Silly Question for Bluewater Power Sailors

[BillAU]

G'day mates,

My nephew, he's 34 and an experienced inshore boatman, and I have been looking at power cruisers in the Southern States of the USA with the aim of buying and sailing one back to Australia.
We have found a vessel that I believe would suit our needs, she's a 47' Chris Craft Commander, don't know if she has diesels or petrol power but before I go contacting the owner, I thought I would ask you power sailors if you believe a 47' Chris Craft Commander would be suitable for making a Pacific crossing...Safely?

If not, I guess we could always sail to Panama then put her on a ship to Australia. Anyway, I would appreciate your views.

By the way, my nephew strongly believes we could make the voyage, no worries, in the Chris Craft but he has never been caught in a storm in the Pacific, Atlantic or Indian Ocean...I have and know it's most definitely not funny.

Cheers mates,

Bill AU

[Vasco]

I don't think this boat has the fuel capacity to cross the Pacific.

[Morgan Paul]

Here is a thread you might want to look at.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ida-29893.html

[BillAU]

G'day mates,

Thanks for your views. After reading the other posts on the thread at http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ida-29893.html I think I'll forget about going after a Chris Craft, a Sea Ray, which was another boat we were looking at, or any other boat in the States. Instead, I'll stick with my plan A and keep looking for a suitable 38 to 40' Trimaran here in Australia. That way I can use and enjoy the vessel on my home turf. I can only see the cost of fuel going higher in the coming years so I think I should avoid a motor vessel and, as I plan on sailing the East Coast of Australia and the Barrier Reef, the Tri may be the best way to go, fast under sail and a shallow draft...If my nephew doesn't like it...Well that's his choice...He can always stay at home

Thanks again mates.

Bill AU

[Mule]

Bill,

Here ya go Mate, though this is kindda out of the way for you it will fill the bill to pilot across the Pacific. This boat has been on the market for a long time, I reasearched it b4 I accepted the fact that it was wayyyy more than needed.

This is an estate sale, the PO fell off the new aluminum roof, and died under the boat, graveyard dead. Real shame. Anyway the son has had it for some time (well over a year, maybe 2) and though the rejplacement cost is many many times over the asking no one appears interested. He may be ready now. I would think under 70.

The yard it is in is rumored to be one of the highest priced on the east coast, but with minimal work she should be able to be made seaworthy to get it to Central America for more reasonable skilled labor to bring it to top noch condition. I was told the hull is excellent xcept for a few planks on the transom and that all other systems are a go. Needs a new shoe, overall minor stuff.

1980 Beebe Passagemaker Trawler Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com=

Next here is a beautiful boat that also is built like a brick shi+ house, though both of these are wood I would venture to say Mr West Systems and the future buyer could make an arrangment that would negate the wood aspect.

This second boat is not for a Pacific Crossing but still interesting. Built to US Navy Military Specifications....Nuff said about that. Had the wife consented to a full time live aboard, house sold, I would have gone for this one. Instead we bought a Mainship 34. But this is such a pretty boat. Anyway, here it is.

1953 U.S. Navy design Pilothouse Liveaboard Cruising Trawler Commercial Boat For

W/O additional tankage, at best only 1064 mile mathematical range , w/o the 20% cushion, so it either gets shipped or modified to get down under.

There you go.

[David M]

I looks like he decided on a sailboat, which for a pleasure boat that is going to travel great distances, makes sense. Sailboats are also power boats in a way.

[BillAU]

G'day Mule,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my query. Mate, you're not kidding when you say, either of these vessels would be great sea going vessels!
I like them both and would feel right at home on the bridge or the engine-room of either one, being timber doesn't bother me one bit.

The 55' Beebe Passagemaker Trawler is a lot of boat for sure, as is the 50' U.S. Navy design Pilothouse Liveaboard Cruising Trawler but I think I would chose the Navy design Pilothouse Trawler over the Beebe Passagemaker simply because I "think" the Beebe needs a lot of work/alterations, specially on that saloon. It looks to take-up the full 16'6" beam of the vessel so how is anyone to get forward, unless there's a door opening forward and, on a blue water vessel, that would be a big No-No for me, it looks to me like the previous owner was planning to use her on the great lakes. Also I think the figure of a 4000 mile range on 1200 gals of diesel is a bit of wishful thinking but I could be wrong.

