Wombat seeks your opinion on a possible new Womboat.

[ozsailer]

Hello Wombat,
having bought our Chieftan 38 only a few months ago I know what your going through. Our boat while the same vintage as the Warwick was substanially cheaper to buy but appears to have a very similar layout but not as much timber. Having researched teak decks to the "N"th degree I dont think I would ever have them unless they were on a new boat. While there is no argument regarding footing in all conidtions, boats that are 20 years plus old are getting towards replacement time. I had several estimates on one boat and it roughly equated to $1600 (aus) a square metre to replace. Depending on the subdeck leaks can also be a problem. I just took teak decked boats off my list.
Our motor is 25 years old, has 4500 hrs on it but my mechanic (who is very good) said provided we kept it serviced and maintained there is no reason why we should not get another 4500hrs out of if. It looks rough but never misses a beat and starts everytime. I think the motor is big enough for what you have in mind, we only have a 27 HP and it powers us along at 7.5 knots. 6knots in a 25 knot head wind. Yes I would like more power but I am not going to replace a perfectly good motor for one with more power at the moment.
Yes we need to replace the sails at some time but not in the next year or two. The chieftain is a New Zealand designed and built boat and on our shakedown cruise we easlily maintained a 7 knot average making 8.5 at times. We have 600 litres of water and we have found we have more then enough power with two 80 amp hr batteries. Only charged by motor.
$220 K is a lot of money in anyones terms. Sue and I changed our minds so that we bought a cheaper well found boat which left us with a much larger cruising kitty. For a sticky beak at a cheiftan go to Able point yacht sales where there is one under contract at the moment


Greg and Sue
Lake Macquarie

[Faster]

tdw..

She's a nice looking boat - I'm getting an implication that she is cold molded? Is that so? Some framing is visible in a couple of pictures.

Negative from my perspective is the furling main.

You can see the self tacking track just ahead of the mast, but the sail in the furler in the 1st picture is definitely a standard genoa, so that track may be for a staysail or a non overlapping jib (probably the preferred setup for shorthanded sailing)

Agree the carpet has to go, but if indeed there is a good sole underneath it's probably in good shape.

I think you'd like the hard dodger, and actually they've done a pretty nice job of it. The bimini style canvas unfortunately adds more height still.

Very "woody" which looks great but it also looks a bit dark - hard to get one without the other.

Aft cabin looks great, and the flush deck forward should make for a good sailing platform.

But indeed, pricey!!

Did you see this (44 foot version looks very similar...pricier still!!)
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...=en&slim=quick&

[Lion35]

nice boat indeed! It looks like the teak decks are glued down, rather than screwed.

[bobmcgov]

Nice looking boat. You like the center cockpit? Salon seems oddly broken up with posts and half-walls. Cozy berths.

My eye was drawn to the Delphia40 just above.... Probably sails like a tub, but airy & looks sharp.

[Idiens]

Nice boat with a lot of useful features. Two toilet/showers, place to sleep 7. How many people would you normally sail with?

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by tdw

Not so much concerned with keeping the interior up to scratch but the teak deck gives me pause for thought, particularly if it's screwed down. Deck leaks would be high on the list of things to check.

Wood decks are lovely...on other peoples' boats. Between the caulking, the bungs and the trapping of water...no thanks. There's a reason why cars don't have running boards these days, either.

On the previous incarnation of this site were a cruising couple called "Sue and Larry" who recorded their (painful and time-consuming but necessary) decision to dispense with their teak deck. What a nightmare.

It's not even as good an anti-skid as other products, although I'm sure it was great until, say, 1960.

It sounds as if you are planning to go a little further than coastal, if you are concerned with the stronger sort of underbody features like skegs. And if my continent was fronted by 2,000 miles of coral, I would be, as well.

I think you can do better for those prices, and perhaps focus on things that most boat adverts won't list, like ease of engine access, quality of electrical installation, access to thruhulls and steering gear, ground tackle stowage, dorade/venting provisions and the sort of things that are going to have a greater affect on your cruising comfort and security than the condition of the teak. It's like my wife finding out our cruiser had a Lavac and really big, clean hoses: she said "let's work out from here and see if the rest of the boat is done right."

