Tips for buying a used boat: Test: five used yachts for 40,000 euros
A small life insurance policy, an inheritance, eager saving or the payment of capital-forming benefits plus the sale of your own boat - 40,000 euros is not an unattainable amount.
Naturally, the enthusiastic sailor wants to invest the savings in a new boat right away. But how do you get the best deal for the money?
Community of owners
If you approach the subject of buying a used boat not from the boat side, i.e. from the perspective of a specific model, but from the budget side, the possibilities increase by leaps and bounds. Thinking very broadly, it would be possible to invest in an owner's association - 40,000 would become 80,000 euros if two parties shared the costs. Large ships are available for this amount. Why not? We have already discussed how this works and what owners should look out for in YACHT 19/2019.
Dinghy, Trailer, Motorhome
Another option would be to combine a smaller boat such as a Polyvalken or a second-hand Varianta 18 with a trailer and a motorhome. This opens up new areas and brings flexibility to holiday planning. However, this is not real yacht sailing. If this is what you are aiming for, you need a suitable floating vessel. And the term "adequate" divides opinion. For some, it should be as big as possible, older and possibly not in the best condition. Tinkering, even while on holiday, is part of the pleasure of boating. The other prefers a newer boat with functioning technology and a reliable drive. In return, they make concessions in terms of size.
Old or really old?
What remains is the question of the right time to buy. For example, the older Winner 9.50s have single-circuit cooled motors, while the newer ones have two cooling circuits; as expected, the latter have a longer service life. However, if you like an older, well-maintained model that is a few thousand euros cheaper, the old machine can also be an advantage. Save on the purchase price, put the money aside, drive the old engine until it gives up and then install a new one - that way you will have peace of mind for a long time from the drive side.
An older boat in which the original electronics have already been replaced may be the better deal compared to a newer model with components that still work but are getting on in years. This is because they will inevitably have to be replaced at some point. If you buy the newer and more expensive boat, you are effectively paying for the electronics twice - once because they are still functional when you buy them, and the second time when they need to be replaced. This shows that New is not always automatically better.
K.-o. criterion sailing wardrobe?
Another example: If you like sporty sailing, you like good sails. A boat with blown-out cloths can be just the right thing: if you negotiate the price down accordingly and invest in a new wardrobe according to your own ideas. This is often the better alternative compared to half-good cloths that have to last a few more years because the personal budget has been exhausted.
Don't stretch your budget to the limit
Used boat buyers are always well advised not to stretch their budget to the limit; something always breaks. The boats have often been lying around for a long time. Batteries can quickly become faulty or the heating no longer starts. Or the tank needs to be cleaned because diesel pest has taken hold. Especially at the beginning, used boats sometimes seem to want to test the new owner to see if he is really serious. You should be financially prepared for this.
But there are also things that owners can fix themselves, such as gelcoat damage or a faulty winch. However, most sailors will have to leave other tasks to professionals, such as work on the drive, new sails or making a sprayhood and cake stand. This also includes standing rigging, which hardly anyone will be able to press themselves.
Substance vs. cosmetics
So if you pay for the unchanged good substance of the ship without spending too much on peripherals that will have to be replaced one day anyway, you're doing the right thing. If you have the time and money for it, you buy a substantially good ship that already looks a bit weathered. The parts that need to be replaced are then renewed, a little DIY work is added, and you have a virtually new yacht at a fair price.
Here we present candidates in the €40,000 range. These are five very different boats to give you an idea of what is possible. Perhaps you'll find the right boat for you. The first part is about the interior.
The spaceship: the Bavaria 30
The Cruiser 30 tested has been in charter operation since 2006, for an average of 20 weeks per year. The tester expects an interior that is, to put it mildly, worn out. But it is not. Well, the companionway steps have suffered, but that's a matter of a few hours with a random orbital sander, varnish and brush.
The veneer on the wooden parts, which is often considered too thin, has held up perfectly, with hardly any scratches or even holes to be seen. The floor is also in good condition, although the first signs of wear are often unsightly. However, the Bavaria has certainly not had an easy life, as you will see from the badly battered deck layout in the next part.
Ergonomically, the Franconian has almost no weaknesses. All berths are long and wide enough at mattress height. Probably due to the high freeboard, a stringer runs from front to aft on both sides of the ship for stabilisation. You don't usually notice it; in the foredeck it is camouflaged on both sides as a shelf. Unfortunately, however, it takes up a lot of the otherwise generous width of 1.75 metres at shoulder height; in the end, only around 1.20 metres remain between the shelves, which is tight.
But there is room for a real sat nav, and the galley and wet room are also spacious in comparison. The headroom of around 1.80 metres is sufficient. Plenty of ship!
The unclear one: Dehler 31 TOP
Modern is not always better. At the beginning of the nineties, Dehler launched the TOP, a further development of the successful Duette 94, which was later called the Dehler 31. The tiller can be replaced by a wheel if desired, and white surfaces dominate the picture below deck.
