Motorboat Owner April 2020

FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE

Motorboat APRIL 2020

Owner Affordable practical boating

BOAT TEST

Sargo 25 Destination Guide Fairline Phantom 43AC l Speedpatch l Budget boost gauges

GLOUCESTER DOCKS

Welcome to the April issue. Well

From the Editor

contact us

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

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

what a strange month that has been. We started out with some concerns about a new virus that we were only just beginning to learn about, and ended up confined to our home and unable to see friends and family.

Many marinas have been locked up and, for some, access to our boats prohibited. No sooner has the season begun than we have had it torn away from us, understandably so

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

2

April 2020

welcome aboard

given what is going on, but that doesn’t diminish the disappointment that I’m sure we are all experiencing.

At MBO we travel quite a bit every month to produce each issue and, suddenly, all of this ‘non-essential’ travel is forbidden. Luckily, this month we managed to do most of it before the lockdown, but our ongoing schedule has been decimated. I am sure that you are

all also aware that we rely on support from the fantastic industry that we represent, an industry that, like many others, will be suffering the ramifications of this shutdown.

We have thought long and hard about our next move and have decided, reluctantly, to suspend publication of Motorboat Owner while this crisis passes. We will be back with renewed vigour, hopefully sooner rather than later, and trust that you will stick with us through this unplanned hiatus.

We will remain active on our Twitter and Facebook pages and, for those that haven’t already discovered it, you will still have access to our back issues section that now contains over 80 issues to download and read.

We will also keep you updated about the magazine on our website, so please check in regularly.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that this passes quickly so that we are all able to benefit from however much of the season is left when it is finally over, and we wish to offer our heartfelt best wishes to all of our readers, and all those in the marine industry.

Sub Editor, Pam Born Production Editor, John Frew

Subscriptions: 01268 922991 subscriptions@motorboatowner.co.uk

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

Contributors:

Alex Smith, Simon Everett, Barry Cropper, David Bagshaw, Paul Fareham, Graham Dubber

Cover photo: The Sargo 25 on test on the Turku archipelago, Finland by Neale Byart Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Sargo behaves in waves like a refined sports car.

Splendidly. And still making a lot of sense.

– SOLID, SAFE AND SPORTY

”What do we mean by SARGO’s tough sportiness?

It goes without saying that all of our models are fast (up to 40 knots) and always seaworthy.

Sargo is known for its great handling, its comfortable ride along with its stability in turns. Truly, SARGO is a very sporty and smart pleasure Sargo is precisely that kind of sportboat.” utility vessel, boasting

exhilarating handling and ride characteristics even in rough seas.

SomeSarin, Sargo skippers talkSarins about itsLtd. smooth ride and Johannes Head of Finances, Båtar good responsiveness even at higher speeds. We simply call it tough sportiness.

All Sargo models between 25-36 ft. live up to this while still making a lot of sense. Sargo is a true multi-purpose vessel

suited to many kinds of uses. The interior is both stylish and practical, following the great Scandinavian design tradition.

Sargo is a premium boat built in Finland, a new brand based on a great tradition since 1967.

Rain or shine, you’ll be fine. With a big smile on your face.

Sarins Båtar Ltd., 67900 Kokkola, Finland, info@sargoboats.fi, www.sargoboats.fi

Sargo Boats UK Limited - Hamble Point Marina, Hamble, Southampton Hampshire, SO31 4JD

Tel: +44(0)2380 453 245 Email: info@sargoboats.co.uk www.sargoboats.co.uk Sarins Båtar Oy Ab, 67900 Kokkola, Finland, info@sargoboats.fi, www.sargoboats.fi

CONTENTS APRIL 2020

REGULARS

PRACTICAL

NEWS page 6 INBOX page 18 CUTTING EDGE page 24 Q&A page 38 TESTED page 56 page 56 Tested

Speedpatch

PRAC TICAL

p20

person could pro and sug gests tha bably make OEM it t it wo style uld cre happen ate a ver In the solution. y tyre pre end he settled ssure mo on a mo the req uired two nitoring sys torcycle system tem, as inputs ’s it had from eBafour, and cou , rather tha na ld £30. “At y, from China be obtained, car this aga for in time I a Schrad also ord little over er ered the this tim type valves wit two e from Amazo h 1/8npt thr As the ead, n, had to tyre pressure for just £3. come fro 49. monito A the bra ss reduce m China, Pau ring system valvSchrader type when l install e was rs and the topped wireles theory y arrived, for analogue gau ed s pressure by a . “I ges sender from the used the orig an initial test of his to manifo blanking plu inal sealing ordere was g tape aro ld joint, and to seal the red her soon d the system so I wo enough und the add ucer ed a littl ensure uld find thread Once del ” e PT that out of This pro it was an airt the valve to FE Paul rem ivery had bee igh ved the analog install oved the ana n received, theory t seal”. ue gau ed the was ge not run Schrad logue gauges right. “Th place, ning a would work, er aga and e referrin stea but I’m airtigh in using PT type valves in g to the m engine”, t con FE tap their directly Paul said e look of caps wer nection.

The pre to ensure an e then was on to the manifo the gauge bol , ssu and screwed re readin the wir the righ ld. “I kne ted onto eless disp g to wai dashbo w that t for my t tracks, and lay mo the valves I ard now I I could deliver unted A lithium. just had y from see on the China ion bat It was the project before rechargeable tery a snag. while waiting through”. , powers , which is sensor on “When that Pau s have on boost gauge installati fellow built in the display and that can l hit upo L ast month’s article boater, I mentioned us how he CR122 n my ide they sug pressu to write in and tell 5 button the “The dispbe easily rep re a way. spurred one reader to ges lace sys different cell a ted tha lay is tem mig d wh s of the but in a very being t the tyre ht wh tackled the same job, compac nice to look en required. that it data to eel to wake require the at, as wel and cost conscious, t and uno makes rotatio it up the disp it eas His idea was so clever l as btr n it”, lay. I had and send in detail here.

Paul exp y to find som usive, which its n’t tho deserves to be repeated ewhere not long bought his On test lained. that, but ught of to install Paul Fareham had through hoped vibrati , the system ue 38 and was going that on the vib worke Sunseeker Martiniq g that rati d well. up and was enough tidying and improvin Engine it stayed engine on of the to wak One the usual routine of boat. the e mig used a the awa engine ht be picking up sys ke enough many of us do when itself too was runnin for the whole tem to do the the engines a thorough job. An of the jobs was to give proble as, despite havg. It soon pai time yway, a couple of m with I had d for the process found ing no either these going over, and in obviou Fareham indicated engine rgers. Whilst getting that wirelesPaul Familiar face toAMBO, , the sys s boost s display e issues with his turbocha 36 to the boost for the Martiniqu pressu one engine tem that having access now owns a Sunseeker helm “I didn’t re compar was down on fixed, Paul decided ng was ed to the think April 2020 ensure that everythi was not values would help the rea I had a proble other. son for m, and fitting 34 the boo that st

PROJECT installation Budget boost gauge

April

page 58 Project Boat

PRACTICAL

Fairline Vixen

2020

Budget engine turbo boost gauges

p42

page 62 Hooked

A Plaice in the sun

p58

GLOUCESTER DOCKS Destination Guide

p64

p26

Fairline Phantom 43AC CLASSIC CRUISER GUIDE

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

BOAT TEST

Sargo 25

5

NEWS Colin Mudie The naval architect, Colin Mudie RDI, who was responsible for many popular early designs for British motorboat builders, Hardy and Shetland, passed away in March aged 93. During the 70s and early 80s, Colin was responsible for many of the mass-produced designs for the upand-coming small boat builder, Shetland, including the 610, 2+2, Black Prince and Speedwell. Colin also designed the very first boats that John Hardy built when the company, Hardy Marine, was founded in 1976. Initially these were small motor sailers, but many popular ‘Mudie’ motorboat models followed, including the Family Pilot 20, Fishing 20, Fishing 24, and 27, with of course their distinctive rope fendering and blue hulls. Also an avid balloonist, he became well known in the boating industry and went on to design many large tall ships and superyachts. With his family home in Lymington, he also became a supporter and ambassador for the RNLI and Hardy Owners Club.

Mudie designs. Hardy 20, Shetland Black Prince, Shetland 610 and a Hardy Fishing 24

First UK commercial Sargo Sargo’s UK importer, Sargo Boats UK Ltd, will be supplying its first commercially-coded Sargo in the UK to Scotland this June. The Scottish company, Stonehaven Sea Safaris have purchased a rugged Sargo 33 Explorer to add to their current fleet operating sea safaris around the east coast of Scotland from Stonehaven. Sargo in Finland have been building and supplying commercial and private boats for the past 53 years.

This will be the first commercial Sargo to be used in the UK.

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April 2020

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

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Harbour improvements at Herm Island This spring, the governing authority at Herm Island in the Channel Islands has been working on a few harbour improvements. It has laid five new swinging moorings SE of Hermetier, as well as laying new ground chain in the same area. The harbour ground chains are fixed and the section of chain closest to the harbour wall has been reinstated.

Teams have also worked to remove some larger rocks that have accumulated, or become exposed, over the years at Fisherman’s Beach, which is where boats take to the ground. Additional moorings are also being considered in the vicinity of the current outer moorings, but this is yet to be confirmed. Such moorings are taken up every October and available again from the beginning of April.

New 29 with Hybrid Drive System Coming Soon…

HAND CRAFTED NELSON MOTOR YACHTS AND COMMERCIAL VESSELS

Tough and rugged, Seaward’s Nelson designed motor yachts have an enviable reputation for unrivalled sea-keeping, innovation and luxurious hand crafted comfort.

“Whatever the weather, you’ll be glad you’re in a Seaward…”

seawardboat.com 0044 1983 280333 sales@seawardboat.com

NEWS Saxdor Yachts NEW BOATS

A new Finnish ‘water scooter’ brand has been unveiled and is now available in the UK. Designed for fishing and watersports, Saxdor Yachts is a new boat range that combines ‘the convenience and ease of use of a jet ski with the safety and comfort of a compact boat’. The debut model, the Saxdor 200 Sport, is a 20ft outboard powered personal watercraft. With a starting price of £22,995 fitted with a standard 100hp engine, the 200 Sport is capable of 34 knots, while the largest 175hp outboard motor is set to offer a top speed of over 45 knots.

The company is investigating a jet drive option for improved maneuverability and a shallower draught. Saxdor Yachts has strived to create an entry-level craft that is light, at approximately 700kg, easy to trail, cheap to run and fun and easy to drive. A twin-stepped, sharp entry hull promises to be efficient, smooth riding and offer quick acceleration. Fully customisable, the standard boat comes with a triple jockey seat and an open deck, or there is a four seater option. Other options available include a T-top, and a canvas, attaching to the opening bow hatch, for overnighting. The Saxdor 200 Sport will have its official launch at the 2020 Cannes Yachting Festival this September. The man behind Saxdor, Sakari Mattila, who is also a designer for the boat brands Axopar, Paragon, Aquador and XO, said “The concept behind Saxdor Yachts is to make the next generation of affordable boats. These are premium craft with modern styling and an affordable price that are fitted with the latest technology. The 20ft Scooter revolutionises small personal watercraft by being a multipurpose boat that refuses to compromise with sexy design language and strong performance at a sensible price.” Saxdor Yachts is a brand with ambition and has plans within the next two years to extend the range up to 50ft. With its two bases at Pwllheli and Southampton, Ideal Boat has been named the UK and Ireland distributor and for more information about the range visit www.saxdor.com or www.idealboat.com.

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April 2020

THE ULTIMATE PICTURE. FROM OUR SMALLEST DOME. Caution Caution

Hazard

Safe

Safe

Introducing our smallest HALO™ Pulse Compression Dome Radar.

Combining unrivalled short-range performance, precise target definition and easy use modes, HALO™ Pulse Compression Dome Radars will improve your situational awareness and help you avoid collisions.

Already available in a 24-inch dome, the new HALO20+ is more lightweight and compact. Perfect for smaller vessels.

HALO20+ radar offers an almost real-time view, with industryleading 60 RPM operation at close range for the ultimate in collision avoidance.

VelocityTrack™ technology instantly identifies hazards at short-and long-range distances - up to 36 nautical miles.

SIMRAD-YACHTING.COM/HALO

NEWS Budget: Removal of red diesel by 2022 In the spring budget announcement, Chancellor Rishi Sunak shared plans to review the current use of red diesel, saying the government will consult later this year with a view to removing the entitlement to red diesel use by April 2022.

With the intention to incentivise businesses to improve energy efficiency and to seek greener alternatives, the Chancellor announced that the subsidy on red diesel would be removed for most sectors, but would remain for agricultural purposes and domestic heating. The move will effect privately owned diesel-powered boats, and UK fuel suppliers, at inland and coastal marinas, ports and refuelling stations. Describing it as a ‘negligible impact’, the government say fuel suppliers will be left with the choice of providing just white diesel or having to install secondary pumps and tanks to supply both white and red diesel. The government state ongoing savings could include not having to report to HMRC the proportion of red diesel by opting to supply only white diesel. It added that some suppliers with a customer base skewed towards commercial craft may continue to supply red diesel only, but will not be able to supply to private boats. The decision has left two important UK marine bodies ‘disappointed’. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) believes that, while red diesel remains the primary and often only fuel available at the waterside, it should continue to be available to recreational boaters in the UK for propulsion. It added that it will be working with other significant stakeholders to make a strong representation on behalf of recreational boaters. Lesley Robinson, CEO at British Marine, said “It is particularly disappointing to see the subsidy on red diesel being removed across some sectors. This subsidy is of huge importance to our members in the recreational and small commercial boating sector which is heavily reliant on the use of red diesel to power recreational craft and many larger vessels. Our latest statistics show that participation in boating has increased over the last year and the UK’s leisure marine industry is thriving, all of which could be at risk if the Chancellor goes ahead with this decision and removes the subsidy for our sector.” In his Budget speech the Chancellor also pledged greater NHS funding to help it manage the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as a package worth £30bn designed to support businesses through what he described as a ‘tough’ but temporary period. You can see the full report here.