Changing "the look" is about the easiest and least disruptive thing on a boat.

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by tdw

Val - Looking again at the Amel I'd note that despite the extra size the galley is quite small and what about that front opening fridge ? Blech.

A small galley makes sense in a seaway...less distance to slip with a hot pan of bacon...but a front opening fridge is moronic, I agree. The proper galley fridge is a deep square bucket with many inches of foam around it, a heavy gasketed lid, and nice wire baskets so you can stow food tightly and logically by type, and don't have to spend time rummaging around with the thick, heavy lid up.

[tdw]

Greg and Sue - I take your point on the deck, I really do. Of all the things about this boat that make me stop and ponder, the teak deck would be way up the top of the list. Looks great, can be a right royal pain in the bum. One thing is for sure, if I ripped one off a boat I'd not replace it.

Faster - yes she is cold moulded. While I have no problem with the idea of owning a plastic boat and I already have a steel one, coldmoulded is my favourite, aesthetically. I agree re the main. Never experienced one myself but they do worry me. The self tacking jib business will become clear on inspection. Maybe I'd prefer a lighter timber and a bit more white but dark doesn't worry me. I'm not really a light and airy kind of guy, well airy maybe, but I can live with a bit of gloom. To be honest, too much light colour down below can be quite glarey.

Lion - that's what I'm hoping.

Bob - to be honest I'd prefer aft cockpit but I'm not totally committed should I find the right boat and she happens to be centre. Centre does give you a nice big port cabin but most 40'ers fore cabins are quite large enough for us. Regarding the posts and half bulkheads breaking up the saloon, that is for the good. Plenty of hand holds for when the going gets rough.

Idiens - Of all the useless things a boat can have surely a second shower would have to rate highly. Quite frankly I'm not even all that convinced about two heads. OTOH, Ms Wombat is very pro the second head. In support of the second head , at least you have a good wet locker for the foulies. Yes she has seven berths but two of them double as settees and having that single berth in the passageway gives a nice out of way sea berth on port tack while the starboard settee is the other. This leaves the port settee for the watchkeeper. Hard to fault that arrangement. We would never cruise long term with any more than one extra crew, perhaps. Occasionally have guests on board for an evening at anchor. To my mind the layout is pretty damn good. Never in a million years would I have seven people sleeping on board. It's one of the reasons I want to limit us to 40' max as it seems to me that as boats get bigger all you end up with is more sleeping berths.

Valiente - Have a look at the two galleys closely. Even though the Warwick has a bigger galley it is very compact and should work well at sea. Well, as good as any galley works at sea that is. Both you and others have commented on the teak deck and I have a feeling it may be the boats most serious drawback. Not so bad if it's glued and not screwed but nonetheless they are work, hot under foot in the sunshine and a devil if they go wrong. As someone who is bracing themselves for a head rebuild (have to put in a holding tank so might as well go the whole hog) I can empathise with your wife. As you say cosmetic changes are simple and not a major consideration provided the boat doesn't make you want to throw up at the sight of her.

I'm going to get more info and probably arrange an inspection. The price is too high but that is something for the future. in general, I do love cold moulded and good ones don't come along all that often so the price may well reflect that. We shall see, but the exercise is fun even if it all comes to nought.

Thanks again for all your input.

Oh, yes, the 44'er is a beauty but oh the price.

[Valiente]

By all means look, but the more you discuss what you like, the more I'm convinced a more appropriate boat might exist in your neighbourhood.

After all, people come to Australia all the time in sea-tested, well-equipped cruisers...and then promptly divorce over a wrong look on Bondi Beach. You never know what might be priced to move!

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by SimonV

What did you do? Did you strike it rich; find some gold in one of your burrows. Very nice boat, but if you want to look farther afield and can wait a bit I'll happily sail you one back from where ever, once I get mine home, no charge.

Wombat - Surprisingly, there are going to be no good boats here for him to sail home. They are all either sold or junk, not worth his money. The only option left will be that "his" boat will be "my" boat. Hope you like Canadian Boats Simon.