East coast boat: Eastbay 38 or ?

[bowball]

Thoughts on an east coast to keep on the hard around Boston, to use on sections of the upper triangle, maybe weekends around Maine, and even a thought for one trip to Florida /Bahamas. Really to take my parents out for a day or overnight where I’d sleep in the dining area . Thinking of storing it on the hard when not used as often and covered or indoors when not in usage for longer time periods.

Anyone have experience with the Eastbay 38 sedan or newer 39?

I wonder how tight that engine room is with dual Cat engines on the older ones. Maintenance. Quality. Mechanical versus common rail engines.

At times I am drawn to a Helmsman 38 but not as useful for outside living and short weekends I think?

Open to thoughts.

 

[rslifkin]

I think some of what does / doesn't make the list will be driven by a few things:

Do you have a preference on age?
What do you want to spend?
How fast do you want it to be?
Any specific needs for fuel range, etc?

 

[Hippocampus]

If money is no object get a zeelander 5. Does want you want well or a Sabre with ips drives.

 

[bowball]

I think some of what does / doesn't make the list will be driven by a few things:

Do you have a preference on age?
What do you want to spend?
How fast do you want it to be?
Any specific needs for fuel range, etc?

It’s a light use boat so cost is a factor so not feel bad about it being unused for stretches. Rather spend a bit more for better systems or condition though.

Age not matter as long as maintained but maybe common rail Cummings in newer ones quieter and easier to maintain, and narrower than the Cat. I’m open to Cat’s though.

Ultimate op speed not matter. 20kts plus economical cruise?

Range is probably less relevant on east coast?

My folks only have a few more years of mobility left so I want to make the most of it or I wouldn’t be doing this at all now.

 

[rslifkin]

I'd think a pretty wide range of motoryacht types would meet what you're looking for (especially if cruising in the high teens to 20 is fast enough). I'd look based on what you like the layout of (especially for your parents to move around on) and that you can find in good condition at a decent price.

 

[Jim Cooper]

You will pay a premium for the name Eastbay, Sabre, Back Cove, MJM, Bruckman, etc. and if you are only going to use it lightly, that may not be in your best interest. If mobility is a concern for them, flybridge models are probably not wise unless you want to be up there alone. Look at some well kept express boats that are more reasonably priced such as SeaRays, Luhrs, Ocean Yachts, Formula, Tiara, Cabo

 

[Nick14]

At times I am drawn to a Helmsman 38 but not as useful for outside living and short weekends I think?

Open to thoughts.

Of course I’m biased since I have one on order, but have you taken a look at the new Helmsman 38 Sedan?

https://www.helmsmantrawlers.com/38-sedan-2/

It’s also available in a 2 stateroom model if you’d prefer your own sleeping cabin.

The covered, deep walk-around side decks, recessed with full bulwarks, are a key reason I’m buying one. Being able to safely get around all parts of a boat in unpleasant sea and weather conditions without doing a trapeze act on the deck is a requirement.

An aft deck on the same level as the salon (no steps) also facilitates access.

With a single engine it won’t be as fast as an Eastbay. However, with the 550 hp engine I’ve ordered, I’m looking for a WOT top speed of around 18 knots, and hope to be able to cruise at 14-16 knots.

Eastbays are beautiful, well-built boats. I looked at a few in my search. A fairly conventional modified-V hull, with speed and sea keeping you’d expect from such a design.

I found the 38 and 39 a little tight regarding cabin spaces compared with other boats in that size range. The 38 also has an open deckhouse, which was a deal breaker for me (don’t want the weather getting in). The Eastbay 43, or older 40, are much larger and more spacious boats.

As others have opined, you’ll pay a premium for the Eastbay name.

 

[bowball]

I will keep looking but the most rational course of action is to find something to charter.

 

[Gdavid]

I don't have any personal experience with them, but the Legacy Downeast style boats may be worth looking at. The flybridge models all seem to have ladders versus stairs but the seem to have a good reputation and appear to be spec'd with powerplants with good reputations as well. Looks like the new ones are favoring outboards but the used tend to be a conventional inboard (versus pods) and have Yanmars or Cummins.

There is a really sharp looking 40' flybridge model in my marina that catches my eye and seems to get used alot.

