"Roll Call" For Gourmet Cruisers and Island Gypsies

Peter:

They do make a GB 36 Europa! (Well, they did make one..) An old lady (about 83) has one at the next marina over and she has a captain that takes care of it and runs it for her.
I ask her if she would ever sell it and got a very emphatic NO!* It's a great looking boat, twin engines and I wouldn't mind having it myself.

Although I love the GB 41 Zeus (fantastic control) I was disappointed with it's "hunting" while on A/P. Could have been the A/P (part of the Zeus drives) but I don't think so. Also, at slow (trawler) speeds, not too impressive. "Lots of money" A good GB42 Europa, 1999-20??, standard shafts, etc. can be had for a* lot less. Not as fast but definitely cruises in the teens. Not to mention, it's great looking and the full walk around is something I lust after.

36' GB Europa


-- Edited by SeaHorse II on Tuesday 5th of October 2010 11:37:05 AM

Peter B wrote:

if they start making a 36 Europa I'd maybe prefer that as a size more suited to our short-handed crew

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As Walt says they did offer the GB36 in Europa configuration.* Our local GB dealer gets them in from time to time.* It's a good configuration for two people but not for any more than that because you have to put the additional people in the main cabin at night by making up a berth.

It is doubtful that GB will make a boat that small again.* At one point Bob Livingston (CEO) was saying that they were considering an "entry level" boat like a 32 or 36-footer.* However the same situation exists today as existed in the early 2000s when they pulled the plug on the 36 for the last time.* Given the way GB builds its boats and the quality level they want to maintain they simply cannot build a 36' boat and sell it for a competitive price given all the other, less expensive boats in the same size range that are out there.*

They made one last-ditch effort in the late 90s after they'd closed the GB36 line for some time.* They came back with what everyone dubbed the GB36 Lite, which was a simplified boat with almost no teak (to keep material and labor costs down) a single engine, no bow-thruster, and other pared-down features.** But even this "bare bones" model had a price tag considerably higher than competing boats, some of which were very close to GB in terms of quality.* People simply didn't want to pay that much money for "only" a 36' boat.* So after a year or so of this they shut the GB36 line down for good.

I talked to the lead broker at the GB dealer in our marina yesterday and he said that last year was a very good year for boat sales.* He attributed it to the "release" of pent-up buying power by people who'd been sitting on their money because of economic uncertainty.* When things appeared to be turning around, these people decided to buy.* And it was a good time to buy since boat prices are so depressed.

But he feels that the next couple of years will be very flat to poor in the boat-selling business, at least at the upper end of the range where GBs tend to live.* The economic recovery is not accellerating as some people think it should be which is spawning new fears.* Add to this the fact that Europe is experiencing in some ways worse problems than we have in the US, and GB may be lucky simply to survive.* Nordic Tug has already felt the pinch and has shut down production for an indeterminate time.

On the flip side his company's large charter fleet which consists exclusively of later-model GBs from 36 to 52 feet is almost fully booked for next year.

So don't hold your breath for a new GB36 Europa, be it powered with pod drives or oars.* But if you want a used one they are around, at least here in the PNW where the Europa configuration (in any boat) is the best configuration for our crappy weather.

*


-- Edited by Marin on Tuesday 5th of October 2010 01:11:11 PM

Marin wrote:" Given the way GB builds its boats and the quality level they want to maintain they simply cannot build a 36' boat and sell it for a competitive price..."

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Exactly the same reason was given for the Halvorsen 32 Gourmet Cruiser. Most***
were sold in China, Australia and Europe. I have hull #20 and to the best of my
knowledge, it's the only Gourmet Cruiser in San Diego. The last price (new) I*
heard* of, delivered on the West Coast, a new 34 footer without electronics,
windlass, etc. was $319,000. By the time you add a windlass, decent electronics
and some other "nice to have" goodies " (like an anchor, etc.) you're pushing $350K+. Too much for a
34' boat if you want to be competitive.

(Don't get me wrong, however, as I'm tickled to death to own one. I bought mine
used and less than a year and a half old.)




