does cheoy lee still make sailboats

We now have brochures or information on over 60 of the Cheoy Lee Models, both sail and power.   I am giving you the choice between a text version and a graphic version.   Text Index (loads faster)      Graphics Version     Note:  the graphic version will take app. 2 min. to load if you are still using dial up   

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Built for Adventure: Everything You Need to Know About Today’s Explorer Yachts

What is an expedition or explorer yacht .

Most yachts are designed to cruise inland and coastal waterways but in reality, very few are built to voyage the world’s oceans. It is only these bluewater vessels, known as explorer or expedition yachts, that can take you on adventures to the most remote, spectacular, and pristine corners of the globe.

A few decades back, these long-range motoryachts were called “ trawlers ” after the commercial fishing trawlers they often resembled, topped by enclosed pilothouses that frequently featured reverse-slanted, “ North Sea ” windshields. But over the years, the trawler yacht category became crowded with “wannabe” boats that only looked like their rugged offshore counterparts. In reality, many of them were unable to venture very far from the coast.

Enter the true explorer yacht – a vessel that is purpose-built to be seaworthy and self-sufficient enough to serve as a luxury platform for oceangoing expeditions that are virtually without limits.

“ The whole idea of an expedition yacht is how the owner intends to use his or her boat. We are working on the first Cheoy Lee 107 Explorer project now. It’s a boat capable of going practically anywhere in the world ,” said Jon Overing of Overing Yacht Design , the naval architect who collaborated with Cheoy Lee Yachts on its new Explorer Series .

“ The whole idea of an expedition yacht is how the owner intends to use his or her boat. We are working on the first Cheoy Lee 107 Explorer project now. It’s a boat capable of going practically anywhere in the world ”

What gives an expedition yacht “go-anywhere” capability?

It’s not just one single aspect of the vessel’s design, construction, or outfitting. With the world’s best explorer yachts, it’s the entire package.

“ I think any viable explorer yacht has be based on a full-displacement hull. That type of hull makes a better sea boat than a semi-displacement or planing hull … Full displacement hulls also inherently have more volume, and you need more volume to fit the mission profile for an expedition yacht. ”

Rugged and reliable:

What to look for in explorer yacht design and construction, full-displacement hull.

Sufficient speed

Historically, full-displacement vessels tended to be slow through the water, making up in seaworthiness what they lacked in speed. “ The image in everyone’s mind was a 10-knot boat, but it doesn’t have to be that way ,” Overing said. Today’s full-displacement hull designs, notably our fast-displacement hullform that Overing has developed for the Cheoy Lee Explorer Series .  Overing’s fast-displacement hull combines superior seakeeping, optimum range and efficiency at 9 to 10 knots with the capability of running over 14 knots if needed to avoid a storm or make up time in a tight itinerary. With a speed/length ratio of 1.6 – 1.7, the Overing fast-displacement hulls are capable of well exceeding theoretical hull speed allowing higher speeds if the owner chooses the higher horsepower options.

Bulbous bow

Seaworthiness

Practical profile.

Take the Cheoy Lee Explorer Series , for example. These multi-deck yachts sport graceful superstructures that are skillfully wrought in aluminum by Cheoy Lee Shipyard artisans . They feature spacious on-deck gathering areas, including flybridge, bridge and lower aft deck lounges, designed for sunbathing, dining and entertaining. They even boast aft beach clubs that are ideal for launching myriad watersports adventures.

“The exterior styling of an explorer yacht doesn’t have to look like a tugboat. It can be modern, classic, traditional – however you want,”

At the same time, however, expedition yacht design should address the long, rough passages the yacht will frequently face. Typically, these yachts have high bulwarks, full pilothouses and Portuguese bridges designed to protect the yacht from seas breaking on deck. The new Cheoy Lee Explorer 132 , which features an aft-pilothouse design is an excellent example of form following function while still displaying an eye-catching profile.

High-tech construction.

Classification.

