Here's a Defever for someone...

[Cuttyhunk47]

I see there is a small cockpit, but is there even enough height to sit in a chair on top of the trunk cabin? If you can't sit there, what would you store there? It seems like a wasted of space. What am I missing?

[Baker]

Originally Posted by Cuttyhunk47

I see there is a small cockpit, but is there even enough height to sit in a chair on top of the trunk cabin? If you can't sit there, what would you store there? It seems like a wasted of space. What am I missing?

Hahahaha...nothing!!! You got it right. I have always felt the same way but people like this configuration and it sold well. So, use it as you will or don't buy it. I always thought it a bit odd myself....with due respect to the owners on here.

[Tom.B]

Same exact boat DaddyO uses for his extensive cruising. Great boat. A boat Bess really had her eye on until she found what we have now.

[refugio]

The trunk cabin is by its nature a compromise. The on deck experience is compromised, and the belowdecks experience does not have full headroom throughout. But it allows the deck to be lower and the stateroom to have some standing area.

Covering the trunk cabin - well that at least gives a flat area on the upper deck. It also protects the trunk cabin, which is a notorious source of leaks.


Keith

[sunchaser]

Originally Posted by Cuttyhunk47

I see there is a small cockpit, but is there even enough height to sit in a chair on top of the trunk cabin? If you can't sit there, what would you store there? It seems like a wasted of space. What am I missing?

Sometimes NAs like Art DeFever choose to not listen to those on TF and do it their way. Of course since TF wasn't alive and well 35+ years ago Art had a different goal in mind - to build a tri cabin vessel that had the niceties of the GB being built at the time and one up Tony Fleming.

The typical flush deck vessels in the 45 to 50' range with the high roof over the aft part of the vessel are a NA's nemesis. Lots of windage, high CG, no safe walk around in big seas, no cockpit etc. Tony Fleming built the tri cabin with little or no cockpit, no covered aft section and no covered side decks.


So to fit into a niche and build a seaworthy vessel Art penned the 48. The vessel with its low aft roof (which prevents Baker from parking his posse) and roomy aft cockpit does provide:

• A great boat deck area for dinghy storage, and not perched way up in the air
• A completely covered walk around on both sides and stern, from the foredeck - with rails and high coamings
• This cover keeps rain noise and sun off the master SR, a huge plus in SoCal, tropical or PNW type climates
• The aft covered "ready" area provides great and out of the way (short term for us) storage for all sorts of things such as bikes, liferafts, freezers, fishing gear.
• Did I mention an out of the rain covered walk around? Well when we bought the vessel at the Seattle Boat show it was a record rain event. We looked at the much higher priced GB 49 and found the deck and walk arounds useless and WET.
• Did I mention out of the rain, guess I did. With our desires to boat 24/7/365 focused in the PNW, well here we are.
• BTW, the covered side and aft decks and windshield have another plus - NO WINDOW LEAKS

Art also had stability issues in mind back in the 70s and 80s. With the bulk of his vessels being used for offshore work and main audience out of San Diego, those Pacific challenges were heeded. Picture a life when weather reports and sea state at the push of a cursor did not exist. Vessels had to be designed to fit that era and unknown conditions. That DeFever did.

Did I mention the completely covered side and aft decks. Art did, whenever he had the advertising chance.

[sunchaser]

Originally Posted by refugio

The on deck experience is compromised, and the belowdecks experience does not have full headroom throughout. Keith

Really, what vessels are you referring too? Since you have never seen or been on a DF 48 sometime if we are in your area I'll give a shout and you can see our headroom - ER, aft cabin etc. It is pretty roomy

[Northern Spy]

Having been aboard sunchaser's boat, I concur that it would be a fantastic cruising boat for those who venture north of the 50th parallel in the summer or use their boat year round. Having a large outside area, protected from the rain, but does not intrude into the seating or passage area sure makes a lot of sense. I could also see it having great value in hot sunny climates. Anywhere that shade or rain protection is valuable, I guess.

[refugio]

Originally Posted by sunchaser

Really, what vessels are you referring too? Since you have never seen or been on a DF 48 sometime if we are in your area I'll give a shout and you can see our headroom - ER, aft cabin etc. It is pretty roomy

Um, that would be ever vessel with a coach roof. I guess you could have standing headroom under the decks if you're a dwarf.


Keith

[jk7]

48 defever, I now own. Engines are perfect for this boat.

Back deck...ck out photo.

[jk7]

This is cirrent refit progress in rio dulce

[jk7]

Swim platform expanded for dingy, plus diving .

[cardude01]

Very nice !

[Ruby]

Originally Posted by jk7

This is cirrent refit progress in rio dulce

Beautiful boat! We've been looking for a DF 48, but they are few and far between! Did you purchase through a for sale by owner site?