Custom built 1978 offshore cruiser: One Man's Boat

As the baby boomer generation hits retirement age, more and more people are looking to hitch up a caravan and set out to explore Australia. It is now so popular it is often hard to find a camping spot that is not chocker-block with other grey nomads.

But there is an equally scenic but uncrowded alternative. Swap the caravan for a capable offshore cruiser and potter along our magnificent coastline.

A perfect vessel for such at trip is Savannah, a custom fly bridge cruiser built in Southport in 1978 and now lying at Hervey Bay -- just waiting to take you to explore the uncrowded islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Savannah was built by custom boat builders K & WK Mills at their Southport yard from the then relatively new material fibreglass and they did such a good job with the hand lay-up that almost 35 years later, the owner reports that she is sound as a bell.

Retired public servant Ian Spann bought Savannah three years ago from a bloke who had owned her for a decade. "The original owner who commissioned the boat loved her so much that after he sold her, he bought her back again a few years later," Spann told BoatPoint, "She was built for personal use, she is not in survey, and she has always been kept in top condition."

Spann says he is reluctantly selling the vessel because of "family circumstances" that are keeping him from getting aboard as often as we would like. "It seems such a shame that she is not being used all the time," he said.

Savannah is just over 35 feet long and her high bow makes her a very comfortable offshore cruiser. She is powered by Iveco 120hp diesel that is fresh water cooled and which has only 980 hours on the clock. The engine will drive the boat at a comfortable eight knots and the 1500 litres fuel tanks give her a range of 1200 nautical miles.

A diesel generator provides 240V power and, with a newly installed solar panel, keeps the large bank of of house batteries topped up.

The hull was recently stripped back and resprayed and anti-fouled. The hull was inspected when bare and Spann says there were no signs of osmosis or weak spots anywhere.

A full Raymarine electronics package is installed at both the upper and lower helm stations and a separate GPS/plotter and sounder is also installed on the flybridge.

Below decks the main accommodation is four large berths in the bow and a double stateroom aft. In the large saloon, the dining table can also be converted into an extra double bed. The refurbished bathroom has pressure hot water and the head has an inbuilt sanitation system and a large holding tank.

The galley has lots of space and refrigeration to keep the cook happy.

In a recent upgrade a bow thruster was fitted at aid docking. The rest of the running gear is extensive with two anchors, 60 metres of 10mm galvanised chain, mooring lines, fenders, a life ring and two VHF marine radios fitted.

There are also PFDs, an EPIRB and all required safety gear for coastal cruising.

Spann says the new owner will be offered a full history of the vessel including a vast array of documents such as receipts for expenditure and a pictorial record of the upgrades. A hard-bottomed inflatable tender is included in the price.

DETAILS:
Name: Savannah
Make: K & WK Mills 1978 fibreglass offshore cruiser
Price: $129,000
Length: 35.1 ft (10.7 metres)
Power: Iveco 120hp diesel.
BoatPoint reference code: SSE-AD-511587