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zeehag · 07-10-2013, 06:51

both are excellent boats and both require you to sail them prior to purchase, as each behaves differently from the other
they are both beautiful boats. one is double ended and one has a heart shaped stern which acts in similar fashion to double ended sterns.
each have similar problems and only constant maintenance works. they are both made in taiwan and both are leaky teakies, dependent on state of repair and maintenance.
either is a good choice if you wish to do a lot of ocean cruising.
no, i am of no help whatsoever.
but iff i didnt have my formosa, and iff someone handed me a choice of either of 2 free boats, i prolly would sail both first then take the sea wolf.

both are heavy weather sailors..i have handled 60 kts chubasco without problem, unless one would call breaking of a bit of teak rail difficulty..lol i dont....the sea wolf was designed for trade wind sailing.

shantycrew · 07-10-2013, 07:51

We hear what your saying SuiJin, and I think there's a lot of wisdom in your words. It's the thing that's always been gnawing away, the ongoing maintenance of the sea wolf. We're going to put in an offer on the Tayana. We know that the last time she was hauled was 5 years ago so there's bound to be a big cost in bottom paint and anti fouling, but the rest of her looks in good shape. I don't think she's sailed for at least three years, just sat in the marina as a liveaboard. My Pisces fish are swimming both ways at the moment but will heed these words of wisdom as we don't have those deep pockets you speak of, and Tingum, yes we do need to sail them both as we have never sailed either.
Thank you all for the advice, very helpful

zeehag · 07-10-2013, 08:05

shanty--both boats will require constant maintenance--both are taiwaneswe. do sail both. the sea wolf is laid out with ease of repair in mind. everything is accessible easily while underway without tearing up entire house, both are taiwanese and probably constructed in same yard.
i have a formosa 41, same boat as sea wolf. exactly. i know how ¡to repair em and i know what everything costs,and i live on low and limited income, yet i can afford to refit mine. completely. go figger. one soul does not make a review. is why i was so objective in my first posting.
give each equal opportunity. the sea wolf could be exactly what you really crave and settling for another boat wont work in overall cruising-. of course, i8f you want the restricted space of a double ender, tayana is perfect. save the sea wolf for someone who enjoys sailing a boat that isnt like all the others, and who appreciates the ability to access entire drive line while under way easily and without contortions. some cruisers actually value that benefit of the garden designed ketch. those of us who love to sail these do actually ENJOY sailing them.

shantycrew · 07-10-2013, 12:39

Hi Zeehag - Mrs Shanty here and many thanks for your comments. In fact it was a comment you made about people not knowing how to care for their teak deck (sea water daily and don't varnish - made good sense to us) that made us even think about looking at a boat like this, although we have always loved the look of them. That and sailing a 100 yr old wooden morecambe bay prawner over the last couple of years in the UK has made us less worried. Having said that it is a little scary cos we are on a tight budget and this will be our one and only at our time in life. I really liked the space on the deck of the Sea Wolf and her beautiful lines. We now have offers in on both boats but no come back yet but my heart is still with the Sea Wolf. Will let all know what transpires......

zeehag · 07-10-2013, 12:47

geaux with your heart as it isnt as much effort when the passion is there...ask me how i know....
bird in mazatlan 2011 summer

kharmaseas...barra lagoon

surfing a bar, boatname unknown..

bird in mazatlan summer 2011

these loook realllly cool and sail well also. have fun and happy sails......i wish i had more of these in motion..they hold a commanding presence

shantycrew · 08-10-2013, 05:19

This is The boat we've been sailing for the last couple of years. Hearts of Oak is a restored 100 year old "nobby" as theyre called in England.

Not sure how this attach picture works but will post and see if it appears.

shantycrew · 08-10-2013, 05:27

Thanks for the photos Zeehag, of Solitary bird, just thought you may like to see why we're not phased by wooden masts and spars and rope rigging. No winches, no furling jib and all hessian running and standing rigging. a joy to sail

zeehag · 08-10-2013, 06:03

shanty--i LOVE that boat..is gorgeous!!!

of the two, tayana and formosa/ct/seawolf, the tayana is not the one with most freeboard.
i have yet to find my freeboard a difficulty, as it seems to help prevent unwanted boardings by folks with malintent--is not an easy access boat for thieves, thank gods, and so far, even with the seas and winds of chubascos, this ketch handles easily.
you really must SAIL both before a reasonable choice canbe made. both have wood masts, both suck after being left alone or conversion to liveaboard has been done....they both cost same to repair and maintain....no difference from one taiwanese boat to another as far as that goes, and as both are taiwanese, you have merely to pick which your heart stops to watch sail. both are gorgeous..i am still partial to mine as the looks are damnfine to watch as they charge thru seas...awesome cool...that is why i placed the surfing the bar pic for ye...eye candy.

as you have no fear of wood, either is a good choice for you. you shouldnt experience the incredible expense of refit vs repair other folks have experienced, so far, my 10k usd formosa has only cost me under 5000usd in refit fees including labor and parts, so far. i have done a lot for this boat and to her with that amount of dough over the 5 years i have owned her, including repower and rebuild injector pump and compression post under mizzen, leading to a galley modification due to a rotting beam from ingress of fresh water.
treat these as if they are wood and there is no problem. they are best of both worlds and worst of both worlds, as you well know. wood with or without glass topsides and fg hull, solid and thick.
i am most happy with my choice as opposed to other boats i have owned and sailed because it is EASY TO REPAIR WHILE UNDERWAY. not many boats actually are that. you know what to look for--enjoy the sailing of each so you are happy with your purchase.
if you seek spacial and airy--sea wolf.
tayana as a double ender boat has much less potential storage inside.
keep us posted as to choice--it is a difficult one as both boats will definitely do the job you wish them to do .

zeehag · 08-10-2013, 06:10

sorry--pìc of kharma seas seems to have turned into bird in mazatlan--here are pix of kharma seas--the spinnaker used to be mine--i traded for a torqueedo t1003s motor...lol

kharnmaseas at anchor in barra....

shantycrew · 14-10-2013, 14:45

Just to wrap this thread up, our offer on the Hardin Sea wolf has been accepted. If the haul n hang survey goes ok next week she's our boat. Happy days.

zeehag · 14-10-2013, 14:57

awesome...there are no deal breakers and most everything is easily repaired.
enjoy your sea wolf!!

yeah i am jumpin gun, but .....

Tingum · 14-10-2013, 15:07

Wheeeeeeee! Good luck!

shantycrew · 28-10-2013, 16:04

We had a very positive survey carried out on the Sea Wolf. In the end we didn't do the haul out, just on the water job. We decided,to go ahead with the purchase and then take her round to Fajargo where we can haul her out, give her a bottom paint and then complete the rest of the survey there. We were able to spend a day and a night on board ferreting through all the cupboards, finding all sorts of useful stuff, lots of tools spares, crockery cutlery, charts, books, manuals, maintenance logs and lots more.
It's going to be a big learning curve getting my head around all the bits of kit aboard without having the ex-owners to guide me through but I'm pretty practical, an ex spark so I'll just take one step at a time. We'll employ a very experienced skipper to move her round to Fajargo, so we should learn quite a bit on that trip.
Thanks to all of you who put in their two penneth, Picaroon is now our first and probably our last sailboat.