Re-engining a Birchwood 33

ianc1200 said:
I'm thinking of buying an older GRP boat, mainly for inland waterways or short costal trips, but capable of crossing North Sea - I'm based in the Walton Backwaters, NE Essex. Considered Profile 33's, Seamaster 30's but it's a Birchwood 33 that's caught my eye. I can see there's plenty of different styles/layouts, but one constant in the boats for sale is they haven't been re-engined. They still have the original six cylinder Ford Lehmans, Bedfords etc, twin 120 - 200hp. Whilst these engines would be infinitely repairable I would be worried about reliability. I wouldn't be looking for semi-planing qualities but nevertheless ability to cope with strong tides/currents. For the size and weight of one these would their be an issues replacing with twin 43hp Betas or similar?
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There is a Solar 32 for sale at Bray Marina, owned by a very good friend who visited Holland many times in it.
CARR AND WEST SOLAR 32 1975
 
Just be aware some Birchwood 33s were sold as bare shells or sail aways for home completion so very careful inspection is recommended. They can also give an uncomfortable ride at sea. There are better options out there as suggested above.
 
Parabordi said:
There is a Solar 32 for sale at Bray Marina, owned by a very good friend who visited Holland many times in it.
CARR AND WEST SOLAR 32 1975
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After all these years Dandy Regent still carries her original name 👍. My dad knew the first owner and she did many trips across to Europe. Certainly in the years he owned her she was maintained with no expense spared and was always immaculate.
 
you mentioned about looking
At birchwood 33 for 42k thats mental 🤯, 25 k prob about tops these days maybe 30k if everything and I mean everything had been replaced , we had a stretched version only few made s35 looks like 33 just bit longer and drive from outside like Nelson , ours had Ford 150 turbos and we could do 18k
 
I have to agree, £42k for a Birchwood 33 is far too much. Lots of better boats out there for less. £42k will buy something much, much better.
 
It was really about putting in a cheeky offer (say 30k because it is really well presented) but from earlier in the thread they are not keen sellers. There's another at Brighton Marina for a lot less, looks OK but has "Iveco 814's" - 6 cylinder 120hp. Can't find anything about those engines, suspect perhaps really Fiat Aifo but still the 814 doesn't show up anything. Spent time trying to reconcile the images but got nowhere. Another nice one on Worcester had 6 cylinder Bedfords - somebody has warned re spares availability for those.
 
On optimistic pricing, rumours that an offer of 37K on a Broom 37 was rejected outright.
Those ancient counter rotating Perkins frequently installed, are now well past their sink by date, howwver one aftermarket company ,Lancing Marine, is still helping them to keep going.
 
Moonbeam said:
For nearly the same money as the Portishead Birchwood GT... you could have a Broom Crown 37.

Here is one near you Broom Crown 37 For Sale | Norfolk Yacht Agency | NYB138655

They also have a Broom Continental 37 for £29k

But both boats have the original Perkins HTs, laid on their side, contra rotating engines with spares difficult and in some cases impossible to get. But apparently, the Broom owners association can help out on spares. There is plenty of info in the forum about these.
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That was a good call. A friend has a Crown with Volvo's, now comparing them and Birchwood TS 37's. The Broom doesn't have a separate dinette but a really good shower compartment, older Volvo's but looks such a better build quality. The also seem to have varying air drafts which is important to us - some quote over 12', some under 11'. The NYA site is excellent for checking such details on boats previously sold. The aft cabin TS 37's have newer Volvo's (but also BMW's and Mercruisers), for us a really good layout, OK air draft for north to south central French canals, but not Broom's build quality. Decisions, decisions.
 
