Favorites no longer made.....alternatives?

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David Ess

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David Ess
New member
Joined4 Dec 2020Messages1
Our two favorites are unfortunately not made anymore. They're the Cape Horn trawlers and the Dashew FPBs. Nor do we see any comparable ones in terms of overbuilt robustness for long distance, high latitudes. Anybody out ther know of others?
 
So far, in this group , nobody knows of any other comparable boats. Apparently nowadays you have to get a fully custom built boat, to achieve the same standards.
 
BruceK said:
Diesel Ducks are gaining quite the following. May be worth a look at them?

Yes, they're better than average too, and could be beefed up as well, like stonger windows, etc. We're looking at them. I guess Im just sort of surprised that the most rugged, neither are made anymore. Some say they're too expensive as production boats, but that custom builders will make anything you want.
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David Ess said:
David Ess
New member
Joined4 Dec 2020Messages1
Our two favorites are unfortunately not made anymore. They're the Cape Horn trawlers and the Dashew FPBs. Nor do we see any comparable ones in terms of overbuilt robustness for long distance, high latitudes. Anybody out ther know of others?
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Have you tried Arksen? These long range aluminium British built cruising yachts are about the closest thing to FPB I can think of. Nothing on the water yet but the first 85 has just been sold and is already in build with a second due to start soon.
 
David Ess said:
I guess Im just sort of surprised that the most rugged, neither are made anymore.
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Did you consider the possibility that there's no such thing as a solid market for them?
Most folks wealthy enough to buy that sort of new boat are also savvy enough to not even consider doing what they are designed for.
And those who really want to scratch the RTW itch and earn the T-shirt, if they are savvy enough to understand what the best weapon is for that fight, go for a sailboat instead.
 
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also, for a 20m vessel, one cabin and a crew cabin one option being with 2 bunk beds? are they for real? Dunno they do look good but way ott imho
 
MBY editor said:
Have you tried Arksen? These long range aluminium British built cruising yachts are about the closest thing to FPB I can think of. Nothing on the water yet but the first 85 has just been sold and is already in build with a second due to start soon.
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Thanks...yes, just recently learned about the Arksens, and we're checking them out.
 
MapisM said:
Did you consider the possibility that there's no such thing as a solid market for them?
Most folks wealthy enough to buy that sort of new boat are also savvy enough to not even consider doing what they are designed for.
And those who really want to scratch the RTW itch and earn the T-shirt, if they are savvy enough to understand what the best weapon is for that fight, go for a sailboat instead.
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Yes, of course better quality boats cost more, thus production boat make stick to the less robust ones they can sell easier. Thus the need for one to commission a custom boat like the Mobius or Arksen ones. I didnt understand your comment about sailboats/best weapon. Both sail and moror can be robust enough to go anywhere. Usually people prefer one over the other for different reasons. We're old and dont want to have to fuss with sails/rigging out in the cold anymore.
 
Forgive the bluntness, but if you don't understand why a sailboat is better and safer than any mobo for ocean crossing, you'd better forget ocean crossing at all, methink.
 
MapisM said:
Forgive the bluntness, but if you don't understand why a sailboat is better and safer than any mobo for ocean crossing, you'd better forget ocean crossing at all, methink.
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What I understand is you not giving a reason. Motor boats cross oceans all the time, they round the horn, and yes, transit the NW passage. Its not clear why you would think the Dashew, or Arksen, or Cape Horn boats couldn't do all that as safely.
 
I know that many folk love to slag off Nordhavns, but many have made impressive voyages - Dirona is a good example.
Dirona Around the World
She has been around the world with her present owners, including up to high latitudes at the top end of Norway, and is currently in Stornoway according to their blog above.

Here is a long running thread on this forum about Nordhavns -
Nordhavns - the Marmite motorboat

I added a note (post #73) about Southern Star and Starlet arriving here in Barbados after a 14 day passage from the Cabo Verde islands (this was in January 2016) - Southern Star was last heard of on Marinetraffic in Rhode Island in October last year -
SOUTHERN STAR (Pleasure Craft) Registered in New Zealand - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 0, MMSI 512004016, Call Sign ZM2059

While Starlet (one of the original 46' versions) arrived in New Zealand a couple of years ago and has been 'all over' both islands in the meantime - she is currently in Wellington.
STARLET (Pleasure Craft) Registered in USA - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 0, MMSI 367470230, Call Sign WDF6062
 
Bajansailor said:
I know that many folk love to slag off Nordhavns, but many have made impressive voyages - Dirona is a good example.
Dirona Around the World
She has been around the world with her present owners, including up to high latitudes at the top end of Norway, and is currently in Stornoway according to their blog above.

Here is a long running thread on this forum about Nordhavns -
Nordhavns - the Marmite motorboat

I added a note (post #73) about Southern Star and Starlet arriving here in Barbados after a 14 day passage from the Cabo Verde islands (this was in January 2016) - Southern Star was last heard of on Marinetraffic in Rhode Island in October last year -
SOUTHERN STAR (Pleasure Craft) Registered in New Zealand - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 0, MMSI 512004016, Call Sign ZM2059

While Starlet (one of the original 46' versions) arrived in New Zealand a couple of years ago and has been 'all over' both islands in the meantime - she is currently in Wellington.
STARLET (Pleasure Craft) Registered in USA - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 0, MMSI 367470230, Call Sign WDF6062
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Nordhavns have fiberglass hulls, thus they're not as rugged as the others mentioned on that count alone.
 
Neither alu boats are as rugged as steel ones, for that matter. Nor equally capable to withstand fire.

Ref. your question about why I think that sailboats are better than powerboats for ocean crossing, c'mon, really?
I'm well aware of the reasons why some folks would never go ocean crossing by sail while they would (and a few actually did, albeit just a tiny minority among those who said they "would" do that) with a powerboat.

My own reason is that I wouldn't do it at all, because life is too short to waste it taking forever to get nowhere.
But if I really should, for instance because paid an outrageously attractive amount of money, I'd rather do it on Beowulf than on Wind Horse.

Your reason as I understand is that you are "old and dont want to have to fuss with sails/rigging out in the cold anymore", which is perfectly valid and understandable. In fact, that's by far the most popular reason for preferring power to sails.

But that doesn't change the fact that technically, the latter is what I originally called the "best weapon" to bring to that specific fight, while the former is just an acceptable compromise - no matter how ruggedly built.
Or do you think it's a coincidence that the Dashews cruised I don't remember how many dozens of thousands of miles with Beowulf, before moving to Wind Horse pretty much for same reasons as yours?
For all the praises that their FPBs collected, I can't remember to have ever read a statement from the Dashews claiming that they are overall better and safer than their own sailboats.
So, you'd better ask them why sailboats are better than powerboats at this game. After all, what do I know?

Oh, and since you mentioned Cape Horn, you might be interested in another example that springs to my mind, also because I've been onboard a few of their boats, including hull #4, behind which there is a remarkable story.
The somewhat crazy guy (RIP) who commissioned that boat - and I'm using the term "crazy" with utmost respect for him as a sailor - went RTW with his wife and his three young kids. And he did that in record time: less than one year, IIRC.
BUT, the boat he picked for that purpose was a Sundeer 64, which the Dashews built for him.
Eventually, he asked Peter Sever to build a CH to replace the sailboat, but only because he wanted an ice rated vessel, capable to cruise Anctartica.
A dream which sadly he couldn't materialize, but that's irrelevant in this context.
I'm only mentioning this as another example of someone who knew a thing or three about long distance cruising, and always picked the best tool for the job - being obviously much more qualified than myself to make the right choice.
 
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