which 1st family boat ????

[Stats007]

I'd jump at the chance for a 10m berth for £5k a year - here it's £8k

Sealines / Maxums / Dorals etc aren't the best sea boats in the world though they do provide a lot of features for the money. The Targa is a proven boat but a 33' would be too old for me and the 34' is out of budget. Princess and Sunseeker also offer decent hulls but again you'd be looking at an early to mid-90s boat for £40k. The older Volvo TAMD ar AQAD engines usually found in these boats aren't as powerful as the later KAMD/KADs you'd be getting in a 2000 onwards boat. They don't offer EVC either which is nice to have on a twin-engined boat and unless they've had an electronics upgrade the VHF / Radar / AIS / Plotter / Instrumentation will be tired. Whether this is a consideration or not I'll leave up to you.

For my money the Bavaria 300 Sport is a good choice being reasonably modern though it has that bloated foredeck for the extra headroom in the cabin. The Beneateau Ombrine 1001 is a rare boat and has an excellent hull - the aft cabin spacious and the boat also looks great in my opinion. If low-speed cruising is an option then a Nelson, Corvette or an older Nimbus might be an option for your budget. These are all good sea boats and built to a higher standard than the average 'plastic fanstastic' you see wobbling about. Personally I would wait a year and be looking at something from Aquador, Botnia Targa or Windy but you'll need £70k for one of those over 30'. Alternatively something smaller like a Targa 30' or a Merry Fisher 925 / Beneteau Antares 9 if you like the flybridge fisher?

 

[BruceK]

In this price bracket we seem to have a selection of other makes sea ray, rinker, maxum, doral, bayliner, ect. are these the American brands BruceK mentioned. Bruce you seem to have a lovely boat and rate it highly so why would you be booed from the site, what’s wrong with these boats???

You'd probably get a more rational answer from someone like Whitelighter on this score. But here is my perception. Americans appear from my perspective to have some of their brands of boats viewed as almost a disposable commodity and are built accordingly with a reflective price tag. But not all. Unfortunately the general perception with a noted few exceptions are these boats then are all tarred with the same brush. Not true. Then there is the perception these boats are all petrol. Again this is the favoured view and sure the Americans love their big V8's, however this trend is diminishing. My boat is an early 90's model, it came with Volvo diesels right out the factory.

Next is, to me at least, boats are like property. No real intrinsic value in the second hand market only what people are prepared to pay. So for instance between the 34PC and S34 there is not a lot between them. Granted the S34 has a better fit and finish in terms of wood decking and interior style but not enough to command a more than double the price tag of an equivalent 34PC. I cant comment on the layup of a S34, I have no experience, but I can confirm the layup on the 34PC is generous. The boat weighs 7.3 metric tons in a class that is usually about 5, and for a 25 year old boat she is still pretty much as solid as the day she left the factory.

So people say buy a boat you can easily sell on. And I couldn't agree more. But the honest fact is that the boat you buy now for 40k, if you keep it 10 years, is unlikely to have much value left in it by nature of the fact that at 40k you are buying and old boat to start with. So why spend 60-80k and get a boat with a generous finish granted, but with the same old engines, when you can get the equivalent for 25k (mine, broker's book price) and spend 15k finishing it out the way you like or just leave as is. I'll be truthful here, if you've ever driven an American car you will understand that some American 90's boats are equally Spartan looking at the helm, and colour co-ordination, well, lets not be too hard on them, but they don't date so nice eh? So in the line of compromise we enjoy boating more than swanning about in one. Nobody is going to look at me in envy when I bash my way into the marina, but on the plus side I don't have teak decks and a zillion chrome bits to polish in order to maintain status. Nobody is looking at me in envy when I cruise out the channel, but I can keep up, pass and keep going in some rather atrocious weather. She's a fine boat. As I only bought her for 25 she remains a disposable commodity, if she sees me 5 years I'll be quids in. If she sees me 10 I'll be far into the black. The decision really is market desirability vs pragmatic finance. All my opinion of course. I'll leave it to the site experts to take a chunk out of me.

