# Virgin Gorda yacht harbor



## skipwiley1 (Jan 30, 2011)

Hello all, My name is Joe, six weeks or so ago I purchased a 56' ketch in virgin gorda, with plans to bring her home to the Pennsylvania area in may. Only problem was the mast step on the main needs to be replaced, no problem I thought it's on the hard in a working boatyard.....well heres the rub getting anyone to actually return a call or for that matter answer the phone seems to be a monumental task, let alone getting them to work on your boat. The name of the shop is the workbench and the owner is a guy named Geoff Cooke, does anyone else have any expieriance with him? I mean he seems like a nice guy but, cant get a price out of him to save my ass. How about Independant boat yard on St Thomas, I may try motoring over there.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

There are a couple of Caribbean cruisers on here. If no one here has answers, there's a world cruising forum on yahoo. I chartered down there once, but didn't use any yard service.
Tell us about the ketch.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I've had work done by Geoff and the Workbench about 2 years ago and was very happy with both their service and their work quality.
If you can't get a quote from the Workbench (I assume you are looking for wood work - or is it fiberglass?) and the boat can motor or motorsail then St. Martin is certainly a cheaper place to get work done.


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## skipwiley1 (Jan 30, 2011)

*The boat*

Ok the boat is a 56' alberto di costa pilot house ketch. She has three staterooms, with the master aft, she has three heads and, a saloon with full 8' of head room. Built in south Africa in 1981 from a Bruce Roberts 53 design she had three feet added to the aft which added a great storage area for tools and things. She was built using the cold mold epoxy method, and ironco wood. It has a 80hp perkins diesel.The vessel is a 35 ton 6ft draft blue water cruiser that has two circumnavigation under her belt. The nephew of the original owner ran charter out of bvi on her until the guy I bought her from sailed south american waters, before bringing her back to Virgin Gorda where we met her. The brokers name was Jose Garcia Valdivia. And we had a very knowledgable surveyor by the name of Tim Davis, Highly reccomend both men


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Interesting, thanks. I bought a much smaller (39') wooden ketch in Fl a couple of years ago. I recruited a good crew here to bring her home.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Sounds like a great boat! Have you had any satisfaction from The Woodbench since your first post? If you don't have final papers yet, a "letter of running" should be sufficient to clear out of the BVI and into St. Martin.


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## skipwiley1 (Jan 30, 2011)

No I still "cant get no satisfaction" I dont know what the problem is with these people, I talk to him on the phone he tells me "this week this week" it's like he has enough money and dont want any more. I dont get it. so now I'm thinking about going down there and motoring to St Thomas, to the Independent boat yard and trying to have the work done there......any thoughts?


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

skipwiley1 said:


> No I still "cant get no satisfaction" I dont know what the problem is with these people, I talk to him on the phone he tells me "this week this week" it's like he has enough money and dont want any more. I dont get it. so now I'm thinking about going down there and motoring to St Thomas, to the Independent boat yard and trying to have the work done there......any thoughts?


Sorry I didn't see your posts earlier, been very busy.

I just hauled my boat at Independent yesterday which is also where she stays in a slip. I am confident you can get the work done there. I suggest you go to the website and call and speak with Mike Sheehan at the fiberglass shop or Jeff Hart at the woodshop about your project and the timeline in which you are trying to complete things. I've used both guys for various projects for years and have been very satisfied. There is also a rigger at the yard as well if his services are needed.

Feel free to send me a PM if I can provide you further assistance.


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