The white whale. The unicorn.

[SCWentz]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

When the ad doesn't say anything about the age or condition of the sails, my first instinct is that there's something they don't want me to know.

Makes sense, Thanks!

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

And, of course, I'm not likely to make it to British Columbia to view her.

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

I should've made my original post clearer. I can't go to B.C. right now, so I can't buy this particular boat. I'd never purchase a boat I can't inspect.

So... there might be a way around all that. Maybe hire a buyer's broker, send him/her off to inspect the boat for you... and then do some video calls with him/her onboard so you can also "inspect" it yourself.

Then if that passes muster, maybe you could still pull off a quick in/out visit for sea trial/surveys...

Or if still not able to do that... maybe your broker, a good marine surveyor, and a Yanmar surveyor all together could do a sea trial for you... while you're video-connected... so you can decide whether to proceed.

Looks to me like that boat could be trucked across country...

More folks buying boats sight-unseen these days, and apparently getting away with it well enough. Not without additional risk, of course.

But then... if it's a unicorn... maybe worth the effort and a few extra risks along the way?

Does look like a nice boat...

-Chris

[SuW]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

There's one in your neighborhood that's half the price of that Pacific Seacraft!
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/198...house-5951560/
That's a lot of teak. Seaworthy-looking vessel though. I wonder how many times I'd break my toe on the clete on the deck going forward.
(I'd say "I'm not sure I want a motorsailer," but that might reignite the "What is a motorsailer" debate, and I definitely do not want to do that!)

A Nauticat called Stern Mistress?

[Happ]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Nice boat, but based on the distance away IMO it would be geographically undesirable.

I know people do it, but have never purchased a boat w/o personally inspecting it. Would also want to be there for the survey and sea trial.

What would be the cost to truck it across the US back to Boston? This would need to be baked into the boat purchase cost, then determine if its still in the budget.

There are many boats on the east coast for sale that could fit your criteria.

A friend of mine shipped a 27’ boat from San Francisco to NC at a cost of $10,000. From Canada with Duty and the extra miles I’d guess $15,000.

[Lightwave99]

Pacific Seacraft always caught our eyes back when we were "dock-walking" before we decided on and built our own Richard Woods Gypsy 28 (since extended to 37' and altered so that you can get into the hulls while inside--great for our Wet Coast weather in B.C.)
We would never ever ever buy a boat sight unseen, and would certainly always have it inspected first. It may look lovely but there could be all kinds of problems going on--even with the diesel engine which costs a lot to replace.

Stay with your dream, but one step at a time. You don't want to spend your life in a boatyard fixing problems you were unaware of!

Hope it works out!

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Happ

A friend of mine shipped a 27’ boat from San Francisco to NC at a cost of $10,000. From Canada with Duty and the extra miles I’d guess $15,000.

Since the boat was built in the USA (I think), would there be any duty? I'm not sure.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Lightwave99

Pacific Seacraft always caught our eyes back when we were "dock-walking" before we decided on and built our own Richard Woods Gypsy 28 (since extended to 37' and altered so that you can get into the hulls while inside--great for our Wet Coast weather in B.C.)
We would never ever ever buy a boat sight unseen, and would certainly always have it inspected first. It may look lovely but there could be all kinds of problems going on--even with the diesel engine which costs a lot to replace.

Stay with your dream, but one step at a time. You don't want to spend your life in a boatyard fixing problems you were unaware of!

Hope it works out!

Thank you for the encouraging word. Others have offered this advice, but it's because i didn't express myself clearly.

I have no intention of going to B.C., so I'll have to pass on this boat, because like all of you, I'd never purchase something I can't inspect. And I've gotten really good at rejecting boats!! The unicorn is out there somewhere I can go...

I've never heard of extending a 28-footer to 37...how exciting that you could do that!

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

I appreciate your opinions and insights.

I should've made my original post clearer. I can't go to B.C. right now, so I can't buy this particular boat. I'd never purchase a boat I can't inspect.

That doesn't make it any less my unicorn.

I think another downside I'm discovering is that these seem pretty rare.

There have been a few pilothouse debate threads in CF, and it ends up being that people who own them like them.

In my case, if I'm going to stay here, I'm probably going to want a pilothouse. I'm not worried about their effect on performance, and it would only bother me if they presented an added capsize risk, but that doesn't seem to be an issue on this particular boat.

I do wonder about how all that glass stands up to high winds, although, again, given the manufacturer, and how they intend you to use these boats, I imagine they would've figured something out to safeguard that.

Having an elevated saloon is a great thing, especially if you plan to live aboard. In rough weather even better. The windows should survive what the boat will, given the builder’s reputation. I have very large glass windows in my original hard dodger - never had any problem including very stormy ocean passages. The only repair needed was after pirates attack out of Venezuela that left 2/5 windows with unnecessary gunshot holes… but that was out of the manufacturer’s warranty for some reason…

As you noted, she will be slow but as long as you’re not planning on racing, she will serve you well and even better than many other boats at 15-20Kts+

[Goodboatguy]

This boat won’t sail well or motor well. For the price you could get a similar age 35 ft trawler that would be faster, roll less at anchor and have more interior and exterior space. If you have never driven a boat from a fly bridge, you don’t know what you are missing. I’m from the PNW and know it’s not a great place for sailing. Winds are often too light and variable to sail, especially for a boat like this one. This boat will pitch and roll heavily. You are giving up a lot with this boat just to be able to sail rarely and poorly.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Goodboatguy

This boat won’t sail well or motor well. For the price you could get a similar age 35 ft trawler that would be faster, roll less at anchor and have more interior and exterior space. If you have never driven a boat from a fly bridge, you don’t know what you are missing. I’m from the PNW and know it’s not a great place for sailing. Winds are often too light and variable to sail, especially for a boat like this one. This boat will pitch and roll heavily. You are giving up a lot with this boat just to be able to sail rarely and poorly.

lol...yeah, but that one day in a thousand when the sailing's really good makes up for it!

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by Goodboatguy

This boat won’t sail well or motor well. For the price you could get a similar age 35 ft trawler that would be faster, roll less at anchor and have more interior and exterior space. If you have never driven a boat from a fly bridge, you don’t know what you are missing. I’m from the PNW and know it’s not a great place for sailing. Winds are often too light and variable to sail, especially for a boat like this one. This boat will pitch and roll heavily. You are giving up a lot with this boat just to be able to sail rarely and poorly.

Man, the OP wants to sail (I know it is bizarre idea, why sail if you can drive a van to your destination?). Also he wants to do ocean crossing - another strange thought… . Guess you can do it with a trawler and a support, tanker to follow you, noise cancellation headset, massive sea sickness drugs and maybe a solution to eliminate vibrations - say the tanker will tow you…

Sailors are really strange people, this is why we all gather here to share our misery 🙂