Fairline t38 To Sealine sc35

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buziyel

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I am joining to this forum from Istanbul. Although boating is quite big here Sealines are not popular at all. There are very few of them on the water and resale is quite difficult. Fairline, Sunseeker, Sea Ray, Atlantis and Beneteau's are very popular.

I have sold my Fairline T34 past summer and started my search. Now i am stuck between a 2009 Fairline Targa38 and 2009 Sealine SC35. Both are in similar condition. Although they have %10 price difference, I do not mind the difference. I have sea trialed both. T38's interior is not much larger than t34. It is a similar experience with bit more space and modernity. SC35 is more spacy.

I was wondering if anybody went through a similar process and if they decided on a Sealine why did they do so? How is the experience?

Also boat that I am looking at has 2x320 cummins with Axius for Sealine. Any experiences on that? Should I shy away from the cummins engine?

thanks
berk
 
buziyel said:
I am joining to this forum from Istanbul. Although boating is quite big here Sealines are not popular at all. There are very few of them on the water and resale is quite difficult. Fairline, Sunseeker, Sea Ray, Atlantis and Beneteau's are very popular.

I have sold my Fairline T34 past summer and started my search. Now i am stuck between a 2009 Fairline Targa38 and 2009 Sealine SC35. Both are in similar condition. Although they have %10 price difference, I do not mind the difference. I have sea trialed both. T38's interior is not much larger than t34. It is a similar experience with bit more space and modernity. SC35 is more spacy.

I was wondering if anybody went through a similar process and if they decided on a Sealine why did they do so? How is the experience?

Also boat that I am looking at has 2x320 cummins with Axius for Sealine. Any experiences on that? Should I shy away from the cummins engine?

thanks
berk
Click to expand...

With the sc35 and cummins set up I'd be looking at its backup for servicing and reliability issues, there is a lot going off inside the engine bay to make the drives steering independent which over time I'm sure will give trouble, along with mercruisers corrosion issues on the steering gimball .
No doubt the sc35 is a very good boat for space and its hardtop , the Volvo d4 is a lot more popular and no doubt there will be a good dealer back up. The targa is a pretty boat but does not have the space of the sealine.
 
Big fan of the SC35 as evreyone by now knows and for me, it beats the Targa hands down. Ours is a 2009 and is everything we wanted. Clean straight lines, ample storage, superb visibility and great seakeeping. Can't comment on the Cummins as ours has D4s. I would perhaps give a more considered approach tho if, as you say, the Sealine resale isn't great where you are. A couple of modifications will need to have been made on that age SC35 tho but you're probably aware of that already.
L
:)
 
Dear Lisilou,

Thank you for your feedback. I think I have finally decided to go with the Sealine. I know the issues regards to Portholes and engine air vents. Is there any other modifications that I should be aware of? I would be very happy if you could give suggest me if there is anything else.
thanks
 
Hi buziyel ,
I have just found the test for the T 38 in (Powerboat and Rib FEB 13 EDITION PAGE 28) it says all that I feel about the boat when I tested it with view to buying; its a fantastic boat and is ahead of the SC35 in finish and performance.

I would choose the Fairline .

Justin

It says
buziyel said:
I am joining to this forum from Istanbul. Although boating is quite big here Sealines are not popular at all. There are very few of them on the water and resale is quite difficult. Fairline, Sunseeker, Sea Ray, Atlantis and Beneteau's are very popular.

I have sold my Fairline T34 past summer and started my search. Now i am stuck between a 2009 Fairline Targa38 and 2009 Sealine SC35. Both are in similar condition. Although they have %10 price difference, I do not mind the difference. I have sea trialed both. T38's interior is not much larger than t34. It is a similar experience with bit more space and modernity. SC35 is more spacy.

I was wondering if anybody went through a similar process and if they decided on a Sealine why did they do so? How is the experience?

Also boat that I am looking at has 2x320 cummins with Axius for Sealine. Any experiences on that? Should I shy away from the cummins engine?

thanks
berk
Click to expand...
 
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buziyel said:
Dear Lisilou,

Thank you for your feedback. I think I have finally decided to go with the Sealine. I know the issues regards to Portholes and engine air vents. Is there any other modifications that I should be aware of? I would be very happy if you could give suggest me if there is anything else.
thanks
Click to expand...

