[SOLD] 42' cat ketch ocean voyager $39.9k

[barnakiel]

Nay. Only if there was any damage.

Balsa core is fine.

Where I did see issues were always decks and cabin tops with owners drilling holes every where to support this and that and that too.

Seen balsa cored hulls built '64 (?) or thereabout and perfect condition.

b.

[Terra Nova]

Balsa cores are the very devil.

[woodguy]

If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is...

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Run, Forest, run!

[Ronald Rogala]

Greetings again!
For sale is a 1996 42.7ft Lavranos Cat Ketch ocean voyaging sailboat.
Price is $49,900. Located currently in Baltimore, MD

This boat is a rugged bluewater cruiser built in South Africa. The naval architect was Angelo Lavranos. Built by K&S fiberglass in South Africa in 1996.
This boat is loaded with all ocean voyaging equipment like SSB, Rutland Wind Generator, 5 solar panels on a stainless tube arch, aries windvane self-steering, watermaker, radar, chartplotter, Balmar high output alternator, new batterys, electronic charts for entire pacific basin from the marqueses to south pacific to New Guini, Philippines, vietnam, china, taiwan and japan. Includes electronic charts for entire US, Bahamas, and Hawaii also. There is a dinghy and 4 hp outboard included.
The design was conceived through a conglomeration of two naval architects which attempted to create the perfect cruising sailboat. They chose a cat ketch rig for simplicity, safety and ease of use, outboard rudder for safety (no rudder shaft hole in the bottom of the boat that could fracture) and simplicity, long fin keel as a compromise of lateral stability and easy maneuverability, cockpit drains that drain out the transom ( no hoses ), bulwarks around the entire perimeter of the hull which gives a good foothold in bad weather, companionway entrance at at seat level which is 16" off the cockpit floor to prevent water from entering the boat if the boat gets pooped, etc, etc.
To get a bluewater boat with all the expensive voyaging equipment for a low price is not an easy task to find, but here is one available now. When I was planning my pacific crossing, I had a difficult time finding a boat that could do the job, was heavily equipt for the task and was inexpensive. Here is your change to find one.
Technical details available upon request.
Happy voyaging!
Ron

[Ronald Rogala]

To build thickness/stiffness, boat manufacturers use balsa core, or foam core. I have heard stories where foam can pulverize and crumble where I haven't heard that about balsa.
An uncored boat has to be very heavy to have enough thickness to be stiff. Then when you add a heavy boat with lots of cruising gear, clothes, liveaboard stuff, then you have a snail in the water. Sure the boat is bulletproof, but there is a negative to all the weight....loss of performance. Then there is the sweating and condensation issue. I see it clearly in the cold climes in the difference between my hull which isn't sweating and the sweating side decks. No coring in the side decks and when i spent the winter on the boat, I had to always wipe off the condensation off the underside of the side decks. I can't imagine having the same problem with an entire uncored boat. Always having wet lockers because of condensation is a bummer. Just like how your toilet tank at home condensates. Not fun.
I spent a winter living on my boat in Baltimore....not so much fun. I don't think I will do that again. We saw so many days in the teens and single digits (temps) it was bordering on silly. But I got through it without too much problem. But you learn how nice it is to have a cored boat. Cheers!

[cpa]

Very cool boat. She seems to be priced well too! I am sure you will have no trouble selling her. I saw in the Yacht World ad that she has a bath tub...very nice. Good luck.

[Ronald Rogala]

Thanks for the comment. Yes, a bath tub. That's for all the hot tub parties. Cheers.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Ronald Rogala

Thanks for the comment. Yes, a bath tub. That's for all the hot tub parties. Cheers.

I have a few friendly suggestions, with the intent to further the discussion of this boat's design and because I am curious.
__________________

Tubs are a desired feature on boats, for some sailors.

1. I suggest posting a photo of the head+tub if possible, as it may get the attention of some buyers.

2. Actually, posting more photos is a good idea, and I suggest posting text or your comments as the owner about what you like about the features you show in the photo. For example, your boat has a hard dodger.

3. I have not yet sailed on a cat-ketch, but am curious about them. I once looked at a Freedom 40 Cat Ketch years ago, but did not get to sail her. I would find your comments about sailing that rig interesting, so post something about that too. Since it is an usual rig, I am sure others might be curious to learn more about the sailing qualities of the Cat-Ketch rig.

In short, tell us more about sailing a boat like this and the features. It is an uncommon boat, so probably unfamiliar to most sailors.

[boatman61]

Trade ya for a 40ft very basic steel Van de Stadt...

[Cadence]

I think a post I intended to make got lost.


I have no apprehension about balsa core above the waterline as long as all attachments are done correctly, and it does provide rigidity. I am not convinced end grain balsa core does not wick if the outer thin skin is penetrated, being thin below the water line.


If the vessel has balsa above the waterline but solid glass below, go for it. It is good looking.

[roland stockham]

Look great but I work on the view that 'you never know till you look in the bilges' could be that sails and machinary are worn out but still reckon that could make it a fair price rather than a bargain. On the other hand it is not a cat and has an unusual rig so 90% of buyers just walk past because they already decided the want a LagoonXXX before they even started to look.

[DeepFrz]

Good luck Ronald.

Terra Nova, cadence, I wonder what personal experience you two have had with balsa cored hulls?

[pshaydon]

Ronald,


I have a Freedom 44. She sails like a witch off the wind, and is a little disappointing up wind, due to the fact that she cannot sail a close to the wind as a jib headed boat. This being the case, I put a small bowsprit on her and added a small 85% jib. The sprit is carbon and is free standing through a SS gamon. This brought her closer to the wind, but she is not competitive with large modern sloops. However, once cracked off, she will out step anything within her length, modern or not. A 44 won the Bermuda 1-2 on time, and I finished 3rd, boat for boat on the second leg. It was light at first and the wind was always abaft the beam. Her masts are carbon, booms aluminum, her beam is 11.5 feet and her draft with the board up is 4.5 feet; board down 9 feet.


I lover her to death, and see a lot of her in you vessel. Lots of luck.


Peter

[freshalaska]

Looks good, more specs please. Does it have an engine? Hours, tankage, displacement. Does she have a protected prop?