Motor Boat & Yachting - January 2016 UK

Spacious seats at the

helm for both driver

and navigator

The forward cabin fi ts

in a double berth and

double wardrobe

L

aunched initially as a

hardtop river cruiser in 1994,

the Sheerline 950 really took

off when the open cockpit

version was introduced in

1996, becoming one of those

evergreen models that ran and ran. Still

available nearly 20 years on in the

updated 955 guise that was launched in

2009 and further refined in 2012.

INTERIOR

Early boats had conventional shaftdrive,

putting the engine in the centre leaving

room for a small single berth alongside

the engine to go with the converting

saloon and forward cabin. The big deal

with the 950 and 955 is the clever drive

system that was introduced a couple of

years after the 950 was launched. A

hydraulic pump spins the conventional

shaftdrive, meaning that the engine can

be mounted transversely and further

aft, creating space for a big mid cabin

with an athwartships double berth,

radically increasing internal volume and

making this a 30 foot twin cabin

shaftdrive rarity.

EXTERIOR

Low wide side decks and reduced air

draft make life easy for the crew, the

raised helm and clear sight lines doing

the same for the skipper. The sociable

cockpit, with horseshoe seating and

folding table, has an additional fridge.

ENGINE

A single Nanni 5.280HE diesel engine

produces 62hp – more than enough for

river cruising (with its 38-gallon tank),

although an 80hp version was available

as an option on later boats.

PERFORMANCE

That clever hydraulic drive system does

more than just free up cabin space.

Isolating the engine from the shaft

reduces vibration and noise levels, and

the lack of physical ‘hard’ connection

means that river debris suddenly

jamming the prop doesn’t pose the

same shock load risk to the gearbox.

Top whack is 6 knots – the hull’s

maximum displacement speed; 5 knots

a comfortable cruising gait. Oh and this

boat will clear Osney Bridge, an

infamous obstacle on the Thames.

2004 £99,950

DATA FILE

Length 31ft 2in (9.4m)

Beam 10ft 6in (3.2m)

Draught 2ft 6in (0.8m)

Displacement 5 tonnes

Fuel capacity 38 imp gal (173 litres)

Engine Nanni 5.280HE

62hp diesel

FOR SALE Thames Boat Sales.

Web: http://www.thamesboatsales.co.uk

Distinctly 90s

styling – improved

on 955 version

Fantastic amount

of interior volume

Sheerline 950

The galley has a full-

sized gas oven with

four rings and a grill



RATING

JANUARY 2016 101

BOAT MASTER FINDME A USED...

MY CHOICE Plenty of scope this month, from a classic

oldie that offers terrific space, solid build and offshore ability

for surprisingly little money (the Ocean 37) through to a

brand new river cruiser (the Viking 275) via the cleverly configured Sheerline

950 and the versatile all-weather inshore and offshore Haines 34 Sedan.

Yet fascinatingly, all were built in Norfolk, clearly the spiritual home of the

inland cruiser (courtesy of the vast expanse of the Norfolk Broads). As

ever with such a disparate group, personal preference and intended use

plays a big part – but I’ll plump for the Sheerline and a mooring on the

Thames please. Nick Burnham