Unicorn Boat?

[Sababa]

Now that’s a great suggestion! I can do 52 LOA. She liked the 45 that was on display at the show but for the two sleeping cabins. Thanks!

49E is available with three cabin layout. Checks all the boxes!

 

[OldDan1943]

Take a look at the largest American Tug.
You may think it is over powered but no one says need to run it WOT
Great quality build.

 

[Benthic2]

I had in mind Bellingham to Ketchikan and Ensenada to Los Cabos with ample reserve. My current NT37 will do 1200 but I could make do with 1000 to check all the other boxes.

You have admitted that you're looking for a Unicorn. Any easing of your contraints is going to make your search more fruitful. Why put a restraint that will limit your boat 100% of the time, when it will only be a factor less than 1% of the time ?

Bellingham to Ketchikan is only 750 miles and you can stop in Port Hardy which is about halfway between the 2.

Cabo to Ensenada is about 850 and you can stop at Bahia Tortugas which is about in the middle.

Your requirements are already difficult enough, don't make them any harder to meet than they need to be.

You can also add bladders or barrels for the rare times when 1000 miles won't be enough. Like this:

 

[BruceK]

Does USA get Alaska brand boats? This one has 3 cabins but there are others not sundeck aft cabin in the LOA sought. Appear to be well built.

However they are not FD, they have their own hull design for fast and slow passaging.
https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/power-boats/alaska-49-aft-cabin/283678,

Looks weird to me,I like their conventional cockpit boats way more,but it has some unicorn in it.

 

[Sababa]

Take a look at the largest American Tug.

You may think it is over powered but no one says need to run it WOT

Great quality build.

I’ve been aboard the American Tug 485 on a few occasions. It would be my boat if it had three sleeping cabins.

 

[Sababa]

You have admitted that you're looking for a Unicorn. Any easing of your contraints is going to make your search more fruitful. Why put a restraint that will limit your boat 100% of the time, when it will only be a factor less than 1% of the time ?



Bellingham to Ketchikan is only 750 miles and you can stop in Port Hardy which is about halfway between the 2.



Cabo to Ensenada is about 850 and you can stop at Bahia Tortugas which is about in the middle.



Your requirements are already difficult enough, don't make them any harder to meet than they need to be.



You can also add bladders or barrels for the rare times when 1000 miles won't be enough. Like this:

I don’t buy fuel from pangas or Canadians. It’s a hard rule.

The North Pacific 49E is looking pretty unicorn like at the moment. Now I just need to find two million bucks!

 

[OldDan1943]

I’ve been aboard the American Tug 485 on a few occasions. It would be my boat if it had three sleeping cabins.

Talk with Kurt. He may make it work for you

 

[Sababa]

Does USA get Alaska brand boats? This one has 3 cabins but there are others not sundeck aft cabin in the LOA sought. Appear to be well built.

However they are not FD, they have their own hull design for fast and slow passaging.
https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/power-boats/alaska-49-aft-cabin/283678,

Looks weird to me,I like their conventional cockpit boats way more,but it has some unicorn in it.

That’s an intriguing boat. Ironically they don’t seem to sell Alaska boats in the Pacific Northwest. There’s one for sale in Vancouver but not the aft cabin. Rest are all down under.

 

[Sababa]

Talk with Kurt. He may make it work for you

I will!

 

[Benthic2]

I don’t buy fuel from pangas or Canadians. It’s a hard rule.

You think the fuel at the very end of the Baja peninsula is somehow better than the fuel halfway down the peninsula ?

Good luck with your search.

(I am starting to think this is JWellington with a new name)

 

[Sababa]

You think the fuel at the very end of the Baja peninsula is somehow better than the fuel halfway down the peninsula ?



Good luck with your search.

I don’t know about the relative quality of the fuel in Bahia Tortugas but I’ve read that you have to either schlep it from the gas station or pay through the nose for the locals to bring it out to you. No thanks.

https://www.sveione.com/single-post/2019/02/27/bahia-tortugas

Apart from that, I don’t like *having* to fuel up somewhere off the beaten path. If at all possible I want to have enough in the tank to go on to the next spot if it’s too expensive/sketchy/whatever.

 

[Benthic2]

Good luck with your search

 

[OldDan1943]

I will!

I emailed Kurt about a fiberglass extension covering the cockpit. He said he was too busy build boats to consider such a project. Soooo, again I used canvas.
I do understand.

