Boat Search: Carol Ketch

On Friday we took a trip down to Newport to look at a boat. Many people are familiar with John G. Hanna's design for the Tahiti Ketch, once one of the most common Blue-water cruising boats. This boat is a Carol Ketch, more or less a larger version of the Tahiti Ketch.

Ken  the owner picked us up at the dock and gave us a wonderful tour. Scarab (renamed Indigo Blue) is a Marconi ketch rigged,  full keel double ender of some 30,000 lbs, 49.5' LOA, 36' LOD. Built of Port Orford cedar on sawn oak with all teak decks and house, spruce spars and mahogany interior, she has an incredibly solid feel. She has many beautiful antique details and with some work would be a real show piece and a serious bluewater boat.

View from the pulpit

 Foredeck with windlass (Ben liked the windlass)

 Side deck and cabin top

Helm, (loved the knot work)

 

 Aft deck

Forepeak

 Butterfly hatch and deck beams

 Main salon looking aft

 Screened bronze port holes and exotic hardwood posts

 Folding seat (Corrie really liked this detail) and Galley

We both Really liked this boat for it's solid feel, great wood details, classic bronze fittings and over all character. Unfortunately, she has some features and problems that don't fit our needs. Since both of us have families that are interested in boats and live near by we need more berths for guests. At over 49ft LOA, the cost of slip fees is really high for us for a boat with this number of berths. Also, we would really like a larger aft deck/ cockpit area, which double enders lack (Corrie really likes wineglass transoms). The spars and decks need some attention. Because, of the timing (and economic conditions for bladesmiths at the moment) we felt that we wouldn't be able to afford to fix this boat up the way it deserves.  I was worried that with all the deposits, insurance, registration, etc. that we wouldn't be able to afford to fix the problems in a reasonable amount of time.  We decided, with not a little regret, to pass on this one and continue our search.

Here are some links for those interested in John Hanna's designs:

Marina Del Rey Trip

Last week we had to be on the west side for the afternoon helping out at church and decided to go to Marina Del Ray for dinner. The original plan was to talk with marina and boat yard owners to see if they had any lien boats for sale, and to talk with some of the local yacht brokers. However the 405 being what it is on Friday night we didn't get there until after most of the places we planned to go were closed. Instead we decided to walk along the water front and watch the sunset as the fog rolled in.
Here are some of the pictures we took.

 Sailboat coming in out of the fog.

 One of the forlorn boats at the impound dock,

(this one was luckier than the others and had the hatch closed)

 The last rays of the sun as it slips into the offshore fog.

 One of the local residents watching a fishing boat motoring into the fog.

Update

I have been really busy with work launching the new line of swords at Privateer Armoury and haven't had the time to post anything (a great problem to have when you work for yourself).

Boat: Still hunting, we have found quite a few inexpensive or free boats but none of them have worked out for various reasons.

Captains Licenses: Wading through the Annexes to the COLREGS and studying all kinds of nautical subjects.

Introduction

We haven't really said much about ourselves yet, so here is goes.

My name is Ben. I am a craftsman and kind of a jack-of-all-trades, master of a couple.  I am a husband,  father of one son, and a self-employed bladesmith (Ben Potter, Bladesmith, Privateer Armoury ). My favorite pastimes are spending time with my family, taking walks, traditional crafts, learning new skills, and of course, sailing. I am currently working on my USCG OUPV license with the goal of doing sailing charters in the southern California area. I am very happiliy married to the most wonderful and amazing woman in the world:

Well, thank you, Ben- I heartily reciprocate. My name is Corrie and I am also a craftsman in my sphere- I love to sew for myself and others, cook for everyone, and dabble in all things creative. I am a harpist, and play at weddings and events with my mother. I am a book-fiend, although my literature of choice is melodrama-free. Living on a boat is also a dream of mine- I love to entertain and have people over, and there ain't no venue more inviting than a boat. In the summer. Well, we'll get one with a wood stove. And in the winter I'll bake bread and have the clam chowder simmering.

This pretty much sums up our relationship...

except for...

"ROO"

Our special son!! Living, as we do, with one set of in-laws and a few blocks from the other, Roo is the most popular kid in town. He is an extremely adventurous and not-too-fastidious baby. We are looking forward to raising him on the water.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Friday Night Long Beach Waterfront

Just a couple of pictures from our date to the waterfront in Long Beach looking out over the harbor. We had a great time walking along looking at all the different boats and discussing the relative "saltiness" of the different types and looking for ones that were for sale.

Looking through the marina out to one on the islands.

The Queen Mary looking out from one of the fishing piers at shoreline marina.

What quiet walks by the sea are all about.

Wilmington Marinas

This afternoon we took a trip down to Wilmington to look at a boat and enjoy being near the sea. I had to ship some pieces before 4:00 so we headed out after mailing them.
Mrs. Afloat and I enjoy having adventures. In this case, the "adventure" was navigating around terminal island without a map, having only been off the freeway there once. After seeing a bit more of the harbor than we had planned, we made it to the marina.

Fog was blowing in over Palos Verdes, but the sky was crystal clear over head as we walked out onto the docks to inspect the boat, a Coronado 35' center cockpit. The price was good, but the decks were bad, with major delamination and rotten spots in the cores. The owner is planning to fix it up and raise the price along the way. We really liked the aft cabin and the flush deck, but we need a boat for sea time and this one will not be seaworthy anytime soon. Our search for the right boat continues.


I have heard it said that."A house is just a boat so poorly built and so firmly aground that no one would ever try to launch it". This afternoon we found proof to the contrary.






We walked around to the other marinas in the area to ask if they had any boats for sale. Most of the offices were closed and the ones that were open only had small boats available.

 

Our boat is out there...somewhere.