*









-- Edited by SeaHorse II on Tuesday 5th of October 2010 04:06:47 PM

Walt and Marin,
I don't think we ever got to the bottom of that chock/cleat thing and it looks like I/we overlooked something. In the photos there are SS guards to protect against chaffing for either chock or cleat. I think the chock is there for cap rail protection when using the Sampson post as the mooring line would pass over the rail in many different places fore and aft and if used that way (w the Sampson post) the line would be fairly straight putting only light loads on the chock. In other words I think the designers/builders intended the mooring line to pass through the chock only on it's way to the Sampson post. I stumbled back here looking at Island Gypsies. Interesting reading about the following sea stuff. That's the one thing I think I'd miss that would cause regret*** ...the excellent stern sea manners of the Willard. I'm looking at a Willard 36 but it is probably sold.

Just checking in with my first post as a new member as of 5 min. ago.
I cruise an Island Gypsy 32 Sedan. Have owned many (too embarrassed to count) boats. The last 3 have been trawlers and I'm probably stuck on them for life. Love my IG but need to paint her house. Any suggestions?

Welcome aboard Steve!* I wish I could suggest something really profound as it pertains to painting the house, but I can't. I haven't had to do that yet.

Your boat (avatar) looks great and we all hope you enjoy TrawlerForum. (The best damn boating site on the Web.)

Walt

Yes, welcome aboard Steve. IG 32's seem to be popping up all over. Having had a "one off" boat for 22 years before we bought out IG two years ago, its great to have company.

Painting the house? Lots of sanding, filling, fairing and taping (90% of the work) and then roll and tip a couple of coats with a good marine paint. I prefer Petit Easypoxy one part but everyone has a preference. Practice on something expendable first if you haven't done it before.

Speaking of Halvorsens, what's happened with Boogiediver? He hasn't posted for quite awhile.

Welcome, Steve. I too have never painted a deck house, so I don't have much to offer in the way of specifics.

What year is your IG? What necessitates the house painting?

There have been a lot of discussion about painting fiberglass boats on the GB owners forum over the years. These discussions are all archived if you want to join the forum and search its archives.

There are two basic choices, two-part paints and one-part paints. Both have their proponents on the GB forum. A popular one-part paint is Interlux Brightside. We have a slip neighbor who the other year repainted parts of his sailboat's main cabin. He used Brightside.

The other two schools of thought are spraying and not spraying. In the not-spraying camp the most popular method is roll-and-tip. This technique has you roll the paint on and immediatly follow it up with tipping with a brush to remove the roller "bubbles" and "texture." We have not used this technique on the outside of the boat but we have used it on the inside and when done properly it works quite well.

A spray finish is the best there is, although some people claim they can get pretty close with the roll-and-tip method. Spraying brings its own challenges, not the least is the need to mask and deal with overspray. Some marinas may not allow this at all in the slips. Our neighbor, who is a retired marine engineer/production boat builder, used a very small spray gun. This allowed him to keep the masking to a minimum and the overspray was nil. Plus he knows what he's doing, which is essential to getting good results from a spray gun.

Our boat is badly in need of a paint job--- the gelcoat took a beating in 25 years of California sun before we bought the boat and brought it up here, and there are numerous dings, chips, scrapes, and worn spots in the gelcoat from previous owners. Someday we may get around to trying to spruce it up a bit, and we will probably use the same technique as our neighbor--- a very small spray gun. After, of course, we prep the surfaces by fixing all the dings and whatnot.

Tomorrow our club is hosting our annual wooden boat festival which has a terrific Halvorsen presence, being quite close to the old Halvorson Bobbin Head yard.I will take the camera with me and once I have figured how to do it will post the pics for all to see. I probably should start a new post, as I just realised this is an IG post.

Andy:
No need to start a new thread as all the "Halvo" owners on this site gather here. We all look forward to your photos and anything that has a "Halvo" in it is a good thing.

Viking wrote:

Just checking in with my first post as a new member as of 5 min. ago.
I cruise an Island Gypsy 32 Sedan. Have owned many (too embarrassed to count) boats. The last 3 have been trawlers and I'm probably stuck on them for life. Love my IG but need to paint her house. Any suggestions?

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Hi there Viking, saying welcome would be a bit presumptuous from me, because I am an interloper on here, being a CHB owner, (Clipper here is Oz), but I also love IGs and have friends with them, so I sneak in here from time to time, and it sounds like I am just in time.*
I just had my Clipper 34' 2 pack sprayed by an expert, (great job - very pleased), and then I painted the whole deckhouse, gunwhale caps and inside the gunwhales myself, and I would now have to say DON'T USE BRIGHTSIDE.*
I have been disapointed in how long it lasts, and a chandlery friend of mine as good as admitted recently that International (Interlux to US), have in a way conceded it is not a good marine paint (by essentially replacing it with Toplac), as it does not like water.* I can confirm pooled water causes it to fragment and peel quite early - proved it in my flybridge, where water gathers at times and the Brightside peeled in no time.* I also painted the bottom of my inflatable with it, as it is never immersed long, but the same thing happened.
This time I used Toplac, and just brushed it, and it went on well, and the finished job looks terrific - almost as good as sprayed, but easier for the amateur.* I hate using rollers because of fear of tripping over the damn tray and spraying paint everywhere, but for large uncomplicated areas, roll and tip is the way to go, I'm sure.* Hope this helps.

