Newbie Help

I can tell you about some Silverton models, but better is that there's a very active owners club, most models represented, and it's quite common for wannabees to join to ask questions in advance. Modest annual fee, mostly to cover the anti-spam work.

For a quick summary, think very solid Chevy... sometimes (mostly more recent, larger, models) approaching Buick.

Pascoe's work is about one data point out of bazillions. Carver has a decent rep for offering lots of interior space. Some of those I see on the water could apparently do with larger engines, but I suspect many are sold with the basic (gas) power plant for some reason... even when there are decent diesel options offered.

-Chris

Feel free to ask all you want. What I meant by designed for the US is that the boats shipped new to the US have electrical systems designed for the US and often have many other features. This is especially true of UK builders like Princess and Sunseeker. Fairline hasn't done as much US volume.

Princess for most of their US life was imported at "Viking Yachts." Viking controlled it and had specifications for their US boats. Now that Princess controls it all and has it in their name, they continue to cater to the US market. If you look on the list of equipment for a Sunseeker sent to the US, the first thing you'll see listed with be the "US Package." It's not things I think of as especially US but apparently they do. The only equipment we noticed that was not really something common on US boats was their choice of watermakers so we did just let them plumb and wire and we installed the watermaker here. It's not their brands wouldn't have worked fine, just weren't our preference.

Now if you purchased a UK built boat in Europe, you would have challenges ahead bringing it to the US.

As Zud said, don't rush the process. You started researching 2 weeks ago, he started 2 years ago. Just let the process flow naturally. It doesn't have to take 2 years, but 2 weeks you're still in the infancy of the search.

No Florida boat shows I'm aware of that time of year. However, lots of boats at lots of marinas and on the water, just to observe.

You talk about would I like the Fairline Targa. For what? See, there are no absolutes. For a day boat? Perhaps, but others I like better. For long range cruising, no, absolutely not. However, there's a very fundamental question you must answer first. Flybridge or no flybridge? For playing on the water, I'm fine without. For serious cruising, I want one. However, part of that is that we always have a good number of people. Right now we have 8 aboard a 65' boat. Very nice to have a bridge.

Not answering....you have to decide other things about what you're looking for first. Then I can answer as to how well it suits your needs. I don't know enough yet to answer, primarily because you don't know enough yet about your requirements. I could say "it's a nice boat" but what does that mean or tell you?

The key is for both of you to look and think about how you'll use it.

Tell her the flying bridge is the "bonus observatory" or similar.

Our "convertible" might look like a fishing boat, partly because it is designed to fill a dual (the convertible thing) role: fishing, and cruising. And then maybe partly because we've got those big, honkin' outriggers mounted.

OTOH, there are boatloads of flybridge boats that do not look like fishing boats -- even if she might benefit from some education about that. Examples are anything with a flying bridge built by Sea Ray (recently, that I can remember), Cruisers, Maxum, Meridian, Carver, Fairline, Sealine, Sunseeker, Princess, Azimut (or almost any other Italian or Italian-like design)... or anything with the word Sedan Bridge or Sport Bridge (Silverton's version), and most Mainship models built between about 1988-2004-ish. And then Motor Yachts with flying bridges won't look much like fishboats either although there are a couple hybrid "yachtfisher" styles that might cross that line.

(Fishboats, OTOH, might call themselves sportfish(ers), or convertibles, and examples might be some (many, but not all) from Viking, ditto Hatteras and Bertram... many custom or semi-custom names... and then eventually Luhrs, some models by Silverton... and probably some others I can't remember just now...)

Your observations about more room, and not being buried, are both spot on... if that's important to you. Another is visibility while underway; we live in crab pot country, and it's much easier to spot those rascals from up above than it was from our previous express boat... especially when that boat's bow was raised when we were on plane.

But FWIW, mostly our bridge is our main lounge, and entertainment central when we happen to have guests visiting.

