Redesigning the Pilgrim 40 Trawler / Canal Boat

[brian eiland]

Interesting observations by both of you gentlemen. I'll be back to reply to both.

 

[PMF1984]

Well I have a Pilgrim, one of the later models. I sit at the helm without bumping my knees, or I stand. The head and shower are plenty large for a guy who is 6’ 2” and just a tad too heavy. There is a door in the transom for a stern exit. (After two round trips down the ICW I’ve yet to use it.) Wasted space in the engine room? I dunno, the guy who replaced my injector pump thought is was great. Funny, I’ve yet to read a blog post about too much storage. Same with the basement, after you put in the 3 water tanks, holding tank, water heater, generator, 3 boxes of electrical repair supplies, two tool boxes, a box of spare filters, a box of misc fasteners, a box of spare parts, two crates of wood working, canvas and panting supplies.

Yeah I should take all that stuff out and put a sleeping bag down there.

And I can walk around the bed, not too get in or out, but so I can help make it.

The Pilgrim is not perfect, but for a 40 foot loop boat I have not seen better.

(Ok, full disclosure, I might be a tad bigger than a “tad too heavy”)

 

[brian eiland]

The Pilgrim is not perfect, but for a 40 foot loop boat I have not seen better.

Thanks for that reply/analysis PMF.
I also thought it was proper looking little 40 footer without stacking it up to the sky to get more room.


Boat design is an ongoing compromise very often.


I thought that job the gentleman did with his 60 foot version was well done,...much more true to the original 40' design that the effort by the previous factory group to do a 43-44' version,...or whatever it was,...damn memory.

 

[brian eiland]

Sure would like to get in touch with the broker and/or owner to sort out a few more details.

 

[REAL MOUNTIE]

Why we bought a Pilgrim 40?...

We are still enjoying our Pilgrim 40. Why we bought a Pilgrim 40?...

My wife Lise and I had lived respectively a long and exciting careers. We wanted a new way of living in seeking a pleasure craft that could provide us the ultimate retirement adventure, an alternative home and a memorable summer residence as a reward to our hard-working and successful life.

Current retirement alternatives do not offer much to those who have achieved something in their life and are just ready to be put out to pasture.

We had a need for a boat that could put a sense of freedom into our retirement adventure.

There is a camaraderie in a boating community that is non-existant in a cement high-rise cities and or suburb.

Our need was also to become more involved the heartbeat of life as we are more aware of Mother Nature and her ever-changing moods something you lose with big cities.

We needed more that a summer cottage so we bought a condominium for Skiing during the snow season and we wanted to buy a kind of a Canal Barge like a Boataminium for the rest of the year.

As a Sea Cadet I have sailed since the age of 14 then became a Sailing Instructor at Cornwallis Base in N.S. during the summer as a Navy Reserve Second-Lieutenant.

Since then I chartered sailboats until 1995 and around 2001 I was tired with the handling of huge headsails, getting soaked wet in an open cockpit and living in a expensive submarine, all this at a 15 degree heel.

After a 3 year of research, we made that eccentric choice : Buy a Boat with Confidence in order to find a liveaboard for that ultimate retirement experience in order to escape the jungle of traffic, jammed bridges, construction, concrete and asphalt of big cities like Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

We wanted a Boat that fits our needs and this is why we are so grateful to Doug and Brenda Dawson for all their publications that educated us in finding the appropriate boat.

Doug, Brenda thank you for helping us to make the appropriate choice in order to realize our dream!

NOTE: We had to refer to First Mate 101 in order to resolve issues that could turn the Dream into Nightmare...

With those publications we have interpreted our Research into Reality.

We then established all the criteria for safety, economy, character, comfort, style and why not grace. We were attracted by a classic look Motor Yacht that did not look like a Clorox bottle or Wedding cake type of Motor Yacht (No offence to anyone who choose Low maintenance and Bigger budget Yacht).

We did not want high performance as we have worn out the thrill of rattling our kidneys and our dishes.
We wanted to save our pocketbook in keeping our fuel tanks filled so we would spend it visiting area to discover.

Comfort was a personal choice. We wanted to equate comfort with pleasure and enjoyment. This is one of the area's that occupied most our our research and study. We don't enjoy weathering through a storm although we did encounter some bad weather and put up with Mother Nature during our trip from Fort Pierce to Lake Champlain and we were quite satisfied and impressed with her handling and performance during a tunderstorm.

Our Boat was to be our passport to civilized adventure in the nautical living environment. We did not want a boat to win races or cross the ocean, we just wanted to enjoy ourselves on the water as is it our belief that pleasure boating is for pleasure.

This Boat was to be our escape from the pressures of day-to-day existence. as a new, exiting alternative lifestyle for we wanted to taste more of life. We needed a chage of tempo as we needed to refresh our spririts like to put a smile on our face and in our heart. We are from the '' Stop and Smell the Roses'' School of Boating Generation!