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April 2020

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

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Lymington’s new Town Quay pontoon ©LymingtonHarbourCommisioners

Lymington’s upgraded Town Quay pontoon is now complete and open to visitors. The ambitious project by Lymington Harbour Commisioners sees an increase in walk-ashore berth capacity, which is estimated to boost the local tourist economy by over £1.1m over the next ten years. The new pontoon now offers 46 12-metre berths, all equipped with shorepower and water, and this includes 26 finger pontoon berths on the inside which can be booked in advance. The upgrade also provides 32 more 12-metre trot moorings, and new lockers to stow lifejackets for those that row ashore. An overnight summer finger berth for a 10-metre boat is £33-£38.

RNLI Severn class The RNLI has announced that it is extending the lifespan of its Severn class lifeboats so they can continue saving lives at sea. Introduced in 1996, there are 44 42-tonne Severn-class lifeboats in the charity’s fleet and, with necessary life extension and wheelhouse upgrades, an in-house engineering team has established that the hulls can continue operational service for another 25 years.

SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF VETUS BOW AND STERN THRUSTERS J C Marine Services specialize in the supply and installation of Vetus Bow and Stern Thrusters, with a lifetime warranty on GRP work, three years manufacturer’s warranty on all Vetus parts We have also designed and manufactured our own external stern box, ideal for twin stern drive vessels.

Bow & Stern Thruster Installation Specialist Price List 2019 Approx size *25kgf Bow / Stern Thruster supplied & fitted £2750 / 18 ft - 28 ft *55kgf Bow / Stern Thruster supplied & fitted £3250 / 28 ft - 41 ft *75kgf Bow / Stern Thruster supplied & fitted £3750 / 34 ft - 51 ft *95kgf Bow / Stern Thruster supplied & fitted £4250 / 39 ft - 59 ft Installation includes Thruster, tunnel/pod, looms, control, battery, battery box, fuse and fuse holder, Isolator switch & battery recharge kit Nationwide service available RNLI/Harrison Bates

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Thrust-It Remotes Compatible with: Vetus – SidePower – Craftsman £125 plus £5 p&p JC Marine Services Unit 29 Jubilee End Lawford, Essex CO1 1UR Jon 07854009980 info@jcmarineservice.co.uk www.jcmarineservice.co.uk

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NEWS Rand Leisure 28 Electric NEW BOAT The Danish electric boat builder, Rand, has unveiled a new flagship 40-knot model.

Built from lightweight, sustainable materials, the new Leisure 28 Electric will be powered by a 240 kW sterndrive engine and a modular lithium battery pack available from 80-120 kWh, which will offer a two-hour range at planing speed. The cuddy-style sportster sleeps two, with a separate toilet compartment, while its spacious cockpit is equipped with adaptable seating and a galley unit. Bates Wharf is the UK Rand dealer and prices start at €178,000.

DIARY DATES All Wales Boat & Leisure Show 29th-30th May British Motor Yacht Show 11th-14th June Chichester Boat Show 20th-21st June West Country Boat Show 20th-21st June Thames Valley & London Boat Show 26th-28th June South Coast Boat Show 3rd-5th July Thames Traditional Boat Festival 17th-19th July

Southampton Boat Show 11th-20th September

Click any of the above for more info

Marina duo announce ‘boatfolk’ brand name Last year the two UK Marina operators Dean & Reddyhoff and Quay Marinas announced that they would be joining forces. From April, the duos accumulative 11 marinas will fall under a new brand name, ‘boatfolk’.

0800 310 2100

Marine Electronics in stock for immediate dispatch.

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

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sales@mdsbattery.co.uk

April 2020

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

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Lymington Boat Club expands This spring Lymington Boat Club will be welcoming a new addition to its fleet, a new Axopar 28 T-Top. The club, which was started in 2019, operates out of Lymington Yacht Haven and provides access to a fleet of boats for an annual fee. The new boat will join the fleet, which already includes a Merry Fisher 695, Scorpion 875 RIB, Gemini 650 RIB and another Axopar 28. The club offers members unlimited access to all five boats in the fleet and a chance to enjoy all the fun of boating without the responsibility of ownership. Extra toys are also available to members on request, including SUPs (stand up paddleboards), a tender and fishing equipment.

Invicta 315

The Kent-based custom boat builder, Cory Yachts, has unveiled a new wheelhouse cruiser.

The new Invicta 315, is a development of its 295 sister and offers a larger wheelhouse, two cabins, 4-6 berths, an asymmetric deck design with boarding gates and a shaftdrive diesel engine.

Prices start at ÂŁ240,000.

Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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NEWS Covid-19: 2020 boat show impact There have been several UK boat shows and boating events that have been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, many of which have been postponed or cancelled. The organisers of the June Poole Harbour Boat Show were perhaps the first to announce its 2020 cancellation and will be publishing 2021 dates shortly. There followed a list of others, the Horning Boat Show will now be held on 1st May 2021. The marina operator and event hosts, Premier Marinas, have announced changes to two of its events, the British Motor Yacht Show will now be on the 11th to 14th June and the 2-day Chichester Boat Show will now take place between the 20th-21st June. The organisers of the 3-day South Coast Boat Show, due to be held at Ocean Village in May, have announced new dates, 3rd-5th July. On the River Thames, the April Thames Boat Jumble has been cancelled and the dates for the Thames Valley and London Boat Show, which was due to be held over the May bank holiday weekend, have changed to 26th-28th June. Unfortunately the case is the same for many more events in May, the Crick Boat Show has been postponed until later this year (dates to be announced), the Windermere Boat Show has been postponed, the Brundall Boat Show has been cancelled and, in the Channel Islands, the May Bank Holiday Jersey Boat Show has been cancelled. However, the organisers of the All Wales Boat Show (29th-30th May) state that it is ‘still closely monitoring the situation’. The chairman of the Thames Traditional Boat Festival, is also ‘keeping everything crossed’ that the event, scheduled for July, can go ahead. Other regional spring/summer events that have been cancelled include several regional boat jumbles, for details and new dates as they are released visit the Boat Jumble Association website. Looking to September, and the annual Southampton Boat Show, organiser British Marine has said that it is ‘closely monitoring the situation and government advice’ and is ‘working hard to put together the best 52nd show it possibly can’. The outbreak has also effected events across the globe, with postponements of spring/summer boat shows in Florida, Sydney, Singapore, Dubai and Palma.

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April 2020

NEWS Covid-19 guidance During these unprecedented times, many UK marine bodies have responded and reacted with guidance to the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. Describing the situation as a ‘crisis’, the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) said ‘our thoughts are with our entire boating community during these challenging times’. It has put measures in place to protect the health of its members, affiliated clubs, classes, recognised training centres, instructors, coaches and volunteers, with many racing, club, or social events cancelled and many events later in the season now in question.

It has vowed to keep the boating community updated with the latest advice and information. It advised boaters to follow the ‘Stay home, protect the NHS’ guidance. In an update issued on the 23rd March, it strongly advised UK boaters currently boating abroad to ‘return now, while there are still commercial routes available’. It added that onboard self-isolation and/or compulsory quarantine may not be allowed, advising boaters in this position to contact the relevant British Embassy or Consulate for advice and assistance.

Marina operators, harbour authorities and navigation authorities have also introduced measures and guidance in respect of recreational boating, acting in the best interests of the health of staff and customers and to maintain sites. In many cases access gates to coastal and inland marinas have been locked, with essential staff maintaining a presence for security and safety purposes. The UK governing inland waterways authorities, the Environment Agency (EA), Broads Authority and Canal and River Trust have urged boaters to observe government guidance, to stay at home rather than self-isolating onboard unless it is a primary residence, and not to make any journeys to and on their boats, which could place themselves at increased risk or place additional burden upon facilities. Both the EA and Canal and River Trust are not providing ‘assisted passage’ on waterways, with locks on relevant waterways remaining on self service, with restrictions on certain locks. Broads Authority Rangers continue to patrol and remain in operation for those that have to remain on their boats. The EA, the governing authority for the River Thames, Medway and Rye Harbour, added that it expects these restrictions to be in place until at least 14th April.

The RYA added ‘Although the situation is deeply concerning, we will get through this and look forward to safe and enjoyable boating in the future’.

For full government guidance on Coronavirus visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus 16

April 2020

TARGA. THE TRUE ORIGINAL. T23.1

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WESSEX MARINE, Salterns Marina, Salterns Way, Lilliput, Poole, Dorset, BH14 8JR, England +44 (0) 1202 700702, info@wessexmarine.co.uk, www.wessexmarine.co.uk

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INBOX Boost gauges installation

PRACTICAL

Thank you for the most interesting article in the March issue. I was reminded of something I was taught on an owners engine course at Sabres in the early nineties, about boost pressure and suspect turbo problems.

1. Never ignore the simple and cheap options first. A fouled prop or bent blade would stop the prop taking the available power and thus give less boost .

2. Just because the filter is clean, always consider the supply pipe might be blocked, crushed, or collapsing, preventing the required fuel delivery.

3. In older installations consider the same pipe damage for exhausts, along with the problem of the lost rag syndrome in the spring on commissioning.

Apparently builders residue caused numerous problems where glass fibres got stuck in elbows but owners were claiming new turbos under warranty, due to low boost. David Bagshaw Editor comments: Thanks for your email. Some of your suggestions I had already discounted for our particular problem, but others are worth investigating and provide very worthwhile food for thought for anyone suffering a lack of boost. I’m going to clean my intercooler next, but if that doesn’t work I will refer back to your email as I investigate further. Once again, many thanks for taking the time to write in and offering some useful hints. I would also like to thank you for assisting Claire with her destination guide article on Gloucester Docks this month.

10

HOW TO

Install Engine Boost

Pressure Gauges

11

12

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A crushed fuel line, prop damage or exhaust restriction could also be the culprit for a lack of intake boost 18

April 2020

email:

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

BACK

IN

TIME

One hull four ways, the USbuilt production Bertram 31 was built between 1962-66, and was inspired by a prototype Nassau Powerboat Race winner

Boat test index

I enjoy MBO a lot and have subscribed since January 2018, so I have a suggestion, would it be possible to have an index of the boat tests (new and used) which you have carried out over the years? I often want to re-visit a particular report but have to scan through all the editions, which I have downloaded in order to find the test report. It would be really useful if you included each month a list of boat tests and the edition in which they were published. One to consider perhaps. Chris Blackshaw Editor comments: Thank you for your email. I don’t know if you are aware, but there is a report index on our website home page. It can be accessed here: www.motorboatowner.co.uk/reportIndex. I know it is not 100% up to date, but we are working on that. If you need to find something that you know we have covered, but can’t find it on the report index, just drop us an email and we will direct you to the relevant issue. You can also scroll through the list of past issues, (in the ‘back issues’ section) as their content is detailed next to each.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

19

PRACTICAL

PROJECT

Budget boost gauge installation

L

ast month’s article on boost gauge installation spurred one reader to write in and tell us how he tackled the same job, but in a very different way.

His idea was so clever and cost conscious, that it deserves to be repeated in detail here.

Paul Fareham had not long bought his Sunseeker Martinique 38 and was going through the usual routine of tidying and improving that many of us do when picking up a used boat. One of the jobs was to give the engines a thorough going over, and in the process found a couple of issues with his turbochargers. Whilst getting these fixed, Paul decided that having access to the boost values would help ensure that everything was

Familiar face to MBO, Paul Fareham now owns a Sunseeker Martinique

20

April 2020

running fine again once it was all put back together, and it was then that he hit upon his idea. Instead of splashing out on the standard boost senders and gauges, and the hard work of running wires through the boat, would it be possible to use the kind of wireless pressure monitoring kit that is designed to be used on vehicle tyres?

“I was inspired by the workshop manual that showed a temporary installation of an analogue boost gauge being bolted into the exhaust manifold to check boost pressure.

I started out thinking I could just screw some simple analogue gauges directly into the manifold on a permanent basis, but as I researched my options, the wireless solution jumped out at me.”

After a bit of research he found that the thread for the port on the inlet manifolds of Paul was inspired by the idea of temporarily installing a boost gauge for diagnostics his Volvo KAD42s was M18. The thread on a typical analogue gauge, and coincidentally purposes in his KAD42 manual also available on Schrader type valves similar to car tyres, was 1/8 npt.

“I ordered up a pair of M18 to 1/8 npt reducers from an internet auction site, which cost around £18 delivered. I also ordered up a couple of cheap analogue gauges that could be screwed directly into the reducer as a temporary measure while I investigated the wireless solution further”, Paul told us.

Paul’s initial investigation led him to Garmin’s tyre pressure sensors that are designed to work with Garmin’s in-car sat navs, and wondered whether there would be a possibility of linking them to his Garmin plotter. At £60 each and with no guarantee that it would be possible, he decided to abandon that idea, but admits that the right An on-engine analogue boost gauge was initially installed. A wireless helm display came next Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

21

PRACTICAL

person could probably make it happen and suggests that it would create a very OEM style solution.

In the end he settled on a motorcycle tyre pressure monitoring system, as it had the required two inputs, rather than a car system’s four, and could be obtained, again from eBay, from China for a little over £30. “At this time I also ordered the two Schrader type valves with 1/8npt thread, this time from Amazon, for just £3.49.

As the tyre pressure monitoring system had to come from China, Paul installed the brass reducers and analogue gauges when they arrived, for an initial test of his theory. “I used the original sealing washer from the blanking plug to seal the reducer to manifold joint, and added a little PTFE tape around the thread of the valve to ensure that it was an airtight seal”.

This proved the theory was right. “The analogue gauge would work, but I’m not running a steam engine”, Paul said, referring to the look of the gauge bolted directly to the manifold. “I knew that I was on the right tracks, and now I just had to wait for my delivery from China before I could see the project through”.

It was while waiting that Paul hit upon a snag. “When I mentioned my idea to a fellow boater, they suggested that the tyre pressure system might require the rotation of the wheel to wake it up and send its data to the display. I hadn’t thought of that, but hoped that the vibration of the engine might be enough to do the job. Anyway, I had A wireless display for the helm

A Schrader type valve was topped by a wireless pressure sender

ordered the system so I would find out soon enough” Once delivery had been received, Paul removed the analogue gauges and installed the Schrader type valves in their place, again using PTFE tape to ensure an airtight connection. The pressure reading caps were then screwed onto the valves and the wireless display mounted on the dashboard.

