60' Sea Spirit Long Range Cruiser

Hello all. It's time for my better half and I to look for our forever boat. Currently we own a 37 ft Maxum moored in Lake Union, Seattle Washington and most of our boating has been in the Puget sound and San Juan Islands but we are craving heat and warm tropical waters. Our plans are to find a blue water class boat and to cruise it everywhere but crossings an ocean. (She is not going for that) Most of our time will be in the carribean and potentially up and down the east coast with it being our live-aboard home. We have looked at Nordhavn's, Kady Krogen's, Selene's, Fleming's and during my search I stumbled on a 60' Sea Spirit Long Range Cruiser. Unfortunately I do not know much about the boat besides it cost similar to the other boats mentioned, has the needed range capabilities and seems to be built to blue water standards ( canoe cove stern, redundancy in systems, get home engine, etc.) My better half loves the looks, size and ship-like feel of the boat but we have no knowledge about it? Can anyone chime in that might be able to assist me before I call the salesman as I want an unbiased opinion? Thanks for the help in advance.

Not at all familiar with it but it seems to be modeled after the Cheoy Lee 66 LRC. Why you check the market for a CL instead? It’s 100% proven, well known with excellent resale. For the difference in cost you could completely refurbish and even repower the way you like. If you want new then contact Hong Kong. They may still be holding onto the molds.

Its funny, that boat convinced my wife that retirement on a boat was a possibility. Previously, I had been thinking sailboats and she didn't think it was feasible to live on one long term. We saw a listing for a SeaSpirit 60, toured the boat and she said "this is the kind of boat I could live on!" (couldn't we all though - the ship is gorgeous!!).

Anyway, we didn't buy it and I'm not qualified to have an opinion on it but.... there was a tech guy who bought one of these new and took his family up and down the eastern seaboard out to the Bahamas, maybe some of the Caribbean. It was a very detailed blog from commissioning though cruising up to when he sold the boat and upgraded to something larger. Yes, he was a rich guy with rich guy resources but it was still a great source of information. He even shared a story about inviting his friends for a weekend cruise on the maiden voyage only to have a waste issue quite literally "blow up"

Anyway, I tried a quick search this morning and couldn't find the blog but if you've got the time its probably worth a comprehensive search to find it.


Best of luck - she is one heck of a gorgeous boat!

Interesting boat, very beautiful. But I’d say there numbers are off for range and fuel used at speeds. I’d roughly compare the boat to a nordhaven 60 in fuel burn numbers. It’s got over a foot less draft, slightly less fuel, slightly more hp so I’d say it’s much closer to the nordhaven 60 range specs than what they are posting. I can almost guarantee the hourly burn numbers are not as good as on my 42 foot aluminum trawler that weighs 19000lbs dry and that’s almost what they are claiming. It will not ride as well or be as safe as a nordhaven 60, looks too light to consider it a true full displacement ocean crossing vessel, nor does it have doors and windows specd as thick as a nordhaven, and without looking at the build specs I’d say prob not as thick of a hull either. But with all that, it still looks like quite the seaworthy vessel and should comfortably fit the bill for your stated mission. I cannot attest to the brand but being a very small production or custom one off it will not nearly hold the value as the other boats you have mentioned so keep that in mind.

Pretty boat. Here is what I remember. The first version of this boat was "built" by Queenship, a higher end builder in Maple Ridge BC. As so many other yards, Queenship went bankrupt during the GFC. This boat was an attempt by the proprietor (D. Fritz) to continue the brand by offshoring the build to Asia. It did not take off. Recently the design has resurfaced under the Sea Spirit brand. Don't know who owns and builds them now.

More of a luxury trawler, not just focused on extended ocean passages.

Wow, thanks for all the reply. I'd agree she is beautiful but I was wondering about the fuel burn, as it definitely seemed a bit too good. I'm going to give the guy a call and see what he says

One
I've been following SeaSpirit for about a decade. With a one off model it seems a tough sell. Provided the price is right and the systems setups are serviceable it would be worth considering. I must admit I'm not fond of dark blue as it often needs re-painting as did this vessel.

There are however some equally capable boats from established builders that are hard to overlook. Add to your list Outer Reef. They are Ocean Rated and with good range. The ERs provide good access with many having smaller twin engines in fitting with their mission.

Thanks I'll look at outer reef as well. I've seen about about them but overlooked them in our search

Pretty sure one of the Queenship 60s made it around the world with a youngish family of 4.

It is one of the few boats that I dearly admire. I'm a sucker for the traditional lines. S&S design if I recall correctly.

Well guess it's a mute point the boat is currently enroute from Maine to Fort Lauderdale with a full price offer based on the condition the boat is in Florida by a certain date. I can check this one off the list. thanks for all the input as I'm sure I'll have more questions during the boat search.

thanks AGAIN!

