After Many Years, the time has come to sell Tropical Delight. Click the short Video to see her underway - Make sure to see aerial view at end!
FOR SALE: TROPICAL DELIGHT (TD) – a classic and very rare 1967 John Alden 44 Center Cockpit built by Allan Vaites out of Boston.
Surveyed estimated value 2023: 100,00.00CND. Out of water survey 2023 available.
Asking Price: 67,000.00USD
Currently lying: Hard storage, North Carolina. Bound for Bahamas 2025 season.
Flag: Canadian.
Interested Parties should use the contact us facility at bottom of any page
In 2023/4, TD completed a 6000NM (1200K) voyage from her home port in Nova Scotia, up to the Cabot Straights of Newfoundland, down to the Caribbean and back up to NC, USA.
Comfortably and safely seeing us through a voyage that dealt with dangerous shorelines in often terrible visibility, demanding seas and currents, the worst weather we’ve ever encountered, and the shoals and challenging bridges of the Intra Coastal Waterways and the Bahamas, proving yet again, this vessel’s outstanding worth and versatility as a live aboard cruiser.
What’s Great About TD?
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With her variable draught of 4ft to nearly 9ft, she is the perfect vessel for coastal cruising and negotiating the sandbanks of places like the Bahamas. It’s true to say that we can anchor where other similar boats dare not! She has a push-button windlass, operated from the cockpit. In most conditions, anchoring and retrieval is done entirely from the helm position.
Her hull is maintained yearly, and is very strong.
TD benefits from an extensive 2023 upgrade including: New Yanmar 4JH57 diesel engine. New propeller shaft and bearings. New fuel tanks (2 x 50Gal). Fuel polishing system that keeps fuel in excellent condition. New water tanks (2 x 75Gal). Complete refurbishment of the engine compartment.
This season upgrades include a brand new Hydraulic, variable helm and associated steering ram.
She has a 40Gal/hr water-maker with a Honda 2200 generator so you never have to worry about water supplies!
She is equipped with Radar, chart plotter and autopilot.
Her forward and aft accommodations are the most spacious that I’ve ever seen for this size vessel, and her spacious center cockpit design is perfect for entertaining and dining, and can be completely enclosed to protect against foul weather and bugs.
She has a great galley for cooking, and she has a propane cabin heater that facilitates greater cruising territories. Propane storage system is mounted externally and has all necessary safety devices, and has been professionally certified.
TD will sail and motor up to 8 knots (6.5 Av).
Her mainsail goes up and down extremely fast, making it very easy to manage. Same goes for her enormously powerful roller-furled headsail. Sails custom built by Dave Calvert, a renowned sailor and sailmaker, and are in very good condition. We have never raced or pushed the sails.
All in all, if you are looking for a versatile, elegant, proven sailing vessel that will offer a unique level of comfort and style and is ready to go, TD is great value for money. A purchaser could quite literally take over from us when we are in the Bahamas.
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What's Challenging about TD?
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You must regularly maintain the hull. The hull, whilst over-built and stronger than many, is cold molded (Epoxy over wood) and therefore does not have a gel-coat finish (which I actually prefer because its very easy to repair). As such, there is a degree to irregularity to its surface reflecting its age. If you want white and plastic, by a Beneteau!
TD is heavy and sea-kindly. She will take a wave from every direction, but she does not sail particularly well to wind. Gentleman sailors never beat!
Her interior workmanship is not original. It’s functional and comfortable, but it’s not fancy.
She’s low-tech (something I also prefer) but her systems are easy to understand and fix.