Birchwood are actually offering two types of boat in a single shell.
Birchwood are actually offering two types of boat in a single shell. Parting with £74,300 ex VAT rewards you with a voluminous nine-knot inland waterways cruiser, fitted with a bow thruster and the smallest (78hp) diesel. The layout is ideal, either for a family or two couples, the inconvenience of converting the dinette more than compensated for by the significant extra privacy of sleeping cabins at opposite ends of the boat.
The second boat is a 23-knot semi-displacement powerboat, which can cruise from the Solent to the Channel Islands in less than five hours. And whichever Speed you want to cruise at, cooking and eating onboard the 310’s aft dinette and galley will be a real joy there is more room than usual, plus plenty of worktop space.
In one area, there are strong echoes of our earlier 440 report the standard of finish is adequate, but consistency and quality-control need to be considerably tightened up. The most obvious example on our test boat was the engineroom. Irrespective of the upheaval of new ownership, the original workforce should really be ensuring that fundamentally poor arRangements like this never see the light of day.
Consistency aside, the 310 has a lot to offer, such as comfortable handling in lumpy conditions, clearly laid-out instruments, and easy boarding from the side. But what really makes this boat is the layout and for some buyers it will be difficult to beat.
DIMENSIONS
LOA 33ft 4in 10.17m
Hull Length 30ft 7in 9.32m
Beam 10ft 10in 3.30m
Draught 3ft 0in 0.90m
Air draught 11ft 5in 3.48m
Displacement 6.0 tonnes (light) 6.9 tonnes (loaded)
Fuel capacity 150 imp gal 680lt
Water capacity 62 imp gal 280lt
Engines Twin Volvo Penta TAMD31P 150hp @ 3,900rpm 4-cylinder, 2.4lt turbo diesels, 3-bladed propellers, 20in diameter by 21.5in pitch, (510mm by 550mm)
RPM Speed Trim GPH MPG Range
1,500 6.7 0.0° 1.2 5.74 688
2,000 8.3 2.0° 3.0 2.78 334
2,500 9.3 5.0° 5.0 1.85 222
3,000 12.2 5.0° 7.5 1.62 195
3,300 14.5 4.5° 9.3 1.55 186
3,700 18.3 4.5° 11.8 1.55 186
4,100 23.1 4.5° 14.9 1.55 186
Range allows for 20% reserve 35% fuel, 0% water, 2 crew Sea state: 2ft swell. Wind strength: Force 4
Performance
Maximum Speed 23.1 knots
Maximum Range 186 miles @ 4,100rpm
Cruising Speed 18.3 knots
Cruising Range 186 miles @ 3,700rpm
Sound levels dB(A) Saloon Cockpit Forecabin
Cruising @ 18.3 knots 79 80 87
Maximum @ 23.1 knots 82 83 90
Price from £74,300 ex tax Price as tested £103,560 ex tax
Designer
Birchwood Boat Company
Builder
Birchwood Marine International Ltd
Supplier
Birchwood Southampton, 15 Shamrock Quay, Hythe Marina Village, Hants SO45 6OY, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1703 849955. Fax: +44 (0)1703 849222.
