Seapiper 35

[sean9c]

On my morning drive, which takes me by the old plywood mill, that was then Northern Marine, now Northern Marine again but owned by Seattle Yachts, where they're also building Bullfrog Boats, I saw a deck for a Sandpiper 35, sitting outside, that must have come out of the mold. Turns out that Seattle Yachts is going to be building the Sandpiper. I always thought it was sort of a cool boat, though not a great setup for the PNW.
I took a pic but, of course, I'm baffled on how to post it.

 

[Nomad Willy]

That’s OK Sean,
Most all of us are quite familiar w the S Piper.
There are tutors about posting pics somewhere on this site.

What about the Piper would make them less desirable?

 

[DDW]

I thought they were going to get built in Ohio by Tartan. Seems like they are having trouble finding a home.

I'm not sure what about the Piper would make them less desirable, but for the PNW they need a new deck design (and perhaps interior layout) to make them more desirable. If they did that right, I'd probably order one.

 

[Nick14]

It's certainly a unique design and concept. Reminds me a bit of the 1960's Willard 36 aft pilothouse trawler, though that boat was bigger and had a center below-deck cabin.

The concept of a reasonably priced to buy and operate boat appeals to a lot of people. Like everything else, there are compromises and trade-offs. From my perspective, V-bunks and not a single double bunk, and a wet head, are compromises I wouldn't want to make. The separate sleeping cabin, requiring going outside in the weather to get back-and-forth to the helm, is also a unique design.

SeaPiper seems to have bounced around looking for a place to be manufactured. My understanding was they were originally going to be produced in San Diego, then China, then by Tartan in Ohio, and now Seattle Yachts?

Like most things in life, I imagine money has a lot to do with this, trying to build it at a cost that would allow for both a marketable selling price and enough profit for everyone involved (not surprised things didn't work out with Tartan; my personal experiences with them in trying to buy a Legacy 36 were not positive).

 

[DDW]

It is the center cockpit that makes the boat such an outlier. That forces the accommodation plan. It has several other unrelated unique features which make it attractive to me: trailerable, box keel, true displacement hull. But I could not live with that deck/accommodation, either in the NW rain or the SE sun.

Wonder if they would sell me the hull with machinery installed.....

 

[drf6]

Seapiper 35 at auction

For all the Seapiper 35 fans out there, a damaged one (2022) has come up at auction.

https://www.cooperss.com/assets/detail?name=marine&id=30146

$75k minimum bid, auction closes January 18. The boat is at Parker Marine Inc. 281 Franklin St. Bristol, RI

From the web page:
Vessel had a propane leak causing a stove explosion in main helm station/cabin. There are several cracks in gel coat on cabin house, stove is missing. Several cabinet doors were damaged. Electrical and mechanical appear to be in good condition. Engine runs, electronics turn on. Please see photos and videos. Use the orange arrows to scroll through multiple videos. There is no trailer included with this loss nor is it available for sale. **This is not an absolute auction. The minimum bid is not a reserve** The yard will charge a load fee that is the responsibility of the buyer.

I have no affiliation with the auction company but someone might be interested. I know I would be if we were closer. I wonder how much actual damage there is and what it would take to repair it. Evidently quite a bit for the insurance company to declare it a loss. Hopefully no one was severely injured.

 

[Nick14]

Vessel had a propane leak causing a stove explosion in main helm station/cabin.

This is why I don't like to have containers of a heavier than air explosive compressed gas on a boat. It only takes one propane explosion to ruin your day.

 

[OldDan1943]

Drf6, those look like some serious crack, run away and dont look back.

 

[Arc]

I can see that layout working out. 2 separate parts to heat and cool. The center seating is not advantageous for swimming or shore access. It’s like having 2 small boats .

 

[DDW]

I like the boat, but not the deck layout, so having it blown off by a propane explosion seems to me a benefit. If I wasn't on the other coast I might go and have a look-see at that.

 

[Mako]

Nice that it has a fishtail rudder. Any feedback on maneuverability from those who have been on this model boat?

 

[OldDan1943]

I do hope no one was killed nor injured.
For some reason, I just cant be satisfied with the big open deck between the helm and berthing space. Current owners have tried many designs for that space but to date, nothing satisfies me. I am stumped and don’t have any suggestions.
I dont fault the designer nor builder. It is my level of expectation. In my feeble mind, it looks like a baby lobster boat.
I wish them great success.

 

[OldDan1943]

I wish there was an easy fix but beyond a hard top for additional solar panels, “I just dont know.”
Every time someone mentions the Seapiper, I go and look at alll the pics, read all the specs hoping the ultimate solution would jump out at me but so far, nothing.

 

[DDW]

The solution is, removed the damaged deck and house. Build a new deck and house. Done.

In the case of the project boat it would cost substantially less than a new one, and be a much better boat (for me, anyway).

 

[OldDan1943]

NDT of the hull might tell a different story.

 

[DDW]

One good thing about a gelcoated hull is that it has a brittle lacquer test already spread all over it. Before the laminate will sustain much damage, the gelcoat will have lots.

 

[dfs9]

Hi,
Found this on Yachtworld, I talked with broker and he said this boat was a refit after an explosion on the boat. Anyone know anything about her?
Thanks.

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2022-seapiper-35-8803061/

 

[OldDan1943]

Hi,
Found this on Yachtworld, I talked with broker and he said this boat was a refit after an explosion on the boat. Anyone know anything about her?
Thanks.

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2022-seapiper-35-8803061/

8 HRS on the main engine

 

[Mako]

Explosion on the boat? No worries mate

 

[OldDan1943]

I do hope the factory sent out someone to investigate.

 

[OldDan1943]

I do hope the factory sent out someone to investigate.

An explosion? What was the source? Gas stove?
Must have very little damage. I would think along the lines of ”constructive loss”.
If so then it is way over priced.

 

[DDW]

It is the same boat that was up for auction starting bid $75K. No idea what the high bid was. Before I bought that boat I'd want a lot of documentation about the damage assessment and repair. At $75K I was tempted myself, but on the wrong coast.

 

[Benthic2]

If what happened to the Space-X rocket was just a "rapid unscheduled disassembly", an explosion sounds pretty serious!!

 

[Mako]

It’s not such a concern to the owner that he wouldn’t be willing to accept close to a quarter Mil for his disassembled/reassembled boat

 

[backinblue]

Also interesting that the asking price is quite a bit higher than the quoted new price in the ad of 169K.

 

[OldDan1943]

And that explosion and damage becomes part of the boat’s history

 

[DDW]

Also interesting that the asking price is quite a bit higher than the quoted new price in the ad of 169K.

I don't think you'll get a new one for less than $300K.

 

[phillippeterson]

I don't think you'll even get a new one. The SeaPiper forum is no longer active and the web domain is up for sale.

The actual SeaPiper website most recent "news" is from 2021.

 

[DDW]

Yeah - they moved production to China and then back again and were shopping for a builder. Too bad - if they had just put a decent deck on that thing they'd have a full order book.

 

[OldDan1943]

Yeah - they moved production to China and then back again and were shopping for a builder. Too bad - if they had just put a decent deck on that thing they'd have a full order book.

The Seapiper was designed for narrow canals and fit into a shipping container.

Alas it was not a boat for me because of one head fwd cabin. I am a little old man with a prostate the size of Texas and a bladder the size of Rhode Island.
I’d need something closer or a bucket or an adult diaper. Oh the joys of being old. (80)