Moody Eclipse 33. Opinions please?

peterb26

peterb26

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www.theblundells.co.uk
Firstly I put my hands up and say that I have owned motorboats for the last 30 odd years.

However, I do have a yearning for a yacht at some stage before old Father Time takes his toll........

Up and down the hamble yesterday I couldnt help but notice a yacht with 33 Eclipse on the side of it. Looked a bit like the very latest Nauticats which I also like but dont have the pension for!

Turns out its a Moody and no longer produced. Looks lovely for a motorboat person with a built in shed (wheelhouse), big engine (40hp Perkins) and even bilge keels so I could go aground in Chichester Harbour with reckless abandon.

Unfortunately it looks like they havent been produced since 1994 so you wont get a young one any more.

Anyone have any opinions about them please?

Many thanks.
 
Excellent boats. Never owned one but sailed with a few in the 90's when a member of the MOA. Moody's of that eara are solid, very well built and comfortable, but not the most speedy boats and especially not with the bilge keels.

The Eclipse range also ceased to exost before the wide introduction of Bowthrusters, and with the high sides in a blow they do act a bit like cricket screens, so a retro fit thruster would be a good investment, especially if short handding.

Moody's on the whole wear well, as the joinery was all solid wood and will still look good today, just in a traditional way. Cockpit nice and big but the interior helm had no wheel - steering was done by the standard fit autohelm which, after 13 years, would probably need replaceing if not already done.
 
Jez gives you the good points - I'll look at the other side of the coin.

They are not roomy, you live in the shed (wheelhouse) there is not a separate saloon.

The fore cabin is good, but the aft cabin is neither a twin or a double really.

The Nauticat does a better job on a 33ft waterline. It is a long keel rather than bilge keels which I do not like. First time you feel them slamming in a bit of a chop you won't like them either.

The internal space in a Nauticat is better thought out giving a proper (although small) saloon with either a twin or double stern cabin.

Matter of taste I guess but the Nauticat has a ketch rig as opposed to a sloop which I prefer on that type of boat. Basically you either have a sail set or not - less reefing.

I looked at both and gave up on both because they are both overpriced. The Moodys I looked at were around £60k - which is a lot for a 33ft boat. Nauticat similar for what may well be an older boat, although a better one.

The Nauticat typically will have a bigger engine circa 50 - 60hp.

Also worth a look are the scandinavian boats LM series and Fjord - not too sure about prices on these but they look nice boats and I suspect will sail rings around eithe Moody or Nauticat.

Not sure about your price range but Moody did an older deck saloon boat, a 42ft Angus Primrose design. That is a beautiful boat - enormouse internal room - 2 steering positions - huge double stern cabin - ketch rig. - 72hp engine (at least the one I drooled over had.)

Lovely bit of kit. But think circa £70 -75k - if you can find one.
 
Eclipse also available as fin keeler - there's one in the yard here for sale at the mo - around 60k still.. the bigger moody - caribineer (sp?) is truly lovely - lots of solid wood, very solid build, but unfortunately, if you can find one lots of money too...
 
Its an excellent vessel for certain needs. I had a 33 for 6 years. I used to know all the details, and if I remember correct its a Bill Dixon design and Moodys (Marine Products Plymouth) produced about 280 over 6-7 years finishing around '94.

It had either fin or bilge keels and 28 or 40hp VP engine. It was one of the first production yachts with in-mast reefing and there were some reefing problems which, by now, should have been rectified by owners. Early models had an internal steering wheel as well.

Living accommodation is on the whole spacious, comfortable, light and airy but the two double berths could be considered just adequate.

Sailing, ours was a fin and sailed surprisingly well. They have quite high freeboard and I can't remember ever getting the rails under although we did take a few 'greenies' up the mast in a F7. Don't think I would want to out in any more than 6-7 really.

Yes, she does catch the wind so you need to stay in gear within harbours and marinas or you blow away.

Some say the coach roof is too high and visibility is restricted - OK its like driving a truch instead of a car - you get use to judging it, or you can stand on the seat when berthing.

Nice for the mate to sit inside whilst sailing or in harbour and seeing everything without being in a basement flat. Nice in the winter with the heater on while underway too.

They do a 38 and a 43 as well but produced a lot less. the 33 was the most popular. Price range now £50k to £70k generally.

Hope this helps
 
Or there's the Westerly Riviera, a very similar concept but a couple of feet longer. Also comes in bilge and fin keel form.
There are more and more of the deck saloon type boats appearing. It really does make a difference being able to sit in the 'shed' and see out, both on wet passages and particularly when anchored or in harbour.
 
Ah

NO

I wasn't thinking of the Carabineer. They are indeed lovely boats - Went over one once at Swanwick - It was rather un loved but non the less a quite magnificent boat. But as you say considerably more than £60k - even in not very good condx.

The boat I am thinking about is slightly smaller, 42 ft, an Angus Primrose design - I don't think it has a Moody type name, I'll try to find a piccy of one later.
 
I like them and would have one ... but consider them overpriced ...

They are though a scaled down 38 / 43 ... meaning that you are cramped ...

The best of the eclipses was the 43 - but it was high price and killed the range of. The 38 was a good compromise but like the 43 - you don't see many for sale - for good reason !

33 - nice boat ... but IMHO is a boat that gets you looking for one 2 or 3 ft bigger to give you that extra bit of space ...
 
The Moody Eclipse 33 I sailed did have a bow thruster but it wasn't used much. The boat was undercanvassed; but on another occasion when the same boat and I were in company on a cross channel passage with 40 knot winds the Eclipse's performance was impressive. She arrived in relative comfort several hours ahead of me.
 
As another motorboater, I am quite of fan of anything from the Moody stable and will probably get one myself one day. Well found boats, they sail well into wind and if you can be bothered with continual trimming, they hold a spinnaker well also.

I wouldn't worry too much about age, most of the Moodys in our harbour are 20-30 years old and don't look it. Providing its been well cared for (as you should with any boat) they will be well presented.

With bilge keels, you won't have a racer, but you will have an excellent cruiser with a quality interior.
 
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