navigator yachts review

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What's the story on Navigator Yachts?

• Thread starter KalaKai
• Start date Oct 21, 2016
• Oct 21, 2016

Veteran Member

I'm guessing they're maybe a slight step up from Mainship in quality and offshore ability? Is this correct? My preferred boats are Ocean Alexander and Tollycraft and this seems to be a step below them. I'm looking at using the boat primarily inshore, but will occasionally go 100 miles or so offshore crossing the Gulf of Mexico. I"m looking at the 53 pilothouse. Any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks ETA: I haven't seen or have been able to confirm hull design, but it seems this boat has no keel, is this correct? I would assume this may be she's not as directionally stable or rides as well in seas as a Tolly or OA.  

I've sailed offshore in my own boats (sailing) for 25 years, so captain/crew are not an issue. OA is an 86, though in excellent condition. No concerns at all on this boats ability to handle reasonable gulf seas or mechanical condition. Tolly is a 92 and also excellent conditions. Again, I'm not concerned about this boat's ability to handle gulf weather. and condition. The Navigator is a 98 and I've confirmed no keel, a flat bottom aft, though a reasonable bow for seas as far as I can tell. I can't imagine she'd be as good as OA and TC IN handling seas and holding course, but guess she'd be OK as long as I kept her out of really bad stuff. I also guess the wiring, decks, windows and build wouldn't be as robust as OA and TC, but guess it would be above average (mainship/carver etc). All of this I guess as I really know nothing about the boats.  

Moderator Emeritus

KalaKai said: The Navigator is a 98 and I've confirmed no keel, a flat bottom aft, though a reasonable bow for seas as far as I can tell. I can't imagine she'd be as good as OA and TC IN handling seas and holding course Click to expand...

yachtbrokerguy

Senior member.

I just closed on a 57' Navigator a few months ago that I had listed. The buyer is now living on board and it is his first boat. I thought the boat was a good fit for him because it is a 2004 model. For the price he paid for this boat compared to a similar size boat built by other builders he would have had to buy a much older boat. Without a lot of experience in maintenance, the newer boat should be easier to take care of for him. Plus he liked the layout and light wood interior. I have not been out in rough water with him but did a trip to Miami and back this week for part of his free boat driving lessons. With a Yacht Controller and bow and stern thrusters he is handling the boat very well. Navigator built the boat to be sold for less money than some other builders and therefore some boats on the used market may be a lower price. This was the second time I listed the same boat, I listed it six years ago and that owner was happy enough with the boat to list with me when he decided to sell.  

You can look here as well..... Market View: Navigator Motor Yachts from the Past 20 Years  

I will add that the 42' has beautiful wide side decks that are easy to navigate for line handling. The flybridge will easily sit 6 or 7 adults for sundowners. When we bought the boat, Tom thought for sure the pilothouse settee was a waste of space and we'd never use it. As it turns out, it is a GREAT place to hang out for meals, morning coffee and working from boat. (with a great view too!) We love ours. Your mileage may vary.  

smitty477 said: You can look here as well..... Market View: Navigator Motor Yachts from the Past 20 Years Click to expand...

"Designed by Jules Marshall of Californian fame, these boats were all built in Perris, California. A po-dunk third-world town he picked because the cost of living was so low that he could pay less and still have the workers provide for their families. A small piece of land on the edge of the Mojave Desert next to a huge garbage dump. " Jule Marshal l is his name (no "S" in Jule). I believe Jule is still alive, but I'm not definite. The Mojave Desert is a 3 hr drive (about 200 miles) NE of Perris, CA. Perris is in an area called the Inland Empire in southern CA, 85 miles east of LA, near Riverside, CA. It might have been relatively sparsely populated (by LA standards) when Navigator moved there but has a significant population of close to 70,000 today, up from about 35,000 in 2000. Love those Navigator boats! They might be faster than the OA or Tolly. Tom, what's your high speed cruise? 12-14K? If you're on plane, the importance of a keel for course keeping diminishes.  

Attachments

caltexflanc

Navigators are good honest boats. They are a successor brand to Californian, which many members here have. The hull is most similar to the classic Bertram deep vees, which are ocean going offshore boats. Being of west coast origin, they are built for ocean use, as there are no "protected waters" between San Francisco and Cabo (not counting Mission Bay), hardly a "cruising ground" per se. I wouldn't turn my nose up at one, and I am a Hatteras snob (keeled boats BTW).  

FlyWright said: "Designed by Jules Marshall of Californian " Jule Marshal is his name (no "S" in Jule). Click to expand...

MYTraveler said: But Marshall (two L's), right? Click to expand...

caltexflanc said: Navigators are good honest boats. Click to expand...

Thanks for the corrections. I like being more smarterer nowz.  

I'd call Navigator another of those boats that un-knowledgeable non-owners might put down, yet they have a lot of very happy owners. It happens a lot to moderately priced boats.  