After doing a lot of reading on this and other forums, I now believe I should revert to my A plan and wait for a suitable Tri here in Australia because I don't know if I would be any better off buying in the States, for instance, the 55' Beebe Passagemaker, his asking price is 89,000.00 USD, that equates to 97,230.74 AUD at today's exchange rate, which is good at the moment, then I have all the hassles of converting her to a safe bluewater vessel, sailing her across the Pacific and importing the vessel into Australia with duty, taxes and other red tape!

Sailing from Mexico back across the Pacific, stopping in Tahiti and other Islands along the way would be a fantastic trip, I believe all my problems would begin when I entered Australian waters.
On top of that, I'm in the same boat as yourself as far as the wife goes, I'm working to convince her to change her mind about living afloat but she's stubborn as a Mule and reckons any boat she goes aboard will have dancehalls, swimming pools and elevators between decks...Even then, I'd be hard pressed to get her to live aboard on a permanent basis.

Thanks again for your views Mule, they're much appreciated mate.

Bill AU

[Mule]

Go easy on us Mules.... but yeah I would be in that navy boat today if I had my way.

[David M]

Unless you are really in to wood hulls, I would avoid them. Be sure to get a good surveyor who understands wood hulls and inspects the heck out of that hull. I wish you the best with whichever boat you choose.

[jkleins]

Originally Posted by Mule

Go easy on us Mules.... but yeah I would be in that navy boat today if I had my way.

I have to agree. That one would be worth learning about wood hulls. :-)

I have to wonder what is wrong with it though. It seems to be fairly inexpensive for all the work that seems to have gone into restoring/maintaining it. Still if it was on the East Coast I could think about being a power boater.

Jim

[Mule]

I talked to the broker, he said the folks on it are older but they took impecable care of it. The survey would tell the tale however.

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by David M

Unless you are really in to wood hulls, I would avoid them. Be sure to get a good surveyor who understands wood hulls and inspects the heck out of that hull. I wish you the best with whichever boat you choose.

G'day David,

This old kipper cut his teath on timber hulls, I ran a timber fishing boat, trawler, out of Brixham in Devon england and in the summer, I took out parties of 10 fishing...On a timber boat.

Just like any other boat, timber boats need to be maintained and kept up to scratch...Otherwise, you'll have problems but...The same goes for all other boats. Scrub your maintenance and you're asking for touble.

Bill AU

[u4ea32]

Asking prices seem low because everyone knows that for wooden vessels its not the purchase price but the maintenance that breaks the budget. Also, there may be no way to get a loan on a wooden boat, so its only all cash buyers, limited the market, demand, and therefore price.

Personally, I'd never buy or build anything but a plastic boat. I love woodies and even metal boats! But I won't own one.

BillAU: You know a sailing multihull under power is a pretty nice and efficient powerboat...

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by u4ea32

Asking prices seem low because everyone knows that for wooden vessels its not the purchase price but the maintenance that breaks the budget. Also, there may be no way to get a loan on a wooden boat, so its only all cash buyers, limited the market, demand, and therefore price.

Personally, I'd never buy or build anything but a plastic boat. I love woodies and even metal boats! But I won't own one.

BillAU: You know a sailing multihull under power is a pretty nice and efficient powerboat...

G'day mates,

I know we all have personal preferences and I don't mind timber boats. I do know how our world was opened-up from the old countries...With the use of well built timber sailing vessles, not a piece of plastic or stainless in sight back then.
There are still a lot of old but, well cared for timber yachts getting around, like this old girl from 1938: Boats for Sale - Yachts for Sale - Used & New Boats @ Yacht Hub Australia & New Zealand, she has been with the same owner for over 56 years and she's a beaut!

By the look of the page promoting the all-timber motor yacht, she's open to offers but I don't have a clue on what to offer for such a vessle! What would you offer for this timber yacht

Like I said in an earlier post, I've gone back to plan A...Sailing Tri's but...I haven't given motor yachts away completly...just yet

Bill AU

[David M]

The first aircraft were also built of wood and canvas. No disrespect for wood boats, I love their beauty as well. The fact still remains that if wood was a superior, more economical material, then we would see new commercial vessels being made of wood. For production boats fiberglass/plastic molded boats are most cost effective. For smaller custom made boats, its aluminum or steel.

Insurance companies are indeed hesitant to insure wood boats because there are too many unknowns and a greater frequency of them sinking, on a same hull material basis. Some boatyards refuse to haul wood boats for fear of breaking them.

If money matters then stick with a material where there are fewer unknowns and prices for repairs are less and the frequency of repairs are less.