Gulfstar Sail Master 39

[AcroPilot]

Hi Guys,
I'm having a survey done on a Gulfstar 39, does anyone have any experience with these boats or know anything about them? I'm planning winter coastal sailing around the FL Keys & Bahamas etc.
Any info would be very much appreciated.
Cheers, Peter

[Delancey]

Neat boats, looked at one then another. Seem like they would make great liveaboards for a couple. Maybe not the fastest boat in light air. Some would complain about the cabin being too open for offshore work.

Problems I saw were leaky doghouse window that had been unattended for too long which ruined wood work below. Repair would have been a huge project because of how it was all put together. That was the deal breaker. 1st generation Hood in mast furler which could be problematic in terms of servicing down the road. Didn't care much for the engine access which was mainly through a hatch in the cabin sole.

Otherwise we really liked them, here's review with some good info-

Gulfstar 39 Sailmaster Review: Cruising Couple Dreamboat - Waves « Jordan Yacht Brokerage

[AcroPilot]

Thank's for the reply Delancy, I'm particularly interested in your comments about the leaky doghouse windows, there is some staining below the windows although they have been replaced, I did wonder why they didn't repair the stains. I'll make sure the surveyor takes a close look at this area.
Cheers,

[Delancey]

I can only speak to the boat I inspected personally but saw similar issues in photos of another I looked at online and imagine the problem being not uncommon with the line. Basically you have a lazy owner who isn't interested in spending the money to fix a problem when it is small, years go by and it becomes huge.

In this case the problem starts with the leaky dog house windows. Starts out by dis-coloring the wood and then lifting varnish, couple years go by and now you have dry rotted wood. Can't really be repaired, has to be replaced. Problem is that replacing one piece of dry rotted plywood means having to tear apart all of the adjacent woodwork. Now you are talking the galley, the head, the sole, the head liner.

Sad really, could have been avoided by a little maintenance. The boat I looked at was too far gone to be ignored, plus the owner was a little crazy and asking way too much money so I walked. He kept calling me for months when he figured out I had given him a fair offer based on the needed repairs. By then I had found a different boat.

I am no expert but if you want to link or PM me the boat you are looking at I can tell you what I think based on what I have seen.

Cheers

[GordMay]

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ster-1778.html

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-a-158795.html

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...gly-38665.html

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...9-a-61449.html

[Pete O Static]

Hi Peter

A friend of mine has a Sailmaster 39 and I have spent time sailing on it with him. Nice roomy well built boat. No window leaks on his. One thing I did notice from a practical standpoint which I didn't like and it may not seem obvious right away is the fact that the galley is located forward. Great when at anchor but not very practical for passages. Heading down below to make coffee or a meal for the crew while underway becomes a task, not only for the added pitching moment but also, you cannot simply pass anything up through the companionway. May not seem like an issue but something to think about if you plan on any distance sailing.

Cheers

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Peter.

[Pete O Static]

Thanks Gord!

[kern50440]

Dear Peter,

I have a Gulfstar 44 center cockpit sloop that I am the second owner of. I have heard that boats made before about 78 are not near as good as the later ones, due to workmanship and blistering troubles. I do not know what year the boat you are looking at is byt be careful if is not made in the 80s. I had deck stiffener delamination of the balsa core and replaced it on the foredeck with CoreCell, a material that does not rot. The bottom of my boat was damaged during hurricane BOB in New England and then repaired when I bought her and the peeled gelcoat was replaced using west epoxy and biaxial fiberglass cloth with mat so it will never blister. If you have not made up your mind on the 39 and have interest in a great 44 with North Sails incl 152% genoa on a harken roller furler and many little extras including a very expensive GORI custom folding geared propeller let me know..It wins PHRF races up north with its rating also. Best wishes and happy sailing.

Fred

[AcroPilot]

Originally Posted by Pete O Static

Hi Peter

A friend of mine has a Sailmaster 39 and I have spent time sailing on it with him. Nice roomy well built boat. No window leaks on his. One thing I did notice from a practical standpoint which I didn't like and it may not seem obvious right away is the fact that the galley is located forward. Great when at anchor but not very practical for passages. Heading down below to make coffee or a meal for the crew while underway becomes a task, not only for the added pitching moment but also, you cannot simply pass anything up through the companionway. May not seem like an issue but something to think about if you plan on any distance sailing.

