Motorboat Owner December 2018

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Motorboat DECEMBER 2018

Owner Affordable practical boating

BOAT TEST

Beneteau ST47 PRACTICAL Bayliner VR4OB l Largs Destination Guide l Fairline Phantom 32

Window replacement

Welcome to the December issue.

From the Editor

contact us

Motorboat Owner Digital Marine Media Ltd Suite 6 Philpot House, Station Road, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7HH t: 01268 922991

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

This month we let Claire loose on one of her all time favourite boats. The story goes that when she was very little she kept a jar for pennies, with a view of helping her mum and dad upgrade from their Powles 33 ex hire boat to buy one. She kept a folder with all the technical specs, brochures, price lists and any examples she could find for sale. Claire was not a little girl with a love for ponies

Editor, Neale Byart 01268 922992 neale@motorboatowner.co.uk Associate Editor, Claire Frew 01268 922993 claire@motorboatowner.co.uk

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December 2018

as being the perfect boat. For me it was Sealine’s 305 Statesman. It must have been 1987, when I was on a day out at the coast and found myself watching the boats coming and going from the local marina. I can’t even remember what marina it was, but I can still picture that 305, which must have been brand new and, without doubt, the most glamorous boat in the marina that day. I was 19 years old, and while my mates were into football, cars and girls, I was buying boating magazines and scouring brokerage adverts trying to work out how I could possibly ever afford to buy a boat of my own. Like Claire I have never owned the initial subject of my desire, but even now, over 30 years later, neither of us can bury the idea. It’s like a first love that you just can’t forget. That’s the thing about boats and boating, they get under your skin and stay with you for life.

welcome aboard

Photo courtesy of Yacht Havens

and unicorns, it was more Freemans and Fairlines. Believe it or not, that folder came in handy this month when researching the boat in question for this issue’s Classic Cruiser guide. It may be a bit long in the tooth now, but Fairline’s original Phantom, the 32, still offers an awful lot of boat for a very modest price.

I guess most of us started our nautical journey with a particular model in mind

The sun sets on the west coast of Scotland at Largs, the focus of our Destination Guide this month. See page 30

Sub Editor, Pam Born Production Editor, John Frew

Subscriptions: 01268 922991 subscriptions@motorboatowner.co.uk

Advertising: 01268 922994 Brokerage, classified & display Advertising Manager, John Steward advertising@motorboatowner.co.uk

Contributors:

Richard Poat, Alex Smith, Mike Scott, Geoff Peters, Sabrina Kaines Cover photo: Beneteau Swift Trawler 47 off Port Ginesta, Spain by Neale Byart

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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CONTENTS DECEMBER 2018

REGULARS

PRACTICAL

NEWS page 6 INBOX page 20 CUTTING EDGE page 42 Q&A page 54 TESTED page 86

PRACTI CAL

p24

ent Window replacem

PROJECT

Fixing holes

were drill

ed out

on the

boat

use a silic , with matching Richard on or polyuret holes mad hane seal e on the sealing chose to use outer fram ant, but doubletape. This e much sided foam in posi has easier tion to clea the benefit a third with later . The exce of bein n up, han tempora d and help but also acts g an extr . Really, the ss tape will be s single rily in place hold the win like need a pair of han next step will dealt run of during s hold dow ds, need fitment. outer fram tape was and oute ing in plac as the inner fram e was clos e, making attached to theA from outsr frames are while the inne e sure ely screwed r butt that the ide. at the together As the join bottom ed together and plac of the frames the seal frames are NEED fram wer ed clam WILL ing e. e then YOU moving and, onc tape is sligh ped together pushed The outer inside and plac in place, befo the exce e the frames tly squeezed , TOOLS ing the are fully out ss re • Jigsaw running tape can inner fram tigh bits • Drill and drill e of the a sharp knifbe easily trim tened, • Screwdriver med by frame e arou nd and peel • Sharp knife ing awa the outside y the surp COnSumabLeS lus.

• Screws

page 86 Tested

of O ne of the simplest methods into a boat is using installing windows seals with a pane some basic rubber It is this sort of of glass or plastic. have on our little arrangement that we will find something Mayland, and you the smaller and budget similar on many of as and fishing boats, friendly trailboats larger cruisers. There well as quite a few ly wrong with this is nothing intrinsical cheap, easy to fit and sort of glazing. It is replace should they to easy all, most of have They do, however, suffer any damage.

Flir One Gen 3

or sealant • Sealing tape

ooooo DIFFICULTY RATING

once the rubber seals a tendency to leak of age and we start to suffer the ravages of the modern some have also found that black streaks on s leave Tape was appl rubber compound just this It was ied to the oute the surrounding28gelcoat. r fram Motorboat Owner made e and that placed last problem December 2018

in posit

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24

e the inne

r fram e was

held in

place

Dece

mber

page 60 My Boat

Geoff & Leanne Peters

PRACTICAL

2018

Window replacement p30

page 68 Project Boat

Fairline Vixen

p68 LARGS Destination Guide

p74

p44

Fairline Phantom 32

CLASSIC CRUISER GUIDE

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Bayliner VR4OB

p90

BOAT TESTS

Beneteau ST47

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NEWS December deadline response on red diesel In the wake of the European Union Court of Justice ruling against the UK’s use of red diesel by private pleasure craft in October, the HMRC is now required to provide a UK response to the European Commission by 22nd December 2018. This will set out how it intends to bring the UK into line with the European Directive on fiscal marking of gas oils and kerosene, as well as a timeframe for achieving this. The expectation of the Commission is that the UK must stop allowing the use of red diesel for the purposes of propulsion of a private pleasure craft and must therefore switch to white diesel. Representatives of the boating community and industry, the RYA, British Marine, the Cruising Association and the Inland Waterways Association met in November to discuss the implications of the ruling and evaluate the UK’s response. At the ‘informative and productive’ meeting, the bodies were in agreement that a change to using white diesel would ‘create insurmountable problems for boat users and the industry’ and they each will now provide evidence of the practical implications to HMRC officials to inform the UK’s response to the Commission, in the hope that they can ‘jointly develop a practical and affordable solution in a realistic timeframe’.

2.6% Broads tolls increase for funding

©BA-JBass

The Broads Authority (BA) has agreed a 2.6% increase on 2019 tolls for hire and private boats, following consultation with the Tolls Review Group and the Navigation Committee. The BA say the increase will generate an income of £3.44m, to fund navigation maintenance and essential works. It will also fund the installation of electric charging points at the Acle Bridge 24 hour moorings.

The BA says the increase amounts to an extra £1.10 for the smallest private craft.

Haydn Thirtle, Chair of the Broads Authority said, “The Broads Authority is entirely dependent on the income from boat owners to fund the costs of maintaining the navigation area in the Broads National Park. It is the only major navigation authority in the UK that does not regularly receive central funding for this role.”

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December 2018

If you any have news from your region, please email us at

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

New location for Welsh Boat Show The All Wales Boat and Leisure Show is to have a new home for 2019, on the island of Anglesey. Now in its sixth year, the 3-day show is to be held at the Anglesey Showground from Thursday 30th May to Saturday 1st June. Billed as a ‘must-visit for boat owners, watersport-lovers or families looking for a great day out’, the show will be a spectacle and celebration of Welsh watersports and land-based outdoor sports with displays of boats, activities and marine services. The show will have a large indoor pavillion, with outdoor areas and camping available on site. Day ticket prices are expected to be £5 for adults and £2 for children, with a family ticket priced at £14, and 3-day tickets are £12 for adults and £5.50 for children.

New MD for Fairline Yachts The British boat builder, Fairline Yachts, has announced that Russell Currie is stepping down from the role of Managing Director. Described as ‘a true Fairline ambassador’, Russell, pictured right, has spent three years at the helm and was instrumental in the establishment of Fairline Yachts after the Fairline brand, founded in 1967, was bought out of administration in 2016. Under Russell’s leadership Fairline Yachts has secured many achievements, including winning two World Yacht Trophies for best exterior design of the Targa 63 GTO and Targa 43 OPEN and received a special award for ‘the best turnaround of a business’ in 2018. There has also been the acquisition of the 200,000 square ft shore-side manufacturing site at Hythe, Southampton, which allows Fairline to build bigger boats than has been possible before. Fairline’s Executive Chairman, David Tydeman, will take over the reins from Russell. David, left, has an in-depth knowledge of the marine industry and the luxury yacht sector specifically. Russell will return to leading the Fairline North Mallorca dealership.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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NEWS Sunseeker’s Braithwaite brothers receive outstanding achievement award The two pioneer brothers behind Sunseeker International have been awarded an Outstanding Achievement Sunseeker founder, Robert Braithwaite award at the 2018 Luxury Briefing Awards, and his brother John (right) receiving held at The Savoy Hotel in London in the award from Sir Eric Peacock November. Robert and John Braithwaite’s combined career spans more than 100 years and is a story of innovation, daring, perseverance and an unwavering desire to create the finest luxury performance motor yachts in the world. After leaving school at 15, entrepreneurial Robert dreamt of building a new kind of boat. He founded Sunseeker in 1969 and over the next four decades transformed the brand from a local boat distributor into a global brand and one of the largest superyacht builders in the world.

Robert’s younger brother John joined the business and has been influential in the engineering and craftsmanship of many iconic Sunseekers, including the Superhawk, the Predator 108 and recent new model, the Manhattan 52.

Sunseeker Sales Director, Sean Robertson, said “This is a phenomenal award and one that both Robert and John richly deserve. They have contributed so much to the marine industry and what they have achieved is truly remarkable.

Words alone frankly cannot describe their influence yet they are always the first to credit our employees and wider ‘family’. Sunseeker would not be the global brand it is today if it wasn’t for their never-ending passion and vision. This is core to the company’s DNA today, reflected in the global success of the brand, the incredible product range and our unwavering customer loyalty.”

Hostess 17

Manhattan 52

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December 2018

NEWS Parker 790 Explorer NEW BOAT

The Polish boat builder, Parker, has introduced a new 790 Explorer model. The new model is a pilothouse, designed for dayboating, weekend cruising and overnight stays and will have a deep V, two step hull.

Inside its wheelhouse is a galley and dinette, while forward is an offset double berth, an underdinette pilot berth and separate toilet compartment. Other new features include stylish hull windows, an integrated engine bracket, a spacious integral bathing platform, storage for a canopy, a ski tow hook and social seating in the cockpit, with a table and an aft sofa folding back into a sun lounger. Parker has also updated wheelhouse seating so the crew and skipper will be more comfortable and have good visibility. The 790 Explorer will debut at the Paris boat show, Salon Nautique Paris held 8th-16th December at Porte de Versailles.

Ideal Boat become Spectre Boats dealer The Southampton and Pwllheli boat distributor, Ideal Boat has become the dealer for the Exeter-built performance boat brand, Spectre Boats. The range currently consists of three 32-foot models, R, GT and a new SUV model with twin step hull. Spectre Boats will also be launching two new models, a 42R and 28PP shortly. Ideal Boat is a UK distributor for the US brands, Chaparral and Robalo Boats, the Finnish range, Finnmaster and the Italian Capelli RIB range. The company will represent the full Spectre line up and will be taking delivery of a 32 SUV in early 2019.

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December 2018

Sargo Boats UK Limited - Hamble Point Marina, Hamble, Southampton, Hampshire, SO31 4JD Tel: +44(0)2380 453 245 Email: info@sargoboats.co.uk or info@marcomarine.co.uk www.sargoboats.co.uk www.marcomarine.co.uk

NEWS Beaulieu Boat Jumble 2019 cancelled The 2019 Beaulieu Boat Jumble has been cancelled. Taking place every April in grounds of the Beaulieu Estate in Hampshire, its organisers are not including Boat Jumble in the 2019 line-up, blaming ‘a decline in support due to changing times in the marine industry’. They also said the decision was due to ‘problems last year because of excessive rain affecting ground conditions before the event’. They added that is was ‘not a decision which has been made lightly’ and ‘a difficult one to make’. Beaulieu is the largest British boat jumble and celebrated its 41st year this year. Dating back to 1978, the jumble marked the start of the boating season for many and was a good opportunity to seek out those most-wanted boating bits, and pick up a bargain or two. This year’s event saw a reported 6,325 visitors browsing 517 stands.

DIARY DATES

Ancasta Dorset The British and International boat sales company, Ancasta, has opened a new virtual ‘Poole and Portland’ office to cover the county of Dorset. The office will be run 24/7 by broker, Kevin MacDonald, who will work across the twelve marinas in the area from Christchurch to Bridport.

0800 310 2100

Marine Electronics in stock for immediate dispatch.

Chargers - Inverters - Galvanic Isolators - Fuses Fuse holders - Crossover switches - Cable Sets - Batteries

sales@mdsbattery.co.uk

Irish Boat Jumble 7th April Beaulieu Boat Jumble CANCELLED Norfolk Boat Jumble 14th April Poole Harbour Boat Show 7th-9th May London On-Water Boat Show 12-14th May All Wales Boat Show 30th May - 1st June Click any of the above for more info

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December 2018

NEWS Nimbus 11 series NEW BOATS The Swedish boat builder, Nimbus, has announced a new 11-metre model series.

Following on from the 9-metre series launched last year, it will be introducing three new 11-metre, two-cabin boats in 2019/20, all sharing the same stepped 40ft hull and fitted with inboard or outboard engines. A ‘T’ Tender will be a walkaround-style boat, the ‘C’ Commuter has an enclosed wheelhouse and a ‘W’, Weekender is an open cockpit sportscruiser. The T11 model pictured top will be unveiled at the Düsseldorf boat show, Boot in January, alongside the new cruiser model, the Nimbus 405.

New PLA high-tech Thames scanning boat Heidi Alexander, the Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, has unveiled and named the latest addition to the Port of London Authority (PLA) fleet that will be used to survey the bed of the tidal River Thames. Named after the Thames tributary in Buckinghamshire, Thame is equipped with state-of-the-art sonar, laser and photographic equipment to map the river bed and identify potential artefacts and hazards to shipping, and will cover a patch that extends from Richmond in Surrey to Gravesend in Kent. Thame works to ensure the busy waterway is safe for commercial vessels and recreational river users.

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December 2018

SWEDEN

THE NEW NIMBUS SERIES O U R L E G A C Y E V O LV E D

This year, Nimbus celebrates its 50th anniversary and, in connection with this, we release a whole new series, loaded with Nimbus DNA and design elements from historical Nimbus models. We have chosen the best of the best and have meticulously improved the design, functionality, safety and comfort for all on board. The new Nimbus series will be available in three hull lengths 8, 9 and 11 meters. The line-up consists of three purpose built versions for specific uses. Weekender (W9, W11) for day trips and social activities. Tender (T8, T9, T11) for all types of daily activities, transportation, water sports and fun and the Commuter (C8, C9, C11) for transportation all year round

Offshore Powerboats Ltd. Lymington Yacht Haven, Kings Saltern Road, Lymington, Hampshire. SO41 3QD enquiries@offshorepowerboats.co.uk, Tel - +44(0)1590 677955

offshorepowerboats.co.uk

NEWS Bembridge Harbour oil spill training exercise In November, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) held a maritime oil spill exercise at Bembridge Harbour. Attended by the harbour staff and representatives from bodies such as the Environment Agency, the National Trust and RNLI, the exercise involved booming, inshore recovery, shoreline clean up, the management of oily waste and health and safety. It saw the deployment of two orange inflatable booms, 330m and 150m long, closing off the entrance channel and protecting the inner harbour from incoming oil and deflecting it to nominated collection areas. Bembridge Harbour is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and its Harbour Authority recognises its responsibility to help protect and manage this unique and sensitive area.