To further B&B's post above... I would caution newbies (and we were all newsbys once) to avoid ranking boats in terms of build quality, or better yet perceived build quality. All boats have pluses and minuses. Here's some examples... One of the least cost ways into a large boat is to buy a older "Taiwan Trawler". These are boats that were built in the far east under a variety of brand names from about the early 70's to about the mid 80's. Many of these boats had exceptional interior jointery, probably due to the inexpensive labor available in the far east back then. Does that mean they are ranked higher? Or lower? But wait, time has shown that some of these boats had major issues such as steel tanks that have failed. Does that affect your ranking??? Or is that just indicative of the technology available back then??? Take the Navigators that were asked about. Nice looking boats, but some unknowing slam them, for really ZERO reason. Does that make them bad? No it does not. Take Bayliner. Heck, everybody seems to want to slam the Bayliners. Right up to the time they step onboard one. Then they generally say things like "nice boat" Then lets take engines. Everybody seems to love the Ford Lehman. Why??? Is it a great engine? Hey current internet lore slams the Detroit/GM 2 strokes. But wait.... both are reliable engines, yet parts for a detroit are much more readily available, as is skilled mechanical help. Yet, if you listen to current internet lore the Detroit 2 strokes should be used only as anchors. So... My advice to you is to think more in terms of how you are going to use your boat. What do you see yourself doing in it? Think of big picture items like do you prefer aft cabin, or pilot house designs. Then go look at real boats and decide for yourself if you like what you see. And always remember, you are not just buying a boat. You are buying all the care (or lack of it) that every previous owner put into the boat. That is often much more important than the factory that built it.  

• Oct 22, 2016

Alaskan Sea-Duction

Please forgive my ignorance. I was told this summer that navigators were built by a division of Bayliner???? True?  

Alaskan Sea-Duction said: Please forgive my ignorance. I was told this summer that navigators were built by a division of Bayliner???? True? Click to expand...

"Please forgive my ignorance. I was told this summer that navigators were built by a division of Bayliner???? True?" False - that is not accurate as they are completely separate companies and always have been. Perhaps they were talking about Meridian.  

I owned a navigator 53 until 4 years ago. Very easy to work boats, almost every parts of the boat are reachable. Volvo engines are reliable, although I replaced a heat exchanger and price almost kill me. I drove that boat normally out the bay; not really impress with movement at ocean, really prefer a much more heavy boat. Internal wood work was decent, nothing to argue about it. Would buy it again.. humm.. nop.. it's a nice boat but just that... just my 0.2 cents...  

Navigator Yachts was sold fairly recently by the Marshall family and production stopped. Here's an article from 2013: Private equity group acquires Navigator Yachts Posted on February 27th, 2013 Written by Michael LaBella Navigator Yachts Inc., builder of Navigator Yachts and Californian Yachts, has been sold to a private equity investment group and is now operating under the name Navigator Yachts and Products Inc. Alberto Cogliati, who has worked with the company for a dozen years and is now filling the role of general manager, confirmed to Soundings Trade Only that the company was sold at the end of 2012 and got back up and running under new ownership early this year after completing the permitting and sale process. “A lot of people are calling and inquiring about it,” Cogliati told Trade Only. “We haven’t announced it officially yet, but yes, the company was sold.” The new owners have opted not to release their identity to the public at this time, Cogliati told Trade Only this morning. The company plans to maintain its focus on building and selling in the United States while also exploring international opportunities, Cogliati said. It also will make some changes to its model lineup and likely will introduce a new model. The goal will be to implement building innovations and explore options in alternative materials to keep costs down and prices lower while maintaining the quality of the products. Jule Marshall, who founded Californian Yachts in 1972 and Navigator Yachts in 1988, is no longer involved in the company, Cogliati said. “The good news is that we’re financially stronger, and we’re looking to grow our dealer network and expand our market outside of the United States,” he said. “We’re still maintaining all of our dealers in the United States and even trying to expand in the U.S. And I’m looking at some South American markets and probably some Asian markets.” The 45- to 68-foot semicustom long-range cruisers will continue to be built in Perris, Calif. When the economy was robust the company was building roughly four yachts a month, but the downturn caused that number to drop to eight to 10 units a year, Cogliati said. “What we build is nothing small, so it’s very important for us to expand the market because I don’t think now in the United States we can sustain three or four boats a month,” Cogliati said. “The only way to go forward with production is to explore other markets. I do believe in trying to keep as much as possible in this country. So my priority is trying to build boats here in California and then send boats to Brazil and other countries.” The company also wants to change some things model-wise, Cogliati said, and introduce a new boat to the lineup. “We’re reintroducing some models that have been successful,” Cogliati said. “Our models are fairly popular, especially here in California and in the Northwest. The last thing we want to do is increase the price of powerboats, especially with the economy the way it is. We’re trying to keep the price down while building a quality boat and investing some money in some of the quality features that people want.” The company will try to lower the in-house cost of building the boats by using new techniques that will reduce the time spent building, Cogliati said. “We want to provide a turnkey product that doesn’t require any extra investment from the customer.” — Reagan Haynes Private equity group acquires Navigator Yachts | Trade Only Today  

BandB said: No. Click to expand...

When researching before buying this boat, I was told by a previous Navigator dealer out of the NW that the new owners moved everything to China. Don't know if it's true.  

The new owners appear to have done nothing. Not unusual. Tollycraft, Navigator, Californian, Post. The list goes on and on. Those articles are just PR fluff. They didn't even maintain ownership of the web domain.  

BandB said: The new owners appear to have done nothing. Not unusual. Tollycraft, Navigator, Californian, Post. The list goes on and on. Those articles are just PR fluff. They didn't even maintain ownership of the web domain. Click to expand...

• Oct 23, 2016

Check out the Facebook page. It says they have some parts available. Might be obsolete.  

FlyWright said: Check out the Facebook page. It says they have some parts available. Might be obsolete. Click to expand...

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Boating Journey

Come along with Scott & Ally on their boating journey in Florida!

Tour a 2006 Navigator 5100

This past summer, while touring a Viking Sport Yacht , broker offered to show us a 2006 Navigator 5100. She had overheard us talking about our love for Navigator yachts and she had one on the other dock. Unfortunately at $449,000 it’s out of our price range, but we were thrilled to be able to take a quick tour.

