Non Boat Specific for a live-aboard, which Deck Saloon Moody would you recommend?

Hans Christian Holthusen

Hans Christian Holthusen

Registered Guest
I have been looking at a couple of 33 to 36 non-Moody DS yachts from 1979 to 1993 for a live-aboard in northern Europe and the compromise between looks, space and draft (for cruising in shallow waters) was never right. While cruising the internet I came across the Moody 33 Eclipse and the Moody 36DS. What is your opinion?
 
We bought our Eclipse 33 last year with plans for local sailing over the next few seasons, then longer term live aboard cruising. Huge amount of space for a small boat that is luxurious for 2 people - having a separate shower stall in the heads is a real bonus in a boat of that size and something that was missing from much larger boats. To have the lower costs of a 10m boat makes it very financially viable while still having plenty of room aboard is great.

Even our fin keel version only draws 1.45m, so good for shallow anchorages and the European inland waterways, but still sails well enough upwind, where performance is limited by the sail.plan - I would prefer a proper mainsail, but the Eclipse range were only supplied with in mast furling.

There are 38 and 43 versions if you wanted something a bit bigger, but they are harder to find. They didn't build lots of any of the models, but I think the 33 was most numerous.
 
Hi Hans,
According to the Moody Boat Archive accessible from the moodyowners.org home page, 253 Eclipse 33s were built, 24 Eclipse 38s and 38 Eclipse 43s. I've rarely seen the larger vessels on sale, partly since there are so few. It seems there were only 4 36DSs built so I doubt you'd find one for sale. They are also 10 years older than the Eclipse series. Personally I think the 33 is the best compromise between space and length in the Eclipse series, but it has a few downsides:
There is nowhere 'good' in the 33 mark 1 to put a microwave oven. Owners have shoehorned one in under or above the chart table, amongst other things. Likewise, there is no space for a separate freezer, which you may want as a liveaboard. The mark 2 without inner helm has more space but you would need to construct some form of housing. The aft cabin is only suitable for one person (in my 6' tall opinion). There is a noticable list to port which you may or may ont be able to live with.
That being said, I had planned on using Jonika as an off-season holiday home after moving further southin the UK, but plans changed significantly on me during the pandemic and I'm now looking forward to getting her back out and away this summer. The interior is almost Tradis-like - there seems to be a lot more space inside than you would expect for a (just under) 33 foot boat. The diesel heater fitted to most is easily capable of keeping the interior at a very pleasing level which would be important for more northerly latitudes.

If I could afford one of the larger Eclipses, I'd definately prefer the 43 as the additional cabin offers much more flexibility for an office space, etc. over the 38. I imagine it would be more stable in a blow while moored as well.
 
I can see much potential there with plenty of space for living aboard (a washing machine !!!) though I'm not keen on the enclosing of the cockpit by the solar panels, etc. It's a very good price compared to what I remember them going for a decade ago, so presumably there is some work anticipated with a price to suit, but if you're after a boat of that size I imagine you could do much worse, assuming she's sound.
 
Thank you all for the good advice and the link to the Eclipse 43, which I find too large (and heavy) for single handing by me, being close to seventy years of age. In a weeks time I will travel to Holland in order to look at a Eclipse 33, that has been on the market for quite some time (reasons???). I will let you know, what I think of her after close inspection...
 
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