Looking for inspiration

[Dutch01527]

I have a new 9m boat length, 1.6m draft maximum swing mooring in Dartmouth. The plan was to move my Dehler sailing boat there but I was offered a partnership in 42 foot sailing boat based on the Solent, which I took up and the arrangement has worked out well.

I am considering buying a motor boat to keep at Dartmouth. Objectives are to have a boat that can be handled easily by just my wife and I for extended weekends away and not to lose the mooring which are quite rare. Understand that no boat does everything but in an ideal world the following would be perfect:

1) Maximum 9m length and 1.6m draft
2) Good accommodation inside and out for 2 people with a maximum of 4 occasionally
3) Diesel engine or preferably engines.
3) Not interested in high speed but sea friendly is important. Would like to be able to cross the channel and trip down to Cornwall but would be pottering around Devon.
4) Budget up to £30k so would be a reasonably old boat

I am also looking at the possibility having a 50/50 boat share on the mooring which would up the budget somewhat.

Any ideas on boats to look at?

 

[Somerset Jim]

A few that come to mind straight away are as follows.

Aqua star 27 pacesetter or 33 ocean ranger (dart nav allowed us to be a couple of feet bigger on our old trot mooring than the designated size)
Channel fisher/ channel islands 32
Princess 30
Mitchell 31

 

[BruceK]

What Jim said but the truth be told sea kindliness in a Mobo is kind of an irrelavancy in as much as with speed you dont have to and truth be told you dont want to. So to add to the list:
In the sport boat lineup in that market:
Sealine S28 / 285 Ambassador / S29
Fairline - Sunfury series up to Targa 29 (speak to @LBRodders ) Look for AD31 or KAD32 conversions
Four Winss
Bayliner Cierra
Regal

 

[LBRodders]

I have a new 9m boat length, 1.6m draft maximum swing mooring in Dartmouth. The plan was to move my Dehler sailing boat there but I was offered a partnership in 42 foot sailing boat based on the Solent, which I took up and the arrangement has worked out well.

I am considering buying a motor boat to keep at Dartmouth. Objectives are to have a boat that can be handled easily by just my wife and I for extended weekends away and not to lose the mooring which are quite rare. Understand that no boat does everything but in an ideal world the following would be perfect:

1) Maximum 9m length and 1.6m draft
2) Good accommodation inside and out for 2 people with a maximum of 4 occasionally
3) Diesel engine or preferably engines.
3) Not interested in high speed but sea friendly is important. Would like to be able to cross the channel and trip down to Cornwall but would be pottering around Devon.
4) Budget up to £30k so would be a reasonably old boat

I am also looking at the possibility having a 50/50 boat share on the mooring which would up the budget somewhat.

Any ideas on boats to look at?

Some good examples have been covered above. If you do a boat share, you could probably just about get a decent Nimbus 280. That would tick most of the boxes.

I think these days you have to skin the cat another way. Its a seller's market and you need to see what is available within your budget. Start from there and see what is most likely the least compromise. [Or if its worth keeping your powder dry for a year or two.]

As you mention, the budget is going to see you in the older boats and so condition and service history is key.

Unfortunately, whilst good fun and it will keep you busy, this search will be akin to looking for a straw coloured needle in a haystack.

Our search [4 years ago] drew us to Dartmouth [Totnes] where we had a mooring that we never actually took up. We ended up dragging the boat up north and refitting her. If you have any Fairline Sunfury/Targa questions on your search I could probably help out and tell you a good'un from a bad'un.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[gordmac]

Channel Island 22 or Seaward? Shetland 570 or similar?