 

[Otter]

Whatever makes and variants you look at make one thing a non negotiable - choose a boat that there are lots of, a well know brand, a well known popular variant and standard engines from a known make. The reason is that although you say you'll keep it for ten years, if you're like almost all the rest of us you'll use the first boat to work out what type of boating you and the family like. At that point in 18 months time you can sell the well known and popular boat you bought or px against another that more closely fits the bill. At that point you can go esoteric or niche but not on the first one. Good luck with the hunting, it's fun!

 

[BruceK]

True enough. I seriously doubt I'd have much trouble passing on my Formula 34PC for 25k though, even 1 year on. The rule is not absolute.

 

[superheat6k]

Whatever makes and variants you look at make one thing a non negotiable - choose a boat that there are lots of, a well know brand, a well known popular variant and standard engines from a known make. The reason is that although you say you'll keep it for ten years, if you're like almost all the rest of us you'll use the first boat to work out what type of boating you and the family like. At that point in 18 months time you can sell the well known and popular boat you bought or px against another that more closely fits the bill. At that point you can go esoteric or niche but not on the first one. Good luck with the hunting, it's fun!

At risk of being told, again, there are other boats out there, it has taken me eight boats and just a few years to arrive at the right boat for me and mine. As suggested there are others. But it is not all about how many berths, what the drive method is or what fuel - beauty and fit out provision, plus utility is in the eye of the beholder (and what his SWMBO will put up with ! ).

Best of luck with your search.

 

[lionelz]

You'd probably get a more rational answer from someone like Whitelighter on this score. But here is my perception. Americans appear from my perspective to have some of their brands of boats viewed as almost a disposable commodity and are built accordingly with a reflective price tag. But not all. Unfortunately the general perception with a noted few exceptions are these boats then are all tarred with the same brush. Not true. Then there is the perception these boats are all petrol. Again this is the favoured view and sure the Americans love their big V8's, however this trend is diminishing. My boat is an early 90's model, it came with Volvo diesels right out the factory.

Next is, to me at least, boats are like property. No real intrinsic value in the second hand market only what people are prepared to pay. So for instance between the 34PC and S34 there is not a lot between them. Granted the S34 has a better fit and finish in terms of wood decking and interior style but not enough to command a more than double the price tag of an equivalent 34PC. I cant comment on the layup of a S34, I have no experience, but I can confirm the layup on the 34PC is generous. The boat weighs 7.3 metric tons in a class that is usually about 5, and for a 25 year old boat she is still pretty much as solid as the day she left the factory.

So people say buy a boat you can easily sell on. And I couldn't agree more. But the honest fact is that the boat you buy now for 40k, if you keep it 10 years, is unlikely to have much value left in it by nature of the fact that at 40k you are buying and old boat to start with. So why spend 60-80k and get a boat with a generous finish granted, but with the same old engines, when you can get the equivalent for 25k (mine, broker's book price) and spend 15k finishing it out the way you like or just leave as is. I'll be truthful here, if you've ever driven an American car you will understand that some American 90's boats are equally Spartan looking at the helm, and colour co-ordination, well, lets not be too hard on them, but they don't date so nice eh? So in the line of compromise we enjoy boating more than swanning about in one. Nobody is going to look at me in envy when I bash my way into the marina, but on the plus side I don't have teak decks and a zillion chrome bits to polish in order to maintain status. Nobody is looking at me in envy when I cruise out the channel, but I can keep up, pass and keep going in some rather atrocious weather. She's a fine boat. As I only bought her for 25 she remains a disposable commodity, if she sees me 5 years I'll be quids in. If she sees me 10 I'll be far into the black. The decision really is market desirability vs pragmatic finance. All my opinion of course. I'll leave it to the site experts to take a chunk out of me.

