Shetland Black Prince ? What are they like ?

[Brian]

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F123692

This caught my eye, seemed good value, and has styling i like.

Has anyone any advice on a boat of this age ?

[Antares_9]

Shetland are a well made boat Brian and the Black Prince makes good use of it’s space, age is less important than condition but even at 24k ( a bit over priced IMHO) she would need a good survey.

The Isuzu / GM 1.7 block used in those engines is the same as the Astra and many other cars. There were a few issues with it when they squeezed 150hp out of th poor little bugger but the 120 was fairly trouble free.

The leg would be the Alpha 1 gen II which are pretty long lived provided they are looked after and service parts are readily available at sensible money.

I would want to check that the rewire was done with fully tinned marine grade cable at least in the vulnerable areas and that good quality cable is used in other areas with the terminal ends properly crimped and sealed against moisture.

Finally, if that boat will do 25kts with a 120 ands full cruising kit, a normal family on board then I would be a bit surprised, a sea trial would be essential.

[Guest]

Dave you have got that boat mixed up its priced at 15k you must have though the length 24 was the price. or are you say 24k was the price when first new.

[Antares_9]

Dave you have got that boat mixed up its priced at 15k you must have though the length 24 was the price. or are you say 24k was the price when first new.

Not paying attention Jonny, 15k sounds a bit more like it, teach me to look properly before opening my mouth, comments on the boat itself however remain as before so with the value for money reservation out of the way it would be a good buy if it has been properly refitted.

I once had an Shetland Alaska 600 fast fisher and that thing could take a hell of a pounding (frequently did )

We had a Kestrel with a 75hp hanging off the back and that was a well screwed together piece of kit, It's quite a matter of amusement between me and R that at boat shows there's always a number of people, including us, nostalgicly hanging around the Shetland stand saying stuff like "our first boat" "wasn't it well made" "didn't we have some great times" etc.

[Brian]

Many thanks Dave, Pete and Jonny for your replies, i was bored int he office this morning and started my search for the next family boat.

The Shetland Black Prince just sort of looked good, to me, id say 80s styling but hey its coming back now

We definatly need something to be able to keep out of the rain and keep warm in, we want to be out on the broads all year round, and it not possible with the Bayliner 185

A over nighter is just right, as Clare will want to spend a night or two on the rivers in the next year or so.

[gancanny]

very nice brian!

and you could do a lot worse than a shetland, it was said earlier, a very strong and stable boat,

and the black prince, well, what better.

alan

[Jezz]

I currently own a shetland kestrel which has brought us a lot of fun on the sea.

My question is, would a black prince also be ok for going around the coast.  

Many thanks     Jeremy 

[Turnoar]

Beware of some of the gm diesels if the cam belt is long and tall it needs changing frequently, in the vans and astras they snapped belts frequently in the 90s. Belt up!

[ChrisB]

I had a Black Hawk and for a short time a Black Prince. Both were very good boats and I used them on the sea out of Poole.

I wonder if this boat has been re-engined as my boat had a BMW oil burner fitted and I am pretty sure no other option was available.

The last Black Prince I saw recently was moored at Broadsedge and it had a bathing platform bolted on to convert it to outboard power.

Except for the headroom, we were young and it was not an issue, I prefered the handling of the Black Hawk with it's 90hp Mercury 2 stroke. It got up on a proper plane in an instant. Not sure that I could afford the fuel bills now running on high octane + the "Quicksilver" lube, a trip from Wareham to Keyhaven would empty 4 X 5 gallon tanks and take a goodbite out of the 5th.

We only had the Prince a very short time as Monday the 19th October 1987 ( Black Monday ) occasioned me to liquidate a number of desirable assets so it was only used really for less than one season. It had been our intention to base the boat at Port Leucate but our holiday home there also ended up in our "Sale of the Century".

[TheLaird]

I'm happy with my Shetland 535 but, when I needed a quote for a new screen I found them  imposible to deal with.

I got a quote but it was in a text from a mobile.  And they wanted over £200 for a piece of perspex.

I needed a proper quote on paper because I was claiming the cost back from Cambs Police. 

I ended up getting a writen quote from  Engineering and Design Plastics Ltd in Cambdge. It was under £100.

Shetland only did the screen in tinted perspex. I wanted clear and i also wanted Polycarbonate not Perspex.

Others have had trouble dealing with Shetland too.

 

 

The reason it got damaged was that  I was moored up  in St Ives on a Saturday night.Planning on staying overnight.

Around midnight it was getting a bit rowdy, so we decided to moor the boat out in the river. Drop the anchor over and hang off it.   About 2.30 am there was an almighty bang on the boat. A police person thought we were adrift so he threw a life belt at the boat damaging the screen. If a boat is adrift it generally goes downstream with the current. We were stationary.  On the paperwork it said I was making the claim against the Chief Constable of Cambs!

They did pay up.

 

When the sea is like this below, you don't need a tinted screen!

Clive.