Grand Banks: Quality and Pride of Ownership Makes the Difference

Grand Banks

Quality and Pride of Ownership Makes the Difference

By Mark Bunzel

Why does a Grand Banks stand out at any dock? Is it its well-drawn lines, trimmed with warm teak, and a gel coat that shines in the sun or a soft rain? The beauty is more than skin deep, as any owner knows. The systems are designed for serious cruising. Properly cared for, they will last a very long time and reward their owner with years of dutiful use, exploring some of the most beautiful cruising areas in the world. “I am continually amazed that people walk up to me on the dock and ask if my 1983 42’ Europa GB is a newer boat” said nautical writer and GB owner Bob Lane. “In my job I test a lot of cruising boats and I am hard pressed to find a boat that fits my needs better than my Grand Banks”, he added.

Grand Banks yachts are a special breed. They look great and stay in good shape due to a combination of quality materials and construction, and the care their owners give their boats. A GB is like a new or old Porsche. It just wouldn’t be right if the owner did not take good care of a Grand Banks.

The experts on Grand Banks maintenance is Northwest Explorations in Bellingham, Washington. They manage a charter fleet of 17 Grand Banks yachts of various sizes and vintages. The yachts are privately owned and Northwest Explorations books charters, provides training and manages the boats for their owners. Northwest Explorations is the largest volume brokerage for used Grand Banks yachts in the world. They are also well known for their Mother Goose cruises with flotilla charters up to and throughout Southeast Alaska, Desolation Sound, and coming up in 2011, the rugged and beautiful Queen Charlotte Islands of British Columbia. “We have a unique and discriminating clientele who are willing to pay a premium to charter from our exclusive fleet of Grand Banks yachts,” said Brian Pemberton, the owner of Northwest Explorations and a long time Grand Banks owner. “Our customers go to some of the most beautiful and remote places in British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. Repair services may be days away and we need the fleet to perform for our customers” added Brian.

Each year Northwest Explorations takes five of their charter fleet up to Southeast Alaska for a total of about 12 weeks where charter customers can select from individual 2-3 week legs on the trip or can charter for the entire trip including the legs up and back. The trips are well planned with stops at all of the best must-see destination in Southeast Alaska and the Inside Passage. Participants can travel with the group or travel on their own for a day or two. The program includes a mother ship for the staff which includes a flotilla leader, a naturalist and mate. The mother ship GB is also equipped with sat phone, a large watermaker and laundry facilities that are available for participants. This year the Mother Goose fleet achieved a milestone passing the 25,000 mile mark for trouble free non-stop cruising.

“We have developed a maintenance program that has proven to work for our Grand Banks fleet” said Brian Pemberton. “We found that the key is a schedule of maintenance that includes the testing of our boats under sustained full power on the water.” Early in the spring each boat is taken out for several hours and test under full power with a mechanic in the engine room examining the engine. Small leaks indicate the need for adjustment or replacement of a needed component. A laser temperature gun is used to check exhaust manifold to look for indicators of internal corrosion. Any over-temp condition is investigated as it typically indicates an existing or upcoming problem. “We think the key is testing under full power rather than testing the boat while sitting at the dock” said Pemberton. “It is worth the extra effort since our boats may be running up to 500 hours in one season and our customers expect a trouble free experience from our fleet of GBs. We started this first with our boats going to Alaska and now have adopted this practice to our entire charter fleet as part of the annual maintenance cycle.”

       

The maintenance program goes beyond just the annual check. Northwest Explorations puts each of the boats it manages through an extensive checklist of all systems. Items like impellers are replaced annually in all engines and gensets. Fuel filters are changed every 200 hours. The oil and oil filters are also changed every 200 hours, even when up in Alaska.

The quality of a Grand Banks is also in the construction and selection of components designed into the boats. Diesel engines have evolved from the Lehmans in early GBs, through Cummins, Caterpillars and now John Deere, all quality engine suppliers. Properly maintained, the engines just keep going – just like their counterparts in the trucking industry. This is especially appreciated on critical open water crossings GB owners take either offshore in the Atlantic to the Bahamas or up the Inside Passage to Alaska. Head systems, water pumps, refrigeration, electrical systems, anchor systems – all quality components that should be checked annually. Northwest Explorations, for example, has the furnace or hydronic system removed and inspected as part of its spring maintenance cycle. It adds to the owner’s annual cost but is critical for cruising the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Some look at this level of maintenance as conservative and some think it is just a good practice.

For the exterior maintenance, teak rails are lightly sanded and two coats of Cetol are applied annually at Northwest Explorations. Any nicks or dents in the teak are filled and recoated with Cetol while underway. Water is the enemy to wood. Both Pemberton and Bob Lane agree that teak properly maintained each year can last five years or more before a more extensive complete refinish down to the wood is required. The fiberglass hull and topsides luster is maintained with an annual wax and polish job to protect the gel coat.

The result of all of this lavish care and maintenance is a yacht that looks great, runs without problems, maintains its value and often-even increases in value. Well-maintained brokerage Grand Banks yachts always carry a premium price over comparable boats in size and equipment. “My 1983 GB “Quadra” has increased in value by over 30% in the time I have owned it. Yes, I have invested in its maintenance but “Quadra” has taken me to incredible places along the Inside Passage that I could never have seen any other way. Owning and cruising my Grand Banks has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done” said Bob Lane.

The next time you walk down the dock and see a beautiful Grand Banks, tell the owner what you think. It is a lot of work and dedication and your comments will make it all worthwhile.