A lithium ion battery, which is rechargeable, powers the display and the sensors have built in CR1225 button cells that can be easily replaced when required.

“The display is nice to look at, as well as being compact and unobtrusive, which makes it easy to find somewhere to install it”, Paul explained.

On test, the system worked well. Engine vibration was enough to wake the system up and it stayed awake for the whole time the engine was running. It soon paid for itself too as, despite having no obvious problem with either engine, the system indicated that one engine was down on boost pressure compared to the other.

“I didn’t think I had a problem, and that was not the reason for fitting the boost

22

April 2020

The system worked well, and brought Paul’s attention to a problem he wasn’t aware of

gauge as the boat appeared to be running great, but once up to speed it was clear that there was a significant difference between the two engines, with 1 bar recorded on one engine and 0.7bar on the other at my normal cruising speed. A quick blast at faster speeds did bring the pressure on the good engine up to 1.6 bar, so I am happy that this engine is all OK and that the kit is providing fairly accurate readings” “There is one minor downside to using this system, and that is that when you throttle back, and the boost pressure drops, the system alarms as it believes I have suffered a flat tyre. A quick press of a button silences the alarm so its no big deal but it would be nice to be able to silence it permanently”.

The imbalance in boost pressure between the engines did make Paul investigate further. This included looking at all the intake pipe work and dismantling the charge air cooler (AKA after-cooler or intercooler). It was while doing the latter that he noticed a 12mm blanking bolt missing from the cooler’s case. “I found a bolt in the bilge months ago, now I know where it was from”, he explained.

Once Paul had replaced the bolt, and given the charge air cooler a clean while it was apart, and put it all back together again, a quick blast confirmed that he had

found the problem that he didn’t even know he had.

“The boat got up on the plane just a little quicker, but noticeably so. The boost pressure rose evenly on both engines, hitting 1.1 bar with the superchargers on, and reaching 1.6 bar on both at 3800rpm, which is full throttle”.

Paul has since removed the kit and put it aside. “I don’t need to know the boost pressure all the time, but if I suspect a problem it is very quick and simple to re-install it and use it as a piece of diagnostic equipment. For the cost, I have been thrilled with it and it helped me fix a problem that I would otherwise have remained blissfully unaware of.”

Not content with having one ingenious money saving idea, Paul’s next plan is to use BBQ meat temperature probes to measure exhaust temperatures to provide an early warning of coolant loss. Having seen what he has done with motorcycle tyre pressure monitoring, I wouldn’t bet against it being a great solution.

PARTS & COST £ Weblinks to parts bought by Paul: 1/8 npt valves: £3.49 for two Reducers: £17.88 for two Tyre pressure monitoring kit: £33.98 Total cost: £55.35

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

23

CUTTING Mastervolt

Mastervolt has launched three new Lithium Ion batteries.

The MLI Ultra 12/2750, 12/5500 and 24/5500 are, as the name suggests, 12 and 24 volt batteries offering Wh capacities of between 2750 and 5500. MLI batteries offer quick recharge times of just 60 minutes, up to 3500 cycles down to 80% discharge, light weight and high resistance to wetness, shock and vibrations. The batteries can be linked together and have built in compatibility to both CZone and NMEA2000 networks, as well as MasterBus communication, for easy linking to any Mastervolt charger.

Price £TBA www.mastervolt.com

Ocean Safety

The Ocean Regatta liferaft from Ocean Safety is a new, compact and lightweight offshore raft designed for vessels where space is tight and weight saving important. The fully ISO 9650 –Pt 1 compliant raft has a large opening point of entry, a self deploying canopy and can be upgraded to include SOLAS B specification with an additional grab bag option. Models are available with 4, 6 and 8 person capacities and in both valise and canister packages, with the 4-person valise model weighing in at 29kg.

Price from £1295 www.oceansafety.com

Shire

Barrus has launched a range of electric outboards. Sold under the Shire brand, the four models comprise of two 6hp versions, with and without tiller, a 10hp and 20hp motor. All use a 48V brushless motor, and come with adjustable shaft length, from short to long shaft. They have a closed cooling system, to avoid contamination or blockages, and a Mercury compatible prop shaft, making prop selection and replacement easy. The best feature is the belt drive system that means there are no gears or drive shafts and therefore no oil to be changed.

Price from £2,849 www.barrus.co.uk

24

April 2020

the latest boating gear and technology

Chargemetrix Fusion

Fusion, the Garmin owned on-thewater entertainment brand, has launched a new range of marine speakers and subwoofers with built in LED lighting. The Signature Series 3 incorporates red, green and blue LEDs, together with both warm and cool white to offer a full colour palette that brings a range of ambient atmospheres to any boat. Users can control brightness, mode and speed via Garmin OneHelm or with an optional wireless remote control. Speakers are available in 6.5, 7.7 and 8.8inch while the subwoofers come in 10 or 12 inch and offer up to 1600W of peak power.

A flat battery is a very frustrating thing to experience. It can ruin a planned day on the water or leave you stranded away from base.

Chargemetrix enables boat owners to check the status of their boats battery from anywhere in the world. It will also send push alerts for ‘low voltage’ or ‘change of location’. It works via an app that allows you to view up to 30 days of history and is said to be able to be installed in just 20 minutes.

Multiple Chargemetrix devices can be connected to the same app, allowing owners to monitor numerous battery powered toys.

Price £49.99 www. chargemetrix.com

Price £TBA www.fusionentertainment.com

1st Mate

1st Mate is the world’s first engine-integrated man overboard and proximity based theft deterrent system. The wearable system works with Mercury outboards and integrates with their SmartCraft system. The wristband, fob or karabiner can be worn by up to eight people with each syncing through the 1st Mate app. The app will alert if someone falls overboard and optionally also send a notification to emergency contacts. The system will also lock the engines to prevent unauthorised use, with unlock achieved either by proximity of the skippers wearable, or remotely using the app. Price £TBC www.barrus.co.uk Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

25

Sargo 25

By Alex Smith

26

April 2020

BOAT TEST

Length (LOA): 7.85m / 25ft 7in Beam: 2.70m / 8ft 6in Displacement: 3,200 kg Fuel capacity: 300 litres Water capacity: 30 litres RCD catergory: B Engine as tested: Volvo Penta D4 260 Other engine options: Single D4 230-300hp Price from £132,820 Price as tested £157,368

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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B

ased in Ostrobothnia on Finland’s west coast, the venerable Sarin yard is a third-generation boat building company with a very robust pedigree.

It has been adding substance to its reputation for tough, all-season offshore motorboats ever since its foundation in 1967 and, while the Sargo 25 might be built upon the smallest of the fleet’s five hulls, the practical, performance-driven design principles behind this entry-level boat are very striking.

First and foremost, it comes with a Category B-Offshore hull, which has been thoroughly proven on the yard’s local testing grounds in the Gulf of Bothnia

and is known to be as soft-riding as it is well mannered. That is matched to a fully enclosed pilothouse and orbited by easily navigable walkaround side decks and a wraparound ring of elevated guardrails.

And then there are the other signs, the upright wheelhouse, the oversized rubbing strake, the graduated upward sweep of

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April 2020

“This baby of the fleet is a very easy boat to love”

the bow. It all adds further affirmation (if it were needed) that, whether on the fly-equipped 36-foot flagship or the accessible 25-footer, Sargo remains wholly committed to the creation of serious offshore motorboats.

beneath the central bench. From here, a pair of broad walkways runs forward on either side of the pilothouse to a neatly arranged foredeck where a secure seat, plenty of tying off points and a stepthrough ladder-equipped pulpit make everything very safe and simple to use.

A better use of space With twin side doors, impressive When you step onboard the 25, it’s visibility and perfectly resolved helm immediately clear that user-friendliness ergonomics, the 25 is without question lies at the very heart of the design. The a brilliant boat for the single-handed broad, fishing-friendly aft cockpit, for skipper and it’s a very reassuring place for instance, uses hinged wooden bench seats a novice crew too. In addition to double on three sides, with neat containers for aft transom gates and easy-grip, singleyour lines, as well as outboard cages for level side decks with midships boarding your fenders and some useful extra storage points on both sides, you get a range of Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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April 2020

Its cabin converts into an offset double berth. Having a separate heads compartment is a real plus

hardworking features like easy-access grab rails, an aft anchor, a prop inspection hatch built into the swim platform and stylish (albeit optional) rooftop spotlights.

But despite the generosity of the external spaces and the limited dimensions of the boat, when you step inside the pilothouse, the Sargo’s clever use of space continues to crowbar maximum value out of every available inch.

The forward part of the saloon, for instance, features a sink and mini-stove concealed beneath hatches in the chart table, as well as a fridge built into the base of the helm seat. It’s not big, plush or permanent but it provides everything you need for modest family weekends away and it helps free up the rest of the space to optimise the seating and preserve that all-important ease of movement.

Step through the forward hatch to port of the helm and again, despite the trim Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

usability of the bow deck, the designers have managed to work minor miracles, generating not just a private double berth but (remarkably for a boat of this size) a separate heads compartment.

However, the real key to the success of the 25’s layout revolves around the fact that the twin side doors eradicate the need for a rear entry point to the pilothouse.

It means that Sargo’s designers have been able to leverage the saloon’s entire rear section for an unbroken six-person dining area, and when you remove the table and lift a couple of hatches, this C-shaped space opens up to reveal one of the most pleasing guest doubles you will ever see.

The guest double runs laterally across the full beam of the saloon’s aft deck, enjoying impressive natural light courtesy of a dedicated porthole, plus sensible headroom and a decent bit of shelving for your bedtime gear. But what makes

31

A sink and stove emerge from beneath the chart table like a magic trick. A second double berth runs laterally beneath the saloon seating

it particularly special is the fact that it expands your overnighting potential by delivering an authentic second double berth where there seemed to be little chance of such a thing existing. With an arrangement like this, you can put your kids to bed in the forward cabin and sit up long into the night without disturbing them, before heading to bed with zero fuss and easy access to the external decks and the saloon’s galley facilities.

When you add up these various qualities, it’s tough to remain impartial.

After all, in addition to seating eight people in the aft cockpit or six around the sheltered pilothouse dining table, this 25foot platform is capable of sleeping four people in two separate cabins with the luxury of a private heads compartment, and it does all of that in an environment that manages to feel very pleasant and

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April 2020

open. It’s a supremely impressive use of space and it delivers a range of practical cruising talents that many of the Sargo 25’s direct competitors struggle to match.

Underway Sargo has insulated the walls of the 25 and used the same scale and calibre of soundproofing as it might on a shaftdriven boat. The result of that, even on this smallest of Sargo’s modern sterndriven motorboats is one of the quietest and most refined drives you will ever experience. At 3,000rpm, a 27 or 28-knot cruise is almost ludicrously civilised, enabling you to chat to everyone in the saloon without raising your voice at all.

Drop the pace just a touch to around 25 knots and you can expect the range to nudge beyond 200 nautical miles and the sound readings at the helm to drop even Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

Wheelhouse walkaround. With side doors and a large sunroof, the 25 feels very bright and open.

The helm is pretty much faultless

33

PERFORMANCE As tested 40% fuel, 0% water, 3 crew, Force 2

RPM

further to just 75 decibels. And that really is astonishingly quiet, as quiet in fact as you might reasonably expect on a premium 35-foot cruiser at moderate displacement speeds.

However, it’s the softness of ride that really hits home. In 20 years of testing powerboats, the only comparable monohull I’ve helmed that challenges the Sargo for outright comfort in terms of its capacity to mitigate the impacts of a rough sea is the Paragon 25. The heavyweight build, reliable driving dynamics and supportive offshore seats no doubt help the Sargo excel in this regard but even if the ride wasn’t so brilliantly refined, the helm would still feel like a fine place to be.

With an adjustable seat and hinged

700 (idle) 1000 1500 2000 2250 2500 2750 3000 3250 3550

Knots LPH

GPH

4.3 5.9 7.5 11.2 15.8 20.7 24.8 27.5 30.7 34.6

0.33 0.77 2.38 4.22 4.99 5.65 6.51 7.87 9.50 11.59

1.5 3.5 10.8 19.2 22.7 25.7 29.6 35.8 43.2 52.7

MPG Range (nm)

13.03 7.66 3.15 2.65 3.17 3.66 3.81 3.49 3.23 2.99

688.0 404.6 166.7 140.0 167.0 193.3 201.0 184.4 170.6 157.6

Sound (dB)

57 61 65 72 72 74 75 77 78 81

steering barrel, it’s very easy to slot in behind the wheel and feel like the helm station was custom-moulded around your body shape. A row of dials and switches, mounted above the eyeline on a wooden panel in traditional offshore pilothouse fashion, helps keep the primary dash clean and functional; and the steep, glareresistant screen with its heavy rooftop brow offers a very enjoyable warship-style

34

April 2020

Our test boat was fitted with a Volvo Penta D4-260, but it is now available with the latest 270hp version of the D4 engine

“The ride is wonderfully soft and yielding, but it’s also good fun to drive” vantage point. In truth, the mouldings at the rear part of the pilothouse structure do block some of the view aft, but visibility from the helm is very good, and the sliding roof and twin side doors deliver a much more open sensation than you might anticipate.

The handling is also a genuine pleasure.

The tractor style wheel with its easy-grab knob enables you to spin the boat into a turn with tremendous vigour, whether you’re doing five knots or 35. There’s also plenty of reassuring heel in the turn but the Sargo’s lively sportsboat-style keenness to play is well tempered by its beautifully compliant hull and by the physical constraints of its 3.2-tonne bulk.

The fact that this boat is built for a single Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

inboard engine also does good things for the cruising range as well as the handling balance, but this is such a good boat in so many ways that I do find myself hankering after the 300hp option, just to add a little extra poke and to take the top end that bit closer to 40 knots.

What about the Explorer upgrade?

