Motorboat Owner April 2015 by Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Motorboat APRIL 2015

Owner Affordable practical boating

BOAT TEST

Sea Ray 305 Sundancer PROJECT BOAT

Hardy 27 l Fire Safety l Sealine 310 Statesman

Fibreglass repairs

Welcome to the April issue.

From the Editor

It feels like spring is in the air. The nights may still be chilly, but we have had some fantastic early season weather and marinas and boatyards around the country are slowly starting to waken from their slumber. We have just spent the weekend in the Lake District and it could have almost been mistaken for summer (it was only the extra layers we were wearing that gave the

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April 2015

game away). The ice cream vans were doing business, Lake Windermere was busy with boats, and the boat buying public were out viewing vessels, both new and used. It has been exactly 10 years since the speed limit was introduced on the lake and it’s clear to see that, although it is still very busy, the lake has changed. For the better or worse will depend upon your point of view, but you can read all about visiting

and boating on the lake next month. In the meantime Motorboat Owner has reached a bit of a milestone of its own. Last month we broke the 10,000 readers barrier for the first time, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for continuing to support us, and for all your lovely comments about the mag that we receive on email, and in person, every month. We hope that you continue to enjoy Motorboat Owner as we grow, and in return we ask just one thing. When you are out and about, talking to fellow boat owners, brokerage salesman, chandlery staff or anyone connected to the marine industry please mention us, particularly if you are responding to an advertisement. The more people that get to hear about us the more we can grow, and the more we can pack into each and every issue for you to enjoy. Thank you, and here’s to the next 10,000.

welcome aboard

This month we test Sea Ray’s 30ft sportscruiser, the 305 Sundancer. See the Boat Test on page 70

Editor, Neale Byart Advertising: For all brokerage, 01268 922992 display or classified adverts neale@motorboatowner.co.uk 01268 922994 advertising@motorboatowner.co.uk Associate Editor, Claire Frew Subscriptions: 01268 922991 01268 922993 subscriptions@motorboatowner.co.uk claire@motorboatowner.co.uk Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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CONTENTS APRIL 2015

PRACTICAL

REGULARS

p12

NEWS page 6 INBOX page 10 Q&A page 22 CUTTING EDGE page 38 TESTED page 68

Fire Safety ADVICE

7 Serv

PART 2 SYSTEMS ENGINE ROOM

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room fire I nstalling a suitableis engine not, as many believe, suppression system e true, many insuranc a requirement. It’s on it, usually if your companies will insist than 17 knots, but more of capable is boat n for an owner to there is no legal obligatio specific method a install or have installed engine space. Having the in fighting fire of ent where heat, said that, in an environm the three present, fuel and oxygen are support fire, it would elements needed to have a system in place be foolhardy not to

fault mo pins exting st likely to be This is the uis big found commi hers should on new one, and the ssio hav pull and ning. If you e the safety boats. Autom atic pulling the pin is stil r manual sys pin removed tem com during l in on on the be use the cyl cab prises le happen. activa d when wo is going to act inder, no am a cable it, should the worst oun tion, but rking in the ivate it. to tackle10 like The pin t of always engine systems, Au Engine room sho tomatof remove bay to ares,not avoid acc uld use a variety d once canjus ic handheld t for eng finished. system identa with whextingui agents, ere the shing ine roo l different re is a Unlike Bo thr for fire risk ms. Anywhers andwcons ustereach. pros box can be e com very similar allpar covere ess,and which are tment handheld s, batter d. a variety tha des gen era there torsare y are thr erve n, in theirt operatio the to and deliver system e their ee such are to. activate hav of ways as own aut engine room. omatic extinguishant to an room system The simplest engine Add small hole, otherwise comprises of aitio nal syst ems canwhich as a fire port, through Mot known be orb oat Ow ner

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p26 PRACTICAL

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Fire Safety PART 2 ENGINE ROOM SYSTEMS

Motorboat Owner

£1K

CHALLENGE p68 page 57 2015 Programme

Cruising in Company page 58 Second look

p51

1996 Hardy 27

p70

BOAT TEST

p40

Sealine 310

CLASSIC CRUISER GUIDE GUIDE CLASSIC CRUISER

Sea Ray 305 Sundancer

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

NEWS 168-hour liferaft challenge This coming May, former soldier Wayne Ingram will be raising money for charity by spending 7 days in a liferaft in Portland Harbour. Between the 18th and 25th of May he will be inside a 4-man Ocean Safety liferaft in Portland Marina in Dorset, while a team of science professors from Plymouth University carry out research on him. Being a ex soldier, Wayne is survival skills trained and is also a qualified paramedic but admits he suffers from sea sickness. Wayne said “I will enter the liferaft as in a survival situation. I intend to use only what the raft provides, with no added extras unless I catch or obtain them. I will only have a small grab bag, allowing me to take a small amount of clothing and only one days food and water, so forcing me to survive the remainder.” During the project the science team will assess how Wayne’s body copes in a survival situation. He will be raising money for GOSH (Great Ormond Street Hospital) Families Centre. At the time of going to press Wayne has already raised £1,871. To donate visit Wayne’s JustGiving page or to find out more visit his website.

Thames Boater fined for excessive wash

A boater on the River Thames is due to pay £4,567 for creating excessive wash at the 2014 Henley Music Festival, which caused ‘thousands of pounds’ of damage to other boats. At Oxford Magistrates Court, Mr Howell, aged 29, pleaded guilty to failing to navigate his Sunseeker sportscruiser at a safe speed, and with due care and caution. He was fined £400, and ordered to pay costs of £3,515, compensation of £612 and a victim surcharge of £40. The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday 13 July 2014 when Mr Howell was trying to get back to his boat tied to the booms in the middle of the river. When he was told that the water taxi service was no longer running, he became ‘verbally abusive’. His friend swam out to the boat, bringing it closer to the bank, and after some ‘high speed manoeuvres’ the boat sped off downstream. The boat’s wash caused moored boats to rock, waking occupants and ripping some boats from their moorings. The Environment Agency has urged boaters to report any future incidents of speeding immediately.

April 2015

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

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DIARY DATES

Southsea Fishing Show 3rd April RNLI Alternative Boat Race 10th April Fish & Ships Festival 11th-12th April Broom Boat Show 18th April East Coast New Boat Weekend 25th-26th April Beaulieu Boat Jumble 26th April Horning Boat Show 2nd May Jersey Boat Show 2nd-4th May Poole Harbour Boat Show 9th-10th May

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NEWS 25 year old on 2-year walk around Britain for RNLI

Alexander Ellis-Roswell set out on his 6500 mile coastal path challenge on Sunday 3rd August 2014. He left his home in Kent with a target of raising £10k for the RNLI. “In my opinion, they’re heros. They put themselves right in the thick of what is Britain’s most unforgiving environment, our sea” he said. During his unaided clockwise walk around Britain he will be visiting every coastal RNLI lifeboat station on route. Depending on the terrain, Alex aims to walk about 20 miles a day. He sleeps in a tent most nights but you’ll be pleased to hear many kind people have given him a bed along the way. In a recent post on Twitter he said “I’m so pleased to be seeing the back of winter”. He has waded through rivers, overnighted in churches and has met some great people on the way, including The Princess Royal at the RNLI Mumbles Lifeboat Station. He was even gifted with a new pair of walking boots. You can follow his progress via his Twitter (#LongWalkRound) and Facebook pages. At the time of going to press Alex is currently in Porthdinllaen, making his way along the north Welsh coast and he has raised £3,495 on his mydonate page. The RNLI celebrated its 191st birthday on the 4th of March.

Visitors welcomed to Swanwick Marina launch event Between 2pm-6pm on Easter Monday (6th April), Premier Marinas will unveil its £5.8m new boatyard at Swanwick Marina. Visitors will be able to view the new marina facilities, including the new dry stack, self storage units, the new fuel pontoon and amenity block. As well as a grand opening ceremony there will be other activities throughout the afternoon, including an aerial silk dance display and live music. There will also be a range of new and used boats available to view from onsite brokers, such as Clipper Marine and Sea Ventures, plus the Landau roadshow trailer will be exhibiting electronics from Garmin, Raymarine and Navico. This event will coincide with Swanwick Marina’s annual Easter Boat Show held over the weekend from 3-6 April. 8

April 2015

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

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Windermere Boat Show

On the sunniest weekend of 2015 so far, a 3-day open weekend was held at Windermere Marina Village. The display was a mixture of new and used boats available from Shepherds Marine. New boats included an English Harbour 16, a Haines 32, a Sealine F380 and a range of Four Winns sportsboats. Used boats included an attractive, beige hulled 2011 Four Winns V265, a 1997 Sealine 360 Statesman and a 2013 Sealine SC42. Marina Manager, Dan Fairweather told Motorboat Owner that the boat show idea started with organsing a berth holders party, but they also wanted people to see the new boat ranges. “We wanted to invite current berth holders and visitors to the marina to view all boats in a relaxed manner”. He added “It’s been a great success. Visitors have come long distances too. We’ve also taken deposits on boats, with the buyers wanting to take berths with us here at the marina.” Managing Director, Jason Dearden, told us that they hope to run the event again next year, at the same time (in late March). Dates are to be confirmed.

South West Sports Boat Rally 2015 The 2015, 3-day South West Sports Boat Rally will be held on the 23rd, 24th and 25th May in Torbay, South Devon. The annual event started as a Fletcher rally, but this year the event has been extended to all marques to become a mixed sportsboat rally. There will be a programme of activities, both on and off the water, including sea runs, a river trip, a raffle plus more. One of the event organisers, John Shepherd said “It’s a great opportunity to meet new friends, see other boats, cruise in company in the exciting waters around South Devon and just have a great time.” The rally is open to all sportsboats 25’ and under. Visit the website for full details and updates. Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

INBOX

STAR LETTER

Mitchell 31, the longest production run I read with interest your article concerning the longest production run in the February 2015 issue. I would like to make a suggestion that the Mitchell 31 just beats the Shetland Family Four mentioned in your article. The first boats were produced in 1971, although I think there may be an odd 1 or 2 from 1970 and it is still in production today. The original Mitchell 31 was produced primarily as a workboat/charter vessel but some were fitted out as cruisers by owners who recognised the excellent sea keeping qualities the semi-displacement hull provided. The 31 has undergone several updates over the years with the introduction of the Mark 2, 3 and 4, with the Mark 3 & 4s being out and out cruisers for those who still prefer the feel a semidisplacement hull gives. That said, given the wide range of engine options these boats can be fitted out as river plodders or sea going all weather craft capable of speeds into the mid 20 knot range. Given the shortage of available sub 10-metre cruisers currently available in the marketplace your readers may wish to take a look at this range, I should point out that I have no affiliation to Mitchell Workboats & Cruisers of Canvey Island other than being the proud owner of a Mk2 that has served me well since purchasing it from them in 1997. Not many owners of any marque keep their boat for that length of time unless they are really satisfied with it. Mine continues to serve me well with my love of fishing, but with a teak interior, a hot and cold water system and a full oven, it also provides the creature comforts required by my good lady on her occasional trip. Terry Sparks Editor replies: Thanks for your email. I think you are right, Mitchell do have a valid claim on the title. Perhaps we should put this out to the readership, and see if anyone can come up with a production run to beat the Mitchell 31. 10

April 2015

email:

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Cliff Richard’s Elysian 34

Following up on your feature on the Elysian 27, I wanted to let you know that one of the first owners of an Elysian 34 was Cliff Richard! It seems at the time (mid 60’s) Cliff was sponsoring a London based boy’s club for holidays afloat. Here are some pictures showing the launch of Cliff ’s Elysian 34, which was called ‘Pomander’. Hugh Easton, Elysian 27 designer

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PRACTICAL

ADVICE

Fire Safety

I nstalling a suitable engine room fire

suppression system is not, as many believe, a requirement. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true, many insurance companies will insist on it, usually if your boat is capable of more than 17 knots, but there is no legal obligation for an owner to install or have installed a specific method of fire fighting in the engine space. Having said that, in an environment where heat, fuel and oxygen are present, the three elements needed to support fire, it would be foolhardy not to have a system in place

PART 2 ENGINE ROOM SYSTEMS

to tackle it, should the worst happen. Engine room systems, like handhelds, can use a variety of different extinguishing agents, with pros and cons for each. Unlike handhelds, which are all very similar in their operation, there are a variety of ways to activate and deliver the extinguishant to an engine room. The simplest engine room system comprises of a small hole, otherwise known as a fire port, through which

April 2015

you can let off a hand held extinguisher. This system has its merits. The handheld serves more than one purpose and is therefore a very cost effective method, and you are not likely to suffer an accidental activation. The downside is that it relies on you to figure out that there is a fire that needs extinguishing and, by the time that becomes obvious, it may be too late. Having said that, this simple system could be a useful addition to have on top of any other more complex system as a backup, failsafe or second shot at putting out a fire, if your main system has failed to do so. It is definitely worth considering adding a fire port to your engine room if possible, but it’s worth remembering that most handheld extinguishers are designed to be operated upright, so you really need a vertical surface to mount the port on and this is not something many flush decked motorboats have. As to what sort of extinguisher works best in this situation, I would suggest a dry powder. Dry powder blankets a vast area, so it’s not so important to fire it directly onto the seat of the fire. As you will be firing blind through a small hole that may not be in line of sight of the fire, this blanketing A fire port, through which a hand held can be fired, is the simplest form of engine room system

An engineered system may well incorporate a helm display to indicate its status. It may also offer an engine shutdown override button

effect will deliver the most efficient extinguishing properties. The next level of complexity will be a manually activated system where the fire extinguisher is located in the engine room and activation is achieved by cables, electrical or mechanical, attached to a lever or button at the helm. Again, this relies on you knowing that there is a fire to be tackled, by which time it may already be too large for your system to overcome. After this, there are the standalone automatic systems. These don’t need manual input from the crew, or even have the ability to be manually operated. They usually comprise a fire extinguisher with a fusible bulb. The bulb is made from glass and contains liquid alcohol that expands as it heats up, bursting the glass bulb and allowing the pressurised contents of the cylinder to escape. The designed burst temperature is usually 79°C +/- 5°C. You can get units designed to operate at 108°C for hot engine rooms but, despite most engines running at about 85°C, with some components such as turbos and exhausts

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PRACTICAL

getting much hotter, the constant flow of air means that the ambient temperature of most engine rooms is at a level where the standard automatics work fine. A consideration when installing this kind of extinguisher is the location of the fusible bulb. Heat rises, so it should be as high as you can get it in the engine room, but it should also be mounted close to the high-risk areas, such as the exhaust, turbo, alternator, batteries and fuel systems. If all of these are mounted on one side of the engine, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the side to mount the extinguisher. Another kind of standalone system uses a heat detection and activation tube to activate the extinguisher. This type of system overcomes the problem of deciding where to mount the extinguisher in relation to the risk. The trace tube is fixed all around the engine room, and over the top of all high-risk areas. The trace tube on some systems will simply

send a signal back to the extinguisher, telling it to fire, and the extinguishant will still exit from the cylinder head. This means the location of the cylinder still needs careful consideration with regard to high-risk areas. Other systems use a clever polymer tube that is pressurised with the extinguishant. When the heat from a fire bursts the tube, it makes its own nozzle directly over the heat source. This means the cylinder can be mounted anywhere in the engine room, or even outside of it altogether. The last level of system you are likely to find on a leisure boat is the engineered automatic system with additional manual activation. These often incorporate other features such as automatic engine shut down, manual override of engine shutdown, helm displays to show status of system, and even activation of closable engine room air vents in the event of a fire.

