But not too frau-fru. A guy would need to be married to the "right"
woman to be allowed to have a boat like this. You can follow the link
at the end of the article and see photos, if you like.

(Fair warning to those with the most highly refined sensitivities; the
following paragraphs describe a vessel that is currently availavle for
sale. Should this type of material be upsetting or offensive to you,
please return to the normal rec.boats content. Thanks.)

********

Seriously Stout


Independent commercial fishermen are as salty as can be. They will
venture out into the Pacific and perhaps a couple of hundred miles
offshore in search of tuna, salmon, or other species. They are often
forced to fish during very short seasons on days when, given a viable
choice, they would rather seek shelter from terrible weather. These
often grizzled veterans of the sea routinely face towering waves while
riding out gale force winds in blinding rainsqualls. Men and women who
run shrimp trawlers, purse seiners, and long line trollers are seldom
deterred by observations that commercial fishing is one of the most
hazardous occupations in the world. They press on in the face of
conditions that would terrify most pleasure boaters, and one reason
they can do so is that they have an absolute and well founded
confidence in the design of their rugged and specialized, time proven
hulls.

Typical pleasure boaters won't venture hundreds of miles into the
Pacific. Nearly all pleasure boaters will listen to the weather
forecast before setting out, and most are not too proud to delay
departure for a day or two if conditions beyond the breakwater are
likely to be uncomfortable, or perhaps even dangerous. Pleasure
boaters, operating close to shore or in inland waters, often have go
and no-go choices that are unavailable to a vessel well out to sea when
the weather takes a negative turn. Even so, nearly anyone who has been
boating for a while can clearly recall that one particular day when
suddenly it seemed as though the wind was blowing a gale and waves were
cresting above the foredeck. If not admittedly terrified, most
skipper's will concur there have been moments when they have been no
less than "extremely concerned" for the safety of his or her
person, vessel, and passengers or family aboard.

Almost any boat will be "good enough" when conditions are benign,
but when the organic fertilizer collides with the mechanical ventilator
there are no points for Disney style superstructure, designer bunk
sheets, or even the latest gee-whiz computer software at the helm.
There are moments when some pleasure boaters will be wishing for a
rugged, specialized, time proven hull design in which to weather a
storm, and for this reason there are many experienced pleasure boaters
who seek out family cruising boats with workboat or commercial fish
boat attributes. Boaters believing it prudent to select a vessel
capable of withstanding the most severe, (rather than the most typical)
conditions they are likely to encounter might gravitate toward boats
much like this month's NW Classic, "Kiki". We found "Kiki"
among the listings at Fidalgo Yacht Sales in Anacortes.

"Kiki" was built in 1997, by Frank Wajda of Sequim. Her 42-foot,
30,000 pound hull was originally used as a shrimp trawler in the Gulf
of Alaska, but she was converted to a pleasure craft in 2001. She is
built to "take a lickin' and keep on tickin'" with ¼" thick
structural steel frames and 3/16" steel bulkheads sheathed in a
3/16" steel hull. Her deck, house, and heavy-duty mast (with booms
both fore and aft) are steel as well.

"Kiki" benefits from a simple and functional design. There is an
aura of strength and purpose that exudes from her reversed rake
pilothouse windows, long, flat cabin top, and the rectangular lines of
the aft cabin structure now standing in the area where a traditional
use of the same hull would place a fish hold. Below the waterline, she
exhibits traits long prized by generations of experienced offshore
seapeople; a full-length keel, a skeg, and the rudder protect her
propeller.

She is powered by a single Chrysler Nissan 130 HP diesel and should be
easily capable of achieving her claimed cruising speed of 7 knots. With
400 gallons of diesel in two tanks and consumption probably somewhere
near 2 gph, she should be able to cruise from Seattle to Juneau on a
single load of fuel. With 135 gallons of potable water, "Kiki"
could remain offshore for many days before her skipper might begin
considering a return to port. Range and fuel efficiency are among
"Kiki's" many attributes.

When she was converted to pleasure use, "Kiki" retained much of the
rugged appeal associated with her initial purpose. Going aboard some
boats is a lot like stepping into a fancy hotel suite, and boaters who
prefer a pampered and luxurious style afloat would be an unlikely match
for the "comfortable summer cabin" environment found aboard
"Kiki". She was built for seapeople more likely to take pride in a
boat's ability to withstand a storm while operating reliably and
efficiently than to be primarily concerned with the specific genus of
rare hardwood used for interior veneers. If the most exclusive boats
are much like custom tailored tuxedos from an exclusive shop in London,
and the majority of mass produced pleasure boats a lot like a decent or
better quality suit from Macy's, "Kiki" is that pair of favorite
blue jeans and the "lucky" shirt worn for those kicked back and
comfortable times when cherished memories are likely to be made. Give
her credit for charm, and appreciate her authentic style, but don't
look for pretense or snob appeal among her attributes. She's more of
a Budweiser-from-the-bottle sort of gal than a sipper of hundred-buck
wines from crystal stemware.

