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Old 02-05-2013, 18:01   #46
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

Thank you for the reply and info.

I have to be honest , I am completely new at this and have only been to boat shows and read a few things. I have been eye balling this ship for a long time, it has been on the market for quite a while and I really like the layout and the way the cabin is set up, galley, heads, racks , and main bed in the aft of the ship with the " pirate " windows or port holes. The layout/ set up has drawn me to this ship from the beginning to now. I have absolutely no idea what I am supposed to look for and I am far from being ready to set sail anytime soon. But is a dream and someday I will make it happen.

Thank you again for the info and what to look for.
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Old 03-05-2013, 06:45   #47
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

okhenry---what i have learned from theseboats is that if you are hot for them, get it...they repair easily and as far as loving these boats--is the factor necessary in a decent refit. i am refitting mine while underway. is easier than with other marques of boat, even many cruising boats have not the features included in the ease of access for parts needing repair or replacement. i have yet to find a deal breaker w ith these. all is fixable, as designed.

folks will try to talk you out of a formosa/ct/seawolf/island trader--do not listen to them. they do not own these boats. they do not sail these boats on a regular basis.

leaky teaky yacht club is a good resource for those of us who love our leaky teakies--we named the group as it stands by choice...used to be formosa owners group on yahoo. the address is in my signature. good folks with excellent info on these boats.

these were designed to sail trade winds and deep oceans. they sail nicely and look sharp while under way,as well as provide comfort during bad passages...interesting and unusual concept. prolly a carryover from old gaff rigged cruisers..lol

even packiung gland is accessible while under way. and repairable as well while under way. goood design. too bad more designers didnt do this idea....LOL..i am glad the designer of these did think about this problem. i do not need an intra-utero trained neo-natal rhesus monkey to repair my boats guts. is doable by humans, which many cruisers cannot say.

yes, they are very slow--but i arrive at the anchorage after the beer is cold. is a good time to arrive in an anchorage, as opposed to while beer is still hot from sun.

yes it did take 80 hours to go 200 ish miles north in a southbound current and with south bound winds----but it wasnt uncomfortable, and we did not have water streaming ovr th bows--is a DRY boat in seas. as is supposed to be.

if you have any questions about these boats, please ask me.
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Old 03-05-2013, 07:07   #48
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

How things are designed is one thing, how they are built is another. I would agree that Wm Garden's designs are good. They were fine in their day. I would argue that a great many of the builders who employed his designs were shoddy at best and fraudulent at worst.
There are few owners of these boats who will defend them to their death. There are many posts from people who have a good deal of experience with these boats either sailing them, selling them, or working on them that stress extreme caution.
I am of the second camp. If you fall in love with one, are willing to spend great amounts of time and treasure, and will be likely to keep the thing forever then by all means proceed. Be advised that the time and money that you spend to make one right will not likely be recoverable.
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Old 03-05-2013, 11:58   #49
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

these do not need a lot ofmoney to maintain, but, rather a really smart brain and fbrication capabilities.

these are 40 yr old boats. i am finding perfect condition original equipment and structure on this 1976 built pos you say has bad bones--i think you should suck those words back into your brain. sorry.there is nothing that is able to fail on these boats that is not easily repaired without a lot of money. except the engine.
they are also not difficult for a disabled woman with bad hands to solo sail, should the need arise.
these hulls are 1 1/2-2 inches in thickness--few have been found to differ. they have actual fiberglass hulls. topsides are wood, some with glass overlaid. these are much more readily repairable with less monetary gushing than a plastic fantastic.

if you wish to know actual numbers and actual and real problems and exactly what it takes to repair , refit, sail, or own one of these, PLEASE discuss withan owner or in the owners group in yahoo. you will find honest responses particular to these boats with all the honesty you want to witness.

those who do not own nor sail these boats have nothing good to say about them, as they hear only bad gossip. there is nothing unfixable on these--even hullis easily repaired when ruptured.

the only bad words i have heard on these boats has been sailing capability and rot and deck leakage.
rot--happens when you donot know how to keep wood in shape.
teak decks--when one knows how to treat teak decks, they willladst many decades.
sailing capability---with a spinnaker, kharmaseas gains 10 kts over ground. wow. sick puppies dont know how to sail our boats, do we......
if you wish to point into wind, sail a 747. these ketches will get you to anywhere safely and comfortably.

repairs--just ask me.i am refitting while cruising. actively .
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Old 25-08-2014, 22:03   #50
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Henry4 View Post
Has anyone here on this form seen the Formosa for sale in Marina Del Ray ? Music is her name ,, opinions , things to look for , thanks for input

