Weekend Boat Search. A Contemplation.

If you think I feel any need to 'prove' anything on the Internet, you're going to be in for a long wait I'm afraid. :D

Changing the subject .
Hows the boating going, any good post Covid trips this season that we might enjoy hearing about ?
 
.........and thats when it all goes really wrong. Bigger the boat the less fun and enjoyment and the less it gets used, especially when you need crew ?
When it takes more time to plan and organise a fun filled trip than to do the actual journey. :)
Look in any marina to find out which boats actually get used and which are Marina Queens.
My 46ft gets used single handed whenever I feel like it. Bigger is easier in many ways. Lots more upkeep
Effort though.
 
My 46ft gets used single handed whenever I feel like it. Bigger is easier in many ways. Lots more upkeep
Effort though.

Our reason for change is essentially , proper stairs to fly and island bed, present boat length cannot offer that, so its got to be bigger and accept the positives and negatives that go along with it.
Events over the last year or two have complicated what should have been the dead simple task of buying a boat a tad longer and wider.
 
Well I say good luck on your search, if it takes months or years and you get what you really want then it will be worth the wait.

I really appreciate your wit, candor and willingness to share experience. And I hope you keep us updated :-) John
 
Now decided to put the entire project on hold and admit defeat.
Convinced that at some point there will be market correction in UK boat prices , no abrupt collapse but perhaps a gentle decline .


On the other hand might just have one quick look again at the brokers listings
H,mm Croatia.
One quick click to Google Earth another quick click to Skyscanner and other morning disappears without trace .
 
Our reason for change is essentially , proper stairs to fly and island bed, present boat length cannot offer that, so its got to be bigger and accept the positives and negatives that go along with it.
Events over the last year or two have complicated what should have been the dead simple task of buying a boat a tad longer and wider.
Would an aft cabin work for you rather than a fly bridge? Most from 35 ft and above have the island berth and easy access to the aft deck.
 
Would an aft cabin work for you rather than a fly bridge? Most from 35 ft and above have the island berth and easy access to the aft deck.

Problem (for me and my boating) with aft cabin boat is the Command bridge on top of that aft cabin is usually very exposed and not very big compared with a modern flybridge.
Not a fan of vast swathes of blue canvas, semi transparent milky plastic windows and chrome pipe to keep the rain out either.
Brooms and that other famous aft cabin boat, Turbo 36 , demand a set of steps to get on the boat from the pontoon .
Fine if you are in your home marina, not so fine if you are away. More steps to get in/ out of the saloon .
Flybridge is on one level from saloon to aft cockpit.
Ask any owner of any aft cabin boat about access to stern tubes , exhaust or anything lurking under the cabin sole. :)
 
Problem (for me and my boating) with aft cabin boat is the Command bridge on top of that aft cabin is usually very exposed and not very big compared with a modern flybridge.
Not a fan of vast swathes of blue canvas, semi transparent milky plastic windows and chrome pipe to keep the rain out either.
Brooms and that other famous aft cabin boat, Turbo 36 , demand a set of steps to get on the boat from the pontoon .
Fine if you are in your home marina, not so fine if you are away. More steps to get in/ out of the saloon .
Flybridge is on one level from saloon to aft cockpit.
Ask any owner of any aft cabin boat about access to stern tubes , exhaust or anything lurking under the cabin sole. :)

I agree that with hoods down you are exposed - but no more so than with a flybridge I'd have thought? Some aft cabin boats have dual helms - aft deck and saloon, similar to many flybridge boats. You get a lot of internal space and they come in displacement, semi and planing varieties.

We recently enjoyed a semi-displacement Westwood 35 aft cabin which, after adding a stern thruster to a single engine, was easy to handle. Nice modern interior with an Aquafibre hull and a really good external "staircase" to access the aft deck from the bathing platform.

Wanting something larger (as ever!) we moved up to a good quality displacement single engine 40' Steel aft cabin which has plenty of space, huge island bed in the master, low freeboard, wide sidedecks, and just a substantial ss ladder from the bathing platform. As our boating is primarily inland these days with the occasional London trip, it suits us very well. It does have steps from saloon to galley/dinette and to aft cabin but pretty much full standing headroom throughout.

Might be worth taking a look if a well kept aft cabin comes up for sale just to compare and contrast?
 
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Might be worth taking a look if a well kept aft cabin comes up for sale just to compare and contrast?
One of the advantages of our boat club is a chance to look over and chat to the owners of most of the (affordable) boats on the market today.
At the moment we have on the moorings from the Broom stable.
2 x Broom 37.
1 x Ocean 37.
2 x Broom Sedan 35.
1 x Broom 38
1 x Broom 36.
1 x Broom 41.
1 x Broom 44
1 x recently departed Broom 33.
There is also a nice little European floating around somewhere ..
 
One of the advantages of our boat club is a chance to look over and chat to the owners of most of the (affordable) boats on the market today.
At the moment we have on the moorings from the Broom stable.
2 x Broom 37.
1 x Ocean 37.
2 x Broom Sedan 35.
1 x Broom 38
1 x Broom 36.
1 x Broom 41.
1 x Broom 44
1 x recently departed Broom 33.
There is also a nice little European floating around somewhere ..
Wow!! Those Broom boats sure are popular ?
Depending on your speed requirements, quality steel (displacement) are also good plus Haines, Atlantic, Westwood, Fairline AC, Aquastar ….
 
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