Robert Perry's Ideal Cruiser - Buppy Boat 43

[hpeer]

IIRC the transome hung rudder was a client requirement so it could be inshipped at sea and repaired.

There has been a lot of discussion about the clients carbon cutters on another forum with Bob providing much input.

In a way this is like talking about what your perfect woman would be. IF you could afford the asking price and maintenance. . “Oh, I like that one. Or maybe this could be fun. But look at that hull, such curves! And over there, what a topside!”

[Colin A]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

About the transom-hung rudder (and keel design), these were client requirements. The client was concerned about the potential weakness of a spade or even skeg-hung rudder -- the boat's nickname is "bulletproof" -- (perhaps he spends too much time on CF?). Obviously Bob prefers a strong freestanding spade rudder and a fin keel, but this is the design the client wanted. Bob had naval architect Jim Antrim do the detailed rudder engineering. And as it turns out, the boat sails well.

My "ideal" boat depends on the conditions and my mood. Ask me tomorrow and I will probably give you a different answer than I gave you yesterday (I have both a sailboat and a powerboat). So I don't think it so strange for someone, over the course of time, to declare radically different boats "ideal".

I'm thinking Bobs ideal boat is as variable as yours and mine. It depends on which boat feature feels the most important that day. My recent ideal boat yacht world search history.

Hunter 26
Carver 325
Kalik 44
Swan 46
Baltic 43
Gemini 105
Hatteras 40
Chris craft Commander
Columbia Sabre
Formula 350
Gozzard 38
Albin 32
Maxus 26

And many more. I think I find something I like in many boats pinning them down gets a bit tricky.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Polux

Do you mean he is having one million 43ft long keeler built for him and he is going to cruise?

I am not so sure.

Of course he isn't!!! Bob likes thinking about and designing boats, sometimes with his own preferences in mind. That doesn't mean he's going to build every boat he likes!

You seem to be a little obsessed about all this...

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Of course he isn't!!! Bob likes thinking about and designing boats, sometimes with his own preferences in mind. That doesn't mean he's going to build every boat he likes!

You seem to be a little obsessed about all this...

I thought Bob was quoted as saying he wanted to build this and cruise the PNW for a week or so at a time. I was the guilty party who first mentioned a million $$. I just made up that number and confess that I don't actually know what a custom carbon 43' boat would cost, but I bet it's at least double or even triple what a comparable production boat would. But I suppose that if anyone has connections in the boat building industry that would allow him to get it built as inexpensively as possible, it would be Bob Perry.

A few years ago I happened across a custom sailboat for sale that was interesting. It was made for short handed sailing at high latitudes and had a rotating mast so the whole rig rotated. It was a good looking and very impressive and all around high tech boat and I think it had a Kevlar hull. The owner supposedly had well over a million in it and had sailed it for a few years, but his business had difficulties and he needed to come up with some cash quickly so was forced to sell. It was being docked at a marina I was at and the marina manager told me it could be bought for $200K and maybe less. The problem was that it was a one off boat and the rotating rig was no longer being made and parts for repairs were unavailable. The boat had been designed for the unstayed, rotating rig so it would require great expense to add chainplates and reinforce areas of high stress to switch to a conventional rig. So this poor guy was in the position of begging for someone to pay him more than a million less than he had spent on his dream boat. Obviously, this situation doesn't apply to Perry but I shared it just to point out the fact that a custom cruising sailboat will cost a LOT more than you'll be able to sell it for so you better be building it because you love it and plan to keep it a long time and use it yourself.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

I thought Bob was quoted as saying he wanted to build this and cruise the PNW for a week or so at a time. I was the guilty party who first mentioned a million $$. I just made up that number and confess that I don't actually know what a custom carbon 43' boat would cost, but I bet it's at least double or even triple what a comparable production boat would. But I suppose that if anyone has connections in the boat building industry that would allow him to get it built as inexpensively as possible, it would be Bob Perry.

A few years ago I happened across a custom sailboat for sale that was interesting. It was made for short handed sailing at high latitudes and had a rotating mast so the whole rig rotated. It was a good looking and very impressive and all around high tech boat and I think it had a Kevlar hull. The owner supposedly had well over a million in it and had sailed it for a few years, but his business had difficulties and he needed to come up with some cash quickly so was forced to sell. It was being docked at a marina I was at and the marina manager told me it could be bought for $200K and maybe less. The problem was that it was a one off boat and the rotating rig was no longer being made and parts for repairs were unavailable. The boat had been designed for the unstayed, rotating rig so it would require great expense to add chainplates and reinforce areas of high stress to switch to a conventional rig. So this poor guy was in the position of begging for someone to pay him more than a million less than he had spent on his dream boat. Obviously, this situation doesn't apply to Perry but I shared it just to point out the fact that a custom cruising sailboat will cost a LOT more than you'll be able to sell it for so you better be building it because you love it and plan to keep it a long time and use it yourself.

When it comes to the cost you are probably in the ballpark, or maybe a little low. I don't know what the boats cost either, but I was following the process so I know it wasn't at all cheap.

If Bob said he wanted to build that boat, I assume he meant "If I had the time, inclination, and money, this would be my choice." or something like that. I doubt that Bob could get one of those built for significantly less than what it cost his client.

Anyway, it's fun to watch the design process and evolution, even if it's an imaginary boat. Good ideas often spring from just such an exercise.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Of course he isn't!!! Bob likes thinking about and designing boats, sometimes with his own preferences in mind. That doesn't mean he's going to build every boat he likes!

You seem to be a little obsessed about all this...

That's crazy. It was not me that said that but jtsailjt. I was saying quite the contrary, that I don't think so.

Anyway that is the point of this thread isn'it? Bob Perry's personal boat, the ideal cruiser for having as his own boat. That was not I that said that but Bob Perry, or at least it is what has been told on this thread and not by me.