# Caliber yachts ?



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I am looking at buying a Caliber 33. Does any one have any information to share, good or bad about this boat or Caliber yachts.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I''ve owned a 33 for the last 14 years and would be happy to discuss the boat with you. I''m presently on a road trip and should be back by Thursday. Why don''t you E-Mail me @ [email protected] with any of your questions.I also recomend you check out the Caliber E-Mail Archives.
Regards Paul


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

Practical Sailor did a basically favorable review of the 33 several years ago. You can buy it on their web page.

I almost bought a 33 myself over the summer but couldn''t agree on price with the owner. Funny part is, he later listed the boat with a broker with an asking price that would net him (after broker commission) less than I offered him initially, not even accounting for someone knocking off SOMETHING in their offer on the boat.

The 33 is a big, heavy, solid boat. Deck is cored with marine plywood and not balsa, which explains part of the added weight. The weight is spread out over a long water line, but the design of the stern will make it dig in creating drag when underway, either by sail or power. The one I was looking at, the owner had painted part way up the stern with bottom paint. Not a good sign for performance.

Boat has good ventilation, great storage, huge anchor locker. Cockpit seats are not very wide, so won''t be comfy to some for a long voyage. 

An interesting thing I noticed is that Caliber-33 owners all seem to brag about how much their boats weigh. The displacement is listed at about 13,000 lbs and it''s common for owners to get in a contest that "my boat weighs more than yours." Their intent is to prove the comfort of the boat in a seaway, which may be true...... but it also leads to sluggish performance under sail or power. People do tend to load them down with every goodie out there.

The boats are tubby to my eye as well, but aesthetics are very personal.

Calibers have a loyal following. It''s all in what you''re after.


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## wiltsan (Jan 19, 2012)

*Caliber 35 1992*

I have an issue that caused me to pull and rebuild my engine which has been completed. When the yard was reinstalling the engine we noticed that the engine was not in alignment on the seat with the shaft tube, but rather at an angle to being in alignment with shaft tube - the shaft tube was built at an angle we think to accomadate being able to get the shaft out without removing the engine by sliding it out the back and thereby missing the skeg.

I'm thinking im going to realign the shaft tube to make it straight and thereby the shaft will be straight. I am wondering if anyone has seen this, is this a factory install this way or has anyone redone this?

Thanks


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## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

wiltsan said:


> I have an issue that caused me to pull and rebuild my engine which has been completed. When the yard was reinstalling the engine we noticed that the engine was not in alignment on the seat with the shaft tube, but rather at an angle to being in alignment with shaft tube - the shaft tube was built at an angle we think to accomadate being able to get the shaft out without removing the engine by sliding it out the back and thereby missing the skeg.
> 
> I'm thinking im going to realign the shaft tube to make it straight and thereby the shaft will be straight. I am wondering if anyone has seen this, is this a factory install this way or has anyone redone this?
> 
> Thanks


That is factory and you are nuts for thinking you should align it. Most builders will offset the shaft to the side that will aid in correcting prop walk. What do you think you will gain by modifying this?

And if you do, how will you get the shaft past the skeg??? Do you really want to move the engine to remove the shaft? And you said the engine was already installed. You would have to pull it again to make the so-called fix.


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## wiltsan (Jan 19, 2012)

The engine is in but not aligned -

The main reason for considering to modify the shaft tube is to prevent the future wear on the shaft. 

Even at the current offset alignment, the shaft does not make it past the skeg - 

The other reason to move it, because of the angle, it is very hard to access the left side of the engine (oil stick) and there is very little play between the engine and the seafrost compressor (which is attached to the bulkhead and not the engine, I purchased the boat that way and because of the engine angle, I can see very little options other then the way it is).

That being said, you make a great point regarding the prop walk....

Any other thoughts? Should I not be concerned about the potential wear on the shaft?

Have you witnessed the engine angle I am talking about within a similar Caliber boat?


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