The ‘first time’ training exercise saw the Harbour’s Oil Spill Contingency Plan validated as being effective, with valuable knowledge gained.

Troon Yacht Haven 40th anniversary The 400-berth, all-tides Firth of Clyde marina, Troon Yacht Haven is celebrating its 40th year of operation. Now owned and operated by marina group, Yacht Havens, the original harbour basins in Troon were constructed in the 1800s by the Duke of Portland to be used for coal and timber shipping. The inner basin, where the marina now 1981 lies, was transformed into a marina in 1978 by a consortium led by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

One employee is also celebrating his 40th year of employment at the Scottish marina. Duke Darge, now managing the boatyard operations, was one of the first employees at the marina.

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December 2018

The perfect home for your boat

We look forward to welcoming you into our award-winning marinas Join over 4000 happy berth holders across our 9 destinations including Marinas, Dry Stacks and Boatyards.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Largs Yacht Haven Troon Yacht Haven Neyland Yacht Haven Fambridge Yacht Haven Lymington Yacht Haven Haven Quay – Dry Stack, Lymington Plymouth Yacht Haven Yacht Haven Quay – Dry Stack, Plymouth Jachthaven Biesbosch, The Netherlands

1 2

Call 01590 677071 or visit yachthavens.com 3

4

6 8

7

5

9

NEWS Best of Boats Awards 2018 winners announced The winners of the 2018 Best of Boats Awards, known to the industry as the ‘BOB awards’, were announced at Boot and Fun Berlin in Germany. Launched in 2014, its 2018 jury panel is now made up of 18 boating journalists from Austria, USA, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Croatia and the Ukraine, with Motorboat Owner’s Neale Byart representing the United Kingdom. The multi-national jury, pictured below with all the winners, is united by two things, their ‘profound experience as motorboat testers, and a strong interest in the practical needs of active boaters’. This year, 21 finalists were selected from the hundreds of boats tested by the jury members over the last 12 months and put into five ‘Best for’ categories, before choosing the winning boats (pictured). The twin outboard-powered, hardtop sportscruiser, Parker Monaco 110 scooped the ‘Best for Family’ award, with the Falcon BR7, Beneteau Swift Trawler 35, Boston Whaler 170 Montawk and Jeanneau Cap Camarat 9.0 WA/CC also collecting awards.

Pictured: General Manager of Jeanneau, Jean-Paul Chapeleau, left and Chris Scott, Director of Parker Poland, right were there to collect their awards.

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December 2018

If you any have news from your region, please email us at

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Best for Family

WINNER Parker Monaco 110

Best for Beginners

Best for Travel

Best for Fishing

Best for Fun

WINNER Falcon BR7 Family

WINNER Beneteau ST 35

WINNER Boston Whaler 170 Montawk WINNER Jeanneau CC 9.0 WA/CC Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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INBOX

@

For the love of Daisy

I have often slept on Daisy and had morning coffee on her on occasions, but I didn’t realize how much I would miss her.

I woke up one morning and found myself in the Royal Berkshire Stroke Department where the doctors informed me that I had suffered a stroke. I didn’t believe them at first, until I tried to swallow some medication and immediately threw it up. Next thing I knew I was connected to a drip and a tube feeder through my nose. I could not walk, had difficulty in talking, one eye was not focusing and I was slightly incontinent, to name a few. On the second day two nurses walked me to the physiotherapist, who after sitting me on an exercise bike and telling me to pedal, asked me had I any interest and participation in sport and how did I relax. I said I had been a keen cyclist for many years, but now spent time on my boat. ‘Right,’ she said, ‘do you want to get back to your boat? If so, you will have to work very hard.’ From that moment on, she started me on double sessions of physio each day, as well as walking, accompanied by a student nurse, around the hospital with a Zimmer frame, and eventually with a stick. My wife brought in various cards and messages from friends and family, but best of all, a picture of Daisy. Daisy is a twenty foot Dawncraft cabin cruiser. She was derelict when I acquired her two years ago and I refurbished her. With my son and a friend we took her upstream from Teddington to Reading, our home town, with much beer and fried egg rolls consumed on the journey.

It was four weeks before I left hospital with a feeding tube inserted into my stomach, but I managed to walk out unassisted, well okay using a stick. A specialist/stroke team is available in Reading aiming to get patients back to normality as soon as possible, and they do what they say on the tin.

The first time the physio from the team visited, she said, ‘You have a boat, haven’t you?’ I replied that I had. ‘Would you like me to see it and take you out on it when you are fit enough?’

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December 2018

email:

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

and I replied, ‘Yes, today.’ ‘When you can walk a mile round the block without a stick. Are you up for the challenge?’ I told her to ‘bring it on, let’s do it now!’ So began another three weeks of hard work to get to that stage. There was lots of pain, lots of feeling absolutely exhausted and sleepless nights. Eventually, I managed that mile plus and, good as her word, she took me down to the marina along with a student nurse. ‘We are not going to crew for you. It’s your boat so do what you feel is right.’ Climbing aboard I switched on the batteries and started the engine. ‘Right,’ I said,’ let’s go for a ride.’ I had to climb off the boat, walk along the jetty and untie her, then climb back aboard. There was no help from the ‘crew’ they were there to observe only. Once we were underway, the physio said, ‘Do you realise you had your stroke only eight weeks ago and now you are doing so well.’ We sailed up the river to the first lock, and as I was turning the boat behind the weir, I remembered my son had taken Daisy out the previous weekend and she had kept cutting out on him. At that moment I had a panic attack. There we were two inexperienced crew and myself just getting over a stroke. But bless her, Daisy performed flawlessly and before I knew it we were tying up back at the marina. A couple of weeks later I was discharged from physio and, twelve weeks after my stroke, Daisy and I are going out on regular trips. My family, friends and physio all love Daisy, who played such a great part in my recovery. I want to tell everyone who has had, or may suffer, this illness that there is a way back. Derek Holloway Editor replies: Thank you for sending us your story Derek. I am so glad to hear that you have made a good recovery, and the part played by Daisy clearly cannot be underestimated. It is both heartwarming and inspirational.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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INBOX

@

MBO Cruise reunion group ©RYoung

A big part of the enjoyment of owning a motorboat comes from using it and meeting up with fellow boaters.

Cruises in company are a great way to get to build experience and widen your circle of boating friends. After participating in the 2016 Motorboat Owner Channel Islands and Brittany cruise, the owner of Bayliner 245, Greek Princess, set up a Facebook group to enable us to keep in touch and share our boating adventures. With many of the 14 boats being Solent-based, we found ourselves bumping into fellow members of the group through the remainder of that season and the following one. In 2017 we arranged to meet at Haslar Marina for Halloween, where we had great weather and a superb meal at the Lightship. This year, a number of participants from the 2018 Motorboat Owner West Country cruise joined the group and we’ve all been sharing photos, keeping in touch and bumping into each other. For 2018, we decided to hold another reunion on Saturday 13th October at Arty’s at Royal Clarence Marina in Gosport.

Unfortunately, the weather was not as kind this year with Storm Callum hitting on the Friday. Three boats made it while others made alternative arrangements, booking hotels, trains and taxis. All 24 of us started the evening with 34 different gins onboard our boat, Just The Tonic, with the most popular gin proving to be Dancing Cow’s Myristica. The weather was balmy, the wind had died and we were outside in shirts. We then headed to Arty’s where the food was great and we were able to catch up with everyone and find out what they had been up to both on and off their boats this season. We are now looking forward to meeting everyone again next season. Darryl Goodwin Editor replies: Hi Darryl, it’s great to hear that you are all keeping in touch.

Getting boat owners together and pushing their cruising boundaries have always been the two mainstays of our cruises.

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December 2018

email:

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

BACK

IN

TIME

80s brochure for Norwegian boat builder, Scand.

The line-up includes the 32 Atlantic, which is still built by Agder Boat AS and known as the 3500 Atlantic.

Freeman fan

As a Freeman owner of 9 years I’m always interested in anything Freeman. So reading through Mike Thomas’ story it was interesting to see the early Freeman 32. But then he mentioned the Freeman 33, ‘The Four Ferets’. I have always admired this craft on the Thames, and thought it would be a nice upgrade when we tire of the 50-year-old Freeman 22 we currently own.

Keep up the good work. I always look forward to reading each issue. John Raper Editor replies: Thanks John, the 33 really would make a great upgrade, but I reckon there is still plenty more years left in your 50 years young 22.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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PRACTICAL

PROJECT

Window replacement

YOU WILL NEED TOOLS • Jigsaw • Drill and drill bits • Screwdriver • Sharp knife

O

ne of the simplest methods of installing windows into a boat is using some basic rubber seals with a pane of glass or plastic. It is this sort of arrangement that we have on our little Mayland, and you will find something similar on many of the smaller and budget friendly trailboats and fishing boats, as well as quite a few larger cruisers. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with this sort of glazing. It is cheap, easy to fit and most of all, easy to replace should they suffer any damage. They do, however, have

CONSUMABLES • Screws • Sealing tape or sealant

DIFFICULTY RATING

ooooo a tendency to leak once the rubber seals start to suffer the ravages of age and we have also found that some of the modern rubber compounds leave black streaks on the surrounding gelcoat. It was just this last problem that made Motorboat Owner

24

December 2018

After 2 years Richard’s rubberframed, glass windows were starting to deteriorate, leaving black streaks on the white gelcoat

stalwart, Richard Poat, decide to replace exactly these kind of windows on his latest custom built boat, Fermain Chief (see April 2018 issue).

When Richard was building Fermain Chief, it was the affordability and simplicity that led to him choosing the basic rubber framed windows. All he needed to do was to cut out some suitably shaped holes in his newly moulded wheelhouse and get some glass cut to shape. The bill for the original glazing was just £450, including having the glass precision cut with a CNC machine, so you can understand his thinking. However, two years down the line and Richard’s usually fastidiously spotless self-build was blighted by black streaks, so he decided to bite the bullet, open his chequebook and fit some aluminium framed windows.

After an extensive online search, Guernseyman Richard settled on Norfolk

based boat glazing specialist, Seaglaze, as the supplier.

Once he had received and agreed the initial quote, Richard needed to supply Seaglaze with some templates. Richard made these quite roughly using some cardboard, and in fact made them slightly larger than the existing windows as it would be easier to enlarge the existing hole than it would to make it smaller if he didn’t get it quite right.

A Poat one design. Richard built Fermain Chief using a ‘free’ hull in 2016. See April 2018 issue

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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PRACTICAL

Impressive laser cut hardboard templates arrived, each carefully labelled with a technical drawing and fitment detail

With the templates received, Seaglaze provided Richard with an acceptable quote and followed up by sending back to Richard some proper laser cut hardboard templates, complete with technical drawings for each window, for his approval.

Once accepted, the order was processed and just six weeks later a small wooden

crate was delivered containing the six new windows. During the ordering process, in which Richard had supplied Seaglaze with some pictures of his boat, they contacted him after noting that he might wish to Special delivery. The upgraded, black-framed windows arrived in Guernsey beautifully packaged

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December 2018

With a dry day set aside to replace the windows, Richard began by taking out the old windows

retain the look of the existing black rubber framed windows, and offered to supply his new windows with black powder coating at no extra charge, something that Richard jumped at.

With the new windows in hand, the existing glazing was easily removed by pulling out the window rubber filler strip, and popping out the old rubbers along with the glass. Then the new frames were offered up and marked so that the

fibreglass could be trimmed with a jigsaw for a perfect fit, before fixing holes were drilled through for final fitment. The holes are drilled oversize, as the frame is not screwed to the fibreglass, but rather clamped in place by screwing through to a supplied inner frame. To this end, the inner frame is marked and suitably sized holes were drilled into it for the final fixing.

To seal the outer frames, you could

The new frames were offered up and areas of fibreglass were marked up for trimming with a jigsaw Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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PRACTICAL

Fixing holes were drilled out on the boat, with matching holes made on the outer frame

use a silicon or polyurethane sealant, but Richard chose to use double-sided foam sealing tape. This has the benefit of being much easier to clean up, but also acts like a third hand and helps hold the window temporarily in place during fitment. A single run of tape was attached to the outer frame, making sure that the join was closely butted together and placed at the bottom of the frame. The outer frames were then pushed in place, before moving inside and placing the inner frame

in position. The excess tape will be dealt with later. Really, the next step will need an extra pair of hands, as the inner frame needs holding in place while the inner and outer frames are screwed together from outside.

As the frames are clamped together, the sealing tape is slightly squeezed out and, once the frames are fully tightened, the excess tape can be easily trimmed by running a sharp knife around the outside of the frame and peeling away the surplus.

Tape was applied to the outer frame and placed in position while the inner frame was held in place 28

December 2018

The outer frame was screwed in tightly from outside and the excess tape was trimmed off

COST £ The replacement windows cost £1950 and the sealing tape and fixings were £25, giving a total of just under £2,000 to replace six windows. These figures are ex VAT, as Guernsey does not have VAT.

TIME TAKEN Richard tells us that each window shouldn’t take any longer than an hour and for him to remove the six old windows, trim the fibreglass and fit six new windows took around half a day. If you had a more complex install, such as having cabin linings to work around, it might take the whole day.

@Sabrina Kaines

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Guernsey Largs Nestled on the bonny banks of the Firth of Clyde is a secluded and peaceful seaside town offering all a visitor could wish for

T

he west coast of the Scotland is a simply spectacular cruising ground, and one that must be experienced at least once. Lush, rugged, undulating mountainous landscapes and clusters of islands are silhouetted and ever changing in colour, giving the impression of endless, empty skies. Picturesque is an understatement.

Known as the gateway to Scotland’s industrial heartland, the Firth of Clyde is a semi-enclosed and sheltered cruising area that stretches from the city of Glasgow, located on the banks of the River Clyde, to the highlands in the north and the beautiful capsule isles, including Arran and Bute, in the south west. Renaming it the gateway to Scotland’s heartland is

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December 2018

Destination

LARGS

SCOTLAND

Glasgow

Largs NORTHERN IRELAND

perhaps more apt as, for the leisure boater, its many all-tides, sheltered marinas and anchorages provide superb opportunities to explore a multitude coastal villages, towns, harbours and attractions. One such Ayrshire coastal town is Largs.

Overlooking the mile-wide channel between the Isle of Cumbrae and the mainland, Largs is a charming coastal town that has all the features of a seaside holiday resort, including a Victorian promenade, a pier and a choice of ice cream parlours, shops, cafĂŠs, restaurants

and amusement arcades. It also has excellent rail connections to the city of Glasgow and a regular ferry connection to the Isle of Cumbrae.

Largs was established as a settlement thriving on handloom weaving and fishing, and later developed into a resort with the Victorian age of stream bringing tourists by rail and sea. During World War II, Largs became a base for American-built Catalina Flying Boats, which were used to search the Atlantic for German U-Boats.

The aircraft used the concrete slipway now

Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Viking history. The palm tree fringed promenade at Largs is complete with ‘Magnus’ Viking statue

utilised by the RNLI lifeboat close to the Barrfields Pavilion, with a further two slips developed on the Isle of Cumbrae, as the base expanded. Several Catalinas sank on arrival and were salvaged, but there is still one wreck over at Cumbrae.