“ It’s another system of checks and balances you are bringing into the project. I view it as an insurance policy for the owner ,” Overing said, adding, “ If you are building a good boat to begin with, there’s not a lot of cost difference in building it to class. ” Cheoy Lee Explorer Yachts are available built to Lloyd’s ✠ 100A1 SSC Yacht Mono G6 classification.

Fuel tankage.

Commercial-grade equipment.

Maximized storage..

Well-laid-out crew areas.

Bespoke owner/guest accommodations.

Satellite communications.

Tenders & toys., have it your way:, building a new explorer yacht.

There are pre-owned expedition yachts on the market today that come in all makes, models, sizes, vintages, and levels of bluewater capability. An owner who elects to purchase a brokerage boat is best advised to develop a mission profile for his or her desired vessel in advance and then choose the boat that ticks off the most boxes on that list. How far do you want to go? How many guests do you want to bring with you? It’s important to determine all your desires and needs before you start shopping for a yacht.

“ It’s always a compromise with a pre-owned explorer yacht. It’s someone else’s design for another owner ,” said Panu Virtanen, vice president – sales, Cheoy Lee Shipyard North America. He added, “ Who built it and how was it built? Does it have maintenance issues? It’s important to find out. ”

Use a surveyor with a proven track record to determine whether there are any hidden problems with the pre-owned yacht. And if you decide to go ahead with the purchase, many brokers recommend keeping a budget in reserve to refit the vessel. You may need to update the electronics and stabilizers, and you probably will want to change at least some of the furnishings and the soft goods. The yacht also may need its classification certificate renewed. “ That can be an expensive process ,” Virtanen cautioned.

Building a new explorer yacht with a reputable shipyard, on the other hand, will ensure you get the vessel that fulfills your individual dreams for global exploration. “ You can get exactly what you want ,” he said.

The shipyard can help you to put together a team dedicated to designing the best expedition boat for your mission profile, including members of the shipyard’s management, design and engineering teams, the yacht’s naval architect and interior designer, along with your captain, yacht broker, and yacht management company, if you so desire. This “ dream team ” will be dedicated to creating an explorer yacht that is unique to you.

“There is no ‘perfect boat’, but when you build one, you can come extremely close to getting the explorer yacht that is perfect for you”

Do you want a main-deck master suite with panoramic views so you can see spectacular scenery you when you wake up each morning? Do you want to be able to cook breakfast for your family yourself in an eat-in galley on a sunny Sunday morning? Would you like to be able to soak in a Jacuzzi on the flybridge, watch a film on the foredeck, or fish from the aft deck? Or do you fancy a beach club where you can lounge virtually at eye level with the sea, hop onto a Jet Ski whenever the mood strikes you, and enjoy a cocktail while your yacht’s underwater lights attract an “ aquarium ” full of exotic fish? “ There is no ‘perfect boat ’, but when you build one, you can come extremely close to getting the explorer yacht that is perfect for you ,” Virtanen said.

Who builds the best explorer yachts?

If you plan to build a new explorer yacht, it’s important to consider working with a shipyard that has a commercial shipbuilding pedigree in addition to a proven reputation for launching high-quality luxury yachts. Longevity, integrity, and family are key factors behind a successful shipyard. Few shipyards around the globe can boast more than 150 years of experience under continuous operation by the same family, like Cheoy Lee.

“ Cheoy Lee Shipyard has 150 years of experience in building commercial vessels that operate 24/7 in demanding conditions. That is the philosophy of the commercial side of the company, and it carries over to all the explorer yachts that we build as well. ”

It’s also important to research other expedition yachts the shipyard has launched in the past. Have they won awards and voyaged 200,000 nautical miles through most of the world’s oceans in a decade, like the 146’7” Cheoy Lee expedition yacht Dorothea III ?

“If you plan to voyage far, you need to be able to rely on your yacht in any conditions anywhere in the world. That experience is what you look for in a shipyard when you are building a true expedition yacht.”

