Give me a faking it guide to viewing MOBOs...............aaaahhhh

[dralex]

We are THIS close to changing to a MOBO ( 3 Hail Marys, I will go to church on Sunday and also whip myself until I bleed).

Brief:

One baby, one 2.5 year old, 2 adults, wanting to explore more with a shallower draft than 1.6m, getting cross channel to CIs and Brittany for holidays and doing it in under 12 hours, like a bit of comfort, speed could be good, but would be nice to feel safe in a F6-7, mortgage could stretch to 100k.

We were shown round a Sealine S34 today ( first ever MOBO)-looks very shiny.

Can you all give me some idea about this " other religion"

Thanks

 

[totopalm]

Get yourselves a Fairline Turbo 36

 

[PhilF]

I wouldn't want to to be out in one in a 6 or 7, i'd go older and bigger if you want to be out in bad weather

 

[[2068]]

Much as I like Sealines, I'd have to agree and say that the S34 is not a boat I'd want to be on in a cross-channel F6-7.

The Sealine F37 is a good sea boat, but is way outside your 100k budget, so I guess you're looking at something with similar displacement (8000kg), but older. An S37 ?

dv.

 

[totopalm]

Have you ever been in one??

 

[[2068]]

A Sealine, or the S34 in particular ?

 

[hlb]

Look at the threads before. You cannot go wrong with anything with an Olesinki hull. Princess or Fairline. You dont really want to be out in any fast boat in an F6/7 Maybe ok if behind you and also the wave lengths are far more important than the force. You can happily do 20 knots or more on a very big sea. Not if bashing into short stuff though.

Thing is, mostly you dont need to, because it's quick enough to pick the windows.

You need to remember that 80's/early 90's M boats were measured by hull length, so swim platform was not included. Later boats had swim platform integral to hull and enourmous.

So my P35 is about the same size and more living space than a more modern 40/45ft boat.

An S34 looks very dinky besides it.

 

[[2068]]

An S28 looks even more dinky beside it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Nautorius]

Two things to consider coming from being a raggy.

First is it a practical and usable layout (including galley) Not all 'gin palaces' have these.

Secondly is sea keeping and that feeling of security.

I would look scandanavian as it is a great stepping stone. Consider Aquador 32c, Nimbus 320, Nidelv33 HT. All are amazing boats and will reach at least 24knots.

If you are feeling daring then the layout and practicality of Sealines, Fairlines and princesses are good (often have proper galleys). The S34/Targa 34 is a great option. Another option which scores highly on the handling is the Zaffiro 34 but a crap galley area..

If you want a place up top the Prestige 32 is a great value buy and seems a good layout.

It is hard to stomach twin outdrive running costs coming from being a raggy. The scandanavians are all single and will minimise the pain of that.

Enjoy, you can always get a Laser to tow behind!

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[[2068]]

I'm not sure if you can get a Fairline Targa 34 for the money, but it would be on my list. As would the Cranchi Zaffiro 34, and the Sealine S37. But probably not the S34.

dv.

 

[Nautorius]

DV,

Agree that a Targa 34 is not cheap and I prefer the S37 over the S34...but a lot more availabilty of the S34!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[[2068]]

There are loads of S34's on the secondhand market at the moment. I'm not too sure why this is, but it's not the boat for me. For starters, I'm 6'3", and I don't fit on the forward berth without curling up into a ball or dangling legs. Also, the downstairs saloon area feels a bit of a cramped black hole if you're tall.

The cockpit area is fab, and for use in moderate wind conditions, the hull copes ok. It's not a heavy boat, though, only 800kg more than my S28. So, lots of extra money more than my S28 for an extra (non structural) internal partition, a small forward berth, and the same number of internal structural bulkheads as my S28 but spaced further apart ??

S37/S38's are snapped up much faster when they appear on the secondhand market: there were plenty of S37's made, and S38 not dramatically different and still in production, so something else is going on here. Happy owners, and/or boats in demand...

dv.

 

[Lakesailor]

I've discovered the reason that the world's water levels are increasing. It's not global warming. It's the displacement of all these bloody MOBOs.
800kgs more than another model. My little raggie only weighs 600kgs to start with!

 

[[2068]]

Errrm, yes. The S28 is 4500kg, which is a bit lardy for a 29ft boat. Not much change on the plimsoll line when I step aboard, though.

dv.

 

[RogerRat]

[ QUOTE ]
Get yourselves a Fairline Turbo 36

[/ QUOTE ]

Considering the budget mentioned and the wind range target this may be well worth putting on the list. Very spacious, good looking boat, we have friends that have had one for a few years now and have been everywhere in it.

Personally, I wouldn't suggest anything more as in the end it will be your personal choice and even then you'll get it wrong /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif as we all did. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Forget the F6-F7 though, that's drinks weather or if you get caught out by some crap forecast.

You'll love the flexibility and the new options to go 30-40 miles for a lunch trip and back in the afternoon for tea. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Good Luck.

 

[dralex]

THe F6-7 bit is me coming from a sailing background and being stuck with changing weather, rather than just enjoying shorter weather windows and getting there faster. I'd certainly not choose to be out in that with a young family, but it's nice to know if a boat will handle the odd weather blip and not scare you.

Thanks for the comments so far. It's a total change in priorities for a few years- we want to get to nice places quicker and spend more time there messing about with the kids.

