Coolboats to admire

[SloopJonB]

They have been for sale for years and always for the same price. (I note, they're still For Sale. Must be a clue there)

That's what I thought when I read "Is it worth it"?

Is it still on the market?

If so then no, it's not.

 

[Winston29]

82' Sorcery, Central Point Oregon. Built by the late Jacob Wood. Now resting in Redwood City.
Sounds like she hasn't sailed in 20+ years. https://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/Maxis Monos/Sorceery.htm

 

[MauiPunter]

Wasn't that boat in the movie with Rob Lowe? Can't think of the name of it at the moment.

 

[eliboat]

Yep. No one has a custom boat build because they can get it for a 'good price'. They have it built because that's what they WANT!

If a used custom boat is what the next owner WANTS, then it's usually a pretty good price because you won't likely be paying what the original owner paid.

There only seems to be one exception that I can think of. The Tobias 'W' boats such as the W-76, 46, 22's and the 37 or 39'er. They have been for sale for years and always for the same price. (I note, they're still For Sale. Must be a clue there)

Ultimately, every boat ever sold was always 'worth it'. By definition, the sale wouldn't have happened unless it was. Now, ASKING prices are definitely different...

A lot of this has to do with Donald I think. He has always inserted himself into whatever potential purchase of a W boat came along, almost always spooking buyers, who quite rightly have no interest in paying millions for yacht in which they have to abide by terms from an eccentric third party. The only boats he ever managed to sell were the W46’s (and after 20 years one of the 76’s), and that only happened after a huge haircut in the price and the buyers rejecting any strings going forward with Donald.
The other problem with the W proposition at this point is that the idea underpinning them is no longer that interesting. While Donald didn’t introduce the idea of classically styled performance racing boats and racer/cruisers, he certainly made a splash with the Ws when they were first built. At the time they were very cool and attractive relative to the market at large. Nowadays there are scores of similar ideas sailing around, and there really is no need for someone with the money to have this notion presented to them and managed going forward by Donald.

 

[Veeger]

Thanks @eliboat ! I was vaguely aware that he was trying to somehow manage the whole W boat thing and figured there was more to the story. You're right though, times have changed and that concept had its day, however briefly. In fact, it's day never really came did it?

 

[MauiPunter]

A lot of this has to do with Donald I think. He has always inserted himself into whatever potential purchase of a W boat came along, almost always spooking buyers, who quite rightly have no interest in paying millions for yacht in which they have to abide by terms from an eccentric third party. The only boats he ever managed to sell were the W46’s (and after 20 years one of the 76’s), and that only happened after a huge haircut in the price and the buyers rejecting any strings going forward with Donald.
The other problem with the W proposition at this point is that the idea underpinning them is no longer that interesting. While Donald didn’t introduce the idea of classically styled performance racing boats and racer/cruisers, he certainly made a splash with the Ws when they were first built. At the time they were very cool and attractive relative to the market at large. Nowadays there are scores of similar ideas sailing around, and there really is no need for someone with the money to have this notion presented to them and managed going forward by Donald.

Can you please elaborate on these strings your speak of? I am truly curious how he can possibly enforce any kind of restrictions or control over someone else's purchase.

 

[Diarmuid]

Can you please elaborate on these strings your speak of? I am truly curious how he can possibly enforce any kind of restrictions or control over someone else's purchase.

Contracts. Covenants. Same way an HOA can tell people what color their mailbox can be.

"But it's MY house!"
"You agreed to the rules when you bought the property."

 

[Cruisin Loser]

A lot of this has to do with Donald I think.

He is a somewhat odd duck. As a friend commented, the older he gets, the more like himself he becomes.

A few years ago he inserted himself into the Camden-Brooklin race, in which he was not entered. Sailing a 76' through the middle of some of the smaller boats. A classic VHF hail from a well known voice "Wild Horses, Wild Horses. If you're not in the races, please stay off of the courses".

 

[eliboat]

Can you please elaborate on these strings your speak of? I am truly curious how he can possibly enforce any kind of restrictions or control over someone else's purchase.

