welcome
To Europe’s best motor boat magazine Normally when we test three similar-sized boats back to back, we try to ensure they are as conceptually close to one another as possible. This month we decided to do things a little differently by deliberately choosing three brand new boats from three completely different corners of the market. The idea is not to choose a winner – they are simply too diverse to make meaningful comparisons – but to show the astonishing variety of craft you can buy that are nominally in the same size and price bracket. From the slow but wonderfully comfortable Linssen Grand Sturdy 35.0 and the outrageous XO Cruiser to the Sea Ray 320 Sundancer, there is something here for everyone, whether you’re looking for a floating weekend cottage, a fun party platform or the ultimate thrill-seeking adrenaline rush.
Enjoyable as it is to read about these fascinating new craft, the story that really caught my eye this month concerns another 33-footer that was bought secondhand by MBY reader Toby Budd for a grand total of £16,500. This father of two was determined to give his young family a holiday they wouldn’t forget, and originally planned to spend the summer driving through Europe in a secondhand motorhome. Even when a mate of his suggested cruising through France to the Med on a boat, he dismissed it as being well beyond his budget. It was only when he started to look into the possibility of buying an older boat and doing it up himself that the sums began to add up.
You can find out what he bought and see how he transformed a tired but essentially sound twin-engined cruiser into a genuinely comfortable home from home on p80. It’s the type of inspirational real-world story that makes you want to chuck in the day job and set sail for foreign shores. Something tells me there may be a sudden surge in internet searches for sub-£30,000 motor cruisers over the coming days – I know I’ve already had a peek.
“There’s something here for everyone, whether you’re after a floating cottage, a fun party boat or the ultimate thrill seeker”