Agents FOAM

AFFF is a great agent for tackling flammable liquid fires so you would think it would be perfect for an engine room system. Unfortunately it has some downsides that make it realistically unsuitable for most leisure boats. Foam

requires careful aiming. It needs to coat a fire and blanket any fuel spills. In an engine room it would need distribution pipework over the engine and high risk areas, and a high volume to ensure complete coverage. Being water based, it is also subject to freezing. Foam is excellent for dealing with fuel spills and fires so having a handheld AFFF extinguisher on board, particularly on a petrol boat, would be a very good idea.

April 2015

CO2

Carbon dioxide makes a very good engine room extinguishant, but has some specific characteristics that mean it is most commonly used on commercial shipping. Firstly there is the cylinder size. Compared to other agents, CO2 requires much larger cylinders, too big for your average leisure boat. Then there are the safety issues relating to the stored pressure of a CO2 cylinder. A dry powder, or foam, cylinder will typically be pressurised to 12-14 bar (174 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 203 psi), whereas CO2

Halon

is stored at 55 bar (800psi). CO2 is also an asphixiant, so an enclosed engine room would be a dangerous place to be after an activation. Lastly, to ensure the CO2 stayed in the engine room, you would need to have engine, and engine room vents, shut downs. On the plus side, CO2 is cheap, clean and very efficient.

Halon

regulation was formulated to phase is a superb out the use of Halon and to collect and engine room fire destroy Halon that was still in use. In suppression agent, late 2002 Halon system were no longer and was widely used able to be recharged and, on the 31st in leisure boat engine of December 2003, all Halon systems rooms until the should have been taken out of use turn of the century. and decommissioned except in a few Unfortunately Halon specialist applications where it is still is an ozone-depleting chemical and its allowed. Despite this, many boats still manufacture has been banned since have Halon extinguishers on board, and 1993, although it could at this time be the correct disposal of such a unit will reclaimed and reused. In 1999 an EU incur costs.

Dry Powder

The most common and cheapest agent for an engine room system. Dry powder is effective at blanketing a fire in an enclosed space, even if it is not fired directly at the source. This makes it particularly useful in an automatic

engine room system where the high risk areas are spread around. It operates at the highest range of temperatures, delivers a quick knockdown of the fire, and is suitable for all types of fires likely to occur in this application. Dry powder does not come without any

Motorboat Owner ÂŠ Digital Marine Media Ltd

PRACTICAL

vices though. It is horrible to clear up and, when mixed with water, corrosive to metals and electronics. In the event of a real fire, these issues would be negligible, and far outweighed by its high performance, but in the case of an accidental activation, dry powder will give you a cleanup nightmare. One point that is often made about dry powder is that activation when the engine is running will ruin the engine due to ingestion of the powder. We do not believe this to be the case. Our research has indicated that the dry powder used in fire extinguishers is typically between 10 and 75 micron in size. A good quality air filter should

remove particles down to around 1 micron. As long as your engine is protected by a suitable air filter, the most likely scenario is that the filter will become blocked by powder, and the engine will stall. Any particles finding their way past the filter will quickly be flushed through once the engine is running again after a change of air filter. An engine without an air filter is most likely going to be damaged by dry powder ingestion. Automatic dry powders tend to be sized for the floor area, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a blanketing compound. Typically 1kg will blanket 1m2.

Clean Agent

friendly. The two HFC gases are a similar price but currently Novec 1230 is much more expensive. All the clean agents gases are considerably more costly than dry powder but come with the benefit of zero clean up after activaion. The effective fire suppression concentration levels for these gases are between 8% for HFC gases and 5.5% for Novec. Sizing the cylinder to reach these levels is a bit hit and miss. Many websites will offer guidelines for the size of cylinder relating to the volume of the engine room, but, as every installation is different, these guides cannot take into account the amount of free flowing air within the engine room. A typical 3.6 litre engine will consume air at a rate of around 80 litres per second at

Clean Agent is the name given to chemical fire suppression compounds produced to replace Halon. There are currently three common compounds. HFC227ea, HFC236fa and a new, 3M developed, agent called Novec 1230. What about FM200 and FE36 I hear you ask? FM200 and FE36 are both trade names belonging to Dupont. FM200 is HFC227 and FE36 is HFC236. Novec 1230 has, in fact, been developed as a replacement for HFC227 as it is more environmentally

April 2015

full throttle. If we take an engine room of a small single engine sportsboat of around 3.5 m3 we would find that most suppliers specify a cylinder of around 2.5kgs. The calculation for this may well have been based on a sealed compartment. This means that firing off a 2.5kg clean agent into a 3.75m3 sealed compartment will provide the minimum concentration required to extinguish a fire. Unfortunately an engine room is far from sealed. There are air vents, extractor fans and, as we have mentioned, the engine itself. There may also be gaps in bulkheads between engine room and lazarette, or

Factors to consider

As you can image, we go aboard lots of boats in the course of our job and we have seen some interesting things when it comes to engine room fire suppression systems. Many of the things we have found would render the system inoperative under certain circumstances, even on

even into the cabin space. A 2.5kg clean agent extinguisher will take around 8-10 seconds to empty once fired. That means that in our example engine room of 3500 litres the engine will have processed up to 800 litres of engine room air just during the activation period. Add to this an engine room fan, and even a small one will be extracting around 80 litres per second, plus any air gaps and vents, and it’s easy to see that maintaining the required concentration may be very difficult, almost impossible if your cylinder size is borderline, without automatic engine and extractor shutdown and closable engine vents.

brand new boats, and on others the efficiency of the system installed would likely be very poor if put to the test. Have a read through the following and then check your system. Don’t be surprised if you find a fault or two, It’s far more common than you think.

1 Units mounted incorrectly Most fusible bulb type

units need to be mounted with the head down, or at least lower than the base. If it’s mounted the wrong way up it won’t work. Check the instructions on yours if you are unsure. A cylinder designed to be mounted head down will not work mounted with the head up, like this one Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

PRACTICAL

2 Empty cylinders Like handhelds, engine room

cylinders can lose pressure, in fact early clean agent extinguishers were known for problems with the seals, which allowed a loss of pressure. Also the changes of temperature that occur regularly in engine rooms mean components expand and contract regularly which can also cause leaks and loss of pressure.

3 Cylinder location As we have already mentioned, the cylinder with a fusible bulb is best mounted high up and near the fire risk, but any cylinder should be mounted in such a way that the agent is allowed to distribute freely onto the risk area. We have seen kit piled in front of extinguishers so that in the event of activation the agent will not get to where it is needed. Also do not mount it right next to an air vent or extraction fan.

4 Number of cylinders Once

you have calculated how much agent you need for the size of engine room, get one cylinder of that size. Trying to make up the amount with more than one cylinder will not work, as they are unlikely to activate at exactly the same time. This engine bay has two small cylinders. If only one activates it may not be enough to extinguish the fire

5 Cylinder sizing Calculate the area to be

protected. Look at the specifications of the kit you are going to buy. Always buy bigger rather than smaller. If you are borderline, or even near to being borderline, go up in size. With clean agent, go as big as you can.

6 Check wiring Some automatic cylinders

use an electrical solenoid to activate them. or a pressure switch for a helm indicator. Is the wiring intact? We have seen some that have been disconnected. This wire leads to a helm indicator or engine shutdown. In the event of an activation this pressure switch is useless 18

April 2015

7 Service dates Like handheld

extinguishers, automatic systems need regular servicing or replacement. Dry powder cylinders have the same service requirements as hand helds. Clean agent cylinders should be refilled after 10 years. Integrated systems also have peripheral equipment that should be inspected, tested and serviced such as automatic shut down, override and manual pull cables.

8 Halon Halon is a great extinguishant

but by now any cylinders onboard a boat will be well over 10 years old, not to mention illegal to own. Disposal is carefully regulated and likely to incur a charge but discharging them or dumping them is also illegal, so you should contact a fire protection company for advise on disposal.

9 Safety pins This is the big one, and the

fault most likely to be found on new boats. Automatic extinguishers should have the safety pin removed during commissioning. If your manual system comprises a cable pull and the pin is still in on the cylinder, no amount of pulling on the cable is going to activate it. The pin should be used when working in the engine bay to avoid accidental activation, but always removed once finished.

10 Automatic systems

are not just for engine rooms. Anywhere where there is a fire risk can be covered. Bow thruster compartments, battery boxes and generators are three such areas that deserve to have their own automatic system. Additional systems can be installed in other high risk areas Motorboat Owner ÂŠ Digital Marine Media Ltd

PRACTICAL

Fitting an automatic engine room system If you don’t have an automatic system on board, or have one that needs replacing, it doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult to install something suitable. We took a small motorboat and replaced the out of date, automatic, dry powder extinguisher with a new system, complete with polymer trace tube, in about 15 minutes. If you are installing a system like this, you should ensure that the heat activated tube is at least 200mm away from an unlagged turbo. The dry powder version we used cost £120. The same system with a clean agent would have been £195. All kit supplied by www.firemonkey.co.uk

HOW TO IN 4 STEPS

Fix the cylinder brackets in a suitable place. The trace tube system allows more flexibility in this respect 4

Fix the trace tube in place, ensuring that it runs over the high risk areas such as turbo, exhaust and fuel system

Place the cylinder in the bracket. This one is designed to be fitted head upwards 5

That’s it, there is no more to installing a simple, yet clever automatic system using the latest technology

Motorboat Owner tests: This article has thrown up a couple of interesting points to which we have either been unable to gain a definitive answer, or we haven’t found any real case studies to prove or disprove. We are planning to run some specific tests later in the year to reproduce some real engine room fire scenarios, and we hope to be able to bring you answers to these questions. Watch this space.

April 2015

7 Superior Marinas

M o o r i ng s fo r a l l t y pe s o f bo at s

R i ver T ha m e s . R ive r Seve rn N o r fo l k B ro a d s . R i ve r Wey

TYHA GOLD ANCHOR AWA R D ED MARINAS

N ew & U s e d B o at S a l e s

w w w.tin gde ne . net

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also on

Our Marinas Brundall Bay Marina

T. 01603 717 804 Norfolk Broads

Thames & Kennet Marina

T. 01189 482 911

River Thames, Caversham

Upton Marina

Racecourse Marina, Windsor

Upton upon Severn

River Thames, Windsor

T. 01684 594 287

T. 01753 851 501

Walton Marina

T. 01932 226 305 Walton on Thames

Pyrford Marina

T. 01932 340 739 River Wey, Surrey

Stourport Marina

T. 01299 827 082

Stourport on Severn

Q&A

Your Questions Answered

Repairing stress cracks

Q I have some unsightly spider web type

damage to the gelcoat on the stern of my Broom. Is this serious and how should I go about fixing it?

A What you have sounds very much like

stress cracking. This usually occurs in areas of high stress, such as around cleats or stanchion rails, but can also occur as a result of an impact. Usually the cracking is just in the gelcoat, so isn’t a structural issue. However, if the cracking is extensive, and looks to be the result of an impact, there could possibly be some damage to the underlying laminate. To fix non-structural stress cracking you should slightly open up the cracks. You can do this with a small power tool such as a Dremmel with a grinding disk. Make sure that you go all the way to the end of the crack. Clean the area with acetone and fill the crack with gelcoat or gelcoat filler. Once hardened, you can sand it flat with progressively finer grades of paper, and finish with a good cutting compound. The trickiest part of the job will be colour matching. Even on white gelcoat, or some would say “especially on white gelcoat”, it is very hard to get the exact shade.

Does my D4 have anodes?

Q As my twin Volvo Penta D4 engines are no

longer in warranty I decided to service them myself this year. I didn’t notice any anodes on the engines but my last service bill lists four of them. Have I missed them or was my last bill incorrect?

A You have missed them. Each engine has two, hence the four on your bill, and they

can be found on the port hand side of each engine. One is right at the front, facing downwards on a heat exchanger, and can be found between the pulleys and belts. The other is right at the back, up against the transom if you have outdrives, at the top and again facing downwards. They are not normal bolts, they have a square head, and so you can’t use a ring spanner or socket on them. What you need is a 13mm open-ended spanner and, to get at the back pair, a flexible and slim assistant. 22

April 2015

If you have a question, email us at

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Oil analysis

Q I have been told that I should get the oil in the

engines of a potential purchase analysed. I’ve never heard this before. Is it worth doing, and who would I go to?

A Oil analysis can be useful in detecting such things as

the presence of water or fuel in the oil that could indicate problems within the engines or associated components. Analysis can also detect trace elements of the various metals that make up the internal components of an engine, and thus lead to indications of possible wear. To be most useful it is best to know how long the oil has been in the engines and how many hours they have run, as this will put some of the above into some sort of context. Is it worth doing? I think the answer is yes, sometimes. The engines represent a large portion of the value of a boat and anything you can do to ensure they are in good health is worth doing. Having said that, if the engines have just been serviced and have fresh oil in them you are not going to find out anything. Ongoing oil analysis is also a useful tool for the owner as it can often indicate a problem before it becomes apparent in a more obvious way. www.theoillab.co.uk can carry out testing and offer a range of tests from £36 to £72.

Small RIB search

Q I need to get a new RIB tender, but want

to find the smallest and lightest one possible as I usually only use it to take the dog ashore when we are at anchor. I need a proper hardbottomed RIB as I usually end up dragging it up a beach and an inflatable floor might not be up for that sort of abuse. It only needs to be one man and a dog size, so I really don’t need the usual 2.7 metre RIBs that seem quite commonplace.

A It looks like you may need to decide which is more important, size or weight,

as I have narrowed it down to two choices for you. The lightest I can find is the aluminium hulled, 2.4 metre, Ribeye TL240 at just 29kgs. The aluminium hull is said to be very tough and perfect for the kind of use you are planning. The smallest I can find is the 2 metre Arimar 200, but this weighs in at 35kgs. The Ribeye is rated for three people, and the Arimar for two, and both can take an outboard of up to 4hp. Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Q&A

Your Questions Answered

Underwater lights

Q I am thinking of getting some underwater lights

fitted. I know they are not for everyone, but having seen a couple of boats in our marina with them I really like the effect they produce and I have heard they even attract fish, which may be a bit of a bonus. There seems to be so many on the market I don’t really know where to begin. Any suggestions?