“ Cheoy Lee Shipyard has 150 years of experience in building commercial vessels that operate 24/7 in demanding conditions. That is the philosophy of the commercial side of the company, and it carries over to all the explorer yachts that we build as well ,” Virtanen said. “ If you plan to voyage far, you need to be able to rely on your yacht in any conditions anywhere in the world. That experience is what you look for in a shipyard when you are building a true expedition yacht .”

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• Thread starter trainmanjess
• Start date Dec 29, 2014
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

trainmanjess

hello all happy holidays to all my wife and I made the descission, we are selling the Morgan 35 in favor of a 40+ft sailboat... we plan to move to Florida and will live aboard the boat.... I have the paperwork in for a transfer with the company.... it will be a few months before anything is made final.... so I have started looking at big sailboats.... I found a Cheoy Lee Midshipman 40 ft... I like the layout and so does my wife... it is a ketch... I am not familiar with the Midshipman and am wondering if there is anyone out there who is, and can give me information on it... I am planning to take a week off at the end of January and go to the boat and sail it a little and check it out thoroughly... I am looking for someone with knowledge about the Cheoy lee sailboats.... their strong points, bad points, concerns, needed changes or upgrades.... any help will be greatly appreciated.... it has fiberglass hull, ketch rigging, new upgraded standing rigging, wood masts and boom, Perkins 4-108 diesel motor. Onan 8kw generator, pedestal steering, a/c and heat, 4 sails (1 main, 1 genoa, 1 jib, 1 mizzen), electric oven and stove (not gimbaled) , 150 gal diesel tank, 150 gal fresh water tank, 2 heads with individual waste tanks (20 gal each), older nav unit, 1- d8 battery for motor and generator, hot water heater and electric pump.... it sleeps 6 comfortably... center cockpit, queen size bed aft stateroom, full size bed v-birth .... it needs new 3 blade prop, new bottom paint, new mattresses and salon cushions, new main hatch replaced, needs vhf radio, compass, auto pilot, weather station, fridge. there are other things I would add to the boat for my way of living.... sincerely Jess  

I understand Sumner Patterson will be putting his Endeavor up for sale. I'm sure everyone on this forum would vouch for him as a really good guy you could trust. He's published lots of info on the boat since he acquired it a few years ago.... All the expensive work has been done... i.e. bottom, interior cushions, solar, canvas...etc.  

gettinthere

Electric oven? Ick! Fine at the dock with shore power, otherwise you are running a big, noisy, hot, smelly, noisy, fuel gobbling generator anytime you want to cook. Elec stoves are pretty rare on sailboats.  

Wooden masts, lots of teak, Florida sun, an electric stove???? Cheoy Lees are attractive boats, but there is a lot of maintenance to keep them looking that way. How do you feel about varnishing? If you plan to spend anytime away from the dock and shore power, that electric stove is worthless.  

Don S/V ILLusion

May be a cart before the horse moment. Before focusing too much on boat details, have you looked into the limited live-aboard possibilities still available here in Florida?  

hello all yes... I understand about the stove, and am planning to replace it with a gimbaled propane stove and oven when I can... I also understand there is a lot of teak inside the boat... I am willing to work the wood to make it look great all the time... I have some ideas on how to modernize it and make it mine and how I see my boat to be... it is a beautiful boat and my wife and I am partial to it... we have other boats we are considering, but are seeking advice from someone who has owned a Cheoy Lee sailboat before.... or maybe someone who has dealt with them in the past... what I am looking for is 1st hand information on how it sails, and any concerns someone has to the rigging, hull, deck, or sailing characteristics... the information I am looking for is from someone who has sailed or lived on one, or possibly owned one....  

Chris Patterson

I do. My best mate owns a Cheoy Lee Midshipman, and I have worked on it, and sailed a rut in the water between here and Florida. Yes there IS a lot of teak below, and above as well. These boats we call the leaky teaky's. The teak deck most likely does leak, and the cure was to glass over it all. End of leak. I like the wood, and Jon does big time. We slid a new Perk in her a couple of years ago, and it has run brilliantly. It also maybe won't point like you're used to, but it's a small trade off for a very heavy built boat. And keep your eye on the stainless, these Asian companies will sometimes ease in some inferior metals on the boats. Anything specific I may know. I've been over every square inch of that boat. Being his best mate here, and the chief mechanic I've got a first hand knowledge of the Midshipman. Anything specific I may know..  

