# Passport 41



## Irunbird (Aug 10, 2008)

I've been watching this boat for the past 2 years or so, and it's still perhaps 3 or 4 years before my wife and I would be serious about buying something for long term cruising, but this one keeps taunting me. It's one of the few affordable Passports that I think suits us for a number of reasons- it's simple, it's big enough (and certainly a well-proven design), but one nice feature- it has a sugar-scoop stern, which just about all the others (P-40 and P-42) don't have. Installing windvane gear would be a bit of a challenge, but we would love the access to and from the water/dinghy you get with that type of stern design. But what is up with this boat? It disappeared for a few months last year, and I thought someone had bought it. It's the only one out there (at least from what I can tell from searching other boat selling sites), but can anyone tell from the info listed if there are noteworthy issues without flying all the way up to the PNW and doing a survey or contacting Uncle Bob? I haven't called the broker- I'm sure he'd hang up if I told him my timeline... I realize this boat may require a ton of refitting to get it ready.

Here's the yachtworld listing:
1989 Passport 41 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Ray


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## hannah2 (Nov 15, 2012)

Hi Ray,
I'll take a stab at it. 

The specs did not give out much on age of rigging, condition of sails, By the way it looks to be a sloop and not a cutter rig. If your going off shore you might do better to have a cutter rig. Also has manual windlass most likely you would want to replace that with a good windlass. Like most used boats most of the electronics would need to be replaced. Engine only has 1700 hours so I don't think you would need more than a good engine survey. 

I will go out on the line and say if you can bring the price down to 140K and have time to work on it yourself over the next 3 or 4 years you will probably spend another 70K if you want her right for long term passage making. But a good seaworthy boat, to bad it is a sloop though.

Cheers


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

As far as I know there was never a production Passport 41... To me this looks like a Passport 40 that someone modified with the stern platform.. thus the extra foot. Down below she's pure P40.

However if the mods were well done I wouldn't be scared off, and the price looks about right for a good shape P40. That transom modification would be a coastal cruising improvement, for sure.. although it does raise issues with a steering vane. OTOH we had a boat neighbour install a Hydrovane on a C&C 115 last summer, so it's possible.


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## Irunbird (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks, guys- this is really my "tire-kicking" coming to fruition, here.. My wife would shoot me if I took off and trailered this thing home while she was out on the road (she travels for work and doesn't supervise my sailnetting while away).. But, I love a good project. Whatever boat we do end up with is likely going to need some work. If they didn't alter the j-dimension, I would think adding an inner forestay wouldn't be that difficult, and I'd prefer it to be detachable anyway. What would be the problem with a scoop transom other than the vane gear issue?


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Irunbird said:


> ..... What would be the problem with a scoop transom other than the vane gear issue?


No problem.. it's an asset otherwise. The only possible 'downside' of that style of platform is the need to still climb 'up and over' the transom as opposed to today's more popular 'walk throughs'.. But still as a dinghy access and swimming access point it's much better than just a ladder, and a big improvement over the P40's accessibility with its overhanging transom.


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## hannah2 (Nov 15, 2012)

Ray, I'm sure that boat was designed to be a cutter rig with the mast further aft, you might check on that. If you went with inner forestay arrangement already on the boat and mast, you would need to add two more winches in the cockpit. Also you can put the German made Windpilot Pacific on that stern. Might be tight getting to the ladder but doable and a great wind vane. 

Looking at what is on the boat and the sloop rig looks like the first owners cut some costs or didn't want much in the way of gear.

So that you do not get kicked out of the house I'd wait till your wife allows you to really do some retail theropy. I think you could do a lot better than that boat. 

Good luck.


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## Irunbird (Aug 10, 2008)

Ha-ha! Well, the way I've been spending money on our Olson 30, I'm not sure there'll be much left for the big boat! I've probably changed my mind at least a dozen times over the past 4 years or so about which boat I think we'd like best, but we're definitely taking our time doing it... I've actually been looking at a few Tartan 4100's that look pretty nice- just not the tankage and none of them are cutter-rigged (or can accommodate any sort of staysail).


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## hannah2 (Nov 15, 2012)

Ray, take your time sounds like you have it and you will find the boat. Maybe it is time to stop spending money on the Olson. 

You want to spend money buy a new boat. We have 5 months left before completion so we are having fun now. New boat, new everything, dishes, towels, custom sheets, Paper charts for the next 5 to 7 years, 60 pounds worth of Bellingham 2/3 charts close to 500 charts. Engine spare parts, Gale rider, cookware, eprib, Sat phone. I spent 3 days in Seattle two weeks ago buying boat gear close to 8 hours per day on each day. They loved to see me coming. Next, European shopping over the internet, electronics and everything else. It's a full time job. At least with a good used boat most of the stuff should be on it when you sign papers. 

There are a lot of nice boats out there to be looked at and one to be bought but make sure you take your wife with you, it's no good without here to decide.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Irunbird said:


> Ha-ha! Well, the way I've been spending money on our Olson 30, I'm not sure there'll be much left for the big boat! I've probably changed my mind at least a dozen times over the past 4 years or so about which boat I think we'd like best, but we're definitely taking our time doing it... I've actually been looking at a few Tartan 4100's that look pretty nice- just not the tankage and none of them are cutter-rigged (or can accommodate any sort of staysail).


OUr frinds Tartan 4100 has a removeable inner forestay, so there is a way for you to add that.

dave


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Took another look at the listing.. noticed another major departure from typical Passports. No external teak. Anodized toerail (plus), no teak caprail, eyebrow trim or wooden handrails on deck (plus) Down below she looks essentially unchanged. Mast position is same as std Passport 40.

Without the wood trim she's perhaps not as 'pretty', but a lot less maintenance.


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## Melrna (Apr 6, 2004)

It is possible to put a wind vane on a sugar scoop transom. Monitor makes one and it pivots out of the way when the boat is at anchor. This allows access to the sugar scoop for swimming and dinghy access. I have seen this on a Caliber 40 LRC. 
It is possible to convert most sloops to a cutter rig with a solent stay. There is a good article on this modification in the current Sail Magazine. It is removable.


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

I second the idea of a Solent stay. Makes a great deal of sense to me. Our boat has a removable inner stay that I can attach a staysail or storm jib too. Staysail is rarely used, the storm jib never been used. Having a tall, heavy 90% jib ready to pull out would be very handy even if it meant that tacking the big jib would be a problem. Not sure that having the Solent stay removable would be a big help. You need to put it and its sail somewhere.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Melrna said:


> It is possible to put a wind vane on a sugar scoop transom. Monitor makes one and it pivots out of the way when the boat is at anchor. This allows access to the sugar scoop for swimming and dinghy access. I have seen this on a Caliber 40 LRC.
> It is possible to convert most sloops to a cutter rig with a solent stay. There is a good article on this modification in the current Sail Magazine. It is removable.


Garhauer makes a nice pole which you can put the wind genrator or which is made for boats with sugar scoop transoms. Comes with detachable engine hoist.

Garhauer Marine Hardware -5354871


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## klem (Oct 16, 2009)

The passport 41 was a later iteration of the 40 and I believe that less boats were made to this design. The major difference is the stern which has already been discussed.

Regarding putting a wind vane on this type of stern, it has been done to a 41 before so I would not expect it to be a problem. You can see one example here Scanmar International.

I have never been fortunate enough to actually be underway on one but sailing next to them and being aboard at the dock, I have really been impressed. While you can't get your heart set on one boat or model (especially if there were not many made), I would definitely keep this on my list of boats to look at given your criteria.


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