Almost identical to the 5300

If you have been following us this summer, you’ll remember that we toured a Navigator 5300 up in Bellingham. The big difference between this yacht and that one is, this one has furniture in the salon (because the 5300 had sank at the dock). Though two feet shorter, none of the layout appears to be tighter or smaller.

The cockpit is nice a roomy, perfect for a day out fishing. You enter through the heavy duty sliding glass door into the main salon, which is very spacious and comfortable. The salon and galley of the Navigator reminds me very much of a “home”.

The television is hidden in the cabinet until you’re ready to watch it.

One of my biggest issues with the our Bayiner 4087, was we couldn’t relax on a couch and watch tv comfortably. We had to sit in the settee to watch tv. This salon offers a great area to unwind and relax.

Large Upgraded Galley

For anyone who knows me well, you know I love to cook – even on a boat. But small kitchens and galleys, drive me crazy. Even in our big huge house that we sold, we had pretty limited counter space for prep. The Navigator galleys offer tons of prep space, plus a full pantry under the floor in the galley.

Up behind the galley, is the interior bridge. There’s a large settee behind the captain’s chair, which could be used for an office as well.

The bridge had great visibility and all upgraded electronics.

Expansive living quarters

Just like the Navigator 5300, the 5100 offers a large master stateroom with a washer and dryer.

The master stateroom had tons of storage, perfect for a liveaboard. The master head was enclosed and it has a separate shower to the right of the Vacuflush toilet.

I was also shocked about how much storage the cedar closets offered. Plus they smell great!

Room for the entire family!

Down the hall from the master, you’ll find a double bunk stateroom and a VIP v-berth stateroom. The amount of storage that is included in each stateroom was amazing!

The guest head has plenty of space & storage and the shower is a stand alone shower stall here too.

Up to the bridge

To access the fly bridge, you enter through the interior helm area. One thing I really like about the exterior of the Navigator 5100 is the height of the railings. Since I’m short and usually the one putting the fenders out, I feel safer with a taller railing.

When we toured this Navigator 5100, they had taken all of the cushions off, to keep them protected from the elements. One disappointing fact about this Navigator 5100 is that it does not have an enclosed fly bridge, which is a must for us.

As you can see, there’s tons of storage under the seats. Below is what the bridge looks like with the cusions.

There’s so much room up on the bridge! We do wish there was some kind of table, but so far, none of the Navigators we have looked at, have had one on the bridge.

Again, the upper fly bridge offers great visibility for ease of docking.

Is the Navigator our next liveaboard?

Scott and I admit, that after touring three different Navigators, that this is what we are looking for in a liveaboard. We especially like the Sundance model with the main stateroom located mid ship.

So we will continue to search for Navigators and hope that one will come with a liveaboard slip. If you know of anyone wanting to sell their 50′ – 55′ Navigator with a liveaboard slip, please DM us. Be sure to watch the full tour on our channel, video below.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and like most of you, we’re celebrating at home by ourselves thanks to covid-19. Thank you for following our journey and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on social @BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

Why Buy a Navigator Yacht?

Why Buy a Navigator Yacht? The 54 Navigator Yacht Raised Pilothouse 2007 is bred from a fine family of motor yachts.  Naval Architect Jule Marshall founded Navigator Yachts in 1987; however, he had been building the highly regarded “Californian” line of yachts since the late 1960’s.

It’s All in the Design

A hallmark of his designs are hulls that get up on plane quickly.  This is because they have smaller, more economical engines.   Another feature is the 360 degree visibility from the helm which allows a couple to operate the vessel without any other assistance.  Also of interest, there are two ways to access the bow from the cockpit.  First, step along the narrow port and starboard walkways with grab rails.  Alternatively, access through the salon and out through the sliding door on the starboard side of the pilothouse.

By widening the salon out to nearly the full beam, the design makes the best use of interior space, yet still allows for a narrow walk around deck.   The result is a good compromise between practicality and comfort.

The hull is solid fiberglass, no coring material is used in the hull. Another excellent feature of the Navigator is the use of aluminum stringers and beams for floor support, which is much lighter and stronger than wooden members used by most other builders. The insulation is exceptional and affords the quietest boat ride you will ever have!

The auxiliary machinery space is forward of the engine room and separated by a bulkhead and door and this houses the air conditioning units, battery chargers, access to the washer and dryer, and other equipment, as well as a good location for tools boxes and other storage items.

With over 1000 Navigators and Californians built since 1988, these yachts were produced in Southern California until just recently.  They are among the most respected U.S. built semi-custom yachts available today. (Californians are the single engine Long Range Cruiser models built by Navigator).

Navigator For Sale!

Atlantic Yacht and Ship, Inc. is offering a 54 Navigator Raised Pilothouse 2007 for sale. For More information, contact Central Agent, Brad Nelson at 954-205-7944 or email [email protected] .

Atlantic Yacht & Ship

For over 56 years Atlantic Yacht & Ship has been serving the yachting community. In fact, our headquarter sales office is dockside at Harbour Towne Marina. In the heart of the yachting capital of the world, Fort Lauderdale, FL. Our in-house  waterside service department  provides general yacht services. This includes from new teak, to engine rebuilds, captain services, and everything in between. Whether purchasing or marketing a quality vessel, Atlantic Yacht and Ship, Inc. is your one stop resource. We provide the highest quality service and sales in the yachting industry today. Regardless if you are looking at  yachts for sale , or thinking about  selling your yacht . It is always wise to have an experienced broker representing your interests throughout the deal. Contact  Atlantic Yacht & Ship  at 954.921.1500 or  click here .