A I’ll let you into a little secret. We have got underwater lights on our S28.

Personally I like them too, although arguably the effect is somewhat lost on our home berth and the brown waters of the east coast. We’ve got the budget Ocean LED Amphibian’s, which are ok but not particularly bright. The new Amphibian Extreme are supposed to be three times as bright, so are worth considering. With underwater lights you seem to get what you pay for, and at the other end of the market you have Lumishore, considered by many to be the best. If you like what you see in your marina, why not ask them what they have and get the same. That way you can’t go wrong.

Fairline Holiday towing weight

Q I am looking to buy a trailer for my Fairline

Holiday but am having trouble finding the boat’s actual weight. Can you help?

A Boat weights are always a bit hit and miss,

especially on older boats that may have had kit fitted over the years. Even the builders quoted brochure weight may be off by quite a bit as it could have been for a very basic boat and would almost certainly have been quoted as a ‘dry weight’ excluding water or fuel. It may not have even included the batteries. What I can say is that the brochure weight for the Holiday was 1880kg, but Fairline did add the word ‘approx’, which kind of proves my point. The brochure does not even allow for all of the various engine options that were available. Realistically your boat is likely to weigh over 2000kg, but the only way to be 100% certain is to have it weighed. Many yard cranes have the ability to read weights, so maybe ask at yours next time you have it lifted. If you can’t get it weighed I would suggest you should look at a trailer with a gross capacity of at least 3000kg. The trailer itself will be around 600kg leaving 2400kg for the boat. 24

April 2015

If you have a question, email us at

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Shetland Saxon by sea?

Q Between my wife and I our

boating experience is limited to hiring a narrow boat over a succession of years on different canals. However, like a kid waiting for Christmas it never came quick enough and was always over too soon. So the answer was to buy our own boat and, after a short period of intensive looking, we found a nice ready to go Shetland Saxon. It is based on our local canal, the beautiful Chelmer and Blackwater, and we were lucky enough to retain the mooring. I imagine the 12 miles long C&B will keep me amused for a couple of seasons, and at Heybridge Basin there is a sea lock that affords access to the river Blackwater estuary. If we wanted to gain access to the national network system of canals would we simply motor out of the estuary, go around Foulness and up the Thames, pass the barrier, under Tower Bridge and up to Newbury? The other option is to get it trailed across to the River Lee (about 20 miles) and then motor down to the Thames. As our boat has no showering facilities my wife has concerns about getting a wash. I, on the other hand am not too bothered. As my dad used to say, “a boy shouldn’t require a wash when on holiday”. Are there marinas along the way that have showering facilities? Is my 15 hp outboard man enough for tidal and Thames? I also get seasick.

A The Saxon is a narrow beam version of the 4+2 and is really designed to be an

inland boat. Of course on a very settled day you could take it onto coastal waters but the trip from the Blackwater to the Thames estuary and up through London can get quite lumpy, even on settled days. Add into the mix your susceptibility to seasickness and the low power of your engine and I would say it is definitely best to get the trailer out and tow it. Dropping it in on the River Lee with a view of going up the Thames still means tackling the choppy waters and strong tides of central London, which is doable, but not recommended. From the Lee you can join the Grand Union canal via the Regents canal or, if you are going to put the boat on a trailer, you could launch it somewhere on the non-tidal Thames and explore the Thames, Kennet and Avon or further afield via the Oxford Canal. I am not familiar with facilities on the narrow beam canals but certainly on the non-tidal Thames there are plenty of marinas with showering facilities so there’s no excuse for being grubby! Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? by Neale Byart ?????????????????

Guernsey

Wells-next-the-Sea Tucked away behind the sands on the North Norfolk coast lies a little harbour that is sure to make a big impression

he North Norfolk coastline is breathtaking, an ever-changing landscape being shaped constantly by the sea. Through the years, along the miles and miles of tidal sculpted sand, sweeping inlets have spawned small fishing communities, which have, in turn, become unspoilt seaside towns. One such harbourside town, is picturesque

Wells-next-the-Sea. Nestled behind the sandbanks and salt marshes, just under two miles inshore, this idyllic town began life as a fishing and commercial trading port. Now it has become a popular tranquil boating haven and seaside resort. The townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harbour front is dominated by the old Granary with its overhanging gantry that towers over the quayside.

April 2015

Destination

THE WASH

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Wells-next-the-Sea

King’s Lynn

Great Yarmouth

Sonning Windsor

London

ENGLISH CHANNEL Pine trees, a stunning sandy beach and fishing, the town sign says it all

Built in 1903 it was used to load the merchant ships with the town’s export, grain. The impressive building has since been converted into luxury apartments, the old gantry is now someones lounge, offering the most spectacular panoramic views over the harbour and out to sea. There is still a thriving fishing community in Wells and the quay is home to many rafted fishing vessels. Modern times have brought renewable energy to this coastline and the sea area is now dotted with wind farms. An outer harbour was built in 2009

for the wind farm vessels, and its entrance is frequently dredged to allow for greater tidal access. The famous 19th century seafarer, Lord Horatio Nelson was born in neighbouring Burnham Thorpe and it is said that he spent time in Wells, regaling locals with stories of his many adventures at sea. Acres of dunes and salt marshes separate the town from the sea, providing a great place to explore at low water. Aerial images of Wells-next-the-Sea show a network of snaking channels through

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

the salt marshes and a pine forest island to the east of the entrance. If you look closer at the marshland from above, you can see evidence of past farmers grazing land, but this unstable and exposed land was not suitable for buildings or farming. To the west of the entrance is the stunning Holkham Beach. The Port of Wells is almost a right-angle shape, with the straight seawall which is met by a horizontal quayside. But the harbour wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always this shape. The leisure lake, Abrahamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bosom, was once connected to the sea and is believed to mark the edge of the original entrance. The mile-long sea wall was built in the 19th century to create a channel and protect the town from the eroding forces of the sea. Wildlife is in abundance in Wellsnext-the-Sea, and the mud flats and salt marshes are an isolated paradise for British species of birds, such as the beautiful Oyster Catcher and Curlew. Flocks of migrating birds also gather to feast at low water, including the small black-headed Tern that nests here during the summer. Seals are also frequent visitors and are often seen sunbathing on the sandbanks off the spit. Shy and inquisitive, they will often come and

investigate anything new or interesting. Staithe Street is the main shopping hub of Wells, it is a colourful and mostly pedestrianised narrow lane lined with Edwardian and Victorian shop fronts. Here tradition runs deep and this charming, unspoilt street provides local produce with family butchers, bakers and fishmongers, quirky cafes and gift shops.

Approaches

The harbour entrance channel dries out at low water. Therefore, careful planning and tidal timing will be needed before any visit, particularly as there are no all-tides ports close by. Weather must also play an important role in passage planning to Wells. Calm or light wind conditions are perfect for a visit. Entry to the harbour should not be attempted in any moderate or strong northerly winds, as this often results in the sea heaping up over what is known as the Bar, a curved sandy spit to the east of the entrance. The harbour is accessible approximately two hours either side of high water. However, we would recommend newcomers visit on a rising tide, as the channel can be quite shallow in places. It is also important to know that there is

April 2015

Destination

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Access is 2 hours either side of high water. Below, is an impression of the harbour North at low water Outer South Outer

The Coast Watch tower stands guard next to the slipway at the end of the sea wall. A claxon warns beach walkers when the tide is coming in

Knock

RNLI Station Coast Watch

Abrahamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bosom

Outer Harbour

Pool

The Harbour Office overlooks the long visitors pontoon

Harbour Office & Visitors Pontoon

greater depth access on spring tides, which can give up to 3 metres while neap tides are up to 1.5 metres. Entry (with caution) is often possible up to 3 hours before high water during spring tides. Before visiting Wells-next-the-Sea we would recommend visiting the Wells

Harbour website to check the latest approach information and chart, as being on a very exposed coastline, the channel can change and buoys may be repositioned. The first point of navigation is the west cardinal mark. It is recommended that all

Motorboat Owner ÂŠ Digital Marine Media Ltd

The channels between the marshes dry out at low water. This is East Fleet which is opposite the quay

ignore the chartplotter and use pilotage from this point. The port will not be visible, which is disconcerting, but it is simply a case of religiously following the buoyed channel. Be aware that there is a strong east-going tidal current at the entrance approximately two hours before high water. On passing the South Outer port marker, the channel should now be visible and the buoyage continues in sequential order, starting with starboard hand mark No 1 and port marker No 2. At No. 9 buoy, ‘Knock’, the channel turns to the south-east as it sweeps past the entrance to the outer harbour and lifeboat station, both on the port side. At starboard hand marker ‘The Pool’, it begins to sweep back around to the southwest. Following the port markers from this point, the channel takes you closely around, hugging a marshy peninsular and back round to face south. It is from this point that you can make your way over to the quay and Diesel is available on the quay near the Granary visitors pontoon to starboard. vessels approach this from the west. It is at this point, if not a earlier, that we would recommend calling the Harbour Master on VHF Channel 12 (call sign “Wells Harbour”) or telephoning the Harbour office on 01328 711646. The friendly harbour master will be able to give you further guidance and may offer to greet you and guide you in. The approach channel lies due south of the cardinal buoy and the port-hand markers of the North and South Outer Buoys should be visible. You will need to

April 2015

Destination

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Marine Supplies

The visitors pontoon is a great option for motorboats who need to stay afloat. Here there is access to electric, water and facilities

Where to moor

A 160-metre floating visitors pontoon is located on the starboard bank and is overlooked by the Harbour Office, the former lifeboat station. This is the best option for visitors as the harbour staff advise us that there is at least three metres depth at all states of tide. There is a ramp to shore and free access to water and electric on the pontoon. From here the town’s waterfront and main shopping street are just a short stroll away. The harbour is becoming more and more popular and, during busy periods, rafting should be expected. With a growing demand for visitor berths during the peak months of July to August, significant improvements are being made. Approval has been given to extend the visitors’ pontoon north of the Harbour Office by 46 metres. Delivery of the new pontoon is due mid April and work is expected to be completed by the end of May. The harbour’s coded shower and toilet facilities are currently located on the first floor of the Harbour Office. However, a new floating toilet and shower block is due to be installed this spring. For those lucky enough to have bilge keels or drying legs, and therefore the

Standard House Chandlery on East Quay (on the junction of The Quay and Standard Road) stocks most marine items including engine spares such as impellors. The chandlery is also an outboard supplier and offers marine engineer services. There are two useful hardware stores that sell gas bottles, Platten & Anthony DIY on Standard Street and M.L. Walsingham & Sons Hardware on Staithe Street.

Transport

The bus company Coasthopper operates routes along the North Norfolk coast. For information an timetables visit the website. Bicycle hire is usually available on Staithe Street or from the Beach Road Car Park during high season.

Food supplies

Staithe Street is the place to head for galley supplies and local produce. The Howell family run a fishmonger, butcher, delicatessen and a bakery in the same street. Locally grown fruit and veg is available at Country Garden. Plus there is a useful Londis and Martins store stocking basic food essentials. At the top of Staithe Street there is a fair-sized Nisa supermarket. There is also a large Co-op supermarket (post code NR23 1JG) to the southeast of the town, on Standard Street. It is 0.6 mile and a 12 minute walk away, is open daily from 7am-10pm, and 10am-4pm on Sundays.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

The quay has two distinctive features, the Granary building and the Dutch tall ship, the Albatross

ability to dry out, tying up to the quay wall, anchoring, or picking up a buoy are possibilities. There are some large areas of fairly flat, hard sand. Visitors should consult with the harbour master to get the best options for them. On high spring tides the water will gently lap over the quay wall. In stronger winds, particularly from the north to east, the low lying landscape leaves the

Wells Crab House Cafe on Freeman Street

harbour a little exposed and conditions can become choppy, particularly over the high water period. You will always find the harbour team friendly and helpful, ‘they can’t do enough for you’ one regular visitor from Fosdyke told us.

Where to eat & drink

Despite being a relatively small and traditional town, there is plenty of choice when it comes to food and dining out. The Norfolk coast is famed for its brown-shelled Cromer crab, and there is no better place to sample the local seafood offerings than at the Wells Crab House Café (01328 710456). This restaurant is located on Freeman Street, to the west of the harbour front. Here hot and cold seafood platters are available to share, and the burgers, gammon and steaks on the

April 2015

Destination

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Phone & Internet access

You may find the mobile phone signal in Wells can be quite patchy, so this is something to bear in mind. Free WiFi may be found in a few of the cafes on Staithe Street. However, the town library on Station Road offers free WiFi plus there is access to the internet via several desktop computers inside. The Golden Fleece offers pizzas and pub classics

menu are bound to be a hit with the nonfish lover too. On the same street there is also the family friendly Captain’s Table (01328 710478) and the Wells Tandoori restaurant and take away (01328 710280). If you are looking for anything from a drink to an evening meal on the harbour front, the Golden Fleece pub (01328 710 650) can be recommended. With its waterfront outside seating, albeit limited, it is a great place to watch the comings and goings in the harbour. It offers good value food and a friendly atmosphere. Plus the pizzas from its adjoining Vello D’oro Pizzeria restaurant at the back, are sure to go down well with all the family. From the conventional restaurant in Wells, to one that is a little more unconventional. Moored on the quay, the 19th century Dutch cargo ship Albatross is a quirky pub-cum-restaurant and B&B. Huge freshly-made pancakes and Dutch Apple Cake are just two of the delicious Dutch treats available on board. The ship also serves up live music every Friday and Saturday night, and during the day on Sundays. If you are looking for a coffee, breakfast or a lunch-time break from shopping, there is a good choice of cafes in Staithe

Events

Wells Carnival 31st Jul - 9th Aug 2015

Charts & Pilot Books

Admiralty 108 & SC5614 Imray Chart Y9 & C28 Stanfords 19 & 3 Ordnance Survey Map 132 Imray Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Humber Cruising Guide by Henry Irving Reeds Nautical Almanac

Slipways

There is a concrete public slipway on East Quay. This slipway is at right angles to the narrow road, it is better suited to smaller tows, such as small ribs and day boats. There is also a longer and steeper concrete ramp at the end of Beach Road. A leisure harbour due of £11 for a day launch will need to be paid at the Harbour Office. Larger cruisers can be craned in and out on the quay by arrangement. With plenty of holiday accommodation available, including waterfront B&B’s and holiday lets, Wells-next-the-Sea is an ideal summer trailboat destination. However, it is definitely worth speaking to the Harbour Master first and prior to arrival. The team will also be able to advise regarding trailer storage.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

High Street

Bus Station

Cashpoint

Londis

Martins

Bakery

Delicatessen

Slipway

Butchers

Nisa Food Store

Chandlery

Green grocers

Co-op Supermarket

Fuel Berth

Footpath

Hardware Store

3 4

7 8 H 9 1 2 3

The harbours speciality is fresh fish but there is plenty of choice when it comes to eating out. If you are eating on board, lots of local produce can be found in Staithe Street

KEY 1 Harbour Office & Facilities 2 Wells Crab House Cafe 3 Wells Tandoori 4 Captains Table

5 French’s Fish & Chips 6 The Golden Fleece & Vello D’oro 7 Granary Theatre 8 Tourist Information 9 The Picnic Hut 10 Mermaids Purse 11 Nelson’s Coffee Shop 12 The Albatross

13 The Beach House 14 The Globe

15 The Crown Hotel 16 The Bowling Green 17 The Library

Street, including the traditional Nelson’s Coffee Shop, the Mermaids Purse and the Picnic Hut. Look out for local specialties,

The Beach Cafe is a great place to rest tired feet after taking on the Norfolk Coastal Path

such as ice cream, homemade soups, warming stews and crab sandwiches. The Beach Café at the end of the sea wall is also a useful pit stop for warmth and sustenance after a long beach walk. If you are looking for the obligatory take away fish and chips, then a visit to the award winning French’s Fish and Chip Shop on the seafront is a must. There are two more great places to eat at the southern end of town, both overlook the pleasant green at Buttlands which is surrounded by imposing Georgian and Victorian houses. The Globe and The Crown Hotel are well worth the 8-minute

April 2015

Destination walk for a special dinner out. The ale drinker will find plenty of Norfolk beers to sample in pubs in and around Wells, Woodforde is just one of the local breweries and its Nelson’s Revenge is a popular brew. Suffolk Adnams is also widely available and the blonde ale called Ghost Ship is rated highly amongst visitors and locals. For those on a pub pilgrimage, The Bowling Green on Church Street is said to be the oldest pub in Wells and is an 11-minute walk from the quay. Ollies at the Edinburgh Pub is another friendly watering hole and restaurant, it can be found at the top of Staithe Street.

