Recommendations for first family motorboat please

[Elessar]

Hi all,
Thanks for the responses, some real crackers in there that I hadn't found before and amazing what a really different range of boats you can get for the money. I'll need some time to digest the boats suggested but on the more general questions.....

Displacement/semi-displacement/planing: I think displacement (stuck at 6-8 knots max?) is a non-starter, because too slow for wife and kids and I may as well have a stick to hang some sails off from time to time (i.e. stick to sailing boat). As goes semi-displacement vs planing, to be really honest not sure I understand the difference (ok planing is fully planing and semi-displacement is not fully planing) - semi displacement harder on fuel/lower top speed but more kindly in a sea?

On the twins vs fuel economy, I'd probably be convinced towards single for fuel economy if that isn't regarded as reckless for crossings like Scilly and Channel Islands? As a sailor this is difficult for me to get my head around as you always have two forms of propulsion available, one of which (wind) is very reliable in a rough sea. I have also had some bad experiences in sailing boats of the donkey letting me down...

outdrives vs shaft drives vs outboards - might need some pointers/to do some reading on that!!

Cheers,
Trev

i've done plenty of channel crossings on a single engine mobo and up to about 32 ft single would be my choice every time for access and economy.

Benetau antaris 32 (edit I meant 30 not 32) if you can afford one. Amazing sea boat and good accommodation. A fly for nice days but the inner helm is great (unlike most small flybridges)

EDIT here's one Vente Beneteau Antares 32 occasion - Bateau à Moteur avec Cabine à Mandelieu La Napoule, France | Youboat FR

edit 2 that has 2 engines. Wrong boat!

I meant the 30 not the 32.

Vente Beneteau Antares 30 occasion - Bateau à Moteur de Pêche à LES EMBIEZ, France | Youboat FR

love these boats had one out in a F8 on a couple of occasions.

absolutely need a sternthruster though - budget for one if not fitted

 

[East090]

think targa 34 is pushing it budget wise. Any thoughts on pros/cons of the prestige 34?

Prestige hard top is a nice boat, difficult to find at the moment as they sell pretty quick. Not the best built but we liked them.
Watch for opening roof issues, very common as the motor is proe to loosing its teeth.

 

[TheCoach]

I do keep coming back to the Corvette too, there’s something very retro cool about them and the accommodation looks massive. Not sure I want an older boat however....

We seriously looked at these earlier in the year and they are definitely still in the running. As you will probably know from @superheat6k excellent site they are available upto about 2008 so you can still find a relatively new one.

Upside for us was the wide side decks and aft cabin, on a 32ft LOA. Downside was slightly cramped entrance to for/aft cabins if your a 6 footer.

The only thing I would question is prices in this crazy year re @Halsey - we have found really nice post 2000 boats are £120k ( a forum member has/had one up for sale in Newcastle)

£60k gets you a small engine version, or a 1990's vintage some of which are in questionable condition. The ones up for that price at the moment are both small engines although there is one on the Thames with twin Yamaha (yes I thought it was a typo of Yanmar but they are actually Yamaha diesels) which looks nice but is a bit unique from a servicing POV.

For my musings on this subject of boat have a look at this thread (we are still looking) link

Cheers,

TC

 

[superheat6k]

I do keep coming back to the Corvette too, there’s something very retro cool about them and the accommodation looks massive. Not sure I want an older boat however....

When describing my boat to non boaters I routinely quote "we're going to need a bigger boat (Jaws comment)" as a good simile. If your upper budget is £100 k you are into the early 320 market area. I prefer the older 32 style, especailly the island bed in the aft cabin. I would strenuously recommend the fence and very usable deck space as far as kids and dogs are concerned.

And we have a Poop deck - perfect for alongside lunch in front of the hoi poloi.

 

[simonfraser]

apologies if no one has made this point yet, diesel is widely available in marinas, petrol not so
depends on your view of lugging petrol about or getting the boat on a trailer and driving her to the local petrol station

some mobo's have fresh water cooling systems, in other words the salty water circulates round inside your engine and rots it from the inside out .........

