My New (Old) Boat

[AJ]

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd share a few photos of the sailboat I recently purchased. She's a Seafarer 30 designed by William H. Tripp and built in Scotland in 1963. I purchased the boat in Vermont and she was delivered safe and sound to Michigan yesterday. She needs some work, and I'm not particularly knowledgeable about boat repair, so I apologize in advance if (when) I end up inundating you all with silly questions! ;-).

Being lowered by the Travelift onto her cradle:


Stern shot:


Casting off the slings:


And being towed off for shrinkwrapping:


AJ

[dasein668]

Welcome! Nice looking boat. I covet the eyebrows....

[hebert01]

Hi AJ-

Congrats on the new boat! I've had my eyes on the beautiful Tripp 30s, and am thinking that this design might be a contendor for me if/when I ever choose to get a cruising boat. I currently sail a Pearson Ensign that I love, but overnights are a little, shall we say...spartan. I'm glad to hear that you'll be giving her a good home.

I asked a question to the board about your actual boat recently, particularly the functionality of the "fin" that was added aft of the rudder. Did the broker or surveyor have anything to say about it? I'm curious why it was added to your boat.

Again, good luck with her, and I look forward to reading about your restoration progress!

Ed

[Ancient Race]

She's stunning, AJ. Congratulations.

You've come to the right place for an aesthetic perspective that loves beautiful old boats, but approaches them in down and dirty practical terms. Either that, or everyone here is a boat project junkie.

Really, those here assembled are an incredible source of information and inspiration - look what they've done with their own boats. And they don't seem to object to neophyte questions, if they believe you've poked through the archives a bit to see what's been covered before.

And so all I can add - and assume you may not yet have chanced on it - is to suggest you log on from time to time with breed-related questions at the Seafarer message board on Trailer Sailor.

[bhartley]

AJ,

You've got yourself one beautiful boat! You've come to the right place for guidance, support and good information on your repairs/restoration.

Make sure you take lots of pictures as you work. You'll be glad you did -- and we'll appreciated seeing them posted here!

Cheers,

Bly

[Rachel]

AJ,

Congrats! You bought a boat that's truly swoonworthy. I'm glad someone did, because now I can stop drooling over it on Yachtworld :-) I hope you'll stick around and let us know how you're coming with it --- this board is a great spot, with nice, knowledgable folks who will share your enthusiasm.

I'm curious about the fin also, by the way.

Michigan.... I bet you're already longing for spring so you can get to sailing :-)

Welcome to the board,

--- Rachel

PS More photos always welcome!

[David VanDenburgh]

AJ,

You're not in St. Joseph, are you? The background in your shots looks a lot like Pier 1000 or Brian's Marina here in St. Jo. Regardless, congratulations! She's a beaut!

David

[AJ]

Welcome! Nice looking boat. I covet the eyebrows....

Thanks, Nathan. I covet how positively *shiny* your boat looks in all your photos! :-)

Hi AJ-

Congrats on the new boat! I've had my eyes on the beautiful Tripp 30s, and am thinking that this design might be a contendor for me if/when I ever choose to get a cruising boat.

It was love at first sight for me when I saw those gorgeous lines in the yachtworld listing, though apparently they weren't great sellers for Seafarer. If you're interested in this model of boat, you might also want to keep a lookout for the Santander 30 which was built by Teeside Yacht Service in the UK using the old Tripp 30 molds. Here's a 1973 Santander currently for sale: Yachworld Listing

I asked a question to the board about your actual boat recently, particularly the functionality of the "fin" that was added aft of the rudder. Did the broker or surveyor have anything to say about it? I'm curious why it was added to your boat.

I don't really know the story behind that, I'll have to add that to my questions for the previous owner when I manage to get in touch with him. He apparently livesaboard and is hard to get in touch with; the whole sale was handled through his broker.

Again, good luck with her, and I look forward to reading about your restoration progress!

