Fuji Yachts...Any Good ?

[DangerCell]

Anyone know anything about these boats?

How will a boat like this sail?

1979 Fuji Sparkman and Stephens Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[SailPenelope]

Beautiful boat!

I have a 1979 CT41 - Taiwan built, with many of the issues one would expect of that era and a Taiwanese boat. We eventually replaced the Volvo Penta MD21A 75 hp with a new Yanmar 75 hp. Painful, but we're happier now.

A good buy, I think, if you're prepared for something major like engine replacement. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.....you will become well acquainted with your boat.

[roverhi]

Fuji's were decently built boats from Japan, not Taiwan. Thought they only made clipper bowed cruising ketches, however. S&S were the premier naval architects from the '30s into the '80s and still are a very high end design firm. They didn't let yards deviate from their scantlings, which were robust, and kept a tight rein on all of their builders. Would assume that's the case with the Fuji. As far as sailing, S&S were noted for building very competitive ocean race boats capable of taking on anything the sea could throw at them. The boat should go to weather like a freight train. Judging from the year of build, this was an IOR design and probably isn't going to be a downwind flyer without a chute and will have roundup problems when pushed to the limits. If sailed hard but not pushed to the limit, as in racing with a big chute, the boat will do fine off the wind. It just won't be a ULDB surfer.

[Jim Cate]

G'DAy DAnger,

I too thought that Fuji only had built more traditional yachts. I suspect this may have been a one-off, but it's only a guess.

Anyhow, she looks very nice indeed, if the pix are current. The hull shape, from the line drawing, is not a radical IOR shape with very pinched ends, and the keel is a bit longer than a race boat from that era would likely have had. Further, the sail plan is more balanced than many IOR racers, and should work ok for you. I've owned an S&S design from that era, and would expect that this one will sail as competently as mine did... excellent all-around performers.

Hope that it works out for you.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Towlers Bay, NSW, Oz

[shadow]

I concur, anything from the S&S team will always please and make the owners happy. An SailPenelope, can you elaborate on what to expect from that age and build?? I was looking at Asian boats as well from that era. Can you give me a heads up on what to look out for??

Thanks

[DangerCell]

Thanks guys...this is good info...

But what is a "ULDB surfer"?

From what I can tell it is not a one-off. It is a production boat. They made only a few though.

I looked at a sister ship and it was solid as best I can tell in my stomping about and pulling every, drawer, floorboard, and compartment. It was also the driest boat I have seen yet after looking at about a dozen good boats thus far. No evidence of any hatch, porthole, or bedding of any kind ever leaking...all looked to be original too. This is pretty amazing considering it is 34 years old...my observations confirmed your assertion of S+P controls. Seemed very well built...

One thing I don't like is iron ballast...and only one lazzerette hatch into one huge snaking storage area which one must enter upside down to get at the steering...after it is emptied of its contents and a panel removed :-(

And what I don't know is how these 70's S+P boats sail...so I thoroughly appreciate the input.

[GordMay]

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