Henry
Yes I have seen her, it is a Formosa CC 47, modern underwater shape (no long keel) so easy to handle in small harbors, aluminium masts, no leaks, it is not a racing boat but you would still be surprised how fast she can be if well handled, I got even a 10+kts out of her even with the already older sails and full diesel and water tanks sailing out the bay of Panama on my last track to Ecuador, on the whole voyage from California to Ecuador (4500nm) I did not had major problems, just some adjustments what you have to do anyway after buying a boat and some replacements of old stuff. Now she is in Puerto Lucia, La Libertad, Ecuador where I started up a charter co.
Feel free to pass by if you are around here
Now if you think to buy a Formosa then be aware that you would have to do the necessary maintenance what will be more than a lot of other boats but it doesn't means necessarily that it has to be very expensive if you do it by yourself.
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Old 25-08-2014, 23:41   #51
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pirate Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

I have owned a Hudson 50,did thousands of miles in it and yes it had a few deck leaks,i now own a Formossa 51 no leaks unless i spill my beer in a 5 METER chop as we ply back and forth with customers on our offshore trips ,not the fastest on the wind but always get you home in anything.Done only 4000 miles in this one but not many problems ,,,,,
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Old 26-08-2014, 15:36   #52
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

Capt. A ,,, feel free to email me any pictures of her that you want to show off, and if you want to pass her along in about 10 years make me your 1st person to email

thanks for the post

Henry4
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Old 27-08-2014, 11:34   #53
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

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Originally Posted by Henry4 View Post
Capt. A ,,, feel free to email me any pictures of her that you want to show off, and if you want to pass her along in about 10 years make me your 1st person to email

thanks for the post

Henry4
Ok, I'll let you know ;-)
I'll try to put some pictures on the forum as well, I'm just figuring out what the max upload limit is and where to post the pictures.
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Old 27-08-2014, 21:02   #54
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

I worked on Music when it was owned by a nice couple who were kinda new to boats. And I have worked on others by the same yard. The 2nd poster in this thread has given a very truthful overview of these boats, in general. My own opinion of them may be somewhat lower than his. It is widely known that one should avoid these boats at any price.
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Old 27-08-2014, 22:06   #55
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

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Originally Posted by Terra Nova View Post
I worked on Music when it was owned by a nice couple who were kinda new to boats. And I have worked on others by the same yard. The 2nd poster in this thread has given a very truthful overview of these boats, in general. My own opinion of them may be somewhat lower than his. It is widely known that one should avoid these boats at any price.
I'm very interested to know what you have done on Music, when was that? Until now I'm really happy with the boat and I sailed it already more than the previous owner did in all the years he had her, Music is not a William G. design but is also made by the Formosa co., I knew a lot about those kind of boats before buying her and know at what to look at and how to make her better, the previous owner has done a lot of work on the boat while he owned her, I would have done some things different but hey there is not such a thing than a "perfect" boat and for me, who will use the boat to charter, will make some modifications and spent a lot of time in maintenance, after all it will be my job and don't have anything else to do
But it is true that you have to be careful when you buy one of these already older boats: deck rot, rusty water tanks, for the W.G. designs such as the Formosa 51 the original masts are made of wood and many times have rot in the bilges (things difficult to spot if the masts are painted), and most of the Formosas have a long keel so you know it will be easier to keep course but more difficult to turn, some of them where originally made with bad quality chain plates, ... and the list is long.
But try to find another boat of the same age without a hull consumed by osmosis, I think you can always find a project on "any" boat older than 30 years.
The only reason that we still are talking about those "old" Formosas is that they are probably not that bad than that some people wants us to believe.
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Old 27-08-2014, 22:14   #56
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

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...The only reason that we still are talking about those "old" Formosas is that they are probably not that bad than that some people wants us to believe.
Oh, I wouldn't go that far.
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Old 27-08-2014, 22:26   #57
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

Ok, no problem, I agree that the most Formosas I have seen where not worth buying and that is why I don't have one of those but do you really think that all of them are that bad? Some have had a lot of modifications and improvements and if you have worked on Music than I'm always interested in some "history" of her.
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Old 27-08-2014, 22:52   #58
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

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...do you really think that all of them are that bad?...
Bad enough for me to issue this warning to anyone considering buying one, at the risk of stepping on some toes.
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Old 27-08-2014, 23:22   #59
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

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Bad enough for me to issue this warning to anyone considering buying one, at the risk of stepping on some toes.
No problem, my toes are not that long
But if you have any info on Music (good and bad) than I will be glad to hear it, it can help me to check or repair some things I haven't seen.
That is the whole point of this forum, sharing helpful info, if you don't wanna talk about it on the forum I can always give you my mail
So what do you know about this boat? You have worked on this boat so you probably know her well.
You remember more or less what year you worked on her and what the job was about?
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Old 28-08-2014, 06:24   #60
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Re: '79 Formosa Ketch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?

PM sent.
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