The town does seem particularly proud of its Viking heritage. A battle in 1263 saw the attempt to invade by a fleet of Viking longboats, prevented by the army of Alexander III. This event is celebrated through a Viking-themed attraction, Vikingar and an annual festival.

Located just over a mile south of the town is the 730-berth marina, Largs Yacht Haven. Voted coastal marina of the year in 2017 and thought to be one of the largest marinas in Scotland, this modern, all-tides marina was constructed in 1983 by dredging a deep basin at Largs’ beach, and enclosing it by two protective breakwaters. On site are Volvo Penta, Beneteau and Jeanneau dealerships, as well as a chandlery, two restaurants, a spa, sailing club, boatyard, a dry berthing

operation, slipway and excellent facilities.

The town, with its amenities and transport connections, is a 20-25 minute walk or short bus ride away. It is an ideal cruising base for day anchorages and a stepping stone for exploring the Clyde, whether moving north to Glasgow, northwest to the Kyles of Bute, Loch Fyne and Crinan Canal, or south to Ardrossan, Troon and Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland.

Approaches

The approaches to Largs are straightforward and sheltered. You will need to study navigation charts to identify any rocky and shoaling areas. From the south, approach the Firth of Clyde leaving the Isle of Arran on your port side, continuing on between Little Cumbrae and the mainland using the well-marked and lit Hunterston Channel. This is a shipping channel leading to the Peel Port, Hunterston Terminal, so keep a look out for shipping, pilots and tug traffic. Largs Yacht Haven is approximately 23 nautical

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December 2018

Destination miles from the southern end of Arran.

Hunterston terminal is easily recognised by its huge cranes and, again, you need to be aware of large ships and tugs manoeuvering in the area. Upon passing this, the L-shaped pier at Fairlie Quay lies north-north-west and the entrance to the marina, Largs Yacht Haven, is roughly half a mile further on. If you are outside the channel on the starboard side, be careful not stray into the drying rocky bay between these.

The mile-wide channel between the Isle of Cumbrae and Largs, known as the Largs Channel, is free of hazards and is normally well-protected from westerlies by the adjacent islands. The channel is, however, open to the southerly and northerly winds, but with tidal streams fairly weak in the Firth of Clyde, any wind against tide effects should be minimal.

Those approaching from the north need to look out for the regular running Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry, that operates between Largs Pier and Cumbrae slipway. Largs Pier cradles the ferry slipway to the south and west, and the marina is approximately a mile south.

On your final approaches to the marina, you will also need to keep a lookout for

LARGS

Distances

Approximate distances in nautical miles from Largs Yacht Haven: • Millport, Cumbrae 3 miles • Kip Marina 9 miles • Clyde Marina, Ardrossan 10 miles • Troon Yacht Haven 17 miles • Tarbert, Loch Fyne 24 miles • Ardrishaig (Crinan Canal) 32 miles • Carrickfergus 75 miles

Weather & Tides

• Shipping Forecast Malin • Inshore Waters Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel • Largs Yacht Haven Webcam • Actuals Campbeltown Airport • BBC Coastal Forecast Firth of Clyde and North Channel • BBC Weather Largs

Charts & Pilot Books • • • •

*Imray 2900 Firth of Clyde pack *Imray C63 Firth of Clyde *Imray Clyde CC Firth of Clyde *Imray NP222 Tidal stream Atlas Firth of Clyde • Reeds Nautical Almanac • Admiralty SC5610 Firth of Clyde • Admiralty 2491 Ardrossan to Largs * Available at imray.com. Use offer code ‘Largs02’ for 20% off and free UK carriage

Mooring charges

The Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry crosses regularly over to Cumbrae from Largs Pier

• • • • • •

10m Overnight £33.50 10m Week £167.50 (7 nights for 5) 10m Month £610 10m Month (winter) £118 10m Annual £4410 8m Dry Berthing £2288 (£286 p/m)

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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C r inan

C

a

nal

Events Slipway

ROCKY FORESHORE RIVER C

LYDE

Public Slipway Yacht Club Slipway

Inverkip

BUTE

Marina Slipway

LA R

GREAT CUMBRAE

Millport

Largs Yacht Haven

Marina Reception

FIRTH OF CLYDE L G S CHANNE

Rothesay

Hunterston from marina entrance

Pencil Monument

ARGYLL

Largs Safe water mark

Fairlie

A B C D E FG H

Hunterston

I J

L M N O

Ardrossan

ARRAN

FIRTH OF CLYDE

Troon ROCKY FORESHORE

Fairlie Quay

Safewater mark

The approaches to the Clyde and Largs are straightforward and well marked, with few hazards

sailing dinghies in the channel. There is an active sailing club on site with a huge events slipway to the north (close to the Pencil Monument and rocky foreshore), which hosts many major championships and training events.

The marina entrance is fairly narrow and faces west-north-west. This is best

approached directly from the lit safewater mark, which is located approximately 140 metres from the entrance. This approach avoids the shallows that extend out westwards of the north breakwater.

Navigation lights mark the port and starboard breakwaters (occulting 10 secs).

The marina office may be contacted on

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December 2018

Destination

LARGS

730 berths, Largs Yacht Haven is the largest marina in the Firth of Clyde and west coast of Scotland

VHF channel 80, call sign ‘Largs Yacht Haven’ or telephone 01475 675333.

Welcome Anchorages is a useful annual publication to anyone boating in Scottish waters and is available to view online.

Where to moor

Once through the marina breakwaters the marina opens up to the north, on your port side, and green (unlit) buoys mark shallow areas along the southern breakwater to starboard. The marina’s seven pontoons extend southwards and each side is named alphabetically A to P, west to east. The marina has a minimum depth is 2.5m below chart datum and has deep water berths offering 3m below chart datum.

The hammerhead on D and C pontoon may be allocated to visitors and is immediately inside the entrance.

However, finger berths are often allocated on an adhoc basis using vacated annual berths. Making arrangements prior to

visiting is advisable. Visitors are charged £3.35 per metre per night. Visitors staying for seven nights only pay for five nights, and during the winter months visitors will receive 50% off berthing fees (1st November to 31st March).

On site there are two onshore toilet and shower blocks, and a marina courtyard area with a Marina Reception building, Largs Chandlery, boat sales units, The Bosuns Table café and deli, Scotts restaurant and the Haven Spa Largs.

The marina has an attractive courtyard with a chandlery, restaurant and cafe-cum-deli

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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A dry berthing facility sees trailboats up to 8 metre stored ashore and launched on the slipway

Trailboating

users. Launch and recovery by tractor There is an excellent slipway at Largs is also available and priced £28/£36 up Yacht Haven. The gradual-sloping, block- to or over 6 metres respectively. Those paved ramp in the north east corner is arriving with a non-cabin trailboat on tow accessible at all states of tide, apart from will be interested to know that there are at low water springs, and has a pontoon facilities for caravans and motorhomes running immediately alongside it, which is onsite at the marina, making it an ideal perfect for loading up and those launching base for explorations of the Clyde and or recovering single handed. Boats of up also trailboat rallies. It is £25 per night for to 8 metres are charged £12.50 per day motorhomes, which includes power, water, for self-launches. Alternatively there is an WiFi and use of washrooms. For longer annual charge of £169 for regular slipway stays, boats up to 8 metres can also be stored on trailers and launched/recovered using the marina’s dry berthing facility.

There is a rather narrow concrete public slipway and small car park just outside Largs Yacht Haven marina entrance.

This is not maintained and is really only suitable for hand launches, therefore using the Yacht Haven slipway is advisable.

There is a block paved slipway, with pontoon, at the marina, which offers all tides access

Where to eat and drink

A visit to the marina’s on-site restaurant, Scotts (01475 686684) is a must. Open 7

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December 2018

Destination

LARGS

Marine supplies

A wonderful marina asset, Scotts restaurant is recommended, for breakfast, lunch and dinner

days a week for breakfast (from £4.75), lunch and dinner, the food is not only tasty and top notch, its interior décor is pretty impressive too. It is popular with local clientele and boaters alike and, whether it’s a quick bite or a special occasion, the excellent menu features steaks, fajitas, burgers and a few Scottish dishes too, such as delicious Cullen Skink, a smoked haddock soup (£6.55).

You will see the name Nardini’s a lot in the town of Largs, most prominently the larger 1930s Art Deco building on the seafront. Described as Scotland’s most famous café, this 200-seat restaurant, takeaway and ice cream parlour is a must for food lovers of all ages and serves

You will find the well-stocked Largs Chandlers (01475 686026) on site at the yacht haven. This is open 7 days a week throughout the year, 9.30am-5pm in summer, and 9.30am-4pm Mon-Thurs and 9.30am-5pm Fri-Sun in winter.

It is also possible to order and collect items from the Largs Yacht Haven reception 24/7. At the marina site is also DDZ Marine (01475 686072), a local Volvo Penta specialist, offering engine services and a variety of spares. It is also a Garmin marine electronics supplier. There are well-stocked chandleries at nearby Fairlie Quay (01475 568267) and at Kip Marina (01475 521485), both of these have on-line ordering services. Largs Yacht Haven operate boatyard repairs/services and is equipped with a 70-ton and 45-ton boat hoist, a mobile crane, slipway, a dry berthing facility and hard standing available. Nearby Fairlie Quay also has boatyard, slipway, 80-ton hoist and hardstanding services, as well as a Yanmar engine specialist on site.

Where to fill up

Petrol and diesel are available 24 hours a day at Largs Yacht Haven. Call on VHF channel 80

There is a 24-hour fuel berth at Largs Yacht Haven, serving diesel and unleaded. This is located in the fairway between F and G pontoons, close to the marina travel hoist. Contact the marina on VHF Channel 80 or 01475 675333.

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a multitude of dishes, including fish and chips. You will also find sister café Nardini’s at the Moorings next to the Pier and ferry slipway, again offering great value and excellent choice.

In Largs’ Boyd Street there is the highly recommended hidden gem, Tinto Tapas Bar (01475 672 268). This small and quaint, Scottish chain restaurant offers authentic Mediterranean tapas, seafood and paella dishes, washed down with Spanish sangria, port or sherry. It is even open for breakfast.

If it is fish and chips your crave, the Blue Lagoon on Main Street offers eat in or takeaway and you will find the staff really friendly. Two more of Largs restaurants definitely worth investigating are the retro Morris car-themed, Morris’s Steakhouse Restaurant on the seafront or the Chef ’s Eye in Nelson Street. If you are looking for pub grub or a great value breakfast, the seafront Wetherspoons chain pub/restaurant, The Paddle Steamer, is hard to be beat.

Further afield and south along the A78 in the neighbouring village of Fairlie (a 7-minute taxi ride) you’ll find another local gem, the ‘Catch at Fins’ (01475 568 989). This upmarket, yet BYOB (bring your own bottle) restaurant serves up

Largs’ Main Street has shops, cafes, pubs and eateries including Blue Lagoon Fish and Chips

seafood, including salmon fishcakes, seafood platters with lobster, crabs, langoustines and scallops. It is open Thursday-Sunday, and booking is advised.

Places to see and visit

First and foremost, Largs is superb for walking. We would thoroughly recommend the 20-25-minute walk, or short cycle, into the town centre along the seafront promenade. Here the pleasant, mainly-flat, concrete-paved walk is fringed with majestic pine trees, shingle beaches, grassy manicured open spaces, a playground, a putting green, and crosses the fast flowing Gogo Water. It also takes in the Pencil Monument commemorating the Battle of Largs. No matter the

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December 2018

Destination

LARGS

Transport

©VisitScotland

A day out, the nearby grounds of the highly decorated Kelburn Castle are open to the public

season, the island views and colours are spectacular.

Once you are in town, the Ayrshire Coast Path and bus routes take you northwards towards Wemyss Bay, Inverkip and beyond to Glasgow. You can also catch the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry to the Isle of Cumbrae. This is a 15-minute crossing, which runs throughout the season, and a round trip costs £3.30 for adults and £1.60 for kids aged 5-15. Idyllic on a sunny day and perfect for walkers, once you’re on the island you can hire bikes in Millport and cycle the mainly flat ten-mile route around the island, calling at the Cathedral of the Isles, claimed to be the smallest cathedral in Scotland. You

Largs town is easily accessible by bus.

There is a bus stop on the main A78 road outside the marina entrance, and buses, such as the 585, take 8-9 minutes. The 585 continues north stopping at Inverkip (for Kip Marina) and Wemyss Bay for Caledonian MacBrayne ferries to Rothesey. Largs Station in Main Street offers Scot Rail services to Glasgow (1hr journey).

Caledonian MacBrayne operate a regular car ferry service from Largs Pier to the Isle of Cumbrae. You can hire bikes from Largs Yacht Haven 7 days a week, charges are £6 for a half day and £10 for a full day. The airports, Glasgow and Prestwick, are approximately a 40-50 minute taxi ride from Largs Yacht Haven.

Food supplies

There is a fairly large Morrisons (with ATM) south of town, off the Irvine Road roundabout (30-minute walk or 8-minute 585 bus ride). It is open 7am-10pm Mon-Sat, 8am-7pm Sun. There’s also a Tesco Express in Aitken Street (6am-11pm daily) and a Co op store on the Promenade (7am-10pm daily), both with ATMs. You can also order provisions, such as milk and bread, from the marina’s Bosun’s Table online takeaway menu cafe. It’s open 7-10pm Mon-Sat and 8am-7pm Sun. For food produce and crafts, the Fencebay market is held at Fairlie on the last Sunday of the month, 9am2pm. Here a Fish Farm Shop also sells fresh and smoked fish, and shellfish.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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LARGS

9

2 6

KEY

3

1 Largs Museum

TO ISLE OF CUMBRA E

2 Nardini’s

4

3 Morriss’ Steakhouse

3

4 The Paddle Steamer

£ £

5 Blue Lagoon Fish & Chips

7

8 £ 1

6 The Chef’s Eye

£

5

7 Tinto Tapas

£

2

8 Nardini’s at the Moorings 9 Vikingar

Train Station Bus Stop

£ Cash point 1

Morrisons Supermarket

2

Tesco Express

3

Co op store

£1

Footpath Main Street & shops Railway Ferry

YA CH

TH

AV EN

Largs town is a 20-25 minute walk. Pictured, eateries The Paddle Steamer and Morris’s Steakhouse

can also visit and sit on the quirky, painted Crocodile Rock in the bay at Millport at low tide. For the keen golfer there is also Millport’s and Largs’ 18-hole golf courses, both enjoying stunning views of the Firth of Clyde. The paddle steamer, Waverley is an annual visitor to Largs, offering trips from the pier during the summer months.

North of the town seafront is Largs beach, which is mostly shingle with attractive grassy parkland fringed by palm trees. Overlooking this is the aforementioned Nardini art deco café, which is the perfect walkers retreat.

A 23-minute, 1-mile, walk from the

16

The art deco style Nardini Cafe is a must visit

yacht haven is Kelburn Castle and Estate.

The castle, which is based around a 13th century fortress, has been uniquely decorated by Brazilian artists and resides in 3500-acre grounds, which include magnificent gardens, moorland, a Country Centre and Kelburn Glen, with its waterfalls and deep gorges. Entry to the country centre and the various attractions in the grounds is £9 for adults and £7 for kids/concessions (family ticket £30). As the castle is the private home of the Earl of Glasgow, guided tours are available by arrangement and cost £2 extra on entrance fees. These generally take place at 13.30 and 14.30 during the summer months.

