Phantom 38, Center Cockpit Yacht for sale

This is it, I sell Nikita. Every thing has it's time. Heading for new projects, ongoing in a new phase of my life I decided to seperate myself of my Yacht. Keeping the good moments and memories in mind, without regret.  

This little blog should give a closer image of the boat. A picture of what you get, or what kind of you get. There are many boats on the market, take your time to choose, there are always compromises to make, but try to approach the best fit for you.

The first question eveybody wants to know... HOW MUCH?

Well the ship is not sailready, there is work to do. The engine is an issue. So I can handle this on 2 ways. 

1. I fix everything, with a minimum of expenses, make a nice polish and sell it 'as all ready to sail', as nice oldtimer and so on. 

The first time you take the ship out with your family you will have stress because it might not be as ready you thaught it was, but just quick fixes. 

This is by the way how most ships are sold or prepared for selling. That was also my first mistake. And then I found out that the tanks are filled with bacteria, the steering wheel was poorly glued an broke loose while sailing, the valves were roten from the inside and, and, and. Most of these things got discovered in the worse situations. While you buy a boat from a broker, they will tell you all is perfect and rock-solid. First he can't know that, second he will probably not have a testsail with you on challenging wheather conditions. (He doesn't want to.) All these ships get cheaply fixed... face the facts. 

2. My second option, I give you a clear assessment. And before you go sail, you do what I should have done right at the beginning. Make it right. Make a big revision on the engine, review tanks, fittings and so on. 

I think it's advantagous, you chose what to do with the ship and have it done, supervised and excecuted by you. You will also profit of warranty services. In case you live close it will be a nice project. 

Here is the deal, these boats are impossible to estimate. There where only 33 Phantom 38/39. This is the best build, from wood, skill, interrior and so on. There is a similar boat for sale, go and compare. So there is no reference price list to stick to. 

I know what I payed, what 'the experts' say and and and. 

I estimate the ship around 42-45'000€, when it runs, we can make a nice sail and a cup of coffee, and then later you will still sit with the same 'pain in the ass' engine. So what we do, I give you a discount for a new engine (estimate 13'000€) and sell as my last price 32'000€.  

I think there is no better opportunity to find... consider, now you have to compare with ships around 45k on 38 foot with a new engine in it. 

This offer is linked to the condition, it goes before April and you buy it where it lays. 

The engine - Perkins 4.108

I come straight to the issue of the boat. The reason why it's not been used the last 2 years. The engine is unreliable. It's not broken, nothing really has happened to it, and that's the issue with it. It should have run more often. 

How bad is it? Actually, the situation is not that bad. It needs cleaning of the raw water exchanger, a new oil, and a review of all diesel lines (have already new ones), probably a revision of the injectors and change of all seals related to fuel lines. 

My problem is, I live in Switzerland now and simply don't find the time to drive such a project on a long distance. The familiy life goes first and I have to make a choice. 

I experenced over the time of my usage an ongoing history of pain with that piece of metal:

- unclean diesel (Dieselpest) in the tanks, needing a full cleaning of tanks and lines, pipes and injectors. 

- Then I had issues with the exhaust knee. I have fabriced one in stainless which is electrically isolated from the engine. 

- Lately I experience bleeding issues of fuel. I suspect it to pull air somewhere in the diesel system. This is why it doesn't want to start at the moment. This is a problem I'm chasing since 3 years. This is why I can't count on it. It might simply go off, wich can be very unconvenient in narrow waters. Or it doesn't start. 

Now there are 2 possibilites. At the end of the day, it's a small 2l engine, no electronics, the most basic (tractor) engine you can imagine. 

- You are patient and experimented. You check all the diesel system. Take everything between the diesel inlet and the injectors apart, clean it and make sure it's properly bleeded. The engine itself is solid. Parts are availlable and dead cheap. You can convince yourself measuring the compression, checking on the oil. 

- You kick it out... Everybody will tell you to put a Penta engine, but the parts are overexpensive. I would consider a Beta marine, because they have a model fitting straight on the gearbox without reviewing gearbox, Propshaft, prop. 

This is a quite radical choice to make, but it determinates how reliable the ship as a complete system will be. What simply doesn't work with this existing configuration is arriving every few months, turning the key and hoping for the best. These engines were used in trucks, traktors, compressors, generators and in the marine version for working ships. It has to run. And thats not what I can do. 

Inside the boat

Inside build layout:  

Winches - Enkes (dutch quality since 50 years)

 The winches are very heavy, very oversized. The pressure of the sails are easily handeled. 

Manuals and spares are availlable, but all they need is a clean and grease from time to time. 

(8) Enkes Winches | Facebook

The 2 Winches for the genua/fock: 

The 3 Winches on the mast to pull up the sails: 

2 Winches for the traveler:

Steering Withlock Cobra

 The steering system is from Withlock Cobra 4. No chains involved, no cables, a turning bar with gear-boxes. Very unproblematic, very reliable, very direct feeling, very solid. 

No surprises from this side. 

Whitlock pg A.pdf (eddievan.com)

The wheel is a single spokes, stainless steel with leather from JEFA: (new in 2014)

Jefa Steering Systems

Jefa Steering - specialized in deck equipment - Kohlhoff GmbH (kohlhoff-online.de)

Water supply tank and system

 It is huge! 

The ship has a huge water tank in the front cabin, under the bed. Stainless steel! The piping is all done in cupper lines, cupper fittings. There is a pressure ballon to avoid the pump running every time somebody takes water. In the evenings you can switch of the pump and still have enough pressure for around 12l. 

Winterizing, great as there are no plastic tubes involved you simply put some cheap alcool in it. (Aldi offer for vodka, tequilla, Korn, whatever is cheap at the moment. This is ecological, non chemical and the tanks and lines can support it. 

I don't know for sure, but the tank should be something around 800l. I always kept it empty, to prevent things happening in the tank. There is a drain plug to the bilge if you want to let all the water out of the system. 

For warm water there is a propane heater (They call these things floating bomb.) I unplugged it for that reason years ago. I was more happy with cold water then with boilling myself with that gas-heater. They were very commun in the older days. I would kick it out. 

Jachthaven Bruinisse

 I highly recommend to have a look at the marina site. 

There is all you need to have a good time, and more. It's very family friendly, bathrooms are the best for a marina, there are shops, restaurants, a little store, ship yards, a ship crane, closed parking. 

Have a look at the homepage: 

Marina in Zeeland (Holland) - Jachthaven Bruinisse