Sealine F34 for Survey at Norfolk Yacht Agency

I had a visit to Norfolk Yacht in Brundall today to Survey this 2008 Sealine F34 Motor Yacht for Pre Purchase. These boats generally always Survey well, especially a F34 model. Great access through to the bowthruster, seacocks, water tanks amidships. Tons of space forward of the fuels tanks and good access through to the sewage and hot water tanks. The Websato warm air heater stands alone and is very accessible. Then back to the huge engine bay with ample room to check all the necessaries

Extendable cockpit on electrics! 

D4 225HP Volvo diesels.

‘NYA STOCK - FULLY PREPARED’

In most cases their preparation will include a polish, antifoul and engine service where necessary. You will be invited for a comprehensive handover to demonstrate and explain the boat’s equipment.  After handover, the engines and gearboxes are warranted against major faults for the 3 months.

Surveyors comments: Osmosis! Forget it…. Its unheard of on a later Sealine hull! 

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 

Broom 44 Survey at Norfolk Boat Sales

I had the day at Norfolk Boat Sales in Brundall Surveying this Broom 44 TSMY.

The 44 was produced as a Hardtop with fixed doors aft of the helmsmans seat, and also as this example the Mediterranean, which had a standard removable canopy and an open aft cockpit. 

These boats were fitted with a variety of twin engine configurations between 185HP and 220HP including these the Ford Sabre 420's as well as Caterpillar or Volvos.

The bathing platform is integral to the hull but the access to the deck is still by stainless steel ladder at this time. The 44 is distinguished by its rectangular portholes forward and aft.

The large deck saloon was laid out with lounge seating aft on the port side, and a dinette on the same level but forward on the starboard side. Steps lead down to the port side galley and forward heads. The standard layout was for an island double in the forward guest cabin although in some boats this was replaced by V-berths. The large third cabin was fitted with overlapping twin bunks.

Surveyors comments: In its day the flagship of the Fast Offshore range, the 44 combines a vee hull for fast offshore passages with a skeg keel providing good handling qualities.

Aquafibre 42 for survey at Anglia Yacht Brokers

I had the day at Anglia Yacht Brokers in St Olaves yesterday Surveying this Aquafibre 42 River Cruiser.

The first Aquafibre hull was the Ocean 30, one of the most used moulds in motorboating history. It initially became the Broom 30 and Moonraker 30, before being used to create scores of other models up until the present day.

The second mould from Aquafibre became the much-loved Ocean 37 and Broom 37.

Aquafibre was started in 1965 at the outset of moulding in GRP and its success in doing so was hugely influential. The firm went on to play a key role in development for Fairline and worked with some of the big names in modern motorboating, Broom and Princess among them.

The firm grew rapidly, supplying specially designed inland hulls to nearly every hireboat outlet on the Broads over the 1970s and 1980s.

As that business began to decline, Aquafibre sold to the big charter fleets, with many hulls going to Ireland for Emerald Star and France for Crown Blue Line.

Thinking of buying an ex hire boat like this one. Call me for a chat or mail me at steventruss1@aol.com 

Colvic Northerner 26

I had the day at Morston Quay on the North Norfolk Coast carrying out a number of insurance surveys. This Colvic Northener 26 has a round bilge full displacement hull with long keel line and is complemented by a high foredeck with a dropping sheer on the deck line. These mouldings were often home fitted and the style and quality of build varies enormously.

Morston Quay

Colvic s directors Colin and Vic ,hence the name were based in Witham Essex and were prolific GRP moulders producing many different designs from the classic displacement round bilge boats to fast offshore cruisers. The majority of moulds were supplied to DIY fit out customers although some companies such as Northern Marine fitted out Colvic Northerner 27s to some success. The company, i think started in the late 60,s and finally finished in early 2000,s.

Surveyors comments: The Colvic name was synonymous with quality, strength and excellent sea-keeping. The hulls were built very strong compared with today's standards.