Which motorboat suits my grandad?

J

jpay

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 Nov 2009
Messages
136
Visit site
Hello,

My grandad wants to get a new river cruiser and he is finding it difficult to find them.
He's complaining that boats just arent about anymore, which I think is more like everything is on the internet and he's not down with interwebbing as he calls it.

He's looking for:
20-26ft
standing headroom (he's 6ft)
Outboard over Inboard
Galley
One long comfortable bunk (preferably not a v berth)

For under 10k.
He likes vikings but any brand/age.
Thank You in advance.
 
Thames boat Sales have a fair selection of Craft which will tick most of the boxes.

Why would he want an outboard though? At this age, inboard engines are nice low-tech, often on cheap reliable shaft drives too, so steer better. Diesel is still popular even at this price range which makes life easy...
 
jpay said:
Hello,

My grandad wants to get a new river cruiser and he is finding it difficult to find them.
He's complaining that boats just arent about anymore, which I think is more like everything is on the internet and he's not down with interwebbing as he calls it.

He's looking for:
20-26ft
standing headroom (he's 6ft)
Outboard over Inboard
Galley
One long comfortable bunk (preferably not a v berth)

For under 10k.
He likes vikings but any brand/age.
Thank You in advance.
Click to expand...

The berth requirement will be difficult to meet as most boats in that size range will have vee berths and a convertable dinette, one exception is the Fairline Holiday 23 which has quarter berths which are long and thin. Many more modern sports cruiser types have a large berth under the cockpit which is comfy, but to achieve this they are always on outdrives and this may not be what he wants. Otherwise it will be the usual selection of Freemans, Birchwoods, Seamasters, Elyisian etc... there are certainly loads of boats out there but finding ones in good condition is the hard bit.
 
I saw a Birchwood 25 with an outboard today!!

Not as stupid as it sounds in one way, it was fitted on a large glassed-in bracket, like a Shetland, must have had the largest lazarette of any 25 footer!!
 
I saw a freeman 22 with an outboard once , trouble is these Heath Robinson conversions always strike me as being done because something went wrong with the original engine and the owner couldn't afford to fix it so bodged it up with an outboard.

What else have they cut corners on ?

I know where there is a nice freeman 22 mk I for sale in good order for reasonable money
 
byron said:
I think the RLM was the forerunner of the Princess 32
Click to expand...

I think RLM bought the mouldings of the Project 31 from Marine Projects (which became the Princess 32) and carried on manufacturing it up to the 80's, the 27 was a cut'n shut of the 31. Birchwoods were always a bit cheap and nasty at that time, but a good design and layout even if the fitout was questionable.
 
No Regrets said:
I saw a Birchwood 25 with an outboard today!!

Not as stupid as it sounds in one way, it was fitted on a large glassed-in bracket, like a Shetland, must have had the largest lazarette of any 25 footer!!
Click to expand...

Where was that? i was surprised when a largish boat similair to an birchwood had an outboard on the back on the medway this sunday, looked kind of silly to me!


Lynall
 
lynall said:
Where was that? i was surprised when a largish boat similair to an birchwood had an outboard on the back on the medway this sunday, looked kind of silly to me!


Lynall
Click to expand...
Sometimes single screw vessels have a "get you home" arrangement consisting of an outboard mounted on a transom bracket.
 
byron said:
Sometimes single screw vessels have a "get you home" arrangement consisting of an outboard mounted on a transom bracket.
Click to expand...

Thats what i have, but this was a very large outboard, i certainly wouldnt like to have lifted it!
As soon as i saw it i clicked it was unusual, wish i had taken a picture!



Lynall
 
Last edited:
Chris_d said:
I think RLM bought the mouldings of the Project 31 from Marine Projects (which became the Princess 32) and carried on manufacturing it up to the 80's, the 27 was a cut'n shut of the 31. Birchwoods were always a bit cheap and nasty at that time, but a good design and layout even if the fitout was questionable.
Click to expand...

All three used Senior mouldings, until 1969 when Princess started making there own mouldings but only sold complete boats.
Rlm were Senior mouldings.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top