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Syf350 New Member

I know this is a loaded question. but hoping for objective opinions, not brand ambassadors. Looking at a navigator 53 (volvo) and carver 530 (cummins). same year, same price, lets assume same shape. I am not looking to travel the world. I am looking to liveaboard on something reliable with the occasional jaunt to the bahamas, possibly the loop. go.

BRyachts Member

Navigators seem to have a pretty good reputation, Carvers not so much. While I generally prefer Cummins (parts are cheaper and easier to get) to Volvo, a lot comes down to what model of each one, and how well they've been maintained. Some would depend on your liveaboard lifestyle too.

SeaEric YF Historian

Neither of those models have aged graciously in my opinion. It's been my experience that the Carver is, in general a much easier re-sale. My choice would be the 53 Carver.

NYCAP123 Senior Member

I'd prefer the Carver because of a better support network and easier to resell, and also the Cummins for the reasons in #2. Another reason is because around here there's far more Carvers to choose from, but that could be different in your area.

gr8trn Senior Member

Sorry, I am a brand ambassador. Actually just an owner operator. I have never run a Carver. Look at them both. Sit on them both. Operate them both. Buy the one you like the best. I would go Nav>Carver Cummins all day>Vovlo based one longevity and parts pricing I see your dilema.

Ralph Holiman New Member

I know someone with a 56 Navigator. It's nice looking boat, but, the side decks going forward are so narrow they are hard to negotiate when it's tied up to the dock. I can't imagine trying to do it when any kind of seas, anchored or moving.

JadePanama Member

Based in Seattle, there are a ton of Navigators up here. We actually recently bought a 2011 Californian 55 (which is a Navigator with a different look/layout). One of our closest friends has a 57' Carver and we spend a ton of time on both. I honestly cant say there is anything I like better about the Carver. They have had constant problems. I have never really held either in the highest regards, but after owning the Cal/Nav, I am actually quite impressed with the build and finish. The woodwork is outstanding and the cabinetry hardware they used is top end stuff. I get its still not a Grand Banks or even an OA, but for the Puget Sound waters its a hell of a bang for the buck. Comparing the two, the fit/finish is much higher on the Navigator imo. I never have understood the Volvo hatred. They are very solid, efficient engines. Folks bring up parts, but I have found a pretty plentiful supply out there. As you have probably noticed if you have looked much, at the end of the day it really matters more about that particular boat you are looking at. How was it maintained and used before you means far more than the name on the side. Best of luck!

cleanslate Senior Member

JadePanama said: ↑ Based in Seattle, there are a ton of Navigators up here. We actually recently bought a 2011 Californian 55 (which is a Navigator with a different look/layout). One of our closest friends has a 57' Carver and we spend a ton of time on both. I honestly cant say there is anything I like better about the Carver. They have had constant problems. I have never really held either in the highest regards, but after owning the Cal/Nav, I am actually quite impressed with the build and finish. The woodwork is outstanding and the cabinetry hardware they used is top end stuff. I get its still not a Grand Banks or even an OA, but for the Puget Sound waters its a hell of a bang for the buck. Comparing the two, the fit/finish is much higher on the Navigator imo. I never have understood the Volvo hatred. They are very solid, efficient engines. Folks bring up parts, but I have found a pretty plentiful supply out there. As you have probably noticed if you have looked much, at the end of the day it really matters more about that particular boat you are looking at. How was it maintained and used before you means far more than the name on the side. Best of luck! Click to expand...

the Californian brand has changed hands several times. Not gonna go too deep into the history but the original founder of Californian was Jules Marshall founded in 1972. He sold it to Wellcraft in 1980, bought it back in 84, sold it to Carver in 86, went on to create Navigator in 1988, and bought Californian back from Carver in 1991. From then till they closed around 2016 Californians were really Navigator Hulls and Engines, with a different layout and body. Not sure either is more sea worthy than the other. They both (carver/navigator) have very different layouts so functionality and design preferences probably should drive this. Not trying to be a homer, but I have always considered the Navigator line to be a step above Carvers. I will say the more I dig into mine, I am continually impressed by the neatness of wiring, plumbing, systems etc.

JadePanama said: ↑ the Californian brand has changed hands several times. Not gonna go too deep into the history but the original founder of Californian was Jules Marshall founded in 1972. He sold it to Wellcraft in 1980, bought it back in 84, sold it to Carver in 86, went on to create Navigator in 1988, and bought Californian back from Carver in 1991. From then till they closed around 2016 Californians were really Navigator Hulls and Engines, with a different layout and body. Not sure either is more sea worthy than the other. They both (carver/navigator) have very different layouts so functionality and design preferences probably should drive this. Not trying to be a homer, but I have always considered the Navigator line to be a step above Carvers. I will say the more I dig into mine, I am continually impressed by the neatness of wiring, plumbing, systems etc. Click to expand...

Rusty Mayes Member

We were looking for a Navigator 56 rival because we liked the cabin lay out and were also interested in the Carver 530 Voyager. I did a tone of research and forum reading on each. Owners love them both, I had Cummins on our last boat and would prefer to stay with them. The one thing that I have heard and seen first hand on the Navigators is windshield and side window sealing issues. There is a local boat that we almost bought and saw 6 months later that had the cabin ripped apart chasing interior wood damage. During my research on the Carvers I have not seen too much negative on the overall quality for a boat in its price category. We ended up falling into a local deal on a Carver 506 which for our five year plan will suit us well. It has Volvos so now we just get learn about them. Happy searching

Rusty Mayes said: ↑ We were looking for a Navigator 56 rival because we liked the cabin lay out and were also interested in the Carver 530 Voyager. I did a tone of research and forum reading on each. Owners love them both, I had Cummins on our last boat and would prefer to stay with them. The one thing that I have heard and seen first hand on the Navigators is windshield and side window sealing issues. There is a local boat that we almost bought and saw 6 months later that had the cabin ripped apart chasing interior wood damage. During my research on the Carvers I have not seen too much negative on the overall quality for a boat in its price category. We ended up falling into a local deal on a Carver 506 which for our five year plan will suit us well. It has Volvos so now we just get learn about them. Happy searching Click to expand...