ianc1200 said:
I'm thinking of buying an older GRP boat, mainly for inland waterways or short costal trips, but capable of crossing North Sea - I'm based in the Walton Backwaters, NE Essex. Considered Profile 33's, Seamaster 30's but it's a Birchwood 33 that's caught my eye. I can see there's plenty of different styles/layouts, but one constant in the boats for sale is they haven't been re-engined. They still have the original six cylinder Ford Lehmans, Bedfords etc, twin 120 - 200hp. Whilst these engines would be infinitely repairable I would be worried about reliability. I wouldn't be looking for semi-planing qualities but nevertheless ability to cope with strong tides/currents. For the size and weight of one these would their be an issues replacing with twin 43hp Betas or similar?
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If you can accept a displacement boat I’d turn it into a single.
Or see if a single D6 would fit. That would plane.
Single engine for me all day long at this size of boat.
 
ianc1200 said:
I'm thinking of buying an older GRP boat, mainly for inland waterways or short costal trips, but capable of crossing North Sea - I'm based in the Walton Backwaters, NE Essex. Considered Profile 33's, Seamaster 30's but it's a Birchwood 33 that's caught my eye. I can see there's plenty of different styles/layouts, but one constant in the boats for sale is they haven't been re-engined. They still have the original six cylinder Ford Lehmans, Bedfords etc, twin 120 - 200hp. Whilst these engines would be infinitely repairable I would be worried about reliability. I wouldn't be looking for semi-planing qualities but nevertheless ability to cope with strong tides/currents. For the size and weight of one these would their be an issues replacing with twin 43hp Betas or similar?
Click to expand...
I once bought a new Princess 33 (the model without the steering on the roof. displacement hull, It had twin 80 hp Ford Mermaid engines but would only 10 knots, they did have a Princess 33 with a planing hull with 120 hp engines, I would look for one of them.
And in 1973 when I was looking for a boat I was advised not to buy a Birchwood as apparently the transom is weak and a boat owner fitted davitts on the transom and hung a dingy on it and davits ripped the grp and fell off.
 
I remember when the Birchwood 33 first come out, I was very interested, they advised ...hull only, diy, thro to complete build by Birchwood, I had a Cleopatra at the time and having my own mooring on the Thames at the bottom of the garden thought I would buy one and fit it out, however I seemed to get a wake up call and bought a Princess.
I always thought the 33 classic was a nice looking boat.

A lot of the early B33 classic were diy.
Most I would consider paying today would be 30k for a like new condition Birchwood built one not diy.
 
ianc1200 said:
That was a good call. A friend has a Crown with Volvo's, now comparing them and Birchwood TS 37's. The Broom doesn't have a separate dinette but a really good shower compartment, older Volvo's but looks such a better build quality. The also seem to have varying air drafts which is important to us - some quote over 12', some under 11'. The NYA site is excellent for checking such details on boats previously sold. The aft cabin TS 37's have newer Volvo's (but also BMW's and Mercruisers), for us a really good layout, OK air draft for north to south central French canals, but not Broom's build quality. Decisions, decisions.
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I used to own a very nice Broom Crown with Volvos. Great boats and really well built.
Mine had a few nice upgrades. The lower helm seat was removed and the couch was lengthened. While they were doing it they lowered the couch and made it deeper. It made it very comfortable. The downstairs helm seat took up a huge amount of space.
 
ianc1200 said:
That was a good call. A friend has a Crown with Volvo's, now comparing them and Birchwood TS 37's. The Broom doesn't have a separate dinette but a really good shower compartment, older Volvo's but looks such a better build quality. The also seem to have varying air drafts which is important to us - some quote over 12', some under 11'. The NYA site is excellent for checking such details on boats previously sold. The aft cabin TS 37's have newer Volvo's (but also BMW's and Mercruisers), for us a really good layout, OK air draft for north to south central French canals, but not Broom's build quality. Decisions, decisions.
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Like my Broom, the superstructure and windows fold down to give an air draught of about 2.5m, mine with it all up is 4.4m

Just now with all the rain we have had the clearance under the bridge beside our marina is 4.4m, the lads there are saying they have never seen the canal so high
 
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