Recommendations for first family motorboat please

[Trevelyan]

If the Sealine SC29 and S28 are of interest then I would recommend looking at the S34. A much better proposition in terms of accommodation and simply a great all round boat.

Negative comments on the D3 have been doing the rounds for years and I would be cautious of buying a boat with them.

Accommodation of the s34 looks good and the price tag looks good too, so throw it in the mix, but I am still not convinced by canvas over all of the cockpit. Any hard top alternatives?!

The SC29 vs aquador 32C is interesting engine wise -potentially unreliable twins vs reliant on a single engine... ....

Cheers
Trev

 

[ashtead]

The engine thing really depends on your intended cruising area. Many happily zoom around the Solent or down to say Poole or Weymouth in their single engine Bav mobo of say 10 metres quite safely but I guess if worried what might be termed a get me outboard could be fitted. Clearly loads cheaper to service - hence your annual budget for running costs might be a consideration. I would be more concerned at the general condition of a boat rather than getting to drawn into the number debate provided you budget runs to servicing. I sure if you PM VolvoPaul he can give indicative pricing -just avoid mainstream like Golden Arrow if you want to stay solvent .

 

[QBhoy]

If the Sealine SC29 and S28 are of interest then I would recommend looking at the S34. A much better proposition in terms of accommodation and simply a great all round boat. We had one as a stop gap between our Broom and our Hardy and we were very impressed with it. Only the later ones have the Volvo D series engines and the most common was the four cylinder KAD32 at 170hp each. Lots of talk on here and elsewhere about these engines being a bit under powered for the boat but they aren’t in my view and the space in the engine bay compared to larger six cylinder engines is a big bonus. I think MBM summed it up nicely when they described the S34 with these engines as being more ‘cruiser’ than ‘sport’. Circa 27 knots flat out and cruise at 20-22 knots is fine IMHO and way faster than our current 12 knots!

Other engine options were Volvo AD41 (200hp) and KAD43 (230hp) - not sure if any had the KAD44 (260hp). One or two had Mercruiser but not generally the engine of choice, although asking price for these is usually lower.

Not many on the market at the moment - this was ours to give an idea

Negative comments on the D3 have been doing the rounds for years and I would be cautious of buying a boat with them. My choice is always older diesels with no electronics - simpler to maintain and less to go wrong and the recent coverage questioning the long term availability of replacement ECUs gives further pause for thought.
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Nice boats. Also love them. Not with a kad32 though. Although the s34 does well to insulate the screaming noise...conversation when on the plane, is a challenge with the hood canvas up. Not pleasant really.
Plus for the s34 over the SC29 is the cabins having separation by door. Down sides are that they are much more dated in looks and design, over the SC29. Love them....but just thing the SC29 is a level apart really. Mooring fees, efficiency and running costs all in favour of the SC29. Hold their money rock solid too. The s34’s have been dropping steadily now. (Out with silly covid prices)

 

[Greg2]

Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me the S34 has timeless lines but then current trends are of little relevance to me so I am probably not the best person to ask! ?

Nothing at all wrong with the SC29 in terms of looks - I like them. Having cruised with one and close friends owning one my only observation is that they are a bit of a handful in close quarters, particularly in a breeze but a very fast hull.

On the engines for the S34 all the KADs have the supercharger and it really isn’t an issue. In normal cruising it kicks in and out again fairly quickly. Heavy weather might mean cruising at a speed where the supercharger is in play and then it is noticeable but not too bad. I speak from experience having owned a Targa 35 with KAD42’s and on one trip in heavy weather we were making around 10 knots in what I can only describe as supercharger hell! The S34 in comparison is a lot quieter.

All boats are a compromise and we all like what we like and hopefully our respective thoughts are of some help to the OP ?

 

[QBhoy]

Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me the S34 has timeless lines but then current trends are of little relevance to me so I am probably not the best person to ask! ?

Nothing at all wrong with the SC29 in terms of looks - I like them. Having cruised with one and close friends owning one my only observation is that they are a bit of a handful in close quarters, particularly in a breeze but a very fast hull.

On the engines for the S34 all the KADs have the supercharger and it really isn’t an issue. In normal cruising it kicks in and out again fairly quickly. Heavy weather might mean cruising at a speed where the supercharger is in play and then it is noticeable but not too bad. I speak from experience having owned a Targa 35 with KAD42’s and on one trip in heavy weather we were making around 10 knots in what I can only describe as supercharger hell! The S34 in comparison is a lot quieter.

