Does anyone have any thoughts or information about the construction and durability of the boats built by Channel Cutter Yachts (www.channelcutteryachts.com)?
I’ve always amazing things about Sam L. Morse’s construction, but nothing about this Canadian company. Any information would be great.
Thanks,
Mike
(Hopefully a future BCC or FC owner)
We have a Canadian built hull and deck which was finished by Erica and Peter Thinnus (a Dutch machinist). The big difference between the Canadian built boat and SLM boat is the Canadian boats sail backwards but hell, that transom does a good job of cutting the water when going to weather. Indeed, a remarkable hull design.
As with any boat, the boat must stand on her own when surveyed. The key to any survey is how well the boat was maintained. If the boat was well maintained, regardless of who built her, then it’s probably good boat. Even then, every boat has its problems.
IDUNA.
The Canadian boats may sail backwards, but that’s still better than the Australian boats… I don’t think I could deal with the vessel being upside-down all the time!
good one!
Indeed.
IDUNA
At Port Townsend Foundry one day last year I met Kaj (rhymes with sky) who is building out a Channel Cutter hull on Vancouver Island. A woodworker by trade, he is building a masterwork, in my eyes. Check:
http://knjwoodworking.blogspot.com/
We live less than a hour’s drive up island from the yard and hope to stop in sometime soon.
donal
There have been different builders in Canada. Actually, the same company but different owners. As the previous owner of the Sam L. Morse Company, I can say with confidence that the Canadian built boats were all built to the same quality as the SLM boats with only a few minor differences. These differences are trivial and not a real concern. If I were looking for a BCC, I would not hesitate to consider a Canadian built boat. That said, pay attention to what Rod (IDUNA) said about each boat has to be properly surveyed by a “reputable” surveyor.
Be aware that there is someone attempting to build BCC’s from the original Canadian mold who does not work for Channel Cutter Yachts.
If you have any particular questions that concern you, please feel free to email me direct at: xiphias37@yahoo.com
Roger Olson
Thanks for everyone’s help and information.
The boat I’m looking at was, I believe, named Gayle Force (she was painted and currently has no name on her). Does anyone know her previous owners or the boat’s history? I believe she was homeported in FL.
Thanks again,
Mike
At Port Townsend Foundry one day last year I met
Kaj (rhymes with sky) who is building out a
Channel Cutter hull on Vancouver Island. A
woodworker by trade, he is building a masterwork,
in my eyes. Check:We live less than a hour’s drive up island from
the yard and hope to stop in sometime soon.donal
I agree - he’s doing a fantastic and painstaking job!
Really beautiful work.
At Port Townsend Foundry one day last year I met
Kaj (rhymes with sky) who is building out a
Channel Cutter hull on Vancouver Island. A
woodworker by trade, he is building a masterwork,
in my eyes. Check:We live less than a hour’s drive up island from
the yard and hope to stop in sometime soon.donal
I agree - he’s doing a fantastic and painstaking job!
Really beautiful work.
I agree with the above.
I have a Canadian build boat, and the quality is excellent. The hull is 5/8 in solid fiberglass at the through hull fittings. The wood is mostly Honduran mahogany with some teak. The bronze castings are to die for, and I think they were cast in Port Townsend. The interior is Philippine mahogany, and I think fir. The bowsprit is Fir, but may have been renewed. I personally like my interior best of all BCCs I have seen. The rig is somewhat longer than the Costa Mesa boats, being 37 ft and change versus 35 ft and change. There is more wood (Honduran mahogany) on the whalestrakes, which is one way to identify them. Also, the bullworks are a little taller (about 6 in versus about 5 in I think).
The good deal of the Vancouver built boats is that you get practically the same boat at a substanial discount. I would guess that there is no topping the construction quality of the Morse built boats-everyone concedes that Sam Morse made them as good as humanly possible-, and many Vancouver boats were owner finished, so qualities may vary, but basically you get the same boat for less.
I once heard that you can divide the value of a boat in fifths. Hull and deck 1/5, Rig 1/5, Interior 1/5, Engine 1/5, Gear 1/5. With a BCC you don’t really need to worry about hull and deck, or generally the rig, but that leaves 3/5th of the value in parts that can be worn out or owner constructed, and that is where the survey, and you own tastes, come into play.
IDUNA, a Canadian BCC, also has a unique interior. Can you post a few photos of the interior of your boat? I believe we have more storage than the SLM standard BCC. Which engine do you have? IDUNA has a Sabb G engine.
Rod
Hi Rod,
Look on Gallery for Mintaka II. That is my boat. I changed her name to Destarte’. The only difference in that the overhead strakes are now painted white as are the strakes in the forward V-berth. Owner 3 did that before me.
She has a full size chart table and galley. The exchange is that one must put feet through a hole in the bulkhead while in the pilot berths: a fair trade for expanding the working part of the boat, in my opinion. There is a fold out table for the galley that crosses the midline giving the cook wrap around countertop space.
BTW, the pics for Tyree are also my boat. She sailed under the name Tyree between Mintaka II and Destarte’.
A lovely creature she is!
Jerry
junessa is a Canadian built boat, built in '85. She has a unique interior (check out my blog for photos) along with four portlights vs. the standard three on SLM boats.
She was fitted with a Volvo 2003 engine, which I’m currently rebuilding the top end.
It’s really exciting to view other BCC boats and compare all the minor and major differences, and in the end… all owners are thrilled with their boats!
As I was pulling into Ketchikan this summer a woman came running out to meet me. She was yelling “is that a BCC?” (JUNESSA LOOKS DIFFERENT WITH HER HARD DODGER), I said “Yes mam she’s a BCC alright”. The woman began to cry and told me how she and her late husband had sailed their lovely BCC all the way up to Glacier Bay many years back. She began crying again when she told me how they had to sell their beloved little boat, “it was like loosing a child”.
I thought I’d share that little story with you…
Rick
BCC JUNESSA
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/bccjunessa
I know the Canadian boats well. My brother had the rights under Sam Morse to build the Canadian 28’ BCC boat back in the 1980s. He and his partner Bryan Gittins were written up in Ferenc Mate’s book ‘Best Boats to Build or Buy’. Bryan is still at it, and builds the 34’ Lyle Hess Falmouth Cutter on Vancouver Island. He no longer builds the 28’. Bryan only does things one way and that is the best way possible. There are I believe 3 or 4 of the Falmouth 34s already built, and another under way at Bryan’s shop.
The September issue of Cruising World has a feature article on the Falmouth 34 written by Alvah Simon. Also a side article by Lin Pardey about Lyle Hess.
Ron Thompson
I’d love to get an idea of how many 32’s and 34’s are out there… doe anyone here know, or know who would know?
Good question Ben , but must be a hard one to answer.
Remember that the boats are built in shops world wide.
Maybe L & L would have the best idea, because most owner-builders need bronze patterns.