Cheoy Lee 52 Efficient MY?

[portager]

I wondering if anyone has any experience or opinions on the Cheoy Lee 52 Efficient MY. http://www.powerboatguide.com/Free_Access_files/Cheoy%20Lee%2052%20Efficient%20MY.pdf . I'd prefer the newer 1986-1994 layout if I could find one. Currently yachtworld has two 1987's in the Gulf of Mx but they have the older layout despite their reported age.

I'm looking for a "trawler" with two nice (i.e. walk around beds, queen in the master) staterooms (a third small stateroom/storeroom would be a bonus), a cockpit for diving and fishing, sheltered helm or pilothouse (preferred) and capable of making the round trip from LA to PNW once a year (in less than perfect weather). I was looking at DeFever's (44+5 and POC) but I like the arrangement of the Cheoy Lee 52 better and I can afford a newer Cheoy Lee within my budget (<$200 boat units). Any comments on the relative build quality and heavy weather handling ability of the DeFever vs Cheoy Lee would be appreciated.

Also, any other similar alternatives you want to recommend would be appreciated.

 

[IslandEagle]

Also, any other similar alternatives you want to recommend would be appreciated.

You might want to consider a Defever 48:
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=24348&url=

No cockpit, but it does have three staterooms.

The other option I always suggest is a Grand Banks 46 or 49, of which there are multitudes on YW.

Scott Welch
Island Eagle

 

[sunchaser]

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No cockpit, but it does have three staterooms.

Scott Welch
Island Eagle

The DF 48 has a very nice aft covered cockpit. Both Daddyo and I can attest to the excellent sea keeping of the DF 48'. All DFs are/were designed for the rough stuff. You might look up the recent Art DeFever thread on TF. Well kept DFs do not sit on the market very long.

 

[portager]

Thanks for the input!

I like the Defever's a lot and I've studied them in detail. The DeFever 48 Trawler has 3 staterooms, but the two forward staterooms are quite small and it doesn't really have a true cockpit. I think the 49 Cockpit MY (AKA 44+5) is a better fit for our needs. It has a true cockpit and two staterooms. The 49 CMY doesn't have a true pilothouse, but it has a lower helm in the salon and flybridge. I like the 49' Raised Pilothouse because it has a true Pilothouse and Portuguese bridge, but I've been in the staterooms of the 49' and they are less than ideal. The DeFever 53' POC is interesting, although it doesn't look like an Art DeFever design. There was a lengthened version of the 53' POC with a cockpit called the DeFever 57 Yachtfisher but there only about 6 built between 1986 and 1989. There are two DeFever's listed on Yachtworld at 54' and 55' that resemble the Yachtfisher, but don't quite match the power boat guide's in length, beam (for the 55'), engines and fuel capacity.

 

[Nomad Willy]

The Cheoy Lee is a beautiful boat .... Better looking than the DeFevers I think. I love the flush deck aspect of the overall design and the wheelhouse. While at Uniflite I once talked up a flush deck Uniflite. The Cheoy
Lee has a proportional correctness about it that few boats exhibit.

But as to efficiency it probably has a draggy stern and somewhat overweight condition to be very economical.

Beautiful boat though and I can see how one could easily be drawn to her.

 

[Pau Hana]

Our PT52 has all the features you desire less the pilothouse. This is a photo montage of a sistership of ours:

https://plus.google.com/photos/1067...71151176822801/5516094703876574802?banner=pwa

We have a 3rd station in the cockpit for fishing and docking. Power is a pair of 375 hp Cats- we putt at about 8 knots, with a combined burn of around 4-6 gph. She will also plane and hit 24+ knots, which induces a strange vacuum sound in the vicinlty of the fuel tanks.....

Our boat was purchased here in Seattle in 1989, and immediately went south on her own bottom to Long Beach, where she spent the next 4 years. The 2nd owner brought her up to Seattle on her bottom in 1994; we (3rd owners) plan on making the trip south again in a few years to SoCal and beyond. She's heavy, comfortable, and a joy to live on!

 

[portager]

The Cheoy Lee is a beautiful boat .... Better looking than the DeFevers I think. I love the flush deck aspect of the overall design and the wheelhouse. While at Uniflite I once talked up a flush deck Uniflite. The Cheoy
Lee has a proportional correctness about it that few boats exhibit.

But as to efficiency it probably has a draggy stern and somewhat overweight condition to be very economical.

Beautiful boat though and I can see how one could easily be drawn to her.