All boats are a compromise and we all like what we like and hopefully our respective thoughts are of some help to the OP ?

Totally agree with you. The s34 is lovely. No doubt about it. Stunning even. Love them. As for the targa. You’re a lucky man. Also one of my favourites. Both lovely. Perhaps I just prefer the sc29, given it’s a little more developed in the hull design and performance wise. All 3 are lovely and I’d be delighted with any one of them.

 

[Trevelyan]

The engine thing really depends on your intended cruising area.

We’re Falmouth (ish), so in my head potentially Scilly, Salcombe in a straight line, Channel Islands. Offshore...

 

[ashtead]

I haven’t visited that part of the world (Falmouth) afloat but have sailed to Channel Islands if not Scilly islands. I would think twin engines at say 10 to 12 metres is what you might be safest in . The seems to be a distinct split in motoring fields between the bling boats and solid dependable semi displacement hulls . Often the choice is determined as well by family preference on accommodation but I guess fuel range might be an issue. It just strikes me SC29 might be a tad small? I guess it depends on family structure but 34 might be offering the sort of space needed to not go stir crazy etc in bad weather, remember it’s sometimes easy to reach these places but not leave due to weather etc. Is the build quality that good on Sealines though compared to others ?

 

[Farmer Piles]

Just being a pedant here and a general FYI.
Scilly
IoS
Isles of Scilly

Never Scilly Isles

 

[ashtead]

But Sicily Islands is fine then?

 

[Farmer Piles]

Depends if you are heading to southern Italy.

 

[Trevelyan]

I haven’t visited that part of the world (Falmouth) afloat but have sailed to Channel Islands if not Scilly islands. I would think twin engines at say 10 to 12 metres is what you might be safest in . The seems to be a distinct split in motoring fields between the bling boats and solid dependable semi displacement hulls . Often the choice is determined as well by family preference on accommodation but I guess fuel range might be an issue. It just strikes me SC29 might be a tad small? I guess it depends on family structure but 34 might be offering the sort of space needed to not go stir crazy etc in bad weather, remember it’s sometimes easy to reach these places but not leave due to weather etc. Is the build quality that good on Sealines though compared to others ?

Scilly islands is fine, Scilly Islands (capital I, implying name is Scilly Islands) a bit dodgy. Anyway back to boats...

I guess the problem here is you can always go up and up and up on size. Begs the question Where do sealine sc29 and 34 and aquador 32c and targa 29 or 34 sit on the bling vs dependable front?

We had an interesting chat today about whether we pick the boat based on the needs of the week’s holiday a year (size, seaworthiness) or the other ninety something percent of the time we use it (probably speed, fuel economy), especially as we live by the water so it will get plenty of use. The brain teaser continues!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

...
We had an interesting chat today about whether we pick the boat based on the needs of the week’s holiday a year (size, seaworthiness) or the other ninety something percent of the time we use it (probably speed, fuel economy), especially as we live by the water so it will get plenty of use. The brain teaser continues!

True. Depening on the decision regarding your choice of mooring (marina, swinging mooring, half tide, whatever) , you might also find you will spend more time on the boat when in your home berth. We use ours as a weekend apartment and sometimes (lockdown aside) don't move at all. My point is that the choice / compromises made on accommodation is also important.

 

[Greg2]

Scilly islands is fine, Scilly Islands (capital I, implying name is Scilly Islands) a bit dodgy. Anyway back to boats...

I guess the problem here is you can always go up and up and up on size. Begs the question Where do sealine sc29 and 34 and aquador 32c and targa 29 or 34 sit on the bling vs dependable front?

We had an interesting chat today about whether we pick the boat based on the needs of the week’s holiday a year (size, seaworthiness) or the other ninety something percent of the time we use it (probably speed, fuel economy), especially as we live by the water so it will get plenty of use. The brain teaser continues!

The boats you mention are all perfectly capable sea boats so not all bling! They are not in the same category of sea boat as others such as our Hardy, but plenty good enough for what most leisure boaters will need. We cruise the N.Sea, which can be pretty inhospitable, and have been to Holland in a Fairline Targa 35 and would have happily taken the S34 across.