Places to visit

A walk along the sea wall to the beach approaching low water is a must. Beyond the beach car park and the line of pine trees lie acres of golden sand just waiting to be explored. It is a spectacular view out to sea and a chance to marvel over the harbour’s snaking approach channel. “Did my boat really come through there?” You’ll ask. At high tide there is barely a beach to be seen as the sea laps just metres from the decoratively coloured beach huts that fringe the shoreline. For walkers, the Norfolk Coast Path is a great way to see

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Staying longer

10m Overnight Berth Pontoon £24 10m Overnight Buoy £12 10m Annual Berth Pontoon £3930 Visiting vessels over 10.66m (35ft) are at the Harbour Master’s discretion

Tides

When it comes to working out the tides for the Wells-next-the-Sea Bar, high water and low water are approximately 20 minutes after the standard port, Immingham. High water in the harbour itself is approximately between 35 and 45 minutes after Immingham. Low water stand lasts about 4 hrs on spring tides and about 5 hrs on neaps. If you intend to travel on from Wells, going east to the ports in the Wash, such as Fosdyke, it is likely that slow displacement boats will need to wait out the low water and come in on the next tide. However, this passage shouldn’t be a problem for faster boats.

Weather

Met Office Shipping Forecast – Humber Met Office Inshore Waters Forecast Gibraltar Point to North Foreland BBC 5-day forecast Live weather information is available at the Harbour Office

Harbour webcam

The Globe Inn at Buttlands

The Wells Harbour website has two useful webcams. One that faces south east towards the quayside and another that faces north, back out towards the entrance.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Follow the mile-long sea wall to the beach and the Norfolk Coast Path beyond

the stunning beaches, marshes, nature reserves and tidal inlets. The path is well signposted. Another way to explore the many creeks and channels to the east of this tidal shaped harbour, is by dinghy. At low water simply crossing the channel to the opposite bank can open up lots of paddling and exploring possibilities. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here that a tender with wheels will come into its own. However, be aware that the tidal currents in the harbour are strong. Therefore it is important to return to the landward side of the channel before the tide starts to flood. Tide times are displayed at the Harbour Office and you can buy tide tables from many of the local shops. Daily, 45-minute sightseeing tours to the beach and marshes are available through Wells Harbour Tours. The boat departs daily on the tide from the main pontoon in front of the Harbour Office. The local bus service, Coasthopper runs between Kings Lynn in the west, and

Cromer in the East. Buses depart in both directions from stops in Freeman Street and Station Road, close to the southern end of Staithe Street. Catching the number 46 Coasthopper bus to Blakeney Harbour for a seal-watching boat trip, makes for a lovely day out. For the adventurous, it is possible to take a dinghy east through the salt marshes on a rising tide, all the way to the neighbouring nature reserve of Blakeney Harbour, and the town itself, up the River Glaven. The 8-nautical mile route via East Fleet and Stonemeal Creek is very shallow and involves going under a small footbridge on the way. Much like the harbour entrance, some careful timing and tidal planning will be needed, so getting some local advice from the harbour office is always a good idea before setting out. Always wear a lifejacket and have a mobile phone or a VHF with you. A handheld GPS might be useful to record your route. Alternatively, if you have bikes on board,

April 2015

Destination the town of Blakeney is around an 8 mile and 40-minute ride away, along the main coast road. Cyclists are not permitted to use the coast path. If you are fond of majestic stately homes, Holkham Hall is a 5-minute drive and the Queen’s country retreat of Sandringham is a 20-mile and 40-minute drive away. You can get full details of bus routes, hire cars, trips and local places of interest at the Tourist Information Centre at the northern end of Staithe Street. There is also plenty of fun to be had around the harbour for kids. A bucket and a crab line on the quay should keep them amused for hours, or try a visit the large play area and recreational ground directly behind the harbour office. The latter is also a useful place for any four legged crew to burn off some energy. If you are beach bound, the little ones will love the Wells Harbour Railway. Established in the 70’s this 10¼ inch gauge railway runs for approximately a mile, connecting the Pinewoods Holiday Park to the town. The arcade behind the quay car park will also provide some entertainment on wet days, plus there is the Granary Theatre on Staithe Street, which not only hosts live music and theatre entertainment, it’s also a cinema.

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Where to fill up

Diesel is available at the fuel berth on the quay during working hours over the high water period. You will need to arrange this with the Harbour Master (01328 711646). Unfortunately there is no petrol available in the harbour and the nearest car filling station is a 15 minute drive away in Burnham Deepdale.

Distances

Approximate distances in nautical miles from Wells-next-the-Sea: Kings Lynn 37 miles Wisbech 38 miles Grimsby 52 miles Great Yarmouth 53 miles Lowestoft 56 miles Southwold 66 miles

Further afield

A new floating visitors pontoon at South Quay in King’s Lynn provides a great opportunity to explore the historic town. King’s Lynn is also the gateway to the Great Ouse via the Denver Sluice. Wisbech on the River Nene and Fosdyke Yacht Haven at Spalding on the River Wellard are two other places to visit in the Wash. Finally Great Yarmouth is the gateway to the Norfolk Broads National Park, a stunning network of rivers and lakes.

For more information visit: www.wellsharbour.co.uk www.wells-guide.co.uk The Tourist Information Centre on Staithe Street Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

CUTTING Vetus Extended Runtime Thrusters DC Electric thrusters have always had one weakness, their limited run time. Vetus has launched a range of extended runtime DC thrusters that can operate continuously for up to eight minutes, making tricky mooring situations just that little bit less stressful. They are currently only available in 24 volt models but 12 volt versions are possibly on the horizon. Price: from £2750 www.vetus.co.uk

Yamaha F8 & FT8

Yamaha has launched a pair of all-new portable 8hp outboards. The F8 and the high thrust FT8 deliver greater torque and thrust due to a greater, 212cc, displacement, and have a new, more ergonomic, tiller handle design. Its slim shape and better folding tiller means it takes up less space when stored, and resting pads allow it to be laid rear side down. The standard shaft F8 weighs 40kg, while the long shaft weighs 41kg. The FT8 weighs between 43kg and 49kg. Price: from £1829 www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk

LiveSaver

They say the simple ideas are the best, and RYA instructor Duncan Wells has a case in point. LiveSaver is a length of neon coated Dyneema cord, spliced into a loop and with a triangle at one end. The idea is that you fix it to your lifejacket’s lifting handle and tuck it away inside the jacket. If you end up in the water, the cord unravels and floats, giving your rescuers something to grab hold of to aid recovery. Price £19.99 www.livesavers.co.uk

April 2015

the latest boating gear and technology

The Princess Matilda Comes Home

If you enjoyed the ‘At Sea’ BBC television series with Timothy Spall, which followed his journey around Britain in his 54ft barge, The Princess Matilda, you would almost certainly enjoy the book written by his wife Shane, who accompanied him on his travels. Price £8.99 www.eburypublishing.co.uk

Hyndsight Journey 1

Cameras can help with blind spots when mooring, but often require integration into expensive state of the art electronics. If you don’t have the latest multi-function display, fear not. The Journey 1 is a standalone wireless waterproof camera and monitor with a 4.8” sunlight viewable display, which can be battery powered or hard wired. It is currently only available from the US, so expect to pay VAT and import duty on top. Price $499 www.hyndsightvision.com

Secumar HW Ultra Racer

The Secumar HW Ultra Racer lifejacket is a 150N fully automatic jacket with a click buckle fastening that makes it one of the few lifejackets that can be done up and undone single handed and released when inflated. It has zipped access to a dedicated PLB pocket and comes as standard with crotch straps, spray hood and water activated light, making it a very cost effective, all inclusive, lifejacket. Price £149 www.hudsonwight.com

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Ocean Signal rescueME EDF1 Flare

Ocean Signal, the company who brought us the World’s smallest PLB, AIS MOB device and EPIRB, has done it again. The rescueME EDF1 is the World’s smallest electronic distress flare. At just 155 grams, the EDF1, with four operating modes, is said to be 40% smaller than similar devices, making it perfect for your grab bag, liferaft or even keeping on your person. Price: £106.80 www.oceansignal.com

CLASSIC CRUISERS

a complete guide to the best boats on the used market

Sealine 310 / 320 Statesman

ritish made, entry-level flybridge boats are as rare as hens teeth now, but back in the 80’s and 90’s it seemed like every manufacturer had one in their range. Even Sunseeker had the 35ft Jamaican. The 310 Statesman was Sealine’s model of the early 90’s. It is a compact and clever flybridge, with two cabins and two helm positions. It represents an age when this British boat builder was beginning to experiment with cleaner lines and bolder curves. Twenty-five years on, these boats offer a very affordable entry point to flybridge boat ownership.

The story of this sterndrive powered flybridge started many years earlier with the launch of the Sealine 30 Flybridge in 1983. The 30 came with a V-berth forward cabin and a choice of two layouts, with a mid cabin or dinette area opposite a galley. Its rivals at the time were the Fairline Corniche 31, the Princess 30DS Flybridge and the Princess 33 MkII Flybridge. Sealine built 65 30’s up until 1985 and in 1986 revamped the boat, naming it the 305 Statesman. The builder added a transom door and moulded bathing platform with fender baskets. In line with other models,

April 2015

Bray Marine Sales

Built approx 170 1990-1994 Prices then £76,948 (1991) Prices now £33,000 - £49,000 Length 34ft / 10.36m Beam 10ft 6in / 3.23m Draught 2ft 10in / 0.87m Air Draught 10ft / 3.04m Fuel 310 552 litres / 122 gallons Fuel 320 572 litres / 126 gallons Water 230 litres / 50 gallons Displacement 4-5t approx

such as the 285 Ambassador, this era is easily distinguished by Sealine’s use of a grey exterior colour palette. Inside the 305, the master cabin has an offset double and again, there were two layouts available. Most notably the ‘galley up’ version offers two separate cabins. Just over 170 305’s were built up until 1989. In 1990 this 30ft flybridge received a radical revamp and became known as the 310 Statesman. Sealine’s Tom Murrant and naval architect Roger Tucker added a distinctive curved bowsprit, an integrated bathing platform and a raked-back

fibreglass arch, topped off with a winged module for a radar dome. At 34ft overall it is over 2ft longer than the 305 and the result was a larger cockpit. The interior was brought bang up to date with the use of lighter wood veneer, opposed to the solid, darker wood finishes seen on the 305. In 1993 the boat was re-branded the 320 but remained identical, with a few minor cosmetic changes and newer engine options. It is believed that in the region of 130 310s and just over 40 320s were built. The 320’s successor model was the 330 Statesman, which was a totally

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The saloon area is very practical. 320’s, like above, have white decor as opposed to a wood effect

different design. For a brief time in 1994 production of these two models overlapped but then the 320 was no more. Sealine did continue its run of small flybridges into the 21st century with the F33 and the F34 in 2003. Interior Slide back the patio door and you step into the saloon area. There is a large raised dinette area on the port side, and the lower helm position and units running along the starboard. The saloon area is more functional than cosy, but it is comfortable and impressive all the same. The dinette will easily seat 4 to 6 people, and the large double pedestal table is very sturdy. The table top is quite heavy to move about, as its base has wooden foldout legs which bolt into the floor, forming the infill for the occasional double berth. At first glance the unit on the starboard

side looks as though it’s just for storage, but its worktop hides a sink and twoburner hob, and the cabinet doors below disguise a fridge and a gas oven/grill. Most boats were fitted with an enamelcoated sink which is wide and shallow, rather than ‘deep’ as the brochure states. There is no drainer and the sink is prone

The galley is concealed in the unit on the starboard side, opposite the dinette area

April 2015

The interior helm position is fairly compact and the navigation equipment is mounted above the windscreen. The boats main switch panel is above the cabin companionway

to rusting, which is something to look out for as it could lead to leaks into the fridge below. There is room to replace this with twin stainless steel sinks if required. Galley worktop space is limted while the sink and hob are in use. Although there is a small amount of worktop to the left of the hob, behind the helm seat. Ventilation is provided by a small sliding window above the galley. The interior helm position is fairly compact yet remains practical. Sadly there is only a single adjustable helm seat, so if you are driving from down below there is a lack of forward facing seating for passengers. We also noted that there is no side-opening window next to the helm. With limited dash space, electronic equipment is mounted overhead or on brackets above the console. Standard navigation extras included a Raytheon R10X Radar, an Autohelm GPS and ST500 Autopilot, much of which is still in situ on many boats. This original equipment may still be operative, but for serious

navigation you might want to consider upgrading, which may be a costly exercise. When it comes to storage in the saloon, Sealine has really utilised every void and crevice. There is a clever pull out chart table in the forward bulkhead, opposite the helm. There are also two large lockers beneath the helm. One of these is shelved, and ideal for galley storage, the other, which is directly under the seat, has a single shelf and is useful for larger items. The hinged-front locker on the outer end of the aft dinette seat is perfect for those portable galley electrical items, such as the kettle and toaster, and the large top opening locker in the helm footwell is huge. The dinette backrest hinges to reveal storage for both the cockpit and saloon tables, and there are also two deep lockers in the dinette seat bases. The hot water tank can be found by lifting out the base of the aft dinette storage locker. This base is quite thick and heavy, a good example of the sturdy construction of this boat. The boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s batteries are also on the port side

