She was a beautiful boat in her day.
Posted by Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 53 comments
I do not know much about this ketch other than the owner died a few years ago. My marina thinks she can be bought cheap so I took a look at her. Lots of water intrusion and deck delamination. The masts are wood and rotten. The engine looks like a universal diesel and has a cracked block. Hopefully she finds someone who has the time and finances to bring her back to life.
MARYOWL5599@reddit
God that is such a cool boat. So sad to see her rot away!
d183@reddit
Probably easier to just build a replica.
vanlearrose82@reddit
The detailed woodwork is breaking my heart. She must be saved.
Wooden-Quit1870@reddit
It appears to be an Island Trader, maybe a 41'.
Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit (OP)
She is sitting next to my 36 ft and isnt any longer than that. The yard was billing storage at 37 ft.
Godlessjames@reddit
Definitely an Island Trader 37/38
Early years were sold as 36, later years sold as 38. Exactly like mine. Leaky Teaky. Big, slow, but solid and safe. Full keel, go anywhere design. They’re beautiful, loved by people who actually own and sailed them. You’ll find this boat literally all over the world. Lots of problems to be fair, but that’s every boat. Gotta pick your poison
mofukkinbreadcrumbz@reddit
That or a Formosa. A bunch of these types of boats were built in Taiwan. Some are really solid, some were born to be scrapped.
seeAdog@reddit
Choy Lee seemed solid if I recall?
Godlessjames@reddit
This is an Island Trader 37/38. I have this exact boat. Shoot me a DM if you want any more info. There was a scathing review written on this boat model years ago by a writer that had never owned or sailed one. That single article is the first thing that pops up when you googled the boat, and has singlehandedly destroyed the boats reputation. There is a large, active owners community online that love their boats. Super heavy, super slow… but solid as a rock. Thick, thick layed solid fiberglass hull. These old girls will take you anywhere in the world in comfort. Just at half the speed of a modern sailboat of comparable size.
EuphoricAd5826@reddit
the water damage on the floor indicates the boat was partially sunk at one point and delaminating deck, rotten decks, and new engine, would cost more than 6 figures, and I’m sure during the repair work even more damage would be uncovered, probably fuel tanks and bulkhead damage which is normally a total write off
Mehfisto666@reddit
You forgot 2 new masts and complete new rigging
GuyWithNoEffingClue@reddit
Let's throw a complete new set of sails for good measures
EuphoricAd5826@reddit
I can’t imagine how much expensive not one but TWO wooden masts could cost. Generational wealth.
There’s a fully restored and varnished mast & mizzen masts at my marina now and they’re the most gorgeous piece of rigging I’ve ever seen.
wenchslapper@reddit
They had the 70ft wooden masts on the boat I did work on a few years ago refinished and that, alone, was like 15k.
yllier123@reddit
Hold the line. There is a massive changeup in the sailing community on the horizon. We are already partially in it. Many great boats belong to owners who are aging out or dying completely. There is a very, very small market for these sellers. In a couple more years there will be many A+ condition boats being practically given away for free.
Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit (OP)
Which is crazy because my brother lives in Australia and down there you would probably pay 20 k for this fixer upper.
The US market is about the only place saturated with boats and few buyers.
sharpescreek@reddit
Choy Lee?
Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit (OP)
Looks similar. The first three letters of the Vin are ETY and they typically designate the manufacturer.
NorbertIsAngry@reddit
ETY comes up as Marine Trading International, showing as out of business in 2019.
https://uscgboating.org/content/manufacturers-identification-result2.php
Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit (OP)
Thanks! I tried looking it up without success.
nicolas_pixi@reddit
I can imagine
pembquist@reddit
If you want to do a kindness to your heirs, get rid of this kind of thing before you die.
Anyone want to buy a 25 YO Class A Motor Home with a dead refrigerator, broken back up camera and a dodgy couple of slide outs? I'll throw in a tow car with loud rod knock for free.
BusSpecific3553@reddit
This is true for so many things and collections you may have. If the kids/grandkids have no interest get rid of them before you die or have a plan in place - “take them to Bob and he’ll liquidate them” could also work. The last thing you want when your family is grieving is for them to figure out how to get rid of the 50 years of stuff you’ve accumulated as well.
carnalasadasalad@reddit
It’s actually not hard. You pay these people and they just take it all away.
