Cape Horn Yachts

My wife and I are selling our land based burdens and retiring aboard a trawler. My first choice would be a Watson 60 out of NZ but they are rare as hens teeth. Watson is building a spec W48 currently but I can’t get much detail from the builder due to Wuhan delays and complications in his build process. My only experience with hard chine boats are OSV’s out of the Gulf and they are very uncomfortable in a head sea. We also like the Nordhavn 57 but the few available are priced excessively due to current market conditions.

I think AFT and Theriault are the same yard. I think the other yard is Kanter (Cantors are at the Synagogue) They have a good rep locally for aluminum sailboats and motor yachts usually designed by Chuck Paine. I never knew they did anything like a Cape Horn. Interesting. I wonder who did their steel. Hike? Heddle?

There are 3 Cape Horn 55s that were completely built at the Kanter yard; there were 3 CH 75/81s started in Pictou and completed in Caraquet; all other CHs, the 52-65s, were built at the AFT yard.

Judy

The Northern Marine 63' is a really nice long range trawler also and worth looking at.

Built in Caraquet, thanks Judy. Being a kiwi I have to support Watson.... their thinking is very similar to Peter Sever, in terms of getting the benefit of a true trawler style and loads of built in redundancies. We are surrounded by pretty rethought seas down here so we know which boats cut it, and which ones don't!
I can only recommend CH... I think the 2 other 75/81s have been for sale recently. But Judy will know.

Theres a 63’ Delta in Auckland. Beautiful boat but a heck of a first cruise to bring her back to the east coast. Another concern is the draft for east coast and Bahamas cruising. A nice looking boat though.

Are you saying you dont think Watson is up to par with CH?

Amante is a very nice boat. Probably too much boat for the two of us but she would be comfortable.

Absolutely not - don't want to get into trouble here - I know Watson to be good boats, nice lines, well built... yet having only seen one, never been on one, I can't say either way. BUT that's not to cast doubt, just that I only know what I know. I know Cape Horn, and vouch for them. If I went on a Watson... I could well vouch for them too
[and sorry for late reply]

I've seen Amante, and admired her. I understand she's been Auckland Fiji Auckland route a few times, so clearly up for anything! I like her lines and (from where I looked, boat noisy as I am) she looked really good. Would love to check her out (ie she's worth a look )

Thanks for the clarification. A second CH just came on the market (or I just found it). They both have Thrustmaster drives on Volvos. Im told Volvo parts are extremely expensive which is a negative. I know Thrustmaster is used alot around the Gulf and elsewhere on barges, etc but Ive never seen them on pleasure boats before. I have to think if they were great they would be on more boats.

Can you give any insight into this combination?

Volvo parts are extremely expensive compared to what? Volvo parts are a little higher and parts are a little harder to find than say Cummins, but I wouldn't exactly say they're extremely expensive. You're buying a yacht, if you can't afford to maintain it and all of it's systems in the way they should be maintained, don't buy it. Let's face it, a yacht is an agreed upon expense.

Thanks for your opinion on half my question. What about the Thrustmaster drive? Do you know anything about them?

Having been on a couple of work boats, I can tell you their pods or Z drives are bombproof.
If it's good enough for hard commercial work in our swamps, It should (IMO) hold up pretty well in a pleasure boat application.
I would not fear this equipment but embrace it.

It's not opinion, it's fact. Volvo's are not extremely expensive to maintain compared to similar sized engines..... a little more maybe. I have no direct experience with Thrustmaster, but have heard they're very strong and reliable drives, AGAIN, if maintained properly.