How to find out quality of different makes of boats?

[jsc7]

Different makes of boats are known for different levels of quality and characteristics. Additionally boat manufacturers evolve, so that the quality of their products can be better or worse in certain years.

Is there a resource of some kind that reviews and summarizes boat quality and manufacturing characteristics, so that a new buyer can get a handle on the quality differences between different manufacturers, models and years?

 

[gaston]

Could try http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/

 

[CPseudonym]

http://yachtsurvey.com

David Pascoe has some decent stuff in print. I disagree with some of his stuff and a lot of it is heavy on broad brush generalizations but it is a good data point for developing your own opinions.

 

[AndrewAdams]

I found Pascoe's book worth the not insignificant amount of $ he charges for it. Very handy whilst boat shopping.

Andrew

 

[DavidM]

Quality means many different things, and it is always in the eye of the beholder. Rarely are there any real differences in structural integrity. Here are some of the various issues that go into an evaluation of "quality":

Component useage. There are variations in robustness, corrosion resistance and repairability of components used. Cast bronze or SS hardware vs Zamac for example. Plastic vs bronze or SS frames for portholes.

Lightness. While sometimes irrelevant, some builders specialize in strong but light. MJM is one builder who builds boats that are 10-15% lighter than some competitors using advanced fiberglass layup techniques.

Systems access. Some builders install the systems and then build around them so that you sometimes have to cut an access hole to replace or maintain. Others like GB, pay attention to future maintenance.

The list goes on.

David

 

[alormaria]

Quality is in the eye of the beholder.

And like pornography, you know it when you see it.

 

[FF]

Most GRP boats do not fall apart so to me "quality" is how the systems are selected and installed and how easy they are to repair.

Things that help me think the boat was designed and built by a experienced NA and higher quality assembler are usually rare.

To view a boat for purchase , just play pretend.

The boat was fueled with 25 gal of water in the diesel tank.

A bailing sump makes short work of this hassle , a box of fuel does not.

The bilge is awash with water and the pump is clogged with paper trash.

A strum box on a rope , EZ, the pump bolted down, prepare to swim in the bilge..

The FW pump died , EZ to clean the filter replace the pump? or switch to the mounted spare?

The poop macerator died , can you still pump out with your manual emergency pump? ,

The engine blew , is the setup so the boat will need skilled carpenters weeks to remove much of the interior ? or just lift it out a set of hatches?

To me "quality" is not the SQ FT of varnished enchanted forest , its the lack of effort to cruise with the boat for a decade or two. Guess I'm just lazy.

Other folks will surely have a different set of quality items to look for. KISS!

 

[ancora]

What bugs me is the reluctance of boat brokers/dealers to reveal whether a hull is cored. Is the boat cored below the waterline? Are the decks cored? If so, what coring material was used? How thick is the outer layer of fiberglass?

 

[dhays]

What bugs me is the reluctance of boat brokers/dealers to reveal whether a hull is cored. Is the boat cored below the waterline? Are the decks cored? If so, what coring material was used? How thick is the outer layer of fiberglass?

I don't think it is reluctance so much as lack of knowledge. That is pretty easy information to find for newer boats, but for older boats it can be difficult.

My suggestion, is don't rely on a broker to be able to give you accurate build information on a boat. The exception of course is if the broker is also the builder.

 

[jsc7]

I don't think it is reluctance so much as lack of knowledge. That is pretty easy information to find for newer boats, but for older boats it can be difficult.

My suggestion, is don't rely on a broker to be able to give you accurate build information on a boat. The exception of course is if the broker is also the builder.

What do you think about the quality of North Pacific compared to competitors? I notice that NP has put a new line of 45' boats which they are advertising as being a significant quality and convenience upgrade over the 43.

 

[dhays]

What do you think about the quality of North Pacific compared to competitors? I notice that NP has put a new line of 45' boats which they are advertising as being a significant quality and convenience upgrade over the 43.

The design of the 45' is outstanding in my opinion and better than the 43'. I don't know that there is much of a "quality" upgrade over the 43 however. Good builders continually improve their designs as they go through a product run. There are some things about the 43 that are better than the prior 42. Newer 43s will have some things that are better than the older 43s. The 45 was a significant redesign of the PH, for the better and likely some incremental improvements in other areas.

I think the NP quality is good. There are always some minor complaints of course but what I have never complained about is the basic value of the NP.

If I had the money for a new boat (which I don't), I would buy a 45 in a heartbeat. The 43 is great for our purposes and the 45 is simply a bit of an upgrade to that.