Moody 33/333/33S

[Goldie]

Any opinions on the Moody 33/333/33S would be much appreciated. For example, when purchasing, any known defects? Points to pay particular attention to? What are they like to sail? You all know the sort of information a prospective owner is looking for!! Many Thanks in anticipation .......

 

[david_e]

There is a good report in one of the more recent Sailing Today's. Can't remember which month 'cause the mag is parked next to the upstairs loo at home!

 

[mickp]

Sailing today Aug 2001 issue 52 has all details you ask also look at www.moodyowners.org.uk this will take you to archive for these models.
Mick

 

[ronniewood]

Local surveyor looked at an early 33 Mk 1 for me. Said main problem was displacement of bulkheads due to light joining method on early boats. Look for evidence at bulkhead /hull joint.
Later boats seemed to be ok. Other concern was for knackered engines/gearboxes. Plus side is they sail remarkably well for a cruising design and have loads of space.
Good luck.

 

[Guest]

My experience of Moody 33's is from way back - 1976/77 in fact - but I was so disenchanted with them that I will never buy a Moody for as long as I live.

I was running a charter base in the Med and one of my owners decided to purchase three Moody 33s and a Moody 39. I personally delivered them all to Antibes from the UK. I found the standard of workmanship down below to be pretty poor in each case. But, more than anything else, I found design faults which, in my view, were inexcusable, and an attitude from Moody Yachts which left a great deal to be desired. For example, the naviagtion table was 1" TOO SMALL TO TAKE A FOLDED ADMIRATLY CHART. This meant we kept charts under saloon berths which did them no good at all in heavy weather.

Additonally we found the 33s and the 39 especially to slam going to windward in heavy weather. Three days off this in a force 8 across Biscay were wearing believe me, and when the headboard pulled out of a brand new mainsail we were not impressed!

As far as Moody were concerend I find little to admire them for. After buying four boats you would expect them to take some care before delivery. But the 39 was delivered with curtains just left in the cabin, not mounted on the curtain track. What customer service!

Moodys are great as floating caravans. Lots of space and (recent ones) pretty to look at. But, in my day, the problems started when you actually started to sail them. A great shame becasue Angus Primrose was a great yachtsman and a much admired figure in those days.

 

[PeteMcK]

Re: Moody 33/333/33S (LONG)

I'll try to condense the salient points out of the following. I've owned a '79 Mk 2 for about 8 years, and sailed about 20 - 25000 miles in that period, all of it between the Irish Sea, Firth of Clyde, Hebrides, St Kilda. The previous owners, a consortium, were retired and had the time to sail between the Clyde and N. Wales/Scillies/N.W France (as well as the W. of Scotland) on numerous occasions during their six years of ownership. (And one of them went on to buy an older 33 when the consortium disbanded!) I'm based at Largs in the winter along with another dozen or so 33s covering all types, i.e, Mks 1, 2, 33s and 333, and all setups (from dinghies on davits,radar and jacuzzi, to pared to the bone Mylar canvassed racing). The unanimous view of all the owners I know (10 of them) is that these are good, dependable seaworthy boats, faster than their looks and reputation might suggest, and spacious with it. The Proctor rig is bombproof and the engine (way oversized) should last for ever if it's looked after. The RORC's Stability and Safety Screening Number for the 33 is only marginally less than that of the much praised Contessa 32 and about the same as a Sigma 38. They are very fast off the wind and are quick enough to windward (their weakest point) to be raced competitively on handicap (their rating is about the same as the Sadler and Contessa 32s and about 3 or 4% slower than the Fulmar). Primrose raced a Mk 1 in a number of ocean races - 2 OSTARs, AZAB and Round Britain - between 74 and 80, before being lost when it foundered in a Caribbean hurricane. All but the first 15 Mk 1s were moulded and fitted out by Marine Projects of Plymouth, alongside Princess motor cruisers and the various Sigmas. Hull and deck are simple solid laminate (not sure about the 333 and 33s on this) so no prospect of rotting balsa cores. (And Marine Projects' standard method of bulkhead installation is regarded as rugged "belt and braces" stuff despite what's been said in another post.) Our little group seems to be immune to osmosis, though I believe Marine Projects has a reasonably good reputation in this respect, and our sea is COLD. The Leyland Thornycroft engines are getting old but all the parts (including exchange engines) are available from AMC/Thornycroft in Preston - and at a tiny fraction of Volvo parts prices.
Some points:
Some of the very earliest (1973) Mk 1s are of mixed provenance with potential quality problems: I think they can be identified by their wooden toe-rails, the rest being alloy.
The hull to skeg joint has been reported to need strengthening in some Mk 1s.
The engines can be shot if neglected at this age - stupid things like a stripped hose clip can wreck it (but get AMC to quote for a rebuild if needed).
Interior layouts and quality differ quite radically from model to model.
The 333 has a slightly deeper keel (4 inches), taller rig, and higher ballast ratio, for the same overall weight, which makes me think it may have a cored deck moulding. Should be faster though.
Can't comment on all Mks but the Mk 2's steering, by rods, is unburstable. The 333 has cables and quadrants with the attendant possibilities ...
I'm a bit wary of the offset companionway in the 33S.

For a few pound, the Copy Shop can provide you with a whole range of old PBO / YM articles on the 33, including Secondhand Focus stuff, so don't just take my word for it!