 

[Halsey]

FYI - an Aquador 32C has just gone on sale at Network Yacht Brokers - sorry I can't do links!

Big engine - might suit depending on intended use and cable throttle by the looks of it .

 

[Sticky Fingers]

FYI - an Aquador 32C has just gone on sale at Network Yacht Brokers - sorry I can't do links!

This one?
Aquador 32C For Sale - £79,950

 

[Farmer Piles]

apologies if no one has made this point yet, diesel is widely available in marinas, petrol not so
depends on your view of lugging petrol about or getting the boat on a trailer and driving her to the local petrol station

some mobo's have fresh water cooling systems, in other words the salty water circulates round inside your engine and rots it from the inside out .........

With you on that one. Not uncommon for harbours as well a marinas to only have diesel for sale. Fowey is one example, I daresay that there are many others. If you are cruising I doubt that a taxi driver would be keen to run you and your cans to the filling station on the edge of town.

 

[Farmer Piles]

Also, don't buy the Aquador, I am lusting after that one!!

 

[TheCoach]

This one?
Aquador 32C For Sale - £79,950

looks like a lot of boat for the money and just up the road from me

 

[Trevelyan]

looks like a lot of boat for the money and just up the road from me

So a bit of an update... we walked the pontoons of a local marina and had a coffee overlooking the pontoons, with merry fishers, nimbus 310/320, aquador 32c, targa 34 and plenty of others in between.

On the Merry fishers and similar, I think only the bigger models would do (755 upwards??) and without having looked around them, I still wonder if they are a bit too camping-style for our tastes. There’s maybe something here about going 10% larger on size (and resultant costs!) and getting 30% more in terms of use and comfort.

The nimbus looked much more elegant And comfortable, although I do wonder if starting to look dated. Over coffee our gaze kept falling back to the targa 34, but I guess top end is always going to look most appealing. On the canvas front, the flappy stuff on the targa 34 didn’t put me off. Sadly looking at the much more affordable targa 29 it looks a bit more tent-tastic

is the 2nd cabin in the nimbus offerings a bit tight space wise?

top Of the go see list from those we managed to walk past is nimbus 310/320, aquador 32C, Fairline targa 31 or 34 (haven’t played top trumps with targas yet). The corvette is still the wild card! Before anyone hits me with the stop procrastinating line, most of what’s on the market is a fair way from Cornwall in the current Covid climate!!


really like the look of the aquador but.... single engine...offshore... ... .......?

Trev

 

[Elessar]

So a bit of an update... we walked the pontoons of a local marina and had a coffee overlooking the pontoons, with merry fishers, nimbus 310/320, aquador 32c, targa 34 and plenty of others in between.

On the Merry fishers and similar, I think only the bigger models would do (755 upwards??) and without having looked around them, I still wonder if they are a bit too camping-style for our tastes. There’s maybe something here about going 10% larger on size (and resultant costs!) and getting 30% more in terms of use and comfort.

The nimbus looked much more elegant And comfortable, although I do wonder if starting to look dated. Over coffee our gaze kept falling back to the targa 34, but I guess top end is always going to look most appealing. On the canvas front, the flappy stuff on the targa 34 didn’t put me off. Sadly looking at the much more affordable targa 29 it looks a bit more tent-tastic

is the 2nd cabin in the nimbus offerings a bit tight space wise?

top Of the go see list from those we managed to walk past is nimbus 310/320, aquador 32C, Fairline targa 31 or 34 (haven’t played top trumps with targas yet). The corvette is still the wild card! Before anyone hits me with the stop procrastinating line, most of what’s on the market is a fair way from Cornwall in the current Covid climate!!


really like the look of the aquador but.... single engine...offshore... ... .......?

Trev

It’s like my most wasn’t read.....