In the test boat’s standard guise, the 25’s combination of potent offshore lines and modest, understated styling feels distinctly Nordic. It’s very much the kind of boat you might see topping the shortlist for retired Admirals and yacht club Commodores in search of that stoic, keep-forever cruising companion. And the standard package is also remarkable for

35

its vast array of bespoke feeling features, like the 12-inch Garmin chartplotter, the adjustable steering console, the stainless steel keel band and the twin windscreen wipers. Or like the demisters, the trim tabs, the maintenance-free AGM batteries and the standard provision of all the galley and heads facilities you might need for immediate departure on a long weekend cruise.

In view of this peculiar generosity, it’s likely that the standard package plus a bowthruster is probably all that most people will ever need. But, in addition to exploring the 300hp option, I would also urge potential buyers to examine the Explorer package. It comes with slick modern blinds rather than curtains, alongside tinted windows, upgraded fabrics and glass inserts in the sliding roof to improve light when the pilothouse is closed. It also marries a grey hull and

The top-mounted dials and switches are much easier to view than dash-mounted gear

pilothouse roof with black grab rails, thereby elevating the semi-commercial patrol craft look with the dynamism, modernity and presence of a compact explorer vessel. It comes down to personal preference of course but, at around ÂŁ7,500, the Explorer option looks to me like a bit of a steal.

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April 2020

Conclusion For an adventurous outdoor family of four on a sensible budget, the Sargo 25 with the 300hp engine and the optional Explorer package is a wonderful piece of work. It comes with two private double berths, a separate heads compartment, safe walkaround side decks, sheltered communal seating for six and the kind of build and seagoing ability that will keep you happily active all year round. Of course, if you can afford the extra £46,000 required to buy the 28, that will certainly help free up some of the tighter spaces and upgrade some of the weekending facilities.

With the optional Explorer package it looks even more handsome, with black rails and a grey hull

But if you can’t, then rest assured that 12 years after its original launch, the Sargo 25 remains one of the most capable platforms of its size and type anywhere in the world.

ENQUIRIES: Sargo Boats UK 02380 453245 www.sargoboats.co.uk YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Targa 25.1

Nord Star 26 Patrol

Paragon 25 Cabin

LOA: 8.38m Beam: 2.88m Displacement: 3,400kg Enquiries: Wessex Marine 01202 700702 www.wessexmarine.co.uk

LOA: 8.6m Beam: 2.8m Displacement: 3,400kg Enquiries: Nord Star UK 01259 211662 www.nordstar.co.uk

LOA: 8.52m Beam: 3.00m Displacement: 3,494kg Enquiries: Offshore Powerboats 01590 677955 www.offshorepowerboats.co.uk

After 40 years in production, Targa’s superb 25.1 is seen by many as the go-to four-season pilothouse boat.

PRICE from £154,500

Motorboat Owner

Fast, two-berth walkaround pilothouse, designed and built in Finland for reliable yearround sport.

PRICE from £TBC

> NEXT MONTH

The ultra soft-riding Paragon 25 is a premium Swedish two-berth pilothouse boat with proven offshore ability.

PRICE: £164,333

Beneteau ST41

37

Q&A

Your Questions Answered

London calling

Q I am planning a trip from the south

coast up to the Thames, through London and beyond to the non-tidal river, and was wondering about fuel stops. I know I can get diesel in Ramsgate, which I am planning to stop at en-route, but where would my next fuel stop be? Is there any fuel in any of the London marinas?

A There is no fuel in any of the marinas

on the tidal Thames, although there are a couple of refuelling barges. One is located around Tower bridge, the other a little further up. These are not manned all the time, and are really there to service the commercial boats, so prior contact would be advised if planning to use them. I have used them before, so I know that they do sometimes fill up leisure boats but, be warned, they are often moored in some of the more turbulent parts of the tidal river in central London. Personally, I would fuel up in Ramsgate and, if possible, make this the last fuel stop until you are on the nontidal river, where there are a number of marinas with fuel berths, Shepperton Marina perhaps being the first. Unless your tanks are particularly small, you should be able to do this leg with ample fuel spare. Alternatively, call into the Medway and refuel at Gillingham Marina before heading up through London.

Thames Marine Services fuel barges at Wapping, left, and at Westminster pictured right 38

April 2020

If you have a question, email us at

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

V6 engine servicing

Q My first boat is fitted with

a MerCruiser V6 petrol engine and Alpha drive. I tend to do all my own mechanical work on cars, lawnmowers etc, but have never worked on a boat before. Is there anything I should be aware of, or is it really just like servicing a car but on the water?

A When it comes to the V6 engine,

servicing is very straightforward. For the most part it is almost identical to a car service. Depending upon the age of your boat motor, it may even be like a car of old with points to set etc. Perhaps the biggest difference will be in the cooling system, where an air-cooled radiator is replaced by a water-cooled heat exchanger. Your engine may even be raw water cooled, with no heat exchanger present. The cooling system will possibly have some anodes to replace, either in the engine or in the heat exchanger, but the rest of it, plugs, leads, tappets, distributor cap, rotor arm etc will be very familiar to you. Where you may need some help is with the sterndrive. There is nothing like these on a car and they do require regular and competent servicing to avoid expensive failure. A good service manual will tell you all you need to know, but if you are in any way unsure, get an expert in.

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39

Q&A

Your Questions Answered

Battery capacity for inverter install

Q My boat has two 85Ah domestic batteries. Would it be feasible to install an inverter for occasional use of a microwave while away from shorepower?

A The average microwave will draw around 1400W

when on full power, and this equates to just over 100A from your battery bank when in use. It is generally accepted that a lead acid battery bank is only capable of delivering around 50% of its rated capacity, so you really only have 85Ah to play with.

Heating up some soup for around three minutes, will only consume around 6A, so for occasional short use it certainly is possible. You will need an inverter of at least 1500W, 2000W is probably preferable, and some battery monitoring equipment might also be useful just to allow you to keep an eye on your battery levels. If possible, I would consider upgrading your batteries to a pair of 110Ah, or even 125Ah, if you have room. This will give you a little more leeway for microwave, or other mains powered equipment use, when off shorepower.

Prop protection

Q My stainless steel props are covered in barnacles and

what appears to be limescale. I am having some success removing it mechanically, but it’s hard work and as I have four to do was wondering if there is an easier way.

A There are proprietary products to remove hard fouling and scale from

stainless steel props, such as Hempel’s Barnacle cleaner, which is a hydrochloric acid based solution at between 5 and 10% concentration. Many boaters have reported success using brick cleaners, available for DIY and hardware stores, that are also hydrochloric acid based at similar concentrations. It goes without saying, that when using any acid based product, personal protection for skin and eyes is essential.

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April 2020

If you have a question, email us at

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Fog training

Q I got caught out in fog recently and, although I have radar fitted, I quickly realised that I didn’t have much of an idea of how it works and what it was showing me. Is there a course for radar, like there is for VHF?

A The RYA offer a one day radar course, so your local RYA training centre

would be a good first port of call. You could also have a read of our guide to using radar in the July 2016 issue, available from our back issues section. The best way to get a handle on radar though is to use it often. Read our guide and do the course, then, even when visibility is good and you can visually see what is going on around you, use the radar, play with its setting and get to understand what it is showing you. Courses and articles are great for giving you the basics and a quick insight, but there really is no substitute for real life practical experience. Get someone else to take the wheel when next on passage ?????? and play with the features and functions. You really can’t do any harm and you always have the option of returning to factory settings if you think you may have changed something and don’t know how to get it back again. Turn the gain up and down, adjust the clutter levels, set guard zones, see what the difference is between harbour and offshore mode. Do all this while you can see what is out of the window, and compare it to what’s on the screen, and you will soon get a feel for it and gain a lot more confidence in this useful bit of kit next time the visibility closes in.

Q

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

41

Guernsey Gloucester Docks Slicing through the south west, the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary are both scenic and challenging, and for those willing to venture a little farther up the tideway, there is one particularly historical port that is both useful and fascinating. Gloucester Docks

W

ith a tidal range of up to 15 metres and numerous drying sandbanks, the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary represents one of the most unique tidal and navigational challenges for boaters in the UK. On the southern shore of the Severn Estuary lies

an entrance to an enchanting canal that leads to a captivating dock centre that has all the makings of an excellent city centre boating escape. Gloucester Docks has an awful lot to offer visiting boaters, an age-old town dripping in history, preserved maritime docks that has seen

42

April 2020

Destination

GLOUCESTER DOCKS

©DavidBagshaw

Gloucester Docks

Swansea Cardiff Portishead

Sharpness Bristol

Watchet

Padstow

much regeneration and an important safe haven for those wishing to travel further upstream on the Severn and into the inland canal network. The mighty River Severn is Britain’s longest river at 220 miles. Above Gloucester is the start of an inland waterway system which passes through Tewksbury and Worcester, and on into the Midlands via narrow beam canals.

Known as ‘the cathedral city’ of the Cotswolds and Britain’s most inland port, Gloucester nestles on the banks of the

River Severn and dates back to Roman times. It was recognised as a port during the Elizabethan era, with masted ships making their way up the treacherous tidal Severn to reach its quays and offload their precious cargo.

The Victorian era saw the completion of a 14-nautical mile, non-tidal, commercial shortcut to the city, the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, which put Gloucester firmly on the trade map. With drydocks and warehouses established around its

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

43

Victoria Basin was completed in 1849, it’s now home to a marina of resident motor and narrow boats

main basin, Gloucester’s timber industry flourished and trade links to Scandanavia were founded. Thought to be the broadest and deepest in the world, the canal was completed in 1827 and at its southern end at Sharpness, lock gates allowed access to the River Severn. Sharpness New Dock, with lock gates double the size, was opened officially in November 1874 with the original lock entrance later converted

into the picturesque Sharpness Marina.

An additional lock from the docks gave access north back onto the Severn and the industrial Midlands. The tidal stretch of river between Sharpness and Gloucester remains treacherously tidal and shallow, with navigation not recommended. It is however a good place to watch the famous natural phenomenon known as the Severn Bore. With a tidal range thought

©DavidBagshaw

44

April 2020

Destination

GLOUCESTER DOCKS

Distances

Preserved architecture, a 19th century Mariners Church overlooked by red brick dock warehouses

to be the second highest in the world, a large surge wave of up to 9ft (2.8m) occurs on spring tides and, funneled by the estuary narrows, can travel up to 14 miles upstream. This natural spectacle draws people from all over the world, with watersports enthusiasts riding and surfing the wave in kayaks and surfboards.

Today, Gloucester Docks provide a unique glimpse into the city’s, and Britain’s, maritime past. They have been sympathetically developed, with waterfront outlet shopping, restaurants and bars, housed inside the splendid original multi-storey red-bricked warehouses. The docks also provide plentiful mooring opportunities for both motorboats and narrowboats. Nearby Gloucester has many attractions and excellent transport links. One visitor said that being in such a historic location sends shivers down their spine, each time they visit.

Approaches

With tidal movements of up to 15 metres, careful passage planning and timing is crucial for navigating the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary. With a tidal flow of

Approximate distances in nautical miles from Gloucester Docks: • Tewksbury Marina 12 miles • Upton Marina 16 miles • Portishead Marina 34 miles • Penarth Quays 44 miles • Watchet 61 miles • Swansea 88 miles

Weather & Tides

• Weather Avonmouth VTS • Portishead Quays Weather Station • MET Office Inshore Waters Lands End to St Davids Head • Shipping Forecast Lundy • BBC Weather Sharpness • NCI Nells Point weather station & webcam • BBC Tides Sharpness Dock • Gloucester Docks webcam • Sharpness Dock webcam

Charts & Pilot Books

• Imray 2600 Bristol Channel Chart Atlas • Admiralty SC5608 Bristol Channel Chart Folio • Imray C59 Bristol Channel Worms Head and Bull Point to Sharpness • Admiralty Chart 1166: River Severn Avonmouth to Sharpness and Hock Cliff • Imray Bristol Channel & Severn Cruising Guide • Reeds Nautical Almanac • Ordnance Survey OS Explorer 179 (walking guide)

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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SHARPNESS APPROACHES

GLOUCESTER DOCKS Sharpness Lydney Harbour

West Quay

Gloucester Lock

VIC TO RIA

BA SIN

MAIN BASIN

SANIGER SANDS

To Tewksbury, Worcester & Stourport

East Quay

LYDNEY SANDS

BA

RG

EA

RM

Gl ou c Sh ester ar & pn es sC an a

ER SE V

l

ER N

Gloucester Docks

RIV

SHEPERDING SANDS

Llanthony Bridge

High Orchard Bridge

Str ou

dw at er

RIV

ER SE V

ER N

Sharpness Marina

al

S G&

OLDBURY SANDS

n Ca

E RS

RN

VE

Saul Junction Ca n

al

E RIV

Hen & chickens SE ROCKS

ROCKS

VE

RN

BR

RIVER SEVERN

Sharpness

Docks Sharpness

IDG

E

Lydney Harbour up to 7-10 knots, it is important to know that the tide ebbs west for at least 6 hours, Saniger Sands which is when it achieves its maximum flow rate on a spring tide, approximately two hours before HW Dover. Visitors dney Sands will need to ensure that they have the latest tidal and chart information for the passage. They should also consider making passage to Sharpness from either Portishead Marina, which is 20 nautical miles, or Penarth Quays, 30 nautical miles. It is important not to arrive at Sharpness too early. Arrival at Sharpness

Visiting boats bound for Sharpness will need a passage plan, ensuring they have latest tide information and charts

should be timed no sooner than an hour before high water, and no later than high water. One pilot guide recommends an arrival timed exactly half an hour before high water. For faster planing boats this should mean carrying the last few hours of tide upstream from the aforementioned springboard ports. Sharpness Port needs at least 24-hours notice to enter the lock. You will need to call telephone number 01453 511968, if necessary leaving a message if it is unmanned. The lock is manned between HW-4 to HW+1. Essential guidance

April 2020

ŠDavidBagshaw

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Destination ©DavidBagshaw

First of two, the mighty suspension M4 Prince of Wales Bridge spans the wide Severn Estuary

for this can be found on the Gloucester Harbour Trustees website, with a useful recreational guide PDF available. Finally, you will need to purchase a licence from the statutory harbour authority, the Canal and River Trust, before arrival at Sharpness. Short term visitor licences are available via the trust’s website, with a 33ft boat paying £40.21 for a week and £120.64 for a month.