Cheers

Hi Pete,
Very interesting observation and I can see the problem. Only my wife and myself will be on the boat and we intend to do mostly "soft" coastal sailing around the FL Keys and Bahamas etc. A lot of the time we will probably be at anchor or docked so I think I can put up with the galley problem. It does allow a spacious interior.
Thank's again,
Peter

[AcroPilot]

Originally Posted by kern50440

Dear Peter,

I have a Gulfstar 44 center cockpit sloop that I am the second owner of. I have heard that boats made before about 78 are not near as good as the later ones, due to workmanship and blistering troubles. I do not know what year the boat you are looking at is byt be careful if is not made in the 80s. I had deck stiffener delamination of the balsa core and replaced it on the foredeck with CoreCell, a material that does not rot. The bottom of my boat was damaged during hurricane BOB in New England and then repaired when I bought her and the peeled gelcoat was replaced using west epoxy and biaxial fiberglass cloth with mat so it will never blister. If you have not made up your mind on the 39 and have interest in a great 44 with North Sails incl 152% genoa on a harken roller furler and many little extras including a very expensive GORI custom folding geared propeller let me know..It wins PHRF races up north with its rating also. Best wishes and happy sailing.



Fred

Hi Fred,
Thank you for you input. I have heard that early Gulfstars where not particularly well made, this boat is 1981 so hopefully is OK. After I have looked at it I will get a survey done to make sure all is well.
I'll stick with this boat for the time being Fred, 44' is getting too big for just my wife and myself, also the bills get bigger with size!!
But thank's for the offer,
Peter

[AcroPilot]

Originally Posted by GordMay

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ster-1778.html

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-a-158795.html

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...gly-38665.html

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...9-a-61449.html

Thank's for the links Gord, I'll check them out,
Peter

[Mylesy]

Hi I have a Gulfstar 39
This one is Australian registered and sailed from USA to Australia.
Ivam a boatbuilder and currently fully re building woth view to join ARC Round the World next time it comes through.
This boat was in pretty bad state of repair when I bought it.
The cabin lining is pretty easy to replace if you know what you are doing.
Yes window leaks.. yes porthole leaks
Good news is the company that made the original portholes still in business.
You will have to reseal everything as the bedding compound used originally wasvthe 5200 3mstuff
Good to start with but goes hard when ageing and shrinks. Any older boat you buy will have the problem. Just pull it all off and rebed in Sika 291 which will stay flexi and go the distance.
This one I found was in Marshall Islands for a fee years and had white ant attack wjich chewed out the chain plate bulkhead behind the shower which was riddled with osmosis anyway so took that out to rebuild the bulkhead. Making a new moulding now for the shower. Front cabin was a write off on this one due to leaky portholes. I stripped and rebuilt entire front cabin over two weekends. Now very comfortable and I liveaboard. Beautiful boat to liveaboard
Dont let anyone tell you these boats are slow
They sail brilliantly and I wsd really surprised after I bought it.
It depends how much you know about sail trim etc I suppose. I keep up with much bigger boats here in Oz .
Cheers mate
Any older boat will have nasties and require elbow grease. Bottom has been stripped and epoxied on mine.
Gulfstar 39 a loverly boat
Cheers

[dennymusic]

Originally Posted by Mylesy

Hi I have a Gulfstar 39
This one is Australian registered and sailed from USA to Australia.
Ivam a boatbuilder and currently fully re building woth view to join ARC Round the World next time it comes through.
This boat was in pretty bad state of repair when I bought it.
The cabin lining is pretty easy to replace if you know what you are doing.
Yes window leaks.. yes porthole leaks
Good news is the company that made the original portholes still in business.
You will have to reseal everything as the bedding compound used originally wasvthe 5200 3mstuff
Good to start with but goes hard when ageing and shrinks. Any older boat you buy will have the problem. Just pull it all off and rebed in Sika 291 which will stay flexi and go the distance.
This one I found was in Marshall Islands for a fee years and had white ant attack wjich chewed out the chain plate bulkhead behind the shower which was riddled with osmosis anyway so took that out to rebuild the bulkhead. Making a new moulding now for the shower. Front cabin was a write off on this one due to leaky portholes. I stripped and rebuilt entire front cabin over two weekends. Now very comfortable and I liveaboard. Beautiful boat to liveaboard
Dont let anyone tell you these boats are slow
They sail brilliantly and I wsd really surprised after I bought it.
It depends how much you know about sail trim etc I suppose. I keep up with much bigger boats here in Oz .
Cheers mate
Any older boat will have nasties and require elbow grease. Bottom has been stripped and epoxied on mine.
Gulfstar 39 a loverly boat
Cheers

Just read this by you. I'm looking at buying a Gulfstar 39 and loved what you wrote about them. I'm looking at getting the Mark III model which is the portside quarterbirth layout.