Deep-drawn parts made of ABS are very popular at Dehler. They are cheap to produce and relatively light. The shipyard uses them on the floor and ceiling, as well as snow-white surfaces in the galley and navigation system. The saloon is kept cosy and aisle-like with mahogany veneers. The result: a wild mix that looks very restless from today's perspective.
Less generous external dimensions compared to the Bavaria make for cramped spatial conditions. It is not possible to sit upright on the bunk either fore or aft, for example to get dressed. The aft ceiling panelling, a kind of velvet substitute, has picked up a lot of dirt over time, which is unsightly. In the foredeck, the berth runs right up to the front. The 2.30 metre length is therefore unusable.
The headroom in the saloon is standard at 1.83 metres, but decreases towards the front. The toilet room is perfectly adequate. The headroom in the wet room is 1.71 metres. The saloon berths are easy to use thanks to the folding back cushions. If you're looking for a Dehler, it's better to look for a Duetta 94.
The handy one: Dufour 30
Maybe it's because the Dufour 30 was the smallest candidate in the test and therefore enjoyed something like puppy protection - but all the testers liked it straight away. Or maybe it's because it doesn't raise any questions; you step on board and feel immediately at home.
The ship is clearly structured and cleanly finished. You will look in vain for strange solutions. Everything looks very simple but complete, almost too clean. The woodwork is neatly executed, but the shelves in the saloon have no flaps or doors.
Stowage space can be found under the saloon benches and aft in the locker as well as in the galley.
You get the feeling that Dufour wanted to build a real yacht at a length of nine metres, whatever the cost. So centimetres were haggled over everywhere. The saloon floor was lowered a few centimetres behind the keel structure so that at least 1.78 metres of interior height is possible; elsewhere it is less.
The inner aft berth is too short, with the head practically lying on the saildrive. That's a shame, because the engine could easily have been moved 15 centimetres forwards, which would have created two usable berths. You can't be too tall for the Dufour. However, its easy accessibility makes it a perfect beginner's boat, even under sail.
The versatile one: Winner 9.50
You feel at home below deck on the Winner, it is bright, spacious and offers good seating. Your gaze wanders over neatly finished wood. This is best round above the door to the foredeck. The first models had a right-angled opening there; cracks sometimes formed here under the load of the rigging, the rounding channels forces better.
Speaking of introducing: The galvanised steel frame is almost invisible. It has disappeared under a thick layer of topcoat. Nevertheless, it is important to look carefully for cracks. If there is a rust spot anywhere, be sure to inspect the keel seam from the outside. If it is intact and there are no hairline cracks, it is usually sufficient to sand down the rust and seal it with zinc paint. Otherwise, an expert should be called in.
The special feature of the Winner is the open aft chamber. It creates space on board, as there is no need for a bulkhead and door. Access to the sleeping area is via the navi-corner, allowing the galley to be enlarged.
The small wet room is located at the front, separating the saloon from the foredeck - ideal for families with children, who can sleep in peace at night while the adults are still in the saloon.
One of the two skippers will also want to sleep there: a width of 1.34 metres aft is not enough for a restful night's sleep for two.
The sporty one: X-342
What a difference a metre in length makes. Because although the 342 is a rather sporty representative of her guild, which does not usually speak in favour of space wonders below deck, the saloon delights with its airy appearance.
Large windows naturally help, as does the bright ceiling panelling - but also 1.20 metres longer than the Bavaria, with the same width.
Designer Niels Jeppesen invested the extra length primarily in the berths. That's good in itself, but it doesn't help if the width decreases so much towards the bow that you can't fit two pairs of feet in there.
This is better in the aft berth, even though it is only 93 centimetres wide.
The mast is set through the bilge to provide moisture, so the small sump is a welcome detail.
The same applies to the oil locker behind the head compartment, which also drains into the bilge. The strongback, which holds the keel bolts, is also located there. It is essential to check that the connection to the hull is intact and that there are no visible signs of rust.
The interior is in good condition, a little care here and there, and everything fits again. The upholstery is gone. Both the covers and the foams should be discarded. With replacements, the X immediately looks much fresher - and is an exciting yacht.
Conclusion: Good indoors
Below deck, none of the ships really show their colours. However, the differences are definitely visible.
If you only look at the sheer amount of space inside, there is a clear winner: the Bavaria 30 does everything right. Berth dimensions, headroom, brightness, ventilation options - it's all top class in comparison.
The only drawback is the uneven grain of the wooden surfaces, especially on the cupboard doors. But that is a matter of taste.
The same applies to the colourful mix on the Dehler. Many owners appreciate the light-coloured area at the companionway and are pleased with the dark mahogany in the saloon.
The Winner is lighter, more homogeneous. It is the only one with a different layout: wet room at the front, open aft cabin to starboard. This provides air and a feeling of space, but offers hardly any privacy.
The Dufour is the Bavaria in miniature, so to speak: everything is a little shorter and lower, but otherwise just as coherent. The X342 has one metre more hull length; everything fits below deck. The quality of the interior fittings was pleasingly high on all test boats.
