What Boat, Nimbus 280 C?

[Farmer Piles]

I am in the process of getting a bigger boat so as to be able to cruise further and longer. In terms of timing it's not great as every man and his dog, and the dog walker and her boyfriend, seems to be doing the same right now.
Anyhow, currently mostly dayboating with the odd night or two away using our Yamarin 59HT - which I have to say is a fantastic boat for its size. We are based in Falmouth so cross Channel runs and trips out to Scilly on the cards. We have been looking at various options and we do like the Scandi boats. The one that catches our eye is the Nimbus 280. A bit staid and slow after our Yamarin but well built and great accommodation. a few questions:
What is the realistic cruising speed? 12knts, 14knts or is that optimistic?
Economical speed?
TAMD or D3?
Any discernible difference in performance?
Potential general faults to look out for?
So, opinions please.
P.S. we looked at an Aquador 28C but a bit more than we want to pay - £70K - and not quite the build quality of the Nimbus and the cost of maintaining the leg a factor

 

[Farmer Piles]

More than happy to look at any other makes/models suggested.

 

[Coaster]

A few years ago we sold our 34' sailing boat, having decided after a decade to return to a motor boat. We wanted the smallest boat that would accomodate two people for a week on board.

After considering various options it seemed that a Nimbus 280C would be ideal.

Climbing onto one was a bit of a shock. The boat was smaller than we'd expected and rolled quite a bit when stepping on board.

We ended up with a 310C instead and have not regretted scraping together the extra cash needed. The 310 is much more stable and handles well in moderate seas. With slight to moderate sea we usually do between 12 and 18 knots, and typically use 1.8 litres of diesel per NM. The tank holds 340 litres (almost all reviews etc. state 280 l which is wrong) so we reckon on a safe range of 120 NM.

If you can possibly stretch to a 310 it might be a good move if spending more than a night or two on board.

Good luck.

 

[James_Calvert]

I'm absolutely no mobo expert but I remember at Southampton boat show stepping onto a Nimbus and being surprised how tender it felt.

Later that year I stepped on board a similar size Doral, which felt far more stable. My Doral friend explained this was down to the weight of his engines!

Of course, under way, the dynamic stability would be even greater.

 

[Farmer Piles]

Thanks for the feedback. So Coaster, what engine or engines do you have in your 310? There is a pair of Nimbus boats moored below me, I see them every time I open the curtains first thing, a 310 and a 320,so familiar with them.
James, haven't looked at a Doral, will have a search.

 

[Coaster]

Thanks for the feedback. So Coaster, what engine or engines do you have in your 310? ...

Yamaha 4LH-STE, 230hp.

We wanted a robust, reliable and relatively straightforward engine. After consulting several people whose opinions we respect it seemed the Yamaha would be best for us. Some comments indicated that the Volvo engines have complex electronics and we wanted to keep things simple.

My views on diesel engines are partly informed by the performance of the Perkins three cylinder unit in our small Massey Ferguson tractor. We've had this for 28 years and it's astonishingly good at starting. The KISS principle seems well worth sticking to.

The 310/320 and their predecessors the 31 and the 3003 were designed for single engines. I spoke with Offshore Powerboats, the UK Nimbus importer, and was told that only a few twin engined boats were built, specifically for the British market. Difficult engine access apparently makes it common for twin engined boats not to have been properly maintained.

So far as reliability is concerned my understanding is that the most common cause of engine failure that is contaminated or otherwise defective fuel. In most cases twin engined and single engined boats are equally susceptible to such problems.

The single engined 310/320 has a very well protected prop, with a bronze skeg linking the keel to the rudder. That should keep most ropes and other rubbish away from the prop. We also have a rope cutter fitted. The twin engined boats have props that are much more exposed.

 

[Farmer Piles]

As you might gather from my handle, I am a farmer and well versed in diesels. From our MF135 and Leyland 270 tractors that my brother and i launch our boats with to the 9.5 litre Mercedes in our combine. Robustly built and able to cope with a salty environment would be key in my book. I hadn't realised about the single engine design element, best to stick with the original intent by Nimbus then.
We have had a look at a 280 which we just missed - a shame in the sense that I could see it from my fields, sitting at the pontoon in Mylor. I have yet to look around a 310, will do so.
Cheers.