 

[Shrew]

Thoughts on an east coast to keep on the hard around Boston, to use on sections of the upper triangle, maybe weekends around Maine, and even a thought for one trip to Florida /Bahamas. Really to take my parents out for a day or overnight where I’d sleep in the dining area . Thinking of storing it on the hard when not used as often and covered or indoors when not in usage for longer time periods.

I don't know of much rack storage in New England. Indoor storage is hard to come by and expensive. Most marina's I know of want the boats out of the yard in the summer. Most charge a premium to store the boat in the yard.

The greater Boston area is going to be amazingly expensive for boat storage.

 

[rslifkin]

I don't know of much rack storage in New England. Indoor storage is hard to come by and expensive. Most marina's I know of want the boats out of the yard in the summer. Most charge a premium to store the boat in the yard.

The greater Boston area is going to be amazingly expensive for boat storage.

It varies between marinas. Some are short on land and want the boats gone to make more room for parking. Others have some space available to keep boats on land during the summer. Those often charge less during the summer, as there's lower demand for that space compared to winter-time.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Without getting into a BIG discussion. Why do you think you need twin engines? Your engine room will be very cramped.

I hate to have to say it but I don't think you are an ideal candidate for owning a 38 foot boat. Firstly, storing a boat on the hard is not good for it, and risky. The risk is small and although it can be considered to be hard on a boat, it does not really damage it. It's just hard on it. In and out of the water for a weekend jaunt would probably never happen, especially if you have any type of cover on the boat. It is too much work! Especially when you have to get the marina Travelift and crew involved. Secondly, it's expensive. Plan on at least $500 for lifting and blocking, every time! Inside storage would be worse. The boat would have to be transferred from Travelift to trailer to go in the building, then blocked. It can be a several hour job.

Look at it this way. A boat in the water at a marina will get used about 5 times more than a boat on a trailer, maybe 10 times. A 39 foot boat stored on the hard will not get weekend use. Maybe an exception for "rack" stored boats launched by forklift by an experienced crew but I don't think a 39 foot boat is a candidate for "rack" storage.

I think you need to join a boat club which has several boats available to members.

pete

 

[rslifkin]

I will keep looking but the most rational course of action is to find something to charter.

Or maybe to find something that's relatively cheap to buy and likely won't lose much value, meaning it would just cost you dockage and maintenance for however long you own it.

As an example, something like my boat isn't the ideal cruising boat because of the gas engines, but that also means you can buy one in good condition for $50k. Using mine as a specific example, it's also a fairly easy boat to move around. Good side decks, good hand holds, no fly bridge. The only ladder is for swim platform access, everything else is stairs (and most of them are 2 or 3 steps, just the deck to salon stairs are taller). Speed-wise, fast cruise for us is around 17 - 18 kts. These boats did come with diesels, but they were Volvos and also extremely rare. And the diesel versions are a bit slower (heavier and less power).

Without getting into a BIG discussion. Why do you think you need twin engines? Your engine room will be very cramped.

I think he wants twins for the speed. Most boats in that size range with a single won't cruise close to 20 kts. As far as engine access, in the high 30s to 40 foot range, it varies widely. Narrower beam or fuel in saddle tanks outboard of the engines generally means poor access. As do v-drive or sterndrive layouts. But on wider beam boats and boats with no tanks mounted outboard of the engines, there's often plenty of space with twins. I have to crawl around in my engine room, but there's 2.5 feet between the engines and 2.5 feet outboard of each engine. So once you crawl out there, there's plenty of room to sit and work.

 

[bowball]

When I say stores on the hard, I don’t mean dropping it in and out on weekends.
My usage will be for let’s say a month during the year, where if not using it I’d lease dock space. It doesn’t need to be near Boston but somewhere along the coast depending on use. My father wants to go back to Annapolis, back to Maine. I just wouldn’t use it for the majority of the season. It’s important to me to relive some memories with my parents while we can.

 

[rgano]

I will keep looking but the most rational course of action is to find something to charter.

I think you are onto something here because I think you may be a bit overoptimistic regarding the dependability of a boat you infrequently use and store on the hard when not in use. A regularly run and maintained charter vessel would likely be more dependable.