'76 Cheoy Lee Clipper Ketch

[Towley]

Hey Guys,

I've been in the market for a good bluewater boat over the recent months and just recently this boat popped up and caught my attention:

1976 Cheoy Lee Clipper Ketch Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

At first glance, for the price, this looks an absolute steal. I ran the numbers on this and it seems like this boat is a true heavyweight cruiser with a displacement to LWL of 464.

Does anyone have experience with this type of boat? Are there anything that comes to mind that I should be on the lookout for aside from the usual?

Thanks!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Towley.

[Copacabana]

Originally Posted by Towley

I ran the numbers on this and it seems like this boat is a true heavyweight cruiser with a displacement to LWL of 464.

I'm not sure why you think that's a good thing. I think you will be frustrated with the sailing performance of the boat and will use the engine whenever the wind is light.

[boatman61]

Love these boats.. nearly bought one back in 2000 but the pictures belied the reality.. teak decks were shot and masts sadly neglected so bought a Bene 321 instead.. this does not have the deck problem.. appears to be glassed over.
Living space is not as roomy as the LOA suggests but if your goal is to cruise around in comfort rather than try to break records they're a lovely boat.. get a good furling gennaker for light winds..
My preference is the 42ft big sister... who knows.. tonights EuroMillions could just pull it off for me..

[Fiveslide]

I had one.

Look out for? All the things you'll need to look for in any boat this age. Deck core, I had issues. Wooden masts, mine were not fit to sail with. If it hasn't been done already, a waste holding system will need to be installed and the original propane locker will need updating before it is used.

A fresh, healthy engine is something I would look for in particular. Engine access in this boat is absolutely horrible, compared to many other boats I've worked on. There is one for sale on eBay in which they just cut the countertop and put it on hinges. It looks bad, but they can get to the engine now.

I still think there isn't a prettier boat than a properly kept cheoy lee 36.

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[Suijin]

They're good solid boats, and good cruising machines for what they are.

That said, whether it is a steal or not is almost entirely a function of it's condition, and pictures always make a boat's condition look significantly better than it is; flaws recede for lack of detail.

For all you know the systems, mechanicals, rigging, etc. could be neglected or simply at the end of their service life. There is no way to know because no information is given. A listing on YW that does not discuss a boat's condition at all and only talks about the qualities of the design itself should be read with a hint of suspicion.

I'm not saying it's not a good value, just that there is no information in the listing that indicates whether it is one way or the other, and it is an older boat that on the surface of it looks like it could use some TLC. That could be $5k of TLC or $50k of TCL and there is no way to tell till you actually get on it.

If it were me, and the boat were local or a reasonable distance away where I could go look at it, I would check it out, after a lengthy interrogation of the broker. Not sure it's something I would get on a plane to go look at though.

[icemate]

Originally Posted by Towley

Hey Guys,

I've been in the market for a good bluewater boat over the recent months and just recently this boat popped up and caught my attention:

1976 Cheoy Lee Clipper Ketch Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

At first glance, for the price, this looks an absolute steal. I ran the numbers on this and it seems like this boat is a true heavyweight cruiser with a displacement to LWL of 464.

Does anyone have experience with this type of boat? Are there anything that comes to mind that I should be on the lookout for aside from the usual?

Thanks!

I owned a Nan-Tai 37 designed by Bob Perry built in the same boat yard in Tiawan (Tsa Shing). The age ot the boat is not the issue. Back then they were just getting into fiberglass and over did the construction. I had been in some very stong storms and seas and the boat was very sea worthy. Great headroom comfortable for live aboards.
All said, have boat surveyed for structural integrity and ptu money aside for new engine and drip-less bearing. Consider this when putting in offer. I only lived on mine for 6 years and missit today. Enjoy.

[bobmcd625]

Go for it! Gorgeous boat. But, buyer beware! Have a good survey to start, but be prepared to put $$$ to get it up to your own style. If the location is not a problem it could be a benefit to get rework down down there where it is much less expensive. Good luck.

[Cheechako]

Every C Lee I've seen that old is junk. Run away.

[lifeofreilly57]

Bought a bigger CL 3 years ago and am quite happy with it, but, and it's a big butt, the boat had been well taken care of. Deck was good, rigging recently replaced, hull peeled and barrier coated below the water line, rudder split and rebuilt, etc,etc. That said, it had original wiring, old electronics, an old mainsail, original motor with 3500 hours on it, teak decks over fiberglass.
Fortunately deck core checked out well. But I hauled it to my house this fall and am in the process of removing the teak deck, pulling the engine for a rebuild, rewiring the whole boat and mast, replacing the electronics plus a million other small jobs.
I knew this when I bought the boat so it was all brought into the negotiation for the final price. If your looking at an old boat that needs work be completely honest with yourself about the cost in time and money it will require to bring it up to safe standards.

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[lifeofreilly57]

It always costs more and takes longer than you think. I've refurbed a number of boats in the past and unfortunately understand the amount of labor ahead of me, mist people underestimate it by about a factor of 5.

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[austinrick]

There will be one coming on the market soon, if not already, at an Irvington, VA marina on the Rappahannock River. My old dock neighbors from across the river.

The boat, s/v Rapport, is immaculate. Watch for her. In fact, she got a write-up in Good Old Boat magazine a year or two ago.

[redhead]

I was just in Puerto Escondido and took a picture of the harbor! Not much use due to scale, but I'm pretty gob smacked at the coincidence. The boat is way in the back of the picture.

"You know the best thing about a sailboat? The greatest single thing is it hooks you on something you can't really explain to anybody, not even yourself, and that's one damn humbling experience." Grumps Johannssen

[jewt]

Had a '79 model one in the mid '80 and my recommendation is RUN! They look pretty salty with all the teak varnished but you have to do that. The teak boards on the coach roof sides are splined with soft wood that will rot if exposed to the weather. The decks are cored with plywood, I am sure previous owners have sanded the decks to the point most of the bungs are either gone or soon to be and once they have started to allow water into the core the deck is toast. The mast must be re varnished often or the glue joints will delam, and your only access to the transmission (just to check the fluid level) is through the port cockpit locker. Other than that...........

Jewt

S/V Bifrost
69 Morgan 41 K/CB

[Clivevon]

Hi. Nice looking old boat. Reality is you could spend maybe US$75,000 on a refit over several years and she would still be worth not much more than the original $25,000 asking price - but you might have a good boat then for $100,000 and a lot of work.

Might be OK - but if you have $100,000, what other options do you have?

Plus the annual running costs, of course...

Boats should really be called "Obsession"...