SeaPiper 35 Delivery Update and Reviews

The first SeaPiper 35 to be delivered was sold after its debut at the Newport, CA boat show in April. The introductory sales price for the boat was $169K and included an extensive options list with a GENSET, autopilot, electronics and a diesel heater as part of the package. This was a great deal for the buyer of Hull #1 and will not be available on subsequent deliveries. That being said, you can still have a well optioned new boat for less than $200K.

SeaPiper has orders for 13 boats and is finishing up work on their own production facility in China which will allow them to build a boat a month. They will eventually have the ability to increase production to 2-3 boats a month as needed. Hull #4 will be delivered to their European distributor in the Netherlands and will be the first boat equipped with the SeaKeeper 2 Gyro. The SeaPiper is a good fit for Europe as it is perfect for the abundant canals and rivers as well as coastal passages.

The boating media has started to take notice and the first two reviews have just been published. The first review was an online write-up published last month on boats.com:

https://www.boats.com/reviews/seapiper-35-review/

The second review is in the August issue of Sea Magazine.

Note: Both reviews incorrectly state that the base price of $169K includes the listed options, which as mentioned, was only for Hull #1.

Additional SeaPiper Photos

Here is a link to the brokerage listing for Hull #1 at Dick Simon Yachts. There are a lot of detailed interior and below deck photos.

2018 35' SEAPIPER 35 Trawler Yacht SOLD in Dana Point California

Very interesting boat. They never should have disclosed what they sold Hull #1 for though. Good reviews and both to point out things the reviewer would want different. Sounds like the Gyro is a must and something good to mount instruments on.

I know it's contrary to the spirit of the boat, but do you know if Air Conditioning can be added?

We were just imagining some of the interesting places one could trailer the boat to.

"I know it's contrary to the spirit of the boat, but do you know if Air Conditioning can be added?"

Not contrary at all, the optional A/C package includes a Dometic 6000 BTU unit in the stateroom and a 10,000 BTU unit for the pilothouse and galley.

Island Bound said:

"I know it's contrary to the spirit of the boat, but do you know if Air Conditioning can be added?"

Not contrary at all, the optional A/C package includes a Dometic 6000 BTU unit in the stateroom and a 10,000 BTU unit for the pilothouse and galley.

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I don't think it's contrary, but I'm thinking a lot of people would.

BandB said:

I don't think it's contrary, but I'm thinking a lot of people would.

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Only the ones that have never boated in the south. :lol: Running my A/C unit right now in New Bern, NC.

Thank you for keeping us updated on this nifty boat, Island Bound.

Interesting too-short interview with the designer Ritzo Muntinga here:

https://www.morganscloud.com/2016/05/18/offshore-motorboats-and-an-ideal-geezer-boat/

His explanation of his topsides design is perfect, i.e. why he has no aft cockpit. The 8'6" beam dictated his design, and I must say it is the best design attempt I have seen to marry a skinny trailerable beam with a functional cruising boat.

For me, the most intriguing statement on their website is:

"The cast iron internal ballast set in resin adds to the impact strength of the hull: most of the hull bottom is more than 3 inches thick."

Ballast set in resin in the bottom of the hull? While I appreciate the concept of ballasting a narrow beam boat for stability purposes, it is a brand new concept to me to ballast the hull instead of the keel. This makes me wonder if the cast iron is one piece and how much of the hull area contains it. Perhaps the designer was trying to avoid a full-length keel in order to achieve less draft, and therefore could not ballast the keel? Or perhaps the weight of the fuel tanks dictated some offsetting weight at the opposite end? This little note about the hull ballast makes me wish they would explain it in more detail on their website.

Would love to hear one of the naval architects on TF chime in here.

Cheers,
Pea

I certainly can see how nice that boat would be for someone like me who might be interested in traveling to do a portion of the loop. I can see it being nice for a couple when traveling from town to town with lots of opportunities to tie up to a dock or pier and get off the boat.

It’s a lot like the Ranger boats but w the cabin aft.
I wouldn’t want it w/o the cabin and engine moved well fwd. But I realize the far fwd wheelhouse on the Rangers is a flaw one must choose which bad they are willing to put up with. Good balance and a fwd located wheelhouse w good visability is a must for me. I’ll bet the market will force the builder to a more typical engine and wheelhouse location in the near future.
I’m keen on most of the rest of the boat though.