Sent you a PM but as I recall, it was the seastrainer lids which needed to be changed. You'll need to check my facts there tho.
L
:)
 
Dear Buziyel ,

I am not a frequent blogger and only talk about what I have experienced with the T38 in a factual way , thats why I sent the magazine article so you have an independent view of which boat to buy, try to find that boat review . So many comments are full of personal bias, at the of the proverbial day it is which boat suit you.
When I tested the SC35 I found it a little sluggish compared to the Fairline and the level of general finish on the boat was not as good , baggy seat covers and poor fitting canvas , some water leaks on windscreen and less responsive hull and agility .
I am still looking to buy and your question has prompted me to go and look at Fairline again.

Good Luck with you search and make your own mind up based upon your experience of the two boats, make sure you go out in the T38 first and then decide.

Good Luck

Justin
 
The Sealine is a beamier, chunkier boat, so if full lock turns trying to get the boat to go backwards at 25kts is your thing, then the Sealine probably isn't the best option. I would agree that the "finish" on Fairlines in general is very good, and by that I mean the interior woodwork, but you should also see the "glossy option" available on later SC35's at a boat show, if that's important to you.

When looking at the Fairline, make sure you check out the helm ergonomics as well.
e.g.
Is the steering wheel in the right place, or is it positioned similar to that on a bus?
Can you see the gauges easily, or are they hidden behind the wheel?
Can your better half snuggle up next to you when you at the helm? :)
 
Dear Flowerpower ,
I am not having a pop at the SC35 so not need to prickly ( the 38 goes ahead also, no need to drive it backwards ) ?
If Berk will be on the Bosphorus in Turkey with ferries and pleasure craft coming at you, the extra speed and responsiveness will be very useful.

Because a car or boat performs well it does not mean you have to use it in that way , it simply means the hull has a better design . You can buy a 4.0 L BMW does mean you have to do hand break turns and drive at 160 klms ? it just means it can .

I agree the 38 could do with a standard adjustable steering wheel , but Berk has been used to a T34 and it is not a bus or car and the position of the wheel is not that important.
As for having your other half cuddle up while your in charge of the boat !!! not a great idea on the Bosphorus where you need your eyes open all the time ; its very busy; but its nice when your berthed i agree.

As I do not own either boat , but had been through the process i thought it would be helpful to Berk for ( non owner perspective).

In summary , Berk is looking at two second hand boats , so the interior etc will be as it is , the 35 has cummins as its an older boat , all the new boats have D4 Volvo so that might also be a consideration when Berk tries to resell .

Best Regards

Just
 
No prickles here, I just shoot from the hip ...
... usually resulting in a hole-in-foot :)

Only point I would disagree with,
...it simply means the hull has a better design...

The SC35 has a different hull design. As to whether it is better or not, depends on how you look at it.
There was a letter a while back in one of the boat mags from the SC35 designer, which was interesting. The hull has quite a deep forefoot, and carries that medium-v a long way aft. Also, the sections underneath the bathing platform are actually an extension of the hull. The net result of all this is something that is quite effective at squashing waves, at the expense of fuel efficiency. But the wide beam does mean that it won't turn quite as quickly as some, and you won't see 45kts in an SC35 (you won't see 45kts in a T38 either unless you go bananas with the engine options and go for D6-400's. Did someone say 150 litres per hour :eek:). So more about being a "cruiser" rather than the Cinzano race boat. But whether the more sporty performance of a T38 makes it "better" weighed up against the additional interior volume of an SC35 is an interesting debate.
 
Dear Justin and Flower Power,

Thank you for the suggestions. All the comments and suggestions are very valid. They are two different takes on boating.

I also agree with Justin that Fairline is more agile and sporty. It gives a much entertaining driving experience compared to Sealine. Especially wind blowing to your face in a summer time is a big plus. Quality of the finish is quite similar. Maybe Fairline is bit better but not that noticable. Both feel like very decent boats which are much superior many other makes in this size. However, here are few reasons why I chose the Sealine instead:

The boat industry and all the important british cruisers are going in to the direction of Soft top for this size instead of Open Top. Princess v39, Sunseeker and even Targa38 grand tourismo. It gives you the freedom of the open top and also all the advantages of the hard top. If I was to choose between a Sealine Sc35 or T38 Grand Tourismo probably I would have chosen T38. However, brand new gt38 goes for almost double the price of 2009 Sc35 which is difficult to justify. The boats that I was comparing was T38 open and SC35. In this case SC35 is much more practical and is more in the direction of the new designed boats. Even tough Istanbul has a different climate compared to Britain (much more sunny weather), I will be able to use the boat for much longer duration. On another note I will miss the wind blowing to my face. Larger interior volume was also a convincing factor for me. I like the "simple is more" approach and modern lines.
Also in my particular case since I am upgrading from a t34, it was difficult for me to justify in to buying a t38 for a big price difference.
berk
 
Label Snobbery ~Armani,Rolex,Fairline,Primani !