I forget the specifics as they were relayed to me by a friend who owns a W, but ultimately, you are correct in that he was never able to enact any of the wackadoodle contractual stuff because nobody was going to ever sign onto that program.

He is a somewhat odd duck. As a friend commented, the older he gets, the more like himself he becomes.

A few years ago he inserted himself into the Camden-Brooklin race, in which he was not entered. Sailing a 76' through the middle of some of the smaller boats. A classic VHF hail from a well known voice "Wild Horses, Wild Horses. If you're not in the races, please stay off of the courses".

I remember this. We were entering the channel at Stonington doing 15 kts with the A2 up, and he was directly in our way. As we jetted by him he was filming us on his phone, and he was kind enough to forward the footage via text a few minutes later.

 

[Cruisin Loser]

If I had a $mil to spend on a toy plus a $mil for moorage & upkeep that boat would be on a very short list.

If you're going to be shorthanded daysailing in light air or coastal conditions, probably not the boat. For that the Eggemoggin 47 is better. Much easier to single or doublehand. Plenty fast. One for sail now and you get to keep $650k in change.

The interior is, well, vestigial.

 

[SloopJonB]

I could probably learn to live with that.

 

[NZK]

As we jetted by him he was filming us on his phone, and he was kind enough to forward the footage via text a few minutes later.

I jumped on a W for a day in the Newport regattas to cover the regular mainsheet trimmer, at one point going upwind Donald just let go of the wheel and started browsing Facebook on his phone. The boat captain was hovering nearby and grabbed the wheel to take over helming until Donald was ready to resume. There was no discussion throughout the whole manoeuvre, I got the impression it was played out quite regularly....

 

[herzogone]

Wild Horses is beautiful, and apparently still for sale for less than $2 million: https://westportyachts.com/yachts-for-sale/wild-horses-253111/. I always wondered why it had been for sale for so long. Thanks to this thread, I have some idea. Took this pic back in June.

 

[Winston29]

Wasn't that boat in the movie with Rob Lowe? Can't think of the name of it at the moment.

It may have been in Masquerade (1988), but if it was it had a slightly different paint job back then.

It's mentioned in this thread from 2009. https://forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/masquerade.94925/

 

[Kris Cringle]

Anyone recognize this design? It was going out of my harbor a few weeks ago.

What's that gizmo hanging off the rail?

 

[Hukilau]

Looks like an electric outboard off the rail. Is that the Bridges Point 24?

 

[rstone]

This?

 

[NaClH20]

^^^^^ Bing Bing Bing!

Been admiring that boat most days going into work, as it’s been sitting on a trailer on rt 52 going out of Camden. Assuming it’s the same boat, but how many Stuart knockabouts are there around?

 

[Voiled]

Looks like an electric outboard off the rail.

That outboard looks like something many daysailers could benefit from. It seems light and easy to remove, without leaving things to disturb a pretty picture. If anyone has more information it would be very welcome.

 

[NaClH20]

That outboard looks like something many daysailers could benefit from. It seems light and easy to remove, without leaving ugly things remaining to disturb a pretty picture. If anyone has more information it would be very welcome.

Friend of mine has been managing a 30-something foot Herreshoff daysailer. It’s only about 22’ on the waterline with big overhangs. Owner has an electric outboard over the side in similar fashion. Friend says its barely adequate to get from the mooring to dock in calm weather, but absolutely useless for any other purpose. It’s not powerful enough to move above a crawl and doesn’t have the juice to make it more than a couple miles. Going to a race in another harbor he fully intended to tow it. That being said, I’ve seen a few similar setups on classic daysailers around, usually with a 2.5 horse gas outboard or such. Some even blend in well with solid bronze construction and mounting hardware. Easy removal and the outboard stows in the cuddy somewhere. It’s nice for true daysailing, as one can deploy over the side and get home if the afternoon breeze dies out. I know I’ve seen such mounts for sale but can’t think of where. Maybe J M Reineck?