40' Converted Troller/Kayaking Charter Vessel - 1973 - $89,000The conversion layout was specifically designed so the owners could do kayaking charters for up to five months of the year and live aboard for the remainder of the year. Accordingly, the layout provides sleeping accommodation for five to six paying guests during the charter season yet feels like a comfortable personal yacht during the off season. The conversion from fishing vessel to charter/liveaboard is so visually appealing and practical that Spirit Bear was judged Best in Class at the 2006 Victoria Classic Boat Festival. And the first Transport Canada inspector to certify the vessel considered it the best troller conversion he had ever seen. So let's have a look around and see what the compliments are all about.
The easiest entry point is via the aft cabin door at the stern of the vessel. Standing in the doorway and looking forward you get a quick sense of the aft cabin layout. Immediately to your right is the aft head which has a large holding tank plumbed into the discharge system. Forward of the head is the dinette which comfortably sits four adults and also converts to a double berth at night.
To your right is a well equipped linear galley with incredibly deep double stainless sinks and all kinds of storage in finely crafted drawers and cabinets. And anyone who has prepared food for a group in a relatively small space will appreciate that there is a separate hand washing sink at the far end of the galley so people are not washing their hands in the food prep area. The fridge and freezer are built into the bulkhead just forward of the dinette and their teak finish allows them to blend almost invisibly into the wood paneling.
Forward of the galley and dinette on the starboard side is the master cabin which is also equipped with an ensuite shower. Just forward of entry to the master cabin is a privacy door that closes off the aft cabin from the pilothouse, giving the guests sleeping on the converted dinette some privacy from those sleeping in the pilothouse and vice versa.
Up the stairs and into the pilothouse and you once again get a sense of the versatility that is built into every space in this vessel. The first thing that strikes you when you enter the pilothouse is how well equipped the helm station is with modern electronics and instrumentation. All of the navigation equipment is within easy reach of the pilot seat and the addition or rear windows in the pilothouse provide excellent visibility. There is also a handy drop-down chart table across from the pilot seat.
The versatility in the pilothouse layout comes from the design of the night berth on the starboard side. During the day it provides pilothouse seating whether you are at anchor or underway. At night the backrest for the bench seat can be swung forward to form a single night berth. The pilothouse is kept nice and cozy by a propane bulkhead heater mounted in the centre of the rear wall.
Access to the fo'c'sle is via a hatch in the port corner of the pilothouse. While the vessel is underway the hatch is closed to mute the engine noise. Because of the shape of the fo'c'sle it was impossible to get photos of the two crew berths. But you get the idea from this photo taken looking forward from the fo'c'sle entry. The fo'c'sle is also used as storage for tools and engine spares.
Off to the port side just aft of the fo'c'sle is another head, which like the aft head, has a large holding tank plumbed into the discharge system. There is a door that can be swung forward to provide privacy for the crew in the fo'c'sle and can be swung to port to give privacy while using the head. And just aft of the head is the entry to the engine room.
One more thing to point out is how the upper decks of Spirit Bear are utilized in her capacity as a kayak mothership vessel. There is a pair of heavy duty stainless steel pipe racks, one mounted on the rear of the aft cabin and one mounted on the pilothouse roof for storing kayaks. The frames were designed to safely carry four ocean kayaks and the kayaks can easily be launched over the stern of the boat by sliding them over the rear rack. The deck space on the aft cabin roof below the kayak storage area contains a number of storage bins and lockers as well as a very large cooler for additional storage of fresh foods.
It is difficult to capture every little aspect of this gorgeous vessel on a web page - you really have to come and have a look to get a true sense of what she might be able to do for you. Only then will you notice that every little nook and cranny offers more storage opportunities, or that all the common areas of the boat as well as the master cabin can be softly illuminated by antique oil lanterns, or the thought that has gone into the four zone sound system, or ...............................
So if you are considering getting into the kayaking charter business or you are simply looking for a very capable liveaboard cruiser, Spirit Bear is well worth your consideration. And if you are thinking of getting into the kayaking charter business, now is the time to find the right boat because you will have some business development work to do before the season begins next year.
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