Monark

Tel

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Hello – I’m a sailor (as in sails), who regularly charters boats, but I have been looking around at motorboat ‘weekenders’.

I have seen a 1977 Monark 18 – 20 ft sportsboat (Scandinavian origins – not US), with a Volvo AQ 130 (petrol) engine. I’m told it can do 23 knots. I didn’t think that it was possible for boats to do more than 8 knots! And petrol? We rag and stick men believe petrol should be kept in quantities of less than 5 litres and even then towed in the dinghy due to it’s dangerous nature – but it seems quite common for you guys to have petrol engines and gallons of the stuff under the floorboards.

Anyway, I’ve heard that you motorboaters can be quite nice chaps, so can anyone help with the following questions:

1. Is Monark a good name?
2. Can you get parts for a Volvo AQ 130?
3. What should I pay for such a craft?
4. Any other advice for an ageing rag and stick man?

Tel
 
G

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Re: hello raggie!

If this is a wind-up, then haha.

If not, then... a boat can achieve more than it's displacement speed with a hull shaped to lift it out of the water so it planes. Hence more than 8 knots, and indeed with enuf power and flat water it could do 40 knots or more.

Many of us are wary of petrols too. Firstly there's the safety thing, secondly the petrol costs lots, thirdly petrol not universally available at jetties. Petrol engines are cheaper, hence faster per quid spent on boat, but much more expensive to run - and a fillup is needed every few hours, not every few weeks as on a saily boat! Diesels are best for safety and resale, and getting hold of fuel. Petrol tend to be for inshore zooming around for an afternoon, not liveboard with gas stoves etc.

Bit of advice for ragger new to powerboating is...go nice and slow in the marina! Lots of raggers go beserk in a powerboat, as the throttle lever in a sailboat goes from dead slow to (max speed) still quite slow. Hence that loony in the marina at 8 knots is often ex-sailboat.

Dunno about a 25yearold sportsboat, esp with inboard ancient petrols and ancient technology. For an 18 footer I'd get a rib with an outboard s/hand and then be able to use all that wet weather sailing gear you've already got, and book into nice hotels for secretly long-suffering sailing wifey.
 
G

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Sorry, can't help with Monark - I've never heard of them.

Re the Volvo 130, parts are no problem to get but, in common with most things nautical, expensive. This engine (2.1 litre I think) is a marine version of the Volvo 240 car engine and many parts are common - oil filters and the like are a lot cheaper from Halfords than the Volvo marine people and provided they are regularly replaced will give no problems.

With this size of boat, petrol is far and away the most common form of propulsion but bear in mind

a) It is not available everywhere so waterside fuel depends on where you do your boating. On the Clyde for example, there are only two waterside petrol pumps. It is a pain having to carry it in in cans and if you are ageing like me, this can mean pain literally.
b) With a 130, expect fuel consumption of circa 10 gal/hr at full chat or may be 6gal/hr at a reasonable cruise - it ain't cheap at £4 gal.
c) I assume its an outdrive boat. You will find making the transition from a yacht with a deep keel that a single outdrive is harder to control at low (marina) speeds and very susceptible to winds and currents. You will need a bit of practice. Outdrives are the most suspect part of the set up. Check that the bellows are in good order and dip the oil in the leg. If it is whitish, suspect a leaking seal and either get a price which reflects the need for this work or walk away.
d) Check the compression on the cylinders of the engine and if suspect walk away.

I can't help with price as I do not know the boat. Look at the Boats for sale mags to get a price for similar size/age/mechanical set up boats

Good luck

Nick
 

Tel

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Thanks chaps. The reason I was quite taken by this craft is that it looked seaworthy and had incredible accomodation for a 18-20ft (it's a bit like a Hardy). A RIB might be fun, but we like sleeping on a boat, as you guessed wifey is less keen on the slow bouncy bits (beating into the wind I mean). Now 10 gph is scary - I don't use that much crossing to Cherbourg in a 42 footer!

Tell me is this sort of boat OK on a river as well as at sea? seems like 130 horses might be unhappy at low speeds, or am I wrong?

Thanks for the tips on marina manouevres (it is an outdrive). I didn't realise that all the crap handling of powerboats I've seen was because the drivers were all ex-raggies.

Any idea of what the compression ratio/pressure should be in this engine?

Tel
 
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