*

dwhatty wrote:Speaking of Halvorsens, what's happened with Boogiediver? He hasn't posted for quite awhile.

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I had a PM from him the other day and all is well in Hong Kong. He's been terribly
busy with work and is also exploring the ("sailing world.) I know, I know, but he
insists that he is in good health, both mentally and physically.

*

Peter,
It's hard to believe that one of the most prolific yacht finishes in the world is no good.
I've had a problem when using Brightside on Willy's cabin (the buff) but think it was a problem w an undercoat (Glove-it(an epoxy)). Is Toplac oleo-resinous or urethane or?
I painted my 16' aluminum skiff this spring w Brightside and all went very well. Lots of primer coats though. I think if you use the primers as instructed (read the can) you and all should do very well w Brightside. Don't like the colors very well though.

-- Edited by nomadwilly on Friday 5th of November 2010 01:00:49 PM

Peter B wrote:DON'T USE BRIGHTSIDE.*
I have been disapointed in how long it lasts, and a chandlery friend of mine as good as admitted recently that International (Interlux to US), have in a way conceded it is not a good marine paint (by essentially replacing it with Toplac), as it does not like water.

*

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This is the only time I have ever heard anyone complain about Brighside in the twelve years we've been using it.* It is the paint of choice by most people on the Grand Banks owners forum (wood and glass).* In fact, according to the GB forum, Toplac was recently discontinued.

Interlux's own webside suggests Brightside for applications where toughness is needed.* Toplac was recommended for low-wear areas where easier application was needed.* But Toplac is no more, apparently.

I don't know where this "Brightside doesn't like water" silliness comes from.* While we have a fiberglass boat all the window frames, exterior doors and hatches, and mast and boom are wood.* All have been painted with Brightside (except for a few where I used Toplac which didn't hold up as long) and the boat sits outside year round in the PNW where it rains all the time.* Even the first window frame I overhauled some eleven years ago and painted with two coats of Brightside over primer pretty much looks today the same as it did when I finished painting it.* We even used it on our red boot stripe and it has held up perfectly.

Whoever is telling you that Brightside is a bad paint has either never used it or has no clue how to apply paint.

Hiya,
** I've used Brtightside in the past and it has chaulked badly with very little sun exposure.* I second Peter B's opinion.* I would use it inside, but never again outside.

-- Edited by RT Firefly on Friday 5th of November 2010 04:17:16 PM

Almost ALLLLL the problems w coating (painting) is w the prep.

Don't blame the coating

Look closer

Keep the surface clean (even body oil)

Use the primer and/or follow the directions. If they say sand between coats** ..sand ect.

The primer for Brightside is Pre-kote* ..use it. It brushes beautifully.

And if you don't need gloss it may do as a top coat.

Hiya,
** So my prep for inside differed from my prep for outside?* I don't*think so.* I stick by my comment-OK inside, never outside.

If it makes you feel beter

nomadwilly wrote:

If it makes you feel beter

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Like some others here, I have used Brightside outside with no regrets. Ten years and counting.

*

Hello to all:
I've been following this conversation, since I need to paint my cabin too.* I want to ask you, if any of you has tried the two-part product* named Bristol Finish? I'm thinking of using in the the outside teak.**It will be the*first time I paint this part of the boat so any feedback will be very appreciated.

Rene,
It's reported to be a great product but I've never used it as it has rather fussy application
issues. Marin Faure has used it for some time and likes it. One of the biggest differences in clear furnishes is the hardness and thickness of the film. Looking at your avitar it looks like Bristol now has colors too. There's lots of finishes to choose from. Lots of fishermen use house paint and lots of people think fishermen know everything. And there's everything in between. Preparation is more important that what you use.

Rene wrote:

I want to ask you, if any of you has tried the two-part product* named Bristol Finish?