On those rainy days in port, a visit to the town’s leisure centre and attraction, Vikingar, is recommended. Here, alongside facilities such as a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, fitness centre and café, Largs’ Viking history is brought to life through sight, sound and smell. The 45-minute tour includes a 20-minute, fivescreen film following one Viking family through generations of turmoil, battle and adventure, until the Battle of Largs.

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December 2018

Destination

LARGS

Walk up the hillside from the yacht haven and the views of the Largs Channel are spectacular

The Largs Museum, run by volunteers from the Largs Historical Society, charts the history of the town and is housed in what is believed to be one of the oldest buildings in Largs. It can be found in the backstreet, Manse Court, off Largs’ Main Street, and is open to the public 2-5pm Mondays to Sundays, from late May until the first Sunday in September.

For those who like to shop, Largs’ Main

Street has a large chain clothing store M&Co, a pound shop, candy shop, several charity and antique shops, a WHSmith, gift shops, a toy shop and two chain supermarket convenience stores.

The commemorative, 9-day Largs Viking Festival, held each September, features full costume battle re-enactments and with a grand Viking galley burning and firework display crescendo. MBO

39

© AATB - courtesy of Yacht Havens

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

CUTTING Simrad RS40

Simrad’s new RS40 is a standalone DSC VHF radio that replaces the existing RS35 and offers upgraded functionality. It has an integrated GPS antenna, but can also be coupled to its own antenna via the SMA connector when installed down below. The RS40 can also be linked to an existing network, with GPS data, via NMEA0183 or 2000. It has a built in AIS receiver, which can display AIS data on its own screen, or feed that info to a multifunction display. There is also an option to pair up to two wireless handsets, and the set offers some basic navigational functionality. Price £589.80 www.simrad-yachting.com

Cox CXO300

The CXO300 diesel outboard from Cox has been a long time coming, but it is finally here. The first on the water demos have been carried out and orders are being taken for this 300hp engine that has been in development for a few years.

The 4.4 litre V8 diesel uses common rail fuel injection and twin turbo aspiration to develop 300hp at the prop and 479 ft lb of torque. Although aimed more at the commercial market, the 375kg CXO300 would make a great option for the current range of boats being built around twin 300hp petrol outboards.

Price £42,000 www.coxmarine.com

Bravo GE-21 & 25

Recognising the increased market for high-pressure inflatable floors and SUPs, Bravo has launched two new high pressure pumps. The GE-21 12v is a pump with a built-in rechargeable battery for independent operation, which can be charged via 12v DC or 230v AC and delivers up to 22psi. The GE-25HP also has a built-in battery, delivers 22psi and does so using a 2-stage process for quicker inflation.

It cuts out automatically at the designated pressure and deflates as well. Price from £199 www.ibsparts.co.uk

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December 2018

the latest boating gear and technology

Yanmar 4LV

Yanmar has announced a new range in the diesel sterndrive market. The 4LV is a compact, four-cylinder, 2.7 litre, common rail, turbo charged and intercooled engine that is available in five power outputs, from 150hp up to 250hp. The 4LV will be paired with Yanmar’s latest incarnation of its ZT370 sterndrive with twin counter-rotating propellers and hydraulic multi-disc clutch. Twin installations will also be available with Yanmar’s JC10 Joystick system for easy manoeuvring. Price £TBA www.barrus.co.uk

CA Almanac 2019

The 2019 Cruising Association Almanac has been revised, with corrections, new plans and improved coverage. It includes tide tables for 47 standard ports and covers the Shetlands in the north down to Gibraltar, the British Isles and the continental coast from Bergen southwards, with full colour, detailed chartlets for most ports. Any corrections are issued monthly on the CA website. Price from £35 www.theca.org.uk

Marine AGlaze

AGlaze has launched a new range of antimicrobial cleaning products to its range. Designed to prevent bacterial growth, including harmful bacteria such as MRSA, Salmonella and E coli, the range kicks off with two products; Bio Glaze Surface Protector for hard surfaces such as galley food preparation areas, and Bio Laundry additive for washable fabrics.

Gill

The Navigator jacket from Gill is a lightweight, waterproof and breathable coastal jacket, that is available in a mens and ladies cut. It is available in blue or graphite in sizes XS-XXL for men, and in grey in sizes 8-16 for ladies. The Navigator comes with a rollaway hood, adjustable cuffs, reflective detailing and an internal security pocket.

Price £150 gillmarine.com

Price £TBA www.marineaglaze.com

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Bayliner VR4

OB

By Alex Smith

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December 2018

BOAT TEST

Length (LOA): 5.70 m Beam: 2.28 m Weight: 1280 kg Fuel capacity: 125 litres People capacity: seven Outboard power: 115-150hp Inboard power: 170-200hp Engine as tested: Mercury 150 Other engine options: Mercury 115 Package price from ÂŁ35,450

Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

45

W

hile some may scoff at what they perceive to be the soft, recreational whimsy of classical American style bowriders, there’s no doubt that they continue to play a key role in the world of marine leisure. A properly conceived example is big enough for a family and a couple of friends, versatile enough for dinner afloat, powerful enough for towed watersports and compact enough to trailer, launch, store, handle and maintain without major stress or expense. The 18 to 20-foot bowrider bracket also tends to be the point where most people begin their boating careers so, while it plays a critical part in bringing fresh blood into the industry, it can also forge embryonic brand affiliations that persist as boaters upsize to larger, more valuable platforms.

Now plainly, Bayliner has always enjoyed worldwide renown as the go-to brand for boats like this, where people want an easy, safe, fun and affordable route into the world of powerboating. But in recent times, that robust reputation has been slightly shaken. As China and Eastern Europe have continued to develop their boat building infrastructures, and global exchange rates have continued to flex, so Bayliner’s pricing advantage has lost much of the striking market individuality it once possessed, and that has made the ubiquitous 18-foot runabout a more hotly contested sector than ever before.

The likes of Bella, Sting, Buster and AMT from the hallowed boating heartlands of Scandinavia have joined established American contenders like

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December 2018

“Smallest of the three VR series of bowriders, the VR4 is a boat you can buy with confidence”

Bayliner, Glastron and Sea Ray, and such is the nature of the modern market that they’ve done so with only minor pricing differentials. As a result, it’s now more about the calibre of the boat than the irresistible compulsion of the price tag, so it’s good to see that, rather than pursue any untested tangents, Bayliner’s entrylevel VR bowrider adopts much the same blueprint as the established VR5 and VR6 models.

turn the entire bow space into a cushioned sunbathing platform with forward-facing lounge seats for three. There’s no room for dining up here because the forward seat is so very deep, but this unusual piece of design does mean Bayliner is able to offer a Fishing package with a trolling motor, enabling that deep forward moulding to be gainfully employed as a base for your fishing seat.

The bow also offers easy-access storage beneath every seat, with long, undivided Getting more from 18 feet spaces enabling you to store some The VR4 uses a beam-forward design to remarkably large items. Simple slot-in help carry the cockpit’s breadth toward the cushions with rigid backs and stiff rubber bow, swelling the internal accommodation stoppers make it very easy to rig and deand making it feel pleasantly oversized rig the space to suit your day’s recreation by the standards of an 18-footer. In the and, while it’s a moderately shallow bow itself, this approach has enabled the space (as you tend to expect on boats of designers to incorporate a pair of loungers, this size and type), its performance as a alongside an optional wind-block with compact lounging space for two or three integrated cushion lining, which slots into people with ample storage in quick-access the central section. This enables you to compartments, is very commendable.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

47

Back in the cockpit, the use of peripheral bench seating alongside a pair of removable slot-in backrests means you can again adjust the layout for dining, lounging or facing forward underway.

To help with that flexibility, the elevated engine hatch of the inboard craft has been lowered to create an integrated central section for the aft bench. This means you can lounge facing sideways as well as forwards, and it also means that, when you rig the cockpit table and spin the helm seat to face aft, your dining station seats five or six rather than just four. However, the fact that the stern bench remains the same depth as the inboard model’s engine bay means the seat base is a bit too deep for those of less than around five-foot ten to achieve proper support.

Up at the helm, the ergonomics are more cleanly resolved. The low-slung sports seat means that the deck-level cup holder, down by your right ankle, is

actually less impractical than you might imagine. There’s also a compact storage recess moulded into the console with built-in USB and 12V sockets, plus a dash-top grip pad for your loose gear and a cutaway footrest screwed into the aft edge of the helm console to improve the driving position. The absence of internal console storage here isn’t ideal but that’s ably compensated by the copious capacity of the port console, which also features a glove box and some handy elastic netting for the containment of small gear.

The detailing is pretty good too. For instance, there are drainage pipes cabletied to the underside of the cupholders to funnel excess water away from any stored baggage; and back aft, on the swim platforms, there are some contoured backrests moulded into the transom, enabling you to sit on the swim platform facing aft with a fair degree of comfort while you prep for a bit of skiing. The

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December 2018

“The VR4 adopts quite a traditional approach to bowrider fun”

under-deck locker is also well sized for any bulky watersports gear and the optional Sport Tower with folding frame and integrated bimini is a very neat piece of equipment.

There are in fact only two issues of note in relation to the internal configuration.

Firstly, on a highly spec’d boat like this, with infills aplenty, unless you fit them in position, there’s really nowhere to keep them without decimating your storage capacity. And secondly, like so many builders, Bayliner has missed a trick with the vacated engine bay, which is so wholly unmodified that it’s still crisscrossed by electric cabling, fuel pipes and deck drains, with full exposure to sloshing bilge water in the depths of the hull and to the pump gear tasked with removing it.

Even the pipes from the inboard model’s air vents still dangle impotently into the space, and in the absence of any liners or partitioning, it’s simply not a region of Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Top, a convertible aft section offers lounging, seating, dining and sunbathing. A bit more could be done with the empty engine bay for storage

the boat that can be used. In fairness, the furniture on the VR4 extends well aft and the beam extends well forward so, by the standards of an 18-footer, the available space is still impressive but to waste so much readymade locker capacity when the physical parameters of the platform

49

PERFORMANCE

The fuel figures below are taken from generic data and may not accurately represent fuel usage in this combination

RPM

are so modest, makes very little sense indeed.

Underway We’ve tested both the VR5 and the VR6 in the past (at 20 and 22 feet respectively) and found them to be thoroughly engaging driving machines, and notwithstanding the unavoidable dynamic compromises of the VR4’s shorter waterline length, this entry-level model inherits many of those same happy traits.

The power rating of the VR4 has been increased for 2019 from 115hp to 150hp, which brings it pretty much into line with the standard industry fit-out. That means you can now choose between the light-footed 2.1-litre 115 (which shares a

600 (idle) 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000 (WOT)

Knots LPH

GPH

2.6 4.9 6.9 8.4 12.9 20.5 25.5 29.0 32.8 36.3 39.0 40.1

0.29 0.70 1.25 1.91 2.57 3.41 4.40 5.76 7.57 9.30 10.6 11.8

1.33 3.20 5.70 8.70 11.7 15.5 20.0 26.2 34.4 42.3 48.4 53.6

MPG Range Sound (nm) (dB)

8.96 7.00 5.52 4.40 5.02 6.01 5.79 5.03 4.33 3.90 3.68 3.40

246 192 151 121 138 165 159 138 119 107 101 93

59.3 65.0 73.4 76.1 79.5 85.3 86.4 86.4 89.1 90.0 96.1 96.2

block with the smaller 80 and 100) and the larger 3.0-litre inline 4 of the test boat’s Mercury 150. However, the nature of the performance with the 150 suggests that this is the one to go for. We find ourselves scampering onto the plane in little over two seconds and enjoying delightfully linear throttle response from 15 knots

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December 2018

Mercury’s 150 is the maximum available on the outboard VR4. The helm offers decent shelter and welcome ergonomic consistency

“With 150hp on the transom, the VR4 is quick, light-footed and agile” right through to the 40-knot top end. In fact, at around three seconds, it takes no longer to shift from 30 to 40 knots than it does from 20 to 30 and the result is a performance dynamic that enables you to have plenty of fun without ever feeling either in need of more power or cowed by the bullying of an oversized outboard.

In terms of handling, the VR4 is similarly well judged. Its generous heel in a fast turn is counterbalanced by some useful slip, which is entirely appropriate for a modest, accommodation-rich family platform like this. However, the engine on the test boat has been rigged a touch too high, rendering the prop quite keen to aerate with generous trim, hard driving or an aggressive turn. I know from long experience that Bayliner’s VR Series hulls Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

are better than that, so I’m willing to bet that, with a tweak to the rigging of the engine, the performance of the VR4 would snap into focus with much more grip at the prop when you’re keen to have a play.

However, notwithstanding the test boat’s rigging imperfection, the refinement here is also pretty good. Between 20 and 30 knots, where most will choose to cruise, sound levels are decent, control is very assured and there is still lots of poke on tap for adjusting your pace and attitude to match the seascape. Catch the face of a swell on one of the boat’s more slab-sided surfaces and the ride can certainly feel a bit firm but that’s simply the nature of a small bowrider with a broad beam and an efficient-running hull.

As for those all-important efficiency

51

THE INBOARD OPTION

The inboard model is basically the same boat, except for the aft end of the cockpit, where it makes the most of the optimised weight distribution of its inboard rig by upping the power rating to 200hp. In terms of layout, it uses the same removable backrests both to port and starboard, but it adds an extra two-man benchstyle infill ahead of the engine bay and a pair of lateral infills to help expand the sunbathing platform. With a

figures, the real-time fuel flow data was unfortunately unavailable during our test session. However, we do have extensive experience of Mercury’s 150hp outboard on open boats of a similar size, weight and purpose, so it would be reasonable to expect a fuel flow of around 20 litres per hour at 3,500rpm, 26 litres at 4,000rpm, 34 litres at 4,500 and 42 litres at 5,000. Leaving the standard 20% fuel safety margin in hand, that equates to a useable range from the 125-litre tank of around 127 nautical miles at 25 knots, 110nm at 29 knots, 95nm at 33 knots and 86nm at 36 knots. In other words, it would be fair to anticipate a range from the 150hp VR4 of in excess of 100

forward-facing lounger on either side, that enables the VR4 IB to offer as many as six forward-facing cockpit seats at any one time. Given the uprated performance, handling and swim platform space of the inboard variant, not to mention the outboard model’s failure to exploit the extra internal space created by the vacated engine bay, the inboard model is therefore the most attractive VR4 currently on offer, particularly as the 170hp inboard model costs remarkably similar money to the 115hp outboard version.

nautical miles at normal cruising speeds, only dipping below that magical figure when squeezing the last 1500rpm from the engine. For most family day boaters, that’s pretty much ideal.

Another one for your shortlist?

There’s nothing complex, speculative or ‘inprocess’ about the VR4. It doesn’t attempt anything especially new or different but what it does do is apply measured and proportionate tweaks to the traditional bowrider approach, with a beam-forward design, convertible furniture and both inboard and outboard options on the same hull. The result is a very game and resilient

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December 2018

plaything, offering good sport, good space and good flexibility. The only real matter for consideration then revolves around the price because, at more than £35,000, the 115hp VR4 package is not the easyaccess pocket-change runabout you might once have gleefully snapped up from the Bayliner stable. It’s midrange money in a pivotal and hotly contested part of a market, which includes award-winning boats like the Sting 610 BR, the Bella 600 BR and Sea Ray SPX 190.