Dweintra New Member

Agreed Dweintra. Both are solid boats and I think it really comes down to maintenance and preference of layout. Yours is a beautiful vessel and I know it will serve you and the fam for many years. Now.. I just need to find a way to get me a private dock off the backyard as well lol

gr8trn said: ↑ Congratulations on your decision and the new boat. I recall you have mentioned Benicia as your home port, I recall that as my wife is from that wonderful town and learned to sail on 9th street beach. We have walked the Marina perimeter many times as her mom lives there. Anyway, you are correct about Navigator windows. There was a move to flush mounted windows in about 2008, don't quote me on that year. Navigator used a 3m product to paint the inside of the windows to give the adhesive something to "stick" to. Short story, it failed and they need to be pulled, fritted or prepared and rebedded. This can be a $30K project at the top end or a $3K project if done as needed one window at a time. Not ideal, there was a law suit over this around that time but as we all know 2008-2009 was not a good time in boat building and Navigator did not make many hulls and finally ceased operations in the years to follow. Pre 2008 or 2007 or so, this Window seal failure is not an issue as far as I know. Click to expand...

JadePanama said: ↑ Agreed Dweintra. Both are solid boats and I think it really comes down to maintenance and preference of layout. Yours is a beautiful vessel and I know it will serve you and the fam for many years. Now.. I just need to find a way to get me a private dock off the backyard as well lol Click to expand...

Ralph Holiman said: ↑ I know someone with a 56 Navigator. It's nice looking boat, but, the side decks going forward are so narrow they are hard to negotiate when it's tied up to the dock. I can't imagine trying to do it when any kind of seas, anchored or moving. Click to expand...

Rusty Mayes said: ↑ Thank you, We really love the marina and it is only30 minutes from our home. Great place to relax on the weekends. I was sure that the boat we looked at was a Sundance in the 2000 vintage. It had big problems with several leaking deck plates and cleats as well as the window leaking. I am not knocking Navigator in general I just want the original Poster to make sure to have the windows and deck plates looked at for any signs of water intrusion as I know it was a very expensive issue to deal with. The prior owners of the boats were very cavalier about the maintenance and it cost them dearly when it came time to sell. The current owners thankfully went in with eyes wide open and are bringing the boat back to ship shape the right way. Cheers Click to expand...

Thank you all. I have now found a carver 570 that is a few years newer and in the same price range, muddying up my decision even further. But it sounds like i can't go wrong with any of them, provided maintenance and soundness are there.

Rkbk New Member

I have a 2000 53 Carver Voyager and love it

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The elegant simplicity of the Navigator design has struck a nerve in a society flooded with high stress and hi-tech. It reassures you that the world is not such a bad place after all.

The Navigator has been one of his most popular designs with over 700 plans sold. Its popularity has also come as a pleasant surprise. Originally designed on the instigation of Captain Tim Ridge of Westhaven’s Boat Books, the design was intended as a race trainer for a local club. She had a sloop rig and, with a crew of three teenagers, was designed to stand up to some breeze. “But the surprise came with my friend Bob Jenner who wanted a long-range cruising dinghy just a little bigger than his Rogue design,” says Welsford. “We sat down for a browse through my drawings for some inspiration. Bob was very taken by the hull and internal layout of Navigator but wanted a rig with very different priorities.” Bob added the versatility of a standing lugsail mainsail and a mizzen and a cult classic was born. Navigators are to be found as far north as Finland, Norway and Denmark, and as far south as Invercargill. Several have done some respectable coastal passages and local dinghy cruising hero David Perrilo has cruised his around Fiji, adding further fuel to the cult of simple dinghy cruising. CONSTRUCTION John Welsford boats have made their name due to their good looks and simple construction for the amateur builder. Most are built that way, but the hull, spars and rudder of Korora were built by Mick Fone of Richard Walker Boat builders in Richmond, Nelson, with the fitting and finishing by owner Dave Johnstone. According to those who’ve attempted it, building a Navigator is a straightforward proposition for anyone with basic carpentry skills. There are 11 detailed sheets of plans that include a comprehensive accounting of fastenings, materials and hardware, as well as helpful suggestions for rigging.

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1993 Navigator 3300 FE

1993 navigator 3300 fe specs.

• Boat Type : Inboard Boats
• Quantity: 2
• Horse Power: 318
• Type: Diesel
• Hull Material : Fiberglass
• Beam : 15'0"
• Length : 33'
• Net Weight : 27000 lbs
• Looking for the Boat Manual? 1993 Navigator Yachts 3300 FE Request Boat Manual Now

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Boat Profile

A beach-cruising centerboard yawl

From Issue   August 2016

J ohn Welsford’s Navigator is a 14 1/2′ centerboard beach cruiser and daysailer built in glued-lapstrake plywood. Welsford offers several rigs for this pretty little boat: Bermuda racing sloop, a lug yawl, and a gaff yawl. Being attracted more to traditional boat types and rigs, I chose to build the gaff yawl. The combination of the Navigator’s jaunty sheerline and yawl sail plan gives her character, and indeed, she can be built with as much character and tradition as the builder would like without appearing quaint. The choice of rig, sails, materials, and paint and finish schemes can place her comfortably in the 19th or 21st centuries or anywhere in between.

