Grand Banks 52 Alaskan

[tiltrider1]

Maybe it’s on CL as well but the OP gave a link to an EBay listing with no reserve. Bidding ended on May 1 with no bids.

Just maybe the boat is priced over market value.

Boat was originally on Craig’s List. Market for an average 52’ boat is much higher than what this boat was listed for.

However, I am in agreement that this boat is substantially overpriced for what you are getting.

 

[ronobrien]

Saw this on Ebay: no reserve. What do you think?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1858689164...TDnk/kklM3M4Tl+GnV67X+vQ==|tkp:Bk9SR5juh5z3YQ

I bought a 1973 GB36 a few years back for a little less than that. I knew when I bought it that it was in need of some serious work, i.e. rotted structural bulkheads, window frames almost gone, soft spots in the deck, mold throughout, etc. The hull was immaculate however and the drive train from the trans couplings to the props, including props, was recently replaced. The interior was gorgeous, cook stove, water heater, a/c were either brand new or recently replaced. I could never afford to have it repaired so I am doing it myself. Every situation requires specific analysis. You are buying a project. but if it works for you, then it works for you.

 

[GrandWood]

Boat went another round on eBay and removed mid auction and listed on boat trader now.

 

[Xlantic]

Having owned two of them and knowing other owners, I can say Grand Banks were very well built, possibly better than others of it class and era.

Below is a fastener I removed when changing a stop-water a few years ago in my 50 year-old wooden Grand Banks. I also checked others and they were in similarly good shape. Made of high-quality silicon bronze they were built to last.

A big, old wooden boat is not for the faint hearted: they require a LOT of work. In my experience, I find this is more because they are big and old than because they are wooden.

 

[jjorgenson3]

We keep our boat in all year and plan any below the water line work for not more than two weeks. Guidance from the previous owner. Do you keep your boat in the water all year?

 

[GrandWood]

Having owned two of them and knowing other owners, I can say Grand Banks were very well built, possibly better than others of it class and era.

Below is a fastener I removed when changing a stop-water a few years ago in my 50 year-old wooden Grand Banks. I also checked others and they were in similarly good shape. Made of high-quality silicon bronze they were built to last.

A big, old wooden boat is not for the faint hearted: they require a LOT of work. In my experience, I find this is more because they are big and old than because they are wooden.

I think your GB50 has one of the best layouts of all the GBs, remind me so much of an old school ocean liner, so much room in um. Has to be a pleasure to cruise

 

[Xlantic]

I think your GB50 has one of the best layouts of all the GBs, remind me so much of an old school ocean liner, so much room in um. Has to be a pleasure to cruise

It is. I have three grown children, all with partners, and comfortably fit. We will often spend three or four weeks cruising without having to reprovision.

It has three full size decks, four staterooms and three heads!

It is a bit top-heavy so lot's of tacking when the swells are on the side. I installed flopper-stopper which solve the problem when anchored and am now experimenting with paravanes for stabilisation on the go.

 

[Xlantic]

We keep our boat in all year and plan any below the water line work for not more than two weeks. Guidance from the previous owner. Do you keep your boat in the water all year?

Yes, take it out every two or three years for anti-fouling. Diver cleans bottom in-between. Best to limit the time out and keep the hull shaded and wet, if possible.

My boat once spent the winter on the hard in Greece. When it went back in the water it was held-up in the travelift slings overnight and the planks swelled nicely and the bilge pumps managed well. The boat had been re-caulked that winter so maybe this helped.

A few years ago it spent a couple of months on the hard in fairly hot weather for painting. We used Davis Slick Seam Caulking Compound, spent one night on the slings, and the bilge pumps were all that was needed.

Another time it spent a couple of months out of the water, also in fairly warm weather, and went back in with no Slick Seam nor overnight slings and we had to use extra 220V pumps overnight as the bilge pumps could not keep up.

 

[socalrider]

It is. I have three grown children, all with partners, and comfortably fit. We will often spend three or four weeks cruising without having to reprovision.

It has three full size decks, four staterooms and three heads!

I am jealous of the layout - would love to see a diagram if possible!

