Watkins Seawolf 33 (considering to purchase)

I've done a lot of internet searching for various sailboats that are in the 30-40' range, along with a myriad of other requirements. However, I haven't been on many other monohulls besides my '74 Seafarer 24.

I found an online ad for a 33' Watkins Seawolf that was being shown locally. The pictures in the ad looked promising so I dug up some online reviews of the boat. One such review showed a profile view and interior layout for the boat. Amazingly, the interior of this boat is almost exactly what I've put on paper as my own interpretation of the ideal layout! I had to see it in person.

My search for a future liveaboard/cruising sailboat has finally led me to step foot aboard another boat that I'd actually consider buying. The first thing I did upon going aboard was take a walk around the deck. There was enough room that I didn't have to shuffle, the non-skid held even my hard-soled shoes securely to the deck, and everywhere felt solid underfoot. There was plenty of room to put an 8' dingy on the cabintop. The boom has the in-boom slab reefing setup which I thought a nice touch, as was the cabin-top traveler which spanned a very wide companionway hatch.

The cockpit is U-shaped and has plenty of room for 6 people, you could cram 8 in there, I suppose, but why? The seats looked like a good place to sleep with the right cusions....

My first impression upon stepping below (other than how tricky the typically steep companionway steps can be with hard-soled shoes, what was I thinking?) was of space. You see, my head rubs the cabintop of my Seafarer 24 with 5'10" headroom. This Watkins seemed to have around 6'6" of headroom. Even my tall (6'4") brother might be willing to go sailing with me on this boat. The layout that I was so thrilled about... works! Sure, the galley is smaller than I'd like, but it has to be in order to put the quarter berth opposite the sette and thus gain a lee sea-berth on either tack. A comfortable place to sleep for a cramped galley... is a fair compromise I believe. The U-shaped settee is different than my plan of a simple booth, but the table is still big enough for two people to eat a meal at, or four people to drink at and play cards without seeing what the others are holding. I even think my Poker Table Top would fit on there... something I'd never considered before The head with shower is... typical. Not as cramped as soom and not as roomy as others. Across from the head is a hanging locker with shelf above where the current owner had a TV. Perfect place for a TV so everyone at the dinette and settee could see it. The ever-present V-berth was in the bow, set up like a berth on each side, with a filler piece to make it one large bed. With the large hatch above it looked like a great place to store sails



Online owner reviews tell of a sturdily built off-shore cruiser with shoal draft (4 feet!) that can be comfortably lived aboard. The hull-liner prevents me from seeing exactly how well everything is "tabbed" together, or even inspecting the chain plates from the inside. I'd consider changing the chainplates to exterior versions if it wasn't cost-prohibitive to do so. Then I could keep a better eye on them. Perhaps there was a locker door that I didn't know to open to find them.... The price for these boats seems to run from the low to high 30s, with this specific vessel priced right in the middle.

I'm going to look into financing, I'm going to look around for a good surveyor, and I'm going to put my Seafarer on the market

 

Hi Seafarer if I was you the only Watkins that I only can be purchase was the 37 Center Cockpit. We have one 27 one time and all the watkins have a balsa core problem on the deck. And start making soft spots. I know than at list 3 watkins here with that problem. But the 37 looks more stif. I dont know what kind of boat you are looking for but I gone to put my Columbia 39 Flat Deck for sale on Christmas time just let me know if not I can continue looking here for a boat to you. You are far from Puerto Rico?