Of course, a challenging modern context like this doesn’t alter the fact that the VR4 is a very sound boat, and neither does it alter the fact that, with its relatively conventional hull, lofty topsides and generous power rating, the VR4 is a far more mature, substantial and dynamic

With the grey hull option, it’s a good looking boat

family platform than the perennially affordable E6 and CC6 models from the Element range. But in the absence of any substantive price differential to help the VR4 stand out from the current crop of high-achieving 18-20 foot bowriders, this impressive new boat can only add to the boat buyer’s shortlist rather than subvert it.

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Sea Ray SPX 190 OB

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LOA: 5.94m Beam: 2.54m Displacement: 1,249kg Enquiries: Marina Marbella UK 01202 714970 www.marinamarbella.net

Fine Finnish bow rider with deepset cockpit, refined ride, lovely ergonomics and outboard options from 80 to 150hp.

PRICE from £34,154

Fast, sporting, eight-man runabout with traditional tapering bow and the option of sterndrive propulsion.

PRICE from £30,817 with 100hp

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

A beamy, well spec’d sportsboat with space for 11 people, with convertible portside seating and a 150hp outboard.

PRICE from £38,917

53

Q&A

Your Questions Answered

Raymarine C80 radar

Q I’ve just picked up a Sealine F36 with a

Raymarine C80 at the lower helm and a small Garmin unit on the flybridge. The radar is connected to the Raymarine, which means it is useless when I’m on the flybridge. If I pick up a second, used, C80, will I be able to network them to allow the radar to work at both helm stations?

A Unfortunately not. The C series were designed as standalone units and

although two of them plugged into the same Seatalk network will both display Seatalk data, they will not network in the traditional sense to allow sharing of cartography and radar. You would still need to decide which unit you wanted your radar displayed on, and plug it directly into that one. If you want true networking capability from Raymarine displays of this era, you would need to find a pair of E series, either E80 or E120.

290 drive transom seal

Q I have a 1987 Fairline Sunfury with twin

Volvo Penta AQ171s and 290 drives. I have owned it for a few years and do all of the servicing myself, but I was recently told that the transom assembly seal is a service item and should be changed periodically. Is that correct? I can’t find any mention of it in my owner’s books.

A I have owned various Volvo outdrives and have never seen a requirement

for periodic changing of the transom seal specified in any of the service manuals, meaning I have so far never changed one. For me this would be an item that I would replace only if I were to ever disturb the transom shield, or if there appeared to be any signs of leakage. As such I would add a check for leaks around the transom shield to your service list and do no more.

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December 2018

If you have a question, email us at

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Engine bay fan

Q I have a petrol engined boat with

an engine bay fan that I use for a few minutes before starting the engines to vent any fumes that may have gathered.

I found out the other day that my fan is set up to suck fresh air into the engine room. I would have thought it should be blowing air out. Is this correct? Should my engine fan suck or blow?

A In theory, the fan will do the same job whether it sucks or blows by using

the open engine room vents to either expel old air, or bring in fresh. In the case of a petrol engine boat, where the fan is used purely to purge the engine bay prior to starting, I would much prefer that the fan is set up to suck air from the lowest part of the engine bay and blow it out through a vent. The reason for this is that, unless the engine room is 100% sealed, which is quite unlikely, there is a danger that if set up to suck air from outside and blow it into the engine room, it could blow fume filled air into other areas of the boat. The fan should have an arrow on it to indicate its operational direction. Check yours and if it is installed the wrong way round, just undo the hoses and spin it around. If the arrow indicates correct installation, but it is pushing air the wrong way, it is likely that the wires have been reversed.

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Q&A

Your Questions Answered

Conserving battery power

Q If I leave my boat for anything more than a couple of weeks, the battery

is too flat to start it. I initially thought it was a duff battery, so replaced it, but the new one is doing the same. I can start it by using the emergency battery parallel switch, which connects the domestic bank to the starting battery, and once run and charged the boat starts on the starting battery alone until I leave the boat again for a couple of weeks. I turn the main battery switches off when I leave the boat, so everything should be disconnected, but it seems to me like something is draining the battery. Any ideas?

A The first thing I would do is to check for any draw on the battery when

everything is turned off. Use a clamp meter around the battery cable and see what it reads. Ideally it should be zero, but even a small draw of a hundred mA or so will drain a typical starting battery quite quickly. Depending upon how your boat is wired, the first suspects will be the items not going through the master switch, things like bilge pumps and memories for electronics. If you get a reading on your clamp meter, try disconnecting each item in turn and see if the drain disappears. Other suspects could be a faulty master switch, allowing power through to items you think are turned off, or a fault with the battery charger, if fitted, that is causing a back drain. If you can’t nail it down yourself, or you don’t have access to a clamp meter, this sounds like a reasonably simple job for someone who specializes in boat, or car, electrics.

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December 2018

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Q&A

Your Questions Answered

Hardy Seawings 194 maximum engine size

Q After seeing a reference to a Hardy

Seawings 194 in an earlier issue of your mag, I set out to buy one, as it looks perfect for my requirements. Anyway, I have now found one going for a song because it doesn’t have an engine. This suits me, as it means I can put something new and reliable on the back, but the question is, what size do I go for? Do you know what the maximum engine the 194 was rated for, and how much would I actually need for a decent turn of speed? I am not looking for out and out performance, but enough to get me home sharpish if the weather turns when out fishing.

A The 194 was rated for an engine of up to 60hp, which should provide speeds in excess of 20 knots and a comfortable cruising speed of around 16-18 knots.

Personally I wouldn’t want to go much smaller than this, as the 194 is quite a heavy boat for its size, but a 50hp should still give you a reasonable get-youhome top end and a cruising speed that will still allow the boat to plane.

Ford oil level rising

Q The oil level in my Ford Lehman seems to be rising, so I

suspect that I have a diesel leak into the crankcase. Is there a test I can do to confirm this and, if it is confirmed, what are the likely culprits?

A The best test would be a proper oil analysis but there is a DIY test that

can give a good indication of diesel contamination. Take a drop of your sump oil, maybe from the end of the dipstick after running the engine until warm, and drip it onto a piece of plain white printer paper. Diesel contaminated oil will result in a two-colour ring, with a lighter outer ring indicating diesel contamination. If this is the case, a common culprit is the diesel lift pump diaphragm, which is a cheap and easy place to start. Other possible sources are the injector pump, injectors and the fuel return line under the rocker cover.

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December 2018

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Geoff & Leanne Peters Broom 39 Ever dreamed of selling up, seeing the world and cruising the waterways of Europe? Well retired Australian’s, Geoff and Leanne, are doing just that. Ex tourism operator and lecturer, Geoff, describes ‘a life less ordinary’

O

ur friends all say that we’re ‘living the dream’ but I can tell you that’s just not true. We would never have dreamed we could have such a wonderful lifestyle. In a nutshell, we’re

an Australian couple who retired early at the end of 2016. We bought a motorboat in England and now spend about five months each year cruising the rivers, canals and coastlines of Europe. The

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December 2018

balance of the year we spend exploring the world aboard luxury cruise ships for free, by giving speaking presentations to fellow passengers, as well as doing pet and house-sitting assignments.

So how did it all come about? We lived on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland enjoying a comfortable lifestyle and way back in 2009 we had the opportunity to spend two weeks cruising on the canals of Burgundy, France. Whilst there, we met many Brits, Aussies and Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

MY BOAT

“We were going to jump off the precipice of early retirement and go and live a roaming life with no fixed address for an indeterminate period of time.”

Kiwis who’ve retired and spend time each year cruising around the canals aboard their boats. They usually return home when the thermometer drops. Now this was a lifestyle we wanted for ourselves.

Australia, like the UK is an expensive place to live and when we did the sums it became clear that we couldn’t afford to maintain a home there to return to after each cruising season. We were resigned to the fact that this lifestyle would remain a dream, that is until one day when a friend

61

A life on the ocean wave. Speaker and story teller Geoff hosts talks aboard Celebrity Cruise ships

casually said, “So why return to Australia, there are much cheaper places to live.”

The seed was planted.

We certainly didn’t expect anything to happen until we turned 60 at the minimum, but in mid-2016, (while we were in our mid 50’s), events conspired that led us to review our current circumstances. When we did, there was the realisation that if we were careful financially we could bring our plans forward. In fact, we could do this now.

We started looking for the perfect boat to suit our needs. We wanted a boat that was versatile enough that we could take it through the rivers and canals of Europe but also something that would be suitable if/when we wanted to venture out into open water and cruise around the coastlines of the Mediterranean countries.

After a lot of research, we soon came across Broom Boats and were immediately impressed with the versatility, how the radar arch folds down to reduce the air draft or height of the boat, the quality of the build and we loved the large aft owners cabin with its own ensuite and

“We soon came across Broom Boats and were immediately impressed with the versatility and build quality” shower. We viewed several boats online before choosing a Broom 39 for sale with James Dickens Marine in Southampton.

Unfortunately, it was well outside of our price range though. That was until Brexit, which saw the value of the Pound plummet against the Australian Dollar.

Suddenly she was within our price range and we grasped the opportunity. As our plans progressed, I flew to England in November 2016 to obtain a survey and to conduct a sea trial for the boat, and when everything went very well, our decision had been made.

Christmas Eve 2016 was our first day of retirement. We made plans to sell or give away all of our possessions (nothing

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December 2018

MY BOAT

went into storage), rent the house that had been our home for the previous 20 years, say farewell to family and a large group of wonderful friends, leave with only one suitcase each and travel to the far side of the world, with no fixed address for an indeterminate period of time.

Just before I finished up at work, I was

Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

at a cruise ship conference in Sydney and was asked to replace a speaker who was ill and make an impromptu presentation.

Afterwards I was approached by a woman who explained her role within the cruise ship industry was to find interesting speakers to entertain passengers and asked whether I would be interested. We didn’t

63

London calling, Geoff and Leanne cruised through London and based themselves for a month in Chelsea Harbour, meanwhile taking in a theatre show and were invited as guests to Wimbledon

really expect anything to come of it, but just before we flew out of the country, she contacted me and asked if I would be available to present six talks aboard a ship leaving Singapore for a 14-day Far East Asian cruise. When I submitted my six topics the cruise line came back and asked if I would be available to do an additional 14-day cruise. Of course, part of the deal is that my wife Leanne gets to accompany me on these cruises.

We left Australia in early February 2017 and as well as the cruises spent some time in Penang, Malaysia which is an expat retirement haven. We arrived in Southampton to pick up the boat in May, renamed it Sunshine Coast in honour of our former home and started to get used to our new home. We had never operated

a boat of this size before and it took a few voyages to get confident with handling her. We took our time cruising along the Channel stopping to explore places like Portsmouth, Brighton and Ramsgate before heading towards the big one, London. It was such a thrill to cruise up the Thames, under London Bridge, Tower Bridge and all the other bridges, past Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and into our home for the next month, Chelsea Harbour Marina.

We had a magnificent time in London.

We ended up being the guests of the All England Lawn Tennis Club for the two weeks of Wimbledon, where we got to enjoy some wonderful matches including the men’s semi-finals. Then, just by fluke, at the show, Les MisÊrables, we met its

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December 2018

Director, who invited us backstage. Finally we met someone at Wimbledon who invited us to be his dinner guests at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, where we got to talk all things Americas Cup. It was time to start the retirement plan though and get across to Europe. We had heard all of the horror stories about the English Channel and Lea was extremely nervous about the crossing. Once again, we were lucky though because early one morning in July while stuck in a dreary Ramsgate, the weather gods opened a window for us. We decided to stick our nose out for a peek and found the conditions were good enough. We put the throttle down, arriving in Dunkirk two hours later, much to Lea’s relief.

Our original plan had been to turn Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

south at Dunkirk and head further into France. However, we befriended a Belgium couple on another boat at the Dunkirk Marina who said that Belgium was very nice, so we changed plans and headed north. Our new friends were right, and we had a wonderful first season exploring the Belgium countryside visiting stunning cities like Kortrijk, Ghent, Brugge and Ypres.

While in Belgium we took a side trip to Scotland. Before retiring I had assisted the Scottish Commonwealth Games team set up a pre-games training and acclimatisation camp. The team then invited Lea and I to be their guests at the last night of the Royal Military Tattoo in Edinburgh. Lea and I are both ex-military, so this was a huge highlight for us.

65

MY BOAT

MY BOAT A change of plans, the couple headed north and explored the waterways of Belgium and Holland

At the end of September, we put Sunshine Coast into hibernation in Antwerp and did a series of house and pet-sitting assignments in the UK and Cyprus. We love animals and the only downside to our constant travel, is not

Cross channel and limbo abilities, the Broom 39 came into its own cruising the waterways

being able to have pets of our own, so pet-sitting is a wonderful way to get that unconditional love pets provide. We thought if we could manage to pick up one week of pet-sitting, it would cover the cost of registering on the website.

However, soon we had six assignments booked totalling 23 weeks back to back.

No accommodation costs.

At the end of February 2018, we headed back to Australia to do some speaking presentations on a 17-night cruise from Perth to Sydney via New Zealand.

Arriving in Sydney we met our first grandchild for the first time before flying home to Queensland to see more family and friends, and to support both Scotland and Australia at the Commonwealth

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December 2018

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

already organised some pet-sits and have speaking presentations on some wonderful cruises lined up for 2019, 90 days in total so far, visiting South America, South Africa, the Baltic countries, Western Mediterranean and French Riviera.

We do have to watch what we spend and try to stick to a budget of AUD$900 per week (£500), but we really can’t believe just what wonderful lives we’re living and why more people aren’t doing the same thing. If we are living the dream, please don’t wake us up. Geoff

You can read more about Geoff and Leanne on their website retiredafloat.com, and follow their adventures via their Facebook page

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MY BOAT

MY BOAT

Games on the Gold Coast.

In May, it was back to sea for more lectures on a 23-night cruise from Sydney to Seattle before flying to Antwerp to pick up where we had left off the previous cruising season. This time we had been told how good the cruising was in the Netherlands so once again we headed north.

The 2018 season has been even better than last year, which was magnificent.

We are now much more comfortable with the boat and more relaxed about stopping for longer periods, exploring on foot and via bicycle, and just soaking up the local atmosphere and culture.

We will leave Sunshine Coast in Antwerp for the cooler months. We’ve

CLASSIC CRUISERS

a complete guide to the best boats on the used market

Fairline Phantom 32

A

re you looking an affordable flybridge for an expanding family?

Do you have a budget of £20-30k and are partial to old school, British boat charm? Well, we think we may have found just the boat, the Fairline Phantom 32.

The Phantom 32’s story began with the lovable and curvy classic, the Fairline Fury, designed by John Bennett.

Launching in 1968 and not to be confused with the later Fury 26 and Sunfury 26, this was, in fact, Fairline’s first flybridge boat.

Ground breaking in terms of design, it has a single helm position on top of a roomy, four-berth interior with a separate toilet

compartment and full galley, a medium V hull and is commonly powered by Volvo petrol outdrives. The Fury proved to be a popular boat, with an estimated 140 built at Fairline’s factory in Oundle.

