New to the Forum: 55' Diesel Duck

Greetings Everyone! Bruce & Liz Jones here. We recently purchased a gently used Diesel Duck 55 (58' LOA), Amadeus, that was moored in Seattle's Lake Union for several years. We are now keeping her at Deer Harbor Marina on Orcas Island, WA. We live in North Idaho, outside Coeur D'Alene.

I'm in the marine business and have built civil submarines and deep submersibles for 30 years. We're fairly experienced sailors. My wife, Liz had just finished sailing around the world when I met her 30 years ago. I grew up overseas with my folks in the heavy marine construction business, so I've been on the water for as long as I can remember. My first long non-commercial offshore passage was on my folks 68' Defever when I was a teen. Japan-Okinawa-Manila-Vietnam-Singapore-Indonesia-Australia- New Caledonia - Fiji - American Samoa - Hawaii - Seattle, 1971-1974. Making that sort of passage in a powerboat was pretty rare back then. We made a lot of trips up and down the coast to Mexico and up in the Inland Passage.

My wife being a sailor we've had mainly sailboats over the years. This is our first powerboat together, but we spend quite a bit of time on bigger ships in support of sub operations. My company, Triton Submarines, is based in Florida and is buying a 225' SSV now for an around the world sub expedition program we will start in 2018. My wife and I will run the expedition and will move on board for a year.

We are seriously thinking of doing the Northwest Passage on Amadeus this coming Summer. Leaving from Seattle in May and doing the NWP and finally winding up in Vero Beach, Florida 6 months later. It's still in the early planning stages and I am not sure we'll have the time to prepare sufficiently for the trip.

We look forward to participating in the Forum.

Amadeus

A look at Amadeus:

I've followed Amadeus on Yachtworld for quite a while now. Great to see she has landed in capable hands. Welcome to the forum.

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

You bought my boat. Well, not really my boat, but the price was so attractive that I lusted after it. I think you will know how to put it to good use. Happy cruising, and welcome to TF.

What was wrong with her that kept her from being purchased for so long? She looks beautiful now!

Scott, it's a long, strange story. The owner who commissioned her was very involved in her systems design and made 11 trips to Asia during construction. He shipped it back in 2006 and spent about $200k fine tuning her. Then, the boat sat and was never used. He is a very busy guy and there is speculation that is wife is/was not fond of boating. The price was reduced many times and the boat was taken out for sea trials several times, but a sale was never consummated. In reality, the problems were never that significant. Shaft alignment, a dinged prop vibration, a fuel leak. One potential owner really badmouthed the boat in public - I should be grateful to him. Anyway, I worked with the owner; he fixed some problems and I fixed others. In the end we got a terrific boat with only 100 hours on the engine and 75 on the genset at, I guess, less than one third the replacement value. We doubled the number of hours on the boat this fall and had absolutely no significant issues. Really, I think its the best deal I've ever made...

Good luck on your new to you boat and your plans. I passed your boat many times on the Cut in Seattle and also wondered why it was not sold. I boat out of the Seattle Yacht Club and our main station and my dock was very close to the Amadeus.

Gorgeous boat, congratulations and welcome aboard!

Congrats on your purchase of Amadeus and welcome aboard. Best of luck in your promising SSV venture.

Bruce and Liz: Welcome to the TF, and hearty congrats on Amadeus. She looks stunning. Your intentions and her capabilities seem well matched. Bon chance!

Congratulations Bruce and Liz,

Welcome aboard, from a newbie.

I also watched your boat for sale, and wondered. Thanks for sharing the story. Glad you found it and have plans to employ her properly.

See you in the islands...and Best Wishes!

Jeff

The Amadeus will make a terrific dinghy for the 225' SSV. You two are sure sea faring pros as compared to the rest of us lightweights.

Idaho, Deer Harbor and Florida seems a great combination and expansion of planes, trains and automobiles.

Nice boat, welcome aboard

Welcome. Sounds like a fortuitous set of circumstances has lead to the boat now having linked up with the owner she deserved. She chose you by the way. That's the way it goes with boats.

Amadeus said:

Scott, it's a long, strange story. The owner who commissioned her was very involved in her systems design and made 11 trips to Asia during construction. He shipped it back in 2006 and spent about $200k fine tuning her. Then, the boat sat and was never used. He is a very busy guy and there is speculation that is wife is/was not fond of boating. The price was reduced many times and the boat was taken out for sea trials several times, but a sale was never consummated. In reality, the problems were never that significant. Shaft alignment, a dinged prop vibration, a fuel leak. One potential owner really badmouthed the boat in public - I should be grateful to him. Anyway, I worked with the owner; he fixed some problems and I fixed others. In the end we got a terrific boat with only 100 hours on the engine and 75 on the genset at, I guess, less than one third the replacement value. We doubled the number of hours on the boat this fall and had absolutely no significant issues. Really, I think its the best deal I've ever made...

Click to expand...

Mr. Jones, Congratulations on your purchase of Amadeus. I came very close to purchasing the vessel. We sea trialed the vessel in June 2014. Your professional background will suit you well with Amadeus.
Good Luck and safe passage making.

Searching for the "I bow in your presence imogi " awesome!