48 DA Owners Club

Both are great boats... we are looking at getting our 48 listed for sale soon. We love Searay but are looking towards live-aboard life. Deciding to list our 48 has been a difficult choice we love this boat and we have it set up just right
 
Zach312 said:
Both are great boats... we are looking at getting our 48 listed for sale soon. We love Searay but are looking towards live-aboard life. Deciding to list our 48 has been a difficult choice we love this boat and we have it set up just right
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I hear ya! And the thought of selling the 48 without a boat to buy isn't very appealing. From what I can tell, a clean 48 is pretty easy to sell.
 
jeffrey vargas said:
I hear ya! And the thought of selling the 48 without a boat to buy isn't very appealing. From what I can tell, a clean 48 is pretty easy to sell.
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It's a seller's market right now; I've had multiple brokers contact me on my 52; I think it would move pretty fast. But, that would leave a hole in the lifestyle. We have been looking at boats to replace the 52 since Feb 2019 (FLBS) and several gained interest - Nordhavn, Vicem, SR L class, Riviera, and Horizon Power Cat.
Nordhavn - the battle cruiser of boats. Close nit group of owners and almost all used Nordhavns are sold through the manufacturer because the owners are buying another Nordhavn. We looked at a N63 which I personally really liked but a lot of stairs and it had a deep draft which wouldn't work for our shallow waters here. It is a utilitarian's boat with redundancy in systems up the kazoo; it will not leave you stranded. The Nordhavn's are renown for their fuel efficiency I don't think there is another power boat that can touch it.
SR L class - Big fast cruisers. I've been aboard several and have had the opportunity to run a couple up the coast here. I think they are a quality boat that had some teething problems and have taken a bad wrap. The fly in the ointment is they sacrificed mechanical access for living space which was a turn-off for me. Also, visibility from the helm is marginal due to the huge "pillars" around the windshields. The other negative (but typical on many boats now) are the systems are so integrated that a non critical failure in a piece of equipment or wiring can take down the entire boat; unless the owner is an electrical PhD one would be stranded...
Rivera - Very high quality build but also carries a high price tag. I saw this boat as a business cocktail cruiser that needed other features to support distance cruising. I would say this is on par with the SR L class boats; maybe a better fit and finish. Like many others mechanical space was out-prioritized by living space.
Vicem - We looked at the 97 (pre-owned) and 65 Flybridge. Vicem will probably be my next boat. They are made in Turkey and the woodwork is simply spectacular with the best of the best in equipment and appliances. Vicem is a custom boat; you cannot go to Marine Max and pick one from the showroom. Vicem buyers go to Turkey and have their boat designed consequently in the pre-owned market no two are alike. Northrop Johnson was showing us a 97 last year and I had beads of sweat on my forehead with those giddy twitches wanting that boat; it was simply everything a boat should be.
Then there is the Horizon Cat - I had no idea that a 65 foot boat (we looked at the PC65) could be an ocean liner; there is that much space on the boat. These are expensive boats but have everything for a family to do weeks at a time aboard and not bump into each other. Finding a home for this boat may be a challenge do to the huge beam. The draft makes this boat ideal for Florida and Bahamas cruising. This is an amazing boat; I would love to run one in the ocean to understand it better...
 
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Ttmott,

Great write up. We are going to be traveling to see Selene, Nordhaven and Marlows this fall. Our time frame is the next 12-18 months but we need to move the 48 before we can make our next move so we will see what happens.

I am leaning towards a Nordhaven as (at least I think) we would like to do some extended cruising at some point. How much will the deeper draft hurt us getting around FL and the bahamas? We wouldn't be looking at anything over 55 ft maybe even the N43.
 
jeffrey vargas said:
I hear ya! And the thought of selling the 48 without a boat to buy isn't very appealing. From what I can tell, a clean 48 is pretty easy to sell.
Click to expand...