Thanks for the feedback manyboats. The Cheoy Lee 52' was designed by Tom Fexas, which I think explains her good looks. I haven't found any performance data for her yet, but I'd bet she does pretty good given the architects reputation.

Our PT52 has all the features you desire less the pilothouse. This is a photo montage of a sistership of ours:

https://plus.google.com/photos/1067...71151176822801/5516094703876574802?banner=pwa

We have a 3rd station in the cockpit for fishing and docking. Power is a pair of 375 hp Cats- we putt at about 8 knots, with a combined burn of around 4-6 gph. She will also plane and hit 24+ knots, which induces a strange vacuum sound in the vicinlty of the fuel tanks.....

Our boat was purchased here in Seattle in 1989, and immediately went south on her own bottom to Long Beach, where she spent the next 4 years. The 2nd owner brought her up to Seattle on her bottom in 1994; we (3rd owners) plan on making the trip south again in a few years to SoCal and beyond. She's heavy, comfortable, and a joy to live on!

Pau Hana; Your PT52 looks like an interesting option. I'll look into the Performance Trawlers.

 

[sunchaser]

Thanks for the input!

I like the Defever's a lot and I've studied them in detail. The DeFever 48 Trawler has 3 staterooms, but the two forward staterooms are quite small and it doesn't really have a true cockpit.

The 48 cockpit is pretty good sized for our needs - boarding, fishing and sitting. DeFever felt cockpit volume vs flooded weight was a safety issue to be concerned with so each of his vessels was designed to shed cockpit water quickly. This design philosophy has been followed by GB, OA and many others in their designs as well.

You are right about the forward staterooms and large adjoining head with shower- they will only take our daughter, her husband and two kid for 6 weeks before they start getting on our nerves.

I look forward to hearing of your vessel of purchase so I can do a reciprocal critique, for fun of course. Looks like you are headed for a good looking, fuel hungry dock queen with a cockpit for partying and all the staterooms forward so you can hear the guests snore and flatulate

 

[Daddyo]

I must say that "not a true cockpit" is 4 1/2' x 13' at the deck with the transom angled outward. It's pretty "true" to me. If you mean it's not lowered to the water you would be correct. In the ocean I would not have the lowered cockpit in a displacement speed vessel. Getting pooped is a real possibility with that design.

 

[portager]

The 48 cockpit is pretty good sized for our needs - boarding, fishing and sitting. DeFever felt cockpit volume vs flooded weight was a safety issue to be concerned with so each of his vessels was designed to shed cockpit water quickly. This design philosophy has been followed by GB, OA and many others in their designs as well.

You are right about the forward staterooms and large adjoining head with shower- they will only take our daughter, her husband and two kid for 6 weeks before they start getting on our nerves.

I look forward to hearing of your vessel of purchase so I can do a reciprocal critique, for fun of course. Looks like you are headed for a good looking, fuel hungry dock queen with a cockpit for partying and all the staterooms forward so you can hear the guests snore and flatulate

I apologize if I insulted you're baby. It was not my intention to insult you're boat.

If you look at the DeFever 49 CMY http://www.powerboatguide.com/Table_of_Contents_files/DeFever%2049%20Cockpit%20MY.pdf I think you'll see that I am talking about. The 49 CMY has a larger cockpit that is closer to the water level with a transom gate. This makes a big difference if my wife catches a really big halibut that I can't lift into the cockpit. It also comes in handy for SCUBA diving, especially when my wife's knee is bothering her. BTW the cockpit has nothing to do with partying.

Art must have changed his mind on the flooded weight since he came out with the 49 CMY in 1994. BTW the DeFever 48 and 49 have comparable flooded volumes and they both use scuppers to drain off standing water encase they are pooped.

I know my daughter and my step sons, even the one with a wife and two children could be happy in the staterooms in the 48 Trawler, but I don't think my older siblings and there spouses would be very comfortable in bunk beds. They would be more comfortable in walk around queen berth.

The dock queen comment was just uncalled for! If I insulted your boat it was unintentional.

If you had looked that the Cheoy Lee 52' link that I provided you would have seen that it is reportedly a very efficient boat designed by Tom Fexas with two staterooms forward (one with a walk around queen berth) and the master stateroom with a walk around queen berth aft of the walk in standing height engine room.

 

[FF]

Remember WHERE the boat was assembled and be sure to find a surveyor familiar with the typical build practices of that area and era..