Miz Trom said:

Thank you for keeping us updated on this nifty boat, Island Bound.

Interesting too-short interview with the designer Ritzo Muntinga here:

https://www.morganscloud.com/2016/05/18/offshore-motorboats-and-an-ideal-geezer-boat/

His explanation of his topsides design is perfect, i.e. why he has no aft cockpit. The 8'6" beam dictated his design, and I must say it is the best design attempt I have seen to marry a skinny trailerable beam with a functional cruising boat.

For me, the most intriguing statement on their website is:

"The cast iron internal ballast set in resin adds to the impact strength of the hull: most of the hull bottom is more than 3 inches thick."

Ballast set in resin in the bottom of the hull? While I appreciate the concept of ballasting a narrow beam boat for stability purposes, it is a brand new concept to me to ballast the hull instead of the keel. This makes me wonder if the cast iron is one piece and how much of the hull area contains it. Perhaps the designer was trying to avoid a full-length keel in order to achieve less draft, and therefore could not ballast the keel? Or perhaps the weight of the fuel tanks dictated some offsetting weight at the opposite end? This little note about the hull ballast makes me wish they would explain it in more detail on their website.

Would love to hear one of the naval architects on TF chime in here.

Cheers,
Pea

Click to expand...

From Ritzo himself:

SeaPiper's hull is of a box keel design. The keel volume emerges from the hull, starting out very wide and narrowing as you go aft. The bottom panel of the hull (and keel box) is completely flat, it is however angled 2 degrees aft. The maximum width of the flat bottom is right around station 4 and then it evenly tapers to the keel tip.

So now you have a hull with a wide keel box area amidships allowing the engine to sit all the way in the bottom with a horizontal prop shaft for maximum propulsion efficiency. And the boat will sit happily on its flat bottom too.

The installed ballast covers the inside of this bottom panel pretty much evenly, so the majority of the ballast is also situated around station 4. This works out perfectly as trim for the pilothouse and galley superstructure weight.

We are using steel ballast in the first hulls but will move to several cast iron blocks cast exactly to size in future hulls. Either solution works fine.

I would like to see better photos of the box keel...would open up whole new worlds of opportunities if you could beach the boat and have it sit comfortably and level on its bottom.

Nomad Willy said:

It’s a lot like the Ranger boats but w the cabin aft.
I wouldn’t want it w/o the cabin and engine moved well fwd. But I realize the far fwd wheelhouse on the Rangers is a flaw one must choose which bad they are willing to put up with. Good balance and a fwd located wheelhouse w good visability is a must for me. I’ll bet the market will force the builder to a more typical engine and wheelhouse location in the near future.
I’m keen on most of the rest of the boat though.

Click to expand...

One of the things that was hard to get used to when we went to a trawler was how far forward the helm was. I was so used to piloting from the aft of the boat that it was a bit unnerving to look forward from the helm and only be able to see 1/3 of the boat.

My point, such as it is, is that I think I would get used to the helm position pretty quickly.

So, the ballast is centered. Thank you, IB.

I wish this had the hull side portholes like my Camano 31. I love the view while laying down. Even without them though, this is the only new trawler that has my attention as a potential replacement for the troll down the road. The twin cabin design is very similar to the wooden custom built Strumpet I really loved.

Beam Captain! I need more beam! Even if one added a $30k stabilizer that boat would not fare well in my neck of the woods.

Very cool boat though and the sub $200k pricetag for a 35' boat is very impressive in todays market! Most new boats in that size range are at least double the cost.

South of Heaven said:

Beam Captain! I need more beam! Even if one added a $30k stabilizer that boat would not fare well in my neck of the woods.

Very cool boat though and the sub $200k pricetag for a 35' boat is very impressive in todays market! Most new boats in that size range are at least double the cost.

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I would have no use for the boat in my waters either, but I can certainly see where it would be nice for some purposes and the ability to ship it in a container or tow it to another location would be great.

As I’ve said before, while I’m not the target audience, I am glad to see builders exploring other options.

dhays said:

I would have no use for the boat in my waters either...

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People traveled by canoe from S.E. Alaska, through BC, back and forth to Haida Gwaii, and into Washington State for thousands of years. You just have to pick your days to travel.

