Sealine F33 versus Princess 360 - which wins and why?

Thepipdoc

Thepipdoc

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Any thoughts on the comparison of a 2001 Sealine F33 and a 1998 Princess 360?
I realise there a fundamental differences i.e. one is outdrive and the other shaft driven, but what is the general consensus? I'd appreciate any comments particularly if you have first hand experience of either.
I should perhaps add that I currently have the F33 and I'm considering the merits of moving to a Princess.
Thanks
 
Quite different boats IMHO. Three feet adds a lot of volume and shafts will make it a better sea boat and more planted in the water when manoeuvring in the marina on a windy day. I recall looking at a Princess 360 several years ago, quality boat but the burr wood finish is definitely a matter of personal taste!!!
 
I tend to agree with you regarding the interior wood finish - it's a bit of a "Marmite" finish! Love it or hate it!
I've been trying to find out when they were in production and I can see the production run started in 1993 but I can't find when they finished.
Any ideas anyone?
 
Thepipdoc said:
Any thoughts on the comparison of a 2001 Sealine F33 and a 1998 Princess 360?
I realise there a fundamental differences i.e. one is outdrive and the other shaft driven, but what is the general consensus? I'd appreciate any comments particularly if you have first hand experience of either.
I should perhaps add that I currently have the F33 and I'm considering the merits of moving to a Princess.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Have you considered the Sealine F37?
A shaft boat with a more modern interior and excellent use of spare generally.
 
I have a Sealine 360 and its vastly different to the F33.

Just so much more planted in the water, the princess would be very similar.

I would never go back to stern drives.
 
If you hate the 'puke wood' you will need to look for a 1993-1994 boat.
An odd 1995 boat had dark cheery wood which looks great in bigger boats but makes the 360 a bit dark inside.

Older boats (and a few late 1998) have smaller engines.

300 are needed really .

some were made with mercruiser 220, cummins 250, Volvo 230, volvo 260, cat 305

most have volvo 63L (300) or 63P (370), the 63L are by far the most sort after, they smoke a bit but are reliable except the raw water pump is inaccessible and doesnt get the care it needs.

1993-1994 have aluminium windows which dont look as nice as the stainless steel one but there were a few issues with the stainless as they were aluminium covered in stainless which didnt agree.
regular washing of the rain gutters solves most of the issues as it clears salt out.

The ride is very good and you will not be disappointed (unless you choose low powered engines and you then run the risk of being disappointed with speed).

Mines not currently for sale , link here to lots of photos.
http://www.icvideo.co.uk/felix.html
 
DAKA said:
If you hate the 'puke wood' you will need to look for a 1993-1994 boat.
An odd 1995 boat had dark cheery wood which looks great in bigger boats but makes the 360 a bit dark inside.

Older boats (and a few late 1998) have smaller engines.

300 are needed really .

some were made with mercruiser 220, cummins 250, Volvo 230, volvo 260, cat 305

most have volvo 63L (300) or 63P (370), the 63L are by far the most sort after, they smoke a bit but are reliable except the raw water pump is inaccessible and doesnt get the care it needs.

1993-1994 have aluminium windows which dont look as nice as the stainless steel one but there were a few issues with the stainless as they were aluminium covered in stainless which didnt agree.
regular washing of the rain gutters solves most of the issues as it clears salt out.

The ride is very good and you will not be disappointed (unless you choose low powered engines and you then run the risk of being disappointed with speed).

Mines not currently for sale , link here to lots of photos.
http://www.icvideo.co.uk/felix.html
Click to expand...
Excellent and thanks - I had seen this site while running a search for information on the 360 and did consider contacting you directly and probably would have anyway but you beat me to it!
The boat I'm considering, (though I have to say some issues are now surfacing concerning the price of the 360 i.e. he wants more than I'm prepared to pay!!) has KAMD44's in it which are 230hp I believe.
I don't suppose you have any idea how much a 1998 model would have cost when new do you? I'd be interested to know what the depreciation is like.
Your boat look's a cracker - nicely finished I have to say.
 
Biased, because I bought a F33, and I am very very happy with it. The only serious alternative that we considered was the Princess 360. I am intrigued that the Princess wood mentioned herein provoked the same reaction in others that it produced in SWMBO. I was OK with it.
What made our minds up was (for F33);
cheaper to run
faster
better use of space (although the Princess felt very spacious, but it is bigger after all)
steps to flybridge instead of ladder

It was close, but we decided on the F33 and have no intention of swapping it in the foreseeable future. I think I would be happy to own either, but can only offer a user's opinion on the F33.
p.s. it has the 200hp Volvos. I have a suspicion that the 180hp versions would not suit our needs, but only from reports on here.
 
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Thepipdoc said:
Excellent and thanks - I had seen this site while running a search for information on the 360 and did consider contacting you directly and probably would have anyway but you beat me to it!
The boat I'm considering, (though I have to say some issues are now surfacing concerning the price of the 360 i.e. he wants more than I'm prepared to pay!!) has KAMD44's in it which are 230hp I believe.
I don't suppose you have any idea how much a 1998 model would have cost when new do you? I'd be interested to know what the depreciation is like.
Your boat look's a cracker - nicely finished I have to say.
Click to expand...

