While I am still here "Moonraker" comments Please.

[oldgit]

Been looking on boats for sale and a few Moonrakers appeared .Had a look in Forum search and came away with the idea that owners seem to like them but others regard them with some reservations.Considering the age of the boat they appear to hold their price very well.Having meet Graham Arnold a while ago at a lotus do.I got the impression that the boat was built in the traditional lotus style ie. a little on the light side. Any body got any comments esp. moonraker vs princess 33.

 

[longjohnsilver]

They seem to be well thought of, but don't have any personal experience.

There is one in Exmouth that was re-engined with Yanmars a few years back. Unfortunately the owner died a seaon or so later and it's hardly been used since. Now looks a bit sorry for itself but should not take much to clean it up. If you're interested in Moonrakers it could be worth a look. Don't know who owns it now but it's on the next pontoon in Exmouth, I could leave them a note to contact you if you and they are interested.

While you are still here - where are you going Oldgit?

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by longjohnsilver on Mon Dec 24 16:22:10 2001 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[ccscott49]

Re: While I am still here \"Moonraker\" comments Please.

I always liked the Moonrakers, I used to watch them being tested on Breydon water, Nice boats. I went as far as to go to the factory and watch them being built with a mind to buying one and went out on test in one they hammered the thing up and down breydon, going from full ahead to full astern with no pause! Now that was impressive! They were not lightly built and have stood the test of time! I still like them. They were mostly fitted with turbo 6.354 perkies, a damn good engine and still all the parts are available and cheap. I would look for the best you can find and get it! I feel they are good boats having seen them built. When you think about it there are still quite a few about and are still not that cheap, so it must say something! If the one longjohn is talking about has yanmars, then it's definitely worth a look!

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ccscott49 on Mon Dec 24 16:17:08 2001 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[byron]

Re: While I am still here \"Moonraker\" comments Please.

Damn good sea boat but early ones were a bit thin on the lay-up. Most fitted with HT6.354 Perkins 175hp. though a few did have the 145s. I would want a thorough survey but as a sea boat it will knock spots off the Princess 33.

ô¿ô

 

[boomer]

Re: While I am still here \"Moonraker\" comments Please.

Dont know about the P33 but we had a Moonraker 36 (F/B) years ago. Not a bad sea boat most of the time but without doubt the most frightening boat ever in a following sea. We were so alarmed we sold ours 10 months later and were glad to see the back of it. And some 145/175 Perky parts are now getting difficult particularly castings that have (after 25 years) now corroded thro' Message here for would-be older Broom owners.Sorry!

 

[hlb]

Re: While I am still here \"Moonraker\" comments Please.

Yes. A bloke has one near me in Plymouth.
He said it was bad in following seas.

Haydn

 

[oldgit]

Re: still here.

Off to tenerife then ferry to la gomera.Not than many raggies in harbour during last visit.Prob off beaten track I expect.

 

[jfm]

Re: Vote for Moonrakers

I used to admire them as a child, they looked fantastic in their day (mid 70s). There's an active owners club, url has been given on this forum a few times. I think the hulls were VARI moulded, so gelcoat both sides, like a Lotus car body. MBY did a test in April 1973 edition (copyshop?) where they took one cross channel in fairly big seas. It was a group test with a Birchwood, Apollo, Laguna 10m and 2 others that I can't remeber. Still see several on the South Coast and Med. Go on, buy it.

 

[Guest]

Iv'e seen all the bond films, this one wasn't to bad, as for the boats, early ones a bit poor on the layup hull strength, old Perkins bit short on parts now, later DC marine fit outs good, worked on a few some nice ones out there around 60K mark, no good in following/ beam sea but good into waves, have fine entry bow shape.

Look out for the one that went on the rocks off Guernsey this summer as I think it was coming up for sale at sometime soon.

Paul js.

 

[Guest]

Re: Vote for Moonrakers

Me too, I spent hours gawping at boats and decided that a Moonraker was the very thing St Rapahael had quite a few of them in early 1970s. I tried to pesuade Dad to buy it, but he bought a poxy Honda (car) instead. He still has a crappo Honda - not the same one, but only the third since then. So, according to the rigourous data collection and analysis procedures for which this BB is well known, this proves that wanting (or better HAVING) a Moonraker is much better than not, by a factor of sixteen.

 

[golf]

Re: While I am still here \"Moonraker\" comments Please.

I own one (Red Watch ) super boat handles great . No problem with spares
P33 does not compare

 

[miket]

Re: While I am still here \"Moonraker\" comments Please.

I also owned an early one built by Bell Boats (pre JCL Marine days) with 145 Perkins.

