New SC 29

[powerskipper]

OK Fri, I am demoing at mo, may change , but if does not Fri night then , be prepared to eat humble pie if necessary. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ari]

Appreciate its a big opening, but to my mind a hardtop boat is a bit like choosing a saloon instead of a convertible, but having a sunroof and expecting it to feel the same.

Not aiming this at the Sealine (which has a bigger opening roof that most anyway), but certain big Sunseeker Predators etc are not sports boats, they're flybridge boats without the flybridge, and a sunroof.

They remind me of the Princess 30DS from the '80s, which was a perfectly good boat, but no one suggested it was a sensible alternative to a sportsboat back then. That was an enclosed deck saloon with opening doors at the back and a sunroof.

Bigger, flashier and more expensive, but exactly the same concept.

 

[Wiggo]

It pains me to say so, but I agree. It's not quite so bad from the front, but side on the hard top just looks too big and heavy. The conventional open version seems a much better proposition from the photos.

Still, they are to be applauded for bringing out anything new that's sub 30'. To be honest, how anyone can think that £100k should be the 'entry point' to a hobby is beyond me, but there you go...

 

[Boating_Buoys]

I agree too..it just doesn't look 'right'

The open top version is a much better looking boat

 

[DazedConfused]

Maybe on my own then as i'm thinking she looks rather nice. My only thought was it may get a bit hot in there as that large window will collect a fair bit of heat but now the roof concept has been kindly pointed out it has nice lines and so far practical for British weather. Now for the boat test ;o)

 

[ari]

[ QUOTE ]

Still, they are to be applauded for bringing out anything new that's sub 30'. To be honest, how anyone can think that £100k should be the 'entry point' to a hobby is beyond me, but there you go...

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't quite follow this. Just because a range starts at £100K, that doesn't mean that is the "entry point to the hobby" surely?

I mean, Bentleys cheapest car is £115K, that doesn't mean they expect everyones first car to cost £115K does it?

Certain product ranges are built to a certain level (be that cars, boats, whatever) and therefore priced accordingly.

You wouldn't be very impressed as a £115K Bentley owner to discover that they were introducing a £6K model to compete with Kia and Hyundai as an "entry level" model would you? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Wiggo]

No, I'm not blaming Sealine, or any other manufacturer for that matter. I just find it odd that the manufacturers, journos and (to a certain extent us) accept that 'an entry level family flybridge boat starts at £200-250k'.

As to the Bentley analogy, no, I wouldn't expect a £6k Bentley. I think Sealine are to be applauded for keeping the S23/25 as a real 'entry level' boat, but I still think that there have to be some changes somewhere in the industry. £50k for a discretionary purpose is a huge amount of money: it's approximately twice the average national wage.

Now I know that you can pick up an old boat for far, far less than this, and you can have as much fun in it as you can in something big and shiny, but I still think the industry is setting itself up for a fall.

If, as we are repeatedly told, the cost of production of a 30 footer is almost the same as that of a 40 footer, then doesn't the industry need to look to new production methods?

 

[ari]

[ QUOTE ]
No, I'm not blaming Sealine, or any other manufacturer for that matter. I just find it odd that the manufacturers, journos and (to a certain extent us) accept that 'an entry level family flybridge boat starts at £200-250k'.


[/ QUOTE ]

But Jeanneau do them for about £150K don't they? And why should a flybridge boat be entry level? Don't people often start with smaller boats and move up?

Plus, as you rightly say, there are plenty of second-hand examples.

Someone could pick up a newish Sealine F33 for circa £100K for example.

Seems to me there are plenty of boats, new and used, at plenty of prices. Just because someone cannot afford a brand new flybridge cruiser doesn't mean manufacturers should be trying to build ultra "cheap" (ok, not cheap!) ones to accomodate.

At the end of the day, its possible to go boating for a few hundred quid (in a canoe) and at any point from there upwards. Just because someone can only afford to go up to a certain point doesn't mean they should expect builders to supply them with what they want anyway.

I'd like a Ferrari but I can't afford a new "entry level" one, its over £100K, doesn't mean I expect Ferrari to build me one I can afford... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Wiggo]

I agree with you, Ari, but I think (unsubstantiated) that everyone's starting prices, whether for a 40' flybridge or a 15' runabout, having been seriously outstripping inflation.

As to people starting with smaller boats, yes, I thought they did (we certainly did). But I've met quite a few who put a toe in the water (as it were) at £200k. That's an awful lot of boat being controlled by an awful lack of experience.

As an aside (and this may or may not be 'new owner, no clue'), I watched a man jet wash the teak on a brand new Sealine S42 or 48 at the weekend...

 

[mjf]

I agree, I had a guy talk to me in the lock yesterday who had a 42' F/B as his first boat and it was his second run out in her.


Actually did very well i thought! - maybe it was just a line in case he pranged us..............

 

[Boating_Buoys]

It's frightening that people buy such big boats for their first one; irrespective of their wealth etc.

Just look at powershippers latest post ..... an assumption I know but taking people out to do an ICC on their new 53ft Sunseaker ???

Suggests to me it must be a first ("Propper") boat... Imagine meeting them in the Hamble on a windy day next week.... frightening if you ask me.

 

[Wiggo]

Ah, but a couple of good scares and they soon put the thing up for sale, and that means some nice low hours boats at well below new list, and they lost the VAT as well...

 

[Mike21]

[ QUOTE ]
It's frightening that people buy such big boats for their first one; irrespective of their wealth etc.

Just look at powershippers latest post ..... an assumption I know but taking people out to do an ICC on their new 53ft Sunseaker ???



[/ QUOTE ]

At least the've got the sense to get some training , rather than get a smaller boat and decide they don't need any.
Which do you think is worse?

 

[ccscott49]

I dont even have an ICC and control, quite well actually, a 57 foot, 48 ton boat with no bow thruster either! Eh Haydn???

 

[DERF]

Must say in that shot it looks like the head of a pteradactyl!

Not my cup of tea but will be interesting to see what you make of it Jules.

 

[Renegade_Master]

twas my post boating buoys......... The client has had many years experience owning V46 plus other Sunseekers, just that hes not got the porto 53 in Spain and they want to see an ICC.

 

[ari]

Just an amusing aside to the above.

I knew a chap once who bought a brand new 44ft Princess as his first ever boat, had some good quality one to one tuition on it, and away he went.

Funny thing was, he never had a moments bother the whole time he owned it, maybe he was just lucky as I'm sure most of us have a disaster story or two to recount. He did have quite an easy berth.

Thing is, I don't think anyone ever told him it was supposed to be difficult, so he never saw it as such, just used to hop on and go! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[oldgit]

Actually saw "Silver Sula" move from her berth along by Chatham dockyard on Sunday and very pretty she looked.

 

[DepSol]

Think I prefer the Birchwood 290.

 

[ccscott49]

I actually looked at her, but she was a dog then, needed a lot more work on her than I was prepared to do. I'm glad she has found a good owner. Wanted to convert her to a schooner anyway!!