Wooden Schooner

After a 25 Year successful charter history in Phuket this beautiful 1906 Schooner is for sale, for anyone wishing to buy her and continue chartering, their are agreements in place with all the main charter agents, she is fully equipped for day trips and live aboard cruises and is fully licensed and insured in Thailand for up to 35 Passengers, she is also licensed for Burma / Myanmar until January 2017.
Built in Denmark and launched in 1096 as a ketch rigged fishing boat, she spent the next 70 years of so meeting the fishing fleet and transferring their catch, in her vivier, to the markets ashore. Purchased by a Dutch owner in the 70's she was sailed to Holland where she was converted to a Marconi rigged schooner and cruised the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean before arriving in Thailand in the late 80's. 1991 saw her driven onto a reef in the Similan Island during a squall, from where she was salvaged and re fitted as gaff rigged schooner and live aboard dive boat, a task she fulfilled until purchased by her current owners, who following a 2005 major refit have chartered her in the waters of the Andaman Sea.
A very special lady that represents over 100 years of maritime history and a rare chance to own a true classic in time for her 110th birthday !
She is offered complete with a mooring in Chalong Bay

****Update****

THE SAD STORY OF THE SCHOONER SERAPH

Background.
Over a year ago I decided to put my Yachts on the market as a precursor to my retirement. This was clearly going to take some time to execute and, having denuded my Company of staff, I made the decision to hand the management of my yachts over to a (self-proclaimed) expert in the Marketing and general Management of Classic Yachts to use and maintain the yachts, deriving some income prior to their sale. He did address a number of technical issues that he had inherited but, unfortunately, ignored (or was ignorant in) two of the fundamental structural issues of any wooden boat in these waters – rot and termites. The result has been that Seraph has been seriously mauled by the little wood eaters (stem to stern) and the removal of the affected timbers has exposed a number of areas of rot. He had started chipping areas of rot with no apparent plan to scarf in new timber leaving Seraph with a number of exposed areas. This, coupled with the professionally addressed (Gunther at Seascape) elimination of the termites and the removal of the eaten wood, has left the Yacht unable to sail and, therefore, work.

The Solution.
Being a wooden boat in the land of wooden fishing boats, materials and skilled labour can readily be found. Seraph must be hauled, the masts lifted out, the outside of the hull “wooded’ (all paint and antifoul stripped) and interior covering removed as much as possible. Only then will the true scope of the damage be revealed. Damaged and rotted areas will then be dealt with as necessary. It is worthy of note that, as of today, most of the identified areas of rot have been found in the original oak frames and beams. Having spent a lot of time replacing oak with better ‘warm water’ timber over the last years, there cannot be that much left to rot! It all sounds simple but…..
Cost Estimate.
I have based the figures below on my last few haulouts and their costs. Timescales have been based on 6 workers for 150 days.As stated above, until the full scope of the damage is established, these figures cannot be finalised but I believe I have erred on the high side of the job.
Haulout and Storage & imported labour costs 430,000
Labour – 6 men @ 1200 x 150 days 1,080,000
Wood 600,000
Paint and Antifoul 100,000
Project Management – 75 x ½ DAYS @ 3000 225,000
Miscellaneous 100,000
10% Contingency 245000
GRAND TOTAL 2,690,000

The Reality.
I do not have the funds, inclination or physical capability to take on this rebuild. Seraph is currently on the market (with a bit of initial interest) at USD 250,000 = 8.75 Million Baht. Clearly, given the current situation, this is a non-starter.
I am, therefore, putting her up for sale ‘as is’ for 35,000 USD which offers a Buyer or Buyers the opportunity to own, for own use or subsequent resale, a magnificent 110 year old legend of Phuket for approximately 4 million Baht. Given the (albeit small) interest from potential purchasers at the 8.75 million mark, I would find it difficult to believe that, fully restored, she would not fetch 6 million + – a 50% Return.
I am circulating this document to as many people as I know who have enjoyed her in the hope that they, or their friends get first crack at her. I will be notifying all the brokers who currently list her of the change in situation and pricing in about 1 month from this date.

19th August 2016

These boat details are subject to contract.
Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.