What boat to get after an S23?

Bang for buck, I have not seen anything that beats a Bayliner 285 yet - after selling our previous one, we genuinely tried to find something double the price that offers the same, but ended up buying a newer 285 instead!

For £40k-ish, you get a 2002 to 2005 model 29ft with 6 berths inside, mid-cabin with door, queen size bed, heating, cooling, hot water, shower, toilet, holding tank, tabs, all the usual stuff.

The drawbacks are that it's a single Yanmar, not Volvo, and that it's too big to trailer although at 29ft and wider beam you'd expect that.

Who knows, you might get change from your S23!
 
EugeneR said:
Bang for buck, I have not seen anything that beats a Bayliner 285 yet - after selling our previous one, we genuinely tried to find something double the price that offers the same, but ended up buying a newer 285 instead!

For £40k-ish, you get a 2002 to 2005 model 29ft with 6 berths inside, mid-cabin with door, queen size bed, heating, cooling, hot water, shower, toilet, holding tank, tabs, all the usual stuff.

The drawbacks are that it's a single Yanmar, not Volvo, and that it's too big to trailer although at 29ft and wider beam you'd expect that.

Who knows, you might get change from your S23!
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Without being rude i dont think anyone would go from Sealine to a Bayliner. There is just no comparison in build quality. Dont get me wrong they are nice boats and many people enjoy them but they are just not the same.
 
The problem with the S23 is size - It's time to move to something bigger

Bayliner's are lovely boats, but as said above, couldn't picture going from Sealine to Bayliner. I *had* considered a Bayliner 3055 with twin KAD32's, but even at 30ft they don't have a usable walk-around deck (Which I forgot to mention is another must - no 'through windscreen' only access to the bow please!)
 
CX54WEK said:
Without being rude i dont think anyone would go from Sealine to a Bayliner. There is just no comparison in build quality. Dont get me wrong they are nice boats and many people enjoy them but they are just not the same.
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The point was bang for buck. To get the same practical features on a similar year Sealine is double the cost at least. If you do not want to afford a S28 but your needs are met by a similar sized Bayliner, no reason not to suggest it. I prefer it because I dont have so much money tied up and can afford to have a sailboat as well... (no points for guessing Bavaria which I am told is also built to a price...)

Would you swap a Mercedes A class for a Freelander if you needed a 4x4 but cannot afford an ML/Rangerover/etc? It depends on the individual, some may.

Anyway, seems like OP did consider the 305 at least :-)

Ps. To avoid unnecesarily bashing Bayliners, I agree, quality on Sealine is better.
 
While moving from a towable boat to the next step, why not make it a bigger one. I upped from an S23 to an S37 (an S34 is a good jump too)
The S37 was so much easier to handle you just wouldn't believe....or perhaps you would! I never got the hang of parking the S23!!
There are not so many S37's about but more S34's so price haggling may be keener.
 
DavidJ said:
While moving from a towable boat to the next step, why not make it a bigger one. I upped from an S23 to an S37 (an S34 is a good jump too)
The S37 was so much easier to handle you just wouldn't believe....or perhaps you would! I never got the hang of parking the S23!!
There are not so many S37's about but more S34's so price haggling may be keener.
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Maybe you just needed more practice with the S23!!!

Or you could have tried mooring it. Putting it in a parking space is so much harder than tying it to a berth.
 
alt said:
The problem with the S23 is size - It's time to move to something bigger

Bayliner's are lovely boats, but as said above, couldn't picture going from Sealine to Bayliner. I *had* considered a Bayliner 3055 with twin KAD32's, but even at 30ft they don't have a usable walk-around deck (Which I forgot to mention is another must - no 'through windscreen' only access to the bow please!)
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You originally said you would consider a 25fter with a wider beam. How would you achieve that with no walk through windscreen?

The american boats tend to have a walk through windscreen so that they can give more interior accomodation by losing the walkways. This gives them bigger cockpits and bigger interior space but not so easy access to the bow.

Do you know what you want from your next boat?
 
The s23/25 is a fantastic and very practical boat for her size, however that's the point of the s23, small enough to tow and with all the amenities for a family or couple starting out.
The boat is costly enough when starting, mooring and associated costs can be kept to a minimum if you decide to trail which is a big plus if starting on a budget.

