Builder’s Notes

Pal is a 35 foot Mitchell Cove lobsterman’s boat finished as a family cruiser by Farrin’s Boat Shop of Walpole, Maine. She is the fourth Lobster Yacht project completed for her current owners, and their third project by Farrin’s.

Pal left Farrin’s Boat Shop in August of 2008 when she began an extended east coast cruise from Maine to Virginia. Then, in November she was trucked west to San Carlos Mexico where she is now cruising in the Sea of Cortez. Pal was specifically designed for extended coastal cruising.

The owners’ family has two college age children, so Pal is set up to comfortably cruise with four family members, or she is ideal for two adult couples. The pilothouse/salon features a galley-up arrangement across from an oversize dinette. Below, there is a master double forward, and an enclosed double berth stateroom to starboard. Across from the guest stateroom is the generous size head with a separate stall shower compartment. Outside in the cockpit, which is shaded by an extended “sun top”, there are outdoor berths for three, as well as an outside dinette arrangement. Storage space is abundant, and a clever transom gate arrangement allows the dinghy to be easily pulled aboard – simple indeed. The back of the pilot house features a cabana style window and door arrangement, so that in less than a minute it is fully open to the cockpit, or securely buttoned up as weather dictates.

Pal cruises nicely at 16 knots (max 23 knots), or she can also become a very efficient trawler at 7 knots – you decide. The goal was “keep her simple, speedy, and sturdy”, and any relatively experienced skipper can just step aboard and go. The owners selected reliable CAT power because virtually all of Mexico is readily serviced by CAT marine technicians; there is a 5 year or 1000 hour transferable engine warranty.