I too like this boat

I sold this Sea spirit twice previously as well as having concluded 3 other Sea Spirit sales. Much of the information already posted is correct, but not all of it. Sea Spirit was designed by S & S and built by Dan Fritz, formerly builder of Queenship Yachts. I believe there were 7 Sea Spirits built. The greatest distance that any have cruised that I am aware are from Seattle to FLL although many made trips up and down the East Coast and one did the Great Loop. They are excellent boats with at least 2 hulls still owned by the original owners. This one is a bit steep in price, but then supply and demand is always a factor.

holy cow that is a beautiful boat. Looking at it now! Ahh shucks.
1. dont know how to sail... I know...I know.
2. In Europe..
3. It's huge! 85'

still that being said this boat is a beast...no doubt

Ran into another interesting boat could anyone please let me think if this would also do what I mentioned at the start of this thread. I would be concerned with the height and possible effects of wind hitting all that boat. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2001-cheoy-lee-expedition-70-7378404/

Oneuglynerd said:

Ran into another interesting boat could anyone please let me think if this would also do what I mentioned at the start of this thread. I would be concerned with the height and possible effects of wind hitting all that boat. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2001-cheoy-lee-expedition-70-7378404/

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That is a lot of boat for the asking price. The windage is just a matter of learning
how it handles in a variety of conditions and planning ahead with weather in mind.
Based solely on the listing it looks to be in good condition.
If I was looking for one that big it would be of interest.

Yes that's what I thought it's alot of boat. Thank you for your input

Oneuglynerd said:

holy cow that is a beautiful boat. Looking at it now! Ahh shucks.
1. dont know how to sail... I know...I know.
2. In Europe..
3. It's huge! 85'

still that being said this boat is a beast...no doubt

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You really think there is going to be any sailing going on with that?
Really?

Good point I'd agree

I put this one up in 2019 and did contact the broker but had no response
I know she is back in charter but given COVID I doubt that is working to plan
Not sure if she is still for sale or not but the price seemed good from an Australian perspective

Price: 189,500usd offers invited OWNER SAID SELL!!! Make an offer. This Sea Ranger 65 has just completed an extensive refit, perfect liveaboard or generate an income in the lucrative charter industry Its a lot of boat & priced to sell


Sea Ranger 65 power boat REDUCED | Phuket Cruising Yacht Club

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Here is a Boattest review which gives some history.

https://boattest.com/node/70286

That's a cool boat wish they had more pics of it.

Two comments.


First, Fintry is for sale for a whole lot less money than any of the boats mentioned above.


Second, it's around 4,000 miles from Seattle to Panama. While all of that could be done fairly close to land, much of the land is inhospitable in one way or another --- either no harbors or difficult politics. With a spouse skittish about ocean travel, you might do much better to look on the East Coast for your boat.


Jim

Sure Aboaut All This Loangrange Stuff?

I lived in Seattle and cruised the San Juans and Puget Sound in a 16-foot Glen-L daysailer with lots of camping equipment aboard so we could beach it at night and set up our tent. Now we travel the Great Lakes in a Grand Banks 32 and love it. Do you really want and need some big ocean-crossing boat for the Caribbean? Guess I would have good look at the boats that cruise that area and see what they have.

Caribbean?

Check out the boats that are cruising that area. See what it really takes. "Go Anywhere" really sounds good but what are the weather-seastate conditions down there most of the time?

I agree I actually have quite a bit of cruising experience in the San Juans as my parents bought a place on Guemes Island in 1985 when I was 15...now I'm 53 and older than my parents were when they bought the place...lol. The issue I'm having as most of us have here the the better half won't step on any boat that doesn't feel like a tank and otherwise I'd get a Californian LRC 42' older Tollycraft 44, West Coast 46' or any older trawler. I'm in a rock in a hard spot with her so I'm trying to please her so we can get on the water. If you see a good one please send it my way and I'll show her anything. Trust me I'm not excited about the cost of the other boats mentioned.

I agree, is Fintry your vessel? I think I saw that on yachtworld? Was a very cool boat..would be interested in showing it to better half.

Oneuglynerd said:

The issue I'm having as most of us have here the the better half won't step on any boat that doesn't feel like a tank… I'm in a rock in a hard spot with her so I'm trying to please her so we can get on the water.

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I hear you! My wife is only comfortable cruising canals in little boats or on big steel ferries if out in the “real water”

For my next boat I’m aiming for about 45-50 tons and steel - that is my ideal.

Rough guess what’s your price range? Any requirements like you need it to be on this side of the pond or would you be willing to buy a boat Europe and have it shipped over or professionally crewed over if you found the right deal? I’m always searching and tend too find more heavily built steel boats in the higher end fit out you have indicated you like in Europe than in the US. Fintry is a perfect example of what I was saying, amazing fit out and something you couldn’t replicate in the pleasure boat market without massive funds but built in England I believe. They just built more 50-80 foot steel boats while on this side of the pond have had a love affair with fiberglass. And more and more of those older European boats are getting complete gut jobs with yacht quality interiors so better deals tend to be had. Honestly fintry is one of the better deals on this side of the pond, I haven’t found another ship her size with gyro stabilization anywhere near her price on either side of the ocean. I’d honestly love to know how often they really use it though, I bet that’s an amazingly stable ship even without the gyro stabilization.