Attachments

Anonymous 121765

Everyone's idea of the perfect boat for them differs. I like what some said about maintenance issues & varnishing. Don, being a county neighbor brought up a good point on berthing issues in Florida. Many of the better marinas have a waiting list, some are 1 to 2 years so, Pick your spots early to sign up. I also like what Chris says as he had first hand experience on a Choy. A friend owned a Choy Lee & his deck maintenance never stopped. In Florida, sun, UV , sea moisture & temperature can beat up varnish quickly. My motto is, "Life's too short to always having to varnish your teak." Below deck, varnish will hold up for decades. I do remember some year Choy Lee's had a problem with their bulkheads warping & separating & deck leak issues. If it were me & I was going to live aboard, personally I would pick a boat with less wood needing little topside maintenance & never pick one that has teak toe rails. Like I mentioned earlier, everyone has a difference....... CR  

Living aboards I think if you look at Burnt Store,burnt store rd. no trouble finding a slip $$$$$ or Ft Myers beach mooring balls. I think plenty of liveaboards in Fl. Nick  

hello all thanks for the information... it will be added to everything when we make our descission... I just looked at the pictures sent to me by the owner... the deck is fiberglass and so is the cabin trunk... the teak is the toe rail, grab handles and a couple of other items... otherwise the deck is totally fiberglass... the inside is all teak wood, and looks wonderful... sincerely Jess  

Nick, I always liked Burnt Store when in your area & I always had a great time. I also liked South Seas Plantation when traveling South for the jump to Key West. There are great location marinas on the left coast & I wanted to let Train know to first plan ahead. Some of the better marinas in my area have a long waiting list. Train hadn't yet mentioned any areas he was looking at. I just don't feel it's a smart move for the Choy Lee. Not knowing the year & with the upgrades he spoke about would be the better move. Newer for him & low maintenance would be my first choice. If never having lived aboard, for some it's quite a cultural shock. Living aboard off a mooring I also feel is like rough camping, always having to dink back-n-forth for supplies & such. Living aboard at a slip with amenities is the best way to go. I've seen oft times that some live-a-boards have a cluttered boat & do much less sailing ,which tells me they didn't think it all the way out at first. Others that picked the right plan & boat enjoy living on their boat & sail more often. I hope I don't get beat up from live-a-boards for saying this. CR  

If its got teak decks, invariably it was laid over 'plywood' and there will be 6000± screws holding down those teak strakes. The life span of such a deck is only about 15-20 years, less for the 'underlayment' once the 'thiokol' separates from the underside of those strakes.  

hello all capnron - thanks... I do have a plan, but do not know where the company will allow me to transfer yet..... there are 9 locations in florida I could be transferred too... it will depend on where they will need me.... I work for the railroad, hence my name "train man jess"....I drive trains across country.... I have been scouting all the areas I could get transferred too in florida.... also I could be transferred to mobile Alabama or savannah Georgia.... before I get transferred, I am trying to have a place to live for me, my wife, and our teenage sons (1 mine, 1 hers).... my wife is from china.... she wants to go out shopping every other day for food stuff... I am trying to break her of that and buy for a week at a time.... but living on a boat, her habits will be perfect.... nick - thanks... I have been looking for over a year at marinas in florida .... a mooring ball will do nicely, until I can get a perminant dock someplace... I have found a couple of places that don't have the waiting list, but they are short on ammenaties... which is ok too... I will have my jeep to get around town..... I appreciate all the help guys sincerely Jess  

To each his own. We prefer a mooring to a marina dock when parked for a period of time. Cheaper, more privacy, less disturbances. We go to the fuel dock about every 2 weeks for water. Pumpout boat comes to us. Dinghy rides are pleasant. Life is good. If we were parked full time and working full time we might prefer a dock. We cruise full time so the boat is always ready to go unless working on some project. We seem to park about 3 months every early winter before going to the bahamas.  