The major plus point with a sports crusier is that they make great day boats, having a sociable cockpit. This is where we have always spent most of our time aboard and the saloon, which can be a it of a cave, only tends to get used on colder evenings. A heating outlet in the cockpit makes it a usable space pretty much all year round.

To put things into context we have had a Princess 32, Broom Ocean 37, Fairline Targa 35, Broom 41, Sealine S34 and a Hardy Ccommodore 36. Of these the Princess, Fairline and Sealine were aft cockpit soft top sports cruisers (a bit of a stretch for the Princess but the concept applies) , which were very sociable and great fun. The S34 was the best of the bunch and I can’t over-emphasise what a great all round package they are. I get the sense that it might be this sort of boat that will best suit your needs - great for frequent local use and perfectly capable as a two week holiday boat (it’s what we did with a family of four and latterly the two of us with adult children and partner joining us for a night or two).

Our other three boats can be described as very good sea boats with excellent accommodation but probably less suited as day boats. The Brooms had cockpits above the aft cabins and whilst the 41 was excellent (a big factor in us choosing it) the Ocean was less comfortable. The Hardy has no cockpit, so a big departure for us but our hope is for some extended cruising in retirement so it suits our current needs.

Ultimatley every boat is a compromise and it is only when you get your first boat that you will begin to fully appreciate what it is that is important for you.
.

 

[ontheplane]

I am never sure though whether this crossover at 30ish ft from the convertible dinette to the 3 cabins makes the boat feel smaller though.

What i mean by that is like a house, if you add an extra room but don’t make the house bigger, each room then is actually smaller.

So does the front cabin of an s34 feel smaller than the open dinette of the s28. And does the saloon area feel small too because you have fitted 2 rooms into just a slightly smaller space than 1 was before?

 

[Greg2]

I am never sure though whether this crossover at 30ish ft from the convertible dinette to the 3 cabins makes the boat feel smaller though.

What i mean by that is like a house, if you add an extra room but don’t make the house bigger, each room then is actually smaller.

So does the front cabin of an s34 feel smaller than the open dinette of the s28. And does the saloon area feel small too because you have fitted 2 rooms into just a slightly smaller space than 1 was before?

Absolutely not!

By way of explanation - having sold our Broom 41 we were debating what the next step was for us and we were considering a yacht (we sail as well as mobos), a motor sailer or a mobo. We couldn’t make our minds up and were missing having a boat so we decided to have a look at some boats with a view to getting something relatively inexpensive to potter about the Broads whlist we made our minds up.

Having looked at several it was clear that we weren't going to find anything suitable at our local Brokerage and walking past an S28 the Broker (who we know well) saw me looking at an S28 so asked if we wanted to have a look at it. Not wishing to be rude we did and were really quite taken with it BUT it was a bit snug in accommodation terms. It set us thinking so we looked at several S34’s and it was a world of difference - and I mean a world of difference. The thing with boats is that what appears to be a modest increase in length adds a whole lot more in terms of volume.

Long story short we viewed several, tried to buy one but it didn’t work out and then the local Broker offered us a stock S34. We went to view and it was a no-brainer and we ended up spending way more than intended.

So back to the original question, the fwd cabin on the S34 gives an offset double berth as opposed to converting the saloon of the S28 to a berth. Granted the latter is a big berth but the S34 berth is just fine - I am 6’5” so do the math! ?

The saloon and galley on the S34 is overall way better than the S28 and the aft cabin and heads/shower are streets ahead. On the S28 I struggled to get into the aft cabin with its small double berth (the door is just too small) and the heads/shower was virtually unusable for me. The S34 on the other hand boasts twin berths convertible into a large double in the aft cabin and I could stand up in the shower and it’s overall size is pretty good for any size of boat, let alone a 34 footer.

Long story short accommodation size in a boat increases significantly with what appears to be modest increases in length. Worth saying that the S34 has a wider beam than competitors such as the Targa 34 so it is a choice between better accommodation and performance. We looked at Targa 34’s and whilst they are beautiful thoroughbreds we preferred to sacrifice that for better accommodation and stowage along with acceptable performance. It suited us but others may differ ?
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[mnts]

Hi, very interesting topic here... I'm looking to upgrade my bowrider maybe next year, so also doing my research. I found SC29 an interesting boat and by googling found this thread..
I also found that Jeanneau Prestige 30S is very similar and if I'm not mistaken has a bit wider bow, which makes it look a bit more "normal" I don't have any of those around to go can check in real life, so just rely on magazines, youtube and google... but those 30S and SC29s are always placed next to a bigger boat and always look very small in the images and videos..

any feedback on the 30S anyone has? how does it compare to SC29?

