sonarbell
New member
I am looking to buy a Targa 27 or Princess 266 Riviera. Anyone any preferences and why?
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Fairline Targa 27/Princess 266 Riv.
- Thread starter sonarbell
- Start date
ari
Well-known member
Re: Fairline Targa 27/Princess 286 Riv.
Princess 286 or Princess 266?
Title says one, text says the other...
All good boats.
P266R - One of THE best sea boats of its size and amazing performance with the most popular twin 205hp petrols on duoprops (well over 40 knots). Excellent cockpit layout, modernish styling (curved screen, integral bathing platform, transom door). But basic looking inside, all vinyl covered bulkheads, hob but no grill, aft cabin curtained off, no door.
P286R - Much bigger boat, a foot wider in the beam and 30ft long if you include the bathing platform. Massive accomodation for the size. All nicely finished inside, usually in light oak. Big galley with oven and grill and twin sinks. Seperate mid cabin with door. Big well laid out cockpit. But "slammier" in a head sea due to beam, thirsty with petrols (due to size of boat and usually V8's) or expensive to buy with diesels.
F27T - Another excellent hull. Size of boat almost identical to the 266R (ie about 27ft and 10 foot beam). Usually two 205hp V6 petrols again. Not as fast as the 266, cockpit layout not as good (big long 3 person beanch seat means helmsman needs to shuffle past both passengers to get out). Styling a little ungainly but not unpleasant, basically a revamped Sunfury. Has the transom door and curved screen but nothing like as pretty as a 266. Howver much nicer inside with nice wood finish (usually oak), door to aft cabin, better galley etc. Nicer quality of finish too than the 266.
All good boats, not a duffer between them.
P266R my fave for styling, sea keeping, cockpit layout and amazing performance. I'd put up with the less nice interior for all that. MUST have 205hp petrols though, and get them checked!
Ari.
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Princess 286 or Princess 266?
Title says one, text says the other...
All good boats.
P266R - One of THE best sea boats of its size and amazing performance with the most popular twin 205hp petrols on duoprops (well over 40 knots). Excellent cockpit layout, modernish styling (curved screen, integral bathing platform, transom door). But basic looking inside, all vinyl covered bulkheads, hob but no grill, aft cabin curtained off, no door.
P286R - Much bigger boat, a foot wider in the beam and 30ft long if you include the bathing platform. Massive accomodation for the size. All nicely finished inside, usually in light oak. Big galley with oven and grill and twin sinks. Seperate mid cabin with door. Big well laid out cockpit. But "slammier" in a head sea due to beam, thirsty with petrols (due to size of boat and usually V8's) or expensive to buy with diesels.
F27T - Another excellent hull. Size of boat almost identical to the 266R (ie about 27ft and 10 foot beam). Usually two 205hp V6 petrols again. Not as fast as the 266, cockpit layout not as good (big long 3 person beanch seat means helmsman needs to shuffle past both passengers to get out). Styling a little ungainly but not unpleasant, basically a revamped Sunfury. Has the transom door and curved screen but nothing like as pretty as a 266. Howver much nicer inside with nice wood finish (usually oak), door to aft cabin, better galley etc. Nicer quality of finish too than the 266.
All good boats, not a duffer between them.
P266R my fave for styling, sea keeping, cockpit layout and amazing performance. I'd put up with the less nice interior for all that. MUST have 205hp petrols though, and get them checked!
Ari.
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sonarbell
New member
Re: Fairline Targa 27/Princess 286 Riv.
Thanks Ari. What about diesel version?? Any ideas
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Thanks Ari. What about diesel version?? Any ideas
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ari
Well-known member
Re: Fairline Targa 27/Princess 286 Riv.
P266R - single AQAD 41 200hp or twin AQAD 31 130hp, both very very rare.
Targa 27 - twin AQAD 31 130hp. Again rare, but not as rare as the 266.
P286R - twin AQAD 31 130hp which were a bit slow (circa 20ish knots) or twin AQAD 41 which were a bit heavy, but at least gave good performance.
