Loftus-Bennett 18'?

[Inselaffe]

Loftus-Bennett 18\'?

'Afternoon!

My friend and his Pa are going to have a look at a 18' Loftus-Bennett for use down here in Portugal mostly on reservoirs for fishing I think.

I don't have much info, just:

About 30 years old (although reputedly not or little used from new and kept under cover/inside)
Chrysler 70bhp outboard + 4bhp engine (brand unknown)
Road Trailer
2 berths in front

Any advice/cautions/good points to look out for?
How was their laminating/construction reputation?
Are they well known?
Good for the sea too?
outboard probs?
etc.

Thanks lots

Leigh

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: Loftus-Bennett 18\'?

There were loads of these built at one time but as is the case of many 30-year-old trailables the numbers will have reduced over the years as some get left forgotten at the bottom of the garden.

I never came across any issues regarding build quality when we were getting asked more questions about these (back in the mid-1980s); to be honest you are as likely to find osmosis on the inside from rainwater collection are you are on the outside.

Never took a ride on one but from memory the hull looks fairly sea kindly. If you are inexperienced I'd make sure you exercise a fair degree of caution, and perhaps start off in sheltered waters and good weather conditions. Don't forget your safety kit either.

At the kind of price you are likely to pay I'd focus far more on the condition of the outboard and the road trailer - replacement of both could easily exceed the sale value. The Chrysler will be no spring chicken and its reputation for reliability wasn't fantastic. The 70hp re-appeared for a while back in the 1990s as the Force, a cut-price Brunswick brand, but that too disappeared. I'm not sure about parts availability in Portugal although I guess the vendor might be able to advise - whether he has any receipts ie has any recent evidence of maintenance could be a further clue as to whether you should get involved with this one.

 

[Inselaffe]

Re: Loftus-Bennett 18\'?

Thanks very much for the info,
especially about the OB.

Its not for me but for my friends dad who definately knows what hes doing, he`ll use it on one of the large reservoirs for fishing i think.

But, after windsurfing around here on the Lisbon coast myself quite a bit (Guincho waves hurt!) safety advice gratefully received!

Leigh