44' Steel Barens Seatrader (ketch)
Seerose, the 44' steel ketch built and designed by E.S. Barens
boatbuilders.
Launched in Durban, South Africa. (1992)
We hail from Ballito, a holiday village on the "Dolphin Coast" of Kwa-zulu Natal approximately 40 miles North of Durban, South Africa. Our home is situated on a ridge overlooking Salmon Bay, the launching beach for Ski-boats. We enjoy 180 degree uninterrupted sea views, from the Durban Bluff to the Tugela Lighthouse- a total distance of about approximately 80 miles - and keep a powerful telescope on our top patio to observe the numerous sailing vessels passing by.
In season, Salmon Bay abounds with dolphins and whales so on weekends and holidays the rock pools below our house are populated with local families gathering their allowed quantities of mussels, lobster and octopus.
We preserved the indigenous bush in the garden but enhanced it by introducing some exotic tropical flowering plants and shrubs. A family of Duiker (small species of antelope) have made our garden their home and we never tire of watching them grazing fearlessly near Bob when he's gardening, only quickening their pace slightly as they pass by him as they move from one "Duiker delicacy" to the next.
A troop of monkeys pop in from time to time to help themselves to our papaya and bananas. We were amazed the first time we saw a game of "catch" develop between them and the Duikers. This occurs frequently and once the game begins, some inaudible signal attracts monkeys from all over the neighbourhood. They run in from the properties behind us, tear across the roof, slide down the drainpipes and join in with the game. Part of the fun is rolling down the slope, then scampering back to the top of the bank to repeat the process.
Having recently moved to the seaside, we decided to upgrade from our Hobie-cat to a small ocean yacht, and settled on a 34' GRP. 'Lavranos' built in Cape Town. The broker owned a sailing academy in Durban so the deal included a free sailing course at the academy. It was there that we met a young man named Ern who attached himself to us.
Initially we were restricted to sailing in Durban Bay whilst Bob logged up the nautical miles Bob he needed to accumulate to write the next and each consecutive sailing exam. Ern tagged along, happy to have the opportunity to do likewise. He constantly badgered us to go offshore cruising and whilst we were keen to do so, I felt that the little yacht lacked the space, comfort and more importantly the privacy I'd need for a lengthy trip with a young man on board.
One day when we returned to the marina after a day sail, I spotted a magnificent yacht moored in a berth which had stood vacant for some time, so I wandered off to have a closer look at her while Bob and Ern were tidying up.
The following morning I telephoned the broker who informed me that the vessel was listed but she hadn't shown it to us as it was above our mandated price ceiling. However as she'd already shown us everything within our price range, she agreed to avoid disclosing the asking price to Bob before we'd had a good look at her.
Bob is no fool so I boarded and disappeared down the companionway before he had a chance to protest. From the corner of my eye I saw his head at the hatch, then he came below and disappeared into the engine room - Ern crowding in behind him. Having seen all I needed, I returned to the pontoon and struck up a conversation with a nosy live-aboard neighbour.
Apparently immediately after completion, the owners had sailed off on a shakedown cruise to Inhaca Island, Mozambique with a crew of two. On their return and even before they'd tied up, the wife disembarked with all her personal possessions, loudly informing the neighbour that she was leaving and had no intention of returning until her husband had sold his yacht!
Bob needed answers to various technical questions, so the broker suggested a meeting on board with the owner the following day. He told us he was devastated at the prospect of having to abandon his life's dream but he loved his wife and wanted her back. He then briefed us on the history of "SEEROSE". The hull, deck and bulkheads was built by an expat Hollander who owned Barens Shipyard in Durban. Thereafter she went up onto hardstand at Wilson's Marina and Erwin and his wife Hannah had spent nine years completing her. She is a 20 ton multi-chine steel ketch.
THE YACHT - 44' Barens Seatrader
LOA ......................44' Engine........80Hp Ford Lehman
Beam.....................13' Genset.......10Hp / 5 Kva 220v
Draft.......................6' Freshwater tanks...1200 litres
Diesel tank...1000 litres
Her electronics include radar, GPS., chart plotter, 2 depth sounders, 2 speed logs, VHF and SSB radios
"Seerose", the
Barens Seatrader steel ketch, hauled out.