We have a 41' CHB with 3 staterooms & would like to upgrade to a vessel with 4 (3 kids are getting too big, frequent guests). There are almost no motor yachts available with 4+ staterooms under 55' or so. Even under 65' it's rare. This is one of the factors pushing me towards considering a sailing catamaran.

 

[Xlantic]

I am jealous of the layout - would love to see a diagram if possible!

We have a 41' CHB with 3 staterooms & would like to upgrade to a vessel with 4 (3 kids are getting too big, frequent guests). There are almost no motor yachts available with 4+ staterooms under 55' or so. Even under 65' it's rare. This is one of the factors pushing me towards considering a sailing catamaran.

Here is the layout for the three-stateroom version. In my, four-stateroom version, a small double-bunk stateroom is hived-out of the the massive master stateroom by sacrificing the ridicously large "wardrobe lockers".

(The master stateroom's head has a tub, also ridiculous and useless when cruising, which I plan to remove.)

Not shown is the massive flying-bridge. In my boat I removed the faux chimney and added a table and a bench seat under a hard solar-panel roof that comfortably seats eight and ten at a pinch. (My avatar is from some years ago and I have not been able able to update to show the flying bridge changes.)

 

[socalrider]

Here is the layout for the three-stateroom version. In my, four-stateroom version, a small double-bunk stateroom is hived-out of the the massive master stateroom by sacrificing the ridicously large "wardrobe lockers".

(The master stateroom's head has a tub, also ridiculous and useless when cruising, which I plan to remove.)

Not shown is the massive flying-bridge. In my boat I removed the faux chimney and added a table and a bench seat under a hard solar-panel roof that comfortably seats eight and ten at a pinch.

Lovely - thanks! Yeah I'd gladly yield some space from our massive master stateroom for another cabin. I do find the tub (more of a sit-down affair in our case) pretty useful for bathing underway or at a particularly roll-y anchorage.

 

[Tator]

Loved our GB50! We had no need for the 4th stateroom layout and would not have wanted to give up the king-size berth. Ours was the last wood hull made by American Marine and was finished off in the same yard when Kong and Halvorsen took it over. It was made for Leo Collar who was president or vice-president of Crowley Tug.

Tator

 

[GrandWood]

Have been following this GB52 since it was on eBay, from the pics seemed like a nice deal. But like many had mentioned prolly a lot more wrong that you couldn’t see.
Well the boat is for free now as it sunk at the dock on June 25th. Water came in clear up to the living quarters.

So guess not such a great deal, and gets the point across to have all surveys done before ever committing to purchase. Buying a boat is nothing like buying cars and toys.

 

[Chuck34]

Have been following this GB52 since it was on eBay, from the pics seemed like a nice deal. But like many had mentioned prolly a lot more wrong that you couldn’t see.
Well the boat is for free now as it sunk at the dock on June 25th. Water came in clear up to the living quarters.

So guess not such a great deal, and gets the point across to have all surveys done before ever committing to purchase. Buying a boat is nothing like buying cars and toys.

Sorry to hear that, but a survey before a signed contract….won’t happen with a brokered boat and probably not with a sale by owner. Boat sale process…you come to a purchase agreement first with contingencies including survey and sea trial. If either are not acceptable to the buyer, he walks and gets his deposit back.

 

[AquaAura]

I think they meant just that. You still are not commiting to a purchase even with a signed agreement you just add pending survey results to the addendum and anything else you want such as insurance addendum etc..

 

[tiltrider1]

I thinK you are going to find some soft wood in the frames that will take $200,000 to cure properly.

But hay, that’s an uneducated guess from some one who has seen a lot of wood boats stuck in modern yards for months on end. Why is the boat so cheap, cause we know it’s not.

Guess I overestimated the sea worthiness of this one.

 

[GrandWood]

Link if ya just want to read

https://www.boattrader.com/boat/1973-grand-banks-alaskan-8855722/

 

[socalrider]

What a shame! Any word on what caused the sinking? Curious if it was related to the hull like a sprung plank, or something that could have happened to any boat. We had an almost brand new Beneteau 45? footer sink at the dock in San Diego due to (I think) an open seacock and a hose coming loose.