Broom Boats 9-70 for sale in Hamble River United Kingdom

The Broom 9-70 is a superb cruiser for both river & sea, offering a very low air draft, precise close quarter handling & effortless sea cruising in all weathers.
This example is clearly cared for and benefits from being in the current ownership since 1999 and having 2 new Yanmar 160hp engines fitted in 2005 to replace the original Volvo 100hp engines.
A perfect example of a Broom 970. This model is offered for sale in quite stunning condition with nothing else needed to be spent on her. "Second Chance" is a credit to the owner who has spent a great deal of time and money maintaining her to such a high standard.
Contact Derek to arrange a viewing today.

MECHANICAL

Broom 9-70 - SECOND CHANCE
This is an article from the owner about his beloved boat, and his attempts to realise its full potential over a 10 year period. Some of this article has been the subject of earlier submissions made to sweeping statements in 2009, 2010, and 2013.
This starts with a stroll through the boat, the interior cabins, galley, and engine room. This is followed by an outline history of the boat, from her time on the River Thames, then on the sea at Torquay, Devon, and finally on the River Hamble and the Solent.
Next follows the Inventory and Equipment Listing, the Navigational Instrumentation, and Engine and Gearbox Systems, and the Domestic Systems
The next section is given over to a Performance Overview, something very rarely offered! The tables here are dealing with 2 very different boats, the one universally (under) powered by the original 100hp Volvos, incapable of cruising at speed on the plane, (despite the built-in fixed trim tabs), and the transition to the off-shore 20 knot boat, powered by far more efficient and powerful 160hp Yanmars.
Boat Description
‘Second Chance’ is a semi-displacement twin screw diesel yacht (TSDY), built by CJ Broom and Sons of Brundall in 1987 (Yard Build number X125, one of the last made), and first launched in 1988.
It is best described as a compact ‘big boat’, having the standard spacious 12ft 6in beam and 6-berth, three-cabin layout of the regular Broom big boats, and with traditional Broom quality build. This comprises a spacious fore cabin with two single bunks, drawers and twin hanging lockers, a large galley with loads of cupboard storage, s/s oven, fridge and twin sinks, two heads with showers, the main wheelhouse saloon, with seating for helmsman plus 6 (converting to large double bunk), and a large ensuite double-bed aft-cabin with dressing table and wardrobe. There are twin helm-positions, and all this on a 9.7 metre (32 ft.) LOA.
This provides excellent value for money in terms of mooring rental, lift-out costs, etc. and provides easier boat handling, with no feeling of lack of space. In comparison, today’s smallest Broom is 34.5 ft,, and the largest is 55 ft. LOA.
The boat is built on traditional lines, with a flared bow and underwater hull shape similar to that of offshore lifeboats. The aft helm position and cockpit is on the quarterdeck, above the aft cabin, within a removable sprayhood and easily accessed from the wheelhouse saloon by a four-step companionway ladder, compared with the more extreme ladders to flybridges.
This arrangement has the added advantages of being an integral part of the deck, and of providing lower air-draught for navigating inland waterway bridges.
The deck is spacious and fully protected by s/s rails, with wide side-decks, making going forwards for anchoring and docking safe and pleasurable. The cabins are fitted out in natural warm mahogany wood, to a very high standard of joinery (similar to, but better than that of Westerly Yachts).
The hull is designed with a wave-piercing forefoot and long keel, to provide a sea-kindly passage though rough seas and grounding protection for the propellors and stern gear, running into deep-Vee mid sections, flattening to shallow-Vee after sections, terminating in full-width fixed trim tabs, for smooth transition to planing speeds. The twin rudders are of heavy stainless steel plate welded to stainless steel shafts, faired and sheathed in GRP, and actuated by hydraulic jacks via twin wheel helm stations. Construction is heavily laid-up GRP, with integral longitudinal stiffeners, moulded by the Broom subsiduary company, Aquafibre.
The boat was originally fitted with twin 3.1 litre Volvo TMD31 turbo-diesel engines, on massive steel bearers, with shaft drives to twin screws, each engine rated at 100shp. All engine components are duplicated and independent, including starter batteries and fuel filters and s/s tanks, though the batteries and fuel supplies may be switched to serve either or both engines, as required. The design speed with these engines was 18 knots, but this was only achievable under ideal conditions – calm water and near-empty tanks.