With hesitation I say I hope you are right! We have a lot into our current boat so it might be hard to move for what we need. As mentioned time frame is 12-18 months and we certainly can start our trip down river in the 48. Living on it might be a bit tight. I think it has enough space but for us a express cruiser wouldn't be ideal for an all weather live-aboard.
 
ttmott said:
It's a seller's market right now; I've had multiple brokers contact me on my 52; I think it would move pretty fast. But, that would leave a hole in the lifestyle. We have been looking at boats to replace the 52 since Feb 2019 (FLBS) and several gained interest - Nordhavn, Vicem, SR L class, Riviera, and Horizon Power Cat.
Nordhavn - the battle cruiser of boats. Close nit group of owners and almost all used Nordhavns are sold through the manufacturer because the owners are buying another Nordhavn. We looked at a N63 which I personally really liked but a lot of stairs and it had a deep draft which wouldn't work for our shallow waters here. It is a utilitarian's boat with redundancy in systems up the kazoo; it will not leave you stranded. The Nordhavn's are renown for their fuel efficiency I don't think there is another power boat that can touch it.
SR L class - Big fast cruisers. I've been aboard several and have had the opportunity to run a couple up the coast here. I think they are a quality boat that had some teething problems and have taken a bad wrap. The fly in the ointment is they sacrificed mechanical access for living space which was a turn-off for me. Also, visibility from the helm is marginal due to the huge "pillars" around the windshields. The other negative (but typical on many boats now) are the systems are so integrated that a non critical failure in a piece of equipment or wiring can take down the entire boat; unless the owner is an electrical PhD one would be stranded...
Rivera - Very high quality build but also carries a high price tag. I saw this boat as a business cocktail cruiser that needed other features to support distance cruising. I would say this is on par with the SR L class boats; maybe a better fit and finish. Like many others mechanical space was out-prioritized by living space.
Vicem - We looked at the 97 (pre-owned) and 65 Flybridge. Vicem will probably be my next boat. They are made in Turkey and the woodwork is simply spectacular with the best of the best in equipment and appliances. Vicem is a custom boat; you cannot go to Marine Max and pick one from the showroom. Vicem buyers go to Turkey and have their boat designed consequently in the pre-owned market no two are alike. Northrop Johnson was showing us a 97 last year and I had beads of sweat on my forehead with those giddy twitches wanting that boat; it was simply everything a boat should be.
Then there is the Horizon Cat - I had no idea that a 65 foot boat (we looked at the PC65) could be an ocean liner; there is that much space on the boat. These are expensive boats but have everything for a family to do weeks at a time aboard and not bump into each other. Finding a home for this boat may be a challenge do to the huge beam. The draft makes this boat ideal for Florida and Bahamas cruising. This is an amazing boat; I would love to run one in the ocean to understand it better...
Click to expand...
Wow...Vicem, I had never looked at these. These are beautiful boats!
 
jeffrey vargas said:
I hear ya! And the thought of selling the 48 without a boat to buy isn't very appealing. From what I can tell, a clean 48 is pretty easy to sell.
Click to expand...

Zach, if your 48DA is anything like the 47DB we purchased from you, there should be no problem selling it.

I love both the N55 and the Selene 53 but, I need to see both boat in person to determine which on would be best for our needs. We are also including the Fleming 55 but, there are very scarce. Funny how you and I are on a parallel track in our boating life. Our 47DB will go up for sale within the next 12 months and we plan on full-time live-aboard in 24 months. This has been our plan for the past 28 years and look forward to the next adventure.
 
Keith Zibilich said:
Zach, if your 48DA is anything like the 47DB we purchased from you, there should be no problem selling it.

I love both the N55 and the Selene 53 but, I need to see both boat in person to determine which on would be best for our needs. We are also including the Fleming 55 but, there are very scarce. Funny how you and I are on a parallel track in our boating life. Our 47DB will go up for sale within the next 12 months and we plan on full-time live-aboard in 24 months. This has been our plan for the past 28 years and look forward to the next adventure.
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Agree on these two brands and we are looking forward to seeing them in person. Really welcome peoples thoughts here no pros and cons. I could see us evening going with a smaller Nordhaven or Selene then upgrade in a few years if we want more space. I also want to see a Selene 45 in person. We want to get to live aboard live sooner rather than later so more willing to go a bit smaller if needed.

