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1988 Defever Sharp, 78 foot

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by bruce.sands, May 17, 2020.

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  1. bruce.sands

    bruce.sands New Member

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    I like the looks of the 78 foot Defever Sharp in San Diego, CA. I was surprised when I learned that the Sharp in the name means it was designed by Doug Sharp, Art Defever's son-in-law and not by Art himself. I have to wonder if the quality of the boat is up to the standard of other Defevers. I thought the design was a rather sleek in appearance for an Art Defever boat and now I know why. Looking at the pictures I like the layout of the boat but as far as the shape the boat is in pictures can be deceiving. I have found out the stablizers are beyond repair and the whole system would have to be replaced, makes you wonder what else is wrong with it.

    I do love San Diego and would love to move back there but while it would make a great live aboard it is still an old boat.
  2. 993RSR

    993RSR Senior Member

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    I have to wonder if the quality of the boat is up to the standard of other Defevers.
    The Asian boats of that era have there issues that need to be addressed as they age but the designer does not dictate the construction. Boats of this age require ongoing care as all do.
    If your goal is to live aboard forget about the stabilizers just pin them and focus on the rest of the boat.
  3. bruce.sands

    bruce.sands New Member

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    If I were to buy the boat I would not only want to live aboard but I'd want to cruise it. I'd want to do the Sea of Cortez, Catalina, and a lot of other places. So pinning the stabilizers back would not be an option I'd care to consider, it would be a cost I'd have to consider win I would put an offer on the boat.
  4. 993RSR

    993RSR Senior Member

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    If it were me...
    I would find a suitable Hatteras motor yacht. The Hatteras has fiberglass tanks, systems that have stood the test of time and glass work second to none.
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    If you're just going to live aboard and not cruise get a house barge for ultimate comfort and space. Boats are meant to cruise. The fact that the stabilizers weren't maintained is very telling about the care she's received and her use. Brings up a caution I've often given to people searching for a liveaboard. 'You never want to be a boat's last owner'.
  6. John Knoche

    John Knoche New Member

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    My wife and I had the good fortune of traveling on this yacht for several years and can vouch for the fact that the stabilizers work fine. I have traveled from California Yacht Club to La Paz then spent a couple of years cruising around in the Sea of Cortez. we then took the boat back to California, this time in San Diego. After spending time in SoCal we took a trip to Friday Harbor where every 80 days we went on short cruises in that area. After returning to San Diego we have been on the boat a couple times for short trips up and down the coast.

    The boat has been meticulously maintained and has had many equipment upgrades. Whoever gets this craft is truly getting a bargain either as a cruiser or as a live aboard.
  7. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    This is interesting. I received an email yesterday from the owner of the 78' Defever in question demanding I remove this thread because it was causing harm to the sale of his vessel. Today, we have a new member vouching for the performance of the stabilizers and claiming the vessel has been 'meticulously maintained'.

    Maybe it's just me, but this all seems suspect.
  8. John Knoche

    John Knoche New Member

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    More suspect than somebody from Copenhagen claiming to know the condition of the stabilizers? You can't be serious .

    When the owner told me about what was going on in this site I had to chime in. I can say that I know the boat and I know the man. Both statements that I have made regarding the condition of the craft are correct.
  9. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Post some pictures of your travels on her......
  10. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    Something against Copenhagen? Is this a new conspiracy? Am I behind the times?
  11. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Why is this a stretch? Maybe Bruce Sands talked to a broker?

    I invited the owner to join in the discussion and address the comments by Bruce Sands. Why would he ask YOU to do this for him?

    Posing as a 3rd party to endorse a product, service or something you are selling is FRAUD.
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    It's possible that John knoche is a friend of the owners and has traveled on the boat many times. I've commented on boats I worked on or have been on 5-10 years ago......
  13. Nobdy3

    Nobdy3 New Member

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    Let’s set the record straight. First, the stabilizers are in good working order, as are the other systems on this yacht. Comments to the contrary are totally false.


    Second, it is quite easy to research the skills of Doug Sharp in his field of naval architecture. This might be time well spent as it relates to his role in the design of this vessel. This yacht couldn’t care less about who Doug married. I invite you to do a little easy research, rather than spend time on irrelevant schoolgirl gossip.