This galley is very convenient to use. It is equipped with an efficient 12v compression fridge (rapid ice at low power setting), gas oven/hob/grill, twin sinks, and mains power points for electric toaster and kettle and the immersion heater. Crockery and cutlery stowage is readily accessible, and there is ample secure food storage in the extended cupboards and shelves. Beer and wine glasses, and wine storage, are provided separately in the saloon drinks cabinet.
The engines are situated beneath the wheelhouse saloon, with routine maintenance access through liftable hatches in the floor, and major service access by lifting the whole floor in floor-panel sections, giving exceptionally good access to all machinery (unlike most power boats!).
Routine servicing such as oil or coolant inspection and top-up, or strainer inspection, may be performed via the small floor service hatches positioned for these purposes.
Complete engine removal is easily made via the large saloon overhead hatch. (Certain prestigious power boats require damaging furniture removal just to gain access to adjust the tappets!)
Outline History
[N.B. Owner can reconstruct this as I hold the originals or copies of all Bills of Sale and detailed invoices and receipts, plus a letter from the original supplier, providing a complete chain of cash-paid proof of ownership, and VAT-paid status.]
First Owner 1987-97. The boat (X125) was built by CJ Broom & Sons for Mr and Mrs Keith Forest Wilson, of 5, Westdere Way, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 9RG, to the top specifications, for use on the upper Thames, at a cost of £83,708.50, VAT paid, by their business company, Teeway Ltd., in October, 1987. The boat was based at Val Wyatt’s Willow Marina, Wargrave-on-Thames, and spent it’s first 10 years cruising on inland waters with no exposure to salt and rough seas, under the name ‘Sixpenny Buckle’.
In 1997, the Wilsons ordered another similar craft, built on an identical hull, (this time built by Haines, who had bought the mouldings from Broom) to meet the new inland waterways certification, rather than subject their existing boat to the butchery required to provide the necessary venting grills, and the removal of gas water heater and gas fridge. They retained the name ‘Sixpenny Buckle’ for their new boat.
Second Owner,. The boat (X125) was bought from them by Mr Peter Newman, of 4, Ingleside Court, Upper West Terrace, Budleigh Salterton, Devon, at a price of £69,250, and delivered to the South Coast by low-loader. He had the anodes changed to suit salt water, the marine toilet seacocks re-commissioned, and put the boat, now smartly renamed ‘Second Chance’ of Torquay, into the sea for the first time, in the MDL Torquay Marina.
He had recently been widowered, and cruised his ‘Second Chance’ single-handed, mainly within the confines of Torbay, between Torquay and Brixham, for two years before deciding that, at 78, he was becoming too old to leap onto pontoons with his lines, and reluctantly “swallowed the anchor”. My wife and I had both been suffering from wincher’s elbow after years of sailing, and were looking for a sailor’s power boat, one in which we could confidently continue to make sea passages to visit northern France and the Channel Islands. We wanted a semi-displacement TSDY, not a wave-crashing gin palace dangling vulnerable propellors, and were negotiating for a new Channel Islands 32, when we saw the advertisement for this Broom 9-70. It offered us far better accommodation, and similar sea-keeping abilities, still on the 32ft maximum LOA dictated by our moorings, and at the significantly cheaper advertised price of £70,000. The survey was excellent, with the hull exceptionally dry and free from osmosis, and we bought it from Peter, in February 1999, for £65,000 (the clinching discount because he had otherwise to cough up over £5000 for his next year’s marina charges, if we didn’t take her there and then!).
Third Owner and current owner from 1999- ?
Their surveyor had found only one significant problem – the state of the port propellor, which showed signs of galvanic corrosion in its transition from fresh to salt water, as one of the outside anodes was poorly earthed to the –ve grounding system. It was pitted, but rang true when hit with a hammer, and was pronounced sound enough for the delivery trip to our mooring on the River Hamble.
We then learned how to handle a twin screw power boat on an early-season West-Country cruise to Dartmouth, Salcombe, Plymouth and Falmouth and back, before returning in March across Lyme Bay, round the Bill, passing Weymouth, Swanage and Poole, and inside the Needles, to enter the Solent and arrive at the Hamble still in daylight - we knew we had found a good passage-making boat.
We fitted new propellors, and Ratheon radar, electronic chart plotter and GPS, to back-up the main Garmin GPS, before relaunching and setting out across the English Channel on our first non-sail crossing, later in the 1999 season.
In the subsequent seasons we added a full admiralty-sized chart table for navigational use in the wheelhouse saloon, and made many cross-channel trips, normally crossing to Cherbourg before venturing east into the Baie du Seine and Carentan, or west to the Channel Islands, St Malo, and beyond.