Where are your Company headquarters in Florida? Different areas will have different prospects for finding liveaboard facilities. It is hard enough just finding adequate dockage in some areas.  

I never owned one but a good friend I raced with had a cheoy lee lion 35 I remember It as a well built boat. Teak decks, lots of maintainence above and below decks I remember it as a slow heavy boat, with poor sailing performance.  

Yeah, I didn't want to put it that way, but yes.....it is a monster. Bear in mind.....with sailing boats, like a lot of other things there is the trade off. There's little the ocean can throw at that boat and hurt it. Tough as a fifty cent steak..  

hello all thought I would give you all an update.... had the Cheoy Lee Midshipman 40 surveyed... survey came back looking pretty good..... most of what the surveyor said was routine maintenance for the boat..... needs new batteries for house bank and engines... replacement of propeller... remove propeller shaft, inspect, new cutlass bearing, and new packing... there was 2 places inside the cabin where a portlight leaked, needs wood replacement there (both small areas)... service the perkins 4-108 motor, and the Onan generator... remove and service the ball cocks... replace rudder post packing gland... clean fallen engine room sound deadening foam and replace with new sound deadening material... recommend replacing all existing nave and interior lights with neon bulbs for better visibility.... replace portlights, as they are fogged over... install all required fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and co2 alarms in each compartment... most of this he said he recommends because the boat has been sitting on the hard for so long... his final remark was," This vessel, as described herin, was found to be in satisfactory condition for it's indended purspose" my wife and I am looking forward to buying this boat.... sincerely Jess  

justsomeguy

Good luck, Jess. Sounds promising!  

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Cheoy Lee's in general

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there was a perry designed 41' for sale at our marina that i had a chance to climb around. i thought she was beautiful. spacious interior, well laid out and warm+cozy. A lot of teak to maintain, i mean a lot. you will hear some conflicting reports about the quality of the deck, and i have heard that a lot of their parts were custom made at the yard, so original replacement maybe a PITA. i would love to own one someday. Cheoy Lee sailboats for sale by owner. Cheoy Lees For Sale  

QuickMick - Thanks for the info. Having a difficult time finding "real" info on them. I have read also about the parts being a bit hard to find but I am hoping by now that would have been dealt with by a previous owner. And then there is the leaky decks too. But still, they are nice and I would like to have them on the future list. Wondering how they sail and if I got the wild idea, should you take one across the pond.  

"In terms of other boats with an old world look and solid construction...I would say the Baba's, Tashiba's,Southern Cross's , Westsails, some Tayanas probably come closest to that look. If you like a clipper bow then the CaboRicos, Bayfields, Gozzards and Vagabonds might appeal to your sense of tradition." I would like to take credit for the above info but I just copied and pasted from Cam in a previous thread. I think it is nice to keep your options open in case you do come up with $100K+ to buy a heavy cruiser.  

jephotog said: ..... I think it is nice to keep your options open in case you do come up with $100K+ to buy a heavy cruiser. Click to expand...

here is some more info, and specs on diff models, first link has more historical data.... Sailboats built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard on Sailboatdata.com SailboatData.com - sailboat database with specifications, drawings and photos, more than 8000 listings  

mitiempo said: You wouldn't be retiring though - just changing from current job to one of maintaining teak. Click to expand...

This one owned by my neighbor sails well. 35' all teak from the early 60s.  