Buy the boat you want not what others perceive as better.If the Sealine does not have such good residuals down where you are,it just means you can buy it cheaper to start with.Why buy your second choice boat and make do,probably selling it on earlier,when you can get a boat which suits your needs first time.
There is a lot of snobbery in the boat world,if you want a very cramped but well regarded boat with an alledged reputation for seakeeping in bad conditions then fine,if however you are a sensible boater who tends to avoid such weather and wants a spacious comfortable boat perhaps the small cramped boat is not for you.
As regards the build quality of the Fairline, a friend of mine who had a T37 and upgraded to a T43 found after a trip out much of his aft cabin ceiling on the floor due to a few waves.He has since gone on the buy a P46.
He really should had listened to my advice to avoid buying a tent boat in the first place.....but whatever :)
 
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I think there is more to it than label snobbery.
I took the time and read the article that Justinwater suggested. I also agree with many of the comments within the article. t38 is a great boat. However, than again those comments are for T38 grand tourismo. It is the revised and up to date version of T38 open. Grand tourismo 38 is very much in line with the today standards of boat building. It costs little over 300k . Where as a preowned T38 open sells around 170k. In close future More of the gt versions will be on the water, it would be more and more difficult to sell pre owned open top version.
In past two years, so many boat builders have discovered the beauty of the softtop. Soft top has the advantages of the hard top and none of the cramped feeling of a grp hard top neither the bad overheat during summer. Sealine got the discovery bit before the others. Therefore, pre owned SC35 which is easily comparable to price wise to targa 38 open, is built and mentality wise much more up to date. This is why I chose the sealine.
On another note, I think more and more Sealine will become main stream and it will increase the brand perception as their boats are becoming popular. If they get away from love it or hate mode but rather build designs which everyone may appreciate, it will have a great positive impact on their brand recognition.
 
volvopaul said:
With the sc35 and cummins set up I'd be looking at its backup for servicing and reliability issues, there is a lot going off inside the engine bay to make the drives steering independent which over time I'm sure will give trouble, along with mercruisers corrosion issues on the steering gimball .
No doubt the sc35 is a very good boat for space and its hardtop , the Volvo d4 is a lot more popular and no doubt there will be a good dealer back up. The targa is a pretty boat but does not have the space of the sealine.
Click to expand...

Cummins is a strong and well known brand in Turkey with excellent back up. However this is a CMD set up with VM engine branded as a Cummins.

Despite my prejudice dealers tell me VM 300 is sweet reliable motor and Axus system works like a charm, but with dissolution of CMD who knows how support structure is organised for the VM which has become a real pass the parcel brand. GM have now sold controlling interest in VM to Fiat. Penskie/Detroit Diesel, Daimler Benz, G.M, now Fiat........
 
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I ended up buying the Sealine SC35 / 2009 and used it for a season.
I think after all the discussion, this forum deserves to see my final experience from this boat.
Overall it has been a great boat. Interesting enough, my boat was docked right next to a T38 (open boat not GT). Everytime I docked the boat I thought to my self I made the right choice. Versatility and the space of Sealine is far superior with hard top and layout to T38 open top. T38 looks much more dated compared to Sealine.
Sealine feels much heavier boat to drive compared to T38. Ride comfort is superb due weight and it feels very safe. However it consumes more than expected.
Cummins engine has proved to be running like a clock.
It has been a great boat with fantastic experience... I have not regretted my choice for a moment.
 
Good to hear of your positive experience. Boat buying is so personal, and we are all different. So what works for one, does not necessarily work for another. Well done on your purchase, and I hope you have many happy seasons on her.
 
Congratz for the purchase.

Just to make a bump to this thread, but the designer of the SC35 hull is Micheal Peters from the USA considered by many as one of the current best hull designers. Yes even better to Bernard Olesinski.
I think he did only one other Sealine with the SC35, was it the SC47? He is also a genius with wide hull, considering that the Cabo Sportfish he designs (today he does all the range) are also considered very good seakeepers. These boats are not usually very slim...

Saying all this I would imagine the 38 Targa to be more agile, but like with like in a head sea I would not write the SC35 off to riding worst that the Fairline, it might in the end still be close.
 
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