We finally bought it from Jim and Joan Elliott, formaly named CHRISTINE. Thank you Jim and Joan, for using, keeping-up, maintaining and up-grading the boat instead of letting it dry up in a yard!

« REAL MOUNTIE » is a Canadian icon for a Canadian made 1986 Pilgrim 40 Hull #28 (a.k.a. as P-40) that was developed by Ted Gozzard a talented designer, tool-maker and shipwright.

The first production boat of the Pilgrim 40 Project started in January 1983. The P-40 was designed by an Artist, Ted Gozzard who expressed his natural talent and made the proof of concept (without using a computer), envisioned it three-dimensionally, drafted it, made a model, tooled and builded it to the finest carpentry detail that would be cost prohibitived today. As inflation gained over during the late 80's, Ted did mentionned that he lost $50,000.00 Cdn when he sold his last Pilgrim 40 in 1989, he said : '' It is like tearing 10,000
CANADIAN five dollars bills...''

One may understand that you need the valuable input of a market specialist to provide practical business to a passionate Artist with Boat-Creating Talents.

Having a recurrent IRS 8840 form filling issues in cruising less than 183 days in US waters as I did not want to be taxed on world income including Canada and also in reporting for cruising licences every time we dock and anchor when we leave Beautiful Lake Champlain, I wanted to sell her. At the same time, I truly love cruising the vessel in our latest trip to the Coast and to the Abacos in 2018...

So for health reasons, being concerned to be depressed of my 9 years boating season with a great trawler, I chocked and renounce to sell to two searious buyers or rent to a potential buyer who had real estate assets.

After 9 years, I finally decided to temporary import my vessel to CANADA at Gosselin Marina who would issue a Bond for my temporary storage and work on the vessel VALID until 30th of JUNE 2019 (no extension possible) as the vessel MUST RETURN in USA or REQUIRED TO PAY the goods and services tax (GST), which is calculated at a rate of 5% on the Pilgrim 40 Fair Market Value selling price; and. the Québec sales tax (QST), which is calculated at a rate of 9.975% on the selling price excluding the GST. The officials of Customs use the BUC as the standard pratice to calculate the fair market value.

BUC's USED BOAT PRICE GUIDES, a.k.a. "The BUC Book", have been the used boat pricing "Bible" for the boating industry since 1961. please refer to: Boat Values, Price Guides, Yachts for Sale & Charter - BUC.COM

Here is an example, on January 15 1987, in Annapolis, MD a Pilgrim 40 was sold for a delivery in May 1987, at that time one US dollar was $1.3615 CDN.

The standard cost of a Pilgrim 40 in 1986 was $187,575.00 USD and additionnal equipment was $33,820.00 USD for a grand total of $221,395 USD.

If you TRY an inflation calculator on today's internet, calculate for 2017 in USD the retail cost of a 1987 Pilgrim 40 @ $221,395 : http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

What cost $221395 in 1987 would cost $484631.06 in 2017. Also, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2017 and 1987, they would cost you $221395 and $99773.57 respectively.

At the same time,Ted Gozzard primary design evolvement was Bayfield Sailboats. This alternative concept was more successful in marketing as he produced over 1,000 boats raging from 25' to 40' in the 80's.

What a great feeling for us to see the smiles on people who tell us : What a beautiful boat you have!

Every day, people make us realize that her striking looks is the centre of attention at our Marina or when we pull in to a harbour or an anchoring bay.

The covered screened after deck (veranda deck) is to be the best comfort place to sit and relax or have our meals. We have in addition two comfy chairs and we can accommodate half-dozen people for happy hour.

« REAL MOUNTIE » gives Lise and I, pleasure and pride of ownership in showing her classic, proven full displacement hull, with her plumb bow, fantail stern, gently arched windows, varnished mahogany trim, her sheer line, cosmetic details all combined to create an dream impression about herself and about her owners living their dreams that only one's own eyes and not our words can explain...

 

[healhustler]

Great testimony to a unique, deserving design.

 

[brian eiland]

Sure would like to get in touch with the broker and/or owner to sort out a few more details.

I received a full PDF document for this vessel from the broker. If anyone wishes to see it I can forward it on to them.


Perhaps I will post a few more photos.

 

[brian eiland]

Thought it was interesting that the builder chose steel for the hull, and stuck with the single engine configuration,...a 6 cyl John Deere

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Builder is a Tug and barge owner/operator. They build their own tugs in house at own shipyard , so I would be surprised if built of any other material.

 

[brian eiland]

I wrote an email to the family business that created this vessel in hopes of learning how they became influenced to build this larger size, somewhat similar vessel design. I think they became enamored with the design as I was (am).


Have not heard back yet.

 

[PMF1984]

I have a distant memory of the Foss tugs from my youth in the PNW, but all I remember was green, not the lines. The first boat I fell in love with was the one that carried me to my home for the first time. It was built in 1917 to carry freight to Cuttyhunk Island for the construction of Winter House by American Woolen Company magnate William Wood. She went out of service as the ferry to Cuttyhunk sometime in the 1980's.