Thanks, Ed! This winter I'm looking to figure out how to address the cracking/pitting/gouging on the decks and the cabin roof and then prep the empty engine compartment for an eventual repower.

She's stunning, AJ. Congratulations.

Thank you!

And they don't seem to object to neophyte questions, if they believe you've poked through the archives a bit to see what's been covered before.

I've definitely been digging around a lot looking for every thread I can find involving deckwork. I want to figure out the cause of the cracks so I can remedy the problem to make sure they don't come back.

And so all I can add - and assume you may not yet have chanced on it - is to suggest you log on from time to time with breed-related questions at the Seafarer message board on Trailer Sailor.

Thanks for the link, I'll be sure to check it out!

AJ

[AJ]

AJ,

You've got yourself one beautiful boat! You've come to the right place for guidance, support and good information on your repairs/restoration.

Thanks, Bly! It was quite a revelation to find a site like this and see the amazing results some folks have had with their projects. I'm very happy I found it!

Make sure you take lots of pictures as you work. You'll be glad you did -- and we'll appreciated seeing them posted here!

No worries about that! *grin* I'm a bit of a shutterbug when it comes to boats. ;-)

AJ, Congrats! You bought a boat that's truly swoonworthy.

Thanks, Rachel! There's just something about Bill Tripp designs that attract my attention like a magnet.

I hope you'll stick around and let us know how you're coming with it --- this board is a great spot, with nice, knowledgable folks who will share your enthusiasm.

I'll be sure to keep you all updated. Besides, I think I'll need the support-group thing once I get started and find out things aren't quite as straightforward as they first seemed...

Michigan.... I bet you're already longing for spring so you can get to sailing :-)

Definitely! I'm really looking forward to start learning her little tricks and how she handles. I found the other threads on the old girl, and I have to assure you that the bridge deck is an absolutely fantastic place to sit. While I was in Vermont getting the boat ready for trucking, I managed to squeeze in some time sitting there on the bridge deck, where the tiller comes comfortably to your hand, gazing over the cabin, and daydreaming about that first sail.

AJ, You're not in St. Joseph, are you? The background in your shots looks a lot like Pier 1000 or Brian's Marina here in St. Jo.

I'm afraid not, I'm over on the opposite side of the state.

Regardless, congratulations! She's a beaut!

Thanks, David!

AJ

[Tim]

AJ,

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your new boat! As you know, we've discussed the Tripp 30--using the photos of your boat from Yachtworld as fuel--rather extensively here in the recent past. She sure has beautiful lines!

Glad to hear she's safely home in your neck of the woods. I look forward to seeing and hearing more as you become acquainted!

I apologize in advance if (when) I end up inundating you all with silly questions! ;-).

That's what this board is about, so don't hesitate.

[hebert01]

AJ-

Thanks for the link to the Santander listing. Inever even heard of them before, and I wasn't aware of the connection to the old Tripp 30 molds. I always confuse the Tripp 30s with the Tripp Lentsch 29, which looks remarkably similar, but seemingly with a slightly different aft section / transom, like this one or this one.

[Allen]

Yep, she's a beautiful boat all right. Welcome aboard AJ. This is a great place to ask all kinds of questions, so you should fit right in and thoroughly enjoy yourself.

[AJ]

AJ- Thanks for the link to the Santander listing. Inever even heard of them before, and I wasn't aware of the connection to the old Tripp 30 molds. I always confuse the Tripp 30s with the Tripp Lentsch 29, which looks remarkably similar, but seemingly with a slightly different aft section / transom, like this one or this one.

The Lentsch 29 is certainly another handsome boat. The green-hulled Lentsch listed at yachtworld has an interesting history, having been Bill Tripp's personal yacht for a time. He must have been very pleased with the design!

Welcome aboard AJ. This is a great place to ask all kinds of questions, so you should fit right in and thoroughly enjoy yourself.

Thanks for the welcome, Allen!

