Offering as much cabin space as possible within a O given length has become the most obvious way to a boat buyer’s wallet. It’s why side decks that used to be waist height are now head height – if the result is an extra ensuite or a bigger galley, then it’s a sale. The funny thing is that manufacturers found a great way to maximise volume years ago, and then they (mostly) all stopped doing it.
Aft cabin craft don’t stop at the saloon doors, they carry on right back to the transom. Big names were building them, like Princess (435), Fairline (36 Turbo) and Broom (pretty much everything). Now only niche builders like Haines and Hardy carry on. Why? It fell out of fashion and innovations like V-drive gearboxes and IPS pods means the engines now occupy the space that cabins did.
All of which makes these used aft cabin boats worth a look.
PRICE: £74,950
BOAT: Fairline 36 Turbo DATE: 1991 LYING: River Thames CONTACT: TBS Boats www.tbsboats.com
PRICE: £394,950
BOAT: Cara Marine 18M DATE: 2004 LYING: Lymington CONTACT: Berthon International www.berthoninternational.com
PRICE: £119,995
BOAT: Broom 35CL DATE: 2001 LYING: Marlow CONTACT: Boat Showrooms www.boatshowrooms.com
PRICE: £245,000
BOAT: Hardy 42 Commodore DATE: 2003 LYING: Ipswich CONTACT: Fox’s Yacht Sales www.foxsyachts.co.uk
FAIRLINE 36 TURBO
BUILT 1991 PRICE £74,950
When I win the euro multi-millions and need a surefire way of creating a small fortune by starting off with a large one, I’m going to start a business building modern versions of all the classic British boats that have us old guard saying “ah, they don’t make ‘em like that anymore”.
From Princess’s back catalogue I would have the 266 Riviera and the original (1980s) Princess 45. From Sunseeker the Tomahawk 37 and the Renegade 60 and from Fairline I would exhume the Targa 33 and one of these: the 36 Turbo.
INTERIOR
The big news, as is so often the case with aft cabin boats, is the sheer amount of space on board. It’s important to remember that back in the 1980s when this boat launched (this is one of the last), boat model designations were based on the hull length which didn’t include the (bolt-on) bathing platform.
So a modern equivalent would likely have a moulded-in bathing platform which would be included, making it a 40.
But even so, it really is quite palatial in here. The best part is undoubtedly the owner’s cabin back aft – abig square room with a double bed and an ensuite. Guests are banished to the opposite end where there is a vee berthed cabin in the bows and the day heads and galley are up here too. The saloon splits them, this boat featuring a modified layout to give a small booth-style dinette.
EXTERIOR
It was a great looking boat when it launched and the 36 Turbo is st