Served very well, taking us to Holland and up East Coast, from our non tidal Thames base.
Cruised 15kts, max 18kts. Very spacious interior. Beware if there has been any water ingress, as all bulk heads and major furniture is faced chipboard. No problem whilst dry but wet........!
Accommadation is IMHO streets ahead of the 33. I also considered the P33 at the time.
Never had any problem in following or beam seas, but then I don't make a habit of going out in very rough conditions.

My particular boat had a voracious thirst for oil on one engine, but the more owners of similarly engined boats I spoke to the more common it seemed to be.

I would have no hesitation in buying another. I would not buy a P33.

Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Re: moonrakers

hiya old git. very interesting thread on moonraker boats although the information
you have so far is a little out of touch.
I own the last moonraker off the production line and believe it or not she was built
in 1989 completed in 1990 , launched in1994 and commissioned by myself
in 1999. and no it is not the one that adorned the rocks off guernsey last year
that was a later special build but i would have thought it would be untouchable now
if you need anymore info just shout. ps a p33 or p35 is not in the same league

 

[Guest]

Re: moonrakers

hi old git ive written out this message before but posted it god knows where,so if
you come across it again you know why.
The info you have been getting on the moonraker is a little dated because they
were produced by different builders over their production run.The last one off the
line was mine which was completed in 1989/90 launched five years later 1994
but not commissioned until i bought her in 1999. no it is not the one that adorned
the rocks off guernsey last year. that was a one off later build, but I would think
it is now infamously untouchable.
if you need any more info about moonrakers just shout out I may be able to update you . p.s. the p33 and the p35 are in no way comparable to a moonraker

 

[Guest]

Re: moonrakers

I've been through this very same dilemna a couple of years ago. I came across a nice Moonraker , really fancied it but needed advice - have to say that the results from the forum were pretty much the same for me - a few gems from people who seemed to have real first hand information - and lots of repeated hearsay. In the end I missed the boat (quite literally) - because I played the 'get the price down' game just a bit too much - he actually did have an offer higher than mine - so I didn't call his bluff!! I ended up buying a Princess 37 - I have no regrets - but I still think the Moonraker with the flybridge (especially when it has the dark glass fitted) is a fine looking boat... And I don't understand why you would choose a Princess 33 (!) as a comparison - the princess is quite a bit smaller..... Also, when last I visited Benalmadena there were 2 or 3 Moonrakers for sale there - there might be quite a choice...

But here's what I did find during my search:

(a) light lay up - this myth (?) is supported by an entry in the top 100 motor cruisers ( http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/ybwmfs.cgi?target=/ybw/search/copyshop.htm ) - as is a warning re the internal joinery - as somebody else has posted here. The point about Moonrakers being built by several yards during their lifetime could mean that some were built more heavily than others - but the real question is really whether the hull strength is in question at all ? Do Moonrakers have a history of structural defects ? I couldn't turn up any evidence of this during my search despite all the hearsay....

(b) Exhaust manifold problems - lots of talk about exhaust manifold deterioration - at least one owner had to replace an engine because of water ingress to the engine through a rotten manifold. Was noted as being worth checking before purchase

(c) This was the best bit! - There are active Moonraker User Clubs in existance (unlike Princess - thought Mermaid do - which is useful for owners of Princesses with Mermaid engines) - one is UK based, and another quite active club is based in Denmark. These provide a host of useful information (user manusal, electrical diagrams, plans - loads of stuff), plus first hand user information and advice - and are certainly well worth a visit - a good starting point would be the report at http://www.ybw.com/mby/boats/10201990.htm

If you follow the travels of the Moonraker 'Darius' (unfortunately I don't remember the owners name, however he has kept me entertained over several issues of several magazines with his fine travelogues - which are quite a mix of boat handling, travel, problem solving and human interest) - I think it's been all over Europe from it's UK base - it makes quite a good account of a Moonraker overall. Of coiurse - one of the best people to get advice from would be the owner/skipper of Darius - who is quite active in the Moonraker club. I've checked - it's Morvyn Phillips - I wouldn't be doing him justice if I left him anonymous here. A phone number is published for him in the article mentioned above.

The www site for the Danish club is: http://www.moonraker.dk/moonraker/english/default.htm
and I've just found the www site for the UK club - it's : http://web.ukonline.co.uk/david.beet/index.htm

(d) - last thing - and it's unsupported. It was suggested to me that the Moonraker without the flybridge was a better sea boat than the model withthe flybridge. I don't know if it's true or not - and I don't know if this is the same issue as the 'not great in a following sea' issue mentioned in the thread.... I presume they are built on the same hull, so it might relate more to the higher centre of gravity which may cause more roll, making it uncomfortable..... but this is also hearsay -

Ok - so there's loads of information. Best of luck - and if you buy it I'll expect an invite to the launching ceremony!


louis