    Lastly, as it pertains to her cruising capability. She has cruised to Ft Lauderdale from California and back by way of the Panama Canal. Likewise, she has cruised around Cabo and well into the Sea of Cortez. And finally, she has travelled up north along the US coastline, traversed the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and spent two years exploring the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands as far north as Desolation Sound, BC, to name a few.
  14. Nobdy3

    Nobdy3 New Member

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    I just tried to respond to YachtForum Carl’s misrepresenting my statements...my post was rejected....because I needed to tell you “Again” that I was retired.....which I did when you accepted my membership.

    IS THIS CENSORSHIP ?...or just bad luck ?

    So I’ll try again. I challenged two items with YachtForum Carl after he he told me that unsubstantiated claims would be removed or corrected.

    First, the stabilizers are fine, Period !

    Second, the inference that the naval architect may have been hired because of who he married is juvenile. He is a very skilled naval architect and deserves an apology from Bruce. I won’t hold my breath.

    Schooling me on fraud is getting silly Carl !

    Source the claim that the stabilizers are not working and need to be replaced as you claim to do.

    I have a right to defend myself and my vessel from these untrue claims.

    Carl, do you remember me suggesting that Bruce might simply have attributed the defect to the wrong yacht...unintentionally ?
  15. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    Wow, this thread really is turning into a conspiracy drama. No one has accused the owner of fraud. A whole bunch of drama over a perceived misstatement regarding the functionality of stabilizers, something that if even true is readily remedied. All of this noise from a few posters with collectively a small handful of posts.
  16. bruce.sands

    bruce.sands New Member

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    I seem to have created hornets nest, I received the information about the stabilizer by submitting an inquiry through Yachtworld to Bayport Yacht Sales the listing broker. I received an email from either the broker the or a sales person stating the fact that they were old and did not work. I deleted the email since I did not care to follow through on the yacht. I had a vague notion of maybe moving stateside again and back to San Diego but have dropped that idea.

    I never meant to cast doubt on Doug Sharp's ability as an architect. I think the design of the boat is lovely but don't thing it should be advertised as an Art DeFever boat since he did not design it. I don't know if he got the job before or after he married Art's daughter nor do I care.
  17. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Really? The memberships for John Knoche AND Nobdy3 originated from the same IP range!

    You sent me a barrage of emails with demands and redactions so I looked at the thread and I didn't see anything wrong with the information being exchanged. There were no derogatory comments by Bruce Sands. We will NOT remove posts that are simple inquiries and responses, whether you like the comments or not.

    And finally, I know the owner of Bayport Yachts. He's one of the most respected brokers in the biz. If he said the stabs have gone floppy, I trust his knowledge.

    Probably best to close this thread and remove some recent memberships. We don't need this drama.
  18. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    Are the submittal of demands for redaction the essence of CENSORSHIP?
  19. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    All of this being said, Bruce Sands logging in from Copenhagen appears to be really effective at drawing new members. His post-to-new-member ratio is through the roof.
    YachtForums likes this.
  20. Nobdy3

    Nobdy3 New Member

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    Carl,

    Please call Morrie....please ! Morrie knows the boat well.

    My friend John Knoche is in a motor home currently in Michigan visiting his family. He lives in Florida.

    John knows my boat as well as I do. He and I were trying to make dinner plans earlier this week while he is in the area and I told him what was going on.

    The following morning I received an email from him asking me if I objected to him getting involved...which I didn’t.

    One last point before you ban me .....

    An individual who I do not know contacted my broker to let him know what was being said about the boat. He lives in Florida and follows Defevers.

    I had never heard of YachtForum. When I tuned in I discovered the stabilizer falsehood....and the reference to Doug whom I know and respect.

    All I ever wanted was to correct the stabilizer falsehood which was leading to other speculation.....and I was not happy about the snarky Doug Sharp comment.

    I don’t feel I asked for anything more than that. Correct that incorrect information which hopefully would end other unwarranted speculation. Bruce Sands started all this drama.

    I haven’t instigated any of this....I just want it corrected.