Our next boat?

I

Ianj68

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Joined
18 Aug 2003
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Hampshire
www.photobox.co.uk
Hi All,

Having had our Searay 315 for nearly 9 years now we're approaching the point where we are looking to change her.

The key reasons for change are:

1) We have young grandchildren who want to come boating with us so wish to move away from open plan to separate cabins.

2) Following a motorbike accident I have started to develop arthritis in my fingers and thumbs so I'm struggling to fasten poppers on the large amount on canvases that our current boat has.

3) We've come to the conclusion that the weather in the UK is just not conducive to open sports boat use and will get more use out of a fly on account of the saloon.

So, for these reasons we want something that offers a hardtop or a fly-bridge.

We're at a very early stage but potential candidates at the moment are a Bav 35 Hardtop, SC35, F34, F37 and the Prestige 36.

Our budget is around the £150k mark and we do our boating in the solent area.

I will admit that I always promised myself a V42 as my next boat but the good lady wife thinks I'll struggle with the canvases again.

So, the questions. After having sportsboats for over 20 years will I regret buying a fly-bridge? Does a hardtop really give the feeling of driving a sportsboat, i.e. the sun and wind on your face, when the top is pulled back? What are your experiences of our current list? Is a fly-bridge a sensible option with little ones aboard? And, finally, anything else I should be adding to the list?

Thanks

Ian
 
Ianj68 said:
Hi All,

Having had our Searay 315 for nearly 9 years now we're approaching the point where we are looking to change her.

The key reasons for change are:

1) We have young grandchildren who want to come boating with us so wish to move away from open plan to separate cabins.

2) Following a motorbike accident I have started to develop arthritis in my fingers and thumbs so I'm struggling to fasten poppers on the large amount on canvases that our current boat has.

3) We've come to the conclusion that the weather in the UK is just not conducive to open sports boat use and will get more use out of a fly on account of the saloon.

So, for these reasons we want something that offers a hardtop or a fly-bridge.

We're at a very early stage but potential candidates at the moment are a Bav 35 Hardtop, SC35, F34, F37 and the Prestige 36.

Our budget is around the £150k mark and we do our boating in the solent area.

I will admit that I always promised myself a V42 as my next boat but the good lady wife thinks I'll struggle with the canvases again.

So, the questions. After having sportsboats for over 20 years will I regret buying a fly-bridge? Does a hardtop really give the feeling of driving a sportsboat, i.e. the sun and wind on your face, when the top is pulled back? What are your experiences of our current list? Is a fly-bridge a sensible option with little ones aboard? And, finally, anything else I should be adding to the list?

Thanks

Ian
Click to expand...

Ian, may I suggest you don't give up on your dream and buy that V42 along with on of these "Top Snapper" tools that make fitting the canvas a doddle. In fact, why wait if your existing boat is causing you pain. It'll be 13 quid well spent, promise :)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Top-Snapp...tingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item4ac1c1f02c

file.php
 
oGaryo said:
Ian, may I suggest you don't give up on your dream and buy that V42 along with on of these "Top Snapper" tools that make fitting the canvas a doddle. In fact, why wait if your existing boat is causing you pain. It'll be 13 quid well spent, promise :)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Top-Snapp...tingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item4ac1c1f02c

file.php
Click to expand...

Well that's the end of the thread then. No chance to speculate on the merits of one type or make against another. Just: buy yer dream boat plus this ten bob gadget.

Excellent.

BTW I wish I had known about that gadget when I used to curse having to fix a canvas top on a sportsboat. ;)
 
benjenbav said:
Well that's the end of the thread then. No chance to speculate on the merits of one type or make against another. Just: buy yer dream boat plus this ten bob gadget.

Excellent.

BTW I wish I had known about that gadget when I used to curse having to fix a canvas top on a sportsboat. ;)
Click to expand...

Lols, sorry about that :)

Ian, if you want to try the tool for your existing boat, give me a shout and you can borrow mine for a while presuming you're local(ish) to Southampton. that said, it'll have to be once I recover the thing off the chap down the pontoon who's 'borrowed it' since the start of the season ;)
 
When Ian's done borrowing it, can I? Oh I forgot...I don't have many poppers :p.
To the OP...I can vouch for the SC35. The sliding roof certainly does give a nice open feel and for 150k ish you should be able to find a decent '09 one. However, there are a couple of poppers which can be a bit fiddly on the rear top quarters of the canvas. The rest as you know are straps.
Good luck with your upgrade.
L
:)
 
If you want space for your family then a flybridge will be better but you may need moulded stairs not a ladder, if you want a sports again then I'd stick with a targa or v 40/42, have a company sort the canvas to your tailored needs. Good luck with your search, there are some bargains out there so enjoy the search.
 
Don't rule out aft cabin fly or semi fly - late Turbo 36/38, Broom, Aquastar 33 / 38, Corvette 320, Sealine F43. Aft cabin means a proper island bed, and the steps up to the fly are generally less steep. On our Turbo the kids and the dogs can get from the bottom to the top with ease.
 
Thanks for the pointer to the tool Gary, one's on order!

A bit of research on the next boat has been carried out. Although we're keeping our options open we've discounted going for another sportsboat, so the hardtops are off the list. Instead we're going to up our budget a little and add a P38 to the list of potential fly-bridges. The F34 is off the list due to the steps to the flybridge being a little steep so a 40ish foot fly is favourite at the moment.
 
When I went from the Targa 37 to the P42 fly, I thought I would get away from canvas. How wrong I was. If anything, it was worse with the flybridge. If you really want to get away from canvas, the only choice (at least in the UK) is a hard-top patio door sportcruiser, like the Jeanneau Prestige 42S, the new Princess V48, Windy Xanthos 52 etc.

Cheers
Jimmy
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
When I went from the Targa 37 to the P42 fly, I thought I would get away from canvas. How wrong I was. If anything, it was worse with the flybridge. If you really want to get away from canvas, the only choice (at least in the UK) is a hard-top patio door sportcruiser, like the Jeanneau Prestige 42S, the new Princess V48, Windy Xanthos 52 etc.

Cheers
Jimmy
Click to expand...

I've had 3 fly bridges and a sports boat. On all the flys I threw away the canvas and filled in the holes for the pop studs.
 
'1 or 2 maybe, but not the type that need to be up to stop you from getting wet and cold thankfully.'

You'll not use that flybridge as much as you think in Britain. You will get cold and wet. The allover covers are a pain, especially with a central support to try and get into position and then you stretch the whole cover over the windscreen. You'll be helming from the saloon which can be noisy, steamy and stuffy and the grand kids will be sliding around and off that lovely leather sofa...

Getting drinks and food up to the flybridge is also hard work. Plenty of journeys to galley and back...
 
Thanks to those that have given feedback. I'm starting to get a balanced view.

Jimmy I recall seeing the thread when you switched from the fly back to a sportsboat in fairly quick time. Now I know why you did. I'm not going to discount looking at flys but I think I'll continue to look at hardtops also.

We looked at a Jenneau 38 s Hardtop at SIBS a while back. Anyone with any experiences? I'd like to know more about the Sealine C39 also.
 
i also dont think you will get as much use out of a flybridge in the uk, with a sports boat you can cruise around with the covers up or a HT with it closed and still be out that cold wind but with a fly you will be up there with hat and scarf on LOL

we have a few neighbours around us with flybridges and they don't go out as much as us and when I asked why they said it was cold up there and they couldn't drive them from inside so they stay in the marina waiting for a warmer day
 
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