 

[totopalm]

I would be much happier in Turbo 36, in 6's and 7's than some
of these gloryfied open "speedboats" being mentioned.
At least the T 36 is decked with aft cabin

 

[MidlandsOnSea]

We have a family profile similar to yours, and we made the switch from a go-anywhere sailing yacht to an S34 a couple of years ago. We've recently sold our S34, but only because we needed to reduce our baoting expenditure for a while. My observations from the experience:

1. Since you're at sea for less time, you reduce the liklihood of accidentally being caught out in bad weather.

2. The sea conditions are more important that the wind. When we had our S34 in the South West, we found that the sea conditions in an Easterly could be a problem even in F3. Now we're in the Solent, a F6 doesn't produce such nasty sea because it's more sheletered. BUt, if you do want a more sea-kindly hull, you might want to go for a semi-displacement hull and sacrifice lower sppeds for better sea-keeping. 12 knots still seems pretty fast compared to a sailing yacht (but 20+ Kts seems even faster!)

3. A Mobo is much more child-friendly until the age of about 7. The kids can simply step on to the boat via the bathing platform - none of this trying to lift them over the rails. Far fewer moving parts to trap fingers and bang heads. Plenty of deck space for them to sit. We think a sportscruiser is preferable to a flybridge in this regard, at least in the size range you're looking at. The steps up to a flybridge could spell trouble for young kids at sea.

3. Leaving the cockpit at sea on a mobo is not a brilliant idea for young kids. If they're used to wandering all round the deck of a sailing yacht, then this will need some re-training.

4. We found the S34 very suited to family needs - especially the cabin layout. Better than you would find on a sailing yacht of the same size.

5. The extra fuel cost is not as bad as you might think. Of course it uses more, but you're not underway for very long and I bet you find it's rare that you do long trips. It's very nice having a short hop to a favourite destination and having the time to mess around when you get there. When we look back at our boating costs each year, we don't find that fuel costs are as material as things like marina fees, engine servicing etc.

6. There's a world of difference in handling. My best investment was getting instruction from day one so that I learnt how to handle the yacht. When you've been on a sailing yacht, the satisfaction of being able to put a mobo just about anywhere you want it is immense. I see you're Devon based. PM me if you want details of an excellent tutor in this regard (a chap called Mark Taylor). Simple things like having a helm position near the centre of the boat, rather than aft, require a slightly different approach.

7. Now for some downsides. My son is now of an age where he wants to do more, and he wants to get back to sailing so that he can pull ropes and mess with sails etc. It's harder to get kids involved in a mobo. I also got heartily fed up with folks who decided to make judgements about us because we were in a mobo. There are boat owners of both persuausions who are a nuisance to others in their respective craft. Engine servicing costs are much greater than you will be used to and you obviously want to keep the mechanical stuff in top condition. If you're getting an S34, go for one with the more power engines.I hear that the 170HP volvos are too low powered. Going out in the rain is horrid. What seems like a gentle shower while stationery becomes intolerable at any kind of speed underway. And, life is noiser underway. You don't need to be at sea for 12 hours to get across the Channel, but the few hours when you are at sea don't feel as restful as they can when you're on a nice reach in a F3 with the sun out on a sailing yacht.

8. You'll need a different technique for navigating. Going aground at 25knots would plainly not be good, if you plan to sail in an area of variable depths, hazards etc.

9. There are folks who like to knock Sealine and their boats. We bought our S34 after talking to lots of S34 owners. We found Sealine were a joy to deal with, and their attitude continues after the sale.

10. It's true that there are quite a few S34s about. That means you should be able to find one at a sensible price. Because they are quite well known, it also makes it easier to sell them (provided you don't try to buck the market price). The other advantage of buying a yacht which is still in production is the ease of getting parts. We replaced our canopies in the Summer. We were able to buy a set 'off the shelf' from the cmpany which supplies them to Sealine, at a cost less than half of having to pay someone to make a set bespoke. A catch on the anchor locker broke. Our Sealine broker just reached for one in his stores and gave it to us. We had a question about wiring layout: a quick call the factory resolved the query, and so on.

 

[nicho]

Why on earth to people ask this forum such a question? All you will get is the outpourings of boaters that for one reason or another a biased towards one boat Manufacturer or another.

You should be aware that like cars, there are no really "bad" boats around, just varying shades of excellence. Look at what you want, sports or flybridge cruiser, single or twin (with so much crap floating in our waters these days, just waiting to foul your props, I would never go any distance in a single engined boats and yes I know all about single engined commercial/fishing boats etc). New or old? Personally, having recently looked at some "old" 35' boats for a friend (early 90's in the main) I wouldn't touch any of them with a bargepole. Smelly, damp, leaks and in poor condition, with outdated electronics etc, and they wanted approaching £100K for some! For me, nothing older than 5 years would be my limit, and even then it needs to have been well looked after.

Sealine? Fairline? Princess? - great boats all. Each have merits and de-merits, but what suits you is entirely down to your needs and circumstances.

And speaking as a converted Raggie, don't fall for the old tale "Raggies should only go for boats from Nelson, Nimbus, Aquador or Aquastar". All great boats of course, but many are single engine (with no sails to get you out of the sh*t), and pretty cramped inside size for size)

See, I'm biased about a lot of things, but having recently bought a 5 year old Sealine which was quite literally in "as new" condition inside and out, I'm also biased towards an individual Manufacturer. This thread will only confuse you!!

 

[totopalm]

They are looking for advice, not the sort of crap you are
expounding