 

[ABfish]

Take a look at a Maritimo 48. Not a trawler, definitely not a displacement hull, but it has 3 staterooms in 51.5 feet LOA, walkaround side decks, good engine access and an enclosed flybridge which serves as a second sitting area.

I have much the same criteria as you, though I'd like the ability to cruise at 20 knots and I'm not as concerned with range. For coastal cruising on the east coast, range is not critical.

I'm going to look at a Maritimo this weekend on the suggestion of a broker who knows what we're looking for.

 

[Sababa]

Take a look at a Maritimo 48. Not a trawler, definitely not a displacement hull, but it has 3 staterooms in 51.5 feet LOA, walkaround side decks, good engine access and an enclosed flybridge which serves as a second sitting area.

I have much the same criteria as you, though I'd like the ability to cruise at 20 knots and I'm not as concerned with range. For coastal cruising on the east coast, range is not critical.

I'm going to look at a Maritimo this weekend on the suggestion of a broker who knows what we're looking for.

We walked through a Maritimo 48 at Boats Afloat and both liked the layout enough that I thought hard about it.

 

[ABfish]

I'm looking forward to seeing the Maritimo is person. I like what I see on the internet, but you have to step aboard to get the true picture.

I've looked at the Swift Trawlers as well, but I've got to say I was disappointed with the overall feel of the boat. The interiors feel cheap and plasticky and the railings and fixtures are not stout. But they make great use of available space and have some features that appeal to me, such as the asymmetric walkarounds and plenty of windows.

 

[Sababa]

I'm looking forward to seeing the Maritimo is person. I like what I see on the internet, but you have to step aboard to get the true picture.

I've looked at the Swift Trawlers as well, but I've got to say I was disappointed with the overall feel of the boat. The interiors feel cheap and plasticky and the railings and fixtures are not stout. But they make great use of available space and have some features that appeal to me, such as the asymmetric walkarounds and plenty of windows.

I feel the same way about the Beneteaus. You will like the build quality of the Maritimo.

 

[ksanders]

I had in mind Bellingham to Ketchikan and Ensenada to Los Cabos with ample reserve. My current NT37 will do 1200 but I could make do with 1000 to check all the other boxes.

My Bayliner has 600NM of range and I made that exact trip just fine last summer. Seward Alaska to La Paz Baja a bit over 4,000 NM.

I understand that sometimes we want things for no reason other than we want them. The fact is that unless you are passagemaking you simply do not need the range.

The fact is that the longest place with no fuel available all the way from northern Alaska to Southern Mexico is along the baja coast between Turtle Bay and Cabo San Lucas at 450 NM.

 

[Sababa]

My Bayliner has 600NM of range and I made that exact trip just fine last summer. Seward Alaska to La Paz Baja a bit over 4,000 NM.

I understand that sometimes we want things for no reason other than we want them. The fact is that unless you are passagemaking you simply do not need the range.

The fact is that the longest place with no fuel available all the way from northern Alaska to Southern Mexico is along the baja coast between Turtle Bay and Cabo San Lucas at 450 NM.

There are plenty of good reasons to want more range even if one doesn’t strictly need it. Not having to pay Canadian prices, haggle with people who have you over a barrel in a foreign language, transfer fuel from boat to boat, or schlep it in Jerry cans are all good ones. Even for local cruising I like to load up where I can get a good deal and not have to worry about it for months at a time.

Besides, this is a unicorn boat. Need by definition has nothing to do with it!

 

[Shrew]

There are plenty of good reasons to want more range even if one doesn’t strictly need it. Not having to pay Canadian prices, haggle with people who have you over a barrel in a foreign language, transfer fuel from boat to boat, or schlep it in Jerry cans are all good ones. Even for local cruising I like to load up where I can get a good deal and not have to worry about it for months at a time.

Besides, this is a unicorn boat. Need by definition has nothing to do with it!

Kind of a paradox, isn't it?

You want to travel to remote places, but don't want to deal with the cost of fuel or the logistics in those areas.

You want to buy a million dollar boat, but don't want to pay the premium for fuel in the areas you want to boat?

Are we talking about a Unicorn or just Unreasonable expectations?

 

[heysteve]

... haggle with people who have you over a barrel in a foreign language, transfer fuel from boat to boat...

If you're talking about the guy in Turtle Bay that provides fuel to the fleet via panga, I actually think it's a great service. Sure his price is high but you're in a remote location and he brings the fuel to your boat. He's got a good fuel transfer setup (no jerry cans, it's a generator and transfer pump from a BIG tank), is professional and speaks good English. Ideally you will have communicated with him prior to your arrival so he knows how much fuel you'll need and you will have already arranged the price. I suppose it would bother me more if I did it once a week, but as a seldom used convenience it just didn't register on my radar.