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We love ours. We bought a '74 Cheoy Lee Clipper 42 in 2006, and have no regrets at all. But, ours had been extensively re-fit in the late 90s, including new teak decks, aluminum masts and outboard chainplates, new engine and electronics. We could not have afforded to do that work ourselves, and it was all required. CL's earned their nickname, "Cheoy Leaky." The boats from the early 70s on are fiberglass, with teak deck laid over. The original deck screws often punctured the glass skin and let water enter the core. Any original spruce spars are either high maintenance or too far gone and need replacing. Chainplates are another common problem of failure due to poor materials and enclosure within the furniture which prevents their inspection. That said, ours is absolutely beautiful, and tough as nails. Bill Luder was known for traditional boats. Bob Perry is also a renowned designer with a diverse portfolio, as is Pedrick. Robb and Rhodes drew boats for Cheoy Lee, too. They never worried about consistency between the designs they commissioned, and as a result there is an enormous variety among their boats. They were pioneers in fiberglass construction, building on a hundred years of boat building, and are still around today. Their sailboats are also 30 - 40 years old by now, and most need work. My advice? Get some more experience and start on building your own criteria, then shop extensively, and if you find a prospect, get a brutal surveyor to guard your interests. Remember, as you're reading about all the criteria others feel important, that sailing is about joy as much as adventure or competition, and if you don't like the picture you see when you paint yourself into some boats cockpit, you haven't found the boat for you. ( I stole that from Perry.) Just One Sailors Opinion. Roger 1974 CL Clipper 42 Schooner "Lydia Green"  

rogern said: We bought a '74 Cheoy Lee Clipper 42 in 2006 1974 CL Clipper 42 Schooner "Lydia Green" Click to expand...

Roger, +1 on that post. Was hoping to hear from an owner. I had heard about the decks leaking but not about the chainplates. It is definately something to keep in mind. Yes, when I am ready I will do it right as this purchase, a few years down the road, will be like buying a home but more. Thanks again and if you have any other info you would like to share about your boat or Cheoy's in general, please feel free to PM it to me. Would like to see pics of Lydia Green if you have any.  

cb32863 said: I had heard about the decks leaking but not about the chainplates. It is definately something to keep in mind. Click to expand...

Man, I've got the bug for a Cheoy Lee myself. This one came up a few weeks ago, but has sold. Picasa Web Albums - JC - sv Softair YouTube - Captain JC sailing Softair If I like this boat, what else might appeal to me if I'm looking to move up from my "coastal cruiser" Hunter 36? We'd be sailing from Texas to the BVI's, and on from there.  

That looks to be a Cheoy Lee Offshore 41, designed by Ray Richards. My father owned one for 25 years. When she was finally sold, she needed some serious deck work due to the above mentioned issues with the teak decks being screwed into the fiberglass -- probably needed an entire re-core job. That being said, we sailed her through some rough stuff (gales in the North Atlantic, 25 footers in the gulf stream on the way to Bermuda) and she handled it well. Also handled a family of 6 for summer cruising quite comfortably. Not the fastest boat around, but I don't think anyone buys one of these to go racing ...  

Anchored in Branford on Thursday, I saw Lydia Green (posted above) power in and anchor too. A lovely vessel.  

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Cheoy Lee trawlers

• Thread starter Fish53
• Start date Jan 11, 2019
• Jan 11, 2019

Any opinions of Cheoy Lee trawlers from the seventies?  

Rapiddeparture

C l trawlers I have a 1979, 46lrc. Built like a tank. Teak decks a problem, if still present. Fit and finish, average. Not a GB. Well thought out, for the most part.some blister issues but repairable. Overall, a 40 yr old boat will need tons of attention..helps if you’re handy, otherwise many boat bucks.  

Senior Member

We looked at a 66 a few years ago. Amazing amount of interior space, great layout for a charter boat. The more we dug into it the more problems we found. There was quite a bit of hidden hull and bulkhead delamination, rotten wood, etc, but not sure if that is build quality, maintenance issues or catastrophic failure. Very possible the boat had a fire and also at least partially sunk. Broker refused to admit to anything. That was only a sample of one but it wasn't good.  

Cheoy Lee has a very strong reputation for quality and a heavy build. I currently own a 1991 year model and spent almost $4000 on a very extensive survey. I’ve owned the boat for 2 years and it has been amazing. When I hauled the boat, there were zero blisters. Boat has been in the water for 28 years and no blisters. I’ve never owned another boat that has held up like that.  

• Jan 12, 2019

Thanks for the replies and it sounds like I need to take a closer look, I'm going to wait until it's above zero out however.  

