Newbie! First Cruiser - Recommendations please and advice

Sealine S34/37s are lovely but a step up budget wise, unless you find a very early one.

A mate picked up a Cranchi Zaffiro 34 for your budget last year, and there are a few around at that mo eh so could be a good option.

Sunseeker Martinique 36/38 could be worth a look. Also the Sanremo 35. Similar layout to the T30/33/35

Boats.co.uk have a bayliner 305 with twin diesels for less than 50k. Smaller, the forward cabin is curtain rather than bulkhead but it’s a post 2000 boat and the 305 has a good hull.

If you don’t mind doing a bit of tidying this looks like a good deal. http://m.boats.co.uk/boats-for-sale/2005-bayliner-325-675 Twin diesels, 05 and under £40K. You have to get it back but should still be in budget
 
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stevefisher said:
Speaking as his other half. He has an advantage in that I am going to be trying to persuade him to spend MORE not LESS money so that we can have a bigger, better boat.
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Already have the ok to extend the budget! lol

Whitelighter said:
A mate picked up a Cranchi Zaffiro 34 for your budget last year, and there are a few around at that mo eh so could be a good option.

Sunseeker Martinique 36/38 could be worth a look. Also the Sanremo 35. Similar layout to the T30/33/35

Boats.co.uk have a bayliner 305 with twin diesels for less than 50k. Smaller, the forward cabin is curtain rather than bulkhead but it’s a post 2000 boat and the 305 has a good hull.
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Thanks, had seen a few Cranchi show on searches, never looked, must now! The sunseekers, had a look at a few but they never grabbed me, no idea why.

Only Bayliners I have come across are petrol, wow a diesel, do like the bayliner finish in the cockpit area.

More options, again thank you.
 
Just keep some budget in reserve. From buying to putting it in your local waters and bringing out the new broom for all mods and cons, all can actually sting a bit. It's like buying your favourite burger from the chippie and getting down to the beach for a munch only to find they forgot the toppings. Or if you are the champers and caviar type, to find your bubbly is a second class knockoff from Spain. You know it puts a downer on the meal.
 
BruceK said:
Just keep some budget in reserve. From buying to putting it in your local waters and bringing out the new broom for all mods and cons, all can actually sting a bit. It's like buying your favourite burger from the chippie and getting down to the beach for a munch only to find they forgot the toppings. Or if you are the champers and caviar type, to find your bubbly is a second class knockoff from Spain. You know it puts a downer on the meal.
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Absolutely agree. With whats maturing, I am only setting a percentage as the boat budget, in the total of that, I want to include 1st year costs (and any potential changes/fixes etc needed or desired), plus an overspend. And as much kept in the bank for a rainy day as possible.

We are both now in our mid forties, hopefully a little wiser, and see this as our future fun for many years to come for us and our family. At the moment trying to compile costs of running, but by all recommendations I can find, allow 10% value of boat for running costs? Endless money pit we know, but thats life in general.

Will be joining a local club, preferably Medway (lived in Gillingham for 20 years, have a bit of loyalty to the area, and a nice club has caught our attention, on recommendation of our neighbour.
 
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On the Cranchi - this is the one I had seen but is now under offer:

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1577532/?searchid=15909487&page=1

However this one is in the south of France - easy to truck up the country then drive it back. Good price at asking £40k so maybe you could get it for £36-37k. Bit of work but easy to do. Details here https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1650506/?searchid=15909512&page=1

The other option if you like the S37 would be a Cranchi Smeraldo 36/37. Again south of France but a 99 boat for £52k https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1640029/?searchid=15909522&page=1
 
Whitelighter said:
On the Cranchi - this is the one I had seen but is now under offer:

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1577532/?searchid=15909487&page=1

However this one is in the south of France - easy to truck up the country then drive it back. Good price at asking £40k so maybe you could get it for £36-37k. Bit of work but easy to do. Details here https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1650506/?searchid=15909512&page=1

The other option if you like the S37 would be a Cranchi Smeraldo 36/37. Again south of France but a 99 boat for £52k https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1640029/?searchid=15909522&page=1
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Wow... would you not have any VAT or tax to pay bringing a boat from France?
 