It sounds like FLIBS is happening so we might try to get there if the right builders will be attending

We certainly can start live aboard life on the 48 if we cant get what we need for it. We really have it set up right. We just aren't in a spot to own two boats of this caliber.
 
ocgrant said:
Busy weekend and checked bunch of stuff off the list of "to-do's" since the motors are apart getting the 1000 hour service and weather in Ft Lauderdale was a chilly
1. Installed my table
2. re-finished my teak steps and floor (sanded and applied SEMCO teak sealer)
3. Installed my grill
4. Fixed the "dogs" on my windows in the bathrooms
5. Installed my AIS unit and got it working

View attachment 80389 View attachment 80390 View attachment 80391 View attachment 80392 View attachment 80393
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Grant - I recently purchased the exact same table from MarineTeak.com. When I bought my 48 it came with a table that was not in the standard hole, it was in a heavy base that you could move around. Would you mind telling me exactly what size table leg tube that is? If I get one of those standard legs, I should be able to duplicate your exact setup.
Thanks
 
Jerroz said:
Grant - I recently purchased the exact same table from MarineTeak.com. When I bought my 48 it came with a table that was not in the standard hole, it was in a heavy base that you could move around. Would you mind telling me exactly what size table leg tube that is? If I get one of those standard legs, I should be able to duplicate your exact setup.
Thanks
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Jerry,

I will have to measure it as it was the OEM mount. I will be there this weekend and grab the mearsurements for you. I can tell you it is the standard marine mount I have seen on tons of boats. Do you have the base already installed on your boat?
 
ocgrant said:
Jerry,

I will have to measure it as it was the OEM mount. I will be there this weekend and grab the measurements for you. I can tell you it is the standard marine mount I have seen on tons of boats. Do you have the base already installed on your boat?
Click to expand...
Its weird. We are the 4th owner of the boat and it appears that the boat never had a table back there. It didn't have one in the salon either...again weird! The last owner bought a heavy base with a pole and the typical fiberglass top that is movable. I haven't tried taking the pole out of that thing and sticking it in the floor but I guess I could try that this weekend.
Thanks again - no rush.
 
Guys... all I can say is check your strainers. This is my starboard AC strainer. I was doing maintenance and noticed a little leak in the bilge. Followed the trail and found a small drip in the strainer basket. Removed the lower clamp and was surprised what I found. One more inch and I could have blown out the entire housing. Thank god I live in Ft Lauderdale as Boat Owners Warehouse stocks the replacement housings. Swapped it out and battled for an hour to re-prime the cockpit AC unit. Time to inspect and replace the rest. WOW... This could have been a disaster!
56A4F7FD-26EB-47E9-9AF5-4ACF1B6F04AD.jpeg
 
Yea I replaced both of mine this past Spring and found one had a pretty good spider crack that could have let go and made for a bad day.
 
Zach312 said:
Ttmott,

Great write up. We are going to be traveling to see Selene, Nordhaven and Marlows this fall. Our time frame is the next 12-18 months but we need to move the 48 before we can make our next move so we will see what happens.

I am leaning towards a Nordhaven as (at least I think) we would like to do some extended cruising at some point. How much will the deeper draft hurt us getting around FL and the bahamas? We wouldn't be looking at anything over 55 ft maybe even the N43.
Click to expand...
You are looking at five feet needed for the N43. My 52DB is 3'10" and around here I routinely see two feet underneath. Many of our haunts in the Bahamas are similar.
 
Had a customer/friend who built a N75. He was an ex-pilot and did a great job with redundant systems on that boat. came out great and was a beautiful boat. "Tortuga" But as he always said..."life at 8 knots" is a different lifestyle. For sure at this point of my life there would be no way I could do it, but who knows maybe later in life 8 knots is full speed???
 
ttmott said:
You are looking at five feet needed for the N43. My 52DB is 3'10" and around here I routinely see two feet underneath. Many of our haunts in the Bahamas are similar.
Click to expand...

Good to know. I will have to learn more on routes boats with deeper drafts take.
 
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