Fairline Mirage

[TonyO]

I'm planning to change to my second boat. My current boat, a Viking 26, has been excellent and has taken us around the Thames, up the Wey and onto the canals over the last year. However we would like to explore more of the tidal Thames with a view to doing some coastal/sea trips in the future. I'm therefore looking for a boat which would be at home on the river but which would also enable me to learn seagoing techniques. Would the Fairline Mirage be a good bet for this? If so, which engine configuration should I be looking at (ie single/twin, petrol/diesel)?

Any help/comments/suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Tony

PS I would prefer to keep within £25k if possible but might spend more if really necessary.

 

[hlb]

I think young Coliholic is the expert here. He's the resident Fairline Mirage expert.

<font color=red> No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Haydn

 

[BarryH]

Well his got one that he keeps falling off!......ooohh, ganna get a slap for that one

OK, to hell with it. Unbolt it and we'll use it as an anchor!

 

[byron]

The Mirage whilst not a sea boat in the strict sense of the word is quite adequate for short sea passages providing one carefully picks the weather. Two engines are always better than one especially at sea because us stinkies cannot raise some canvas to get home. Deisel needless to say is ever a better choice than petrol. All of course IMHO /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

ô¿ô
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm>http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm</A>

 

[sjnewport]

Owned Mirage for 11 years. Coped with growing family well.
Used her on Bristol Avon,Bristol Channel,River Severn,River Avon to Stratford and when she was up for sell at Penton Hook took her on holiday from there to Thames Barrage and back to Henley.
Good versitile boat and plenty of room.
Had twin petrols and when we got fouled prop by Dome were grateful of second engine to keep going whilst prop was cleared.
Speed of approx 22 knots {could not out run fast ferry's that run below Westminster bridge !! }


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by sjnewport on 06/10/2002 20:05 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[joanne2]

Mirage sounds like a good compromise for river/coastal work. From what I hear from a former Mirage owner on the Thames the twin petrols may drink a lot . Seems to be lots of petrols for sale and far fewer diesels. I think you would get the greater diesel purchase outlay back at resale time . The few I have seen with twin diesel have tended to have twin 75hp or similar so not sure what that would feel like when in a hurry at sea

 

[coliholic]

Someone called?

Just sold our Mirage, we had twin AQAD30 turbo charged diesels on outdrives and primarly used her on the River Ouse. Then we had her trucked to The Broads in 2000 and tcm kindly volunteered to help me bring her back by sea from Gt Yarmouth to Kings Lynn. And we did that in a F5, from behind and it was great about 18 kts ish on average but tons going downhill and slugging it a bit uphill. Then we did France, Belgium and Holland last year with the MBM cruising club and then back to Kings Lynn on our own. Flat out on a mirror like sea got her to about 25kts, but happily cruised at 18kts, 3000rpm.

Coped quite well with some heavy seas on the way back. We were in convoy with a Phantom 43 and a Princess 38 (I think) and they kept asking us if we wanted to divert into another port and when we agreed they were really pleased, 'cos they didn't want to wimp out in their big boats, before us in our tiddler.

We didn't have any real problems with her, she was an '86, soft top. Don't think you'd get planing speed with any smaller diesels, the 115HP volvo's just about managed to get her planing. With a dirty bottom she'd definitely struggle. Earlier in the summer, tried to get her on the plane but after a year's worth of weed on the bottom, she just wouldn't get over the hump. Fuel consumption was about 15galls and hour at sea, but on the river, the odd thimblefull every now and again seemed to be enough.

Petrol? Well you know what that's going to cost you. As a guess 1mile per gallon at planing speeds?

Someone else said they look after your money well and that's true. We sold her for £1K more than we paid for her 4 years ago, so that can't be bad can it? Nice boat, but we found the berths really small. Ended up with my wife sleeping in the forward berth and me in the middle. And OK, I am bit on the well built side (it's all muscle, honest), but the berths are a bit tight.

Can't think of any obvious weaknesses that you need to watch for apart from the normal checks that anyone would do buying any 15-20 year old boat. Good and strong boat for her size, a good compromise esp if you want to do river and sea, but Iwouldn't buy one if I were only doing sea work. 26ft on the waterline's not quite big enough IMHO.