Or you just walk away and let someone else deal with it.
The real headache is when there are things with actual value.
Neat_Albatross4190@reddit
TIL that backup cameras have been around long enough to make me feel really old. also that boat will hopefully find someone with an excavator or a chainsaw.
nuget102@reddit
The vintage backup cameras are pretty wacky too. I had a class A RV from the 80s that came with a backup camera as a option from the dealer - it was one of those big old school CCTV style cameras mounted to the back, and had a CRT tv in the center overhead of the driving area. Pretty sure it was black and white only (it didn't work when I got it)
ziper1221@reddit
dual purpose with an n64 under the console
Tobin678@reddit
Reminds me of the boat from the 1992 movie Captain Ron
dasreboot@reddit
Formosa will have a spongy deck and rotten topsides. The hull is thick solid glass, so I wouldn't be worried about that. I almost bought one in sad shape 30 years ago near Baltimore. Might be this one . I'd probably still be working on it. Be prepared to replace the rig. I'm sure the spruce masts have not been taken care of. Switch to aluminum. Get them from anchors and cars in Maryland,.
Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit (OP)
Ill not be saving this one. Only thing interested in her is for the winches and other hardware. Lots of nice brass sitting there.
Doggin@reddit
Is that a Vagabond 47? I had the 42 for a few years of coastal cruising and it's a sweet boat to own. My wife would love the upgrade, but neither of us are made of money.
Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit (OP)
No its only 37 ft.
FailDad@reddit
Just needs a little TLC, and a lot of paychecks worth of fixing <3
Gahouf@reddit
No lowballs, I know what I got!
ymmotvomit@reddit
She ran when I parked her there.
Objective-Case-391@reddit
A possible tiny house on land for the nautically inclined!
Available-Water3880@reddit
Probably the only thing that is financially viable if you got it for free and they shipped it to your location.
MollyG418@reddit
I boarded a boat very similar to this last summer. I think it was a Formosa. The owner flew to Italy to buy it from a guy there and sailed it back to the US.
He said that after the hulls were built, a craftsman (I think Vietnamese) and his family would move on board competing all the hand carved custom woodwork for each boat. It was absolutely gorgeous.
Popeye-SailorMan@reddit
The wood carving in that door looks awesome.
TheSwearJarIsMy401k@reddit
I thought it looked like a Formosa or similar out of the shipyard in Taiwan. Gorgeous boat. I almost bought one this spring but it was bought out from under me. I ended up with a Standfast. Beautiful in it’s own right but not the same romantic look.
ipmcc@reddit
Run! Run away! As fast as you can! In any direction! No. No. No. They could literally pay you to take this boat and it wouldn't be worth it. Run.
Puzzleheaded-Pain214@reddit
A friend of mine tried to bring back a Taiwan built boat, almost exactly like this one. In the end, the boat went for salvage and he went for counciling!
Elegant-Ferret-8116@reddit
You know what they say "it has beautiful bones, but so do most of the corpes in a cemetery and they ain't coming back"
TheThomaswastaken@reddit
I've seen on like this in Herrington Harbor South? It's been a minute, trying to remember the make. If it's the same one I'm remembering, it's known "to sail backwards". It goes so slow and inefficiently it goes backwards in wavy conditions. The same boat was used in a famous sailing move, Captain Ron....the Formosa 51 ketch
Federal-Dingo-6033@reddit (OP)
Its rumored that this was custom built in Taiwan in the early 80s for the prior owner. She is 37 ft.
TheSwearJarIsMy401k@reddit
Looks like a Formosa or one of the same boat/same boatyard/different name from Taiwan. Beautiful, a favorite of mine. Damn shame.
Ruckusnusts@reddit
Looks like a vagabond 52 possibly. .
frak357@reddit
Ahh, the artwork on the doors! 😍
_galaxy_@reddit
Honestly best part
VariationOk3647@reddit
I would salvage that door for sure!
SouthTexasBoy64@reddit
That breaks my heart.
Worth-Perception2565@reddit
Looks like our old boat. A vagabond 47. There was a smaller predecessor called the porpoise.
DemandNo3158@reddit
Proof of the existence of wannabe pirates. Wannabe racers makes up the opposite group. Recreational watercraft based on local work boats are usually more suitable. Thanks 👍