Weather and wind direction is also a consideration. Passages are not generally recommended in low visibility, and a strong northerly wind can cause wind against tide conditions in the estuary when heading upriver. Conversely, a strong southwesterly may cause problems against the ebb when heading back to sea.

The sea area known as the Bristol Channel commences between at Hartland Point and St Govan’s Point and stretches to Cardiff, while the Severn Estuary stretches from Cardiff to Sharpness.

When navigating the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary it is necessary to keep a listening watch on VHF Channel 12,

GLOUCESTER DOCKS

Marine supplies

There is a small chandlery at Sharpness Marina (01453 811476, open Mon-Fri 9am-1am) and Saul Marina (01452 740043). Saul also supplies Calor and Camping Gaz. RW Davis & Sons (01452 740 233) at Saul Junction specialise in marine engines and fit out barges. Sharpness Shipyard (01453 811261) offers lift outs and hardstanding for leisure craft, hull cleaning, painting and general maintenance. Advance Marine at Portishead is a chandlery, Volvo Penta and Honda specialist, it supplies spares, gas, propellers, and offer hull repair and engineering services. SOS Boat Services are a local marine engineers. On the Severn, Tewksbury Marina (01684 293737) has a gantry crane for lifting boats up to 6 tonnes during the season, and provides heavier lift outs and hardstanding in the autumn.

Trailboating

There is one fairly narrow slipway on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal at Saul Marina, pictured below.

Otherwise Lydney Yacht Club has an outer slipway opposite Sharpness, which may be available by prearrangement with the harbour.

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Have long lines and fenders prepared for the lock at Sharpness

©DavidBagshaw

Bristol VTS, which monitors the sea area extending from the Lower Shoots (just south of the Severn bridges) to the Holm Islands, including the River Avon. With Bristol Port being one of the UK’s major ports, the sea area off Portishead is busy with shipping. Here, large commercial vessels, travelling at speeds between 1020 knots, will usually be escorted by tugs, often producing a large wake. During periods of restricted visibility, leisure vessels navigating or crossing the channel should call Bristol VTS on VHF Channel 12 or telephone 0117 980 2638 to obtain shipping information, particularly when visibility is less than one nautical mile.

The main channel is generally well marked with buoys and lights and, prior to Avonmouth, leisure boats are required to keep just outside the shipping channel, travelling along the southern edge of the Bristol Deep, navigating buoy-to-buoy using the ‘Inshore Route’ (see online map).

It is recommended that leisure vessels use

these offshore or inshore routes and use the marked crossing area when crossing the shipping channel. There is a really useful leisure guide to navigating this stretch on the Bristol Port website.

Be aware in this next section the tidal current will push you to the east side of the channel where it can be quite shallow. Also, be aware of the marked rocky shallows in the narrow channel as you approach the first suspension bridge, potentially causing turbulence in a section known as ‘The Shoots’. After the second bridge, the channel then meanders north passing the quaintly named rock, the Hen and Chickens, then north east around the Oldbury Sands before meandering back to the east to clear the Sheperdine, Lydney and Saniger Sands on its north side. Once clear of the second bridge establishing contact with Sharpness Lock on VHF channel 13, using call sign ‘Sharpness Radio’, is recommended.

The Sharpness Dock entrance is easily

©DavidBagshaw

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April 2020

Destination

GLOUCESTER DOCKS

Food supplies ©DavidBagshaw

Sharpness Dock (top left) and Sharpness Marina leading to the former canal entrance

There is a large Sainsburys supermarket on the west side of the canal, close to High Orchard Bridge. This is within easy walking distance from the main basin.

However, the supermarket also has a dedicated bankside mooring just south of High Orchard Bridge, with mooring restricted to 4 hours.

The supermarket is open Mon-Fri 7am-11pm, Sat 7am-10pm and Sun 11am-5pm. There is also a McColls newsagent and convenience store next to Victoria Basin which is open daily from 7am-8:30pm Mon-Sun, with a later opening Sat, of 9:30pm.

identified by a nearby windvane, and its two large wooden grid piers that sweep out into the estuary with a bluecoloured hut on the north side of the entrance. Be aware of the strong cross current at the entrance, and be on the lookout for commercial traffic that may be approaching. Obeying the light signals, upon coming through the outer gate, Gloucester railway station is just a you will either be directed straight into short walk away and offers routes to the lock ahead, or to moor up on the Cardiff, Cheltenham, Weymouth, starboard side floating pontoon, to await Nottingham, London Paddington further instructions. Having long lines and more. Gloucester city also and fenders prepared at various heights is has plenty of useful bus routes, recommended and be aware that when the including Lydney, Minsterworth and lock is full, the water level laps just inches Newnham. Gloucester’s main bus below the dock edge. Lock staff are very station is opposite the railway station. competent and helpful, and are used to There are various hire car companies dealing with motorboats. If there are large in the city and most convenient is commercial ships locking in as well, the Europcar near Sainsburys. team may well use the whole chamber.

On departing the lock there are two swing bridges to transit between the rather industrial Sharpness Port and the canal, both of which are operated by port staff. If your air draft is more than 5 metres, you will need to book the second, upstream, bridge to be swung in advance.

Once on the canal, there is a no wash speed limit of 6mph. Between Sharpness Mid canal, Saul Junction is a good overnight stop, offering facilities, a café and visitor centre and Gloucester, there are several

Transport

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Gloucester’s lightship ‘Sula’ in the stretch of canal looking north to the docks. East Quay pontoons

swingbridges and one bascule bridge.

Each of these will open during manned working hours. Working hours are from 8am and stretch to as late as 7pm during the summer. Bridges are unmanned Tuesdays and Wednesdays during winter.

If necessary, bridges are available on VHF channel 74. Air drafts and contact telephone numbers are displayed at each bridge, and are available online in the Gloucester Harbour Trustees Boaters Guide. However, as you near Gloucester, the three bridges, Netheridge (4.5m), High Orchard (5.6m) and Llanthony (1.6m) only open by arrangement, and will not open during rush hour. Those under 4.5m and 5.6 metres can limbo under the first

two and then wait for a Llanthony lift.

Those wanting to depart Gloucester Docks and venture upstream on the Severn, will need to contact the team at Gloucester Lock, on 01452 310832 or VHF channel 74, to book a lock out. Detailed information, including vessel sizes and draft limitations, is available on the Canal and River Trust website.

Where to moor

There are various well-marked moorings to choose from at Gloucester Docks, either in the main basin or in the canal section to the south of it. Visitor moorings are free for 48 hours, and after this period boaters will be charged £10 per night for up to five

©DavidBagshaw

Entry to and from the Severn. Gloucester Lock, as pictured from the upstream side. The lock has floating bollards and there is a strong stream display light board on the docks outbound side, inset 50

April 2020

Destination

GLOUCESTER DOCKS

Where to fill up

High Orchard and Llanthony bridges lift on demand for dock inbound and outbound traffic

days. Further nights can be arranged and paid for at the Canal and River Trust office located in Commercial Road, in the top corner of the main basin.

Possibly the most popular spot for visiting motorboaters is alongside West Quay in the main basin. This mooring is particularly convenient for the shower and toilet facilities, which are just yards away at Alexandra Quay. These moorings have shorepower access and a handy waterfront café. On the opposite side, East Quay offers a long, alongside pontoon arm and a series of angled pontoon finger moorings, all of which are just yards from the waterfront warehouse bars and eateries.

Being fairly narrow slots, these tend to be popular with narrow boats. Be aware, due to silting, depths in the very top corner can go down to 18 inches or less. There are additional 48-hour alongside pontoon moorings running between the two bridges in the canal section south of the main basin, with the exception of bridge waiting and sanitary station/pump out

Fueling prior to passage to Sharpness is recommended, with petrol and diesel available at tidal gated marinas, Penarth Quays and Portishead. However waterside diesel on the canal itself is available at ACP at Frampton just north of Fretherne Bridge (01452 741966) and inside Saul Marina, note that the marina entrance is narrow, at 4.5 metres wide. Once in Gloucester Docks, unleaded is available in cans from the petrol garage at the nearby Sainsbury’s supermarket, which is next to High Orchard Bridge, on the west side of the canal.

Further afield

On the north shore of the Severn, just across from Sharpness, the tidal harbour of Lydney, makes for a lovely visit. For those wishing to travel to Bristol Harbour, access information and advice is available via the Bristol City Council website.

Portishead (May 17 issue), Cardiff (July 18 issue), Watchet (July 14 issue) and Swansea (November 19) are four more nearby destinations with facilities for motorboats.

Lydney lies immediately opposite the entrance to Sharpness and is delightful

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©DavidBagshaw

A ‘living theatre’, the docks are spectacular at night. Shops, attractions and restaurants are nearby

areas. The Bakers Quay pontoon on the east side, has the aforementioned chemical toilet disposal, pump out and a fresh water point, and Llanthony Bridge pontoon is to the west. Visitors are not permitted to enter or berth inside the inner Victoria Basin, as this is reserved for resident berth holders only. Pump out and shorepower cards can also be purchased from the Canal and River Trust office.

Those wishing to explore and overnight on the canal can berth up anywhere along the towpath. Moorings are well signposted and free for a 48-hour stay, but visitors need to ensure that they are clear of bridge swing openings or not in a bridge waiting area, also ensuring that they have a mallet and ground anchor spikes, if necessary.

Saul Junction is a popular stopping place on the canal and offers a visitor centre, toilets, showers, a water point, one electrical point and a chandlery closeby, inside Saul Marina. At Sharpness, there are no berths available for leisure vessels within the working dock, except those who have made arrangements for works or a lift out. However, Sharpness Marina may well be able to accommodate visiting boats on an adhoc basis, and has water, shorepower and a chandlery.

Where to eat and drink

There are plenty of independent, and chain waterfront cafés, pubs, bars and restaurants around the main dock and Victoria Basin, where there is also a new

©DavidBagshaw

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April 2020

Destination waterfront Food Dock underway. Many of these are housed inside the characteristic, rustic warehouses and just a stones throw from the moorings, with further choices at the Gloucester Quays shopping centre. These include Brewhouse and Kitchen, Coal Grill & Bar, Cote Brasserie, Nando’s, and several chain Italian eateries including Zizzi. Playing on the children’s nursery rhyme ‘Doctor Foster went to Gloucester, in a shower of rain, he stepped in a puddle, right up to his middle, and never went there again.’, Doctor Fosters Liquor Company bar and restaurant (01452 382157) is one particular quirky, kitsch-eclectic find on East Quay. Another popular dockside eatery is The Med (01452 303502) offering, as the name suggests, Med and Middle Eastern style cooking.

For breakfast, lunches and naughty bites, On Toast is the home of the sweet and savoury toastie, and is a popular boaters haunt, conveniently located on the waterfront next to the West Quay mooring. There is also a good value Wetherspoons, The Lord High Constable, next to Llanthony Bridge, serving pub grub and breakfasts priced from £3.99.

Places to see and visit

Plentiful eateries, East Quay in the Main Basin

The ornate medieval extravaganza is the resting place for King of England, Edward II. Open daily and well-signposted from the Docks, admission is free but a £5 donation is requested.

On the way to the cathedral it is easy to get side tracked by the charming House of the Tailor of Gloucester, otherwise known as the Beatrix Potter Museum and Gift Shop. It is said that it is this very house that inspired the Tailor of Gloucester story and is used in the illustrations. It is open everyday, and it is run by enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers.

Another two attractions lie closeby.

The Museum of Gloucester, in Brunswisk Road, charts the city’s history from prehistoric times, with exhibits including dinosaurs, Roman ruins and other local artefacts. The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum, on the north side of Victoria ©Canal&RiverTrust

Housed inside a Grade II listed grain warehouse in the docks, the National Waterways Museum Gloucester charts the 200-year history of the docks and the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, and is full of maritime nostalgia. Entry is £8.50 for adults over 16, £5 for children aged 6-15 with 5 and under entering for free. A family ticket is available for £20.

No trip to Gloucester is complete without a visit to its splendid cathedral.

GLOUCESTER DOCKS

The National Waterways Museum attraction

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GLOUCESTER MAP

8

KEY

7

1 Canal & River Trust Office 2 National Waterways Museum 3 Gloucester Quays 4 On Toast

C

5 Museum of Gloucester Eastgate Shopping Centre House of The Tailor of Gloucester Gloucester Cathedral Toilet & shower facilities

1

10 The Lord High Constable

9

13 The Med

5

13

12 2

14 Doctor Fosters Liquor Company

C

C

SIN

14 BA

MAIN BASIN

6

TO RIA

4

11 Europcar Gloucester 12 Mariners Church

C

VIC

6 7 8 9

C

B

10

2 ARGE ARM C

Shopping streets Train Station Bus stop

C

3

11

Footpath

C

1 C

Cashpoint

GLOUCESTER PARK

1

Sainsburys

2

McColls

C

Restaurants, attractions, big brand shops and boating facilities, Gloucester Docks has a lot to offer 19

FT

RA

TES

OU

RC

5

4

16

VE

R RY

FER

Dock, celebrates Gloucestershire’s soldiers from the last 300 years, with uniforms, artefacts and displays including a World War I trench.

For the shopper, the Gloucester Quays outlet shopping centre is a must. Lying on the east side of the canal, between the High Orchard and Llanthony bridges, it offers many popular ‘boatique’ shops such as Fat Face, Joules and Weirdfish.

Shopping in the city centre is also excellent, with the Eastgate Shopping Centre and shopping streets of Eastgate and Westgate featuring big brands such as Debenhams, M&S and TK Maxx. There are also antique-selling outlets scattered around the docks, some of which are housed in bygone dock warehouses.