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The master cabin (left) has ensuite access to the toilet compartment and the mid cabin (above) has a double running aft

and are accessible via this same locker, or by lifting the aft saloon floor hatch. This is also where you will find the water tank. Moving forward, and down two steps, leads you to the boats two cabins and toilet. The toilet compartment is outstanding for a boat of this size, there is loads of space, and two portholes allow plenty of light in. It has a sink with a shower attachment, a large storage locker and a sea toilet. The compartment is lined with a marble-effect veneer and surfaces are edged with wood. It looks a little dated now, but is perfectly functional. The forward master cabin has a spacesaving offset double with storage on the port side. This comprises of a large, shelved wardrobe and a dressing table unit. We have seen an aftermarket infill added here to bridge the gap in front of

the dresser cupboards, thus increasing the beds width. The mid cabin has a small wardrobe, a crawl-in fore and aft double berth, and a single settee. Standing and dressing space is limited but usable. There are a few general things to look out for when viewing the interior. The metal-framed windows have been known to leak, so it is worth inspecting any interior surfaces around these for signs of water damage. As the interior wood is veneer coated, serious leaks can cause the surface to lift away, and varnished surfaces might be cracked or stained. The cabin linings have been known to become saggy as the glue gets old. The original woven upholstery may be wearing in areas, this might be especially noticeable in the dinette and on the helm seat. When the model changed to the 320 in

April 2015

1994 320 £39,950 (featured) Twin Mercruiser 180hp diesels Bray Marine Sales 01628 773177 www.thamesboatsales.com

The toilet compartment is generous and has a shower

1990 310 £34,950 Twin Volvo Penta 146hp petrols Norfolk Yacht Agency 01603 211033 www.nya.co.uk

1993, there were only a few cosmetic changes to the interior. Noticeably the 310 has the veneered wood finish in the galley while the 320 usually has a charcoal grey worktop. Flybridge Up on the flybridge there are two forward facing bench seats, ideal for seating four to six people. While these seats are great for going along, the flybridge is not the most social of places when the boat is static. The 305 Statesman had the same seating format and as a result, we know of at least one owner who replaced the forward seat with three separate seats, each one able to spin 360 degrees. Perhaps this is something that could be repeated on the 310/320. Access to the flybridge is via a ladder, but it’s not very tall and there is no hole to crawl through in the flybridge floor, which makes

1993 320 £46,995 Twin Mercruiser 180hp diesels Sussex Boat Shop 01243 514292 www.sussexboatshop.co.uk

1991 310 £42,950 Twin Volvo AD31 130hp diesels Network Yacht Brokers 01758 701222 www.networkyachtbrokers.co.uk

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A central helm position offers a great view. Options for mounting new navigation equipment are limited

it a lot easier. You will need to watch your head on the radar arch though. The only thing it would benefit from is a grabhold on the right at the top of the ladder, as you instinctively grab hold of the aft seat backrest. Aft Cockpit The cockpit has an L-shaped seat and a pedestal table that slots into the floor. The transom section of the aft bench pulls out to form a sunpad. This area could be used as an occasional under-canopy double berth. Check that the sunpad infill cushion is somewhere onboard, this goes for all other infill cushions too. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find that the boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cockpit

The flybridge has two large bench seats

canopy, if original, slopes down at an angle to the transom. This makes it impossible to sit up in the cockpit seating area. Owners may have modified this by having a hoop made so the canopy falls straighter. Canopy replacement can be costly but it is worth spending time and money getting it right, as it will transform the boat. Panels that allow access to the side decks when the canopy is up are another useful modification. The gas locker is on the starboard side and houses just one small gas bottle, which is something to bear in mind if you are planning to cook onboard a lot. The self draining anchor locker could be used to store a spare if needed. On deck The side deck width is very good, considering the size of boat, and they are one level all the way forward. Getting out onto the side decks from the cockpit can be a little precarious but is something that you will get used to. The stanchions finish at the saloon window and there is little to hold on to when the canopy is up. Even with the cockpit canopy off, this move would be made easier by placing grabrails

April 2015

The boat looks sharp and poised with the canopies off. Sealine Davits were a £365 option in 1994

each side, either high on the outside (through the canopy) or on the aft–facing edges of the flybridge radar arch. The bathing platform has moulded side hips, which might hinder stepping on and off when alongside, but the transom door is ideal for stern-to berthing. A dinghy hanging in the optional davits would hinder access to the bathing platform, something to think about if you want to carry a tender this way. Hull and Handling The Sealine 310 is often praised for its seakeeping, although being small and light it will need careful handling in a decent head sea. Like other high sided sterndrive powered flybridge boats it will be very susceptible to the wind when manouvering at close quarters. Owners will often remove the canopy to help reduce the windage. A bow thruster was never an option on these boats, but may have been fitted subsequently. It would certainly be a useful feature to find on

a prospective purchase. At speed, the boat will be susceptible to crosswinds, so you will need to use the trim tabs and adjust the power trim to keep it running flat. We would recommend checking the operation of these on a seatrial. Be aware that sterndrive flybridge boats are also characteristically tippy at speed, and so having a full compliment of passengers on the flybridge could make the ride uncomfortable. Many early 90’s Sealines will be fitted with the US style four lever control system with separate throttle and gear levers at

Canopies can be redesigned with more headroom

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This 1994 320 is fitted with twin MerCruiser 3.6DL 180hp diesels

each helm. These will require practice by someone more used to the usual throttle and shift levers but once you master them, they become very intuitive. Sealine models of this era sported vinyl stripes. On the 310 and 320 these are just below the gunnel and above the side decks. Early 90’s boats had the red and turquoise stripes, while by the mid 90’s, boats had blue and turquoise. If these have become tatty or scuffed, replacements are available through companies such as Seabridge Marine. Alternatively, total removal will often result in a cleaner, modern look.

V8 petrol engines as well as five and six cylinder diesels providing 150 and 180hp respectively. Later in the production run the Volvo AD31 was uprated to 150hp. Providing you take all the necessary precautions, running a petrol boat needn’t be expensive. Today these engines are regarded as reliable and quieter than the diesel equivalents. The engines should still offer a top speed in the region of 30 knots, and 1.5mpg at cruising speeds of approximately 20-22 knots. They should use around one gallon an hour at river speeds. Twin 130hp AD31’s were the cheapest Engines diesel option for this model. According The first 310’s were offered with various to Sealine’s brochures the twin 130hp Volvo Penta petrol and diesel engines. setup would have given 26 knots flat out Twin petrol options were V6 205hp 431’s, However, we would consider these engines or V8 229hp 501’s. Diesel options included slightly underpowered for this 4-5 ton a single 230hp KAD42, twin 130hp flybridge boat, making examples with the AD31’s or twin 200hp AD41’s. Volvo larger engines more desirable. We would powered boats were fitted with Volvo expect cruising speeds in the region of 16 290 sterndrives often with duo props. knots from these versions. Twin AD41’s Sealine were offering MerCruiser petrol were the most expensive options, costing and diesel options as well as Volvo in the between £80-£95k originally. These boats 320 model. The choices included V6 and should still offer speeds around 30 knots 48

April 2015

today. Alternatively a 320 fitted with twin MerCruiser 3.6DL 180hp diesels should give a cruising speed of 22 knots. The single KAD42 version is an interesting concept, if one was ever built. It won’t be the fastest boat, but it would be a clever choice for buyers looking for a flybridge cruiser for inland use and occasional coastal work. There will certainly be savings when it comes to servicing. A bow thruster would be a prerequisite for a single engine model, we think. The cheapest boats now will be petrol, while the larger diesels will be the most expensive. Diesel MerCruiser examples are fairly common but Volvo engines seem to be more sought after by the buying public, and therefore these boats tend to command a higher price. Re-engining is not uncommon and we know of a least one twin-petrol example that was re-engined with a pair of 170hp Volvo Penta KAD32s, an expensive but

nice transplant. With the cockpit hatches lifted, there is plenty of room to work on the engines. Getting the hatches open may require an extra pair of hands. Inspect the gas struts as they have been known to rust. The fuel tanks are located in the engine bay, outside of each engine. Check these carefully for corrosion and leaks. At just two gallons more each, the 320 has slightly larger fuel tanks. Conclusion The Sealine 310 and 320 is an ideal starter flybridge. It’s great value for money and the interior layout is perfect for a couple, with or without kids. We would argue that today this boat still looks fairly modern when compared to some of its 90’s rivals. Buy a good one, and you will struggle to find anything else that will give you this amount of boat for the money.

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 305 Statesman 1986-1989

Prices £25,000- £35,000

Length 32ft Beam 10ft 8in A re-incarnation of the 30 with the two layouts, but has a useful transom door Buy one (pictured) 1988 £29,995 www.farndonmarina.co.uk

F33 1994-2003

Prices £65,000 - £80,000

Length 34ft 6in Beam 11ft Slightly wider than the 310 Statesman but offers the same galley-up, two-cabin layout Buy one (pictured) 1999 £79,500 www.tingdeneboatsales.net

F34 2003-2009

Prices £100,000 - £125,000

Length: 37ft Beam: 11ft The last incarnation of Sealine’s 30ft plus flybridge. It features an extending cockpit Buy one (pictured) 2004 £99,500 www.clippermarine.co.uk

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April 2015

Motorboat Owner

£1K

CHALLENGE

PROJECT Mayland 16

ith the weather improving just enough, I have been able to get outside and tackle some fibreglass repairs on Olive this month. The issues we had were all based around the cabin bulkhead. When we got the boat there was a fuse board, a radio cassette player and a couple of speakers mounted through the bulkhead, and then there were lots and lots of holes, from just a couple of millimetres in diameter up to a couple of centimetres. One or two of these holes had been further damaged with cracked and

jagged edges to the surrounding fibreglass. All in all, the bulkhead was a mess. To repair these properly, ie to make the bulkhead look factory fresh again, would be time consuming and costly. Luckily we are just trying to improve it cosmetically and ensuring that, when we stay on board later this year, we have a degree of comfort. Basically we just need to keep the weather out. As the rest of the boat’s interior, both cockpit and cabin, have been painted, I didn’t need to provide a flawless, perfectly

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

matched gelcoat finish. Basically I bunged the holes up, flattened them off, filled and faired them and then painted over the whole bulkhead. The results might not win a concours competition, but it looks considerably better than it did, and will help ensure the cabin remains warm and dry. One good thing about messing around with Olive is that I am not scared to experiment. It would be quite an achievement to make the boat any worse, and this means I can try things out that I might otherwise be too nervous to do. One example was what release agent I was going to use on my fibreglass work. The larger holes were patched with GPR matting, and this meant using a flat mould on the outside to provide a nice flat finish. Usually this mould is coated in a special release wax, something I didn’t have, and something I didn’t want to spend any of our dwindling budget on. A search on the Internet led me to understand that fibreglass does not stick to cling film and

“The bulkhead was a bit of a mess with holes left from old equipment”

thus it can be used as a releasing agent by covering the mould with it. I can report that it does indeed work. When it came to the fibreglass, resin and hardener I also looked for a cost effective option. The answer came in the form of a Fastglas fibreglass repair kit from Halfords. They do a small and large kit, the former being £9.99 and the latter £12.99. For the sake of £3 I bought the large kit, but in hindsight the small one would have been adequate for our needs. The chopped strand fibreglass mat that the kit contains is very heavy duty, possibly too heavy, and not something I would want to use on a more delicate job that needed a better finish, but for the job in hand it was good enough. I was also fortunate this month in that I already had the rest of the consumables in the garage BEFORE left over from previous jobs, including fibreglass paste, marine filler and bilge paint, so it’s been a very cheap month. The following is the method I used, but there are many ways of carrying out such repairs, and many ways of doing it much better. I didn’t use gelcoat, as I knew the end result was going to be painted anyway, but where you need a perfect non-painted finish you would apply gelcoat to the mould before adding the matting. You would also need a much smoother mould than that created by using cling film, so you would have to invest in some proper mould release wax and, of course, you will need to ensure that you colour match the The bulkhead was full of holes that needed fixing gelcoat. 52

April 2015

On the outside of the repair, all the edges were ground back, and the holes slightly countersunk

I then covered some Perspex with cling film and taped and wedged it in place on the outside of the repair 7

This was used to cut out a piece of matting exactly the right size to fit into the hole. A larger piece was also cut to go over the repair, and onto the surrounding fibreglass

On the inside, the area around the repair was ground back to clean fibreglass and tapered slightly in towards the damage 5

For the small repairs, notably the holes less than a couple of centimetres, I simply filled them from the inside with fibreglass paste 8

I then mixed a suitable quantity of resin and hardener. I used about 200ml for this job, which was just about the right amount

The whole area was wiped down with acetone to remove any dust and grime. The dust from grinding gets everywhere 6

For the larger holes I started by making a template of the hole using some clear polythene

The smaller piece of matting was fully wetted with resin. Thick matting like this needs doing both sides to ensure it is properly coated

Motorboat Owner ÂŠ Digital Marine Media Ltd

With the first piece in position, the whole of the ground back area was wetted with resin

Then the larger piece of matting was infused with resin and laid over the whole repair area and stippled to remove any air from beneath it

Once cured, about an hour later, the wedges, tape and cling film covered Perspex were removed

Unsurprisingly I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t manage to get a perfect finish with this method, so after grinding back a couple of high spots I applied a layer of marine filler

This was flattened with some 240 grade sandpaper once it had set. I used a bit more hardener so I was able to sand about half an hour after application

After sanding I marked a few small imperfections that required a second attempt and repeated the process

After two lots of filling and fairing I was happy with the result. The rectangular hole has been left, as the fuse panel will be going back into it

The inside was given a quick tickle up with some sandpaper but as this is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;matâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; side of the bulkhead, the repair should blend in nicely once painted

The outside was finished with the Flag Bilge Paint we used in the cockpit, and inside with Premier Paints Bilge Paint as previously used in the cabin

April 2015

AFTER

The finished bulkhead. It’s not perfect, but it’s far removed from where we started. The door was also painted while it was off so it would match the bulkhead

For painting we used the remnants of our Flag and Premier Paints bilge paint

Little else has progressed on Olive this month. I have advanced the boat’s electrical system on a theoretical level. That is, I have drawn up a basic wiring diagram and am currently deciding how to install what we need for the smallest outlay we can. Luckily we will be reusing some of the kit, and even the wiring, that was onboard when we bought the boat. I The boat’s electrics have been started in as much also have a garage full of bits and bobs and as we have a wiring diagram and a list of parts off cuts of wires so hopefully we can get it done without spending too much money. Motorboat This month’s spend We’ll bring you the full low-down on that £1K next month. Owner

CHALLENGE

Fibreglass repair kit £12.99 Monthly Total £12.99

Total to date: £897.94 Budget remaining: £102.06 The mast and handrails have been removed ready from some restoration and varnishing

Time spent this month

11hours 30 minutes

Total time to date

125 hours 15 minutes

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

PERSONALISED PRODUCTS We can supply hand held dry powder, foam, CO2 or water mist extinguishers in all sizes personalised with your boat name, make, model and logo Price from £12.00 PREMIUM RANGE Anything from the standard or engine room ranges using high quality, corrosion resistant stainless steel cylinders. Price from £120

sales@firemonkeyltd.co.uk

A cost effective range of hand held dry powder, foam, CO2 and water mist extinguishers from 1kg/litre to 9kg/litre and a selection of fire blankets from 1m2 to 1.8m2. Price from £10.00

ENGINE ROOM SYSTEMS Build your own engine room system from a large selection of components. 1kg/litre to 50kg/litre, foam, CO2, dry powder, FM200 and water mist. Manual, automatic or electronic activation. Price from £100

08452 177574

BOAT FIRE SYSTEMS

STANDARD RANGE

March 2014

Motorboat Owne r

Cruise in C ompa n y

Cruise in Company 2015 Programme

Cruise in Company Channel Islands & France Cruise

31st May - 13th June

Cruising in company is a great way to

broaden your experience, expand your cruising horizons and build confidence. It also offers great security for those venturing offshore for the first time. Our team will be there before, during and after each passage, offering a helping hand and assistance whenever it is needed. We make all of the arrangements for the cruise, leaving you free to turn up and enjoy your holiday.