If the Navigator reviewed here is not large enough to meet your needs, Welsford offers plans for a larger version called the Pathfinder. It is 19″ longer and 7″ wider than the Navigator.

Welsford’s plans show an option to mount a small, low-powered outboard on the boomkin, but most builders have opted to mount outboards up to 5 hp on a bracket fixed to the transom. I use a 24-volt, 1-hp electric outboard to help move her along to and from the dock and to get me home when the fickle Midwest winds die. The instructions note placing oarlocks 350 mm (13 3/4″) aft of an optional seat installed for rowing, and many builders equip their boats for rowing. I did too and found that the Navigator is not well-suited to long-distance rowing because of its 5′10″ beam and challenge of placing rowlocks either on the cockpit coamings or gunwales. I mounted locks on the coaming, which leaves about 9″ between the lock and the gunwale, causing the oars to rub on the gunwale. The Davis pattern fold-down oarlocks I used brought the lock inside the coaming. Side-mount or angled-mount rowlocks mounted outside of the coaming would provide more clearance for the oars over the gunwales. My seat for rowing is on top of the centerboard case, which gets me by but is not ideal for any long stretch of pulling. Doing some experimenting with the rowing accommodations and geometry may improve upon the arrangement I currently have.

The Navigator has a near-vertical stem giving way to a sharply curved forefoot and a very fine entry, enabling the boat to slice through a stiff chop with a minimum of fuss. The forward sections have a nice flare above the waterline that helps to keep the bow from diving too deeply into waves. The hull’s flat bottom and firm bilges provide for excellent stability. The sheerstrake curves gently upward and inward to meet the slightly raked transom with a touch of tumblehome.

Welsford originally designed Navigator as a race trainer to serve the needs of a local sailing club near his New Zealand home, but the club opted for an existing class boat. He later modified the design for another client wanting a dinghy for extended open-boat cruising. The changes included a large locker forward of the mainmast as well as two side lockers under the cockpit seats to keep gear away from spray and from any water that might enter the boat. These also form airtight compartments to lend buoyancy in the event of swamping. These compartments, the openness of the cockpit, and the space under the side decks provide ample storage space for camp-cruising and still leave room for four to enjoy an afternoon’s sail.

Battens set in the frames and bulkheads simplify shaping and fastening the planks. The mizzen mast is set to port to keep from interfering with the tiller.

B uilding a Navigator is a straightforward proposition. Welsford provides 11 detailed sheets of plans that include a comprehensive accounting of fastenings, materials, and hardware, as well as helpful suggestions for rigging. Welsford’s concise building instructions have just enough detail to point novice builders in the right direction for getting things done properly and efficiently, while allowing them to make decisions based on personal preferences. Being able to choose between aluminum or hollow bird’s-mouth spars, plywood-sheet or laid-teak decking, fancy do-it-yourself wooden blocks or hardware-store pulleys, and varnish or paint is much of the great fun in building a Navigator.

The project fits nicely in a single-car garage; perfect for the amateur builder who may not have access to a dedicated shop. Navigator is put together upright on a strongback. Bulkheads and frame stations are cut and assembled from marine-grade plywood and attached to the bottom panel along with the keelson, stem, and transom. Longitudinal stringers connect the bulkheads and frames and provide the builder with glue-and-screw landing places for the plywood plank edges. The amidships frames anchor the centerboard trunk, while the compartments in the bow and the cockpit seating provide flotation to both ends of the boat. Four strakes bring us up from the bottom to the sheerline. Once the hull is planked up, the boat is flipped upside down for fiberglassing up to the waterline, the addition of the keel, skeg, false stem, and outside finishing work.

At this stage, I reconfigured the strongback lumber to create a cradle on casters that would allow me to move the boat within the garage as well as roll the project outside or back in as necessary for decking, interior appointments, and rigging.

Welsford specifies either a box-laminated wooden mast, or an aluminum one. I opted to build a hollow mainmast of Sitka spruce using the bird’s-mouth method; dimensions are fully specified in the plans. The mast is just under 14′ long, and the gaff-yawl version of the boat allows all the spars to fit comfortably within the length of the hull for easy transport. The boom, gaff, bowsprit, mizzen, boomkin, and sprit boom are solid, laminated of spruce or pine.

The mast for the yawl rig I chose is stepped through the foredeck just ahead of the cockpit coaming; the mast of the sloop rig is stepped through partners just aft of the coaming. To make rigging easier, I chose to build-in a mast hinge, which saves me from having to step the mainmast by myself when solo sailing, and keeps my boat almost completely rigged as it sits on the trailer. The mast is designed with tensioning stays to keep the jib’s luff straight, and the standing rigging makes a hinged mast a reasonable modification. I made sails from a Sailrite kit cut to the dimensions specified in the plans; there are finished sail packages for this Navigator available online from several sailmakers.

The plans call for a motor mount on the boomkin, roughly square to the normal orientation. Most builders use a conventional bracket fastened to the transom.

I launched my Navigator, PUFFIN, on June 5, 2016, after two-and-a-half years of working on the boat nights and weekends. Dedicated builders have completed it in a few short months; the build time is largely dependent on the builder’s choice of fit and finish, and, to a lesser degree, by one’s skills at the outset of the project. This being my first scratch build, my learning curve was steep, and much time was spent on the “pondering stool” and repairing mistakes that simply couldn’t be overlooked.

