Bounty 27 Sedan

I was at Broadland Boat Centre today carrying out a Pre-purchase Survey on this compact Cruiser.

In 1984 Bounty really did design something very special. They launched the all new Bounty 27 Sedan. With large aft sundeck, spacious all weather wheelhouse, modern galley, shower, toilet and forward ‘private’ cabin for two, never had so much been offered on the 27ft hull. Not built in great numbers, its thought the high air draft of the boat limited its navigation and thus limited its sales.



Built between 1984 and 1990, this one was one of the very last fitted out by Swancraft

35HP Nanni diesel on  Hydraulic drive.

Hydraulic drives

Bounty Boats continued and developed the idea used by the F. B. Wilds Caribbean / Bermuda range of utilising hydraulic drive and the significant advantages this offers in boats.

As there is no direct mechanical link between the engine and propeller, the use of hydraulic drive allows the engine to be positioned almost anywhere within the boat rather than being in a fixed position in relation to the propeller and the precise alignment this usually requires to reduce vibration to a minimum. Bounty chose to put the engine, transversely mounted, under the aft deck as in this and the Caribbean design allowing easy access to most of the main components for servicing and maintenance without disturbing any of the accommodation. All of the drive components being in the stern also greatly reduces the amount of engine noise in the forward 'living' area when the boat is under way.

Most Bounty's used the quieter BMC 1.5 power unit (although some did have alternative engines fitted, this example the 35hp Nanni) as original, rather than the Perkins 4.107/8 favoured by F. B. Wilds, which along with a better designed exhaust system reduced noise still further. It will be found that some of the Bounty Buccaneer designs in use do not utilise hydraulic drive in an effort to keep initial build costs down, but these were invariably purchased as mouldings and thus are not genuine Bounty built versions. In this case the engine is mounted under an engine cover within the galley and drives via a conventional marine gearbox and shaft.