Still, that's not necessarily you and yours; you have to define for yourself how you would use your boat... and then form follows function from there.

-Chris

Several owners in the club have that model, seem to like 'em. As with most other production boats, they're a system of systems: commonly sourced decent engines, gears, AC, pumps, fridges, etc etc etc integrated into a boat.

You should be aware there was an ownership change circa 2012-ish or so... and the new owners don't have much info, don't provide as much product support for older models as would a more continuous manufacturer ownership. It's not bleak, because more support is usually available from other owners.

-Chris

I ran one of those 3 days at Cruise from City Island, NY to Baltimore. MD a while back. It ran good and rode good but build quality was very average. Honestly I'd look at a Searay in that size range.

You are making progress, now you know what you in a boat and of a boat....you will be able to check out listings.....as it still is considered a buyers market, there will be many to choose from.

I would strongly suggest you read through the threads on the boatdiesel forum.....for all makes of boat.......in an endeavour to learn from other people's mistakes and problems.

For example, just because an engine has few engine hours or run time, does not necessarily mean it is good deal.....rust and other deterioration takes place whether the ignition is switched on or off. An engine with more hours which has received regular servicing could well be problem free and a better bet

When a boat which is neat and tidy, one can assume it all has had care, including the engines and electronics. A neglected boat could well be a can of worms.

Everything about a boat is expensive, professional engine maintenance is not cheap and often oil changes, and other routine care is delayed....my boat cost about a quarter of my purchase price, just to haul, paint the bottom, replace the rudder stuffing boxes.....fees for the survey, and many other minor things.....but they all add up.

A competent surveyor can save you his/her fees,.......should he find a problem the cost of the repair can be negotiated with the seller.....the rudders and a failed airconditioner on my boat, were basically paid for by the seller, as a result of my surveyors report.

You must read Tony's tips.....particularly about the real age of the boat relative to the hours it has run, and his comprehensive treatise on the correct exhaust system,...... just because it was fitted by the boats manufacturer does mean it is AOK...beware.....don't get caught, many trusting souls have.......

Wish you the very best of luck.....and many happy safe hours of boating

I never knew there were so many Maxum 46's built. Apparently a lot with 24 listings of them for sale. There is an owners group you might visit and also maxumcustomercare which makes available manuals and such. Parts are now handled by Bayliner.

You aren't ready to buy any boat. You're trying to jump the gun and pick out the brand and the model. You're leaping from brand to brand and from type to type.

You're talking about using it in the channel...what channel? No trips over 30 nm. Why do you even want a boat? Trying to do it all on computer and phone apparently and appear to be in a rush. Why did you get rid of your last boat?

You really just need to spend some time around the local marinas, seeing what others have, finding out how others use them and thinking about your use. Look for features and not brands.

I don't want to discourage you from getting a boat, just discourage you from moving too quickly and impulsively.

Where are you thinking of keeping this boat? Have you talked to marinas in the area? What is their availability?

You're talking about looking in Miami, but there are more than enough boats of the size and price range you're talking about on the west coast.

I'd recommend you finding a good buyer's broker and letting them help guide you through this, show you some boats, help you focus on what is best for you.

Our dock neighbor in the next slip has a Maxum 4600 SCB. I can't speak much to the quality of the boat itself, but I can say that he has a difficult time docking stern-to in his slip... because he can't see the aft "corners" of the boat, or much of the slip itself, from the helm.

That in turn means his swim platform has taken a bit of a beating from playing billiards off the piles and so forth... And he also ended up with the swim platform underneath the main dock on a rising tide a couple times... and I'm not quite sure he has yet learned how to use his forward spring lines to guard against that. At least the swim platform seems fairly stout; don't know if that speaks to the quality of the hull, etc.

For planning purposes, assume you'll only be able to sell it for 50% of what you paid. Yes, it might turn out to be not that bad, but for a depreciating asset, assume that realistic possibility.

-Chris