There's nothing wrong with the s25, but I assume that anyone starting out with one will be looking for larger if they have been sold an s23/25 with ideas of sleeping a family of four onboard, which we all know is possible but claustrophobic.
It is much better suited to a couple who enjoy day cruising and relaxing than outright cruising long distances, but we also know distance is possible.

sealine did do a buyback scheme when it was introduced, hinting that it could be a stepping stone to something bigger, and of course sealine would wish you continue with them as a customer, so the s28 or 29 will look attractive to most s23/25 owners.

I guess most owners of s23/25's either knew that it was the right size with the right amenities and will be happy with it as it fullfills all of their needs but then 50% of those buyers will be wanting to move to something bigger, IMHO 28-30ft is a better size if your happy with a 24ft boat.
 
Hi Alt, was in the same position as you a few years ago,had an s23 and wanted to get an s28 but wanted to stick with a single.Managed to get one in Scotland - a '99 model with a mercruiser 4.2 250.I think they stopped making single 28's around 2000/2001.Some of them were made with volvo KADs but as far as i know they only had 230hp,which really wasn't enough.With the 250 we could get 26/27 knots fully loaded,but depending on conditions would stuggle to get over the hump,always got there but was slow.At the moment she is in Kinsale being fitted with a CMD 4.2 320 on a bravo 1,which should give a good improvement in performance.I was thinking of changing her in a year or two (the wife wants a second cabin for the kids,likes the new Antares 30s), if you are interested PM me and you can have a look,Richard.
 
Hi Rich, thanks for the info. I had a soft spot for KAD engines with the 290 duo proper - i'm on my 2nd boat with this setup and never a days bother. Ideally the twin KAD32 setup would be what i'd go for, but could always come for a look at your S28. If you have any pics of your S28 could you email them to me? I'll PM you my address. Cheers
 
Alt , I have watched this thread with interest
I can understand why you want a slightly larger vessel

I ask this question to all sports boat owners on here

Do you not find the inconvenience of having to climb up steps through the windscreen on to a sloping foredeck a bit of a nuisance?

Alt, mate, would you consider a vessel that you could walk forward on without fear of falling off a better choice?

Summatt with some sort of side deck you could negotiate?

Just another thought
I did a job on an S 34 tother day
I think it was about 8 years old (not too sure like!) had to pop it in an out of a Marina, ok it had twins
But anyway
That was a Nice boat
Flippen HUGE inside!
 
alt said:
Right so I have that itch to upgrade for a while now, but, I don't know what to get. Any nice upgrades I seem to have to be adding a LOT of money to get the same 'bang for buck' as the S23.

Ideally i'd like a 27ft'ish boat with a nice wide beam. Even a 25ft with a wider beam than the S23 would be fine.

Soft top is fine too - to go hard top is a lot extra money and closer to 30ft in size

Must be diesel (Volvo KAD preferred) and planing capable of at least 28knots

Extra toys would be nice, like heating, gas cooker, usable heads (basicly everything the S23 has)

The only thing I can narrow that search down to is a Leader 805 - Surely there's others?? Even with the leader 805 the canopy is a right boll1x, i'd have to install hot air, i'd have to install a new immersion so I could heat off the engine calorifer. And the factory electrics on tan 805 are very agricultural, i'd have to do a bit of work there installing seperate banks with isolator etc..


Can anyone think of anything else?
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Niall go for broke and stop messing around! ;) ;) One upgrade every 5 years costs a lot less than every 18months. You will end up with a 35ft sooner or later, you know it, I know it! ;) One step now or later will save you cash, instead of incremental steps every 18months. Go for it lad.
 
"I ask this question to all sports boat owners on here

Do you not find the inconvenience of having to climb up steps through the windscreen on to a sloping foredeck a bit of a nuisance?

Alt, mate, would you consider a vessel that you could walk forward on without fear of falling off a better choice?

Summatt with some sort of side deck you could negotiate?"


The Sealines do have walk around decks with easy bow access. Even the S23 has walkaround decks al be it one is wider than the other!!!
 
A friend of mine bought an S34 recently, I've never been that convinced about some aspects of the Sealines before but I was very impressed. Loads of room, totally changed my mind on them
 
Kwackers - Sealines don't have 'walk thru windscreens', they have walk-around side-decks, like was explaind above... you crazy old fool!! :D

Folks, the next move up will be it, no more changes. I'm serious when I say this, because where I use my boat (inland lake), anything bigger than 30ft is just un-practical. Friend of mine has a Zaffiro 34 and it's just too big for some of the piers on the lake, and it's a nightmare when he tries to tie up anywhere as other boats have to move etc.

A 28/29ft will do me nicely :)

Anyhow, sure, aren't we in the depths of recession, sure i've no money to fill the diesel tank!!
 
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