Info on Oceanis 351

[sailbadthesinner]

Have a friend thinking of buying one on greece
ex charter boat.
Anything he should look out for
The Yamaha (i think) engine has been out and fully refurbed ( donot know hours asume high) Rigging has be retuned and where worn, replaced.

In mast furling ( not my choice) with RR Genoa.
Anyone have experience of problem points with these boats.?
It is 5 yrs old starting price 40K aand we assume this can be chivvied down.
I may be interested in a share so all info gratefully recieved.

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[Twister_Ken]

I've sailed both smaller and bigger SUnsail Oceanis, tho' never a 351.

Candidly, after 5 years on charter you'd expect it to be very tired in areas like hull finish (i.e minor hull damage, inexpertly repaired), upholstery, cockpit, sails, deck fittings, etc. Remember if it's been successful as a charter boat it's had the equivalent of about 50 years use packed into a 5 year life, and much of it in the hands of less-than-expert sailors. So you'd have to budget for a fair bit of remedial spend to bring it into 'proud owner' condition. At which point, you ought to think what else £40K (plus fixing up money) would buy. OTOH, you might be getting charter-specific extras like extra opening hatches and a holding tank which are not normally fitted.

As to sailing properties, it's bigger and smaller sisters are impressive in up to about F5 and smoothish water, but start to bash and crash upwind in stronger breezes/bigger seas. Good stable boats downwind though.

 

[lezgar]

I chartered a 351 last year in Greece. My impresion was that the 351 is like a sailing caravan, very wide and confortable but not a boat for bad wheather.

There were gales in Greece two years ago (+10 force) and some boats were serious damaged (The boat that I Chartered had extesive damage and you could see the works done). Look for repairs.

 

[escape]

I think it was one of these that turned 'turtle' in the bay a few years back with loss of life and which fuelled to the debate about the quality of the benny/jenny as Class A.
When i read the reports there didnt seem to be any mention of the ability of the crew but who would want to write that up when the case involved loss of life.
I skippered one in RTIR a few years back and it sailed like a caravan,broaching too easily due to the wide flat after sections lifting the rudder out of the water once a medium amount of heel set on.
Great space aboard for living but quite complex and inaccessible water/power services.
Yamaha was not a factory fit engine from memory so may have been re-engined

 

[JeremyF]

The price seems a luttle steep. Given the use it will have had over 5 years, £30k would seem to be a sensible starter.. Is it a [ah em!] ex-charter - if so knock of another £5k. A private 351 in UK would be £50k, knock off £5k for kocation, and at least £10k for history. So, start at £30k

Jeremy Flynn

 

[Twister_Ken]

Engine not Yamaha

Almost certainly Yanmar. Charter boat engines tend to be very well used and fairly well maintained but it would be worth adding an engine survey to the buying process. Look especially at the gearbox, as charterers have been known to go from full ahead to full astern without a sympathetic pause, when bows-on mooring too fast. Evidence of this can usually be found on the stem!

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Ta for all your info
I too have plenty of years in the med on all manner of bens oceanis and gibseas and have seen a lot of bashing about
I am aware of all the potential bangs and clatters a charter boat may go through
I read in PBO a few months ago that some boats ( sold as a charter package) needed serious holes put in for 7 yr engine/drive overhaul and they reccomend selling after 5
I wonder if this boat is one?



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