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As Eric said, we've been using Bristol on our boat since my wife read about it some ten or eleven years ago. It's hellaciously expensive, it's a bit tricky to apply, particularly to vertical surfaces, the catalyst has a relatively short shelf life once you open the jar, and we won't use anything else ever.* At least not in this climate.

However...... it is not a magic bullet.* Lilke varnish, it will discolor and lift if moisture gets under it.* So joints in the wood and the bedding of trim need to be done properly.* The one change we have made recently when working with bare wood is to first put a couple of coats of CPES on the wood and then apply Bristol, preferably eight to ten coats if the weather lets us get that many on. But even if we don't the CPES makes the finish "cling" a lot better and a lot longer.

I've met people who have tried Bristol and not liked it.* From what they say it sounds more like they had trouble with its application, not its appearance or longevity.* It is very thin--- like diesel fuel--- and if you use too much, particularly on a vertical or near vertical surface, it can sag.

Our experience with it has only been in the PNW.* I have no idea how it does in hotter, sunnier climates.* However, Bob Lowe, the owner of Dreamer that is described in the "A Boat for Marin" thread that Eric started in the "general" forum, switched to Bristol a number of years ago (he's the one I learned the CPES trick from) and he had the boat in Mexico for a long time.* He thinks Bristol is terrific. * But..... Dreamer is as near to being perfect as a boat can be, so he wasn't fighting old trim bedding and worn out joint sealant like we are on our boat.

*

I've tried Bristol twice and failed both times. Once by me and once by a pro yacht finisher. We both concluded that the product is too "temperamental" to guarantee a great finish all the time.


-- Edited by SeaHorse II on Saturday 6th of November 2010 02:59:16 PM

SeaHorse II wrote:

We both concluded that the product is too "temperamental" to guarantee a great finish all the time.

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It's not tempermental at all.* We've found it to be totally consistent in the eleven years or so we've been using it.* Professional or not, we've found that people who've had problems with it didn't figure out or understand it's application characteristics.* In other words, operator error.* And it's UV and weather resistance is way better than anything else out there other than paint.

*

Marin wrote:It's not tempermental at all.......** Professional or not, we've found that people who've had problems with it didn't figure out or understand it's application characteristics.* In other words, operator error.*

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WOW!* YOU SOUND LIKE OBAMA!*

I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE IN MY MARINA THAT HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRISTOL, AND YOU'RE
RIGHT, WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK. (NOT A TRAIT THAT I WOULD WANT IN
ANY OF MY PRODUCTS.) MY CHOICE IS EPIPHANE....GOES ON EASY EVERY TIME AND LOOKS GREAT!* (EVERY TIME)





-- Edited by SeaHorse II on Sunday 7th of November 2010 09:56:35 AM

If you want a simple and easy to deal with varnish try McCloskey's Spar Varnish. Or find (if you can) a varnish using tung oil and Phenolic resin exclusively. They are no longer required to list the ingredients of the contents of the can. I think Interlux Schooner is such a product as is McCloskey's Spar. The satin varieties are of an inferior quality.
Epithane is probably a urethane product as "thane" is in it's name. Don't know.
McCloskey's is a very durable and UV resistant coating but is quite soft. One probably would'nt want it on a cap rail where people board the boat. One could use a harder finish for that spot MC for the rest. Perhaps the Epithane would work for high abrasive spots??

I find Marin's post perplexing, as over here in Oz, Toplac has just been launched as 'new' and it was a very experienced chandlery guy who has been in the trade for years who told me re the concerns over Brightside. Are you sure about that Marin....? I have used it for years as well, and like Firefly says, even with good prep, if exposed to significant dampness it crazes and lifts, and it was my reporting of this to the chandlery guy which brought forth his comments. He even cited a case where a vessel painted on the topsides with it was sailed overseas, and the weather was such the yacht was heeled on the same tack for days, and when they arrived, most of the paint on the side decks on that side was cactus...
I find it hard to believe you have had Toplac out long, as it is new here, and our Internationl products are the same as your Interux as far as I know. They were all products basically taken over from the NZ company Epiglass, but maybe the parent company Interlux/International had a former product called Toplac?
Here it is being promoted as new, and having double the UV resistance to other similar products.
https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=174&item=57270&intAbsolutePage=1

Here are a few pictures of some old Halvorsens and other wooden boats taken at our recent wooden boat day. Unfotunately the best interior shots were on a faulty memory stick which is a real pity as one boat in particular was simply amazing. Anyway enjoy .