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Cheoy II Yesterday our Deal of the Week featured a beaten Cheoy Lee 41. Here is one reader's story of actually going to see the thing. Loved the shot of the Cheoy Lee 41 offered for sail through Yachtsalvage.com. Two years ago I placed a bid on this boat and proceeded to NY (Bronx) for a look see. To say the least it was an experience (an experience being something you get, when you don't get what you want!). It was initially listed as a Pedrick 41 (the reason for my interest) however it is actually a Richards 41. The adventure really began when we arrived at the marina, I still have a hard time believing I subjected my wife to yet another one of my "great ideas". The marina, run by a very nice older gentleman was, let's just say not of the neat and tidy variety. We were lead down a very narrow path through piles of disassembled engines and machinery, broken glass, cables and broken boats. Our journey continued out to a "year one" travel lift were we walked out onto the travel lift ways. From this vantage point we could see our "dream boat". The nice older gentleman then instructed his son to fetch a ladder to descend to the floating dock ten feet below at which point my wife tells me in no uncertain terms that there is no way she is going down there! At this point the nice older gentleman convinced her (at his own peril) that she really should go for a look and the ladder was actually stronger than it looked . Upon first seeing our "dream boat" I told her that it was either going to be a one to one and a half hour survey or a five minute look, then run like hell, and it turned out it was the latter. The boat was (is) jammed between a floating dock and the shore and dries out at each falling tide, we were there at flood so at least it was upright. At the time it was partially covered with a shredded blue tarp, the teak decks when walked on were soft and spongy, not unlike walking on a peat bog. There was obviously a fire, likely originating in the engine room and there was significant damage, the hull was repaired with some mat and sprayed over with black paint. At this point with my wife standing on the floating dock, I said that our five minutes was up and it was time to run like hell and to her credit she suggested that since we came this far (we are from the Stratford, Ontario area and a 12 hour drive) that I should at least go down below for a look, hmmm o...k ? As I climbed down the companion way ladder despair turned into no hope, I was only able to go to the last step as water was up to about that point. The interior was the typical Richards layout with the g alley to port, head and aft cabin immediately to starboard and the signature circular settee arrangement forward. You could tell at one point this was a beautiful boat. Lets just say that down below was in a state of, "disarray". I am not religious but as I left the boat I made a sign of the cross and hoped that someone could put this once wonderful boat out of her misery, not everything is or should be rebuildable. I know it's just an object but this seemed to be a most, undignified end. The rest of the trip was quite pleasant we headed up to the Mystic area had a tall ship sail and ate some fresh lobster, all in all another successful excuse to go to the coast. Needless to say I withdrew my bid. Thanks for the reminder of a past adventure. Ken
Fowler
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