 

[Wataworld]

I just looked at the 52 Cheoy Lee in Fort Lauderdale FL supposed to be the sister ship of Biloxi MS nice boat the front cabin was fine the small cabin was small the engine room was large and standup in The Master was great n full width enough room in the cockpit the only two issue I saw was the one I looked has side decks and the one in biloxi is a full width salon also their are leak issues to resolve. I posted a question but did not get any responses did you look at the texas cheoy lee's and do they have leak issues or was this just the boat I saw!

 

[sunchaser]

I apologize if I insulted you're baby. It was not my intention to insult you're boat. .

Insulted my boat? Never, I spent too many years working for a living in a very tough world to let internet boat talk get to me. Like Marin, I'd rather have a different (faster, bigger, more fuel efficient, less money, prettier, more seaworthy, yada yada) boat and on and on.

The point to be made is all boats are compromises of something. You name a perfect boat and I will find an issue with it, as will any experienced boater. The Fleming 55 you say is perfect, not if you were in the ER which is no better than my 30 SeaRay from years ago. The Dashew FPB is a perfect blue water vessel, but it is not attractive! Etc Etc

But Portager, sooner or later you must get off the fence and buy something, anything so the quibbles go away with what you don't like and the real work starts with making your pride and joy workable for you and your boating style. Workable within the limitations of your budget, abilities and desires to let the boat go to rack and ruin or keep it pristine, keeping the clutter out (aka some proudly posted pictures on TF).

Obviously you are a smart guy, now cut to the chase and show us your boat selection wants eschewing the not wants.

 

[Codger2]

The Fleming 55 you say is perfect, not if you were in the ER which is no better than my 30 SeaRay from years ago.

I crawled around the ER of a 55 Fleming last week and was disappointed. Also crawled around the ER of a GB 47 Europa and although it's not a stand up, it's better than the Fleming and the entrance is under the fly bridge stairs.

 

[portager]

I just looked at the 52 Cheoy Lee in Fort Lauderdale FL supposed to be the sister ship of Biloxi MS nice boat the front cabin was fine the small cabin was small the engine room was large and standup in The Master was great n full width enough room in the cockpit the only two issue I saw was the one I looked has side decks and the one in biloxi is a full width salon also their are leak issues to resolve. I posted a question but did not get any responses did you look at the texas cheoy lee's and do they have leak issues or was this just the boat I saw!

Thanks a lot for looking at that boat. Your comments really help.

I have not seen either of the Cheoy Lee 52's that are currently listed. They are in TX and LA and I'm in CA.

The two listings in TX are the same boat and they also list the one in Fort Lauderdale FL as a sister ship (same only different?). I noticed that the one listed as in TX appears to have water damage in photo 11 of 16 on the sloped surface below the stairs from the pilothouse to the flybridge and the vertical surface below that.

The one listed as Houston TX has more pictures. Some are duplicates and a new photo showed up recently and I think one was removed. Photo 2 of 31 is the same as above ironically titled "Elegant Salon Woodwork". I believe there used to be a picture of the stairs going to the flybridge that showed water damage but that could be from a sold list I found. Either way, I'm concerned about the hatch on the flybridge and all the windows.

The one in Biloxi looks better, except a spot under the left windshield in photos 15 and 16 of 20. This one appears to be 85% through a galley redo. I like the looks of the blue hull on the one in Biloxi but I'm concerned that it might not be original hull color. My wife likes the larger saloon of the wide body and I prefer the side decks.

There seems to be sharing of pictures between the one in TX and the one in Biloxi. They all have the same master stateroom picture (and it is a bad picture).

According to the power boats guide, Cheoy Lee introduced a new layout in 1986 that has a much larger guest stateroom that I think I would prefer (although the down side is the engine room access is through the guest stateroom, might be noise issues, ...). Neither of the boats listed match the new layout.

 

[Daddyo]

Some of this is just silly. What guests are going to slumbering away while underway and in what boat do you suppose the engines won't be heard in the staterooms? The engine room doors are nearly always heavily insulated and the noise travels throughout the structure of the boat. The "noise" of a slow revving diesel will put you to sleep not keep you up. Are you planning a lot of overnight work?

 

[River Cruiser]

Grandkids take naps while the Hinos purr just inches away, the engine noise lulls them asleep.

 

[portager]

The point to be made is all boats are compromises of something. You name a perfect boat and I will find an issue with it, as will any experienced boater. The Fleming 55 you say is perfect, not if you were in the ER which is no better than my 30 SeaRay from years ago. The Dashew FPB is a perfect blue water vessel, but it is not attractive! Etc Etc

But Portager, sooner or later you must get off the fence and buy something, anything so the quibbles go away with what you don't like and the real work starts with making your pride and joy workable for you and your boating style. Workable within the limitations of your budget, abilities and desires to let the boat go to rack and ruin or keep it pristine, keeping the clutter out (aka some proudly posted pictures on TF).