AJ

[AJ]

Oops, looks like I managed to lose one of my posts:

AJ, Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your new boat! As you know, we've discussed the Tripp 30--using the photos of your boat from Yachtworld as fuel--rather extensively here in the recent past. She sure has beautiful lines!

Thanks, Tim! I enjoyed reading through those old threads in the Classic Sailboats forum.

Glad to hear she's safely home in your neck of the woods. I look forward to seeing and hearing more as you become acquainted!

You can count on it! ;-) I really appreciate all you?ve done in making a resource like this available for everyone who?s interested in maintaining and restoring old fiberglass boats.

AJ

[AJ]

Here are a few pictures of my boat now that the shrinkwrapping has been completed. I contemplated building a structure of my own design over the deck, but in the end decided to have the yard do it following their normal method.

Buttoned up for winter:


Close up of the access door and vents:


Under the Big Top:


AJ

[keelbolts]

It must be a bit like marrying a centerfold model. Apparently, a number of us, me included, lusted after your boat. Good luck.

[jollyboat]

AJ- wow! great boat - I am looking forward to hearing about your work in progress and good times aboard. Three cheers!

[Mark.Wilme]

Nice cradle (Nice boat too , goes without saying but I'll say it anyway) - is the use of a cradle a stock procedure at your boatyard or did the boat come with the cradle ?

[Noah]

I know that boat!

She was owned by an really nice guy who lived aboard her for a few years, and sailed her what seemed like every day. She was always a very pretty girl.

I think you will have a great time with her!

As for the cradle, I'm not sure if it came with the boat, but around here (VT) more marina's insist on cradles not stands.

Noah

[AJ]

It must be a bit like marrying a centerfold model.

If that?s the case, any tips? Favona is a very beautiful boat herself!

Apparently, a number of us, me included, lusted after your boat. Good luck.

Thank you!

AJ- wow! great boat - I am looking forward to hearing about your work in progress and good times aboard. Three cheers!

Thanks, I?m looking forward to the good times aboard as well!

Nice cradle (Nice boat too , goes without saying but I'll say it anyway) - is the use of a cradle a stock procedure at your boatyard or did the boat come with the cradle ?

Hi Mark, the cradle came with the boat. The yards where I?m from don?t have a policy requiring cradles over stands so there is a mixture of both.

I know that boat!

She was owned by an really nice guy who lived aboard her for a few years, and sailed her what seemed like every day. She was always a very pretty girl.

Hi Noah, thanks for the info!

I think you will have a great time with her!

I?m sure you?re right, it?s already been a lot of fun. :-)

AJ

[keelbolts]

Treat her with love & respect and she won't even look at another owner - though many will look at her.

I, also, look forward to hearing more about your work on her. She doesn't look like she needs much. No matter what you hear, there's nothing wrong with an outboard. You simplify your boat/life in a number of ways when you don't have an inboard engine.

I hope you won't mind if I keep her pictures in my photo file. Something about the red cushions...

[Tim]

there's nothing wrong with an outboard

That may be true from a practical standpoint, particularly with the new four-strokes, but aesthetically...well, let's just say they're not nice. Ever. Particularly on the stern of a pretty boat.

I love my diesel. She loves me back. Outboards are for toys and dinghies.

[keelbolts]

I agree that an outboard motor is not a beautiful thing, but I appreciate the purity of a sailboat without a motor. It might be 'cause I come from a wooden boat angle and the purity of wood, bronze, & canvas minus modern contrivances such as an internal combustion engine seems clearer to me. Also, I only use my motor for getting into and out of my marina. When the wind doesn't blow, I bob around till it does. I hank on my D sail as a last resort. So I don't use my motor as much as those people I see motoring up and down the Bay while the wind blows. To me, a motor is a necessary evil on a sailboat. If you put your outboard in a well, like the Ariel I was on yesterday, then you have the best of both worlds. The purity of the sailboat without the ugly of the motor.

[AJ]

Treat her with love & respect and she won't even look at another owner - though many will look at her.

