New boat recommendations

[Petrus1983]

With quite a heavy heart the family has decided to sell our Victoria 34 - it’s ashame as it’s wanted for nothing and every year is further and further upgraded - this year has been a Garmin overhaul with auto pilot etc. However - my fathers eye sight has reduced to the level that sailing isn’t for him anymore.

So - I’ll sell my baby Cranchi too and we’ll have a budget of circa £70-£100k for a new (2nd hand) boat.

Criteria - the smaller the better to get the job done.
- It will mainly be a caravan on the water for a majority of the time.
- A single 2 person berth is ok - 2 cabins would be useful.
- Low maintenance.
- Will be used by the family for trips out on the water - no fishing, no racing etc.

Current considerations include the Beneteau Antares -

https://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/boat/1999-bene...

And maybe the Fairline Targa if I can find a sensibly priced one.

Any more suggestions?

[minipower]

I have a similar budget and have been looking/failing to find the following which could meet your requirements:

Jeanneau Prestige 32 - shaft driven, nice and roomy inside with decent useable flybridge despite the length. Popular boat and good examples rarely come up for sale.

Sealine F36/360 Statesman - much like the Jeanneau but better fit and finish. Handle nicely.

Corvette 320 - an outlier but owners rave about them. Very good in rough conditions, loads of room inside and out. Examples getting quite old so I’d want a good survey and documentation. Fleming have taken on building these under the 340 name.

Broom - loads to choose from. Decent inside space although limited outside. Extremely well built (loads of >40yr old versions still being used) and very easy to handle.

Good luck finding something. I’ve pretty much given up and bought a small day boat! Never ceases to amaze me how many owners sell boats in such crap condition.

[Petrus1983]

Thanks for all that minipower! I hadn’t considered the Broom - I’d always they assumed they were £140k+ - but you’re right and there’s a couple of nice examples that fall within my budget. Considering the expense of boats it always surprises me how few are on the market, and like you say, how tatty some are.

[FastNige]

Last year we were rafted alongside a 2006 Fairey Swordsman 30. An absolutely beautiful boat with a large cockpit area for socialising. Build quality looked first rate and was as solid as a rock. The owner said that the sea keeping was superb. There aren’t many around but it might be possible to secure one at the top end of your budget?

[Petrus1983]

FastNige said:

Last year we were rafted alongside a 2006 Fairey Swordsman 30. An absolutely beautiful boat with a large cockpit area for socialising. Build quality looked first rate and was as solid as a rock. The owner said that the sea keeping was superb. There aren’t many around but it might be possible to secure one at the top end of your budget?

They’re lovely boats and an old friend of mine had one for many, many years (the photos were black and white!) - but I feel they’re more like a collectible car (Riva style) and won’t offer the accommodation needed.

[FastNige]

Yes, accommodation won’t be as extensive as the other suggestions, all good choices I suspect. The Fairey is in fact the most recent iteration being in fibreglass rather than the marine ply of the originals. Link here to a boat test.
Happy hunting!
https://www.pbo.co.uk/all-latest-posts/fairey-swor...

[Diderot]

minipower said:

I have a similar budget and have been looking/failing to find the following which could meet your requirements:

Jeanneau Prestige 32 - shaft driven, nice and roomy inside with decent useable flybridge despite the length. Popular boat and good examples rarely come up for sale.

Sealine F36/360 Statesman - much like the Jeanneau but better fit and finish. Handle nicely.

Corvette 320 - an outlier but owners rave about them. Very good in rough conditions, loads of room inside and out. Examples getting quite old so I’d want a good survey and documentation. Fleming have taken on building these under the 340 name.

Broom - loads to choose from. Decent inside space although limited outside. Extremely well built (loads of >40yr old versions still being used) and very easy to handle.

Good luck finding something. I’ve pretty much given up and bought a small day boat! Never ceases to amaze me how many owners sell boats in such crap condition.

Good shout on the Corvette 320. A very good mate has one - bought it for £85k in 2021. Aft full beam cabin is brilliant; fantastic walk around deck, poop deck and ‘fly bridge’ gives the feel of a very small ship. Great sea keeping too.