For those wanting to experience the spectacle that is the Severn Bore, you HO

18 17

C 20

15

3

will find timings and viewing points online. The best 4 & 5 star bores occur on larger spring tides and these tend to fall mid-morning and evening. To get to the various viewing points you could catch the number 22 and 23 buses from Gloucester bound for Coleford. This route stops at Minsterworth, with its the popular Severn Bore Inn, and also Newnham further downstream. Alternatively you could consider hiring a car for the day from Gloucester. Viewing the bore at two locations as it travels upstream is possible and recommended. At just 10 minutes apart by road, you can see the bore at Newnham waterfront and then travel up to Minsterworth Church. These two locations provide very different views of the Bore, which itself takes around one hour to travel between the two. MBO

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April 2020

tested Speedpatch

PRICE from

We have owned Jamey G, a Birchwood 33 Classic, since 2008 and undertaken a number of changes/replacements over the years. There always was some sag in the cockpit roof when viewed from above, but last year this seemed more noticeable, though the roof inside is flat. I had considered installing a metal box section spanning across the boat and supported by the perimeter timber beam on two joist hangers, but after measuring the sag/dip of the underside of the laminate at only some 6 or 7mm across the cockpit, I decided this wasn’t necessary.

I’ve had water leaking through cracks and splits in the gel coat of the cockpit roof, forwards of the sunroof, for some time and had temporarily used duct tape/fluid sealant in an attempt to minimise any ingress of water. This situation had worsened over this last winter and water had percolated through and accumulated between the fabric lining and plywood. Because of the method of construction of the cockpit roof we had to cut the fabric down to drain the water out, a good washing-up bowl full, by scoring around the perimeter. We pulled the plywood away from the structure to allow it to dry out and, as far as I can tell, the ply

£10.74

Motorboat Owner

“A quick, easy and affordable fix for damaged gelcoat” Value 4/5 Usability 4/5 Performance 4/5

Barry had used Duct tape as a temporary measure.

With the problem worsening he removed the ply lining 56

April 2020

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

With no time for a gelcoat repair on top, a watertight seal was achieved quickly, easily and cheaply at just over £100

panels will be re-usable once completely dry. If it turns out that there is any rot, then I propose to cut it out locally and patch with new.

Having realised that now was the time to effect a proper repair to the gelcoat of the cockpit roof, I searched the web for a suitable fibreglass product. Initially I thought I would have to cut out and replace the gelcoat, but having no real experience of using this material I was a bit reluctant to do so. It was during my web search that I found ‘Speedpatch’, and it seemed like a ready-made patch of fibreglass, with an adhesive backing that cured under UV light rather than warm temperature, was a better solution for me. The sacrifice was a slightly raised area over the repair, rather than an invisible mend, but the ‘Speedpatch’ is only some 1-2mm thick and as it was on the cockpit roof was not usually in view. I intend to apply a ‘fillet’ of GRP filler around the perimeter of the patching to minimise the appearance, and I had already decided that I would paint the whole of the cockpit roof in a similar ‘off white’ colour rather than try to exactly colour-match any fibreglass repair. This meant that the grey finish of the patch wasn’t an issue. The ‘Speedpatch’ leaflet fully explains how to use the product, which is available in various sizes. I applied a further isolated patch on the roof , which isn’t shown in the photos, and in all paid just over £100. However, I purchased more than I’ve used and have two complete patches left over. This application is a straightforward DIY job so there was no specialist labour charge to pay, and I’m very pleased with how it’s performed in terms of water-tightness. When the outer packaging of the patch is removed there is a black shrink-wrapped inner sleeve containing the patch. I would recommend cutting/shaping the patch to the desired profile before releasing the wrapping (as it will begin to cure as soon as it’s exposed to UV light) then press it into place as soon as possible. The patch can be cut readily with a pair of strong scissors.

Barry Cropper Contact: Gooforit /All Times Coatings www.gooforit.co.uk Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Motorboat Owner

PROJECT BOAT

PROJECT Fairline Vixen

I

had some big plans for the project boat this month, with a list of jobs that included refitting the sterndrive and trim rams, re-installing some of the engine’s ancillaries, re-wiring the engine and sorting out the throttle and sticky gear shift cable.

The month started OK, with some workshop time dedicated to cleaning up and re-fixing all the plastic hardware onto the freshly painted heat exchanger. This, together with the alternator, refurbished dipstick and both carburettors were taken to the boat with a view of being installed.

The dipstick and alternator went on fine, but when it came to the carbs I realised that I was missing, and don’t recall even

seeing, the pipe that feeds them. A quick rummage around the boat turned up the pipe in the gas locker, where I must have discarded it many months ago. It was clear that this was going to need replacement as it was so corroded that it had snapped when removing it. This part is now obsolete, so I am going to have to set about trying to fabricate it from scratch.

One step forward and two steps back.

Filled with disappointment, I turned my attention to something I could move forward on. The control cables were still lying loosely in the engine bay and, while the throttle cable operated freely and easily, the gearshift was another matter. Where it had been exposed to the

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April 2020

The heat exchanger ancillaries, including the raw water strainer, were cleaned up and re-fitted

elements, the outer case had split and the inner core seized solid with corrosion.

To replace this I would need to uncouple it from the gear shift at the helm, which would give me an opportunity to look at the first item away from the engine and drive. The throttle and shift control was in a poor state, with the wooden handle broken and the metalwork generally showing signs of its age and years of neglect. A chance visit to a local clearance chandlery, turned up a brand new exdisplay model of a more modern design of Volvo Penta side mounted throttle and shift control. It may have been a bit extravagant, but I am a strong believer that the tactile bits of a boat go a long way towards delivering a good driving

experience and, although the broken and corroded shift control would have worked, it simply wouldn’t have felt very nice. The ex-display control was around a third of the price of a new one, and cheaper even than any used ones I had seen, and would bring the boat into the 21st century with the safety feature of start-in-gear protection.

The old control box was removed, and the old gearshift cable disconnected, pulled through and taken off the boat.

Once off, I could find out its length and look to order a new one. These cables sometimes have their length written on the outer plastic jacket, often in feet or inches, but in this case no info was found. Using a tape measure from tip to

???????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????

The dipstick and alternator have been re-installed onto the engine. The carbs will need to wait after hitting a snag Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

59

The gear shift cable and throttle control have been removed. A new fuel feed pipe will need fabricating

tip, it appeared that the original cable was 15½ feet, but with only cables to the nearest foot, or equivalent nearest metre, available I started looking for a 16ft or 5m replacement. My favourite Internet auction site came up trumps again, with a brand new, old-stock, 5m Teleflex universal 33C cable for just £10. The extra 30cm this new cable provides should be easy to lose in the run from helm to stern.

It was at this point where global events overtook things and, as ready as I was to start fitting new controls and cables, I suddenly found myself confined to quarters. These items, together with any other work on the boat itself will have to wait until the pandemic has passed and some form of normality returns.

I did, however, have a little more that I could do at home. The engine wiring harness that I mentioned last month was still on my workbench, and a new delivery of wire and terminals meant I could at least make a start on it.

The harness comprised two parts. The first is simply two 16mm2 wires that go between starter motor, alternator and the engine’s main breaker. After a quick measure of the terminal sizes, it didn’t take long to replicate these. The wire insulation was stripped back with a sharp knife, being careful not to damage the multi-strand copper conductors, and a new terminal, with the appropriate stud hole size, was crimped on each end, making sure that any rubber boots were re-installed first.

All of the old wiring had been labelled using masking tape, having previously carefully studied both the wiring diagram in the owners manual and my previous photographs taken while dismantling the engine, and these have been replaced with

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April 2020

plastic tabs to make installing it simple.

The rest of the wiring harness is a bit more complicated and includes the main harness connection plug, plus another plug for the engine start relay. This latter plug contains some very corroded terminals so I will be replacing these, and the wires that connect to them, entirely.

One heavier duty power feed cable that connects between the other side of the engine circuit breaker and the wiring harness plug is showing corrosion wicking all the way along it. This means that, again, I am going to have to replace some of the wires all the way back to the plug, including their terminal within.

At the time of writing, the special uninsulated terminals that are required for the relay and main harness plugs are still trapped somewhere in the postal system. I was hoping they might turn up in time to finish this little job, but alas this was not to be. With restrictions now on any sort of unnecessary travel, the project boat has got as far as it can until the limitations are lifted. Apart from finishing off the wiring harness, everything else requires access to the boat and/or services that are currently closed or off limits.

Spend so far

Motorboat Owner

PROJECT BOAT This month’s spend

New throttle and shift control £90 New gear shift cable £10

Balance from last month

Some more wiring work has been undertaken, but is far from finished

£1,696.45

Total to date: £1,796.45

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

61

Hooked T

Simon Everett finds a Plaice in the sun

here are so many puns that get used amongst anglers around the plaice that it is one of the mainstays of the angling scene. These puns are also common amongst fish and chip shops, you must have seen ‘The Tasty Plaice’ and similar above the door. This is because plaice are very tasty, the white meat is tender and sweet, which is why they have been a favourite with the British public for generations. Although they are mostly a small fish, with the average weight being around 1lb, better fish in the 2lbs -2.5lbs range are quite frequently caught.

Occasionally one hears about a monster of 4lbs and more, but these are very few and far between. As a result plaice are perfect for fishing with light tackle, a 10-40g spinning rod, light spinning reel and 20lb braid is all you need, which will allow these fish to show you their sporting prowess, adding an extra degree of pleasure into your catches.

Plaice are found all around our coast on sandy, shingle ground, rather than mud.

The sandbanks either side of headlands, BAIT: BEADS, SQUID AND WORMS

sand bars at the entrance to estuaries and the areas close by, estuaries with a sandy content to the bottom and mussel beds are the main spots where plaice will be plentiful, from Lands End right up to John-O-Groats on both east and west coasts. Many of the plaice marks are in quite shallow water, the exception to this would be the deep Scottish sealochs, but off most of the coast they are found within ½ mile of the shore and in around 15m of water or less, although they may still be caught much deeper. Fishing shallow water allows the use of lighter weights, I use a 2oz weight on a running ledger with about 3 feet of 15lb fluorocarbon for the hook trace. Some people use a wishbone spreader rig, which is a curved wire boom clipped to the mainline with a short (1ft) hook trace at each end and the weight attached to the centre.

Both types of rig keep the bait close to the seabed, which is important for this bottom feeding fish. You can catch plaice at anchor, but you will be more successful on a gentle drift. With the weight dragging across the bottom it creates puffs of sand that the plaice investigate. Bright attractors in the form of beads, sequins or spoons are also used to appeal to the inquisitive nature of these spotted beauties. A fine wire hook is the best choice, with the size 1 or 1/0 Aberdeen being favourite. Bait is the same everywhere, ragworm is the most popular but lugworm also works in some

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April 2020

Plaice fishing from a small boat with light gear. A lovely plaice comes to the net. Simon’s plaice

areas, local knowledge will tell you, so ask in the tackle shop. A little trick that makes a huge difference is to tip the hook with a strip of squid, for some reason plaice seem to love this combination.

The method of fishing is very easy, start your drift uptide of the area you expect to find the fish. Lower your bait to the bottom and while the boat is still drifting pay out extra line, another few yards at least and then stop the line with your finger, on a spinning reel or thumb on a multiplier. The reason for this is so that as you drift the bait stays on the bottom

and doesn’t kite up with the drift. Bites are distinct from the regular rumble caused from the weight dragging and bumping along the bottom, they come in the form of a very sharp rattle. When you feel a bite lift your finger and let line out immediately, this stops the bait from being dragged away and gives the fish a chance to take it. Count to 10 and then put your finger back to jam the line again, you will feel if you have the fish or not. If you think the fish is hooked, put the reel into winding mode and enjoy the fun! Fresh plaice is a delight.

Inshore fishing in calm water is best. Coloured lead and loads of beads attract plaice, as does squid Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

63

CLASSIC CRUISERS

a complete guide to the best boats on the used market

Fairline Phantom 43AC

D

uring the mid 90s, when the flybridge and sportscruiser were king, one boat builder made the brave, and expensive, step to resurrect and modernise a much-loved aft cabin model.

British builder, Fairline, set out to deliver a new, fast, cruiser that would follow in the path of their very popular model, the Turbo 36, built between 1982-1993. But did Fairline get it right?

When the artist impressions of the Olesinski-designed Phantom 43AC were unveiled in 1996, Fairline’s confident brochure introduction said it all, ‘The wait

has surely been worth it. Our first aft cabin model since the legendary Fairline Turbo 36 of the eighties, of which 220 were built, the Phantom 43AC is truly the result of popular demand’. It had big shoes to fill, and Fairline went larger and grander than its beloved two-cabin Turbo.

Fairline’s other ranges were reflected in its design, such as the new era Squadron wraparound saloon windscreen, and the shapely stern and seating layout of the larger Targas. With cockpit canvas dodgers now a big ‘no-no’ in aft cabin cruisers, builders, such as Broom, were

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©RichardMcMinn

Built 14 1996-1998 Prices then £269,245 Prices now £120,000-£125,000 Length 44ft 7in / 13.6m Beam 13ft 6in / 4.11m Draught 3ft 7in / 1.09m Air Draught mast 16ft 1in / 4.9m, screen 11ft / 3.36m Fuel 290 gallons / 1318 litres Water 101 gallons / 460 litres Displacement 18000kg approx

favouring moulded coamings. Fairline created a large, shapely transom moulding to enclose a conservatory-like, raised, aft deck seating area.

The stylish 44ft, navy-hulled 43AC launched at the Southampton Boat Show in September 1996, where it stood out as a revelation amongst its Phantom flybridge siblings, and what was not to like? It delivered the fore and aft privacy for two couples that is expected of an aft cabin cruiser, with two ensuite cabins and a central saloon providing 4-6 berths. It had a planing hull, dual helm stations and

was fitted with large twin diesel shaftdrive engines offering speeds up to 30 knots.

It was, however, up against some stiff opposition from other boats of a similar size with three sleeping areas too. Boats such as the Sealine 390/410/F43 and 450/ T46, Broom’s 44 and the classic Princess 435. Priced in the region of quarter of a million pounds, the Phantom 43AC needed to excel and really turn heads both in the UK and abroad.