The Navigator is a good little boat. PUFFIN weighs in at just over 350 lbs, a bit heavier than the 309 lbs listed in the plans. She is easily trailered, and with a hinged mainmast (see WB No. 237, March/April 2014), I can rig her at the boat launch and get her in the water in 10 minutes or less. Joel Bergen, the man behind the informative Joel’s Navigator Site , has posted a video in which he rigs his Navigator, outfitted with a standard mast, in just under 30 minutes.

The control lines are lead aft along the centerboard trunk for easy access while solo sailing. The decking covering the plywood seating is a personal touch by the author. The spaces under the foredeck and seats provide ample room for stowing cruising and camping gear.

The Navigator’s initial stability is excellent for a boat of its size. I am a solid 200 lbs and have no difficulty standing in the boat while it’s afloat and moving through the cockpit for rig and trim adjustments. For a lightweight dinghy, Navigator handles open water gracefully and with an easy movement, and is faster than it looks. It sails wonderfully on a reach or a run; into the wind, it neither points as high nor runs as fast as I would like, but that may be typical of a gaff rig. If you’d like your Navigator to do better to weather, the alternate Bermuda rig with an aluminum foil-sectioned mast would be the better choice. In 15 knots of wind, my Navigator stays remarkably dry and upright and can do 8 knots on a broad reach, even while fully loaded. Without a cargo of four people aboard, she heels more and offers a more thrilling ride, and can certainly reach higher speeds. One advantage of the yawl rig is the ability to sheet the mizzen in hard and drop the main and jib. This allows her to heave-to with her head pointed nicely into the wind while the crew enjoy a break or take in a reef or two on the mainsail.

The gaff yawl rig has a 28-sq-ft jib, an 88-sq-ft main, and 21-sq-ft mizzen. The insignia on the main is the author’s personal mark for his Navigator, PUFFIN.

John Florance was raised in Mexico, and as a child learned to sail Hobie Cats on the Bay of Acapulco. He has sailed extensively on Lake Michigan, in Mexico, and the Caribbean. He and his family often vacation in the Caribbean and sail -chartered monohulls among the islands. PUFFIN is his first scratch-built boat. He has posted a video of PUFFIN under sail on his YouTube channel.

Navigator Particulars

Length/14′ 9″

Beam/5′ 10″

Weight/309 lbs

Sail Area/136 sq ft

Bermuda rig

Plans for the Navigator are available from John Welsford and from Duckworks .

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Comments (4)

Beautiful build, John. I couldn’t see hatches in your seats. How have you waterproofed access to the compartments? I’m trying to come up with a homemade option for my Caledonia yawl, currently under construction.

Thanks for the comment, Ben. Access to the seat compartments is through 8″-diameter inspection ports that are mounted on the inboard faces of the seats. There are any number of suppliers that make waterproof access hatches, if you want to buy them. I made mine of laminated 6 and 9mm ply and used rubber gaskets and siliconized deck caulking to make them waterproof. Truth is, I don’t plan to use the seat compartment for storage. There’s lots of room forward of the cockpit.

These little side-deck boats can benefit from the lessons of the sneakboxes and other side-decked gunning boats of the 19th century. When these were set up for rowing, the sockets went on pads, sometimes folding-pads, generally set on the decks about halfway between the coaming and the edge. It might be fun to mount a side-mount oarlock socket on the transom for some sculling.

Good article, John. Loved it. Brought back great memories about building ARWEN, my Navigator yawl. Thanks for writing it. Steve

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For Heroes of D-Day, This Reunion Might Be a ‘Last Hurrah’

It is 80 years since the Allied invasion of Normandy, and the average age of veterans hovers at 100. Once they are gone, how will their sacrifices be remembered?

By Catherine Porter

Catherine Porter traveled across Normandy, from Deauville to Ste.-Mère-Église for this story. She also went to Hemet, Calif.

For many, it will be the last big commemoration. The last reunion.

Eighty years after Allied armies invaded the beaches of Normandy, marking a definitive turning point in World War II, those veterans who are still alive and sound enough are expected to return to France this week from the United States, Britain and Canada to commemorate the moment — gingerly, slowly, happily.

They number less than 200. Their average age is about 100.

As some of the veterans arrived on Monday, descending from a hulking 767 onto the tarmac of the small Deauville airport — sometimes helped by multiple aides — many of those there to greet them grew teary in between their bursts of applause.

For a place saturated in the history of that grand landing, when some 156,000 Allied soldiers arrived on the coast and began to push the occupying Germans out of Normandy and then out of the rest of France, there is a deep sense of nostalgia.

“It’s very emotional,” said the airport director, Maryline Haize-Hagron, who like most Normandy natives, has an intimate story of D-Day. Her grandfather Henri Desmet, after watching American parachutists land in the marshes near his farm on June 6, used his flat-bottom boat to row dozens to dry land so they could continue fighting.

“It’s such an honor to be able to welcome them back,” she said.

Mr. Desmet, like most witnesses, is dead now. And this anniversary comes at a time that feels darkly critical — there is a war in Europe , far-right movements are gaining ground across the continent , there is a shifting politics of anger.

The veterans, for their part, have individual reasons for returning. Some come to honor their fallen comrades. Others want to enjoy the pageantry of it all, one last time.

“These people love us so much. It’s overwhelming,” said Bill Becker, 98, moments after his arrival on the tarmac, where a large crowd of children and dignitaries, including France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, greeted him.