Very well put its in the eye of the beholder I bought my rinker 270 last year its is thirty foot with a single diesel engine it's a 2005 and cost 28500. I am fairly sure I love it as much as someone who has bought a sealine 28 for 60k give or take the same age. Yes the build quality may not be quite as good but I go on my boat to enjoy my time on the water not to look as the nice cabinets fitted. It still cruises at 20 knts burning about 40lts an hour. I love it. I want to upgrade in the next couple of years but this time I want a hard top with a large sunroof with the galley on deck it's will all be about the layout not the builders name. I went into this knowing that it's was not the best brand out there. But in the end it brings a massive smile on my face every time I cast my lines off and motor out on to the solent

 

[oldgit]

My advice would be to just go and spent some time looking at boats in general,many pleasurable hours can be spent annoying brokers and wandering round boatyards and marinas..Good idea to look at the type of boat popular where you intend to keep your pride and joy,gives good indication of the sort of boat suitable for the area you will be boating in.
A word of advice .
Whatever boat you may think you want,it is probably not the one you need or will end up with.
One other thing, for days out and the odd over nighter a sports boat is probably fine,for longer periods away,especially with our climate,a flybridge may be worth thinking about.

 

[BruceK]

...,for longer periods away,especially with our climate,a flybridge may be worth thinking about.

This is arguably true, but you never see Flybridge boaters helming from inside, always out in the elements. It's the damnedest thing while I'm under canvas in an express cruiser and am not alone in it either Maybe we should all swap?

 

[CLB]

This is arguably true, but you never see Flybridge boaters helming from inside, always out in the elements. It's the damnedest thing while I'm under canvas in an express cruiser and am not alone in it either Maybe we should all swap?

I have to agree. So many fbridge owners always helm from up top and, having extensively used flybridge boats over the years, I find it is nearly always either too hot, or too cold. The best boat for the UK climate IMHO is the convertible hardtop boat. Nice cosy wheelhouse when its raining and cold (80% of the time) and a big open top when it's sunny and hot.

Personally I have a rag top sportscruiser and I am happy to spend weeks at a time on it. I rarely take the top down, so in effect I have an enclosed helm boat, albeit enclosed with flappy bits rather than solid glass and GRP

 

[rafiki_]

I only helm from the fly, and wouldn't go out in poor weather. Boating is for enjoyment. When we owned a sportscruiser, we never went out in poor weather either, so all the canvass down for me. OK, the weather can frustrate at times, but we never get anywhere wishing we hadn't started.

 

[longjohnsilver]

This is arguably true, but you never see Flybridge boaters helming from inside, always out in the elements. It's the damnedest thing while I'm under canvas in an express cruiser and am not alone in it either Maybe we should all swap?

Then you haven't seen me!. I probably helm from downstairs most of the time unless the weather is good, which is pretty rare recently!

 

[BruceK]

Then you haven't seen me!. I probably helm from downstairs most of the time unless the weather is good, which is pretty rare recently!

You are a rare individual then I've put this up before, but that's Seastoke out front clinging to the FB helm in the driving rain and most appalling weather obstinately refusing to give in to common sense. And they're all like that

 

[CLB]

Then you haven't seen me!. I probably helm from downstairs most of the time unless the weather is good, which is pretty rare recently!

I'm with you. When I helm a flybridge boat in the uk it is nearly always from down below. So the question then is, what's the point in having a flybridge?

 

[Stats007]

We do both - in winter its ok to wrap up and enjoy some sun and be outside - equally happy being down below if it's snotty out. I suspect it's more to do with abilities as a skipper than anything else .

 

[BruceK]

Ouch. That's going to make you popular

 

[Wavey]

Previous boat had a flybridge and saloon steering position. In the 18 years I owned the boat I used the saloon steering position once. Vision was far too restricted for my liking.

 

[longjohnsilver]

I'm with you. When I helm a flybridge boat in the uk it is nearly always from down below. So the question then is, what's the point in having a flybridge?

Ah, but it's great when we do have warm sunny weather. And we use ours principally as a great socializing space, the canopies mean that it's almost always warm, and we have a much used BBQ up there. I think our record was about 18 people upstairs at once.

 

[oldgit]

The best boat for the UK climate IMHO is the convertible hardtop boat. Nice cosy wheelhouse when its raining and cold (80% of the time .

.luv to know whats available for £40 K in the hard top department ?

 

[Stats007]

I almost bought an Aquador 26HT for £40k. A very good first boat though probably not big enough for the OP.

 

[CLB]

.luv to know whats available for £40 K in the hard top department ?

http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/offshore-cruisers/hardy-seawings-277/17608

http://www.nya.co.uk/hardy-seawings-305-for-sale.html (sold but you get the idea)