Unfortunately, the 43ACs shapely exterior and resulting high price seems to have been its downfall. Its high production

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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cost led Fairline to cut its build run short, just two years after its launch. This meant that only 14 were built, with just three produced in 1998. It also did not help that trade-in values of the older Turbo 36 meant a very large price jump to upgrade. So sadly it wasn’t as successful as the Turbo, but this rare Fairline is still a highly-regarded boat by owners. Twenty two years on, with used prices settling at around £125k, Motorboat Owner has taken a look aboard the very last 43AC to be built, to see what this aft cabin can offer in today’s market.

Interior Sliding back the curved ‘up and over’ entrance door, a set of fairly steep, slightly angled stairs lead down into a light and spacious saloon area, which is both welcoming and impressive. Here,

Fairline elegantly delivers a versatile and sumptuously-appointed living and entertaining space, boasting headroom of 6ft 1in, likened to that of a Broom. There is a large, heavily bolstered C-shaped, six person, settee-cum-dinette to starboard, which also converts into a double berth, while to port, a glossy wood sideboard provides drinks and television storage.

Forward of this there is a three-seater corner sofa. The wooden seat bases all offer storage, while the sideboard unit could be factory equipped with a second fridge for just under £800.

The bright saloon sees another bold feature by Fairline. While the likes of Broom were beginning to shy away from lower helm positions in their aft cabin models, Fairline included one, identical to that seen on its flybridge sisters, and a very impressive space it

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You’d be forgiven for thinking that you were on a flybridge boat, the inside helm is quite comfortable

is too. Flowing seamlessly on a similar level to the saloon, the driving position is very good, with snug double helm seat and an intuitive, formulaic console, and, despite two chunky pillars in the large wraparound windscreen, side and forward visibility is pretty good. Fairline often fitted Raytheon/Raymarine or Simrad instruments and navigation equipment,

and a Furuno radar, with depth, speed and distance log instruments, such as Raytheons/Raymarines Tridata ST readouts, coming as standard. Such equipment may have been updated since, with the capacity for an 8-inch chartplotter flush mounted to the left of the steering wheel.

The main electrical switch panel can be found in the helm seat base, facing into

There are excellent storage opportunities and worktop space in its quality U-shaped galley Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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the companionway.

Moving down the forward companionway steps you will find the U-shaped galley on the port side. This is very well appointed and offers bountiful storage opportunities for distance, liveaboard cruising. The spacious Corianstyle worktop has lift out sections, concealing a sink and drainer, a threeburner hob and larder locker. Beneath the worktop is a large capacity, 85-litre fridge, a gas oven and grill beneath the hob and a large shelved cupboard under the sink.

A microwave combination oven could be factory-fitted in lieu of the standard oven, but there is enough space on the worktop for a small microwave as well. There is capacity for a small bin in the galley steps, alternatively there is space for a larger pedal bin in the companionway.

The bow guest cabin is an impressive

space, again offering excellent headroom of just over 6ft. It provides a double berth, excellent storage and ensuite access to the impressive day toilet on the starboard side.

This cabin is, of course, dominated by the large island double berth, measuring 6ft 5in in length and 5ft 7in at its widest, but has arguably better hanging storage than the aft master. There is a full length hanging locker each side, a tier of two drawers in the bed base, a bank of four eye-level cupboards each side and plenty of standing space for two people to dress.

The dated original contrasting padded lining around the bed may be vinyl and not to be everyone’s taste, but will almost certainly be very hardwearing. Light is provided by opening hull portholes and a foredeck escape hatch overhead.

Moving aft, opposite the galley is a day toilet of epic proportions. Inside, it is very

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1998 £124,950 (featured) Twin Volvo TAMD63P diesels TBS Boats Penton Hook 01932 570055 www.tbsboats.com

1997 £139,000 (inc UK delivery) Twin Volvo TAMD63P diesels Ancasta 02392 373 300 www.ancasta.com Its forward toilet compartment is well appointed with Fairline’s cylindrical-shaped shower stall

well finished with a chunky teak floor, a deep corner sink in the forward corner, a plinth mounted electric-flush toilet as standard, and a separate cylindrical shaped shower stall with a revolving door. The enclosed shower offers at least 2ft of elbow room and 6ft of height. The shower door can be clipped open for fast passages, but be aware if left, it can shake open and cause damage in lumpier conditions. Above the sink, at eye level, is a bank of two mirrored storage cupboards, ideal for his and hers lotions and potions. Check the chrome plated light surrounds and the metal blinds (if fitted), as these can corrode in the compartment’s damp environment, particularly as both toilet compartments were not usually fitted with extractors.

1997 £123,950 Twin Volvo TAMD63P diesels Barbican Yacht Agency 01752 228855 www.plymouthyachts.co.uk

The excellent utility area offers storage or a factory-fitted washing machine

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Just aft of the day toilet, on the port side next to the stairs, a half-height door reveals a very useful space indeed. Renamed the laundry or ‘tool shed’ by MBO, a crawl-in utility area could be fitted with a washer/dryer or freezer, both being useful extras for distance cruising.

However, as standard, this was equipped with a storage unit comprising of two cupboards and pull-out rack, all of which are ideal for tools and engine spares.

Carpeted floor space in here can also be

There is plenty of headroom in the aft ensuite

utilised for tool boxes, a vacuum cleaner, or possibly a deflated tender.

A semi-spiral staircase leads down to the lovely, volumous aft cabin. This is everything you’d expect it to be, private, well finished and beautifully appointed, albeit slightly lacking in natural light with no transom ports. Stepping down into the cabin there is a large offset island double berth in the port corner, measuring an impressive 6ft 5in in length and 5ft 4in wide. A corner settee wraps around the starboard corner, with glossy doors on the port side accessing a half-height hanging locker and the cabin’s ensuite toilet compartment. On the port side, next to the stairs, a door conceals a generous corner locker that offers more half-height hanging and shelved storage.

The ensuite toilet compartment is almost identical in format and features to the day toilet, but offers a third mirrored locker and some useful storage in the sink unit base. Despite being slightly smaller

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in internal volume than the day toilet, it offers greater headroom at 6ft 6in overall, and 6ft 5in in the shower stall.

These boats will usually be finished in a modern-looking lacquered Cherry and Eucalyptus wood finish. Fairline did also offer a Maple and Bird’s Eye Maple wood finish, which is slightly more striking.

Ensure the lacquer is in good condition as this can go milky or crack in warmer climes through exposure to light and heat. You will also need to inspect cabin headlinings, as these can deteriorate and sag, in particular in the galley and forward cabin areas.

An Eberspacher D5L diesel heating system was factory fitted for just under £3k, while a 4 or 6kva HFL Mariner generator was offered at the cost of just under £6k or £7k respectively, both of which are distance cruising ‘must haves’ for a boat of this size and ability.

Aft cockpit & helm Step through the side cockpit coaming gate and you are greeted with a vast enclosed area that makes best use of a mighty 13ft 6in beam, and offers excellent headroom. Spacious is an understatement. Aft, an inviting, heavilybolstered, C-shaped settee area provides seating for six, and in most instances two fold-out and interconnecting tables on pedestals provide ample space for dining and entertaining. Inside the shapely seat moulding are various self-draining lockers. As with all aft cabin boats, the lack of a lazarette means storage for bulkier items, such as liferafts and deflated tenders, is at a premium.

Despite its essences of Broom, when stood at the helm, this boat has a Targa feel about it, with its wraparound metal capped, low-level windscreen, moulded seating and helm console, chunky radar

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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arch and the vast split-level cockpit. This raised forward section of the cockpit has the helm mounted to starboard and an L-shaped settee to port. The compact double helm seat, with its lifting bolster, is better for single occupancy and, ahead, everything is visible and neatly falls to hand with a shapely tiered helm console.

Initially, Fairline introduced a heavilysculpted console with dials and gauges divided between a triangular dash forward and an elliptical dome-shaped panel.

The latter was later removed, creating a simplified, lower-level and easily viewable console with a large Perspex chart storage area and switches and navigation equipment arranged either side of the steering wheel. As with the internal helm, nav equipment may well have been updated and repositioned, with space available to the left of the wheel for a 12inch, flush-mounted chartplotter.

The wraparound windscreen echoes the saloon format, and has clever curved

It has a well-designed helm, its double helm seat is better for one but has a standing bolster 72

April 2020

Perspex corner panes, so ensure you inspect these for scratches, caused by stiff brush cleaning, and crazing. This windscreen provides a decent amount of protection and security. However, as the bow rises at faster planing speeds, the helmsman’s seat bolster comes into its own, with most owners opting to stand for shorter passages for a better view out over the screen, with or without the forward canopy windscreen in place. The seated position is good, and quite social when static, but lacks support with a fairly low backrest. One owner had taken this a stage further by installing an adjustable and very commanding single helm seat sitting higher on the existing plinth. Set well back, much like a sportscruiser, forward visibility is not the greatest for those sat to port in the slightly lower level L-shape copilot seating area.

The canopy is an important feature of this particular boat and there is an awful lot of it, so it is important to ensure that this is in good condition. You will find, in most cases, this should provide at least 6ft standing headroom at the helm. Be sure to inspect for leaks, particularly at the helm and windscreen-radar arch joins, lifting up cushions to check.

On deck Moving around the forward deck areas is a breeze. Ten-inch wide side decks, which narrow at the bow, are enclosed by a pronounced smooth toerail, and sturdy, high stanchions with a wire insert. These are adorned with heavy duty cleats and plenty of grabrails offering security and a big boat feel. The compromise of having such a sumptuously spacious interior is that the boat is quite high sided. Also, a lack of a centre gate and hull step, as seen Motorboat Owner Š Digital Marine Media Ltd

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on some similar-sized aft cabin models, means access aboard is solely via the boats large bathing platform.

At the bow, a 1200-watt electric anchor winch, deploying a 20kg Danforthstyle anchor, is recessed into the deck as standard. Hatches either side of the windlass lift to reveal a chain locker and plentiful fender storage.

Unlike its Targa sisters with white powder-coated frames, the 43AC was fitted with attractive stainless steel-framed windows as standard. These are less likely to show signs of corrosion. However, like any boat of this age, it is always worth inspecting the window rubber seals as these can shrink through age, which could eventually cause internal leaks.

Exiting out of the gated aft cockpit coaming and venturing aft down to the bathing platform, is a little bit of a squeeze.

As you head aft down the grand-styled staircase, the moulded steps are quite narrow, and at this point the side deck stanchions have stylishly disappeared, making this maneuver feel somewhat

precarious. Facing inwards and having the side canopy screens rolled up is perhaps the trick here, as it makes the guardrails that run along the top of the coaming accessible. Some models may well have an additional guardrail running around the outer corners of the cockpit-transom coaming for added reassurance. Extending the side stanchions further aft is a costly but valid option. Alternatively, one owner had added a rope handrail between the top and bottom grabrails for added security.

The aft cockpit, bathing platform and steps up the side decks were adorned with a simulated teak as standard. Being a form of stylised ply, it is not as hard wearing as teak, this can thin and deteriorate in places, usually as a result of wear and tear, jet washing and harsh scrubbing. In most cases it will be serviceable but could prove costly to replace.

The bathing platform extends full beam, and offers a large central draining locker for storage and a concealed swim ladder.

A transom shower was recessed into the aft cockpit moulding as standard. Options

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A white hull became standard in late 1997

on the bathing platform included a 2.5 or 3-metre passerelle for Med customers (£850-£900) and cantilevered davits.

There was also an option for an electric davit system, which could be fitted at the additional cost of £6k and came with a lifting capacity of up to 250kgs.

Hull and Handling With a hull design by Bernard Olesinski, the 43AC has a modified V planing hull.

It has a fairly deep V entry at the bow, with a 19-degree deadrise aft, and full length sprayrails work to deflect spray.

Olesinski obviously felt it unnecessary to add prop tunnels in this particular hull design, as the aft cabin layout saw the engines mounted well forward, providing a shallower draught and a shallow shaft angle for efficiency.

Much like its Turbo 36 predecessor, the 43AC takes it all in its stride. Owners are quick to describe the helming experience, power delivery and fast or slow handling as obedient, with planing speeds achieved with minimal fuss, and a good ride angle with little, or no use of trim tabs. An Electro-hydraulic trim tab system was

fitted as standard, with each tab fitted with protective cathodic anodes. The trim tabs are really only necessary, to bring the bow down when required to cut though and stride across choppier wave conditions.

An elegant navy-coloured hull was available at no extra charge in 1996/97, so it is hardly surprising that nearly all early examples were navy. However, in 1998 Fairline offered a navy-coloured top band as an extra. This was almost certainly a cost cutting exercise by the builder, consequently a couple that were built that year have the standard white hull. White hulled versions normally have a grey gelcoat band around the aft cockpit

It has conventional, shallow-angled shafts

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

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Most models will be fitted with 370hp Volvo Penta TAMD 63Ps which are readily accessible

coaming. The navy hull is extremely attractive, but it does show marks and scrapes, and will need annual attention to keep its lustre, as will the coloured gelcoat aft cockpit band. Owners have been known to paint or wrap the latter.

Despite its well-regarded obedience, a 4hp bowthruster was fitted as standard, which is a very useful feature when manoeuvring at close quarters. Owners may also have since opted to install a sternthruster for added manoeuvrability.

Engines Throughout its build the 43AC was powered by twin shaftdrive Volvo Penta diesel engines. It was available with two options, 318hp TAMD 63Ls offering brochure speeds of 24-26 knots priced at ÂŁ269,245, or 370hp TAMD 63Ps giving 28-30 knots at ÂŁ274,950 (prices 199697). Most boats you will come across will almost certainly be fitted with the larger 370hp engines, which are very well suited.

With the more common 63Ps revving to 2800rpm, owners say that the boat is very happy and comfortable at 22-24

knots, at 2400rpm, which is a decent fast cruising speed for this fairly large, 18-tonne boat. This should offer economy of approximately one mile per gallon.

However, dropping down to 20 knots or below delivers comfort in choppier conditions and a similar fuel economy.

The boat is fitted with two 145-gallon fuel tanks outside of the engines. Fairline state that these are made from marine grade alloy and have a linked changeover valve system. The fuel fillers are separate and central on each side deck, making it a scramble with a fuel hose. We are aware of one 43AC that had an additional fuel tank installed to increase fuel range. However, its original capacity is pretty impressive, offering a range of approximately 230 nautical miles with a 20% safety margin.