In my opinion 230 is underpowered, can you ask him for a test drive if you pay expenses ?
At least make it clear after deposit is paid that the sea trial is also to check the claimed top speed/cruise speed and you reserve th eright to cancel the sale if the claimed top speed is not met, regardless of conditions.



I would expect a claimed max speed of 19-20 (no chance in the real world)
expect a claimed cruise speed of 17 -18 knots (no chance even when new)

I would expect loaded with weekend gear max speed 16knts,
cruise 14knots , nice big boat when you get there, keep you happy in a F6 but not the performance you are used to .

As for depreciation

The advertised prices have increased since I bought mine 5-6 years ago.

I would expect a P360 with 2x 230 to go for £95 000-£105 000 but I wouldnt be interested unless it was going for 85-90, but thats very much a personalised opinion based on what I would want to use it for.
If you want it for river use then it will be fine.
 
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The princess 360 with kamd 44 is 260hp, not bad but a slower revving engine boat is queter, thekad 44 is more suited to a sports cruiser with outdrives, larger flybridge boats are much heavier and are best suited to larger cubic capacity engines that rev slower to achieve there hp, once a kad 44 engines 360 builds up marine growth it may not even get up on the plane.

How about a princess 410 with 2x 340hp engines for under 100k, yes its mine!
 
DAKA said:
I think I saw your boat recently Paul, looked in very good condition and looked modern, have you got a link to photos etc ?
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Hi pete yes i saw you too, I have had it for sale with 2 brokers an very nearly a sale last week but the American just turned out to be a total timewater and he had a sea trial and lunch on me too!!which left a really bittter taste I can tell you,yes shes in great order, now ive dropped her below 100k asking price there is some interest but as ive been told by many brokers shaft drive flybridges are very hard to sell, it just need the ball to start rolling then I can move up into something a bit newer, but its very hard at the moment unless you just give her away.

To be honest the offer i had I felt like I had given her away, but its all about price to swap so it would have to come off at the other end when i find something to buy. I just missed out on a 2001 princess 40 that went for well under 140k and it was mint but you have to have the cash ready on a trade in from Princess as they underwrite them before they do there px.

If anyones interested in my 410 pm me.
 
To be honest the offer i had I felt like I had given her away, but its all about price to swap so it would have to come off at the other end when i find something to buy. I just missed out on a 2001 princess 40 that went for well under 140k and it was mint but you have to have the cash ready on a trade in from Princess as they underwrite them before they do there px.

Paul,

was that the one that was at Cabin Boatyard earlier in the summer????
 
crazy4557 said:
To be honest the offer i had I felt like I had given her away, but its all about price to swap so it would have to come off at the other end when i find something to buy. I just missed out on a 2001 princess 40 that went for well under 140k and it was mint but you have to have the cash ready on a trade in from Princess as they underwrite them before they do there px.

Paul,

was that the one that was at Cabin Boatyard earlier in the summer????
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Hi Andy, no that one is still for sale, the one I went after was with Princess they took in px against a v48 very nice boat but gone now.
 
AllanJ said:
Biased, because I bought a F33, and I am very very happy with it. The only serious alternative that we considered was the Princess 360. I am intrigued that the Princess wood mentioned herein provoked the same reaction in others that it produced in SWMBO. I was OK with it.
What made our minds up was (for F33);
cheaper to run
faster
better use of space (although the Princess felt very spacious, but it is bigger after all)
steps to flybridge instead of ladder

It was close, but we decided on the F33 and have no intention of swapping it in the foreseeable future. I think I would be happy to own either, but can only offer a user's opinion on the F33.
p.s. it has the 200hp Volvos. I have a suspicion that the 180hp versions would not suit our needs, but only from reports on here.
Click to expand...

Some very good points and whislt I have heard (and read) that outdirives are cheaper to run than shafts - if this is the case, by what % is it cheaper than shafts (broadly speaking of course)?
I agree that the steps in the F33 are a definite advantage over the P360's ladder.
 
Thepipdoc said:
Some very good points and whislt I have heard (and read) that outdirives are cheaper to run than shafts - if this is the case, by what % is it cheaper than shafts (broadly speaking of course)?
I agree that the steps in the F33 are a definite advantage over the P360's ladder.
Click to expand...

I don't know the answer precisely. I was thinking about;
a) higher fuel costs with the larger engines and overall size
b) higher berthing costs with the longer length

I am quite new to this and confess that without anything to compare them with, I have found the boat quite manouverable with stern drives (and a bowthruster shhhhh). Never hit another boat yet.
I do think that the effect of a breeze beam-on to the F33 should not be underestimated though. It can take quite a bit of practice to make it go where you want, and even then sometimes even with the thruster it just isn't enough. It hasn't really affected my enjoyment though as those conditions I would generally avoid anyway. I have never been unable to get in, but there have been times when I will not go out. But then I am not doing this to pit myself against the elements anyway.
In my opinion every boat is a compromise. Mine makes the fewest for my needs.
 
Thepipdoc said:
I agree that the steps in the F33 are a definite advantage over the P360's ladder.
Click to expand...

it depends how you want to use your boat.
Ive not tried the F33 steps but I have used the F37 steps at sea and I hate them, ended up shuffling down on my ar5s.

Ladders dont look as nice in a marina however they are the safer option at sea (in my opinion) fantastic hand grip and kids love them as they are just like a slide.
 
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