Pedro Donkey For Survey at Brooms Boats

I had a two minute trip next door to Brooms Boats to Survey this Steel Cruiser today. The Yacht Broker was Jim Cole. 

The Donky 34 aft cockpit cruiser was designed for coastal and inland use and came in a range of layout options to suit every taste. 

In the sheds at Brooms Boats today. Broom Marine Services boasts a significant team of expert boat-builders, engineers, joiners, carpenters, electricians, laminators, stainless steel fabricators and upholsterers. 

The Donky's ideal for the French Canals

Surveyors comments: Its especially robust appearance and extremely good sea keeping qualities made this craft very flexible for the whole family.

Easticks 28 for Survey at Coxes Boatyard

Today's assignment was to carry out a Prepurchase Survey on this Easticks 28 Yacht. Production Years were from 1980-96 and the builder was Easticks Yacht Station in Acle, Norfolk. The original Easticks fleet were sold off to the Caister Group in 1965. The Caister Group had undertaken a mass buy out of many fleets in 1965 and, whilst most of those remained where they were and ran under the old yard's name, the distinction was made with the Eastick's fleet which were moved to Potter Heigham and ran under the Herbert Woods name..... thus the yard and Easticks name were retained by the owner.

The new sheds at Coxes boat yard have tons of room for all types of craft.

Easticks are know to have a slightly offset keel moulding giving the impression of a bent keel! 

Wow, how White boat prices have dropped since fiberglass versions became more popular, a good wooden one can now be bought for £5,000. 

Project 31 motor cruiser for Survey at Richardson's Boatyard

Hi had a trip over to Moonfleet Marine today to take a look at this Old Classic Cruiser! 

This craft was launched in 1966 and continued up to 1974. The boat is a large cockpit cruiser with an evolved hull design from a stretched Elysian 27. The cabin is open plan, but with a folding partition and curtains giving optional privacy to the V berths forward. The interior has 2 V berths to bow with a table dinette further aft. 

All craft were outdriven and a huge variation of engines fitted from single petrol to larger diesels. This example had the two 4108 diesel taxi engines with enfield drives. 

On a vessel of this age that has spent most of her life in freshwater, you are going to get some type of osmosis on the underbody. Experience has shown that early treatment of osmotic boats tends to be less successful than treatment of vessels with more advanced problems. While this may seem to contradict normal precautionary practice, it has been found that breakdown reactions in GRP laminates take some time to reach their conclusion; and if treatment is carried out prematurely it is much more difficult to remove reactive or hygroscopic compounds from the laminate, with the result that a recurrence of osmosis is much more likely to occur. The overriding factor must always be the integrity and safety of the hull. Osmosis in its early stages is very much a chemical condition, which has very little effect on hull strength. 

Perkins 4108 diesel: If it has been well maintained it should go well past 10,000 hrs, maybe double that. You will have to keep up proper maintance. Make sure your impeller, heat exchanger, anti siphon valve and exhaust mixing elbow are kept in good shape. Also make sure that your fuel tanks are clean and your fuel filters are changed regularly.Most diesels will run trouble free for thousands of hours given clean fuel, oil, and air.  

The boat is a round bilge hull design of semi displacement style.The boat has a large cockpit and open-backed wheelhouse. A settee in the cockpit can be pulled out to form an additional fair-weather berth. 

Storebro Baltic 31 for Survey at Norfolk Yacht Agency

A surveyed this true classic Scananavian cruiser today at Norfolk Yacht Agency in Brundall.

She has a stoutly built semi displacement hull.

All versions I have seen have the Volvo AD40 diesel engines in twin form on conventional shaft drives. 

Surveyors comments: The craft are a proven coastal boat and in soft top form (as opposed to hard type design) capable for river use.

History - Broads Cruiser?

Can anyone help me find out the history of this little cruiser, shes seems to have been built for sea going, around the 50's. The owners desperate to find out more...anyone? steventruss1@aol.com