Where

The first cruise will depart from the Solent and take in the French ports of Cherbourg, Dielette, Carteret and Granville, and the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey with opportunities to visit Herm and Sark. Our second cruise will be departing from Ramsgate and will be taking in Dunkirk and ports along France’s Opal Coast in this, the 75th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.st

Dunkirk & Opal Coast Cruise 2nd - 15th August

Where can I find out more information? Simply log into your account at motorboatowner.co.uk and download the February magazine from the back issues section. Page 60 and 61 provides full details. Alternatively just call Claire Frew on 01268 922993, or send us an email at cruise@motorboatowner.co.uk

How do I book?

Just drop us an email expressing your interest and we’ll send you an application form. Email cruise@motorboatowner.co.uk

Carteret is a stunning fishing harbour to the west of the Cherbourg peninsula

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USED BOAT

SECOND LOOK

Hardy 27 1996 ‘Legacy’

have often heard it said that your first boat is only ever any good for focusing the mind on what you want out of your second boat. I don’t necessarily agree, but I can see some logic to it. We are, after all, often attracted to a certain boat simply because of how it looks, and many people buy their first boat purely on that basis, as they simply have nothing else to really consider. For those looking to buy their first boat, and who don’t want to make a mistake, or for those who have

followed that well trodden route and are now looking for their second boat, let me introduce you to the Hardy 27, ‘Legacy’. The 27 was launched in 1992 and was in production until 1998. This particular 27 is 1996 vintage, making it one of the later versions of the model. Back in 1996, the 27 was offered with three single, and two twin-engine options, all on a shaft drive configuration and all Volvo Penta. The smallest option was a single 59hp MD22, but Legacy’s first owner went to

April 2015

FOR SALE

£39,950

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

the other end of the list and chose twin 78hp TMD22’s, with 1350 hours recorded on the port engine and 929 hours on the starboard. Newer boats were available with up to 200hp, courtesy of a pair of 100hp Yamnars. So what makes Legacy an ideal first or second boat? To put it quite simply, it is one of the most sensible sub 30 foot boats I have ever stepped aboard. Seriously, this boat feels like it was designed to be used, and designed to look after whoever was using it, whatever the conditions. It may not have the sleekest lines, it certainly isn’t fast, but Legacy has the feel of a little ship, so much so that it’s hard to believe that it’s only just over eight metres overall. I have a feeling that I may just overuse the word ‘practical’ in this feature, so I’ll get my apologies in now but it’s a word that sums up Legacy better than anything else. You step aboard Legacy over the bathing platform. This is a useful size and houses the boat’s gas locker, which contains a

Easy access through the transom into a spacious cockpit with 6ft headroom beneath the canopy

pair of 907 sized Camping Gaz bottles. If ever there was a safest possible place to put a gas locker, this is it, the first of many The cockpit seating has been modified to provide practical features this Hardy boasts. A transom gate makes the cockpit children a full width bench or sun lounger

April 2015

and pet safe and, once inside, you are faced with a huge expanse of space to do with what you wish. Devoid of anything it would make a perfect fishing deck, lift the transom seat and install the cockpit table and you have a nice outside seating and dining area for two or three people. There are some practical storage lockers low down in the cockpit coamings, which are considerably larger than their doors would have you believe. Legacy has got what looks to be a cleverly crafted aftermarket transom seat extension that, when put in place, extends the aft seating the full width of the boat. This obviously impacts on using the transom gate but greatly improves the social aspect of the cockpit either when stationary or underway. The cockpit is fully enclosed under a canopy that delivers full standing headroom. It is in good condition and will provide a good few years’ service before it needs replacement. Almost the entire cockpit floor lifts to gain access to the boat’s fuel and water tanks that take up just about the entire space. The hatch lifts from aft and, being so large, is quite heavy despite the gas strut assistance. There is little in the way of storage down here although a practically

The lazarette is full of water and fuel tanks, but still offers a small amount of storage

All four doors open up for a wheelshelter experience. The wood is in good condition

minded previous owner has built a useful plywood box at the aft end. This lazarette area is where you will also find the calorifier, water pump and primary fuel filters for the engines. Entrance into the boat is via a set of wood and glass doors. These can open in numerous ways from a slim single door opening, to all four opened and latched back to create a feeling of an open backed wheel shelter style boat. The wooden doors are in good condition but any future owner is going to have to commit to a level of ongoing maintenance here. The canopy will help preserve the finish, but ultimately the varnish will need doing again at some point. The wheelhouse is not massive but

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

USED BOAT

SECOND LOOK

A practical helm with double bench seat and clever temporary chart table

manages to pack a lot in. On the port side there is a single seat facing to starboard, and opposite, a three-seat bench facing port. These seats offer storage underneath, although the starboard one is full of the infills and cushions that turn this

The large sunroof allows good communications with foredeck crew and great visibilty forward 62

seating area into the boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second berth, a wheelhouse engulfing double. From new, Legacy would have been fitted with a single pedestal mounted helm seat set on a raised area of deck. This is another area that has been modified by a previous owner and now includes a double bench helm seat mounted on a box. This delivers two practical solutions, firstly it provides a second forward facing seat, something that the boat originally lacked, and secondly it provides some useful and easy to get to storage in the box below. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be put off by any of the modifications we found, on Legacy we had to look very closely to work out whether they were factory or aftermarket, such is the quality of the work. The wheelhouse has a sliding window on each side and a good sized sliding roof section overhead. These, together with the rear doors provide a host of options for all weathers. Headroom in the wheelhouse ranges from just under 6ft, to around 6ft 4in beneath the sunroof. At the helm, Legacy has a Standard Horizon VM3500E VHF, a Garmin

April 2015

The starboard seating transforms into a wheelhouse engulfing occasional double berth

GPSMAP 450 plotter a Raytheon RL80C plotter/radar unit connected to a 2kw radome, an Autohelm Bi-Data speed and depth display and an EchoPilot FLS Bronze forward looking sounder. There is also the control panel for the Eltrim trim tabs. The tabs are in working order but checks should be made to the externally mounted motors and their rubber boots to ensure that water hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t found its way inside. The aftermarket double helm seat is a little too high for me so may need lowering a touch, especially if the buyer is on the tall side. The location of the VHF makes it a bit awkward for the person sitting to port, as it gets in the way of

your knees. Forward visibility over the starboard bow is a little compromised by the large RL80C, but with the small Garmin unit perfectly placed in front of the helm, the Raytheon display could safely be removed and just installed when the radar is required. The helm has one or two areas where old instruments have been removed, leaving small wire and mounting holes, but these could easily be repaired. With the sunroof open the helmsman can stand with their head out of the roof for unrestricted visibility forward, and easy communications with foredeck crew. In poor weather a pair of pantograph wipers sweep a decent arc to

Motorboat Owner ÂŠ Digital Marine Media Ltd

USED BOAT

SECOND LOOK

keep visibility as good as possible. A noticeable omission at the helm is a chart table, but again there is a practical solution. A piece of edged ply cleverly fixes in over the companionway steps to create a flat surface area that could be used for chart work, or simply somewhere to put down your mug of tea. Obviously with this in place access to the lower accommodation is restricted although, with care, still possible. The engines are located below the wheelhouse deck and access comes in three levels. For simple daily checks of oil, water and belts, and to top up oil and water if required, there is a small removable floor panel over the front of each engine. To get access to the port one you have to remove the double

Engine access options are threefold, depending upon the level of work required 64

There is currently no oven, but we think one could be fitted wth a bit of modification

helm seat, easy enough due to the way it was designed as long as there is not too much weight stored inside it, then lift a hatch in the top of the raised helm section. Access to the rear of the engines is via a single floor panel at the aft end of the wheelhouse. This provides good access to the raw water strainers, batteries, gearbox dipsticks, stern glands and the raw water impellors, which are unusually mounted on the aft end of the engines. For full engine access you need to remove the two bench seats, and the raised helm section, all of which come out easily, and remove all of the floor panels. Three steps lead down into the boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accommodation. The steps themselves are a work of art and offer clever and practical storage, including a nicely crafted bits and bobs tray. To starboard is the galley comprising a two-burner gas hob and grill. There is no oven currently onboard Legacy, but if you wanted one, I think it would be possible to fit a small oven and hob combination unit by utilising the shelf space directly under the current arrangement. You may need to forego the practical pan fiddles to ensure that the lid still closes and you retain the useful work surface that this offers. Next to the

April 2015

(left) View aft from the bow. (below) The toilet compartment is compact but very usable

hob is a single sink that comes with a cover to provide a flat work surface when not is use. An electric fridge is mounted aft of the sink in a raised section above the companionway steps. This makes the fridge much easier to use than one mounted at floor level. Above the fridge is a drainer, a bit unusual being on a completely separate level to the sink but again a practical solution where space is limited. Storage in the galley is plentiful with cupboards behind the worktop, a large cupboard beneath the sink, the space within the companionway steps and, another owner modification, a box just in front of the raised dinette area. This box doubles as a step up into the dinette and, like other mods on this boat, is hard to tell apart from factory fit. The galley and surrounding area offers 6 ft standing headroom and, even further forward in the raised dinette area, the headroom remains very generous. Opposite the galley is the toilet compartment. This is actually quite

compact but does contain everything you need, including a shower. Headroom is a bit tight, at just 5ft 9in, but the loftier boat owner could always shower sitting down. Considering this is a 27ft boat, Hardy have done so well in all other areas that I think they can be forgiven here. There is a decent sized storage cupboard inside the toilet compartment, and inside this you’ll find the changeover valve for the holding tank. A valve that you can use whilst sitting on the toilet, if that’s not practical I don’t know what is. The heads has a small opening porthole for ventilation and a waterproof curtain for privacy. Just outside the toilet compartment is the boat’s main control panel. This houses the battery shut offs, tank gauges, AC and DC fuse panels and the controls for the boat’s Webasto heating system. The previous owner fitted a clever Adverc battery monitoring system, and the control panel for this is also located here.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

USED BOAT

SECOND LOOK

Legacy’s exterior looks to be in good condition. The blue stripe has been wrapped

The forward part of the saloon is given over to the raised dinette. This converts into the boat’s main sleeping area, either as a double, with the table removed and an infill pulled out from the bow section, or as two singles. The starboard single, or starboard side of the double, is much shorter than the port side, but as long as you aren’t both six footers this shouldn’t be a problem. There is some storage beneath the dinette, which is complemented by two half height hanging lockers, one on each side aft of the dinette seating. The lower accommodation has

The boat’s main berth is the dinette. This could be left permanently made up when on board 66

four eye level windows, two of which include small sliding opening sections, and an overhead hatch. The overhead hatch has been fitted with blackout material, probably because without a curtain it would let in too much light in the mornings. The ports allow enough light into the cabin during the day and are all fitted with curtains for nocturnal privacy. Forward deck access is aided by steps in the cockpit up to the side decks on either side. Here practical features abound, with wide decks, substantial toe rails, and stanchions with guard rails all the way forward. There are grab rails on the wheelhouse roof and also on the roof of the lower accommodation. Up front the foredeck is sunken with an anchor locker in the floor. On the raised section of foredeck a sturdy looking anchor winch is attached to a decent sized plough type anchor. Up here is where the boat feels most ‘little ship’ like. Turn and take a look back at the boat from the bow and it just looks so serious, so purposeful, so

April 2015

practical. The hull appears to be in good condition. The blue stripe has been covered with a vinyl wrap, no doubt due to the original gelcoat fading. This looks to have been done pretty well, and is only really noticeable when you get up close. There is a small area or two of very minor stress cracking, but no serious digs or scrapes to the topsides that we could see. The two 78hp Volvo Penta TMD22 engines should provide Legacy with a cruising speed of approximately 8 knots at around 3000rpm. If it is going to kept on a river, it will tick over effortlessly to deliver the 4 or 5 knots needed to stay within the speed limit at around 1500rpm, returning around 4-5mpg. Take her out to sea and you will find a top speed of around 12 knots, although pushing the semi displacement hull through the water at this sort of speed will have quite an adverse effect on the fuel consumption. We spoke with the previous owner of Legacy who confirmed a tidal waters economy or approximately 2.5mpg at 8 knots. Legacy doesn’t have a bow thruster, but with twin engines, a decent keel and a good grip in the water from her three foot draft, close quarters manoeuvring should be stress free.

you will really appreciate the seriousness of a Hardy 27. You’ll understand that all the great practical features that Legacy has to offer add up to a boat that will do just about everything you want, and keep you safe, dry and warm while doing so. It will also do it while delivering running costs that will turn most other boaters green with envy. A boat that is affordable to run, what could be more practical than that?