Durban, South Africa. (Feb 1995)
The master cabin aft port is finished in Mahogany. It has a full double bed, a hanging robe, two large drawers and a full length
beveled mirror with vanity seat. The en-suite has electric heads and is finished in pale green "marble" Formica with Mahogany trim. The vanity has a basin and hand-shower, to the side of which is a divisioned section suitable for stowing cosmetics, creams etc. There are cupboards under the vanity and another full length hanging robe with shelves. A water heater serves both these heads and the galley.
Likewise, the aft starboard cabin is paneled and finished in Mahogany with a double bunk, two drawers, a hanging robe and full length
beveled mirror.
A second water heater serves the forward heads, which are finished in white marbled
Formica, sporting a full-length beveled mirror, manual heads, a vanity basin and a full shower with wrap-around curtain rail - and more cupboards.
Foreward is a large, airy and very comfortable V-berth cabin,
paneled and finished in oak. It has two single bunks with drawers beneath and a huge hanging robe with a full-length
beveled mirror. The large top-opening hatch is an absolute boon when sailing in tropical climes (I later fashioned a wind-scoop from some unused sail bags to trap the cool sea breezes, thereby forcing a draught to circulate throughout the entire yacht - our own
air-conditioning system)!
In the bow and forward of the bunks, a large hatch accesses to a well-sealed anchor locker large enough to afford stowage for the second anchor.
The cabin soles were of laminated Mahogany and Beech throughout and the saloon was exquisitely
paneled in the same timbers. The benches were upholstered with tapestry in various hues of blue and Bob, at 5'11'', could only just touch the ceiling in the saloon with a fully extended arm.
The saloon has a mirrored cocktail cabinet containing six fitted optics and a further cabinet stows three dozen Bavarian crystal glasses ranging from liqueur glasses to beer tankards, each fitting safely and snugly into cut-out Mahogany niches.
The galley has a four-plate gimbaled propane stove with oven and grill and a double-bowl stainless steel sink with both fresh and saltwater taps. There is also an enormous refrigerator/freezer. The bulkhead behind the sink contains 'Tupperware' cupboards so designed that each container fits securely into a melamine cutout. Below the sink is a pot cupboard with a full set of stainless steel pots and pans including a large pressure cooker. All pots rest securely in Melamine cutouts, as do the contents of the crockery cupboard.
The area above and behind the stove has Mahogany spice and knife racks so perfectly measured that it is impossible to place a knife into the incorrect slot. This brilliant design ensures that everything in the galley is within easy reach and nothing rattles, rolls or runs about. A stack of three utility drawers cleverly houses cleaning materials and cloths.
Recalling the old adage "all's fair in love and war" I phoned the owner's wife on the pretext of enquiring about a brand of coffee I'd noticed in the boat's grocery cupboard. She shared with me her anger and frustration regarding the insensitive, uncaring crew during their shakedown cruise. Bearing in mind that she had given nine years of her life towards the fulfillment of a dream, her disenchantment was understandable. One of the crew had tossed a large, heavy bunch of keys through a hatch and 'dinged' the newly high-varnished cabin sole. They'd walked on the tapestry furnishings with filthy feet and spilt cocoa on the pilot bunk. They'd scratched the newly painted deck ...... the lament went on and on. Later, when our crew behaved in a similar manner we got an inkling of the distress she must have experienced. We were incensed with fury despite the fact that we hadn't spent nine years of our lives sanding and varnishing as she had!
Bob and I talked at length that night and the following day he submitted an offer. The agent came back with a figure midway between the asking price and our offer. The deal was finalised the following day.
SHE WAS OURS!! The stunning "Fat Lady" was ours!
We added a television set, VCR and music centre. I made loose covers to protect the tapestry soft furnishings and a fitted leatherette cover to preserve the
piano-finish varnish on the saloon table.
Two large bookshelves crammed with books and two dozen video tapes provided us with welcome entertainment whilst underway and naturally we experienced no difficulty in exchanging books and movies with other yachties
that we met on our travels.