In 2005 we made the big decision to stick with Second Chance, and upgrade her engines, which were becoming increasingly smokey on start-up. We chose to replace them with the slightly larger Yanmar diesels, which had a very good reputation for smoothness, economy, reliability, and power/weight ratio, and chose conservatively the lowest output of their 4LH range of 3.5 litre intercooled turbo-diesels, rated at 160 SHP each. This 60% increase in maximum power was intended to deliver the full design speed at well below max continuous revs, and in a fully-loaded boat state – and this it does, but we still tend to cruise well below this for comfortably economical passage making.
The 2005 Engine Replacement Costs
The total cost of the rebuild with the new Yanmar engines and other improvements (new fridge, seacocks, bilge pumps, batteries etc.), less allowances for trading-in the old Volvo engines, was £27,383.
While in our ownership, the boat has been lifted out every winter for storage high and dry ashore for 6 months (9 months in the re-engine year of 2005), and has had a full annual servicing of hull and machinery.
Reason for Sale. Vendor shall be 85 next birthday, and hasa, a few years ago, been diagnosed with CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia). Not really a problem, my white cell count was only marginally high, and has since gone down to well below treating limits, so still no prescriptive medicines, but it does make one feel a bit mortal...
Boat Price?
Before re-engining, insured price was, and still is £70K (probably undervalued).
The improvement costs in 2005, were another £27K. Since then I have continued with the Rudder improvements, to bring her to the required handling standard, and give her the current fast cruise performance of 18 knots.
Asking Price. Before the market crash I was considering somthing like £90K ono. Now it is on the market at £56,750 and open to offers
Footnote.
When we took her back to the West Country a few years back, we called in on our, by now, old friend Peter Newman, and gave him an enjoyable afternoon, taking the wheel at 20 knots across Torbay. (When he sold her to us she was so overweight, with twin giant gas cylinders, additional heavy furniture, and a large RIB on davits at the stern, she had a maximum speed of only 9 knots, being totally unable to get up and onto the plane!)
The boat comes complete with all the gear (Bruce anchor and chain, winch gear etc etc,) Broom Owner’s Manual, brochures, and spare parts, including a spare electric toilet. We include too, our Avon 8 rigid-floored dinghy, modified to suit carriage on the boat as an ever-ready life-raft (fully inflated), as well as a convenient tender.
There is also an excellent and exclusive Broom Owners Club, of which we are active members.
The following pages have been copied from my ‘Boat Maintenance Data Sheets and Notes’ manual, created as an up-to-date and customised document to supplement the original official Broom ‘Owner’s Manual’ (both carried on board, together with Engine and Gearbox operating manuals and all radio and instrumentation manuals):-
Equipment Listing
Instrumentation:
Engine –Yanmar Control Panels - Saloon (main) type C, Upper Helm, type B - new June 2005 - For security reasons, Main panels must be switched on before outer (aft) panels are operative. Either panels then provide start and off control, and engine monitoring.
Navigation:
Raymarine Radar/GPS Chart Plotter - new 2000 - Not intuitive to use – reference charts/manuals needed. Beware, Plotter crash will lose all stored GPS waypoints! Mainly used as visual back-up, in the dynamic ‘GOTO cursor’ mode, to avoid rare but infuriating loss of data.(twice in 5 years)
Garmin GPS - new 1999 - Best GPS for ease of use and total reliability. (This contains the full Waypoint library data base).
VDO – Log and speed Kts and Tank Gauges - original - Retained for reliability and 100% (to date) resistance to weeding up. Use GPSs for SOG comparisons.
Seafarer - Depth sounder and Repeater - original - Retained for total reliability.
Compasses (2) - original- Calibrated – very low deviation.
Ships Radios:
Sailor VHF - original - Top quality traditional VHF radio, with excellent performance and reliability.
Pioneer VHF/am - new 2002 - Superb listening, via up to 4 speakers. Not wired for standby, needs to be (simply) retuned when domestic batteries are turned off.
3. Navigational Instrumentation
The boat was originally equipped with basic ‘dead reckoning’ instrumentation, in the form of compasses at each helm position, Seafarer depth sounder and repeater, VDO speed distance and trip log, and a half size chart holder at the upper helm position. A Sailor VHF radio was installed at the radio console in the Saloon. Since our ownership, starting 1999, this has been extended for seagoing use, as follows:
Stand-alone mounted Garmin GPS, useable either at the upper helm position or at the radio console.
