.
General build quality is very good. They are quite a heavy boat (don't take too much notice of the listed weights - when ours was lifted the crane driver gave me the weights off the crane and they were well over list - just be aware if you are using your own trailer). Would agree with others comments on canvas being a pain - next boat I get I'm going for a hard top !!
She is in the water at the moment - so if you want to come and have a go you are more than welcome. We are based near Exeter, but the boat is in Plymouth. If you wanted to tie it into a visit to Simco - they are based in Totnes (about 25 miles away). PM me if you want more info or to arrange a visit.
 
When we were looking to change late last year the Doral 250 was on our shortlist, we payed a vissit to SIMCO which is, for as long as I can remember a main importer of Doral's.

We went on a rainy day in the middle of the week unannounced & with no more intention of being serious than "can we have a brochure".

To say they were accomodating would be an understatement, I cant remember the name of the guy who showed us around but we looked over probably 4 used 250's a new 250 & all of their new boats in stock.

He talked of second hand values, new prices, trade in values & gave us some really good & meaningfull advice, but on no occasion tried to lead us into the office for a quotation, in general one of the most aproachable outfits iv'e ever vissited.

We were very impressed by the build quality & the fit & finish were very good.
We didn't end up buying one as we wanted slightly bigger than the 250 but if you really want to look over the Dorals, Simco is where I would start

Looking around, Essex Boatyards always have a few.
 
Thanks for that. I have been talking to Simco. A guy rang me earlier from there and said that he'd pick me up/drop me off at the airport etc. He said the only 2nd hand 250 he had had just sold but he'd get in touch with me if another 250 comes in.

Generally what % price would there be between a private sale, or buying off a dealer 'as seen' ie. I don't want any sort of warranty
 
Nial,

What about this One

She looks clean, has a KAD 44 and is in Bristol (you could sail her home!)

Has the Navy blue Upholstery and Extended teak swim platform and Shower. She is £45k for a 2000 boat but I think her value is closer to £40-42k. Could be a deal to be had!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Nial,

What about this One

She looks clean, has a KAD 44 and is in Bristol (you could sail her home!)

Has the Navy blue Upholstery and Extended teak swim platform and Shower. She is £45k for a 2000 boat but I think her value is closer to £40-42k. Could be a deal to be had!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Howya Paul... your some man for the eBay ads! I actually already saw that ad and have emailed the seller. I've yet to hear back from him though. I cannot ring him as i'm on the mobile during the week and can't make UK calls. I'll have to wait until Friday when I get home to phone him. Hopefully he'll have gotten back to me via email before then
 
Fair dues to David @ Simco. He's either a really sound bloke or a damn good sales man. Either way, I reckon i'll be doing my purchasing through Simco. They seem to know of every 250 in the UK.

David seems honest. I Asked him a question about certain weak areas of the boat and he was honest about it (Although this boat in question is not suffering from such) but he kind of went blank and said "Blimey, you've done your research" (Thanks YBW members!)

I plan on flying over to the UK in the next few weeks to view. Although the boat is over budget it is full of extras that I don't even want.

Question: Does a lot of (not just factory) extras make a boat more valuable, or simply more desirable? Personally I do NOT think it adds to the value of a boat. I mean, a car with alloys may be more desirable, but does it make it any more valuable than the exact same car next to it without alloys? I don't think so as they were aftermarket mod's

The dealer is insisting that the boat is more valuable because of these extras, I don't really agree. The extras are the likes of TV/DVD. The boat has the electric folding arch which imho is a BAD thing... it's only more to go wrong. (I can use my hands thanks!). It does however have cabin heating which is a nice bonus.

Opinions people

PS. It does have the Platinum pack which includes shore power, extended platform etc.
 
It depends. In the case of the car, on some models even the type or size of alloy can make a large difference to the price someone will pay for it (ie the value).

Lets take the boat, so you buy one without shorepower for example. If you want shorepower on your boat then the cost you have to spend post purchase is the price of all the bits, plus the cost of fitting, plus the loss of time using the boat and the mess etc etc etc. So lets say you found two identical boats, save for the fact one was without the shore power and the second had the option fitted. To save the cost of buying the parts and the time/cost of having them fitted would you not pay another £500 to avaoid the hassle? I would bet you would, so for you, for that option it adds value to the boat.

An option you dont want aguably doesnt add value for you,but you have to look at the wider picture. Is it an option that MOST people would want? If it is, regardless of whether you want it or not you should view it in the first sense as it will have a bearing on the price you ge when you sell and probably aid the speed at which you sell as MOST people want it on the boat.
 
I'm with Jez here...

We are currently in the final stages of buying a Boca Grande (originally new, but now an 18 month old one) and one of the must-have's was an electric radar arch - not because we need it, but because the boat will be going to Empuriabrava where there are canals and therefore bridges.

In the case we sell up/ trade up, a future purchaser might well purchase ours as opposed to an alternative is because this option is fitted... To retro-fit apparently is a nightmare and VERY expensive.

Others were air conditioning & a generator......there again, a couple of the things I wasn't bothered about are heating and Radar....our purchase has both of these...

Doesn't make the boat necessarily more valuable, but makes it more desirable, and therefore logically easier to sell.
 
I see your points. It's really a 'Its worth what someone is willing to pay' situation really

The thing is that all these goodies are of little use to me
TV/DVD: I use the boat to get away from this. I'd probably never switch the thing on
Electric Arch: Could never see myself using it (No bridges) which could just lead to motor failure due to lack of use
Shore Power: There is no shore power available where I am

About the only thing I might use is the cabin heating. Again this may only be used less than 10 times a year if I decide to do a bit of winter cruising - I know I wouldn't use it in the summer

It's been for sale for quite some time (Over a year) but I think the reason it didn't sell is because the asking price was way too high. The seller was trying to re-coup the money he spent on the toys. I guess this is the real question: "Do you think you could re-coup money spent on extra toys for your boat when it comes time to sell"

I plan on hanging onto this boat for a long time. This will be my 3rd sports cruiser and I don't have a need for anything bigger. Therefore, for the time being I will not worry about re-sale. It's a weekend boat, not a liveaboard. Sure, it'd be nice to say I have every ding-dong accessory with the boat, but what's the point if i'll never use it?

It's a 2000 boat and I was given a price that is not negotiable (Granted it's lower than the asking price on website), but I can get myself a 2001 (lower spec boat but same mechanics and still has the important stuff I want like extended platform, electric windlass etc.) for £4k less straight deal. So i'm paying an extra £4k for a boat a year older and with accessories that i'll never use

Decisions, decisions. I guess i'll know when I see it in the flesh
 
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