Nothing wrong with single engine offshore especially as the engine will be better maintained as you’ll be able to get at it.
A fuel problem will kill both engines anyway.
Did you look at an Antares 30

 

[Trevelyan]

Apologies was still reading up on that one...Antares 30 looks interesting, twin Bedded cabin looks useful for children although can’t work out how big it is. I like the full hardtop thing, not sure if I’m bothered about a fly bridge or not! There seems to be a few different layouts (and a billion other Antares models too that are more merry Fisher type boats).

on the twin engine thing I can’t help but keep coming back to most boats seem to be twin engined, so there must be some kind of conventional wisdom at work here?

 

[Halsey]

Apologies was still reading up on that one...Antares 30 looks interesting, twin Bedded cabin looks useful for children although can’t work out how big it is. I like the full hardtop thing, not sure if I’m bothered about a fly bridge or not! There seems to be a few different layouts (and a billion other Antares models too that are more merry Fisher type boats).

on the twin engine thing I can’t help but keep coming back to most boats seem to be twin engined, so there must be some kind of conventional wisdom at work here?

It seems to me you need to get your head around the twin engine scenario soon as that will make your search much easier - the more "absolute" requirements you can list the easier life gets

Twins on shafts does make for a very congested engine bay though

If I were doing twins I would "allow" sterndrives - Sealine SC29?? - that was our "other" option on our final final shortlist

We were in the same situation as you - completely new to motor/river boating having been serious canal users for app 40 years but health and deteriorating values in society made us decide to stop (which was hard).

We were buying during early lockdown and bought a Hardy 25 completely blind to get our feet wet then in Sept we sold her and bought our Aquador from N Ireland completely unseen but fully surveyed and it was the boatyards own boat being sold by them through their business so we had 14 days distance selling comeback so felt safe (and we were!) .

I have to say the Hardy was the best fun I think you can have on the water for <£10k! - it was only the size of the heads compartment that brought about its eventual departure

 

[superheat6k]

... The corvette is still the wild card! ...

If you would like to look more closely at a Corvette then Boadicea is available for a tour and possibly a trip out to Southampton Water but you would have to travel to the Hamble.

 

[Trevelyan]

It seems to me you need to get your head around the twin engine scenario soon as that will make your search much easier - the more "absolute" requirements you can list the easier life gets

Twins on shafts does make for a very congested engine bay though

If I were doing twins I would "allow" sterndrives - Sealine SC29?? - that was our "other" option on our final final shortlist

Think you’re right about finding ways to narrow it down - to be honest I’d focussed on accommodation and not given shafts vs sterndrives thought. This must be well trodden ground, will see if I can a good past thread (grateful for any pointers).

If you would like to look more closely at a Corvette then Boadicea is available for a tour and possibly a trip out to Southampton Water but you would have to travel to the Hamble.

Thanks that’s very very kind, if it wasn‘t for geography I’d bite your hand off straight away but a four hour drive each way is tricky in the current climate (although might be up to Lymington to bring a yacht back - not mine! - in a few weeks). There’s a Corvette for sale in Plymouth which I might go see, although I suspect it is tired.

 

[Farmer Piles]

I think that the one in Plymouth has small engines so very sedate cruising. Good to have a proper look over one though.
Whereabouts in the Duchy are you, I'm at Mylor.

 

[Trevelyan]

I think that the one in Plymouth has small engines so very sedate cruising. Good to have a proper look over one though.
Whereabouts in the Duchy are you, I'm at Mylor.

Noted - whilst in my head I’d like to think a fair bit of boating will be economical pottering around (displacement speeds), being able to open the throttle more when time, tide and weather are threatening to start running against and pick up the speed is a must (otherwise I’d stick with sailing).

We’re in Devoran so Mylor is the local Marina

 

[harvey38]

Ditto an Aquastar Ocean 38, twin diesel so zero to 20 knots as you wish, acres of space, a nice cabin at the bow with separate heads/shower, huge aft cabin with en suite heads/shower with duel helm and safety rails all around.

 

[QBhoy]

Without doubt...I’d be after a Sealine SC29. They’ve went up a little in value and hard to find one for sale usually. But for about 70-80k...I can’t think of a better all round boat really. Fast, efficient, go slow well too. Cheap to run...well finished and won’t cost a fortune in berthing. And most certainly hold money or increase, just in the last 5 years.