Mr. Becker was a top-turret gunner on covert missions for America’s freshly created Office of Strategic Services — the predecessor to the C.I.A. His crew delivered supplies and secret agents to Resistance members behind enemy lines, flying a black B-24 Liberator on moonlit nights.

His suitcase had been set out in his bungalow in a retirement community in Hemet, Southern California, for months — a totem of hope that he’d return to France, despite his myriad health issues.

“I made it,” he said with a tired smile.

If this is to be the last big commemoration of the fallen — and celebration of liberty — to feature so many veterans, then it will also be the biggest. The program for the week of events across a 50-mile stretch of beaches runs more than 30 pages — with concerts, parades, parachute drops, convoys and ceremonies. President Emmanuel Macron of France is presiding over eight commemorations in three days. Two dozen heads of state are expected, including the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

On the tarmac at Deauville, an American Army band played jazz-swing classics, and members of the Fourth Infantry Division formed an honor guard. A group of World War II history enthusiasts stood by their antique army jeeps, wearing 80-year-old uniforms. Children from a nearby elementary school waved American and French flags.

Emerging from the aircraft, each veteran was presented to the crowd via bullhorn. Some saluted. Others waved.

“I’m going to be 100,” one yelled triumphantly.

A battalion of wheelchairs awaited the veterans’ arrival.

“This is going to be the last hurrah,” said Kathryn Edwards, who, along with her husband, Donnie Edwards, runs the Best Defense Foundation, a nonprofit that shepherded 48 American veterans to Normandy for a nine-day commemoration trip.

“Everything we do now, we want to blow their socks off,” Ms. Edwards said.

The first time Mr. Edwards brought four World War II veterans to France to commemorate D-Day, in 2006, they jumped into the back of his rented van, were able to climb steps into rooms in a château and ate at whatever restaurant they could find. At the time, Mr. Edwards was a professional football player with the San Diego Chargers who enjoyed attending re-enactment camps for World War II battles during the off-season.

Seeing how crowds cheered as the veterans passed in parades through small villages in Normandy and the Netherlands, he decided he needed to bring others back.

“Every vet needs to come back and experience this,” Mr. Edwards said. “To know what they did is still respected and honored.” He continued for years to do so out of his own pocket. Then in 2018, he and his wife founded the foundation.

Over the years, the Edwardses have had to make changes. No more vans. No more stairs. No more last-minute restaurants, where food might upset a 100-year-old constitution.

This year, the veterans are accompanied by a medical staff of 15, including a physiotherapist and a urologist.

Every veteran is partnered with a personal caregiver. The schedule has been lightened to offer more rest time.

The French government’s intention was to shave down ceremonies to an hour so that they’d be less taxing for the centenarians, said Michel Delion, a retired army general who is helping to run the anniversary program, called Mission Libération .

Even for France — whose president has an official “memorial adviser” — the stretch of land along the landing beaches takes commemoration to a whole next level . The sides of the thin roads are dotted with commemorative plaques, statues and funerary markers. Roundabouts are decorated with antique tanks and other war equipment. The young faces of fallen soldiers look down from lamppost standards.

This week, the locals have pulled out their D-Day decorations. Even more flags — American, British, Canadian, French — flutter.

Every little village has its own dead and its own story of liberation.

In the relatively small region of Calvados, home to four of the five landing beaches, there are 600 commemorations planned, according to Stéphane Bredin, the top government administrator there.

“It’s the last time these places will welcome their veterans,” Mr. Bredin said.

Many worry about what will happen once the old soldiers are gone.

“It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves for a long time,” said Marc Lefèvre, who, as mayor of Ste.-Mère-Église for 30 years, oversaw many joyful reunions between locals and American veterans who had fought in the vicinity. The answer? “Honestly, I don’t know,” he admitted.

But, given the density of memorial sites and museums in the area, he said he hoped that the story of June 6, 1944, would endure.

Denis Peschanski, a historian who is in charge of Mission Libération’s 15-member scientific advisory board, said D-Day had become so woven into France’s identity that the memory would remain even when the veterans were gone.

“There’s the revolution,” he said, referring to the 1789 overthrowing of the ancien régime, “and the landing during World War II, when we worked together to fight the Nazis. It’s fundamental.”

The memories of veterans are increasingly disjointed and faded with time. Many didn’t talk about the war until years after, if at all.

Mr. Becker was sworn to secrecy until the 1980s, when information about his unit — known as the carpetbaggers — was declassified.

When he landed at Harrington Airfield in England in early 1945, about 10 months after D-Day and following months of training in the United States, he and his crew were taken into a room.

“They said to us, ‘If you go out of here and say anything, you’ll get shot,’” he recalled. The flight plans into enemy territory were so sensitive, only the navigator and pilot knew where they were going. Mr. Becker’s job, from his perch, was to protect against enemy planes and antiaircraft guns — critical as the crew was flying just 400 to 600 feet above ground and navigating by the light of the moon.

His plane sometimes returned with bullet holes and tree branches in its belly. His second flight was so frightening, he grew his first white hair. “My knees were shaking,” he said. He was 19 at the time.

Mr. Becker never told his wife or their three children what exactly he had done during the war. Now that he can talk about it, he wants everyone to know about the carpetbaggers.

This is his second trip to take part in the commemorations in Normandy, and it is particularly poignant as he has been joined by the only other remaining member of his crew — Hewitt Gomez, 99.

For months, Mr. Becker has been talking about buying a bottle of Champagne for them to share. A reunion within a reunion.

“I feel very good that we did something to help win the war,” Mr. Becker said. “We did something in this world that made it better.”

Catherine Porter is an international reporter for The Times, covering France. She is based in Paris. More about Catherine Porter