"Kiki's" cabin door is to starboard, and one steps aboard into a
companion way between the two forward cabins and the master's cabin
most aft. Her main cabin is immediately forward of the companionway and
consists of a galley along the starboard side, a dinette and fully
enclosed head to port, and the helm in the starboard forequarter.
Knotty pine planks trim out the main cabin in a very pleasant, if
informal manner. A row of tall, narrow, pilothouse windows provides
excellent visibility forward without using any individually oversized
sections of glass likely to be vulnerable if "Kiki" buried her bow
in a rampaging head sea. The galley consists of a laminate worktop, a
double stainless sink, a propane stove with oven, and a dual voltage
Norcold refrigerator/freezer. The dinette consists of two pleasantly
upholstered but functional looking wooden fixtures facing a sturdy
table. The main cabin head, just aft of the dinette, is essentially
just an enclosed marine toilet in a compartment that is clean but
hasn't been dramatically upgraded since the original fish boat days;
(one washes up in the galley sink, or uses the much nicer head in the
master's cabin aft).

"Kiki" features basic but functional electronics at the helm,
including a Furuno 16-mile radar, a Furuno video sounder and
fishfinder, and a Standard Horizon VHF. Swing out mirrors on the port
and starboard side decks were probably originally intended to allow the
helmsman to monitor side trawls, but they will serve just as well for
providing a good view astern when underway.

The guest stateroom is in the forepeak, where a tapered bunk will allow
two people to sleep feet forward in a dry and pleasantly painted
compartment. There is adequate stowage in bins and lockers at the base
of the two steps from the main cabin. The unique design of the cabin
sole just aft of the tapered bunk was probably intended to allow
soaking wet clothes to drip dry down into the bilge while exhausted
fishermen snatched a few hours of sleep. It isn't the least bit
surprising to note a "survival suit" in the hanging locker- the
seapeople who would be drawn to "Kiki" might be likely to realize
they are better off to have one and not need it than to need one and
not have it.

The master's cabin, most aft, is a light and pleasant environment. A
settee to starboard will convert to a double berth. A very civilized
head with electric flush toilet, a sink, a shower, and even a very
small soaking tub is situated in the port forequarter. A custom- built
desk/bookcase/ stereo entertainment center is affixed to the aft
bulkhead, with a clever drop front that creates a considerable work
surface when down but takes up virtually no space when not in use.

It's easy to imagine a Pacific NW family cruising safely and
economically in "Kiki". She has been built to be more than a match
for practically any weather or sea state, and she has an authentic
rather than a contrived character. It will be that character that is
likely to make her one of the vessels that certain boaters (with
specific priorities) will most admire. The "oohs", "aahs", and
approving nods that "Kiki" will inspire in local marinas won't be
because she sports the latest fads in "Euroswirl" superstructures,
but rather because she does not. She could have been built 50 years
ago, and if there are still fish offshore (and adventurous individuals
desiring stout vessels capable of pursuing them) yards will still be
building boats not that very different from "Kiki" 50 years from
now.

"Kiki" is currently available for sale, and is listed for $109,000.
For additional information on this vessel, please call Fidalgo Yacht
Sales in Anacortes (360-293-4711)
or visit the web site www.fidalgoyachtsales.com

wrote:
But not too frau-fru. A guy would need to be married to the "right"
woman to be allowed to have a boat like this. You can follow the link
at the end of the article and see photos, if you like.

(Fair warning to those with the most highly refined sensitivities; the
following paragraphs describe a vessel that is currently availavle for
sale. Should this type of material be upsetting or offensive to you,
please return to the normal rec.boats content. Thanks.)

snip...

Oh oh! You have probably already been reported to the proper authorities
in OZ. They will demand a retraction and apology plus a statement
admitting that all boat/outboard salesmen are a pox on humanity etc.

Nice boat though. Would be a perfect choice for me when I get too old
to sail.

In article .com,
says...
But not too frau-fru. A guy would need to be married to the "right"
woman to be allowed to have a boat like this. You can follow the link
at the end of the article and see photos, if you like.

Cute, the only thing it's missing is the ability to separate myself from
children when I need quiet time. My desired layout will have a forward
and aft cabin, both with doors. I'd prefer the forward cabin door to
lock from the outside.

If it were just the SO and me, that'd be a cool and definitely efficient
way to get around.

BTW, I'd also prefer a bit more separation on the stereo speakers.

jps

jps wrote:
Cute, the only thing it's missing is the ability to separate myself from
children when I need quiet time.


What? You never heard of towing a dinghy? :-)

In article .com,
says...

jps wrote:
Cute, the only thing it's missing is the ability to separate myself from
children when I need quiet time.


What? You never heard of towing a dinghy? :-)

What's the rules on 1000' ft. towing lines? Do I turn on the anchor
light?

With the way sound travels over water, I'd likely be cited for
disturbing the peace.

jps