Sam Newington joined the Fairline boat building family business, led by his father, in 1970, and the ex-fighter pilot and boater became more and more influential within the company. Designer, John Bennett was also becoming something of a household name among pedigree British boat builders at the time, designing for the likes of Broom and Princess, and he was asked by Fairline to design a larger version

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December 2018

Built 1974-1983 (No’s unknown) Prices then £11,950 (1974) Prices now £15,000-£32,000 Length 32ft 2in / 9.80m Beam 10ft 10in / 3.30m Draught 3ft / 0.91m 2ft / 0.61m drives up Air Draught 10ft 5in / 3.17m Fuel 140 gallons / 636 litres Water 60 gallons / 272 litres Displacement 4500kg approx

of the Fury. The 32 was launched in 1974 and named Phantom, after the 60s British Phantom Fighter jet. It was to be the first in a long line-up of successful flybridge boats over the next three decades, many of them also bearing the Phantom name.

With a window line echoing that of the 19ft Vixen, the Phantom was a seven berth, single-helm, planing-hulled, cruiser that was fitted with a choice of single or twin sterndrives. The Phantom 32 was a clear rival to that of the Coronet 32 Oceanfarer, built between 1969 and 1979.

Such was the success of the Phantom, Fairline’s turnover reached £5 million by

1979 and, as a consequence, it is claimed that Fairline was the first boat builder to be mentioned in the London Stock Exchange. Using the same hull, in 1976, Fairline also introduced a more traditional flybridge version, known as the Sedan 32 (150 approx built 1976-84), with a second interior helm position. The hull was also used for the aft cabin, Mirage look alike, 32 Antigua.

The first Phantom 32s, now known as the Mark I, are quite distinctive in their appearance. Like the Fury they have blue-coloured gelcoat decks. They also tend to have smaller engines, usually

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

75

petrol. Fairline updated the Phantom in 1980, known as the Mark II, awarding it larger diesel engines up to 165hp, superstructure-coloured decks and stylish tinted Perspex windows. The Phantom 32

Original 1982 Fairline Phantom 32 brochure

remained in production until 1983, and the current manufacturers of the Fairline brand, Fairline Yachts, tell us that 48 were built during those ten years. However, other sources state that over 300 32s were built. Having seen many on the market over the years, we tend to think the figure is more likely to be closer to the latter.

So, has the Phantom stood the test of time? With several boats listed both on internet auction sites, and on the market through brokers, we decided to take a closer look at an early twin diesel Mark II model, priced at a very affordable ÂŁ20k, to see what the boat has to offer.

Interior Entry to the interior is through a rather small, 3ft 9in door on the port side.

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December 2018

However, after the stoop to get inside, the Phantom quickly redeems itself, as you step down into a private, tardis-like, 6ft 8in high saloon area.

To starboard is a low U-shaped dinette area, while to port is a well-appointed, long, disguised galley unit. The dinette can accommodate up to 6 people, or more, around the two-pedestal table, and the shaped table top is used to convert the area into a generous double (4ft by 5ft

11in). The shaped seat moulding offers plenty of storage in the hull space below.

One idea to make such storage more accessible, would be to incorporate lined cupboards or drawers in the locker sides.

The galley offers a concealed full gas oven with two burner hob, a metal sink and drainer and sectioned crockery storage fitted under the side deck. Below the worktop is a cleverly concealed cutlery drawer (an idea perhaps borrowed from

A saloon dinette converts into a sizeable double. The disguised galley unit is well appointed with space for a large fridge Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

77

the Coronet), space for a large domesticsize fridge (70 litres or more) and various cupboards for food supplies, pots and pans. On one 1980 model, the galley had been revamped with white unit fronts and a corian-effect worktop, giving it a more modern look.

Similar to a 60-70s Freeman boat layout, moving forward you will find twin

A second dinette forward converts into a double

concertina doors creating a useful, slightly raised dressing and storage area in front of the toilet compartment. Along the port side, under the windows, is a large unit offering shelved and hanging storage.

Moving through the separate door into the toilet compartment you are greeted by an incredibly spacious, 3ft 5in wide moulded compartment with full standing headroom. This is equipped with a shower, sea toilet and moulded basin unit. The latter having integral, under-sink shelved storage and a loose panel in its base that provides access to the toilet inlet seacock.

The toilet outlet seacock is under the aft dinette. There is additional storage in Perspex, slide-front lockers set under the decks. Even with the protruding helm footwell moulding, there is still ample 6ft 7in headroom to shower.

Forward, there is a bright an airy

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December 2018

1980 £20,950 (featured) Twin Volvo AQD40B diesel Boats.co.uk 01702 258885 www.boats.co.uk

1983 £17,995 Twin Volvo 200hp petrol Acaster Marine 01904 702049 www.acastermarine.co.uk The toilet compartment is unbelievably spacious

cabin area that can be used for entertaining or sleeping, which is particularly versatile for families. Rectangular cabin windows on three sides offer light and views out, with the large middle, front window doubling as an escape hatch. This cabin area has a second dinette to starboard, a 4-5 person bench seat-cum-single bunk to port and a fixed forward bow berth disappearing under the foredeck. The raised dinette area will seat up to six people around the single pedestal table and cleverly, with the table removed, a false floor panel is used as an infill to create a 6ft by 3ft 8in double berth.

This particular double can be left ‘made up’ for prolonged stays. Again the seat mouldings provide ample un-lined hull storage, and you will find the boat’s built-in GRP 60-gallon water tank under the forward berth.

1979 £15,550 Twin Volvo AQ120B petrol Private sale via internet auction Full details: website listing

Bottle ‘bar’ storage in the fore cabin

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

79

Phantom 32s have a deep and spacious cockpit, with a 1970s sunbridge-style flybridge

The fixed bow berth is described as a single thwartships berth. Realistically, with its limited headroom, it is a great berth, or den, for two younger crew members, or could be used for bag storage. The boat’s seventh berth is out in the cockpit.

Moving through the interior of the boat, be sure to inspect the plastic windows, as these may be scratched or crazed. It is also wise to check all the windows and surrounding surfaces for signs of leaks, particularly the forward ones.

cockpit floor for entertaining and dining.

Lockers built into the transom coaming make use of every ounce of storage space available. There is also a deep storage locker built into each side deck coaming, the port side accommodating a gas locker, housing two cylinders, and the starboard Cockpit offering storage and access to the battery Access onboard is via the side decks or the shut offs, with room for a diesel heater to small slatted, bathing platform and ladder be installed in here too. up and over the transom. The cockpit, covered or uncovered, feels deep, secure, Flybridge and helm spacious and wide. Aft is a bench seat able The canopy covered flybridge is easily to accommodate up to 4-5 people, and accessible from the cockpit via a fourthe interior aft dinette table slots into the step ladder, which is built into a metal 80

December 2018

Ahead of its time? The flybridge provides comfort for the skipper, and lounging space for the crew

guardrail framework that extends full width. Three rungs usually have a wooden step tread, which is easier underfoot.

The ladder leads directly towards the low helm seat, with the cabin companionway forming a raised sunpad area to port.

Initial undercover headroom, moving up the ladder and forward, is pretty good, but the slant of the canopy sees this reducing drastically by the helm, so unfortunately standing up to helm with the canopy up is not possible. However, with relatively good all-round visibility you shouldn’t really need to.

The helm position itself feels secure and rather comfortable. It has a supportive bucket seat, a deep footwell and offers ample visibility forward through a tall, three-pane windscreen. High side windows also offer good protection with the canopies off. With the canopy up, visibility aft might only become a problem at planing speeds if the bow is

high. Ahead of the driver is a simply laid out, angled, vinyl-covered helm console incorporating instruments and switches, with the throttles mounted on another plinth. With the console devoid of spare space, navigation equipment can be bracket mounted along the top edge of the moulding, with access to the underside available via the toilet compartment. One owner fitted an additional dash panel to the left of the console for switches.

The windscreen is prone to leaks, so inspect around the frames, and also the inner corner of the vinyl dash, for growth, as this could be the result of leaks.

While the sunpad provides ‘lounging’ comfort, the flybridge lacks forwardfacing seating and backrest support for a co-pilot and crew. We think a hinge up back rest under the sunpad, as seen on many modern flybridges and foredecks, could work well here.

There is a great deal of canvas on these

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It has wide decks behind wire guardrails, a small shaped bathing platform and secure flat foredeck

boats, therefore it is important to make sure that the two-part canopy is in good order. We have seen a couple of 32s with owner-added hardtops, a result of loving owners wanting a little less canvas to maintain.

cabin coach roof, but the flat and secure foredeck more than makes up for this.

Here, you have fender baskets, usually built into the pulpit rails, two bow cleats, an anchor windlass and a small chain locker access hatch.

On deck Making your way around the exterior of the boat is easy, due to plenty of useful hand holds and fairly wide decks. A wooden cockpit step and well-placed grabrails lead out and over the high, chunky cockpit coamings onto the side decks, which measure 7 inches upon exiting the cockpit, quickly widening to 8-9 inches and 10 inches at the bow, with a low and smooth toerail. Doubleheight wire guardrails enclose the decks and connect with a fixed pulpit at the bow. Check the integrity of the stanchion fixings and the wire guardrails for corrosion. You may note that the stanchion and wire positioning leaves a fairly narrow gap to move past the angled

Hull and Handling The Phantom 32 is a planing boat that has a modified deep V hull form forward, reducing to a medium V, and has two sets of spray rails. The hull is fared into a keel aft which finishes 8 inches from the transom. The hull shape rounds off and narrows slightly at the stern to generate maximum lift. There is also a longitudinal knuckle running forward along the hull, just above the waterline, for stability.

The boat is regarded for performing admirably at sea. One owner, with 400hp on tap, said it performs much like a semi-displacement cruiser, planing at low speeds and comfortably powering on through chop, but use of trim is essential.

Its keel provides directional stability at low

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speeds. However, a combination of high topsides and canopy can make the boat a bit of a handful in windy conditions.

Overall, like many sterndrive-powered boats, handling will take a bit getting used to and perhaps is a worthy sacrifice for so much interior volume on offer.

Fitting a bowthruster is an option, but access to the bow section via the interior moulding is a stumbling block here. On the only one seen on the market with this fitted, it appeared to be located under an additional step for the forward bunk, with perhaps a small forward area of the port bench seat sacrificed for a battery.

The air draft can be reduced with the factory-fitted folding arch and optional folding screens. This brings the 10ft 5in air draft down to approximately 8ft 3in, which is useful for cruising inland waterways.

The folding arch is particularly useful if you have additional items, such as a radar dome, fitted.

Engines The Phantom was available with single or twin, petrol or diesel Volvo Penta Aquamatic sterndrive engines, which were mated to Volvo’s 280 outdrives on later boats, and 270 drives on early models.

Historically most Mark I models were fitted with 106hp AQAD32 diesels, or AQ120, 130 or 170 petrols. Fairline introduced 130hp AQD40A or 155hp AQAD40A diesels in the late 70s, which proved popular and carried over into

Phantom 32s are often fitted with 280 VP drives

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Most boats will be fitted with reliable Volvos. Pictured, 1980 version with AQD40B diesels

early Mark IIs in the ‘80s. In the case of later Mark IIs, a 1982 brochure lists six engine options, starting with a base single petrol engine option of a 290hp AQ290A giving a 23-knot top speed, followed by a single 165hp AQAD40B providing 15 knots. Twin options followed with 138hp AQ145 petrols giving 23 knots, 75hp D21 diesels (12 knots), 170hp AQ175A petrols (30 knots) and finally 165hp AQAD40B diesels (30 knots). Twin V8 petrol engines were also available during the production run, notably AQ200D, producing 200hp.

Examples fitted with the older 106hp diesels should provide a cruising speed of 10-12 knots, and a top speed of 1516 knots. The twin 130hp configuration should provide an 18-knot top speed fully loaded, with perhaps as much as 22-23 knots unladen. The 155hp and 165hp engines should provide a top speed of 25-27 knots, burning approximately 15-16 gallons per hour (gph). Cruising speeds of 15-16 knots should almost halve this, providing around 8gph economy.

Examples fitted with twin 170hp petrols should expect to reach maximum

speeds of 26-28 knots and offer a fuel consumption of around 16-18gph, and twin V8 examples should crack the 30 knot barrier, at the expense of slightly higher fuel consumption.

Engine access is via a large hatch in the cockpit. This is heavy, so ensure that the gas struts are in good condition.

Unfortunately, with the engine hatch being full width, access for servicing and engine checks necessitates the removal of the aft bench. One owner had created two trestle-type seat supports that would collapse down and be moved out of the way quickly. Another clever solution was two hatches created from the original one.

Down in the well-engineered engine bay there is plenty of space to move about between the engines and for storage.

Batteries are housed in a GRP box on the starboard side, fuel filters are easily accessible on the forward bulkhead and a large calorifier (hot water tank) is mounted on the port side.

Access to the single 140-gallon fuel tank is via a removable hatch in the forward part of the cockpit, which is sandwiched

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between two thwartships bulkheads.

Fairline state that this is stainless steel on petrol boats. We would recommend inspecting this, as best you can, for corrosion. Fairline also fitted copper fuel lines that lead off to the engines via fuel shut off valves located in a locker on the port side.

At least one example has been reengined with 200hp AD41s on duo props.

These provide a cruising speed of 2224 knots and a 30-knot top speed. For fast coastal cruising these would return around 2 nautical miles per gallon, and for inland cruising, around 5-7 nautical miles per gallon. Be aware that boats used predominantly inland may well have odd engine hours, due to spending some periods running on one engine to cut fuel consumption. Another model has been fitted with 240hp Yanmar diesels, mated

to Bravo Two MerCruiser drives. We have yet to come across a single engine version.

Volvo Penta engines, petrol or diesel, have an excellent reputation. However, be aware parts for some older engines may be hard to come by. For example Volvo no longer stock certain parts for the AQAD32 diesel engine, so buyers should consider availability of spares, and look for alternative suppliers, before committing to a purchase.

Conclusion Diesel or petrol, for inland or coastal pursuits, we doubt that you will find a twin-engined 32 footer with as much interior volume as the Phantom 32, and for the low price tag too. It is an affordable, spacious family-friendly flybridge, and a classic Fairline to boot.

Need more information on a Fairline? There is an excellent buyer and owner support network at fairlineownersclub. com. Before buying any used boat, always employ the services of a IIMS or a YDSA accredited surveyor and, if you have any doubt about the engines, a separate engine survey by a suitably qualified person is recommended.

Family Targa 33

1984-1991

Prices £30,000-£45,000

Length 36ft 7in Beam 11ft 5in Fairline’s first Targa. 4-6 berth sportscruiser delivering fast, distance cruising credentials.

Buy one (pictured) 1987 £34,500 www.newark-marina.co.uk

Mirage 29

1975-1987

Prices £15,000-£28,000

Length 28ft 5in Beam 10ft 1in A popular classic Fairline that is incredibly spacious and versatile for its size.

Buy one (pictured) 1978 £23,000 www.valwyattmarine.co.uk

Sedan 32

1976-1984

Prices £19,000-£30,000

Length 32ft 2in Beam 10ft 10in The same hull as the Phantom, but offers two steering positions and three sleeping areas.

