Time for a new boat,suggestions welcome!

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bshillam

bshillam

Guru
Joined
May 18, 2013
Messages
801
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Our Heaven
Vessel Make
1997 4800 Navigator
Well, I just sold the last one and having the love of the water it's time for another. I think I'd like to buy the next boat after this one and skip the in between....so here's my check list
Diesel
Two state rooms
Flybridge
I'd like to avoid teak decks,although I love the look I'd rather not have to face doing something about them under my ownership
Decent mileage I usually have the most fun just cruising - I have already had two gassers on my Tolly and I would not look forward to that again
The ability to go outside the bar, I will relocate the boat at least once a year up to the Puget Sound
No sundeck models or trunks. I really like the ease of a sedan, Europa, or pilothouse style of boat a real great connection to the outdoor space and salon.
I'd like to find something in the PNW
My budget is somewhere around $100k plus or minus
 
Length

Good question, most of what I have been looking at has been between 36 and mid forties. It's really layout, and less about length. I'll pay the few extra for moorage and the like for the right boat.
 
Defever

Looks like the Defevers break the bank. From the surface the engine room on the 44 looks to be a real bonus. I'd like to see something though that has a large slider or oversized door from the cockpit to the salon.
 
I'd look at the 38 Californian LRC Sedan...but I'm a bit biased, I suppose. It's a nice size sedan for 2-4 without breaking the bank. It's a lot like the 34 on steroids. Double door opening to the ample cockpit. It really brings the outdoors in.

Do you prefer galley up or down?
 
Check out the PT38 and PT41 Europa. There are not a ton of them around, but I think our '81 PT38 is a solid boat. There were a few for sale locally when we were shopping. I'm not sure about running outside in the ocean as we are already in Puget Sound.
 
All good suggestions

Flywrite, I have my eye on a 34' locally and will be looking into it. Probably going to ask my broker to preview first as its six hours away. I love the use of space on them from the side berth and forward v. We don't need a massive amount of room in our births the more salon, cockpit and flybridge we have the better. I would also consider another Tolly. That was my favorite so far. But I won't do gas again.
 
Mainship 350/390

Checks your list - though bumping just over 100K. (Purchase price, not YW asking price) Able to do offshore no problem. Mine's been up/down the west coast - and into the Sea of Cortez. Fantastic functional bridge, yet great conversational arrangement when guests aboard - one of our favorite features. :thumb:
 
bshillam said:
Flywrite, I have my eye on a 34' locally and will be looking into it. Probably going to ask my broker to preview first as its six hours away. I love the use of space on them from the side berth and forward v. We don't need a massive amount of room in our births the more salon, cockpit and flybridge we have the better. I would also consider another Tolly. That was my favorite so far. But I won't do gas again.
Click to expand...

The 34 is a great boat for me, but you might find the salon is a little tight for more than 2. Opening the aft doors makes a big difference. Drinks 6, feeds 4, sleeps 2 works well for us. Much of the time I'm running solo, so it feels even bigger to me!!

We have the fwd bunks which makes for a great walk-in closet for us. The amidship stateroom is our main berth. I measured the LOA long ago and came up with 36'8", IIRC.

Most Tollycraft boats I've seen are gassers.
 
Here are the top choices so far,
42 Ocean Alexander, from what I understand this is a cored hull including my second choice
4588 Bayliner
47 Defever, I have looked over the net and am still trying to figure out if this is a cored boat or solid? How it would rate against the other two I am comparing.

I love the engine room of the Defever Offshore 44 but this isn't a semi planing. I really need to come to terms with the fact that both my wife and I are working professionals and sometimes time is more important. I love cruising at 7-9 knots but when given the choice on a Friday night to get to our dock space vs having to leave Saturday morning I'd rather be on the dock Friday night. So a semi planing hull is probably going to be on the list. Anyone know of a semi planing that has a near stand up engine room?
 
bshillam said:
Anyone know of a semi planing that has a near stand up engine room?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's right next to my unicorn's corral. :blush:

In all seriousness, I was onboard a Norland I think, right at 50' OAL that has a pretty much stand up engine room.

