New B

[Gerry_Orkus]

Hey,

My wife Mindy and I sail a Catalina 22 on Lake Pontchartrain out of New Orleans. We are looking to buy bigger in the next few months. 30 - 36 foot monohull. Full keel? finn keel? Who knows, who cares! Galley, Head with shower, holding tank, sloop riged floating, sailing condo!! Love the site.

Gerry
"Soul Mates"

[Pblais]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you need more fun. Lots of good things here to keep you busy untill you are ready.

[Gerry_Orkus]

Tell me about your Gozzard 36.

[Pblais]

Tell me about your Gozzard 36.

Everyone likes to talk about their boat. I would say it's hard to find anyone in the 9,000 members that does not like their own boat. It speaks well of the members and the diveristy of how people boat. There a many types and sizes and probaly one just right for you.

Gozzards are a custom built to order boat built in Ontario, Canada on the eastern shore of Lake Huron and entirly run by the 3 generations of Gozzard family. They make and do almost all the work at the factory building to order for specific people that buy them. We did not buy the boat new but I have met all of the family. It has an impression that is very positive to know the folks that built your boat and even though it was built in 1991 and we bought it only 2 years ago they still remember building it.

They are a great blue water boat and you couldn't win the ugly boat contest any place you went. They are designed for two people to sail and have a great open floor plan below. It is the largest 36 ft boat you can buy given that counting davits and bowsprit its 46 ft long. We are just finishing up some of the refitting the age requires and should have it pretty well restored this year.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Pblais

... Gozzards are a custom built to order boat built in Ontario, Canada on the eastern shore of Lake Huron and entirly run by the 3 generations of Gozzard family...

Gozzrd Yachts (North Castle Marine Ltd.)
Gozzard Yachts

The 36 is no longer in production, but they still manufacture 31', 36', 37', 41' and 44' designs.

Gozzard 36 E-Type ~ by Bob Perry
boats.com - Boat Review/Test: Perry Design Review: Gozzard 36 E-Type

Gozzard 36 ~ by Jack Horner
BoatUS.com: Boat Reviews by Jack Hornor, N.A. - Gozzard 36

[Pblais]

The Bob Perry and Jack Horner reviews are overall pretty accurate in terms of the weaknesses and the strengths. They got a few numbers wrong but not in any significant way. They do make a 47 now too. You don't see it on the web site and I think only about 4 have been made. The 31 is a boat you might not think to consider but it too has a lot of room for what most would consider a small boat on paper.

The 37 took off from the 36. The basic shape is close to the same. They cut away some of the forward hull and made a minor change to the rudder design to recast it as the new 37. Friends have one that we rafted up with this fall. It looks like the 36 in most any way you can see. The deck is exactly the same. Some of the newer features use technology and hardware they didn't have before. They made a smaller dinning area in favor of the peninsula galley design. They switched to the synthetic core at some time too. It seems to take a lot more fussing with in construction but they have never had a problem doing that before even with balsa. With the strong CN dollar the new ones are seriously big money but still custom made one at a time.

I have seen several 1985 36's and these boats are still rock solid and could clean up quite well. The two I saw still looked great below. Older boat interiors have mahogany and the new ones are cherry. Almost no veneer inside. Older boats have more teak outside. I refinished the taft rail this fall. Clearly not a job for the timid. These would be boats worth refitting if you found an older one at a price.

[MarkJ]

Nice looking boats, Paul.

I only have one problem with open plan living... when people come aboard theres no place to chuck all the junk and then slam a door.

[Pblais]

when people come aboard theres no place to chuck all the junk and then slam a door.

That's what a quarter berth is for. The reviews talk about it being a owners stateroom. While it is a big 76 x 76 quarter berth it is the only part of the boat (Other than the head) you can pile up junk in when folks are aboard. The last folks that owned the boat filled it solid and put 40,000 miles on it that way. Every 36 owner I ever talked to does it too. Boats older than 1991 don't have the huge berth. They dropped the engine a bit back then so the berth could expand over the top of the engine. It also gives access to the engine top and the entire drive path if you lift off the panels at the foot of the berth. The back of the dinning settee flips up and a bi fold door comes across and you have closed off space.

We pull the forward settee halves together at night to sleep. It's more headroom and just flat out easier getting in and out of bed with. We also have had guests and closed off the forward and aft areas at night then open it up in the day. Takes maybe 2 minutes to do the conversion. You just give up the junk room with guests.

[MarkJ]

I saw some great interior pics on yachtworld. It does look huge below.

Its good to see builders still doing things the way they want and there being a market for it. USA and Canada can do that as its a huge population so close together. Australia we just dont have the numbers of affluent people to keep specialised companies easily afloat.


mark

[swagman]

Hi Gerry and Mindy,
Welcome to the site. As you can see - most here are helpful!
Good luck with searching for the new yacht - and keep us all posted on how it goes.
Cheers
JOHN

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Gerry and Mindy,
Welcome aboard!! My first boat was a fixed fin keeled Catalina 22. Great little boat. I learned a lot by sailing her around Pearl Harbor and leeward coast of Oahu.
I think you are looking at the right sized boat. There are many affordable in that range.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Gerry_Orkus]

Thanks. Great to be here.