Buy one (pictured) 1977 £19,750 www.ancasta.com

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Motorboat Owner

PROJECT BOAT

PROJECT Fairline Vixen

L

ast month I spent some time in the engine bay of the Vixen refibreglassing some failed laminate, mainly because work had come to a stop on the engine side of things while parts of the Volvo AQ151 were sent off for some professional tinkering.

Well, the parts are back but not really early enough to get much done this month. To start with, the bellhousing is now broken-stud free. Apparently a suitable stud extractor and some serious

heat was all that was needed. The one that I had broken off in my efforts to remove them caused a few more problems and, in the end, it was drilled out from the reverse side and, once removed, the new hole was plugged up with a grub screw. The bellhousing has now been cleaned with a wire brush and given a coat of primer.

Once that is dry I will give it a top coat before replacing the bearing seals and drive shaft and fitting it back onto the transom shield, after first painting out the

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The bellhousing is finally free of broken studs, after receiving some surgery, and is being painted

engine bay.

The cylinder head, with its common problem of a corroded number four exhaust port, has been fixed. There was evidence of an old repair here, by way of a steel insert, but the corrosion had progressed beyond it, so remedial work was needed. This old insert was removed; a new one pressed in place and the surrounding aluminium that had

corroded away has been replaced with some expert welding. The port was then machine finished to match the shape of the other ports and finally a couple

The corroded exhaust port has been made good again with some welding Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Number four exhaust port now looks much more like it should, after welding and a steel insert

of thousands of an inch (0.05mm) was skimmed off all four ports to allow the new gasket to do its job. I must say that I am very pleased with the work that has gone into this. Not only has it saved the cylinder head, but it means I won’t have to source a replacement, which almost certainly would have been from an automotive application and would not have offered the same gas flow properties, meaning the loss of a few horsepower.

For information, the cylinder head has a

number on it that denotes if it has these improved features. Most automotive engines, and some marine engines that produce a lower output from the same B230 engine, use a 530 head. The 146hp AQ151 uses a 531 head, which I understand can also be found on some turbocharged automotive engines, but are rather few and far between. The cylinder head has also been returned all cleaned up, which was a nice bonus, so that all I have to do now is start putting it back

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The old spacer bar and its replacement, manufactured from a piece of solid aluminium rod

together with just a bit of valve cleaning and grinding to be carried out first.

The last part that I farmed out was the broken sterndrive mounting spacer ring.

This aluminium spacer sits between the bellhousing and transom mount and was destroyed during the removal process.

Volvo still sell these new, but at the eye watering price of £179. I managed to find some new old-stock online that would have brought the price down to a slightly more acceptable £75, but the engineer suggested that he could make one for me to the same spec for less, so I handed over the bits and left it with him. What I got back I don’t know whether to fit to the engine or hang on the wall, it really is that good. Perfectly machined and finished, I would challenge anyone to tell it apart from an original and, with a bill for £150 for all of the engineering work carried out, I am very happy indeed.

While I have been waiting for these items to come back I have managed to

start painting the rebuilt engine block. I bought the paint quite a few months ago, but have been sidetracked by the problems with the transom shield and bellhousing.

Knowing it was on its way back to me, I dug the paint out and got cracking. I am using POR15 engine paint, after reading reviews of various options online. There is no such thing as a Volvo Penta red in

The paint purchased back in the spring is finally being put to good use, starting with the sump

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It may not be quite Volvo Penta red, but it is a big improvement on how it looked when removed

The previously sandblasted pulleys and brackets were cleaned up and given a coat of primer

the POR15 line-up, but I found someone else who had used the Ford Red on a Volvo B230 engine and said it was a good match, so this is what has been sitting on my workshop bench for some months just waiting for this moment. I must say that I am very pleased with the result. It is a very thick paint that needs lots of stirring, but goes on easily with one coat giving excellent coverage. It is probably a bit brighter than Volvo Penta red, and it produces a very glossy finish, so it may not be the right choice for a purist looking for a factory restoration, but I think it will do very nicely.

While waiting for coats of paint to dry I started looking at some of the bits that will need bolting back onto the engine over the coming

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More for the sandblaster. The job of removing corrosion from the ancillaries is ongoing

weeks. All of the bottom end belt pulleys had been sandblasted, but still needed painting. Firstly, I wanted to clean out the grooves of the V belt pulleys, as they still felt a bit rough. Using a long bolt I managed to fit the pulleys into the chuck of my bench drill and, with it set to its slowest speed I carefully cleaned out the grooves using some coarse sandpaper.

Thick, strong gloves and goggles were definitely needed for this. Once cleaned, the pulleys were also given a coat of primer, along with the alternator bracket that had also been sandblasted.

Looking through the other ancillaries that I am on the verge of being able to refit, I realise that I need another session at the sandblaster. The oil cooler, water pump mounting bracket, camshaft pulley, fuel pump and thermostat housing are all still in their original corroded state, so these, together with the valves, will be

cleaned up next.

Suddenly I find myself with a huge list of jobs that are ready to do. I have the head to rebuild, more painting of engine components, the engine bay to be painted and lots of parts to be cleaned up and put back together. Lets hope there is some decent weather in December to get a few of these jobs ticked off and in the bag. It really is starting to feel like I am approaching, if not quite on, the final stretch of the engine rebuild. MBO

Spend so far

Motorboat Owner

PROJECT BOAT This month’s spend £150

Total to date: £1,299.76

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tested Flir One Gen 3

PRICE

£215.99

Over the last few years I have used and tested quite a few of the models available in the Flir/Raymarine infrared thermal camera range, from the hand portable right up to the high end M400 model. While I have always found them to be excellent bits of kit as an aid for night time navigation and, of course, for emergency use in a night time MOB situation, they are quite expensive relative to their very occasional use. The fixed units start at over £3k, and even the cheapest Scout handheld model is the best part of £600. That is why I was keen to try the latest Flir One, the third generation model, which is an infrared thermal imaging camera Motorboat Owner for your phone.

“A fun bit of kit There are two models of Flir One available, one for Apple IOS that also has some products and one for Android phones with USB-C connector. serious uses” There are also further models in the One range that offer Value 2/5 improved performance, but at a bigger price, like the Flir One Pro. Usability 3/5 The Flir One is independently powered, so you have to charge Performance 3/5 it up separately to your phone, using a standard USB port, and I have found that the battery gets depleted quite quickly. Having said that, this is not the sort of kit you will use often, or for long periods, so as long as it is charged when put away, it should be ready for action when needed. To use, you simply plug it into the socket on your phone, open the Flir One App and away you go.

Plug and play. Download the free app and plug it into your smartphone

Person at 50m (centre)

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All tests in Motorboat Owner are carried out by real boaters in real life situations

Person at 10m

Person at 10m without camera

Person at 10 metres in thermal and normal mode, and thermal image overlaid on normal image

I think its fair to say that it is nowhere near as good as the more expensive cameras from Flir, but at its price it does offer a useable and portable thermal imaging camera solution that could come in handy in many different ways onboard your boat. To see what kind of results you can achieve, we took it down to the river on a particularly dark night. Standing on a bridge we could barely see the water below and certainly could not see any distance along the river. With the camera, we could clearly see the river for a good 40 or 50 metres, and could even make out the basic shapes of some boats moored along the bank side. Motoring on a moonless night I would be quite confident that I would see an unlit buoy or post through the camera long before I saw it without.

A night time MOB is potentially the best reason to have a thermal camera on board so we tested the Flir One’s effectiveness of picking up a person at 10, 25 and 50 metres. Again, on a night dark enough that the target could not be seen by the naked eye, we searched for them using the camera. At 10 metres the results were great, with Got a temperature? You can a very human like figure appearing take a thermal selfie. Left, the device comes with a storage bag on the screen. At 25 metres the Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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tested Flir One Gen 3 continued...

heat target was again very easily identified, even if the target looked somewhat less human shaped. Even at 50 metres, the person showed up clearly as a heat source against the cold background, although now they were little more than a blob.

Obviously in the water there would Person at 25m Person at 25m with a cat alongside without thermal camera be a smaller target to find, but against the cold and uncluttered background of water I feel the One would do a decent job of picking out a casualty at anything up to around 50 metres, maybe a little more in the right conditions.

Like the more expensive FLIR cameras, you get a choice of colour palettes, including red hot and blue cold, black and white and a few River view with River view without thermal camera thermal camera others. Different situations seem to show up better under different The camera significantly improves night time visibility. palettes, but switching is easy The pictures on the right accurately represent what we during use. As well as navigational could see with the naked eye and safety implications, I could imagine plenty of other uses for a Flir One, including finding leaking exhaust gases, engine hotspots, or even using it to improve thermal insulation. There is even a thermometer function that provides the surface temperature of the target. You can take pictures and videos and, with the stills, you can also scroll between the thermal image, and the image as seen through the normal camera lens.

Overall it’s a bit gimmicky, but I like it and, if I ever did face the nightmare of an MOB after dark, I would be very grateful that I had it onboard.

The spot temperature function is a useful tool

Enquiries: FLIR UK www.flir.co.uk

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December 2018

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Beneteau ST47

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December 2018

BOAT TEST

Length (LOA): 14.74m / 48ft 4in Beam: 4.5m / 14ft 9in Displacement: 12,685kg Fuel capacity: 1,930 litres Water capacity: 640 litres RCD category: B Engines as tested: 2 x Cummins QSB 6.7l 425hp Other engine options: Joystick option Price from £499,800 Price as tested £630,800

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I

t’s always interesting to meet someone from the design team when undertaking a boat test, they can give you an insight into the raison d’etre behind the vessel you are about to take out, providing a perfect opportunity to see how well it stacks up against their own design brief. So it was, in the case of the Beneteau Swift Trawler 47, that we were told its DNA was to offer easy access, that it should be suitable for a couple with occasional friends and family guests, that it should be used for up to eight months a year, that it should offer low fuel consumption and that it should deliver a standard cruising speed of 8-10 knots but

also offer the opportunity to cruise at 16-18 knots and have a top speed that is fast enough to outrun any weather or make for a port before the restaurant closes. With that criteria ringing in my ears I stepped aboard in the sunny skies and calm seas off Barcelona to take the second largest of the five-boat Swift Trawler range out for a spin.

The first of their

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criteria is put under scrutiny straight away. How easy is the ST47 to access? The answer is, very. It starts at the bathing platform, which is huge, uncluttered, comes with neatly concealed bathing ladder that deploys over the starboard side and is easily accessed from aft or either side. From here you get single level access to the cockpit via a double transom gate that, delivering an almost 900mm wide access, is wheelchair friendly. The bathing platform is available with a hydraulic high/low option, if required. The boat’s other access point is via a gate in the starboard topsides about midway along the boat and level with the wheelhouse Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

“Beneteau’s new Swift Trawler is a feature-packed, 8-berth, three-cabin distance cruiser” side access door. Once inside the cockpit, extra space can be made by sliding the flybridge steps forward and out of the way. The mechanism for doing this is very easy to use and also locks the steps

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A spacious cockpit with wide access door, flybridge steps that slide out of the way and hatches for access to the large lazarette

in either location. The cockpit is a good size and has a transom seat large enough for three or four and two hatches in the sole to provide access to the huge lazarette and the generator, if fitted. The transom seat also offers provision for a hydraulic passarelle to be installed to the starboard side if the boat is destined for the Med. The ST47 comes with asymmetric side decks with a bias to the starboard side.

The port side deck is accessed via two

A bulwark gate provides easy alongside access

steps up from the cockpit and, despite being the less favoured side, delivers 29cm width and thigh high guardrails all the way forward. The starboard side deck is cockpit deck level to just in front of midships, where three steps take you up to foredeck level. Up to this point you have thigh high coamings, overhead protection from the flybridge overhangs and a minimum of 45cm of deck width. At the cockpit end, there is also a side deck door that can be closed when underway to ensure that the cockpit is as protected from wind, rain and spray. To that end, the cockpit can also be fully enclosed with canopies, if needed. Whichever side you decide to use, when you reach the bow you are greeted with a very large and flat working deck around the raised cabin roof that houses a sunpad and incorporates a lift up forward facing seat. At the bow there is an on-deck anchor winch and twin gas-strutted bow lockers, one for the anchor rode and the other useful for

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fenders or other general deck gear.

Up on the flybridge Beneteau has delivered a great al fresco area. In the middle there are two opposing L shaped bench seats around a table that should easily be able to accommodate a party of eight, maybe 10 at a squeeze. Just aft of this is a wetbar that incorporates a sink, fridge, rubbish bin and space for an optional griddle. Behind this is an empty deck area that could be used for liferaft storage, or just additional entertaining space. Up at the business end of the flybridge you get four forward facing seats, three of them by way of flipable backrests on the seating behind and one supportive bucket helm seat for the skipper. The helm There is forward facing seating for four up top binnacle is centrally placed and offers Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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a pair of pods for two multi-function displays and space for engine instruments as well as additional kit. A wraparound smoked windscreen deflects wind overhead and there is a choice of covers, bimini, T top or enclosures to provide weather protection to the flybridge and/or

its occupants.

Moving into the wheelhouse, you step over a raised threshold that is not quite as wheelchair friendly as Beneteau may have liked but certainly not insurmountable for the occupant, with a bit of help. Inside on the starboard side there is a three/four

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December 2018

person settee that can be transformed into a proper occasional double berth.

Making this a really viable option for guests is the fact that there are curtains and blinds all around and another curtain that goes across the saloon just forward of this settee, to provide a really private and fully enclosed area. A side door out to the starboard side deck alongside the lower helm means that if this area is in use by guests, other occupants still have a way to get on and off the boat without disturbing them.

On the opposite side of the wheelhouse there is another settee, that can be moved over towards the table, with an optional fridge and freezer aft of it and is in addition to the fridge and freezer found in the galley, forward of the settee.

The L shaped galley also offers a gas or Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

electric hob and oven, twin sinks and a decent amount of storage, both above and below the worktops. You can choose to have a combination microwave oven in place of the gas oven, or opt for a clever below worktop microwave installation that rises out of the Corian with the press of a switch, when needed.

In the saloon floor, a single large hatch lifts to gain access to the twin engines.

There is a ladder at the aft end to gain access and, as you would expect on a boat of this size, there is plenty of room to work around the engines.

In front of the galley you will find the boat’s lower helm position. The double helm seat can flip forward to provide extra worktop space for the galley behind and offers a comfortable and commanding driving position. This helm has a real ‘little

97

ship’ feel to it with its upright steering wheel, large binnacle with twin displays and view forward through the three-part windscreen. Alongside the helm is the side door out onto the starboard side deck and the gunwale gate, making it easy for shorthanded skippers to get involved in the mooring process.

Between the helm and side door there is the companionway down to the boat’s lower accommodation. This is lined with cupboards to give access to some of the boat’s systems, with one large cupboard near the bottom, offering either good additional storage, or a place to install a washing machine.

Down below there is a single standard layout that offers a master cabin forward, two further cabins midships and a day

toilet/shower in between. The master cabin has an island double with steps leading up either side. There is plenty of full standing room, with a minimum of 6ft 5in (196cm) headroom, and good storage courtesy of a large under bunk locker accessed either from drawers or by lifting the aft section of bunk, a half height hanging locker to port, a shelved locker on the other side and some additional storage down each side of the berth. The master cabin also has its own en-suite facilities with a toilet compartment to starboard and a separate shower to port. Both of these have a minimum of 6ft 5in (195cm) headroom with the shower also offering an overhead hatch, an opening port and a seat, while the toilet compartment delivers some useful additional storage, including

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‘Room for the extended family. It has 3 cabins and a convertible saloon’ a cupboard with a clever high/low mirror front.

