Three Cabin, Center Cockpit Boats

[sailor12]

Hi, we are a family of 4 living aboard a Transpac 49. We've been on her for a little over a year. While we were searching for a boat, we looked very seriously at Liberty 458 and a Stevens 47, but once we got on board our transpac, it was a done deal. We couldn't be more pleased with her. She has a full keel, cut away both fore and aft with a skeg hung rudder. This gives us the benefits of both stability and maneuverability. Our boat sails beautifully and is easy to handle. As a matter of fact, one of the previous owners did a lot of single handling while cruising. As for the interior of the Transpac 49, it is filled with beautiful teak and truly well built. Right now we are living aboard in Olympia, Washington and cruising the Puget Sound until about 2012 when we will cut the lines and head to the South Pacific. We are currently home schooling (we have 2 girls ages 6 and 9), and spend a lot of time aboard and I never feel cramped or lacking for space. The layout was really well thought out. If you have any questions about the Transpac, feel free to email us. Good luck in your search!

Shari and Bob Buelt

[svplumas]

We have a passport 45 ketch an a wonderfull boat we are getting it ready for mexico will be leaving tacoma next aug

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by svplumas

We have a passport 45 ketch an a wonderfull boat we are getting it ready for mexico will be leaving tacoma next aug

I know where you can find my Passport 45. It's in LaPaz, sitting in a yard for 6 years.

I sold it to a guy in 2001. He wanted to get the hull painted so I told him of a yard in Encinada that had a good, reasonable painter. Someone else told him to take her to La Paz. I said that if he took her to La Paz, make sure that he got out of there before hurricane season. He ignored my advise. He had her hauled out and set her on the hard for hurricane season. Sure enough, a hurricane came through and she was blown over, along with several other boats in a heap.

Broke both masts, tore up some of the teak toe rails and stansions. I guess the engine filled with sea water from the exhaust water lock and she sat that way for a long time.

I found out about it by accident. I was in La Paz, picking up a boat for a delivery to San Deigo in 2005. Was I ever shocked when I saw her sitting in a yard looking all forelorned. I actually cried. The yard wouldn't let me go below, so I don't know if any bulkheads are damaged but I doubt it.

It is my understanding that she is still there. I'll bet someone could pick that boat up for $10K. I'm sure that the yard owns it by now.

Here are some sad pics:
KananiLaPaz pictures from friends & fun photos on webshots

[svplumas]

what a very sad story an what a terriable ending for a great boat.

Our`s is such a great boat we decided to sell our house`s and live aboard,at first thought it might be cramped but slowly getting used to it.

Our boat was sadly left alone but it was very fortunate that it was it looked really bad but after we started cleaning an throwing away alot of worthless old wornout items we discovered we had a real sleeper!

Should leave our slip for good in may then spend the summer here till mid to late august then meander down the coast spend a fair amount of time in san diego then around haha time we will go south,an thats as far as we have planed.

With a bit of luck you may be in the area that we will be in and you will be more then welcome to come aboard for a walk down memory lane!

We are trucknrn@yahoo in mail and messenger

Have a great evening

Dick and Carol

[hylas49]

I would put in another vote for the Hylas / Stevens 47. When looking for boats I started on the Stevens 47 then came full circle back to her. Then by luck ended up finding a Hylas 49 that I ended up buying. You can see my comments on the Hylas 47 first look and second look here on my website.

[r2frame]

Hi

I'm a fellow Stevens 47 owner/lover. See Stevens 47'

CN is currently based on the US East Coast. I live in the US and Costa Rica. I've seen some of your blog entries and would like to ask how you handled some issues...e.g. engine room ventilation.

Know of any Stevens 47 discussion sites? I own Stevens 47' which forwards to Stevens 47' It has a blog feature that could be used or I can start one specifically for the Stevens/Hylas 47/49 if there is interest.

Art Dufresne
Comfortably Numb

[exterra]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

The Fantasia 35 is a great live-a-board boat. I've owned mine for 30 years now. Our family of 4 lived a board and cruised for over 20 years. I am currently doing a refit and plan to continue cruising.

Fantasia 35 - Bruce Bingham designed Cruising Sailboat - fantasia35

Hello. I know that your post in cruisersforum is a few years old but you are one of the few who actually say that you have a Fantasia. We are considering buying one. We have spent quite a bit of time looking through the fantasia35 website.

We were ready to make an offer on a Fantasia after being very impressed with the boat. However, then we started listening to Bruce Bingham's tape recordings that are on the Fantasia 35 - Bruce Bingham designed Cruising Sailboat - fantasia35 site. Now we are wondering whether or not the Fantasia is the boat for us.

With your boat, did you folks make any of the hull, keel and rudder changes that Bruce talks about in his tapes? He also indicated that the heavy wood mast was not good and he changed the mast and the sail plan. What we are wondering is whether or not some of you who are sailing them have made the modifications or are you sailing them as they came from the factory and enjoying them? I know there will always be changes that folks want to make to enjoy their boats more. What we are wondering about are the major changes Bruce talks about that he felt he had to make so that the Fantasia would sail safely and efficiently.

Thanks for any feedback you can give us and safe travels.

[DaveSherman]

I did a 5 yr circumnavigation on a Stevens 47 with my wife and two children who were 6 & 9 when we started and 11 & 14 when we got back. I was very happy with the choice of boats that we had made. Both in terms of seaworthyness, sailing ability, comfort and layout. We buddy boated with a Compass 47 and they always were a bit jealous of our boat -they had just missed out on buying a Stevens 47.

In fact, I am beginning my search for another boat to circumnavigate and will be looking for a Stevens 47 or Hylas 47. I would be happy to talk to you about it if you would like to call.

Dave