Only trouble is, the 286R with 41's are typically asking in the £50K region, and you can get a Targa 33 with the same engines for not a lot more, which will give way more accomodation (two sleeping cabins) and the weight of the AQAD 41's is better absorbed by the bigger boat. Plus many more built with this option so more chance of finding one.
But suddenly you're up to close on £60K, which is a long way from the £25-£30K of a petrol P266R...
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P266R - single AQAD 41 200hp or twin AQAD 31 130hp, both very very rare.
Targa 27 - twin AQAD 31 130hp. Again rare, but not as rare as the 266.
P286R - twin AQAD 31 130hp which were a bit slow (circa 20ish knots) or twin AQAD 41 which were a bit heavy, but at least gave good performance.
Only trouble is, the 286R with 41's are typically asking in the £50K region, and you can get a Targa 33 with the same engines for not a lot more, which will give way more accomodation (two sleeping cabins) and the weight of the AQAD 41's is better absorbed by the bigger boat. Plus many more built with this option so more chance of finding one.
But suddenly you're up to close on £60K, which is a long way from the £25-£30K of a petrol P266R...
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sonarbell
New member
Re: Fairline Targa 27/Princess 286 Riv.
Decisions, Decisions. Always the same when trying to decide which option to take.
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Decisions, Decisions. Always the same when trying to decide which option to take.
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ari
Well-known member
Re: Fairline Targa 27/Princess 286 Riv.
I think basically you need to decide what you want to spend first off. Once you've got that fixed then you can see what options you have.
For example there is no point deciding you must have a Princess 266 Riviera if you find a Fairline 27 Targa in much nicer condition than the best Princess and £5K cheaper.
Once you've got your price pegged (at least as much as it can be) then start looking and something will hove into view and you'll know its your boat.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Ari.
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I think basically you need to decide what you want to spend first off. Once you've got that fixed then you can see what options you have.
For example there is no point deciding you must have a Princess 266 Riviera if you find a Fairline 27 Targa in much nicer condition than the best Princess and £5K cheaper.
Once you've got your price pegged (at least as much as it can be) then start looking and something will hove into view and you'll know its your boat.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Ari.
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hlb
RIP
Fairline and Princess prity much out of same stable. Go for twin diesel. And just find the best one. Rest is down to personal taste.
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Haydn
<hr width=100% size=1> Flags Solly MFBR</font color=red>
Haydn
oldgit
Well-known member
Re: Fairline Targa 27/Princess 286 Riv.
Agree with Ari on this .Would not fix aim on one particular boat style/builder,but would set sort of/forums/images/icons/laugh.gifmax price and then see what comes around in that price range.
Maybe something will come along at really silly,must be sold price,or on the other hand a real corker that you would not mind finding a tad bit more money for.
Little while ago while looking for last boat had set heart on particular type but ended up with my little Princess.Absolute result,boat had been looked after all its life and money had been spent when needed,so no jobs festering away just waiting in ambush for a later owner.However although boat did not look as shiney as many others we looked at the stuff that mattered engines,drives etc had been cared for.
Would much rather go for boat that looked a tad scruffy but was reliable and was in regular use,than sort of boat where shiney gelcoat with new carpet and matching fender socks were more important to previous owner who only started boat up once a year.
Buy on condition.
<hr width=100% size=1>Stupid place to leave an island anyway......
Agree with Ari on this .Would not fix aim on one particular boat style/builder,but would set sort of/forums/images/icons/laugh.gifmax price and then see what comes around in that price range.
Maybe something will come along at really silly,must be sold price,or on the other hand a real corker that you would not mind finding a tad bit more money for.
Little while ago while looking for last boat had set heart on particular type but ended up with my little Princess.Absolute result,boat had been looked after all its life and money had been spent when needed,so no jobs festering away just waiting in ambush for a later owner.However although boat did not look as shiney as many others we looked at the stuff that mattered engines,drives etc had been cared for.
Would much rather go for boat that looked a tad scruffy but was reliable and was in regular use,than sort of boat where shiney gelcoat with new carpet and matching fender socks were more important to previous owner who only started boat up once a year.
Buy on condition.
<hr width=100% size=1>Stupid place to leave an island anyway......
sonarbell
New member
Re: Fairline Targa 27/Princess 286 Riv.
