Opinions on Rosborough Privateer

[BobMeans]

Hi All,

I have an opportunity to pick up a 47' Rosborough Privateer with a completely redone hull and sub-structure (cedar on white oak) for transport costs. The main mast is still fine, but the mizzen is shot. Most of the hardware is there and the sails are there, but just for templates to make new. At any point, any opinions on the boat itself (not my idiocy at taking on such a project)?

Cheers,
Bob

[GordMay]

Neat looking boat.

There’s a 1972 Rosborough Privateer, CC Gaff-Rigged Ketch for sale in Panama City, Florida.
1972 Rosborough Privateer, CC Gaff-Rigged Ketc SAIL: Motorsailer/Pilothouse for sale

If the asking price of $189,900.00 is anywhere near realistic, there might be sufficient room to upgrade a nearly free boat, as you describe, towards market value.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Again Bob,
That is a really neat looking boat. I guess if you can get it free and it has a good hull and you love working with wood it might be worth it. Really would be a pride of ownership to get her shipshape and back in the water.
JohnL

[Tropic Cat]

Ummmmm...old, big wood boat?

You're a better man than I, Mr. Means

[BobMeans]

Nope, just crazier.

[libellula]

you are crazy
but when you do it, please send pictures

[Sailormann]

They're beautiful boats. I'd look at it really carefully before I took it on. They were primarily sold as kits for owner completion, so you want to make sure that the project you are taking on is worth the time and effort.

[captmikepierce]

I am still interested If you would like to sell it please contact me

[Travelnman]

Bob, I'm new to this forum but a very old avid Rosborough Privateer affictoanado Look fellow, you only go around once. Just do it! In 1977 I bought a very dilapidated Privateer from Kermit Parker Yachts - Kermit a friend - in San Rafeal, California. For a year I commuted hundreds of miles each weekend to personally referbish Trillium to even get it seaworthy, thence down the coast to home port in Santa Barbara. I loved that boat. Moved aboard, lived and sailed for years always making big changes like adding a pilot house and many more changes. I even by hand replaced all the keel boats - a rather monumental task. These heavy wooden Privateers are roomy, comfortable to live on and sail. In my experience the very best for cruising, I sailed up and down the West coast, Mexico, to the off shore islands, Santa Cruz. You will never find more gratification than undertaking a challenge beyond your current capabilities. I'll be glad to discuss and answer questions. I'll soon get the hang of this site and hopefully interact with some great new friends. I have been an active sailor for 60 years. John

[waterguy]

My father was the original owner of a Rosborough Privateer. He special ordered it, flew to Nova Scotia several times to watch it being built, and agonized as it was shipped across Canada on a flatcar, tilted on its side to get through the railroad tunnels. It was splashed in Vancouver, B.C. and sailed to Sydney B.C. (north of Victoria, on Vancouver Island), where we would go every weekend to learn how to sail her from Lt. Cmdr. Walker, RCN (Ret.), another Rosborough owner. We owned her for about six years, until my dad (who was always itchy about getting something new) sold her. I could have cried.

She was the most seaworthy boat I've ever been aboard. Not flash inside, not slathered with teak, but comfortable and homey. And built like a brick outdoor sanitary facility. Framed of 4x4 black oak with cedar planking. We got caught in a 60-knot gale that laid that big ol' bastard right on its beam ends, we went screaming downwind triple-reefed at about 15 knots. Nothing came loose or carried away.

It was sold to a guy in Alaska, and I've never heard what happened to her. If she came on the market, I'd buy her in a hot minute. They do . . . not . . . build them like this any more. In the 1970's, they hadn't built them like this for a hell of a long time; only James Rosborough did, and you can measure his success by the fact that he went out of business. He couldn't charge enough for the hand work that went into these boats when they could pop the fiberglass McBoats out of the molds at a rate of one a day. And what's a 1973 ColumbiEricksoPearson worth these days?

Yeah, you'll have to deal with the issues of a wood boat; so what? I remember whenever we were at anchor, people from other boats in their dinghies rowing around our boat taking pictures. I got up one morning at oh-dark-thirty and there was some guy just sitting in his dinghy, staring at our boat with his jaw hanging down.

Believe it or not, the biggest issue with ours was that the master shower drained into the bilge, with the resultant stink. Dad made a box for the shower effluent and its own bilge pump, but it was still open and there was still a bit of a sweet-sour shower smell, but nowadays you can buy a shower sump box from West Marine that will eliminate that problem - plumb the shower drain into the sump box, which has its own bilge pump, and bingo! Problem solved.

Great boat. Great boat.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by waterguy

My father was the original owner of a Rosborough Privateer ...
... It was sold to a guy in Alaska, and I've never heard what happened to her. If she came on the market, I'd buy her in a hot minute ...

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, waterguy.

I can understand why you'd be so enamoured of a special boat, like the Rosborough.

[Blue Stocking]

Hey Gord,

Nice to read a love story with your coffee Huh!!

Makes MY day.

[jawsman]

im restoring 57'.cedar on oak rosborough. I have 100 acres of trees and a sawmill in Franklin Maine. Cutting all the replacement wood myself. Hope to have her in water by 2012. Im very fortunate to have her. Her name is Seatrek. Would like to communicate with other owners of Rosborough boats.

[GordMay]

For the full story of the Privateer yachts read "Confessions of a Boatbuilder" by James Douglas Rosborough, Nimbus Publishing 2000.

About A.F. Theriault and Doug Rosborough's Privateers ~ Nova Scotia Boatybuilders Assoc
See ➥ The last building boom for traditional wooden yachts

[jawsman]

Originally Posted by BobMeans

Hi All,

I have an opportunity to pick up a 47' Rosborough Privateer with a completely redone hull and sub-structure (cedar on white oak) for transport costs. The main mast is still fine, but the mizzen is shot. Most of the hardware is there and the sails are there, but just for templates to make new. At any point, any opinions on the boat itself (not my idiocy at taking on such a project)?

Cheers,
Bob

did u buy it..ED