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Nick Burnham: Yes, lovely boat, but what you really want is…
When it came to buying my current boat I took a lot of advice from colleagues in the industry and looked at a lot of boats. One friend, an ex-yacht broker of many years’ standing, was adamant that given my budget and requirements (an 8m sportscruiser for circa £50,000), one boat stood head and shoulders over the rest, the Jeanneau 805 Leader. He would indulgently listen to me wax lyrical about the Monterey 250 or Sealine S25 I’d been to see recently before gently steering me back onto the path of righteousness with the words “yes, lovely boat, but what you really want is a Jeanneau 805 Leader”.
When I finally got to see one (which involved a trip to Ireland and slightly sinking it – long story), I had to conclude that he was quite right. The extra beam (10ft where most of this size are a trailer-friendly 8ft 6in and a meaty KAD 43 or D4 in place of the usual KAD 32 or D3) made all the difference.
Which is why, when good friends and fellow boaters Greg and Sally began thinking about upgrading from their cuddy cabin boat with similar ambitions and budget, I found myself listening indulgently to tales of a Crownline 250 or Doral 2500 before repeating the mantra “yes, lovely boat, but what you really want is a Jeanneau 805 Leader”. And having experienced my boat, it was hard to argue. That Crownline, for example, is a great-looking vessel, but the mid cabin is so tight that two people would need to stack vertically. Fun for a while, maybe, but Greg and Sally are married…
The problem was that there were simply no 805 Leaders for sale. Greg did spot one with Parker Adams last year and arranged to see it two da
