Fairline Targa 34

[ecs0set]

We are considering moving from a sports boat with single outboard on a dry rack to a Fairline Targa 34 (2 x VP KADs on outdrives) on a pontoon berth. Obviously the costs will be higher - eyewateringly higher!

Does the annual budget below sound sensible?

LOA (m) 10.4
Marina Costs (Dorset) £5,500
Shore electricity £250
Annual Engine Servicing (both) £1,750
Outdrive Servicing (for both drives, every other year) £1000/2 = £500pa
Additional Servicing / Repairs £500
Annual lift out and antifoul £500
Insurance £300
Fuel - Every other penny I earn

I appreciate that the KAD is an older engine/outdrive.

Regarding the Fairline T34 vs another alternative - I think those threads have been done to death, I've looked at the Sealine, Bavaria, etc. equivelents and still like the Fairline. I've skipped past the 24-30 foot range and gone for a T34 on the basis that it give more space (separate diner/fore cabin, twin aft cabin), it's not that much more, a T37-40 is quite a bit more. Plus a pretty Fairline is hopefully easier to sell in the UK if we need to exit.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Welcome along.

From your list above I’d say you’ve not allowed enough for drive servicing or Antifoul unless it’s DIY. The lift fee looks too low, remember you’ll need lift / block off / storage ashore / relaunch, but you could get a quote from your chosen marina for that. Insurance, suggest you get a quote. General repairs budget, looks very low to me but you may get lucky some years. May also want an upgrades pot. If your marina is very prone to fouling, budget £300 for Mid-season diver scrub. Seastart a good option at about £150.

 

[Momac]

I changed from a single engined 25ft to a twin engined 33ft.
I would say costs just about doubled. But the change transformed our boating experience.
I quickly realised the savings possible by doing DIY servicing.

 

[Momac]

I appreciate that the KAD is an older engine/outdrive.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[petem]

Note that the turbos will need replacing if they haven't been replaced already. Budget around £3k fitted for the pair.

Also sea cocks, injectors and potentially fuel lines will need doing if they're original.

 

[ecs0set]

I changed from a single engined 25ft to a twin engined 33ft.
I would say costs just about doubled. But the change transformed our boating experience.
I quickly realised the savings possible by doing DIY servicing.

Indeed, we have done the speedboat / Ringo thing and have reached the age where something more civilised is required!

I'm interested in the DIY servicing, I can do a car service when I need to. Ther is a learning curve for stern drives and Leads but it might be worth me learning how to do it myself and paying for a 3rd party inspection every so often to catch things I've missed.

 

[alt]

Check out Cranchi Zaffiro 34 / Smeraldo 37. May not be the popular UK choice but i've had both... Still have Smeraldo 37 for 10 years and absolutely no intention to change, I love it.

Being critical, the one downfall is the 'ply teak' on the bathing platform... it's done bad and does need replacing... but it's a 2003 boat.

I did have a canopy made for it... the OE ones are designed as covers rather than canopy (ie. Med) but that was an easy fix and canopies need replacing after a few years anyway.

 

[benjenbav]

We are considering moving from a sports boat with single outboard on a dry rack to a Fairline Targa 34 (2 x VP KADs on outdrives) on a pontoon berth. Obviously the costs will be higher - eyewateringly higher!

Does the annual budget below sound sensible?

LOA (m) 10.4
Marina Costs (Dorset) £5,500
Shore electricity £250
Annual Engine Servicing (both) £1,750
Outdrive Servicing (for both drives, every other year) £1000/2 = £500pa
Additional Servicing / Repairs £500
Annual lift out and antifoul £500
Insurance £300
Fuel - Every other penny I earn

I appreciate that the KAD is an older engine/outdrive.

Regarding the Fairline T34 vs another alternative - I think those threads have been done to death, I've looked at the Sealine, Bavaria, etc. equivelents and still like the Fairline. I've skipped past the 24-30 foot range and gone for a T34 on the basis that it give more space (separate diner/fore cabin, twin aft cabin), it's not that much more, a T37-40 is quite a bit more. Plus a pretty Fairline is hopefully easier to sell in the UK if we need to exit.

I think they’re great looking boats. petem (who has commented already) is the experts’ expert and has a lovely example of the marque and lots of info gathered both from experience and other owners.

 

[petem]

I think they’re great looking boats. petem (who has commented already) is the experts’ expert and has a lovely example of the marque and lots of info gathered both from experience and other owners.

Thanks M, you're too kind!

 

[SimonD]

You don't say where in Dorset you're thinking of berthing (Poole?) but a berth in Weymouth harbour would be around £4k. Call the harbour office on 01305 838422 for availability. A lift out and few weeks ashore would be about £500 alone (at WPNSA). Antifoul and anodes would add another £300 (DIY). Don't know about engine and sterndrive servicing - I didn't keep my twin KAD43s and sterndrives long enough to find out! However, what I can say, with some confidence, is that your repairs budget is way too low. A contingency of £2000 would be more realistic.

