One Man's Boat: Lycrest 41

Taiwan revolutionised popular power boating in the 1970s when construction in then revolutionary material glass reinforced plastic (fibreglass) saw the price of a new 40ft family displacement cruiser in the United States drop by half.

Hundreds of boaters who could never have afforded an American-built vessel rushed to get their hands on one of these new, affordable, toys. The price drop over timber boats and the effect on the market was felt equally here, although import taxes didn't give Australians quite the savings that Americans enjoyed.

The Taiwanese had a long history of building wooden boats and, apart from a few false starts, they quickly embraced the new construction material while still adding beautiful teak trim and interiors. By the 1980s, the occasional early problems with poorly-laid matting and inconsistent resin application were over and boats from Taiwan generally were regarded as being world standard.

The most confusing thing for buyers, both then and now, was the brand names given to boats. There were three or four major Taiwanese yards building displacement cruisers but the boats left baring a bewildering variety of names.

The Lycrest 41 that was sold in Australia came from the Her Shine Marine yard and was sold under four or five other names in America and Europe. But no matter where the vessels went, they were instantly recognisable by their beautiful curving bow.

The 1983 Lycrest 41, Sushi, now for sale for $169,000 is a perfect example of how a boat almost 30 years old can still look and operate as well as the day she was launched.

Sushi’s current owner, a senior partner with one of Australia’s largest law firms, bought the boat about six years ago as his 60th birthday approached and he contemplated a relaxed retirement. A change of pace, however, was not to be. His former partners insisted he return to work and Sushi became a development project and a very occasional waterborne conference room.

Although in very good condition when purchased from the Sydney family who had owned the boat for more than 10 years, our desk-bound legal seagull kept finding things to improve, renew, rebuild or refinish.

The twin 165hp Volvo Penta turbo diesels and their gearboxes were rebuilt and new twin 1600-litre stainless steel fuel tanks installed. The exterior was recently stripped back and then repainted with two-pack epoxy. All the interior and exterior timber was also stripped and re-varnished earlier this year (a job rumoured to have cost $60,000 alone).

The two heads were rebuilt, as was the galley, and new upholstery and carpet were fitted throughout.

But despite owning a now as-new cruiser, the lawyer has asked his son to oversee her sale.

"I reckon my wife and I have used her only about four times a year for family trips to Pittwater and back," the son told BoatPoint. "Dad has barely had time to step aboard.

"The boat needs to be used often, not to sit and look pretty as a mooring minder. There is no doubt that she is now 100 per cent the best example of this type of boat in Australia -- and she is unique for Sydney. I haven’t seen a similar model vessel in the time Dad’s owned her."

With twin berths in the forepeak and an aft cabin with a centre-line double bed, Sushi comfortably sleeps four, while the saloon settee can be turned into another double berth. Both the forward and aft cabins have ensuites, the aft master cabin even having a bath.

"I’ve only ever used the bath as a fender locker -- but it’s there if you need it," the son said.

The flybridge has permanent seating for eight and room for several more folding chairs.

An Onan generator provides power for all the electrics in the galley and the saloon. There is large power winch for the anchor and a new set of davits have recently been added to the stern to take the Caribe tender.

The lawyer owner cautions that Sushi is "a lot of boat" and is probably too much for one person to handle alone. "You really need a reasonably fit and strong man to moor her when the wind and chop gets up," he says.