When my young bride found a Pilgrim to look at I remember thinking, "I like it, it reminds me of the Alert.

The Alert could roll a little too. If I remember correctly, she was 57 feet overall and drew 9 feet.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

I wrote an email to the family business that created this vessel in hopes of learning how they became influenced to build this larger size, somewhat similar vessel design. I think they became enamored with the design as I was (am).


Have not heard back yet.

I think you want to talk to Rick Shrewsberry (sp)

 

[brian eiland]

Been quite awhile since I visited this subject thread. About a week ago I was walking down a dock here in St Augustine Fl to help out a friend with his power vessel,...and what should I see sitting there very nearby,...a Pilgrim 40. ....brought back lots of fond memories of mine concerning this design.

Too bad I wasn't able to go forward with this redesign project.

 

[brian eiland]

Anti-roll Stabilizer

If I were still working on this redesign project, I would definitely be considering this antiroll stablizer,..


https://www.yachtforums.com/threads/new-anti-rolling-gyro-arg-stabilizer.34303/

 

[brian eiland]

Photos ???

Lets see if I can preserve some of the images from that ad,...

Sure looks like a bigger Pilgrim to me,.....and built of steel.

Just looking back thru this subject thread, and picking out some particular postings for a gentleman to have a look at.


Ran across this particular posting and noticed all the nice photos are MISSING. Wonder where they got to, of if I can recreate them? I believe they were well worth it.

 

[brian eiland]

Another recent posting on another forum brought back memories of this vessel's design,..

"I think there is a lot of nostalgia involved, these boats harken back to the 'great Gabsy era' . The older age population has come to appreciate this older era, and its elegance"

 

[Kit_L]

Brian, just read this whole thread. One thing that has not been mentioned re. gyro stabilisers is the large power requirement, and the approx. 30 minute time required for them to reach operating rpm. And WRT the claim that they work at anchor, they do, but require a generator. Not too many folk want to run a generator overnight.

Flopper stoppers work well at anchor, and I built paravane stabilisers for our last boat for when passage making, but I am not sure these would fit with the Pilgrim visual aesthetic.

Very interesting thread, too.

 

[brian eiland]

Brian, just read this whole thread. One thing that has not been mentioned re. gyro stabilisers is the large power requirement, and the approx. 30 minute time required for them to reach operating rpm. And WRT the claim that they work at anchor, they do, but require a generator. Not too many folk want to run a generator overnight.

Flopper stoppers work well at anchor, and I built paravane stabilisers for our last boat for when passage making, but I am not sure these would fit with the Pilgrim visual aesthetic.

Very interesting thread, too.

Thanks very much for your interest, and comments.



I wasn't aware of the BIG power requirements, but then I was assuming that the operation of these units would primarily while underway.



If i were younger (and a bit better off financially), I would be building one of these, if nothing more than as a proof on concept. And I think there would be more than enough of an audience of potential buyers.

 

[Kit_L]

Seakeeper 9: 3,000 watts spool-up power (~30'), 2,400w while underway. This includes when at anchor, too. And that size one is $104,000 USD, not including installation. So, the generator must be run all the time you want stabilisation.

Seakeeper 6, which might be big enough, 2,300 max (spool-up, takes about 30'), and 1,100 - 2,300 Watts (sea state dependent). $63,500 USD for the unit itself.

Paravanes (fish) while underway and those vented flopper-stoppers while at anchor do work very well, and are a fraction of the cost, but the poles have to be folded and stored either vertically (my last boat) or horizontally, as many fishing boats do. The paravanes are potentially dangerous to handle, and in the BC fishing fleet, the fishermen are changing from these to batwing stabilisers, but once again, may not fit the Pilgrim aesthetic.

 

[REAL MOUNTIE]

Fond Memories and memorable experience while in the Bahamas

Dear Brian and Pilgrim enthusiasts,



I wanted to share my 2018 adventure while the Admiral and I were cruising in the Bahamas with REAL MOUNTIE.



https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...3525734&z=13&mid=11zGVbjO2MX16CCnwmIcwxKNV3EI



While enjoying the waters around No Name Cay. My wife had problem with her breathing (later diagnosed as an embolism) in the morning. I had to take immediate action to get to closest emergency medical via Treasure Cay to March harbor by taxi. As going through Whale Cay would take too long I had to cut short through the Don't Rock me Rock passage at low tide... Well the Pilgrim 40 did the emergency passage dragging the sand bottom with her keel reducing the SOG!


https://realmountie.blogspot.com/

 

[brian eiland]

This was just recently posted over on another subject thread on this forum,...some nice images as well. I thought it deserved referencing here as well.


https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1202186&postcount=13467

"Best looking Pilgrim I've seen in a while...not a bad price if it's nice at $169,900"