Well I can say ownership costs, all of it rolled into one. On a fully paid for boat, your size and age, runs between 8-12k per year excluding break fix damage :p , and I have a cheap river mooring that only accounts for about 2.5k of that sum inclusive of winter hard standing.
 
RobBradley said:
Wow... would you not have any VAT or tax to pay bringing a boat from France?
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No - we’ll maybe next March but while we are in the EU there is nothing to pay.
Also it’s on with the Sunseeker brokerage so a good firm and will likely be able to help you sort out trucking back.

I’ve bought boats abroad (the most recent was St Tropez) and it’s fairky straight forward. France is pretty easy legalities wise and the fact it’s on with Sunseeker makes it likely even easier.

The Zaffiro 34 is a cracking boat and much more modern than the targa 30/33 you mentioned. Also the KAD43s are very solid engines
 
BruceK said:
Well I can say ownership costs, all of it rolled into one. On a fully paid for boat, your size and age, runs between 8-12k per year excluding break fix damage :p , and I have a cheap river mooring that only accounts for about 2.5k of that sum inclusive of winter hard standing.
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Kinda what I was expecting, used to do track day racing, that was about £10k a year if you didn't crash!

Nicer hobbies come with a cost, normally to the wallet....
 
Hi Rob,

Best of luck with your boat hunt, cannot help you on the boat choices, but thought I'd comment on the engines etc...

As said before, AD41's are getting a bit old now, I have two of them in my Beneteau Flyer 8.

What I'd comment on, whichever you buy, get the engineer you plan to do the maintenance for you to check over the engines AND the legs. Kept well maintained, the engines are great. But, the cost of parts when things are broken or worn out are eye watering.

I spent a fortune on mine that if I had taken the advice I am giving you - I would of saved.

At the age you are looking at, key things (only from my experience);

1, Oil pressure when the engine is hot and you come off the plane, this is when wear on the bearings will show
2, Get your finger behind the crankcase breather (it is at the back to the port side, silver cylinder) - if you find oil there, the engine is breathing heavily and pistons are on way out
3, Deffo have the oil checked, and ask when it was last changed, if it has just been changed then the test may not show faults.
4, Look at the air filters, if heavily soiled with oil deposits, leads to heavy breathing engines.
5, Water temperatures, despite what people say, the cooling on these engines is great, so if they are running hot - there is a problem - and it is never just the thermostat!!
6, Not very expert on legs, but 100%, have them looked at out of the water - worn bearings and casings are not unusual - but are very expensive.

If you get a boat with good engines, and with diligence you can make sure, then if you keep them maintained they really are great! Very smooth, loads of power and not too expensive to run.

Best of luck mate - happy boating.
 
robrennie said:
Hi Rob,

Best of luck with your boat hunt, cannot help you on the boat choices, but thought I'd comment on the engines etc...

As said before, AD41's are getting a bit old now, I have two of them in my Beneteau Flyer 8.

What I'd comment on, whichever you buy, get the engineer you plan to do the maintenance for you to check over the engines AND the legs. Kept well maintained, the engines are great. But, the cost of parts when things are broken or worn out are eye watering.

I spent a fortune on mine that if I had taken the advice I am giving you - I would of saved.

At the age you are looking at, key things (only from my experience);

1, Oil pressure when the engine is hot and you come off the plane, this is when wear on the bearings will show
2, Get your finger behind the crankcase breather (it is at the back to the port side, silver cylinder) - if you find oil there, the engine is breathing heavily and pistons are on way out
3, Deffo have the oil checked, and ask when it was last changed, if it has just been changed then the test may not show faults.
4, Look at the air filters, if heavily soiled with oil deposits, leads to heavy breathing engines.
5, Water temperatures, despite what people say, the cooling on these engines is great, so if they are running hot - there is a problem - and it is never just the thermostat!!
6, Not very expert on legs, but 100%, have them looked at out of the water - worn bearings and casings are not unusual - but are very expensive.

If you get a boat with good engines, and with diligence you can make sure, then if you keep them maintained they really are great! Very smooth, loads of power and not too expensive to run.

Best of luck mate - happy boating.
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Hello Rob,

You are actually buying some engines with a boat attached! If you work on that principle you won't go wrong. (Ex RN tiffy so seen some engine horrors)
 
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