Fairline Targa 34 ,37 ,39 or Cranchi Zaffiro 34. Which to buy ?

[DavidJ]

Ciao, I' m going to buy a Targa 39 with VP Kad 42 231hp. I was afraid that the 231hp engines are not enough for that boat, that I really like so much. My usually cruise speed would be at 20/21Kn. do you know at how much rpm I could have that speed? I have never had the opportunity to drive this boat, and the test will be only after the first payment. Thank very much

Hang on!!
You‘re going to pay a first payment before having a test drive of the boat.
Surely I’ve misunderstood
You are having a full survey aren’t you?
Is it this one:
Fairline Targa 39 For Sale - GBP SOLD - Clipper Marine

 

[Portofino]

Hang on!!
You‘re going to pay a first payment before having a test drive of the boat.
Surely I’ve misunderstood

Deposit followed by sea trail by the sounds of it .A very British broker thing ??

I have always offered to fund the fuel and been on no obligation test drives in the Med .France / Italy .

 

[alt]

Hang on!!
You‘re going to pay a first payment before having a test drive of the boat.
Surely I’ve misunderstood
You are having a full survey aren’t you?
Is it this one:
Fairline Targa 39 For Sale - GBP SOLD - Clipper Marine

Brown coolant in the expansion tank and dark green in the bilge. No thanks.

 

[petem]

Hang on!!
You‘re going to pay a first payment before having a test drive of the boat.
Surely I’ve misunderstood
You are having a full survey aren’t you?
Is it this one:
Fairline Targa 39 For Sale - GBP SOLD - Clipper Marine

It's standard practice for brokers to take a deposit before a 'test drive' / 'sea trial'.

Too many time wasters otherwise (apparently).

 

[petem]

Brown coolant in the expansion tank and dark green in the bilge. No thanks.

Didn't you post a thread about cleaning your rust coloured expansion tank?

Yep, that's coolant in the bilge. Caused by overfilling, failed turbo gasket or a failed head gasket. Wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Portofino]

Didn't you post a thread about cleaning your rust coloured expansion tank?

Yep, that's coolant in the bilge. Caused by overfilling, failed turbo gasket or a failed head gasket. Wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me.

It’s ammo to cock off after the “ joy ride “
What I mean I would use that to my advantage.
Take pics etc before the engines start , check levels inc oil .Presume have sighted the SH paper work file in the brokers office before the sea trial ? If not why not ?

Then go out and if it only managed a lowish speed , or alarmed off at WOT - re taken the pics .
Once in the brokers office express your dissatisfaction, the condition and the ( maybe more blown out) coolant along with the disappointment of the performance etc = demanded the depo back .

Just ask “ Does it work “ ? Before handing the depo or write on the contract subject to the boat reaching its full performance.


The other side will argue it is what it is as seen etc , we can negotiate the price because of the various alarms , the blown coolant , it needed a hull clean and stern gear scrub hence the low ish speeds etc .

Then refer to the added line you placed “ does it work “

Sure if it’s only a faulty bilge pump sender or oil pressure sender ( gauge never moved ) , loose locker hinges , none working anchor light etc etc are discovered = theses are in my book minor and easily fixable and do not constitute a none working boat , but are chip down stuff instead .

It may have been cleaned up , just serviced before the pic anyhow .
Or ancient pics = brokers are renown for recycling pics .If so this does not bode well in my book .

Would have thought the mechanical side would have to be tip top from a brokers perspective to list it ?
Or add something like “ in need of a overhaul but starts and runs “

 

[stelican]

Didn't you post a thread about cleaning your rust coloured expansion tank?

Yep, that's coolant in the bilge. Caused by overfilling, failed turbo gasket or a failed head gasket. Wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me.

Original name was "Foxtrot Oscar"

 

[alt]

Didn't you post a thread about cleaning your rust coloured expansion tank?

Yep, that's coolant in the bilge but nothing like the pics above. Caused by overfilling, failed turbo gasket or a failed head gasket. Wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me.

Yup, the tank was a little discoloured over the years (I didn't buy new), but the coolant was is green and changed annually during my ownership.

