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Displaying items by tag: 33i

Following last week’s Afloat report on the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 33i for sale from MGM Boats, the Irish brokerage firm has added new models of Jeanneau's Sun Odyssey 349 and its bigger sister, the Sun Odyssey 449 to Afloat's popular sailing cruisers for sale listings.

The (brand new) Sun Odyssey 349 comes with a very high specification including performance pack, autopilot, fold down transom platform, sprayhood, trim level preference pack, lazybag, electric windlass. Priced at €144,900. Advert is here

Also added is big sister in the Sun Odyssey range, the 449. This well specified boat, according to the advert has three cabins and two heads. Bow thruster, auto pilot, bimini, teak cockpit, electric windlass and electric coachroof winch. The yacht has a fin keel, standard mainsail and furling headsail and priced at €227,500. Advert is here

Jeanneau is one of the most popular sailing cruiser brands in the world. The massive French boatyard has produced yachts since 1957. The marque has been part of the Bénéteau group since 1995. MGM Boats are long time all–Ireland agents for the French brand.

See the full range of sailing cruisers for sale in Ireland through Afloat.ie here

Published in Boat Sales
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When Jeanneau’s new Marc Lombard-designed Sun Odyssey 33i made her debut in 2010, the description “modern classic” sprang readily to mind writes W M Nixon. But then it has to be admitted that at the time, with the international yacht-building industry making special efforts to produce something that would tempt a nervous buying public into make a decision as the first tentative signs of economic recovery were hinted, all the major companies were putting in an extra effort in the design department.

Yet six years down the line, the Sun Odyssey 33i has stood the test of time very well indeed. She still looks crisply modern as she rolls off the Jeanneau production line. Here she is in all her stylish practicality, a family performance cruiser which could give a very good showing for herself in local or even national racing. Yet as the photos show, she has very pleasant accommodation with it, providing an admirable fast cruiser.

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Amidst the many boats of Dun Laoghaire, her looks stand out. Photo MGM Boats

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The practical accommodation works well through not being over-crowded

Certainly in the years since, new features have been added to new boats in the standard version. But the basic boat is still the same. The difference is that, if you put your name down now for a virtually new Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 33i (they ceased production a month ago) with comparable equipment to this 2010 boat, you’d be looking at paying €130,000 all in. So how come this six year old boat is attractively priced at €77,500?

Well, it’s a mixture of realism on the part of the vendor, the fact that modern production boats depreciate in value in much the same way as cars, and beyond that the costs of boat-building have never stopped rising even despite the fall in oil prices.

But one thing which most emphatically isn’t a factor in this case is that the boat has in any way been neglected. On the contrary, the one owner has been beyond fastidious in looking after this boat. And back in 2013, though she didn’t really need it at all, he decided to give her the Christmas present of the underwater hull being stripped and epoxy-coated.

Extra features include an electric windlass, Webasto heater, and – this is one for the connoisseurs – a Brunton autoprop. Were you thinking of buying a new boat, these are features which would be high on the list of requirements. But this well-presented boat has them already installed. Definitely worth a look. She’s right there at the pontoon beside MGM Boats’ office in Dun Laoghaire. See the full advert here.

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Marc Lombard’s handsome design of 2010 has stood the test of time very well

Published in Boat Sales
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Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!