MurrayM said:

I would like to see better photos of the box keel...would open up whole new worlds of opportunities if you could beach the boat and have it sit comfortably and level on its bottom.

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Here are some hull photos of Hull #1 under construction from the News Blog section of the SeaPiper website. I really like the fact that the fuel, water and holding tanks are all built into the hull out of fiberglass. Our Great Harbour trawler is built the same way.

News Blog - SeaPiper

MurrayM said:

People traveled by canoe from S.E. Alaska, through BC, back and forth to Haida Gwaii, and into Washington State for thousands of years. You just have to pick your days to travel.

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I’m not saying it couldn’t be done but the design doesn’t fit how I use a boat here in the PNW. That doesn’t mean it is a bad design, but form follows function and we all acquire boats that will work with how we anticipate using the boat.

Island Bound said:

Here are some hull photos of Hull #1 under construction from the News Blog section of the SeaPiper website. I really like the fact that the fuel, water and holding tanks are all built into the hull out of fiberglass. Our Great Harbour trawler is built the same way.

News Blog - SeaPiper

Click to expand...

Thanks...that helps. I can see now how the bow section transitions into the box keel, which then transitions into the traditional keel at the stern. Should sit solidly (as in not rocky side to side) on the beach

Nomad Willy said:

I’ll bet the market will force the builder to a more typical engine and wheelhouse location in the near future.

Click to expand...

I don't see that happening. With 13 orders in hand and an already substantial investment made in tooling costs, SeaPiper will continue to be built as designed with ongoing tweaks and improvements as new boats are completed. Getting a new boat design actually constructed and delivered to customers is an incredible achievement and a huge financial risk. SeaPiper has been positioned for a unique market niche and is not trying to compete with any existing trawlers, new or used. Opening up a European sales office is a smart move as aft pilothouse or steering station power boats are not uncommon

dhays said:

I’m not saying it couldn’t be done but the design doesn’t fit how I use a boat here in the PNW. That doesn’t mean it is a bad design, but form follows function and we all acquire boats that will work with how we anticipate using the boat.

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Yup, everyone’s different for sure.

We come from sea kayaking, so used to be way more sensitive to changing sea states than we are with a 30’ trawler.

I could easily see using this boat much like a kayak, in that you put miles under the keel when conditions are good, anchor up and hike when the water is too rough, and when big storms threaten you could let it dry on the beach in some protected bay or on a tidal sand bar up a creek.

South of Heaven said:

Beam Captain! I need more beam! Even if one added a $30k stabilizer that boat would not fare well in my neck of the woods.

Very cool boat though and the sub $200k pricetag for a 35' boat is very impressive in todays market! Most new boats in that size range are at least double the cost.

Click to expand...

I think you might be surprised at how effective the SeaKeeper 2 Gyro will be in reducing SeaPiper's natural roll motion. SeaKeeper's technical assessment (see below link) shows that a SeaKeeper 2 gyro installed in the SeaPiper 35 results in an 80% reduction in beam sea roll rate. If I ordered a SeaPiper, I would add the $22.5K for the SeaKeeper 2 option and a second alternator to the Beta 85 engine in lieu of the GENSET. The forward machinery space has room for a GENSET or the SeaKeeper 2. In my experience, having owned a 21' Ranger Tug in Hawaii, the SeaKeeper gyro would be a more useful addition.

The house battery bank will handle the normal overnight anchoring electrical needs and adding solar panels should restore most of that electrical draw during the day. If more charging capacity is needed, the engine can always be cranked up for a period of time at anchor, or the crew can get underway to the next destination.

Miz Trom said:

Thank you for keeping us updated on this nifty boat, Island Bound.

Interesting too-short interview with the designer Ritzo Muntinga here:

https://www.morganscloud.com/2016/05/18/offshore-motorboats-and-an-ideal-geezer-boat/

His explanation of his topsides design is perfect, i.e. why he has no aft cockpit. The 8'6" beam dictated his design, and I must say it is the best design attempt I have seen to marry a skinny trailerable beam with a functional cruising boat.

For me, the most intriguing statement on their website is:

"The cast iron internal ballast set in resin adds to the impact strength of the hull: most of the hull bottom is more than 3 inches thick."