Taras said: Cheoy Lee has a very strong reputation for quality and a heavy build. I currently own a 1991 year model and spent almost $4000 on a very extensive survey. I’ve owned the boat for 2 years and it has been amazing. When I hauled the boat, there were zero blisters. Boat has been in the water for 28 years and no blisters. I’ve never owned another boat that has held up like that. Click to expand...

Quality build ifall systems upgraded replaced buy pos day last 10 years good buy. Otherwise bring your $50k plus budget. That's for sure.  

McGillicuddy

I have a 1988 Choey Lee 52’. Quality build, state of the art at time of build. Time has passed on though so newer build techniques have supplanted older. Still, the hull is solid glass, only cored on deck and above. Built like a tank and drives like one too, but it will outrun a Nordy. Mine never had teak decks. I have found delamination on a transom hatch cover and now I find a soft spot on the foredeck that I suspect is caused by water ingress through a windlass throughbolt. Time catches up with everything I guess. Just something else to deal with. On an early 70’s boat I would expect many time related issues. The price should reflect that. Built in Fiberglass fuel tanks!!! That’s a very good thing. No leaky steel tanks. Well laid out machinery spaces. Good quality fittings. Interior teak likely needs rework. Windows might need resealing due to age. Everything depends on how well previous owners have kept up with maintenance. Look carefully. It’s a nearly 50 year old boat, no matter who built it.  

Cheoy Lee was a quality ship builder and boat builder long before most of the other Chinese yards. I would put their construction equal to any of the same time period. Still any boat that age has been exposed to whatever all it's owners did or didn't do and so may be far from the quality that left the factory.  

Venerable Taiwan Trawlers  

boatpoker said: Venerable Taiwan Trawlers Click to expand...

1870? Building boats this whole time? That's very cool.  

Fish53 said: 1870? Building boats this whole time? That's very cool. Click to expand...

Airstream345

I have a huge boat crush on the CL 66 LRCs. Beautiful inside and out, built like a tank and transatlantic range.  

Moderator Emeritus

With any boat of that age initial build quality probably isn’t the issue. But rather the maintenance that has been given to the particular boat. You just have to examine it carefully and get a really good surveyor. Expect that there will be issues, just how bad are the issues and are you willing to accept the issues and deal with them or not.  

• Jan 15, 2019

There is a forum member who recently crossed the Pacific with his Cheoy Lee 47. I think he posted updates on his progress on the forum, but I can't remember his forum name at this point. I get updates through a club newsletter. He loves his Cheoy Lee as can be seen from his website. Link below. About  

Found the post about the Pacific crossing. http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s36/crossing-pacific-47-1972-power-vessel-39252.html  

Veteran Member

We own a 1981 46 LRC. Very impressed with the build quality. Very good design of this particular series, imo. We looked long and hard before we decided on our boat and are almost no models from that era or today that I would trade her for. Just right for us.  

LowNSlow77 said: Found the post about the Pacific crossing. http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s36/crossing-pacific-47-1972-power-vessel-39252.html Click to expand...

• Jan 21, 2019

I’ve got a 47 seamaster. 1973 think they only made like 6 or 7 but I can tell you this boat is solid as a rock. A lot of the original systems still operating as well as the original engine. I don’t regret buying it at all.  

I'm on my 2nd Cheoy Lee, The first a cheoy Lee 50 (54LOA) Tricabin. Which we lost in Hurricane Irma. The second we purchased a few months back a 55LRC that had been extended to 67ft LOA. Like most boats they have the good and bad points. The first Cheoy Lee (Jon Cannon) give excellent help even if your boats from the 70/80's. next is the built in fuel and water tanks, a huge problem solver. No metal tanks to worry about. Both my Cheoy Lee's display good sea keeping qualities, particulary with the Naiad stabilizers. Far better than the other harder chine trawlers I've had. Cheoy Lee have also been very good at matching engines to there craft for max fuel economy. The other good thing is they were built with not a lot of high end frill's and can be found very reasonably priced and if your good with your hands the worlds your Oyster. The not the best, leaky teak decks, just rip them up and glass them. The next beautiful woodworks and teak veneer, sadly because of the poor ply it's seems to delaminate sooner than some other boats. One other thing of the time is the use of single wire cable etc, can make wiring work a tad frustrating. All in all it depends on how the P.O.'s have looked after the boat. The end result is would I say buy a cheoy Lee. YES. But be prepared to invest time and effort in it the same as any boat.  