Great engine room, and nice boat, but no pilothouse.
 
Ohh boy, didn't you go through a Tolly and the Willard in the last two years? Well, change is good.
 
 
MVNoPlans said:
Ohh boy, didn't you go through a Tolly and the Willard in the last two years? Well, change is good.
Click to expand...

Yes I did - didn't care for gas engines in the Tolly and then went to the extreme and went too slow. 6 knots when you have child and a dog and want to go 40 miles just takes too long.

Maybe this time we'll do just a bit better identifying our next boat. :thumb:
 
Whats the general consensus on the 3208TA? Some of my reading has lead me to believe these aren't all that hardy/dependable? I have been drawn to that Nordic as it appears from the pictures to be a real cruiser and well built boat.
 
Except for one of the OAs, they all look a little Bayliner-ish. That`s no bad thing.
bshillam, I had the impression, right or wrong, you buy to improve and resell. As an admirer of your earlier work I tried your website but got "server not found',could need a restart.
 
I no longer have a work shop. I now sell real estate and investment options.

Yes a bit Bayliner-ish but we're looking at living aboard for about three months at a time. They appear to have quite a bit more room. Don't get me wrong, love the Europa style but their doesn't appear to be a solid selection on the West coast which fit my criteria very easily.
 
Ok, several of the makes that I have identified have cored hulls. Not something I am interested in, specially since this one is going to live in the water full time. I also have come to the conclusion that slow boats are out. Does anyone know if
OA 42 are solid hulls?
Maxmum 4600?
What other boats that have enough HP to cruise about 16-18 when needed have solid hulls?
2 staterooms are a must. Second doesn't need to be huge, for my 7 year old son but he will grow.
No detroits, volvos or odd duck conversions for engines
I really do enjoy the 7-9 knot speed but don't always have that time. Keep the suggestions coming.
 
Charter a few different makes/models then make a choice.
 
FlyWright said:
... Drinks 6, feeds 4, sleeps 2 works well for us. Much of the time I'm running solo, so it feels even bigger to me!!...
Click to expand...

Works for me! But we can readily feed six, but don't ever stay overnight.
 
bshillam said:
Whats the general consensus on the 3208TA? Some of my reading has lead me to believe these aren't all that hardy/dependable? I have been drawn to that Nordic as it appears from the pictures to be a real cruiser and well built boat.
Click to expand...


3208TA is a solid engine and in my opinion, a desirable engine for the horsepower range. When I narrowed down my engine options I eliminated Detroits, Volvos and also some less frequently seen brands. My final choices in my boat age category were Cats and Yanmars. Scot Free has the twin Cats and I have to say they have been great so far. Easy maintenance and fire of on the slightest twist of the key. Like anything else, make sure they were well treated before you buy (that means a good survey by reputable knowledgable mechanic) and you should be good to go. Recent 4 day passage resulted in total 7.5 gallons per hour at 10 knots, 1800 rpm, with 16. kW generator also running full time.


Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
 
"Semi-planing" is a bad term, as that is the last thing you want a boat to do... the speed at which it is digging the biggest hole in the water, thus creating the biggest possible wake and getting the worst possible fuel mileage. There is an overly broad term "semi-displacement" which usually means a boat that can plane, but barely (the ultimate speed as much to do with engine size and drive train design as hull form).
 
Think I am leaning on the OA 42 w/ Cats. However I really cool europa turned up in the PNW I might need to check out first. Time to check them out in person next weekend!
 
We recently went through the same procedure you are currently going through. I can tell you that the best option on our 46 foot Ocean Alexander is the stabilizers. I also like the air-conditioner flybridge. I am wondering what a pain it would be to have to climb a ladder to the flybridge.

Gordon
 
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