Princess or Ferretti , what boat would you choose?

[LBRodders]

Hi Bart
You don’t need to upgrade ANY of your older ladies, they are both perfect, but I’m sure you already know this


Andie and I still laugh about the classic Bart statement when anchored with MapisM, jet ski in the water off the stern of BA, a nervous first time operator listening to the wise words of the experienced older guy.
“The throttle is very sensitive, just apply pressure slowly and gently, like you would to a woman”......

Is Bart 'Swiss Tony'?

 

[BartW]

Hi Bernd, here is a answer to some of you’r Q’s in your PM,
at the moment when I purchased BA, I was rather a novice in this bigger boat world,
and it was due to advice and help on here, and a big amount of luck that I ended with Blue Angel.
very often I’m thinking what other boat would I have bought knowing what I know today about bigger boats and especially C70s.
and unbelievably its hard to find a really better alternative in the available budget (at that time).

The main thing that I would avoid is the wooden bulwarks, wooden deck and wooden super structure (the latter being the least important of the 3)
a wooden superstructure and especially wood inside cabin building has some advantages for rebuilding / changings, let alone for the better feeling compare to all PLASTIC !
As you will have noticed I’m very attracted to traditional timeless lines, and not many modern boats are pleasing on that aspect. (I admid this is pure personal taste, nothing rational about that)

Some boats that come to mind that might have been a contender are older FB models from Alalunga and Maiora, and even saw a nice old Azimut.
But these have all other small details that I don’t like.
The only real alternative for me would be a San Lorenzo, some slightly younger models then BA, and fully GRP are on the market,

But my C70s had so many pleasing details which would make a change very hard, such as:

• All high quality components and mostly redundant, sa all gianneci pumps, twin 17kva Kohler generator, twin airco, …
• All piping and hoses of good quality
• All Good quality heads and sinks
• Very good quality inside woodwork and it doesn’t look outdated
• Pleasing color sheme
• All very solid SS items; (portholes, railing, gliding saloon door, telescopic side doors, big cleats, passerel, big horizontal winch, …
• Day heads on deck level
• Nice teak floor in the saloon
• Very handy galley configuration (that’s what the users say, no clue myself )
• Big and self-configurable FB layout, in a super yacht style !
• Tender can be on F/B AND OR on swim platform both positions have adavantages, we use both positions depending on the situation
• Co pilot table is convertible to extra bed for kids (rarely used but handy when exceptionally needed) or crew lunch / office space
• Very big and standing hight E/R, and workshop space and very big and usefull Utility room
• Good crew cabin in a good position

Ofcause such a old boat needs a lot of maintenance, but its good to start from high quality components to begin with.
Most is made from standard parts that are still available
(fe. Gianneci still has parts for my pumps, Kohler for my genny’s , MAN for the engines, all nearly 30yo !!!!)

And the boat was perfectly suited todo these major mods:

• Zero speed stabs
• Hilo swim platform
• Steps and transomdoor to swim platform

For our useage, These 3 features are cruscial and permanently needed !!!


Regarding the engines,
Despite the need for rebuilding both of them, (mostly my own mistake) I am very happy with my MAN’s, and would immediately choose them again,
because parts and service are everywhere and cheaply available,
I would give a slight preference to Cat’s but have not seen any C70s with them.

Personally I would avoid MTU, (while good reputation, it appears that service is more limited available, / more difficult to get / more complex, so inherently more expensive.
I would defo avoid DD’s, they have a solid reputation and parts available everywhere, but have outrageous consumption, and produce very annoying sound, a boat with DD’s feels 10y older by the sound. Makes the boat much less attractive in resale (all IMHO)


Regarding Charter in Croatia,
I’m not sure today, but in 2014 we had some complications with our Commercial registered boat in HR.
Lots of paperwork is needed there for any commercial activity, we were lucky to have some local help with that.

To give a example, I have witnessed that a Owner landed in Dubrovnik, and could not board his yacht, because he was not on the passenger list when the yacht entered the Country,
And AFAIK this has not improved, even more difficult today.
therefor; in 2015 we changed to private/pleasure registration of BA. (2014-15-16 our homeberth was in Tivat Porto Montenegro)


Regarding Charter in general,
My advice, when you step in to this world, Make sure that you are not financially depending on it,
when you learn about everything what’s involved, and only a very limited chance of earning some money, you might avoid it,

If you really want, I think it would be possible in Italy (Naples / Salerno region, Toscane region, or in MNE, (maybe N Sardegna, costa smeralda)
but each region has its constraints,
I think much more complex best avoid charter in SOF and HR.
But lets not go in to that today.

 

[AndieMac]

Is Bart 'Swiss Tony'?

More a combination of King Neptune and a blonde Aquaman

 

[BartW]

@MapisM in this thread in post #92 and #94 is some info regarding C60 and C18, we discussezd about on WA.
(I remembered vaguely something about a C18, this is it !)

 

[MapisM]

Gotcha, interesting, thanks.
Makes me wonder how many of those C18 were built, but I suspect that the one for sale in S'hampton must belong to a very small club!

 

[BartW]

The C60 in southhampton is advertised elsewhere as a 1995 boat (?) and 1992
and with 10 cyl engines, D2840 while the reporter said D2848 iirc

its not unusual that there are mistakes in specs of older boats, especially as these brokers have no clue ;-)

the C70s model changed to C23 (in 1995 iir)
but its correct that in that periode Canados was out of business for a while

 

[MapisM]

Yup, that boat definitely has the 820hp V10, as all C58 did, to my knowledge.
BTW, it might be that the very latest C58 were renamed C18 shortly, but I don't think the C58 ever evolved into a C60.
In fact, the C60 did exist, but it was an earlier model, all wooden, built in the 80s, before they introduced the GRP C58.
Back in those days, together with the C60, they also built a C65 and a C70.
One of the 70s of that vintage is the blue hull one that you also know, by the way.

 

[MapisM]

Here's their full range, from a 1986 advertisement...