Boat Name: Legacy Make/Model: Hardy 27 Year: 1996 Engine: 2 x

Volvo Penta TMD22 78hp diesels

LOA: 27ft 2in / 8.28m Beam: 9ft 4in / 2.85m Displacement: 3300kg Fuel: 455 litres Water: 455 litres Norfolk Boat Sales 01603 781178 www.norfolkboatsales.co.uk

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

SPECIFICATIONS

Conclusion If you aren’t swayed by sleek lines, adverts full of semi clad beauties and you’d rather not have the wind in your hair and a face full of salt spray, you really should look at a boat like Legacy. If you have realized that boating in the UK is less about sipping cocktails in a T-shirt as the sun goes down, and more about wearing foulies just to go and use the marina facilities,

Is it really only 27 ft? The view from the bow is of a ‘little ship’ of larger proportions

USED BOAT

SECOND LOOK

tested Scrubbis

PRICE

The battle against fouling is constant. While antifouling paint does an excellent job most of the time, it is not uncommon to still suffer from enough fouling that it starts to affect our speed and fuel consumption. Scrubbis is a product that is designed to supplement your paint with a simple manual scrub of your boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underwater hull sections. It consists of a soft spongy head on an angled pole that extends to up to 3 metres in length. The head also comes with an optional hard scraping blade to work on more stubborn fouling. To use it, you move along the length of the boat, scrubbing and wiping away any fouling as you go. It is suggested that Scrubbis is used regularly to keep fouling in check and deal with it before it gets too bad, or in the case of barnacles, before they grow their hard shell. We had the chance to try Scrubbis on a Sealine that had sufficient growth on the hull that it would not get up on the plane, despite being antifouled last summer. The

BEFORE

AFTER

The dark antifoul is coated with a thick green slime. The result above shows patches of fouling remain but is vastly improvement

ÂŁ80.39

growth was soft, just the sort of thing Scrubbis was meant for. The positive buoyancy of Scrubbis, said to be 2kg, makes it a little difficult to initially push under the hull. Once there, the buoyancy works in your favour by keeping the sponge firmly against the underside of the boat. Pushing backwards and forwards is very easy work, and you quickly cover large areas. The Scrubbis info suggests a 30-35 foot boat can be scrubbed in 20 minutes. I would say this is a bit optimistic, maybe 20 minutes per side, plus some time to spin the boat around. It certainly works, as soon as I started scrubbing, the water filled with loose bits of fouling. I found that on a planing hulled motorboat, with hard chines and spray rails, it was difficult to know if I was getting into all of the angles. My feeling is that it would work better and easier on a smoother hull form, such as those found on sailing boats or fully displacement The scrubbing head can be damaged on hard objects

April 2015

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

motorboats, although an eroding antifoul paint typically used in these hull types may not stand up to regular scrubbing as well as a hard paint. It is said that with regular use you could forgo antifouling paint altogether. The other slight issue was that to get under the hull from the side, the boat needed to be about three feet away from the pontoon. Again this is specific to a hard chine hull form. The easiest way to achieve this we found was to moor on the leeward side of a pontoon and ease the boat away on the warps allowing the wind to keep it in place. We did find, when we caught it on the trim tabs, that the head was easily damaged if used around hard edges. I would imagine a good coating of barnacles would make short work of destroying it. Used regularly, Scrubbis recommend once or twice a month, and I think you would keep fouling down to an absolute minimum. Of course, you can’t see what you are scrubbing so you are operating blind in this respect. This means you will almost certainly miss the odd bit but, used regularly, any bits missed on one occasion would probably get scrubbed the next time and overall the hull should remain pretty clean. Motorboat Owner About a week after “A useful tool in our scrub, the test the battle against boat was lifted and fouling” we were able to see exactly how Scrubbis Value 4/5 had performed. You Usability 4/5 Performance 3/5 can see from the

The boat was lifted a week afterwards and the results were patchy but very visible

pictures that the flat areas of the hull are free of fouling and the blue antifoul is showing through. There are, however, lines of fouling still relatively untouched around the sharp corners of the spray rails. It may be possible, with practice, to perfect a way of using Scrubbis to minimise these areas, and even with my first attempt it is clearly evident that I have removed fouling from around 90% of the area I scrubbed. I have seen similar items for sale at quite a high price, but the Scrubbis is available in the UK for around £70. That’s not a lot of money, especially if by using it a few times a year you save yourself the cost of even a single lift out. Don’t forget that even a very thin layer of slime will increase fuel consumption so, without even noticing the effects, a Scrubbis could easily earn its keep in a single season. On that basis I would recommend the Scrubbis as a worthwhile purchase. It’s not perfect, but it is a cost effective tool in the battle against fouling and increased fuel costs. Contact: Marine & Industrial LLP www.marineindustrial.co.uk

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Sea Ray 305 Sundancer

April 2015

BOAT TEST

Length (LOA): 10.14m / 33ft 3in Beam: 2.84m / 9ft 3in Displacement: 3900kg Fuel capacity: 378 litres Water capacity: 106 litres RCD category: B Engine as tested: 1 x MerCruiser 4.2L TDi 335hp diesel Other engine options: 1 x Yanmar 6LPA 283hp diesel, 2 x 4.3L MerCruiser 220hp, 2 x 5.0L MerCruiser 260hp Price with MerCruiser TDi £138,406

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

f you are in the market for a new 30 foot open sportscruiser the choice has never been more limited. There is no Sealine or Fairline, and the multitude of US brands available on this side of the pond seem to have dwindled. Even Bayliner do not currently offer a 30 footer in their cruiser range. Those that do still produce them often seem to leave them in the shadows of their hard top counterpart. Aquador, for example, build an open version of their 30ST, but I can’t remember seeing a 30DC at a show in the UK. There are a few builders sticking with it, such as Bavaria with their 29 Sport, Rinker and the 310, the Regal 30 Express, the Four Winns V305, and the Larson Cabrio 315 but I think you’ll agree that the ubiquitous 30 foot sportscruiser of the 90’s seems to feel like a bit of an endangered species. Now I like hardtop boats as much as

the next man, and they are often very handsome boats, but I do still enjoy the thrill of the wind in the hair, and the sun on the bald spot experience that a true sportscruiser delivers, so much so that I actually own one. Sea Ray is a company that has stuck with the 30 foot sportscruiser through thick and thin. I can’t remember a time when they didn’t have one in their line up, and the

April 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A clever cockpit, a separate mid cabin and diesel power give this boat great Brit appealâ&#x20AC;?

A walk through windscreen provides access to the foredeck. The aft cockpit provides a versatile mix of lounging and seating opportunities

latest is this version of the 305 Sundancer. Conversely the 305 is also available with a hardtop, but we think the open boat is by far the prettier model, and the right one to go for. Last year we tested the 265 and in many ways the 305 could well be its slightly larger twin. The cockpit and cabin layouts are very similar, with just a few extra

features and a bit more space on the 305 model. To start with the 305 comes with a separate mid-berth cabin to provide complete privacy and separation between the two sleeping areas. This cabin is a master class in mid cabin berth design on this size boat. There is, of course, a generous double berth, and it comes with a decent amount of height above the

A hidden backrest midway along the port seating is a useful feature Motorboat Owner ÂŠ Digital Marine Media Ltd

The mid cabin is as good as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find on any 30ft sportscruiser

headboard end to reduce the enclosed feeling that mid berths sometimes have. There is also a useful amount of standing space and a small seated area to help when getting changed into your PJs. There is a half height hanging locker and a convenient storage shelf above the headboard to take care of your clothes and bags, and a well placed pair of reading lights above the bed. Perhaps the best feature of this cabin though is the natural light, something that is often in short supply in mid berths. There is the usual eye level opening porthole, and another opening port onto the cockpit, but the 305 also has a frosted glass panel overhead that lets in light from beneath the windscreen, and the door to the cabin contains frosted panels to allow yet more light in from the main cabin. This is a mid cabin that you would be happy to spend some time in. A compact but practical toilet compartment In the bow, the second sleeping area with plenty of natural light 74

April 2015

With no permanent berth in the bow, the Sea Ray has a very Euro friendly feel to the layout

is provided by the convertible dinette. Many US sportscruisers of this size have a permanent berth in the bow, and a separate dinette aft. I think this layout works best, especially when there is usually only going to be two people on board, and the mid cabin is as good as this one. As a dinette, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a useful size with a table that you should be able to squeeze four around. As a berth, it provides a generous double. There is, as you would expect, storage beneath the seats, and this can be accessed through hatches on the front, rather than having to lift the cushions. There are also some high level lockers and some open shelf space forward. Aft of the dinette is the galley. Our test boat was fitted with a microwave, sink and electric fridge, but no hob. A single burner hob is on the options list if required. There Motorboat Owner ÂŠ Digital Marine Media Ltd

is very good storage space in and around the galley with six lockers and open storage compartments in the galley unit itself, and more space beneath the bench seat opposite. This bench seat provides a

Frosted panels in the cabin doors allow light to flow through the boat

PERFORMANCE As tested 50% fuel 25% water 5 crew Force 4

RPM

useful sitting area if the forward berth is made up, or just extra seats for when you have extra bums on board. Opposite the entrance to the mid cabin is the boatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toilet compartment. This is compact but functional, with sink, shower and toilet. It has an opening port and, like the cabin, has a door with frosted panels to allow in extra light. The companionway leads you to the cockpit via a door with moulded steps for access to the foredeck, through an opening section of the windscreen. Like many sportscruisers of this size, the builders have chosen to forego sidedecks for greater internal volume. On a sportscruiser the cockpit is probably only second in importance to the driving experience and, looking at the 305, Sea Ray

650 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 3900

Knots LPH

GPH

MPG

2.7 4.8 7.1 8.8 13.3 20.3 26.3 31.5

0.31 0.77 1.50 2.99 6.47 8.82 11.5 15.2

8.71 6.23 4.73 2.94 2.06 2.30 2.29 2.07

1.4 3.5 6.8 13.6 29.4 40.1 52.2 68.9

Range Noise (nm)

724 518 393 245 171 191 190 172

69 73 75 81 85 87 89 91

seem to have got it just about right. There is the seating area with table aft, plus plenty of other sociable seating, much of which coverts into sun loungers if required, and, of course, you have the wet bar. The latter includes a second electric fridge, a small sink and a single burner electric/alcohol hob. This hob is a standard feature and goes a long way to explaining the lack of one down below. The helm to starboard has a single seat and, with the port side given over entirely to seating/ lounging, there is no other forward facing

April 2015

Our test boat was fitted with a single 335hp Mercruiser sterndrive diesel engine. The helm console is well laid out but lacks chartplotter space

“The boat cruises effortlessly at 20-26 knots, and provides a top speed of 31 knots” seat. With a backrest popping up midway along the port side seating, a second person can sit facing forwards, but will need to have their feet up on the seat. This is not a bad position to be in, in fact it’s very comfortable, but not ideal if you need a second pair of eyes out front looking for pots or other obstructions. The bathing platform, laid with optional teak like the cockpit, is huge, and includes a handy storage locker on the transom. External storage elsewhere is limited to a cupboard in the wet bar unit, and space down in the engine room. At the helm, the 305 delivers a good driving position, particularly with the bolster raised and taking up a leaning/semi standing stance. This position also offers good visibility forward, something that isn’t so great when seated. The helm layout on Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

our test 305 left nowhere for any additional electronics. There is a panel right in front of the helm that would be perfect for a mid size multi-function display, but it is currently filled with three engine instruments. I am sure with a bit of thought these could be relocated to free up this space. A nice touch is the retro style switch panel. This comes with old fashioned styled toggle switches, but with a modern twist, a little led in the end to indicate when it’s on. Switches like these would normally be very prone to accidental operation but the panel has some attractive protective loops to ensure that doesn’t happen. Our test boat was fitted with a single MerCruiser 335hp V8 TDi diesel, the newest engine to be added to the list of 305 power options. The other choices comprise of

twin V6 or V8 petrol engines, all from MerCruiser, or a single 283hp Yanmar diesel. Underway On the move the 305â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hull delivered a good solid ride. We were out in some quite choppy conditions and yet were still able to take the boat all the way through its rev range, without ever feeling like we had pushed it beyond its comfort zone. At 3000 rpm the boat cruised effortlessly at around 20 knots and at 3500rpm it felt almost as relaxed for 26 knots. Full throttle delivered 31.5 knots for 3900rpm. This was a little way short of the engines maximum revs of 4200rpm so there may be a little more to be had out of this combination with a change of props. Acceleration was good and mid range pick up great also, especially once you had the turbo spinning which you could hear happening at just over 2000rpm. Noise levels were acceptable at cruise settings, although they did become quite intrusive at full throttle. The power trim

The large transom locker is ideal for storing a shorepower cable and mooring lines

was barely required as the boat handled well in its full trim down position, with little to be gained by raising them in terms of speed or hull attitude. There was some evidence of ventilation in tight turns, but in reality a tall sportscruiser is not designed to be handled like a sportsboat, so the average owner is unlikely to be bothered by this. The boats height does deliver a level of wind induced lean and, while this would be easily corrected with trim tabs, the ones fitted to the 305 seemed not to be

April 2015

working, or at least had no effect. It’s not on the options list, but an auto trim tab system would definitely be beneficial. The electric throttle and shift provided a perfect degree of resistance, and the steering was precise and light. The one downside was that the area where you naturally placed your elbow had quite a sharp GRP corner, which wasn’t very comfortable in the long term. Conclusion The Sea Ray 305 delivers everything you would expect from an American 30ft sportscruiser and more. The internal layout is a bit more Euro friendly, and the diesel engine options will help keep running costs down, while retaining enough excitement

A wet bar in the cockpit has a fridge, a sink and an alcohol/electric hob as standard

and handling characteristics to justify its sportscruiser moniker. It may not be the cheapest option on the market, but it must rank as one of the best.

ENQUIRIES: Marina Marbella UK Ltd Tel: 01489 576676 www.marinamarbella.net YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Bayliner Ciera 8

Bavaria Sport 32

Larson Cabrio 315

LOA: 8.15m Beam: 2.55m Displacement: 3100kgs Enquiries: Bates Wharf 01932 571141 www.bateswharf.co.uk

LOA: 10.06m Beam: 3.31m Displacement: 6000kgs Enquiries: Clipper Marine 01489 550583 www.clippermarine.co.uk

LOA: 9.27m Beam: 3.2m Displacement: 4530kgs Enquiries: Gibbs Marine 01202 682457 www.gibbsboatsales.co.uk

While we wait for the Ciera 10 to be launched, there is the smaller, open plan Ciera 8 from Sea Ray’s sparring partner.

PRICE from £70,700

Available with a range of single and twin petrol or diesel engines, it’s similar to the 305 in length but has an extra half metre beam.

PRICE from £130,300

> NEXT MONTH Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

This 30ft sportscruiser has a US-style open plan interior, which has two doubles, separated by a dinette and galley area.