Table-mounted Ray Marine Radar screen and Ray Marine GPS/ Chartplotter, on a new instrument platform at the lower helm position.
Full Admiralty-size forward- facing mahogany Chart Table, mounted in the wheelhouse saloon, and stowed behind the main saloon seating, when not in use. Chart stowage in a drawer for folding charts, and beneath the bench seat for Admiralty charts.
4. Engine and Gearbox Systems – Engine Replacement
In the spring and early summer of 2005, taking advantage of the strong pound, the boat was re-engined with brand new Yanmar 4LHA-HTP 3.5 litre intercooled turbocharged engines, coupled with heavy duty Hurth hydraulic gearboxes, and new corrosion resistant stainless steel shafts, replacing the 18 year old Volvo TMD31 units. These, while remaining reliable, were somewhat under-powered for off shore passage making. They were also rather smokey, especially at start-up, and had been dropped from production by Volvo as they could not meet the latest EC emission standards.
The 2004/2005 Refit
Note that this was a very major (and expensive) refit, which also included the complete replacement of all items no longer approved by EC safety requirements (such as gas heaters and fridges), replacing them with latest high efficiency all-electric systems. Also, with the engines removed, the opportunity was taken to make a major upgrade to the bilges. All the old gate-valve seacocks were replaced by best quality ball-valve seacocks, with improved accessibility. Further work involved replacing all the electric bilge and domestic pumps with new units, duplicating the automatic bilge pump, and duplicating and extending the skin fitting earthing system. A new domestic battery was also fitted, and the main battery box replaced by a new one fitted lower in the engine room, to improve engine access.
4. Engine and Gearbox Systems (Continued)
Contents of this section are notes and data sheets covering:
1. Engine and Machinery winter servicing and refit checklists
(now contained in section 2.2.)
2. Yanmar Electrical system and control panels
3. Yanmar Vetus exhaust system, with x4 overheat alarms
4. Fuel system
Fuel tanks, and control and drain cocks.
CAV in-line debris trap and water separators
SEPAR in-line multiple separator/filters
Yanmar engine fuel filters
5. Cooling Systems
Vetus saltwater strainers
Freshwater coolant system
6. Lubrication systems
Engine
Gearbox
Sterngear
See also the Yanmar engine and Hurth gearbox manuals
5. Domestic Systems Notes and Data Sheets
5.1. Bilge systems
The bilge is protected by a number of bilge pumps. Originally, to meet inland waterways regulations, the engine compartment was isolated to prevent oily water contaminating the river, but now the whole hull is protected by the pumps. The original automatic electric bilge pump has been replaced (2005) by a new larger capacity unit, and supplemented by converting the shower pump to also double as an automatic bilge pump. The original manual bilge pump has also been supplemented by making the holding tank pump-out pump double as a back-up bilge pump. The automatic switches have also been replaced, and a manual over-ride switch fitted to the automatic shower drain pump in case of malfunction of this poorly accessible unit (2005).
The original seacocks were of the bronze gate-valve type, no longer considered adequately resistant to corrosion. These have all been replaced (2005) by best quality bronze and s/steel ball valve seacocks.
Note that, unlike most power boats, all the seacocks are reasonably accessible, and seacocks are to be closed when leaving the boat, and opened to ready the boat for use.
So, assume seacocks are closed. Never start engines, or flush toilets, before opening the relevant seacocks.
The original external 2 sacrificial anodes have been extended to include a third transom-mounted anode, and all the anodes are now earthed to all the skin fittings, duplicating the original earth wiring.
5.2. Toilet systems
The original system was two PAR 12v electric toilets. The aft one was removed in 2002, reconditioned and stored (still available for re-installation if required), replaced by a PAR manual toilet, for quiet operation, and to be a back-up in case of domestic battery failure. The forward electric toilet was replaced by a new unit in 2005.
5.3. Pressurised Water system
This is driven by a PAR pressure-controlled piston pump. The pressure control switch is a special unit, adjustable for pressure in and out switching levels. It is important in a hard winter either to drain the water system or provide a temperature controlled heater, to prevent damage by severe freezing. Moderate frost is tolerated by the system, but in any case it is a good idea to drop the pressure in the system by switching off the pump, and opening a hot and a cold tap, before leaving the boat, in frosty weather.
