The only way we could afford a 50ft boat was to buy one that was sinking.
Really.
We had been side tied to her for a few months in Nuevo Vallarta before we left for a trip winter trip and started eyeing her up. We loved the lines and saw the potential but at that point the owner hadn't been seen in years. We left for our trip returning a few months later. At that point we found out that she had almost sank. It wasn't the super dramatic sinking with water gushing in like a fire hose though. It was more like a cruel water torture. One drip at a time through a pinhole leak in the pitted metal in the bilge. Also she had been unplugged, had dead batteries and therefore had no working bilge pump to pump that water out. Luckily a fellow dock mate noticed she was "sitting really low in the water" and had her checked out. She was saved and her owner summoned from the US to come and deal with her. Laura and I talked about it and decided to check her out once the owner was back. After some quick negotiation and a handshake she was ours...
She has come a long way since we first got her.
Really.
We had been side tied to her for a few months in Nuevo Vallarta before we left for a trip winter trip and started eyeing her up. We loved the lines and saw the potential but at that point the owner hadn't been seen in years. We left for our trip returning a few months later. At that point we found out that she had almost sank. It wasn't the super dramatic sinking with water gushing in like a fire hose though. It was more like a cruel water torture. One drip at a time through a pinhole leak in the pitted metal in the bilge. Also she had been unplugged, had dead batteries and therefore had no working bilge pump to pump that water out. Luckily a fellow dock mate noticed she was "sitting really low in the water" and had her checked out. She was saved and her owner summoned from the US to come and deal with her. Laura and I talked about it and decided to check her out once the owner was back. After some quick negotiation and a handshake she was ours...
She has come a long way since we first got her.
STRUCTURAL
Hull is fabricated from 5MM plate steel and is rolled in 3D (Both vertically and horizontally on the same plate). There are no hard chines and the hull is smooth and fair. Internal framing is transverse only with no longitudinal frames to trap water against the hull. Bulkheads are welded to the hull.
Bottom : 5MM steel above the waterline and 6MM steel below. Petit Vivid anti-fouling paint over an epoxy barrier coating.
Keel / Skeg(s) : Full keel base plate is unknown thickness. Appears to be much thicker than everything else..
Keel/hull joint : Keel is integral to the boat.
Bulkheads/frames : Engine room bulkhead is watertight to the waterline forward (to the Salon) and also serves as a firewall.
The forward bulkhead between the forward cabin and forepeak is watertight.
RUNNING GEAR
Steering : Wheel to cable and pulleys with cable to rudder quadrant.
Rudders : Rudder has mounts for two disk zincs and was completely rebuilt in 2011.
Rudder has pad eyes on either side for connection to emergency steering.
Shaft system : The shaft is supported through bronze shaft with cutlass bearing to a dripless stuffing box and gear flange.
Propeller : A conventional three blade propeller.
SEA CONNECTIONS
There are three below the waterline through hull fittings located on this vessel. A sea chest in the engine room and two at the aft head.
Main intake. 4” Steel lever activated ball valve screwed to hull.
Black water discharge. Marelon lever activated ball valve.
Head intake. Marelon lever activated ball valve.
ANODES
3 "bullet type zinc on each side of keel
2 disk zincs on rudder
Bonding tie back from prop shaft to hull
Hull is fabricated from 5MM plate steel and is rolled in 3D (Both vertically and horizontally on the same plate). There are no hard chines and the hull is smooth and fair. Internal framing is transverse only with no longitudinal frames to trap water against the hull. Bulkheads are welded to the hull.
Bottom : 5MM steel above the waterline and 6MM steel below. Petit Vivid anti-fouling paint over an epoxy barrier coating.
Keel / Skeg(s) : Full keel base plate is unknown thickness. Appears to be much thicker than everything else..
Keel/hull joint : Keel is integral to the boat.
Bulkheads/frames : Engine room bulkhead is watertight to the waterline forward (to the Salon) and also serves as a firewall.
The forward bulkhead between the forward cabin and forepeak is watertight.
RUNNING GEAR
Steering : Wheel to cable and pulleys with cable to rudder quadrant.
Rudders : Rudder has mounts for two disk zincs and was completely rebuilt in 2011.
Rudder has pad eyes on either side for connection to emergency steering.
Shaft system : The shaft is supported through bronze shaft with cutlass bearing to a dripless stuffing box and gear flange.
Propeller : A conventional three blade propeller.
SEA CONNECTIONS
There are three below the waterline through hull fittings located on this vessel. A sea chest in the engine room and two at the aft head.
Main intake. 4” Steel lever activated ball valve screwed to hull.
Black water discharge. Marelon lever activated ball valve.
Head intake. Marelon lever activated ball valve.
ANODES
3 "bullet type zinc on each side of keel
2 disk zincs on rudder
Bonding tie back from prop shaft to hull
Next - On Deck