 

[DrSpock]

I had an ACM Elite 31 - better layout than the 310 and prettier IMO. Build quality not quite as good but then they're cheaper. Same engine and performance - mine cruised at 18 knots and 24 knots WoT with a single Yanmar 4LH-STE.

 

[Farmer Piles]

My preference is for engines not to be flogged, I would far rather be overpowered than underpowered. Much kinder to have a bigger engine running at 70% power than a smaller one at 95%

 

[Farmer Piles]

I had an ACM Elite 31 - better layout than the 310 and prettier IMO. Build quality not quite as good but then they're cheaper. Same engine and performance - mine cruised at 18 knots and 24 knots WoT with a single Yanmar 4LH-STE.

In terms of build quality - akin to Beneteau, Jeanneau, Aquador?
I see that there are two for sale in Brittany.

 

[DrSpock]

Aquador (the Finnish built boats post 2000) are better built than anything from France. The Cabin boats are a bit cramped even though they do have a small side door from the helm out. The ACM is more like Bavaria in terms of build quality - better than Jeanneau or Beneteau but not as good as Nimbus. I would happily buy another - in fact looked at an ACM Mystic earlier this year.

 

[Farmer Piles]

Aquador (the Finnish built boats post 2000) are better built than anything from France. The Cabin boats are a bit cramped even though they do have a small side door from the helm out. The ACM is more like Bavaria in terms of build quality - better than Jeanneau or Beneteau but not as good as Nimbus. I would happily buy another - in fact looked at an ACM Mystic earlier this year.

Just been looking at the ACM 31 online, naturally quite a few in France. Nice looking boat. Brokers aren't big on pictures over there though, lack of and crap strewn where it was left with no attempt to tidy and sell the boat. The one in St Malo looks good but 1200 engine hours is high enough.

 

[Halsey]

Just bought a 1999 Irish build one owner low hours fresh water Aquador 32C very good survey and very good condition/v.f.m. I think knocking the Irish builds is simply the trendy thing to do and it keeps the prices down a bit so no problems here - a 20 year old boat would be showing build/quality problems by now if there was any substance to it.

Nimbus was on our short list BUT no side doors and very poor cluttered bathing platform unless you go for the larger ones - of which there are a couple about at the moment

Smaller Aquadors are generally on sterndrives which was a no for us..................

 

[DrSpock]

Nothing trendy about it - I've viewed a lot of Irish-built Aquadors - mainly 26HTs and they're just not as well built as the Finnish ones. It's partly the reason they moved production out of Ireland.

 

[DrSpock]

The one in St Malo looks good but 1200 engine hours is high enough.

1200 hours is nothing for a Yanmar 4LH-STE. They're good for 10,000+ hours. Exhaust elbow a weak point and Turbo will need replacing at some point (£1k) but otherwise they go on and on if maintained properly.

 

[Halsey]

Nothing trendy about it - I've viewed a lot of Irish-built Aquadors - mainly 26HTs and they're just not as well built as the Finnish ones. It's partly the reason they moved production out of Ireland.

.....oh ............ and the end of subsidies...............
As my surveyor said a 20 yr old boat stands on its merits/usage not folklore - if it surveys well buy it if it doesn't don't - simple.

 

[Farmer Piles]

The biggest problem and dilemma to overcome is the champagne tastes, beer pockets syndrome!

 

[DrSpock]

As my surveyor said a 20 yr old boat stands on its merits/usage not folklore - if it surveys well buy it if it doesn't don't - simple.

That's just keeping Surveyors in business!

It's not folklore either - it's a simple fact reflected in the price of those boats as you have discovered. Perfectly good boats but just not as good as those that followed.

 

[Halsey]

That's just keeping Surveyors in business!

It's not folklore either - it's a simple fact - perfectly good boats but just not as good as those that followed.

........................... not "a simple fact" but all your opinion - to which you are entitled and which I respect

To get the OP/Topic back on track IMO the Nimbus is a great boat and offers a lot of choice with shafts across the range and price - I particularly like the one on sale at Howard Ford but for me they are too enclosed hence the Aquadors and their side doors which are surprisingly easy to use (and I have hip problems) and very handy for dogs..............

 

[kevingreystones]

I am now on my third Nimbus , great reliable boats , in a rough sea I have always felt confident , I would opt for a Swedish boat over any American built boat any day .

Shaft driven diesel engine , very low running costs and maintenance

If interested join the nimbus owners club for £20.00 a lot of info and advice is then freely available !

Happy to give you any further info if you contact me direct .