PRICE from £136,874

Jeanneau Velasco 37F

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

Beavis Marine/22 Bossoms/Isis

Princess/32 Antaris/550 Suzan

Langley/25’Fiesta Slipper Launch Rinker/266 Vee

Interboat/25 Interboat/22

1995 2005 | £9,950 £9,995 | 22ft/6.7m 16ft | 4.9m

1978 32.3ft/9.9m 2009 || £13,500 £10,995 || 18ft | 5.5m

2000 | £18,500 £24,750 | 26.5ft 25ft/7.6m 1997 | 8.1m

2009 | £31,000 £44,950 | 22ft 25.8ft/7.9m 2006 | 6.8m

A fantastic littleelectric boat foropen inland Classic inboard day waterways and nine estuary cruising. boat that seats people.

Well-maintained with large A great open day model boat that seats cockpit and great accommodation. six easily with overnight option.

Built to traditional specifications Large sociable cockpit with two but withberths a GRP&hull. double spacious dinette.

Open daysloop boat for 10seating people for with Beautiful with 10 toilet room, fridge, & bowthruster. people, perfect for river cruises.

Sealine/310 Ambassador Viking/26 Widebeam

Sheerline/950 Tri Cabin Marco/810

Broom/38 Ocean Sheerline/950 Tri Cabin

JL Pinder/English Barge Sheerline/1020

1994 £37,500 | 31.5ft/9.6m 2010 | £32,500 26ft | 7.9m

2006 2005 | £95,000 £35,000 | 31ft/9.4m 26.5ft | 8.1m

1998 || £95,000 £139,950| 31ft | 38.5ft/11.7m 2006 | 9.5m

2008 | £102,000 £140,000 | 33ft 75ft/22.9m 2007 | 10.6m

A cruiser, well suited Anfamily ideal sports river cruiser with 6 berths, for bothgalley river and coastal cruising. a large social cockpit.

An ideal river cruiser offering 4 High specification with full galley, berths in 2 cabins. good storage and large dinette.

6 berths 2 cabins plus lower in 2 Ideal riverincruiser offers 4 berths saloon,toilet 2 x heads and shower. cabins, shower & social cockpit.

A unique opportunity purchase Luxurious cruiser withto 6 berths in English double width barge. 3ancabins & very spacious cockpit.

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Visit www.gowiththeflow.life to be in with the chance to win a luxury boat trip along the Thames with picnic hamper

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W L NE DE O M

2004 SealiNe F34 2 x Volvo KAD 43

Call Port Solent £99,500 vat paiD

2009 SealiNe F42/5 2 x Volvo D6-435

Call Swanwick

£199,950 vat paiD

2015 Bavaria Sport 360 Coupe Call Swanwick 2 x Volvo D3-220 £218,601 iNC vat

2006 peDro mariN 30

Call Swanwick 1 x Perkins Sabre M92B £89,950 vat paiD

W NE DE L O M

NeW moDel 2015 Bavaria Sport 450 ht Call Swanwick 2 or 3 Cabins Available. IPS Drives Available 2 x Volvo D6-370

2013 SealiNe F42 2 x Volvo IPS600

From £275,000 eX taX

Call Swanwick £269,950 eX taX

Call Swanwick 1 x 5.0L Mercruiser £19,950 vat paiD 2000 maXum 2400 SCr

RE CE

DU D

BROKERAGE

The UK’s fastest growing brokerage 2008 FairliNe phaNtom 48 Call Swanwick 2 x Volvo D9-575 £349,950 vat paiD

2004 SealiNe S34 2 x Volvo KAD32

Over 200 bOats available Online

Call Swanwick £79,950 vat paiD

swanwiCk +44 (0)1489 550 583

gOsPOrt +44 (0)2393 510 433 POrt sOlent +44 (0)2393 510 434

iPswiCh +44 (0)1473 780 266 POOle +44 (0)1202 916 424

www.clippermarine.co.uk EMAIL: SALES@CLIPPERMARINE.CO.UK 2004 moNterey 248 lSC CuDDy Call Swanwick

1 x Volvo 5.7L Petrol £23,950 vat paiD

1997 WiNDy torNaDo 31 Call Swanwick £49,950 vat paiD 2 x Volvo AD31

laUnCh OFFer eXtenDeD - Clipper Marine shielD care package included Free on selected boats

FREE STORAGE ASHORE AVAILABLE – SUBJECT TO T&C’S sPeCialists in

2003 JeaNNeau preStige 32 Call Swanwick 2x Volvo KAMD 43 £84,950 vat paiD

2008 JeaNNeau preStige 42S Call Swanwick 2 x Volvo IPS500 £149,950 vat paiD

CE OI O CH F TW O 2005 FairliNe phaNtom 40 Call Swanwick 2 x Volvo TAMD63P £177,500 vat paiD

2006 SealiNe S34 2 x Volvo KAD32

2010 azimut 43 Call Swanwick 2 x Cummins QSB 5.9 £269,950 vat paiD

2015 Bavaria Sport 400 Coupe Call Swanwick 2 x Volvo D4-300 £275,552 iNC vat

2007 JeaNNeau Cap Camarat 625 Call Swanwick 1 x Suzuki 100 Outboard £19,950 vat paiD

2014 Bavaria virteSS 420 Fly Call Swanwick 2 x Volvo IPS600 £399,950 iNC vat

Call Swanwick £92,500 vat paiD

2013 Bavaria Sport 31 Call Swanwick £119,950 vat paiD 2 x Volvo D3-220

2008 SealiNe SC38 2 x Volvo D4-300

Call Swanwick £149,950 vat paiD

L SO

W L NE DE O M

2014 Bavaria Sport 32 Call Swanwick 2 x Volvo D3-220 £169,123 vat paiD

2006 Bavaria Sport 42 Call Swanwick £149,950 vat paiD 2 x Volvo IPS500

D RE

D RE 2013 SealiNe SC42 2 x Volvo D6-330

Call Swanwick £299,950 vat paiD

2002 priNCeSS 61 Call Swanwick 2 x MAN D2848 (800hp) £384,950 vat paiD

PENTON HOOK MARINE SALES www.thamesboatsales.co.uk USED BOATS

See the Sealine S330 & F380 at the following shows: Jersey Boat Show 1st – 4th May Poole Boat Show 9th – 10th May Hamble Point 15th – 17th May

NEW Sealine S330 £196,800 In Stock. Single Volvo Penta D6 330hp diesel. Lots of extras

NEW Sealine F380

2012 Fairline Squadron 42 £369,500 Twin Volvo D6 370hp Diesels Leather upholstery, full nav package

2009 Jetten 37AC £155,950 Single Yanmar 75hp Diesel. Great specification

2009/10 Sealine SC35 £149,950 Twin Volvo D4 260hp Diesels Great specifications

2007 Aquanaut EV1300 £399,000 Single Perkins 148hp Diesel. Spacious with 5 berths in 3 cabins

£129,950 1998 Sealine F43 Twin Volvo Penta 370hp Diesels. £134,950. Viewing Recommended

2012/13 Sealine C48

Penton Hook Marine Sales has been appointed agents for Four Winns. Please call to discuss your next boat

NEW Four Winns H180 £26,950 Single Mercruiser 135hp Petrol Bowrider with great social space

2008 Steven Vlet 1150 OC £134,950 Single Perkins 150hp diesel. Well respected steel cruiser

Penton Hook Marine Sales Ltd, Staines Road, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 8PQ

£343,754

March Delivery. Huge specification

Twin Volvo Penta D4 Diesels

£399,950

Twin Volvo Penta IPS 600. Huge specification. Please call for appointment

Distributors for

Tel: 01932 570055 sales@pentonhooksales.co.uk

BROKERAGE BOATS REQUIRED URGENTLY

www.thamesboatsales.co.uk

Click here for full listings at Penton Hook Marine Sales

sid

X P/

2005 Bavaria 37 sport

2x Volvo D6 Diesels - £94,950 Contact Windsor Racecourse

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1997 Fairline Targa 37 (choice of 2)

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2006 Bayliner 305

2x Volvo Penta KAD 42 Diesels- £84,950 Contact Windsor Racecourse

2x Cummins Diesels - £64,950 Contact Windsor Racecourse

2013 Bavaria 34HT

2x Volvo Penta D4 Diesels - £129,950 Contact Windsor Racecourse

1995 Broom 36

2x Mercruiser 220hp Diesels- £97,500 Contact Thames & Kennet

id ns

1993 Stevens Smelne

1996 Broom 29

Single Nanni 50hp Diesel - £54,950 Contact Thames & Kennet

2002 Stevens 1180s

Single Volvo TAMD41B Diesel- £100,000 Contact Thames & Kennet

2x Volvo TMD31 Diesels - £189,950 Contact Thames & Kennet

1996 Broom Ocean 29

2003 Jeanneau Merry Fisher 805

2000 Jeanneau Leader 805

2015 Viking 24 Highline

Single Mercruiser 220hp Diesel - £34,950 Contact Walton

Single Honda 20hp Outboard - £38,800 Contact Walton

1999 Sealine F33

1984 Birchwood TS33 Viceroy

2x Volvo KAD 32D/DP Diesels - £79,500 Contact Upton

Single Volvo MD22L-A Diesel - £59,950 Contact Walton

2002 Bayliner 245SB

2x Volvo 125hp Diesels - £25,000 Contact Upton

Single Mercruiser 5.0 Petrol - £23,995 Contact Upton

Extensive Selection of New & Pre Owned Boats for Sale

More Locations, More Choice!

Brokerage Services

Optimised Boat Finder Search Facility

Quality Photographs & Descriptions

Seven Superior Marinas Throughout the UK

Single Volvo Penta Diesel - £42,000 Contact Walton

1999 Doral 270SC

Single Mercruiser V8 Petrol - £22,500 Contact Upton

We have over 140 boats to choose from at seven diﬀerent locations

SCAN HERE to view our boats for sale

www.tingdene.net Pyrford Marina

Tel (01932) 343 275

Thames & Kennet Marina

Tel (01189) 477 770

Brundall Bay Marina

Tel (01603) 717 804

River Wey, Surrey

Walton Marina

Tel (01932) 221 689

Racecourse Marina, Windsor

Tel (01753) 851 717

Upton Marina

Tel (01684) 593 111

Upton upon Severn Walton on Thames River Thames, Windsor

Stourport Marina

Tel (01299) 827 082 Stourport on Severn

Classified

Plymouth Pilot 23 hull

Motorboat Owner Affordable practical boating

1992 Sealine 380/400

1999 Sea Ray 215

£69,950

£12,750

07781 132197 email address

01189 403 211 info@valwyattmarine.co.uk

1973 Freeman 26

1990 Fairline Corniche

1971 Moonraker 36

£12,750

£48,500

£28,995

‘Honey Chile III’ as featured in November 13 issue of Motorboat Owner. Powered by a single 55hp Iveco diesel engine. Four berth wheelhouse cruiser

£18,500 ex VAT

Twin Perkins 4108 37hp diesel engines. Classic four berth river cruiser. Current BSS Certificate. Lying Racecourse Marina, Windsor 01753 851717 neil@tingdene.net

Twin Volvo Penta KAMD42. Well presented example. Sleeps six in three cabins. Lying Wargrave, River Thames

Twin Volvo Penta TAMD41B 200hp diesel engines. Well looked after tri-cabin example offering 6 berths. Lying Penton Hook Marina

01932 570055 sales@pentonhooksales.co.uk

Single Mercruiser V8 220hp petrol sterndrive. Fun, two-berth cuddy with seperate toilet compartment. Lying Ipswich 07807 426962 graham@clippermarine.co.uk

Twin Perkins 6354 175hp turbo diesel engines. 6 berths, 2 toilets & showers. Recently re-upholstered. Davits, electric winch, radar, chartplotter. Well maintained. 07919882255 Email address

Advertise with us • short description • 1 photo • contact details - email, telephone number, website (with hyperlink)

Special introductory offer £25 per month

Call us on 01268 922991

advertising@motorboatowner.co.uk

L K what I saw

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

send your images to us at

editorial@

motorboatowner.co.uk

Sunset at Saxon Wharf

A speedboat returns home on the River Itchen SPOTTED! by Katie Lynn

Naughty Nautical

Nautical word play for this Bayliner 285 at Bray SPOTTED! by Alex Wells

Mysterious sign at Sonning Sign outside Magician, Uri Geller’s home SPOTTED! by Eric Taylor

Lock overflow

Owners Directory i Arvor Boat Owners Club

Electric Boat Association

www.arvorboatowners.co.uk

www.electric-boat-association.org.uk

Atlanta Boat Owners

Elysian Boat Owners

www.atlantaboats.co.uk

www.elysianboats.co.uk

Bavaria Owners’ Association

Fairey Owners Club

www.bavariaowners.co.uk

www.faireyownersclub.co.uk

Bayliner Owners Club

Fairline Owners Club

Beneteau Owners’ Association

Fjord Club

www.baylinerownersclub.org

www.fairlineownersclub.com

www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk

www.fjordclub.com

Broom Owners Club

Fletcher Owners Club

www.broomowners.com

Chaparral Boat Owners Forum

forum.chaparralboats.com

Classic Motor Boat Association www.cmba-uk.com

Classic Offshore Powerboat Club www.classicoffshore.com

Cleopatra Owners Club mycleopatra.ning.com

fletcher-boats.co.uk/your-fletcher/owners-club

Freeman Cruisers Forum freemanboats.forumer.com

Freeman Owners Club

www.freemancruisers.com

Freeman Cruisers freeman-cruisers.forumotion.co.uk

Haines Owners Club www.hainesmarine.co.uk/owners.php

Coronet Cruisers

Hampton Safari Boat Club

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

hamptonsafaribc.webplus.net

Cranchi Owners Club & Forum

Hardy Owners Club

cranchiownersclub.com

Dawncraft Owners Club & Forum www.dawncraftowners.com

www.hardy-owner.org.uk

Mariah Owners Club www.mariahownersclub.com

April 2015

Maxum Owners Club

Sealine Forum

www.maxumownersclub.com

www.sealineforum.co.uk

Microplus Boats

Sealine Owners Club

www.microplus.dk

www.sealineowners.com

Monterey Fourm

Seamaster Club

forums.montereyboats.com

www.seamasterclub.co.uk

Moonraker Owner’s Club

Seaward Owners Club

www.moonraker.dk/eng_index.htm

Nauticus www.nauticus.co.uk

Nelson Boat Owners Club

www.nelsonboatownersclub.co.uk

Nimbus Owners Club UK www.nimbusowners.co.uk

Norman Appreciation Society www.normanboats.co.uk

Princess Owners Club princessownersclub.com

www.seawardboat.com/club.html

Shetland Owners Association www.shetlandowners.co.uk/shetland/

Star Craft Owners Club www.bates-starcraft.co.uk

Sunseeker Owners Club sunseekerownersclub.com

Viking Owners Club

www.vikingowners.org.uk

Warrior Boats Owners Club

www.warriorboatsownersclub.co.uk

Regal Owners Forum www.regalownersforum.com

Relcraft Boaters Group www.relcraftboatersgroup.co.uk

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

Sea Ray Owners Club

www.clubsearay.com

Owners Club missing?

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editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

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