• Jan 22, 2019

We LOVE our '79 Cheoy Lee 46LRC! Echoing others, she's built like a tank. In other words, very solid bones!  

Carl Martin

Coincidentally I ran across this last weekend: https://sarasota.craigslist.org/bod/d/englewood-1977-cheoy-lee-28-trawler/6789785618.html  

Attachments

• Jan 23, 2019

I thought about it for too long and the boat was sold, I appreciate all the kind responses and I'll certainly keep Cheoy Lee on my list.  

Fish53 said: I thought about it for too long and the boat was sold, I appreciate all the kind responses and I'll certainly keep Cheoy Lee on my list. Click to expand...

• May 30, 2019

The Jeepster

Ive just bought a CL 55 in Auckland New Zealand and loving it. He needs a bit of TLC but nothing serious.. Running twin M.A.N. Engines. Built like a tank is a very good description.  

Great to hear it, always found them value for money. mine the one I found was basically abandoned and needed extensive work (which is still ongoing , but near the end. Mine was built in 1981. And the designer designed an aft cockpit extension for it and it was built by Bradford. Not sure the year it was done but it fetch's the LOA to 67ft with swim platform etc. It has somewhat added nicely to the lines and taken the chunkiness out of the boat. Mine has Cat 3208 NA's with only 260hrs since major overhaul and two new powertech genny's again only 250hrs each. The rest of the systems needed to rebuilt. Currently installing 1200watts of solar new battery cables etc right through the boat. 10xL16 Trojan batteries for the service. We can carry 3500 galls of fuel in 5 tanks. If you wish to stay in touch PM me and I can supply more details of the enhancemets I've done or in the progress of doing.  

We have a 1986 Cheoy Lee 40 LRC, La Vita Dolce. We have only been in the water with her since February, but have found her very comfortable, both in her interior spaces and headroom, as I am 6'4" and in her motion in a seaway. Built like a tank, yes, very much so. Former owner said that when he removed the teak from the decks, that the decks were actually solid fiberglass, and not cored. The stringers and engine beds are solid fiberglass "I" beams, as are the bulkheads and tank walls. Previous owner had replaced all windows with aluminum frame units, properly bedded, so no new leaks there. We are making a late start cruising up the east coast to either the Canadian canals / Great Lakes, or to New England for the summer, returning to Florida and the Bahamas for the winter. She handles very nimbly in docking, (twin Lehman 135 naturals), but as must be with her fine bow lines, she wanders a bit with a following wind or sea. Autopilot helps a lot, when it can be used. Hope to see you all on the water this year or next. JohnS  

• Mar 1, 2020

Martin J said: Great to hear it, always found them value for money. mine the one I found was basically abandoned and needed extensive work (which is still ongoing , but near the end. Mine was built in 1981. And the designer designed an aft cockpit extension for it and it was built by Bradford. Not sure the year it was done but it fetch's the LOA to 67ft with swim platform etc. It has somewhat added nicely to the lines and taken the chunkiness out of the boat. Mine has Cat 3208 NA's with only 260hrs since major overhaul and two new powertech genny's again only 250hrs each. The rest of the systems needed to rebuilt. Currently installing 1200watts of solar new battery cables etc right through the boat. 10xL16 Trojan batteries for the service. We can carry 3500 galls of fuel in 5 tanks. If you wish to stay in touch PM me and I can supply more details of the enhancemets I've done or in the progress of doing. Click to expand...

• Jun 16, 2020

Cheoy Lee 34 Hi all, New owner of a CL 34 circa 1984. Slowly piecing together its history and keen to learn more about this model from other owners. Regards, Steve Brisbane Australia  

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