Thanks for the advice chaps. pretty much what i had thought anyway. just reassuring to know other people think the same as I have.
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Thanks for the advice chaps. pretty much what i had thought anyway. just reassuring to know other people think the same as I have.
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petem
Well-known member
adarcy used to own a T27 and kindly sent me a few words for my website <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.FairlineOwnersClub.com>Fairline Owners Club
ari
Well-known member
Oh, and don't pay too much. You often see petrol engined Princess 266's etc still asking over £30K which is what they were second-hand 10 years ago!
They do hold their value extremely well, but I'm not 100% convinced they've not lost anything in 10 years...
Worth doing your homework on what these things are actually selling for, if it is £30K+ then fair enough, but I'd imagine that they've slipped a bit, even if owners are still asking that kind of money...
Good luck!
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They do hold their value extremely well, but I'm not 100% convinced they've not lost anything in 10 years...
Worth doing your homework on what these things are actually selling for, if it is £30K+ then fair enough, but I'd imagine that they've slipped a bit, even if owners are still asking that kind of money...
Good luck!
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adarcy
New member
Indeed I did petem.
Still think it is a good boat and basically I agree w most of what ari says. At the time we were looking for a new one of that type and there were virtually no second hand available. The interesting thing to us was the difference in headroom. I would have preferred a 286R as it was generally so much bigger but the headroom was inadequate for us. Both the T27 and 266R had enough because the floor was scalloped out whereas the 286 had a loveely flat floor but we could not stand up straight unless your head was poking out the hatch.
We chose the T27 over the 266 because it seemed much better finished and less spartan. As we found out over time the Princess build quality would probably have made it a wiser choice
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Still think it is a good boat and basically I agree w most of what ari says. At the time we were looking for a new one of that type and there were virtually no second hand available. The interesting thing to us was the difference in headroom. I would have preferred a 286R as it was generally so much bigger but the headroom was inadequate for us. Both the T27 and 266R had enough because the floor was scalloped out whereas the 286 had a loveely flat floor but we could not stand up straight unless your head was poking out the hatch.
We chose the T27 over the 266 because it seemed much better finished and less spartan. As we found out over time the Princess build quality would probably have made it a wiser choice
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kghowe
New member
I use to have a Targa 27 twin 205's. Superb boat, watch the v8's their as thirsty as a thirsty thing can get!
Never had any serious problems and handeled everything we chucked at it in the two years we had ours. Watch for overheating on exhausts and well worth getting mech and hull survey as all will be 12+ old.
Diesels are pretty rare, I would have thought, and will probaly be a re-engine from 205's or 211 V8's, stick to VP to retain residual value if going diesel route.
There are a few duffens out there so be careful. Any advice drop me a PM.
KGH
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Never had any serious problems and handeled everything we chucked at it in the two years we had ours. Watch for overheating on exhausts and well worth getting mech and hull survey as all will be 12+ old.
Diesels are pretty rare, I would have thought, and will probaly be a re-engine from 205's or 211 V8's, stick to VP to retain residual value if going diesel route.
There are a few duffens out there so be careful. Any advice drop me a PM.
KGH
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lastresort
New member
Sshh don't tell everyone ari 
We bought our 266R last October and paid £26500. The previous owner said that he could have sold it several times over. Another chap on here bought his for £25000 although it needed a bit of tidying up. Since then we have been offered £30k although I guess you don't really know until they come up with the cash.
The review in this months MBM had one up for £31k although they did say that they thought that was a bit overpriced.
I guess the answer is to set your budget, but also consider what you will use the boat for. We went across the channel earlier in the year and the cost in petrol really hurt.
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We bought our 266R last October and paid £26500. The previous owner said that he could have sold it several times over. Another chap on here bought his for £25000 although it needed a bit of tidying up. Since then we have been offered £30k although I guess you don't really know until they come up with the cash.
The review in this months MBM had one up for £31k although they did say that they thought that was a bit overpriced.
I guess the answer is to set your budget, but also consider what you will use the boat for. We went across the channel earlier in the year and the cost in petrol really hurt.
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