I'll keep that in mind. Whenever I smash my fingers with a tool I'll have to remember to explain that I wasn't cursing her! ;-)

I hope you won't mind if I keep her pictures in my photo file. Something about the red cushions...

No problem, I don't mind at all.

Weighing in on the whole outboard vs. inboard debate, the recent issue of "Good Old Boat" had an interesting article on installing in an inboard on an International Folkboat in which the pros and cons were discussed. They even gave the mechanic who did the job his own column to discuss why he was against it!

When it comes to my boat, I'm not convinced the current 6 hp outboard setup is a good fit for local conditions. 6 hp isn't a whole lot to push 10,000 lbs against an adverse current; I'd feel more comfortable with 10 hp but that means shelling out $ for a new outboard. Then there's the fact the shallow waters of the lakes can kick up considerable chop in a hurry that would have the propeller plunging in and out of the water. I could invest in an extension to get the outboard prop lower in the water, but then again that would be an additional expense on top of buying a more powerful outboard.

And then the final factor, as Tim metioned, is purely aesthetic. (And actually, it's also a lot like you say about the purity of a sailing vessel, but I'm approaching it from a little different angle). Liek you, I view an auxiliary motor as a necessary evil on sailboat and I just don't want to see it. Not the outboard hanging out there, and not the related equipment like the stern bracket, even when the outboard is stored.

So the only question for me is with what to repower. I'm a bit of an originalist, and the thought of repowering with a rebuilt Atomic 4 is definitely tempting (not to mention cheaper). However, from terms of a safety standpoint (and looking ahead to future fuel changes/additives) it probably makes sense to spend a bit more and repower with a new diesel. My uncle swears by the BetaMarine, but I'm leaning toward a Yanmar at the moment.

I have nothing against outboards in general and would have no problem with having one if I thought it was right for my boat. And I wholeheartedly agree with you in that the outboard wells on sailboats like that on the Pearson Ariel are the best solution with outboards - harder for it to become dislodged and completely concealed.

AJ

[bcooke]

While I like my Atomic Four, if I was going to repower I would definitely go diesel. Better fuel economy, better reliability, longer time between overhauls, safer fuel storage, and the option of sharing your diesel with a cabin heater. I don't know enough about them to recommend any particular kind though several have a very good reputation.

My opinion on outboards on a boat your size is that they are a limited option. They can do the job but not too well. If all you want is to get out of a calm anchorage and you really need to save weight or have limited space then maybe. An inboard that starts with the press of the button and will push the boat in all sea conditions is pretty nice. If you just need an engine to get through some swells once you will really appreciate the inboard or hate the outboard. And then there is the aesthetics as you say. There is no way to make an outboard look good. At least you can't see the inboard.

And I suppose to be truly technical. Most of our boats, including yours, are sail auxiliaries, not sailboats. They were never designed as sail-only vessels. The engine is an integral part of these boats and it shouldn't be treated like the the ugly step-sister.

Those are my highly opinionated thoughts. I will set the timer and see how long it takes for someone to disagree with me.

-Britton

[bhartley]

I love my diesel. She loves me back. Outboards are for toys and dinghies.

Okay, this one sticks in my craw. I love my Seasprite 23 & Typhoon. They love me back. They are not toys - Carl drew them with outboards making them as pretty as possible. My dinghy has oars. A diesel would be great -- in my next boat.

Hrumph...

[Case]

bharley wrote:

Okay, this one sticks in my craw. I love my Seasprite 23 & Typhoon. They love me back. They are not toys - Carl drew them with outboards making them as pretty as possible. My dinghy has oars. A diesel would be great -- in my next boat.

Hrumph...

bhartley - I sail a Sea Sprite 23, Fizz. I agree with you about outboards. Outboards are wonderful from a maintenance point of view. Hell, if it dies, just thow it overboard and get another one. (Actually happened with one guy I knew. His 9.9 Sailmaster is off Sebasco Estates in Phippsburg if you want to find it.)