My point is that if I was selling, I wouldn't present a bilge that that, nor would I ever allow it to be like that.

 

[petem]

Yup, the tank was a little discoloured over the years (I didn't buy new), but the coolant was is green and changed annually during my ownership.

My point is that if I was selling, I wouldn't present a bilge that that, nor would I ever allow it to be like that.

On the basis that the coolant in the bilges in green (and appears to be fresh) I imagine the coolant in expansion tanks is green too! The brown is historical staining.

I do like to see a nice clean expansion tank as a sign of regular coolant changes and wider attention to servicing.

I wouldn't allow my boat to be photographed looking like that either.

Pete

 

[MapisM]

Wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me.

The deal breaker for me is rather the fact that the owner obviously thought it's OK to leave that stuff in the bilge, to the point of advertising the boat with that photo. Considering that it would have taken just minutes to clean that bilge, I don't even dare guessing what other much more important things were neglected.

 

[petem]

The deal breaker for me is rather the fact that the owner obviously thought it's OK to leave that stuff in the bilge, to the point of advertising the boat with that photo. Considering that it would have taken just minutes to clean that bilge, I don't even dare guessing what other much more important things were neglected.

I know from bitter experience that getting that coolant out (unless you've got a working dregs pump) takes a good half an hour and is a dirty job. And it's not actually doing any harm as the engine sump pans are nowhere near it.

We had the same issue. Mechanic number one said it was due to overfilling (above mid level) with coolant. Mechanic number two said it was a leaking head gasket (aa big job to fix) and the third set of mechanics correctly diagnosed a leaking turbo gasket.

 

[alt]

The deal breaker for me is rather the fact that the owner obviously thought it's OK to leave that stuff in the bilge, to the point of advertising the boat with that photo. Considering that it would have taken just minutes to clean that bilge, I don't even dare guessing what other much more important things were neglected.

Great minds, P

 

[alt]

I know from bitter experience that getting that coolant out (unless you've got a working dregs pump) takes a good half an hour and is a dirty job. And it's not actually doing any harm as the engine sump pans are nowhere near it.

We had the same issue. Mechanic number one said it was due to overfilling (above mid level) with coolant. Mechanic number two said it was a leaking head gasket (aa big job to fix) and the third set of mechanics correctly diagnosed a leaking turbo gasket.

DeWalt wet-vac, I swear by them. When I wash out my bilge (usually after service and then remains clean throughout the year) I wash down with TFR and water, brush around with a cheap mop and rags. Suck out with the DeWalt (attach a stick with tape for the long reach). Wash down again to get rid of suds and repeat with the DeWalt.

Whole engine bay spotlessly clean in less than a half hour.

 

[alt]

Anyway, back on topic.... I vote Zaffiro 34 (I know it's an old thread) or a Smeraldo 37, if you can find one. Was down in Malta a few weeks back, I got very excited with all the Cranchi's about.

 

[ari]

I would buy on condition over anything else as all those boats are of a muchness. The targa 37 and 34 are arguably the prettiest boats if you are an aesthetic kind of person. For your money I'd be looking at a late D4 engined Zaffiro 34 with the wood interior

All of those will handle the Solent, plus channel and West Country without issue.

I'd add to the list the Cranchi Smeraldo 37 as well.
Obviously the Targa 38/39 is the oldest boat in your list, followed by the 37 and then 34.
The Zaffiro 34 started in 1997 and was in production until 2008/09 so predates the T34 and post dates it as well
The Smeraldo was I think first produced in 1995 but could have been early 1996

I would buy on condition over anything else as all those boats are of a muchness. The targa 37 and 34 are arguably the prettiest boats if you are an aesthetic kind of person. For your money I'd be looking at a late D4 engined Zaffiro 34 with the wood interior

I would agree with this 100%. The boats will all do fundamentally the same job. The Fairline will be better quality but that will be offset by it being older (better residuals), so no real gain. So I'd be looking closely at condition of boat and engines, and I'd be wanting the D4 engines (KAD engines have been out of production for what will soon be 20 years).