2001 GB Europa 52

[jimL]

Hi there,

We are considering a 2001 GB Europa 52 with ~3300 hours as a future live aboard. It has the master in the center aft and two state rooms forward. We love the layout, especially the saloon, aft cockpit and fly bridge and master aft. The boat has twin Cat C9's with two Onan generators.

Here is the boat: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...pa-52-3716358/

Can anyone provide any advice, recommendations or inside knowledge? Can you point me to someone who may know of this model?

I'm looking for advice concerning:

stability in rough seas
engine performance
overall boat performance

Thanks, Jim

[fgarriso]

The 52 rides well and the aft stateroom is quite. The C9 cats may be over powering it a little for null speeds.

[BruceK]

I see it has Naiad Stabilizers. Friends who have been on an acquaintances GB52 offshore said it was a lot more pleasant with stabilizers on.

[Peter B]

That is one bewdifool boat. Every time I see pics like this, it reminds me just how 'intherior' our CHB 34 was, and yet we still loved it. If I'd had a boat like that GB52 I wouldn't have been able to bear to leave it. I would have had to be a live-aboard..!

[Comodave]

Nice looking boat, love the engine room.

[Bud]

Twin C9's at 503hp each is a robust power plant.
Our previous vessel had a single cat 3406 turbo and aftercooled at 540hp. I rebuilt it three times and put a total of 30,000 hours on it. I believe the 3406 is now the C9 (straight 6 cylinder). I now have twin cat 3208's naturals in a 49GB and two things come to mind.
1) 3406 and C9 use a lot of fuel
2) They are loud. We had dry exhaust and it took a muffler the size of a 300# man to quiet it down to a resonable level. Your dealing with two and wet exhaust.
Having said that they are great heavy duty engines.

[jimL]

Thanks for the feedback!

Jim

[BrisHamish]

I think the 3406 became the C15, not the C9 (the C9 is a smaller, and newer design, engine).

C9 is a Heui pump engine, the pumps are known to be a problem sometimes but equally the pump can be easily replaced (CAT is very good with spares). Google 'CAT Heui pump' and you can read the history. Something to keep an eye on, but if the ones on this boat have survived this long then they are probably good.

The other known weakness of the C9, especially the earlier ones like those you are looking at, was the aftercoolers. Again, you can Google that issue. You should ask to see the service history on the aftercoolers (they should be flushed annually, and pulled and cleaned/tested every 2 years). If that has been done regularly, then no problem.

GB52 is a great boat I reckon. Stout, it can handle heavy seas, and with stabilisers it will be very pleasant. And very reasonable buying these days, for what was a well constructed boat.

I hope you have fun with it JimL.

Hamish.

[Bud]

[QUOTE=BrisHamish;930410]I think the 3406 became the C15, not the C9 (the C9 is a smaller, and newer design, engine).

C9 is a Heui pump engine, the pumps are known to be a problem sometimes but equally the pump can be easily replaced (CAT is very good with spares). Google 'CAT Heui pump' and you can read the history. Something to keep an eye on, but if the ones on this boat have survived this long then they are probably good.

The other known weakness of the C9, especially the earlier ones like those you are looking at, was the aftercoolers. Again, you can Google that issue. You should ask to see the service history on the aftercoolers (they should be flushed annually, and pulled and cleaned/tested every 2 years). If that has been done regularly, then no problem.

GB52 is a great boat I reckon. Stout, it can handle heavy seas, and with stabilisers it will be very pleasant. And very reasonable buying these days, for what was a well constructed boat.


Ok, the c15 replaced the 3406 thanks for the correction. Are all C15's electronic?

Bud

[BrisHamish]

Bud,

Yes, I think all the small to mid CAT 'C' series are electronic (C7 / C9 at one end through to the larger C12 / C15 at the other).

I dont know much about the big engines (C18, C32). If Ski is online, he will know.

H.

[Ex Sabre]

Hi Jim: Did you buy the 52Europa. Very exciting if you did. Best of luck.

[jimL]

Ex Sabre, We didn't move forward with this Europa, but looked at a different one. We're weighing our options.

More to follow.

Jim

[Ex Sabre]

Hi Jim: Well, sometimes passing on one boat leads to a better one. Seems like some of the Grand Banks are pretty pricey these days. Maybe over the winter prices may come down a bit and some new boats come on the market. Best of luck looking.