 

[QBhoy]

Hi, very interesting topic here... I'm looking to upgrade my bowrider maybe next year, so also doing my research. I found SC29 an interesting boat and by googling found this thread..
I also found that Jeanneau Prestige 30S is very similar and if I'm not mistaken has a bit wider bow, which makes it look a bit more "normal" I don't have any of those around to go can check in real life, so just rely on magazines, youtube and google... but those 30S and SC29s are always placed next to a bigger boat and always look very small in the images and videos..

any feedback on the 30S anyone has? how does it compare to SC29?

Don’t know too much about the 30s. But I do know that the SC29 looks and feels every bit of 30ft at its smallest. It has the beam of some 40ft boats even and doesn’t budge when you step onto the bathing platform. It’s a bit of an odd ball if you are used to sealines of old. Sealines just around or just before these, came in for some pretty heavy criticism with their hulls and feel. Mainly down to financial issues suffered at the time and then Brunswick (bayliner) stepping in and leaning things out a little. It was almost as if these SC29’s had everything thrown at them to really hit home that sealine were still a serious brand. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were made close to a loss, when new. Amazing quality finish and a seriously advanced hull for its time and type of boat. Not sure I know of any boats like this even now, that have a stepped hull. Can’t think of another 30ft cruiser that does really.
Speed isn’t everything I realise and I have rattled on about how quick these things are...but it’s also a sign of a great hull too...especially when it’s equally as good at going slow too. Not often that both is achieved.
Only down side I can think of with these is that I do know that the particular one I know of, had a leak in the trim system last year. It was an out the water job. Not the fault of the boat...more the VP outdrive design perhaps.
Obviously a desirable boat.Hard to find for sale and when they are for sale..they sell quick. As mentioned, 5 years ago you could see them at 60-70k tops. They held there and at the money for ages.If anything now...they have went up in money.

 

[Trevelyan]

By way of explanation - having sold our Broom 41 we were debating what the next step was for us and we were considering a yacht (we sail as well as mobos), a motor sailer or a mobo.

Any motorsailers or yachts I should also be considering?! still Struggling a bit that motorboats don’t seem to offer the same size accommodation as yachts of similar length (although maybe that’s my perception)

The saloon and galley on the S34 is overall way better than the S28 and the aft cabin and heads/shower are streets ahead.

Noted and looks like that from the photos... I seem to be talking myself up to 34 feet now!... ....

 

[Momac]

While I do like the SC29 I don't like the engines in it.

If space is wanted consider a flybridge boat - lots of canvas so moving even further away from the original brief .
Three adult couples can sleep over on our F33 in comfort .

The lower helm may be used if the weather is unkind

The top canvas is a bit of a fiddle but there is plenty of space in the anchor locker for it. The cockpit canvas rolls up or may be stored in the clam shell locker in the flybridge overhang. Mostly the cockpit canvas remains in place when under way .

 

[Greg2]

Any motorsailers or yachts I should also be considering?! still Struggling a bit that motorboats don’t seem to offer the same size accommodation as yachts of similar length (although maybe that’s my perception)

Noted and looks like that from the photos... I seem to be talking myself up to 34 feet now!... ....

Sailing is a whole different ball game to motor boating so the fundamental thing is whether or not you can / want to sail and accommodation would be the wrong reason for making that choice IMHO.

Having said that an important factor to consider is that the design of yachts and motor boats means that accommodation is usually quite different. A yacht has all the accommodation in the hull and tends not to have much above it. With only a small engine to accommodate the space in the hull can be quite good but the downside is that you can’t see out when down below and cockpit accommodation tends to be open and exposed with hard seating. Some have canopies to put up when alongside and you can have cushions for the seats but in reality they are functional as opposed to comfortable.

As a general statement motor boats tend to be fitted out with more comfort in mind than yachts and the accommodation is usually better.

On the size point many buy smaller and quickly realise that they need something a bit bigger and end up changing with the costs that entails so there is a case for going a bit bigger in the first place ?