A space-saving sliding door takes you back out into the companionway where the day toilet is immediately to port.

This comprises a two-part cubicle with a toilet and shower in one half and a sink, with some storage in the other. Both of these offer good space and both come with around 6ft 7in (200cm) headroom.

Moving aft, and on the port side, is the boat’s second cabin. This offers twin fore and aft bunks with the option to infill to create a large double. Space in here is pretty good, with a minimum of 6ft 3in (191cm) headroom. There is an in-hull window for light, two opening ports for ventilation and a reasonable amount of storage, both lockered and open. Next Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

door is where you will find the third cabin, and this was a little disappointing. There is a 1.4m wide double berth in here but it is tucked under the companionway steps

Separate toilet and shower in the master cabin

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PERFORMANCE

As tested 95% fuel 70% Water 7 crew Force 2 RPM

so all feels a little claustrophobic.

Storage in here was non-existent on our test boat, although we were told that modifications are in hand to provide some under bunk drawers on future boats. There is a small amount of standing headroom of 6ft 2in (188cm), but in reality this cabin will better suit a younger, smaller passenger.

600 1000 1500 2000 2250 2500 3050

Underway The ST47 is available with just the one engine option, twin 425hp Cummins 6.7 litre on shafts, as fitted on other boats in the ST range, although you can choose whether they come with a joystick control that links the engines with the standard fit bow thruster. Despite their modest power,

Knots

LPH

GPH

MPG

Range (nm)

4.2 6.4 8.8 12.3 16.1 18.4 25.9

2.4 8.2 25.2 59.8 65.0 89.6 153.4

0.53 1.80 5.54 13.1 14.3 19.7 33.7

7.92 3.56 1.59 0.94 1.13 0.93 0.77

3362 1511 675 399 479 395 327

these engines actually offer a surprising rate of pickup, and a decent top speed, reaching 18 knots in just seven seconds and going on to push the nearly 19 ton, fully loaded test boat on to almost 26 knots. At this top speed you are burning some serious fuel, but it’s good to know that you have it in the bag if needed. What the ST range is more about is modest speed cruising, and at the 8-10 knots that Beneteau target, the 47 cruises along effortlessly, achieving a more acceptable

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December 2018

A large lifting hatch in the saloon floor provides good access to the spacious engine compartment

“In displacement mode, the ST47 delivers a relaxed and quiet ride” 1.5nmpg from its semi-displacement hull.

If you want real economical boating, you need to drop back into the 6-8 knot range where you can improve those figures considerably. In full displacement mode, the ST47 wafts along quietly and offers a very relaxing ride, as long as there isn’t a beam sea. At these speeds it will roll with the waves on the side, so you would need to pick up the pace to maintain a comfortable experience. For faster cruising, the 16-18 knot range is where the 47 feels happiest. Fuel consumption is hovering around the 1nmpg, which on our test was slightly better than at the 12-14 knot range. This seems to indicate that the hull passes through a transitional phase as it speeds up, that is more akin Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

to a fully planing boat. At speed, and in choppy conditions, the boat does throw up quite a bit of spray which, depending upon the wind conditions, could make for a wet ride. Up on the flybridge you are quite well protected, especially in the seats either side of the helm, which are a little lower than the centrally placed helm seat. The driving position from the flybridge is commanding, with excellent all-round visibility and an ergonomically comfortable driving position. The helm is responsive, with the boat turning precisely and sharply, but almost completely flat. At speed, the steering is just a little heavier than I would like, although at closequarters it offers good, precise control.

At the lower helm, the situation is much

101

the same. Here you do notice that slight hump as you speed up, with just a hint of bow lift at around 12 knots that quickly drops again as you speed up. Visibility from the lower helm is excellent forward and to the sides, but a little restricted aft, particularly on the aft quarters. Sitting in the lower helm seat, the throttles are quite a distance away, but this is not a boat where you really should need to work them. Set them for the conditions and you should be able to sit back and enjoy the ride. You can also helm from here in the standing position, or leaning against the raised seat bolster, both of which are good and comfortable alternatives and put the throttles close to hand, if needed.

Noise levels at the lower helm are good at normal, and even fast, cruising speeds, although, at the latter, they can be quite obtrusive for anyone in the two aft cabins.

The one thing we noticed on our test was just how easy the 47 is to move around when underway. There always seemed to be a conveniently placed hand-hold or grabrail, including in the middle of the

The huge flybridge offers a well-equipped wetbar

wheelhouse roof, and always plenty of space.

Conclusion The ST47 achieves pretty much all it set out to. It really does feel like a boat you could spend some serious time aboard, either as a couple, or with a larger crowd, and is crammed full of practical features that would make life onboard very easy and comfortable. Personally I would like to see a two-cabin version made available, as the third cabin is quite a compromise.

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December 2018

Considering that you do have that excellent convertible saloon berth, the third cabin is likely to end up as a storage area, unless you really do need to sleep eight onboard.

On a two-cabin version, a large midships cabin would make a very nice VIP berth, and you could still sleep six in comfort and with privacy. The economy aspect is an interesting one. Yes, if you go slow you can achieve very good fuel figures, but that applies to almost any boat. In reality, if you push this boat you will get fuel figures akin to a fully planing 50 footer, and with that small transitional phase at around 10-14 knots you really have to choose whether to go full-on eco cruising at around 8 knots,

Economical displacement cruising or get you home 26 knots, you can have both with the ST47

or settle for a compromise speed of around 16 knots. Stick to these two options and the ST47 does also tick all the boxes and really would make the ideal long distance cruiser.

ENQUIRIES: contact Beneteau for your nearest dealer www.beneteau.com YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Jeanneau Velasco 43F

Azimut Magellano 43

Greenline 48 Fly

LOA: 13.7m Beam: 4.13m Displacement: 10,761kg Enquiries: Jeanneau See website for local dealer visit www.jeanneau.com

LOA: 13.35m Beam: 4.40m Displacement: 17,800kg

LOA: 14.99m Beam: 4.80m Displacement: 13,200kg Enquiries: Clipper Marine Tel: 01489 550583 www.clippermarine.co.uk

A more traditional looking flybridge cruiser, but with undertones of trawler-esque performance.

PRICE from £407,900

The Italian Magellano squeezes in a similar three-cabin layout into a smaller semidisplacement hull.

Enquiries: Azimut Yachts UK

Tel: 01323 472903 www.azimutyachts.co.uk

PRICE from £495,600

This flybridge boat is also available in a coupé version and, being a Greenline, is available with hybrid drive.

PRICE from £583,636

> NEXT MONTH Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Haines 320

103

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Contact us at cranchi@tingdene.net or call 01933 551606 / 07921 296853 To discuss appointments to view at Dusseldorf Boat Show please contact our sales team.

TINGDENE SALES OFFICES

“9 sales offices throughout the UK”

Thames & Kennet Marina 01189 477770 Pyrford Marina 01932 343275 Stourport Marina 01299 827082 Racecourse Marina, Windsor 01753 851717 Hartford Marina 01480 454677 Upton Marina 01684 593111 Walton Marina 01932 221689 Portishead Quays Marina 01275 397277 Broadlands Marina 01502 440238

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New and Used

Boats for Sale 01189 403211

Call our friendly team to arrange an appointment to view any of the used boats for sale below – or visit our website for this month’s complete range www.valwyattmarine.co.uk

Shetland / Family Four

Very tidy example with 15hp Suzuki, trailer & BSS until 2020

Dolphin / 23

Built by Viking, well equipped open plan layout with bowthruster

Classic Craft / Linnea

Lovingly cared for, new engine in 2011, new upholstery & lighting

Interboat / 19

Beautiful sloop with 27hp engine, low hours, sunpad & teak flooring

1986 | £5,000 | 20.2ft | 6.2m

1998 | £9,995 | 23ft | 7.0m

1963 | £16,000 | 23ft | 7.0m

Marex / 280 Holiday

Interboat / 25

Bayliner / 285

Haines / 320 Aft Cabin

2000 | £44,995 | 29ft | 8.8m

2009 | £45,000 | 25.8ft | 7.9m

2009 | £49,995 | 28.7ft | 8.8m

NEW | £247,200 | 32ft | 9.8m

Spacious cruiser with great layout, bowthruster, radar arch & heating

Beautiful example with teak finish, fridge, sink, toilet & bowthruster

Fantastic example with heating, bowthruster & Mercruiser 300hp

2008 | £23,000 | 19.7ft | 6.0m

Redesigned with 2 double cabins, 2 en-suites & stunning finish

Get the boating life.. ...with Val Wyatt Marine.

Offering everything you need to get on the water – from our picturesque family-run marina.

01189 403211

As well as an impressive range of river boat and offshore brands – including the handmade Interboat and British-built Haines – we offer: • sales - new and used • moorings and maintenance • friendly, expert advice

So come and visit us at our superb site at Willow Marina, soak up the atmosphere and experience a whole new lifestyle!

Open seven days a week.

www.valwyattmarine.co.uk 01189 403211 | info@valwyattmarine.co.uk | Val Wyatt Marine, Willow Marina, Willow Lane, Wargrave, Berkshire RG10 8LH

Owners Directory i Arvor Boat Owners Club

Dawncraft Owners Club & Forum

www.arvorboatowners.co.uk

www.dawncraftowners.com

Aquastar Owners Club

Dell Quay Ranger website

www.aquastarclub.co.uk

www.dellquayranger.supanet.com

Atlanta Boat Owners

Electric Boat Association

www.atlantaboats.co.uk

www.electric-boat-association.org.uk

Bavaria Owners’ Association

Elysian Boat Owners

www.bavariaowners.co.uk

www.elysianboats.co.uk

Bayliner Owners Club

Fairey Owners Club

www.baylinerownersclub.org

www.faireyownersclub.co.uk

Beneteau Owners’ Association

Fairline Owners Club

www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk

www.fairlineownersclub.com

Birchwood Classics

Fjord Club

www.birchwoodclassics.com

www.fjordclub.com

Broom Owners Club

Fletcher Owners Group

www.broomowners.com

www.facebook.com/groups/4011883149

Chaparral Boat Owners Forum

Freeman Cruisers Forum

forum.chaparralboats.com

freemanboats.forumer.com

Classic Motor Boat Association

Freeman Owners Club

www.cmba-uk.com

www.freemancruisers.com

Classic Offshore Powerboat Club

Freeman Cruisers

www.classicoffshore.com

freeman-cruisers.forumotion.co.uk

Cleopatra Owners Club

Haines Owners Club

mycleopatra.ning.com

www.hainesmarine.co.uk/owners.php

Coronet Cruisers

Hampton Safari Boat Club

freespace.virgin.net/simon.sherlock/index.htm

hamptonsafaribc.webplus.net

Corvette Motorboat Association

Hardy Owners Club

corvettemotorboat.wordpress.com

Cranchi Owners Club & Forum cranchiownersclub.com

106

www.hardy-owner.org.uk

Jeanneau Owners Network

www.jeanneau-owners.com

December 2018

Owners Club missing?

Contact us at

Marex Owners Club

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Sea Ray Owners Club

www.clubsearay.com

www.marexownersclub.co.uk

Sealine Forum

Mariah Owners Club www.mariahownersclub.com

www.sealineforum.co.uk

Maxum Owners Club

Sealine Owners Club

www.maxumownersclub.com

www.sealineowners.com

Microplus Boats

Seamaster Club

www.microplus.dk

www.seamasterclub.org

Monterey Fourm

Seaward Owners Club

forums.montereyboats.com

www.seawardboat.com/club.html

Moonraker Owner’s Club

Shadow Boats - Victoria Shadow Association

www.moonraker.dk/eng_index.htm

www.victoriashadow.co.uk

Nauticus

Shetland Owners Association

www.nauticus.co.uk

www.shetlandowners.co.uk/shetland/

Nelson Boat Owners Club

Star Craft Owners Club

www.nelsonboatownersclub.co.uk

www.bates-starcraft.co.uk

Nimbus Owners Club UK

Storebro Passion

www.nimbusowners.co.uk

www.storebropassion.de

Norman Appreciation Society

Sunseeker Owners Club

www.normanboats.co.uk

sunseekerownersclub.com

Princess Owners Club

Viking Owners Club

princessownersclub.com

www.vikingowners.org.uk

Regal Owners Forum

Warrior Boats Owners Club

www.warriorboatsownersclub.co.uk

www.regalownersforum.com

Relcraft Boaters Group

Advertise with us

www.relcraftboatersgroup.co.uk

Rinker Owners Club www.rinkerboats.com/owners-club

Rodman Owners Club

www.facebook.com/rodmanownersclub

Classified adverts from £25

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motorboatowner.co.uk Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

1979 Princess 33

£17,950 01189 477770 email address

107

Classified

Motorboat Owner Affordable practical boating

1991 Neptune PT 465

Two Seasure Folding Bikes

£99,995

REDUCED £120 the pair

Rare and much loved aft cabin flybridge cruiser. Twin Caterpillar 3208T 375hp shaftdrive diesels. Three cabins, covered aft deck, generator, inverter.

Ideal for entertaining and distance liveaboard cruising. Refurbished propellors, new fuel tanks. Lying Suffolk 01473 659681 suffolk@clarkeandcarter.co.uk

Very good condition, as only used a couple of times and stored in original carry bags and boxes. 6 gears, suspension for soft ride,16 inch wheels. Collection only from Reading area. Ideal Xmas present

email address

AT RF 9 1 US O E LD 20 SE SE W S O DU T SH A BO

FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER TO 31ST DECEMBER 2018

Barrus (Besto & Talamex) ................................................................

Bates Wharf (Bayliner)......................................................................

Evinrude BRP......................................................................................

MDS Battery.......................................................................................

Offshore Powerboats..........................................................................

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Cranchi E30

Volvo Penta V8 -350 Petrol Engine x2 Volvo Penta IPS D8 - 700 Diesel Engines x2 Volvo Penta IPS D11-950 Diesel Engines £169,950 INC VAT Available Now €875,450 EX VAT Available May 2019 €979,000 EX VAT Available June 2019

Contact us at cranchi@tingdene.net or call 01933 551606 / 07921 296853 To discuss appointments to view at Dusseldorf Boat Show please contact our sales team.

TINGDENE SALES OFFICES

“9 sales offices throughout the UK”

Thames & Kennet Marina 01189 477770 Pyrford Marina 01932 343275 Stourport Marina 01299 827082 Racecourse Marina, Windsor 01753 851717 Hartford Marina 01480 454677 Upton Marina 01684 593111 Walton Marina 01932 221689 Portishead Quays Marina 01275 397277 Broadlands Marina 01502 440238

tingdeneboatsales.net e. boatsales@tingdene.net

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December 2018

L K what I saw

Spotted something weird, wonderful, or interesting on your travels?

@

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motorboatowner.co.uk

Clovelly dawn

A still, misty sunrise off the Devon coast SPOTTED! by David Bagshaw

Summertime blues

Red Arrows perform at the Bournemouth Air Show SPOTTED! by Anne Hathaway

Best Hooker Here

A witty name for this Parker sportsfisher SPOTTED! by Claire Frew

Windsor Racecourse sunrise

Perfect start to a summer’s day on the River Thames SPOTTED! by Sue Sharp Motorboat Owner

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