As I hung off the swim platform of the photo-boat and shot pictures of the new Sealine SC38, a startling thought occurred to me. I realised that the SC38 is the boating equivalent of me. No really, bear with me on this one. It makes sense, eventually. We are both mid-range models (not fl ash, but not rubbish either), affordable (just) and pretty capable. But we’re both better when you’re on the inside, looking out. For others, looking at us from the outside, it’s not great. Neither of us could be described as great looking. Functional, yes. Aesthetically pleasing? No, not really.

Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with that. You get used to it. And this is where I differ from a Sealine SC38 . . . no-one is going to pay £220,000 for me. Even in America I’m probably only worth $20,000 in body-parts. My wife is stuck with me, but no one has to buy an SC38. And let’s not forget that not everyone wants, or needs, the best-looking model around. If that were the case, I’d be a bachelor and everyone would be buying Rivas. Instead, I’m married to a surprisingly attractive lady and thousands of people every year buy Carver and Silverton boats.

In short, the SC38 isn’t a looker. It’s not ugly, but it’s styling is . . . well, different, and a very long way away from the Sealines of a few years ago. Sealine has gone through some major changes over the last few years. From a small, privately-owned company making solid British cruisers, the company has become a small cog in the multi-national corporation that is Brunswick. These are the people who own brands such as Bayliner, Sea Ray and Boston Whaler - and Sealine represents one of the jewels in their corporate crown.

But that hasn’t stopped them from making some changes at boardroom level and repositioning the brand without losing that ‘good British-built sea boat’ image that Sealine has managed to cultivate. The stylistic makeover is huge. This is no ‘Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen-throw-a-bit- of-MDF-at-it-and-hope-for-the-best’ type job. No, this is an altogether more upmarket makeover, and even if it isn’t to everyone’s tastes, the heart of the boat remains sound, because Sealine has done the sensible thing and kept the old (and very capable) hull from the S38.

So arguments aside over the boat’s ‘distinctive’ styling, let’s make it plain right now that there is more to this craft than an over-sized hard-top and brave ‘baby-blue’ colours. Take for instance the neat layout and contemporary feel of the design. Stepping on board you are immediately struck by the crisp, clean cockpit arrangement. The seating is unfussy and trendily styled, with the neutral earth-toned upholstery combining well with Sealine’s use of pale blue for the helm seat and window tints. A C-shaped seating area aft on the starboard side runs around a removable cockpit table that also drops down to give a large sunbathing area. Opposite this, on the port side, is a small wet bar and a two-seater chaise longue.

Forward is a generous helm position with a very stylish dashboard displaying all the necessary instrumentation as well as accommodating drinks-holders and various storage bins. The companionway to the saloon is through a smoked Perspex sliding door (blessed with a sturdy handrail by the helm) and to the port side is a smoked Perspex hatch that gives light and ventilation to the guest cabin beneath.

The side windows in the forward part of the cockpit are only half-height. They only go part of the way to the underside of the hard-top superstructure, and that gives a more open feel than some hard-tops, and also allows an untinted view. The windscreen and side windows have a signifi cant blue tint to them, which is great in bright Med sunshine, but it’s not ideal for the gloom of a late afternoon in northern Europe. A graduated tint for the windscreen would be a better, if more expensive, option.

And then there’s the hard-top. With increasing awareness of the dangers of over-exposure to sunlight, hard-tops are becoming increasingly common, but not all hard-tops are created equal. Some builders make fully enclosed cockpits with a sunshine roof no bigger than that of a large car, while some builders stick little more than a fibreglass bimini above the cockpit, sometimes with a sunroof built-in. Thankfully, Sealine has done it properly.

What you want with a hard-top is a solid structure which covers most, if not all, of the cockpit, but which can be opened up to create as large an opening as possible. To do the whole thing in fi breglass is both heavy and mechanically challenging, so you don’t tend to get these on sub-50-foot craft. But Sealine has done the sensible thing by fi tting a sliding, concertina-style fabric roof, set in a solid fi breglass frame. This means the roof can be closed to keep the cockpit weather-tight, or opened to create a genuine feeling of ‘outdoorsiness’.

We tested the SC38 on a glorious day in Mallorca and with the sunroof opened right up the feeling of light and space in the cockpit was exceptional. On smaller boats this sliding fabric sunroof is the best solution, and it works particularly well on the SC38. The other advantage of the fabric sunroof is the lack of noise refl ected back into the cockpit. Some solid hard-tops trap engine and wind noise, causing some intrusive reverberation, but the SC38 keeps the noise down and makes conversation much easier, even at speed.

Down below, the Sealine continues the contemporary chic theme, with pale veneers and classy wooden fl oor in the saloon producing a bang-up-to-date look. The furniture is similarly modern in style, and the saloon is large enough for eating and socialising if the weather is too nasty for the cockpit.

On the starboard side is a C-shaped sofa around the saloon table (which drops down to create another berth if needed), and on the port side is a very generous and wellequipped galley. This galley would not be considered unusual on a 50-footer, so to get this level of equipment on a 38 is wonderful. Best of all, large overhead roof lights flood the interior with natural light. It all comes together to work fantastically well.

Forward of the saloon is a large owner’s cabin, with separate shower compartment and heads compartment - an excellent idea that makes living aboard a more pleasant experience for all. The owner’s cabin is a good size, with decent headroom and plenty of stowage. The guest cabin isn’t so generous, but the design is excellent, with twin beds that slide together to form a double, while on the port side there is a third bed-cum-sofa. There isn’t much headroom, but you wouldn’t expect that in the second cabin of a 38-footer. Quibbles apart, you could sleep seven people on board this boat if you needed to and that is impressive.

So what’s it like to drive? Well, for a start, it’s got that hull from the S38, which is very good news indeed. And despite the SC38 carrying more weight (thanks to that hard-top and a pair of D6s, which are signifi cantly heavier than the old KAD300s) she rides pretty flat and is less bow-up than you might expect. In rough conditions the beamy hull handles well and affords a surprisingly soft and comfortable ride. We didn’t get to try the SC38 fl at-out due to an engine overheat alarm, but other testers have wrung 39 knots from the SC38, making her an indisputably nippy sports cruiser.

At a cruising speed of around 30 knots, the Sealine is comfortable, even upwind, with very few signs of banging or slamming. And with twin D6s under the fl oor she’s not only quick at the top end, but also pretty sprightly out of the hole. Economy is also very decent. At the 30-knot cruise she eats around 16 gallons per hour, giving her a range of around 200 miles at about three litres per mile (allowing for 20 per cent in reserve).

In terms of boating practicality, aside from the tinted windows the SC38 is excellent. Deck gear is good quality, there’s a reasonable amount of stowage for warps and fenders, side decks are generous and there are handrails all over the boat, giving a high level of safety while underway.

The looks may or may not be an issue, but leaving the stylistic debate aside, there is no doubt that the SC38 is a high calibre all-rounder. It has excellent performance, solid seakeeping abilities and a host of practical touches that will appeal to the committed cruising crowd. With prices starting at £218,585, the SC38 is also competitively priced, so if you need a boat versatile enough for a variety of conditions and climates, do not overlook it.

6 September 2007

Back

Previous | Next