 

[Sianna]

we run a Leader 805, single engine KAD43 moored on the Beaulieu river, I'd say your costs aren't far out

LOA (m) 10.4. (ours is 8m)
Marina Costs (Dorset) £5,500 (Beaulieu £5900)
Shore electricity £250 ( we only use a dehumidifier over winter and the shore power to keep the batteries trickle charged and spend about £80 -£100 per year)
Annual Engine Servicing (both) £1,750 (we use Crofton Marine, who do a full service, oil, filters supercharge oil, anodes, impeller, plus service the outdrive on our KAD43 for about £600-£700) They have been super knowledgeable and very fair with costs.
Outdrive Servicing (for both drives, every other year) £1000/2 = £500pa (see above)
Additional Servicing / Repairs £500 (Trim ram seals have needed doing on ours, every 3 or 4 years or so, last time it cost £250 and the odd fuse / relay so a budget of £500 is fair)
Annual lift out and antifoul £500 (lift cost depends on where you are, but lift, a month on the hard and drop back in at Bucklers Hard is about £400) Antifoul £100 if you do it yourself)
Insurance £300 (Ours is £334)
Fuel - Every other penny I earn (The KAD's are pretty economical a day out on the solent costs us around £50? but it all depends on how far and fast you want to go)

 

[BruceK]

Its money. Soon you will be on Universal Credit. My advice is the age old one. Just spend it, dont think about it, you live once and there are no guarantees in life except for what you do right now.

 

[bvickers]

I agree with BruceK - go for it! But, I think your costings are a little low. I have a T34 and absolutely love it - to me, I can’t think of a nicer looking boat, but that’s me. Do remember that the latest T34’s will be about 17-18 years old and that, unfortunately, means that you will be spending money on maintenance as things do and will break. Point is, I’d allow at least £1k for unexpected issues. Mooring for me in the Solent is about £8.5k per year - I would have thought that Poole would be similar - my insurance is about £700, too. The rest of the costs look about right. Best of luck with finding one - PM me if you need any specific T34 help and there’s also a good T34 Facebook group, too. All the best!

 

[ecs0set]

More good info, thanks!

I'm waiting for a quote on the insurance. I've found a local VP servicing company who seem competent and reasonably priced. Plus I'm fairly practical so can do quite a few things myself if required, up to things like supercharger / turbo removal and refitting. Having said that, I will up the contingency budget based on the comments.

In terms of servicing costs, I was looking at the typical cost necessary to run it without significantly affecting its value. i.e. Basic servicing and maintenance. I'd imagine that there will be some additional expenditure on upgrades and additional refurbishment over what I listed.

 

[petem]

More good info, thanks!

I'm waiting for a quote on the insurance. I've found a local VP servicing company who seem competent and reasonably priced. Plus I'm fairly practical so can do quite a few things myself if required, up to things like supercharger / turbo removal and refitting. Having said that, I will up the contingency budget based on the comments.

In terms of servicing costs, I was looking at the typical cost necessary to run it without significantly affecting its value. i.e. Basic servicing and maintenance. I'd imagine that there will be some additional expenditure on upgrades and additional refurbishment over what I listed.

From a servicing angle, you can do the bare minimum (fluid changes) but it's a good idea to also do the stuff that will give you some decent reliability (occasional belt and changes, etc). And you may have a maintenance backlog when taking the boat on if the PO has fallen out of love with it (tappets, sea cocks, liferafts, injectors, fuel lines, fire extinguishers, antifoul build up, etc). To give you an example, renewing the engine room fire extinguisher will cost £1500 or so and needs to be done for insurance purposes.

Also, you need to put money aside for things like new covers when required, teak replacement, soft furnishings, cockpit cushions, etc. If you're handy with a socket set you can save a lot of money.

 

[DavidJ]

I think if you intend to DIY I’d be looking for a t34 with KAD43’s which will put you in the pre 2001 bracket. They are simpler to understand than later models, no electronics. I’ve never experienced a parts shortage (famous last words) and may still give you 34-35 knots/hr

 

[Meagain]

Like others on here feel your numbers could be a little low, if berthing in Poole you are probably a good £1000 light, servicing basic with all oils, filters etc is probably closer to £3000 (d4). Lift out & relaunch is around £500, your antifoul if someone esle is doing will be another £500 and the outdrive antifoul about another £170. We moved from a single petrol inboard on dry stack to twin diesel (d4) 35 ft the different in service/running cost is just crazy. Being on a pontoon with your suggested boat will feel so much better than dry stack, amazing how nice it is just to turn up and step on board. Also to a point made earlier while complaining and debating how much extra this size of boat costs to run, we are doing so much more boating (good year was 50 now standard is nearer to 100) plus the day on the water is so much more enjoyable. But for us it is averaging per year in Poole with no significant surprises at just over £12k plus fuel

 

[ari]

My current boat is smaller and newer (but far from new) than a Fairline Targa 34 (when did these run to, early 2000s?) and I guarantee that every year there WILL be an additional £2,000 over budgeted costs, provided nothing really bad goes wrong. Oh, we need a new canopy this year - £2,000. Oh, the heat exchanger is furring up/weeping - £2,000. Etc etc. Every. Single. Year. It would be humorous were it not so expensive!

So based on my experience, adjusted for an older, larger, twin engined boat, and adding a little 'sod's law', I'd allow £4,000 - £5,000 to your annual budget for the 'oh, we need a new/to fix/whatever...' inevitables. Hopefully you won't need all of it.

Agree, nice boat, also agree with Alt that a Cranchi Zaffiro 34 would give you a potentially newer but otherwise similar (size and concept) boat for the money. Not suggesting it's a better buy, just that it's an alternative worth at least considering.