Obviously you are a smart guy, now cut to the chase and show us your boat selection wants eschewing the not wants.

Sound like good advice, but you have no idea what I have dealt with in my life or how many ducks I need to get in line before I ready and able to buy. Lets just say that I'm in a pre-shopping mode and I won't be ready to buy for several months. For now all I can do is consider alternatives and try and figure out what would work better for me and my wife.

Some of this is just silly. What guests are going to slumbering away while underway and in what boat do you suppose the engines won't be heard in the staterooms? The engine room doors are nearly always heavily insulated and the noise travels throughout the structure of the boat. The "noise" of a slow revving diesel will put you to sleep not keep you up. Are you planning a lot of overnight work?

Thanks for the comment. I am contemplating some overnight transits, but just with watch standers not VIP guests aboard. Your feedback convinced me that the new layout would be better.

 

[Pau Hana]

I think it's time to start climbing onboard some boats and rely less on the online advertisements. I've gone over this thread several times, and it seems you a have a great eye for detail- which is a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because you can spot anomalies that may give reason for concern.
A curse because your eye for detail may cause you to disqualify otherwise sound vessels from your search matrix.

From someone in the marine business, I have to agree that every boat, even if new, will have its fair share of gripes to contend with. Heck, we bought our PT-52 in October last year, and sometimes think that we should have waited for a boat with thrusters, propane stove, newer electonics, and diesel heat.

No biggie- We've already addressed the electronics and stove; we'll simply add the rest in time, and enjoy the boat as she is. We've found gripes befitting a 1989 boat, and are repairing them as a part of the ownership experience.

Enjoy the search, to be sure, but get out of the "analysis paralysis" mode.

 

[Codger2]

Sound like good advice, but you have no idea what I have dealt with in my life or how many ducks I need to get in line before I ready and able to buy. .

Of course you are correct! We know nothing of your life to date and how many ducks that must be in order before you pull the trigger and buy a trawler. But, is that our fault? Believe me, If sunchaser (or any of the rest of us) was aware of the trials & tribulations in your life, he (and we) wouldn't advise you "fish or cut bait."

We get numerous "tire kickers" in here from time to time and it gets hard (and frustrating) to answer all their questions. You seem to me to be seriously looking for a boat and we will treat you accordingly. The more info we get, the quality of the recommendations goes up considerably.

 

[portager]

I have been seriously looking for a boat for FAR too long and I know I need to pull the trigger soon. I'm not getting any younger! I've been on many boats and I've done many charters (before my previous wife died). I had a pretty good idea what boat would work for me and my previous wife. Since I remarried, I'm learning what my new wife's key requirements are and my plans are changing. It probably won't be a transportable trawler anymore (might even have to change my user name). I plan to do some charters with my current wife and get my daughter out of grad school. Then I'll be ready to pull the trigger. In the mean time, I hope I don't annoy anyone TOO much with my stupid questions. If I do, you can always use the ignore button, if you haven't already.

 

[davidkent]

Portager, I was wondering if you have looked at the 52 Cheoy Lee in Miss. What is your opinion of it's condition? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[FF]

"I hope I don't annoy anyone TOO much with my stupid questions."

Its the questions you did not ask that get you in trouble.

 

[portager]

Portager, I was wondering if you have looked at the 52 Cheoy Lee in Miss. What is your opinion of it's condition? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry I can't help. I have not looked at any Cheoy Lee 52's. I was waiting for a listing on the West coast.

The hull has been painted on one in Mississippi, and although I like the new color I have to wonder if the owner was covering something up. It looks like a little water damage below the front port wheelhouse window. Also, from the pictures it looks like they started a galley remodel and didn't quite finish it. Looks like a nice boat though.

 

[bligh]

i cant help you with your boat selection, but do you really think its realistic to go back and forth from LA to the PNW every year as that grind would really wear one's enthusiasm down?

 

[FF]

Lots of yards in the PNW , and the Can buck is getting cheaper .

A cheap motorhome will pull a trailer full of the inevitable pile of boat stuff .

Nice ride up the Pacific Highway.

 

[Portuguese]

Walt

That's how we design/built my ER entrance. By the way, the advantage is that I keep the rest of the cabin locked and isolated while people work in the ER