FOUR YEARS ON
Richard Hall reflects on life with his Marex 310 and how it has revolutionised his family’s cruising
Four years on and we have not had one issue with the boat
Buying a boat is a big decision, and buying a new one is perhaps even bigger. In
2016, we set off with our list of requirements to the Southampton boat show. When we took delivery of our Marex 310 Offshore in May 2017 I decided to write down my thoughts for posterity, and then, about 10 minutes later, I sent them off to MBY, wondering if others would be interested in reading about my journey of buying and running our new boat.
With our new boat all ready to go and a first trip under our belt how adventurous would we be? Unfortunately, illness threw a spanner in our plans – first with my wife in July 2017, then immediately after her recovery in January 2018 I fell ill and it took me another year to get back to full fitness.
We were finally ready for the 2019 season. We still managed to use the boat, but we stayed local, took lots of day trips and even used it as a holiday home on our mooring in Christchurch, but we were not making the most of her potential. We spent most of the summer around Poole harbour, but it was too close to home.
Covid-19 put paid to any cruising plans in early 2020, and delayed the start to the season. However, once the first lockdown was over and we were free, in the company of another Marex 310 we headed directly to Weymouth Bay where a fleet of cruise ships were also riding out the Covid storm. We had an amazing day cruising around the huge ships, and at one point we were joined by a pod of dolphins. On the way home we stopped at Durdle Door only to see hordes of people on the beach. Finally it felt like our horizons were opened and we could use the boat a bit more.
During 2020 and 2021 we really got stuck into the boat and began to notice the difference between using a RIB as a day boat and finally having a boat we could live aboard.
Following the niggles we had experienced with previous used boats, we wanted to know that any issues we were experiencing were of our own making. Four years on from our purchase and we have not had one issue with the boat – there are still no squeaks or rattles. The Norwegian build quality is there to see, and although the Marex is more expensive than others we looked at, you can see where the money has been spent. Buying from such a small manufacturer shows that the boats are hand built, as I witnessed when we visited the factory before we took delivery.
OUR SHOPPING LIST
So what was on our list of criteria back in 2016, when we’d decided to buy a new boat? The list was pretty simple, but also specific.
■ Two cabins with good headroom
The second cabin makes a great changing space and gives us a little more room. We would happily have a couple aboard with us, but we’d need to be organised around shower time. We also had a new mattress made, which really added to our comfort when sleeping on the boat for longer trips.
■ Single diesel engine When I talk to a lot of people about the lack of a second engine, they generally see it as a downside, with no redundancy built in. The Volvo D6-370 has never let us down, we make sure it is serviced every year in May regardless of the hours we have added. The engine definitely has enough oomph, and we have regularly hit 35 knots with a full tank of fuel and a few people on board, although we generally cruise at around 22-25 knots (and I think most people end up
somewhere in that region). At these speeds the hull is forgiving in most seas, and we have a soft ride, even when cruising for a few hours.
■ Heating The Eberspacher heater is a little furnace, and whether it’s a chilly late summer evening or a howling gale in the middle of winter, the heater does its job. I’m lucky that I only live about ten minutes from the boat, so I will pop down often during the winter to check on her, whack the heater on and make a cup of tea while all around me a storm blows.
■ Separate heads If you needed the loo on our old RIB it was either go for a swim, wait, or head home. Now we can be out for days and not worry. And what a discovery the shower was, with full standing headroom and a separate shower (not one that doubles as a tap in the sink) it’s one of my favourite things about the boat now.
■ Good social area A major drawback for most boats is the compromise between a social area and a dining area. A highlight of the Marex has to be the cockpit. We have had ten around the table on a Sunday with other boats tied up to us, and I heard of one Marex 310 that hosted 17 people aboard for a party.
■ Galley One of the things we tried to avoid was having a galley in the middle of the social area as they take up a lot of useful space for friends. With the galley ‘down’ on our boat you would think that it would be away from the action, but the brilliantly clever opening roof means that the whole boat is joined together, and even if you are the person designated to prepare food, you can still be fully involved with any socialising.
■ Fridge This is (according to my wife anyway) the best part of our boat. Its capacity to just swallow food and drink is amazing. During the summer we had a week away and didn’t have to stock up on provisions. The freezer is a bit small but as we only keep ice cubes in there, it works for us.
■ 30ft LOA I’ve heard that most boat owners always want an extra couple of feet on their boat, but not me. I can honestly say that 31ft is perfect for us. We are just under the magic 10m line, meaning that we have plenty of berths available most of the time.
■ Sunbathing area The foredeck has a lovely sunpad which is occasionally used, but we tend to use the cockpit with the table lowered and a cushion to make a protected sunbed, and thanks to both sliding roofs being so easy to operate we can create shade when we need it as well.
A GOOD DECISION?
So was buying a new boat the right choice? Absolutely, and selecting the Marex 310 was such a good move. She satisfies all of our requirements and more. We are looking forward to another great season with Offshore in 2022 and hope to continue to enjoy her for years to come.