Ballast set in resin in the bottom of the hull? While I appreciate the concept of ballasting a narrow beam boat for stability purposes, it is a brand new concept to me to ballast the hull instead of the keel. This makes me wonder if the cast iron is one piece and how much of the hull area contains it. Perhaps the designer was trying to avoid a full-length keel in order to achieve less draft, and therefore could not ballast the keel? Or perhaps the weight of the fuel tanks dictated some offsetting weight at the opposite end? This little note about the hull ballast makes me wish they would explain it in more detail on their website.

Would love to hear one of the naval architects on TF chime in here.

Cheers,
Pea

Click to expand...

Huh? not a new concept at all....its inside the hull as many thousands of boats worldwide seem to have...

All sorts of narrow vessels plying the world’s waters successfully. Fuel efficient too. My families first boat was 34 feet long with a beam of a bit less than 9 feet. The vessel was designed and used as an offshore sport fishing boat in the 1930s. Safe and easily driven. Iron ballast in the bilges too.

I fail to see a negative with 8.5 feet as do other posters. But, time will tell as the vessels hit the market. BTW I sure liked the trailer ability of my 8.5’ beam SeaRay.

Another thing , as it pertains to the beam. Its not only the stability issues that worry me but the interior space with the lack of breadth. It gets tight in a 8'6 boat! I just sold mine for that very reason. I had a 25 C Dory. Awesome boat. Well made, solid and economical. Too small though. If C Dory were to make a 35' with a 12 or 13' beam I'd pay in advance for an order....

I think alot of this discussion depends on how you use a boat as well. I'll be a full time liveaboard in less than 2 months! Space is of paramount importance to me. I'm actually gonna be moving up pretty soon to a larger boat for some much added interior space....

The Seapiper 35 will be perfect to some. But not for me. And that's fine. Is there really one boat that fits everyone's tastes?? No! Most of the boats on my dock are sporfishers. I was talking to my neighbor (newer 40' ish Viking) about trawlers and he asked me what would be a dream boat for me and I told him a new 50'+ Nordhavn. He laughed and said he wouldn't be caught dead in a Nordhavn! Lol. Everyone's different...

Jason
I’m not sure the Seapiper was intended as a live aboard. Nor is a Camano 31. Where do you put the 15 ft3 freezer and washer and dryer? Let alone the 4 grandkids and parents.

Regarding stability, a bit of sleuthing will find articles on how a gasoline powered 36’ x 9’ power boat crossed the Atlantic over 100 years ago. With 4 pros aboard. Let alone the dozens of “narrow” Ranger Tugs we’ve seen in AK this summer that came up from lower 48.

Not to mention the myriad of “narrow” 30 something commercial fishing boats made a half a century ago and still in service. These guys go places and in weather that would turn a Camano turtle

Island Bound: Sorry for derailing your thread.

"The cast iron internal ballast set in resin adds to the impact strength of the hull: most of the hull bottom is more than 3 inches thick."
____________

[FONT=&quot]Ballast set in resin in the bottom of the hull? While I appreciate the concept of ballasting a narrow beam boat for stability purposes, it is a brand new concept to me to ballast the hull instead of the keel. This makes me wonder if the cast iron is one piece and how much of the hull area contains it. Perhaps the designer was trying to avoid a full-length keel in order to achieve less draft, and therefore could not ballast the keel? Or perhaps the weight of the fuel tanks dictated some offsetting weight at the opposite end? This little note about the hull ballast makes me wish they would explain it in more detail on their website.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]-Me
[/FONT]____________

Huh? not a new concept at all....its inside the hull as many thousands of boats worldwide seem to have...
-Jack (Steve?)

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Hi Jack:

I had no idea that cast iron had ever been used as the core material for a fiberglass hull. Slap me upside the head!

Cheers,
Pea

2-foot length-itis and 1-foot beam-itis

One of the benefits touted for narrow hulls/cabins on older passage-maker designed sailboats was handholds always in reach. Of course that was also complemented with a nice displacement hull. I think it is definitely spacious enough for a single person to live aboard since the Camano can also handle that and countless folks do so on 30 foot sailboats.

Single-handing for docking may be interesting with steps down and up again to the stern but tying off a spring line should be sweet with the center cockpit. I think grabbing a mooring from the center cockpit might be easy as well. Great space for a water maker. Wonder what the holding tank size is.