Engine access is via a series of three hatches in the saloon floor. A central smaller shoulder-scrunching hatch, narrow at just 14.5 inches, conceals the main engine bay access route, a fiverung metal ladder that leads down to an inspection treadplate area between the engines. The larger outer hatches,

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revealing the top of each engine, can be lifted out for servicing tasks. You will note that none of the hatches are gas strutted and the starboard hatch is not as readily accessible due to the table and saloon settee base, both of which slide out.

Once down in the engine bay, the fit out is first class with easy access to fuel filters, which are mounted centrally each side of the inspection treadplate. Raw water filters are located on the aft bulkhead, while at the forward end, beyond the ladder, a generator (if fitted) and the 11-gallon calorifier will be found. Unlike its Turbo predecessor, it is just about possible to get between the engines and sound-proofed fuel tanks, which is very useful. The sternglands are the only things that are awkward to get to, as they extend under the aft cabin.

When it comes to seasonal maintenance, Volvo Penta engines are

highly regarded and have good availability of parts and, if necessary, service agents scattered throughout the UK. However, to offset potentially high running costs, savings can be made by sourcing parts and spares yourself, and also doing all or some servicing tasks yourself.

Conclusion If you have £120k in your back pocket, this rare aft cabin is a distance pied-à-terre cruiser that offers a high level of space and quality. It doesn’t have a third cabin and the eightperson sleeping capacity of others but, in reality, how often will this cabin be used? It represents Fairline at its bold best and if you are a couple looking to cruise around the UK or the Med, why not do it in style and comfort?

Before buying any used boat, always employ the services of a YDSA or a IIMS accredited surveyor and, if you have any doubt about the engines, a separate engine survey by a suitably qualified person is recommended.

Family Phantom 38

1997-2003

Prices £99,950-£135,000 Length: 40ft 4in Beam: 12ft 8in One of the very best entry-level flybridges around. It offers 6 berths with two ensuite cabins.

Buy one (pictured) 2001 £99,950 www.boats.co.uk

Phantom 40 MkII 2002-09

Turbo 36

Prices £165,000-£260,000 Length: 41ft 1in Beam: 12ft 3in A quality and very popular flybridge model offering two ensuite cabins and 4-6 berths.

Buy one (pictured) 2007 £99,950 www.burtonwaters.co.uk

Prices £25,000-£69,000 Length: 39ft 11in Beam:13ft 4in Immensely popular 4-7 berth, two-cabin, aft cabin cruiser from the 1980s, with 220 built.

Buy one (pictured) 1990 £62,950 www.tbsboats.com

Motorboat Owner © Digital Marine Media Ltd

1982-1993

77

New and Used

Boats for Sale 01189 403211

Freeman / 23

Immaculate river cruiser, 4 berths, winter cover, BSS until 2023

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

Corsiva / 500T

Modern lines, social seating for 5, up to 60hp

Fairline / Mirage 29

Spacious cruiser, twin diesel on outdrives, equipped galley

Sealine / 260 Senator

Twin Volvos, just under 300hp, 4 berths, suitable for sea or river

1974 | £9,750 | 23ft | 7m

NEW | £13,100 | 16.4ft | 5m

1980 | £17,000 | 29ft | 8.9m

Primuer / 710

Interboat / Intender 820

Haines / 320

Intercruiser / 29

2018 | £35,000 | 23.3ft | 7.1m

NEW | £77,950 | 26.6ft | 8.1m

2009 | £110,000 | 32ft | 9.8m

2016 | £180,000 | 29ft | 9m

Striking day boat complete with trailer, seating for 8, fridge

Fantastic social day boat, solid teak floor, bowthruster, toilet

Excellent specification aft cabin, bow & stern thrusters, heating

FROM

£364,200

400 AFT CABIN

PRICE AS AT 1 FEBRUARY 2020 EX WORKS, INC 20% VAT ST

British built since 1980

1991 | £25,000 | 25.8ft | 7.9m

Large social cockpit with cabin for 2, teak decks, fridge, sternthruster

FROM

INTENDER 820

£49,770

PRICE AS AT 1ST FEBRUARY 2020 EX WORKS, INC 20% VAT

Premium Dutch Quality

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

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Solent Motor Yachts has a wide range of new and used power boats for sale As an official dealer for Azimut Yachts, we are proud to offer their exceptional range of new boats from 34ft to 35m Contact us for further information on 01489 886663

2012 Fairline Squadron 58 £674,950

2019 Azimut Magellano 43 £625,000

2009 Princess V53 £379,950

2018 Bavaria S40 HT £319,950

2001 Fairline Squadron 52 £199,950

2001 Sealine S48 £144,950

2005 Sealine S42 £124,950

2001 Fairline Targa 34 £94,950

2012 Bayliner 335 Cruiser £79,950

Solent Motor Yachts

Hamble River Boat Yard, Bridge Road, Swanwick, Southampton, Hampshire S031 7EB +44 (0) 1489 886663 I +44 (0) 7917 148807 sales@solentmotoryachts.com I www.solentmotoryachts.com

BR

OK

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BR

OK

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2002 Sealine F43 £ 139,950.00 VAT paid

1997 Fairline Targa 48 £ 129,950.00 VAT paid

2004 Sealine S42 £ 129,950 VAT paid

EB3665

EB3613

ES3748

Essex Marina, United Kingdom

Essex Marina, United Kingdom

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Essex Marina, United Kingdom

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2005 Sealine F34 £ 104,950 VAT paid

2001 Fairline Phantom 38 £ 99,950 VAT paid

2019 Parker 790 Explorer £ 97,313 VAT inc

ES3733

ES3754

ENPA09

Essex Marina, United Kingdom

Salterns Marina, Poole, United Kingdom

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Essex Marina, United Kingdom

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THE STOCK ADVANTAGE! All of our stock boats come with: • • • • •

No quibble warranty Full and clear title / VAT papers Part exchanges encouraged Finance plans to suit you Fully inspected, prepared & valeted

2018 Parker 800 Pilothouse £ 72,950 VAT paid

2009 Bayliner 320/335 £ 60,950 VAT paid

... andPrincess supportedV39 by our 24/7 triple2016 winning £award 389,950 VATcustomer paid support team!

ENPA04

ES3507

Lots more ES3489

Essex Marina, United Kingdom

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Essex Marina, United Kingdom

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Poole, United Kingdom

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stock online www.boats.co.uk ST

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1998 Fairline Turbo 36 £ 59,950 VAT paid

2005 Chris Craft Corsair 25 £ 54,950 VAT paid

2014 Jeanneau Merry Fisher 755 £ 24,950 VAT paid

EB3655

EB3672

ES3701

Essex Marina, United Kingdom

Essex Marina, United Kingdom

Essex Marina, United Kingdom E&OE

HQ: 01702 258 885 Poole: 01202 797 777 Cala d'Or: +34 971 643 353

Open 7 days a week.

Email: info@boats.co.uk

Essex: 01702 258 885 - essex@boats.co.uk Poole: 01202 797 777 - poole@boats.co.uk

Classified

1997 Baha Cruiser Mach 1

Twin 230hp Volvo Penta KAD42 diesel sterndrives. Stylish 11-metre weekend/performance cruiser, sleeps 4, seperate toilet compartment, two chartplotters

£28,950

01489 886663 sales@solentmotoryachts.com

Motorboat Owner Affordable practical boating

1997 Princess V40

1999 Sealine S34

Twin 230hp Volvo KAD42 diesel sterndrive engines. Raymarine Hybrid touch chartplotter & radar, new canopy, new engine batteries, generator, diesel heating

Twin 170hp Volvo KAD32 sterndrives. Popular two cabin 4-6 berth sportscruiser. Bowthruster, teak cockpit, replacement canopies. BSS 2023

£89,950

£69,500

01702 258885 essex@boats.co.uk

01189 403211 info@valwyattmarine.co.uk

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Boats for Sale

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Kruger/ Delta II

Princess / 25

Popular cruiser, single Volvo diesel, 2 double berths, BSS 2023

Modern lines, large social seating, teak effect floor, takes up to 60hp

2016 | £8,995 | 15.4ft | 4.7m

1979 | £10,700 | 25ft | 7.6m

NEW | £15,195 | 18.9ft | 5.8m

Corsiva / 690

Moonraker / Super 36

Antaris / RB18

Spacious day boat with generous seating, full cruising canopy

2007 | £18,500 | 20ft | 6.1m

Creative Marine / Frolic 31

Aft cabin cruiser with twin diesel on shafts, bowthruster

4-6 berths, well equipped galley, heating, folding arch & windscreen

Elegant launch, new batteries 2019, winter cover

NEW | £21,250 | 22.1ft | 6.8m

1989 | £40,000 | 36ft | 11m

2000 | £79,000 | 31ft | 9.5m

1999 | £79,950 | 31ft | 9.6m

HAND CRAFTED NELSON MOTOR YACHTS AND COMMERCIAL VESSELS

FROM

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Sheerline / 950 Tri Cabin

Stunning boat, large cockpit with seating for 9, takes up to 115hp

Tough and rugged, Seaward’s Nelson designed motor yachts have an enviable reputation for unrivalled sea-keeping, innovation and luxurious hand crafted comfort.

PRICE AS AT JANUARY 1

Corsiva / 595 Tender

Ideal fishing or open day boat, new Mercury 25hp, trailer

400 AFT CABIN

“Whatever the weather, you’ll be glad you’re in a Seaward…”

seawardboat.com 0044 1983 280333 sales@seawardboat.com

ST 2019 EX WORKS, INC 20% VAT

British built since 1980

FROM

INTENDER 820

£48,570

PRICE AS AT JANUARY 1ST 2019 EX WORKS, INC 20% VAT

Premium Dutch Quality

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Owners Directory i Arvor Boat Owners Club

Dawncraft Owners Club & Forum

www.arvorboatowners.co.uk

www.dawncraftowners.com

Aquastar Owners Club

Dell Quay Ranger website

www.aquastarclub.co.uk

www.dellquayranger.supanet.com

Atlanta Boat Owners

Electric Boat Association

www.atlantaboats.co.uk

www.electric-boat-association.org.uk

Bavaria Owners’ Association

Elysian Boat Owners

www.bavariaowners.co.uk

www.elysianboats.co.uk

Bayliner Owners Club

Fairey Owners Club

www.baylinerownersclub.org

www.faireyownersclub.co.uk

Beneteau Owners’ Association

Fairline Owners Club

www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk

www.fairlineownersclub.com

Birchwood Classics

Fjord Club

www.birchwoodclassics.com

www.fjordclub.com

Broom Owners Club

Fletcher Owners Group

www.broomowners.com

www.facebook.com/groups/4011883149

Chaparral Boat Owners Forum

Freeman Cruisers Forum

forum.chaparralboats.com

freemanboats.forumer.com

Classic Motor Boat Association

Freeman Owners Club

www.cmba-uk.com

www.freemancruisers.com

Classic Offshore Powerboat Club

Freeman Cruisers

www.classicoffshore.com

freeman-cruisers.forumotion.co.uk

Cleopatra Owners Club

Haines Owners Club

mycleopatra.ning.com

www.hainesmarine.co.uk/owners.php

Coronet Cruisers

Hampton Safari Boat Club

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

hamptonsafaribc.webplus.net

Corvette Motorboat Association

Hardy Owners Club

corvettemotorboat.wordpress.com

Cranchi Owners Club & Forum cranchiownersclub.com

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www.hardy-owner.org.uk

Jeanneau Owners Network

www.jeanneau-owners.com

April 2020

Owners Club missing?

Contact us at

Marex Owners Club

editorial@motorboatowner.co.uk

Sea Ray Owners Club

www.clubsearay.com

www.marexownersclub.co.uk

Sealine Forum

Mariah Owners Club www.mariahownersclub.com

www.sealineforum.co.uk

Maxum Owners Club

Sealine Owners Club

www.maxumownersclub.com

www.sealineowners.com

Microplus Boats

Seamaster Club

www.microplus.dk

www.seamasterclub.org

Monterey Fourm

Seaward Owners Club

forums.montereyboats.com

www.seawardboat.com/club.html

Moonraker Owner’s Club

Shadow Boats - Victoria Shadow Association

www.moonraker.dk/eng_index.htm

www.victoriashadow.co.uk

Nauticus

Shetland Owners Association

www.nauticus.co.uk

www.shetlandowners.co.uk/shetland/

Nelson Boat Owners Club

Star Craft Owners Club

www.nelsonboatownersclub.co.uk

www.bates-starcraft.co.uk

Nimbus Owners Club UK

Storebro Passion

www.nimbusowners.co.uk

www.storebropassion.de

Norman Appreciation Society

Sunseeker Owners Club

www.normanboats.co.uk

sunseekerownersclub.com

Classic Princess facebook group

Viking Owners Club

Click here for Facebook group

www.vikingowners.org.uk

Regal Owners Forum

Warrior Boats Owners Club

www.warriorboatsownersclub.co.uk

www.regalownersforum.com

Relcraft Boaters Group

Advertise with us

www.relcraftboatersgroup.co.uk

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

Rodman Owners Club

www.facebook.com/rodmanownersclub

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

1994 Carver 390

£77,950 01702 258885 email address

83

L K what I saw

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

@

send your images to us at

editorial@

motorboatowner.co.uk

Somewhere over the rainbow

Spring rainbow at Willow Marina, Wargrave SPOTTED! by the Val Wyatt Marine team

Scilly rocks

Rocks everywhere at sunset in the Isles of Scilly SPOTTED! by David Bagshaw

Mackerel sky

A calming view of Southampton Water SPOTTED! by Timo Galeon

Osea Island sunset

View whilst anchored off Osea Island in September SPOTTED! by Paul Killick 84

April 2020

Britain’s only FREE dedicated motorboat magazine

NEXT ISSUE CRUISING

Move to Malta BOATS • Beneteau ST 41 • Find a £50k Flybridge

PRACTICAL • Project Boat update

PLUS

• Your questions answered in Q&A • The latest products and technology • Tested -The team put some nautical kit through its paces • Inbox – your comments • Inland and coastal news

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