Hot water is provided by an efficient calorimeter heat exchanger supplied from the starboard engine coolant, and also by electric immersion heater from shore mains hook-up.
5.4. Gas system – Optimus oven and hob
Originally there were two other gas components – a Valiant instant hot water heater, and a combined gas/electric Electrolux fridge. Both of these are no longer approved for boat use, and have been removed, and the feeding gas pipes blanked off.
The Optimus cooker is a stainless steel unit, which was serviced in 2002 and new safety thermocouples fitted to all burners. The control taps need to be depressed for up to around 20 seconds, to ensure the thermocouples will be up to temperature and keep the gas on.
5.5. Electrical systems
5.5.1. 12v DC – Coolmatic (2005)Fridge, radios, instrumentation, 12v lighting, and domestic battery system, 2x12V dedicated starter battery systems.
5.5.2 230v AC Shore Power – Hot tank immersion heater, Battery Charger, mains lighting and heating.
5.6. Eberspacher Warm air heating
This is rarely used, as we dislike the faint smell of diesel it produces, and it has become temperamental to start, as the safety cut-out system is over-sensitive to battery voltage, and drops out unless the voltage is well above the necessary minimum stated in the heater specs. We haven’t bothered to address this problem, which probably needs an overhaul by Eberspacher engineers. We find domestic heating is most conveniently provided by a simple 230V fan heater, powered from electrical hook-up to a marina mains socket.
Please note: the Eberspacher is still fitted, but now I find it needs some service attention to restore reliable functioning! So we stick to the reliable electric fan, when hooked up in marinas.
Performance Overview - with full 2x60 gallon tanks, and keeping 25% in reserve, usable fuel is 90 gallons, so the safe range is 90x(NM/gallon).
Range,
at 7 kts is 450 NM, (fuel endurance 2 days 16 hours! )
at 8 kts is 342 NM (endurance 43 hours)
at 9 kts is 297 NM, (endurance 33 hours)
at 12 kts is 189 NM, (endurance 16 hours)
at 17 kts is only 153 NM (endurance a mere 8.8 hours!)
Fast is very fuel expensive, on the water! On the plane will cost you twice as much as a more leisurely passage at displacement speeds. A typical planing boat at 30 kts will be doing under 1 NM/gallon.
Put another way, if you are prepared to take 10 hours to cross to Cherbourg at 7 kts, in quiet comfort, the boat will use only 14 gallons, and at today’s 50p/litre, that’s just £31.
If you are in a hurry, and want to get there in 5 hours, cruising at a much noisier 14 kts, you will burn 36 gallons, costing you £81. That’s a saving of £50 each way!
With the demise of red diesel, the economics will make displacement speed cruising rather more popular, and a sea-kindly wave-piercing hull gives you a much nicer passage through any sort of lumpy sea.
RECENT IMPROVEMENTS.
Owner has been less active with improvements in recent years, as the boat is performing well, and I am taking things more easy.
The main changes I have made have been to the domestic lighting, which has all been updated to new excellent minimal consumption LED lamps in the cabins, and a super-bright overhead lamp under the quarterdeck canopy, for those outdoor evenings having a meal at the upper deck dining table, or a relaxing drink or two, at the end of the day.

DOMESTIC

Fwd Cabin
The fwd cabin offers a large v berth which converts into a large double when required. There is ample storage with a good size wardrobe. The cabin is light & airy with an array of windows.
Galley
The galley is well laid out with all the facilities needed. There is a two burner oven & grill, sink with drainer & dual fridge. There are a large variety of cupboards & drawers & a large work top for preparation.
Fwd Head
The Fwd head is a very good size & offers a toilet with holding tank, vanity sink with hot & cold water & a good size cupboard for your toiletries.
Saloon
The saloon is stunning and extremely sociable. The two settee's are newly upholstered in cream leather & are really comfortable. The first settee is on the starboard side & is L shaped & the second settee is a lovely two seater located just behind the lower helm. There is a huge array of lockers, drawers & cupboards for stowage.
Aft Cabin
A Broom wouldn't be the same without the cosy aft cabin. The port side double bed is a very good size but still leaves plenty of room for the dressing table, wardrobe & ensuite toilet/ shower room. Again this is a light & airy cabin that can be shut up to be warm & cosy in those dark winter nights.
Flybridge
The upper helm position gives superb visibility all round for easy mooring. There is also a lovely cushioned sunlounger on the starboard side. The flybridge gives easy access round to the bow of the boat with wide decks & hand rails well located.