of the highest standards in the boating industry. Plus, older
trawlers tend to be over-built and heavier. I don’t want to
get there faster; I want to enjoy the journey. Hell, if you want
to get there fast, fly. Many trawlers being built today have a
Hunt modified-V hull, rather than the earlier semi- or full-displacement hulls. The new designs are wonderful for speed,
but there is a trade-off to speed—you miss a lot.
Cruising in the blue seas of the Bahamas and Gulf of Mexico
at 9 knots or less, we see every dolphin on the bow, pelicans,
osprey and egrets, even an occasional sea turtle popping up.
That’s why we cruise. I am a terrible fisherman, but at our speed,
trolling a line in the Abacos or Berries gets me a mahi most every
time. Yes, if we could have afforded a new Grand Banks, we’d
have bought one, but we couldn’t. So Susan and I renovated one.
The How, not so much
Step 1: Research
Having sold yachts for Galati Yacht Sales, a Grand Banks
dealer in St. Petersburg, Florida, I had a ready source of
intelligence from the yachting community when it came to
researching boats. Having owned a GB 42 CL years ago, we
knew we wanted a trawler; specifically a Grand Banks.
Susan was adamant that we have an aft cabin so the master
stateroom could be as large as possible and quiet while at
anchor. I wanted a mechanically sound vessel with a great
flybridge and a place for a dinghy. Since we prefer being
outside and using the upper helm, a large flybridge is perfect
for both navigation and entertaining. Spending hours on
www.Yacht World.com and visiting as many Grand Banks as
possible helped us narrow our focus.
The GB 46, while great for long cruises, did not provide
what we desired for living aboard, so we looked into the
49. A stand-up engine room and 24 drawers in the master
stateroom make living aboard very comfortable. We had
the opportunity to stay aboard a GB 49 that was for sale
at Trawler Fest in Ft. Lauderdale, and she passed the “feels
right” test with flying colors. Shortly after returning home, we
sold our house, and once that was finalized, we made an offer.
After several counters, we had an accepted contract.
Step 2: Survey & Sea Trial
For an investment of this magnitude, we felt that both marine
and diesel surveyors were necessary. We asked several friends,
yacht brokers and experienced cruisers in the Ft. Lauderdale
area for recommendations. Buzz Smith, a former Hal Jones
broker and childhood friend, was invaluable. Choosing the
right surveyors is vital. You get what you pay for if experienced
and qualified professionals are chosen.
Jon Howe and Tim Caruso did a fine job for us. For our sea
trial, we were fortunate to have a day out in the Gulf Stream
with a squall. Buying a boat without a good sea trial can be a
real risk. We were lucky enough to have 6-foot beam seas and
lots of rain. Old, leaky teak decks became obvious and allowed
us to get a significant concession from the seller. To facilitate
our renovation process, we asked Jon and Tim to recommend
vendors regarding the needed repairs they had identified. That
information was every bit as valuable as the surveys themselves.
Step 3: Mind The Machinery
The old Lehmans and Onan had already been replaced with
twin Cummins diesels and a 17. 5 k W Norpro genset, and the
fuel tanks had been replaced. This, coupled with the fact that
the boat had no hull blisters, was a huge benefit. The last entry
in the maintenance log was from 2005, when the previous
owner bought the boat. So, along with having the bottom
done, we had the engines flushed and every impeller, zinc,
filter and fluid changed. We were starting our maintenance
Joe and Susan Chilberg cruise with Baci, a teddy bear schnoodle.
Cost of Boat: $205,000
Surveys & Oil Samples: $3300
Bottom Cleaning, zincs & Painting: $3500
Remove teak decks and replace with non-skid: $26,000
Service all engines including generator &
2 sets of all spares: $8,800
Labor for removal of lower helm, countertop
& kitchen appliances & build 2 drawers: $8300
Appliances [including W/D, hot water heater, grill,
cooktop, icemaker, sink, sishwasher, faucet]: $7,300
Silestone counter & install: $3,400
Teak TV cabinet and lift: $7,600
Hi-lo teak table: $2,900
Replace headliner & installation labor for W/D
& hot water heater & add GPS on bridge: 18,400
Repair, reinforce mast & add forward stay for dinghy: $2,500
Replace & install sat TV antenna after mast brake: $4,500
Replace electric winch for dinghy & repair wiring up mast: $6,000
Dinghy, engine and bridle: $12,000
Bimini with full enclosure, sunshades, transom cover
& replace missing rail cover snaps: $10,300
4 Months of Dockage in Dania Beach, Florida: $5, 500
Total: $335,300
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