The day we left our dock in the Fraser River for the first real voyage aboard our new boat, the sun was shining sparkles on a flat calm sea. We sat on the bow in deck chairs as the trawler chugged its 8-knot rhythm, steaming us to the central Gulf Islands as part of a long-awaited shakedown cruise.
I had never crossed the Strait in smoother water than on that day, nor have I since. We were finally aboard our newly acquired 40-footer, and crewing as a family on a bright, clear day made for a small piece of boating nirvana.
Rick and I have spent the last five years living aboard Sea Foam and cruising the coastal waters of British Columbia, considered among the finest boating destinations in the world. Almost 17,000 miles of ocean coastline play home to roughly 6,000 idyllic islands and islets, deep fjords and a host of unspoiled bays and pocket beaches.
We have spent countless hours exploring with scuba tanks, in kayaks and aboard Sea Foam herself, much of it just as delightful as that day we piloted into the Strait. But it was that first cruise that gave us a taste of the life that lay ahead.
THE SEARCH
It began when we outgrew Fish-n-Chips, the 34-foot Californian that my husband purchased as a young man.
Coming from Fish-N-Chips, we both were drawn to the lines and benefits of the trawler-style boat. We started looking at larger boats, thinking a 50-footer would be our limit, knowing that the cost, maintenance, upkeep and moorage would also be proportionally larger.
RICK LEBLANCSea Foam, a 40-foot Eagle Pilothouse Trawler, at Secret Cove.
Rick preferred a raised pilothouse – a separate room, away from all other distractions, to captain. I wanted a helm on the flying bridge because I love being outside even in the cooler months, as long as it's not raining. After looking at many different types of pilothouse trawlers we targeted a 40-foot Eagle Pilothouse Trawler, built by Transpacific Marine. We loved the boat's low profile, the 14.5-foot beam and the full walk-around decks. We were impressed with the efficient use of space in the cabin and the bright stand-up stateroom with queen island berth. There was plenty of room for two–and our 125 pound Mastiff as well.
We knew the newer models were outside our budget so we went looking for a well-maintained older model with low hours. We traveled to Friday Harbor Yachts, an Eagle dealer in Washington State. Captain Dan Fogle, a Friday Harbor broker, took us for a short cruise on a 2006 model. We loved it.
We felt the only significant difference between the old and new models was price. And it was substantial.
In addition to the list price of the boat, we'd faced duties, taxes and fees, as well as costs associated with the exchange rate on the Canadian dollar. An older model would put our final price at about $300,000. Buying a new boat would mean paying closer to $450,000.
In June 2005, the boat we were waiting for came up for sale in Portland, Oregon. We made the offer subject to financing, a physical inspection and an out-of-water survey, and the offer was accepted. Sea Foam, a 1995 model with only 600 hours had been on the market for all of three days, at a list price of $230,000. We offered $200,000 and were rewarded with the sale.