 

[Sababa]

Kind of a paradox, isn't it?



You want to travel to remote places, but don't want to deal with the cost of fuel or the logistics in those areas.



You want to buy a million dollar boat, but don't want to pay the premium for fuel in the areas you want to boat?



Are we talking about a Unicorn or just Unreasonable expectations?

Yep, that’s absolutely correct. If I wanted to experience things Lonely Planet style I’d buy a backpack instead of a boat.

 

[mvweebles]

There are plenty of good reasons to want more range even if one doesn’t strictly need it. Not having to pay Canadian prices, haggle with people who have you over a barrel in a foreign language, transfer fuel from boat to boat, or schlep it in Jerry cans are all good ones. Even for local cruising I like to load up where I can get a good deal and not have to worry about it for months at a time.

Besides, this is a unicorn boat. Need by definition has nothing to do with it!

Are you sure Mexico is a good fit for you?

My dearly departed father used to say "Son, there are a thousand ways to say 'no'." I think you're looking for a Unicorn made from Unobtanium and the quest will eat up valuable resources that could be advancing the dream.

The boat is a tool. A magic carpet. A means to the end. The goal is not the boat.

Peter

 

[ksanders]

Are you sure Mexico is a good fit for you?

My dearly departed father used to say "Son, there are a thousand ways to say 'no'." I think you're looking for a Unicorn made from Unobtanium and the quest will eat up valuable resources that could be advancing the dream.

The boat is a tool. A magic carpet. A means to the end. The goal is not the boat.

Peter

exactly!!! perfect!!

 

[ksanders]

There are plenty of good reasons to want more range even if one doesn’t strictly need it. Not having to pay Canadian prices, haggle with people who have you over a barrel in a foreign language, transfer fuel from boat to boat, or schlep it in Jerry cans are all good ones. Even for local cruising I like to load up where I can get a good deal and not have to worry about it for months at a time.

Besides, this is a unicorn boat. Need by definition has nothing to do with it!

well, I can tell you having driven up and down this coast that there's no need to transfer a fuel boat to boat or schlep fuel and Jerry cans.

I did buy fuel in turtle bay, but in reality, I didn't end up needing the fuel.

Personally, I found buying fuel in turtle bay as a very easy, professional experience they showed up in a boat that was specifically designed for fueling other boats that had a regular gas pump, and they even take credit cards.

I have bought fuel in many places in Canada, and every fuel dock that I went to was of excellent quality the fuel delivered was just fine and in general, the prices were very reasonable.

 

[Sababa]

Are you sure Mexico is a good fit for you?

My dearly departed father used to say "Son, there are a thousand ways to say 'no'." I think you're looking for a Unicorn made from Unobtanium and the quest will eat up valuable resources that could be advancing the dream.

The boat is a tool. A magic carpet. A means to the end. The goal is not the boat.

Peter

I’ve spent plenty of time in Mexico and know what parts fit me and not. Different strokes.

It looks like the NP 49E has everything we both want so not unobtainium either.

 

[ABfish]

For some of us, looking for the unicorn is half of the fun.

 

[Sababa]

For some of us, looking for the unicorn is half of the fun.

Or all of the fun if there are no unicorns!

 

[mvweebles]

I’ve spent plenty of time in Mexico and know what parts fit me and not. Different strokes.

It looks like the NP 49E has everything we both want so not unobtainium either.

Nice boat! What is the price point for a 3-stateroom model? Are you okay with zero side decks?

Peter

 

[Sababa]

Nice boat! What is the price point for a 3-stateroom model? Are you okay with zero side decks?

Peter

About $1.8mm new. Nobody said unicorns were cheap. Something like that wouldn’t happen if at all until we downsize the nest after it empties, God willing.

I don’t have proper side decks on my current NT 37 and don’t mind. We usually dock with a midline sprung aft which is pretty easy to cast off from the pilot house and to tie on with a step off the swim platform. One handing would probably be more difficult.

The one more affordable older boat that we really like along these lines is the Tolly 53, but I don’t like those big fuel guzzling Detroits they pack. If one ever comes along in good cosmetic shape with high hours I’ve thought about repowering with some de-rated Cummins or John Deere engines. Still be lots less than a new North Pacific.