That said, there is one interesting trivia about the Sea Sprite 23... Carl Alberg actually designed it with an inboard in mind. This is why most Sea Sprite 23s tend to float way bow down on its orginal design waterline. I suspect the Sea Sprite 23 was actually designed to be built in wood and with an inboard - it was designed in 1954. But it then was first built in fiberglass in 1957 and the ballast was not corrected to reflect the lack of a heavy inboard so pretty much all Sea Sprite 23s are misbalanced on their orginal design waterlines. I see this in early 1960s Sea Sprite 23s (those not repainted) to early 1980s Sea Sprite 23s.

Perhaps your Sea Sprite 23 floats fine on her orginal waterline... If that's the case then you are one of the few lucky ones. The vast majority grow a little beard at the bootstripe at the bow if not regularly scrubbed, including Fizz. She really needs about 100 pounds of lead aft. Even better is to repaint the whole boat and restrike the waterline but I am not ready to do that yet. I just got to live with Fizz floating excessively bow down for now. Maybe if I do repaint Fizz, I will install a diesel in her! Might even make a profit if I did that and sold it... (doubtful) One sold two years ago for over 20k.

- Case

[Tim]

I love my diesel. She loves me back. Outboards are for toys and dinghies.

Okay, this one sticks in my craw. I love my Seasprite 23 & Typhoon. They love me back. They are not toys - Carl drew them with outboards making them as pretty as possible. My dinghy has oars. A diesel would be great -- in my next boat.

Hrumph...

Fair enough, and no offense intended. Sorry you took it that way. I was speaking in broad and not necessarily accurate generalities, didn't mean to wrongly include or exclude anyone, and should have phrased it differently.

Of course there are times outboards make sense: daysailers, small lightweight cruisers, and a host of others that I couldn't begin to cover lest I forget one or two.

The only debate applicable here, though, is whether they belong on the stern of a heavy 30' cruiser. Ultimately, it depends on the anticipated usage of the boat. Of course one would work. But is it truly the right choice?

[keelbolts]

In fact, most of our boats are well capable of acting as pure sailboats. If you're sailing a boat that won't cut it as a sailboat, trade it in on one that will - you'll love it. My boat is 32' and the plans show it with a 3 hp engine - optional 6 hp. She is a sailboat that they fit an engine into to make life easier getting in and out of the anchorage. It sounds to me like most of the members of this forum are sailing boats designed by Alberg or Rhodes or Tripp and you'll have a tough time convincing me that those guys were incapable of designing a sailboat that didn't require an engine.

As an aside, if you can find a copy, read By the Wind by Richard Baum.. It's a great book about a guy sailing a Burgess designed cutter all over the Northeast and to the islands engineless.

[Robert The Gray]

I have posted a comment linked to this thread on the ramblings section.

[Noah]

I watched this boat sailed with no engine for many years. The former owner did everything under sail, including making it into some very tight places to anchor. You won't have to worry about how she handles.

With the outboard on the back I thought she was a bit low in the stern, but perhaps pulling the wind generator off the back would help the trim out.

[AJ]

While I like my Atomic Four, if I was going to repower I would definitely go diesel. Better fuel economy, better reliability, longer time between overhauls, safer fuel storage, and the option of sharing your diesel with a cabin heater.

Hi Britton, thanks for your insights into the matter. I probably will go with a diesel when I repower. The longer time between overhauls and safer fuel storage is hard to argue against!

AJ

[AJ]

I watched this boat sailed with no engine for many years. The former owner did everything under sail, including making it into some very tight places to anchor. You won't have to worry about how she handles.

Hi Noah, that's great to hear she handles so well. And it sounds like the former owner really knew his stuff when it came to boat handling. I certainly hope to be able to attain that level of sailing skill someday.

With the outboard on the back I thought she was a bit low in the stern, but perhaps pulling the wind generator off the back would help the trim out.

If that's the case, that weight is already off the stern since the wind generator was not included with the boat. It also could be a bit of an optical illusion caused by the way the bow soars up from the water.

AJ