The Levant 15 demonstrator- the one that you see in all the photos and videos- is for sale for the first time. Save yourself six months of waiting time and at least 10% price inflation. If you can act fast, she could be yours! But you would have to be a very special person. This yacht was built by and for Chuck Paine, to show off his skills and to approach perfection – there are many unique features on this particular boat that go way beyond what most people would think of, but once you experience them you’ll want them all. But it is also probably the most expensive yacht in the world for its size- the sort of thing a famous yacht designer might build for himself to show the world just how talented he was. The asking price is $102,303.83. Just the highly customized trailer and the bronze hardware package account for over $10,000 of the all-up price. But there are many other wonderful and costly options on this particular boat. But let me repeat – this is the finest small sailboat for sale anywhere in the world!
A partial list of her options:
AWLGRIPPED (ALEXSEAL BRAND) TOPSIDES and boottop. The paint scheme as first done was Awlgripped (Alexseal Brand) topsides and wale stripe, with white bottom paint carried up the topsides to look like a boottop, as shown below. But the white antifoul bottom paint didn’t work all that well, so the boat was entirely sanded down and re-sprayed- topsides, wale stripe and boottop – with a better-working green antifoul paint as shown below. The entire exterior and visible interior, bulkheads, fore and after decks, floorboards, and inside the lazarette locker are similarly sprayed with the world’s highest quality coating, not just painted. Epoxy cold molded yachts experience shrinkage of the epoxy/fiberglass outer skin with exposure to the sun. Knowledgeable owners let this shrinkage happen for a season, then sand it all down and apply a second and final coating of Awlgrip. This has been done on this very special demonstrator.
TRIAD BRAND GALVANIZED TRAILER with tongue-extender and spare tire mounted on wheel. Shows the original paint scheme- looks much better with the new one, with a white boottop and darker, more effective bottom paint. Don’t you think? (Shown in the above photo).
BRONZE FITTING PACKAGE replacing stainless steel. There are over $6000 worth of beautiful bronze fittings on this particular boat. Whoops – inflation – $6500 now.
CUSTOM AWLGRIPPED AND nonskid floorboards. Teak could certainly be used, but Herreshoff always used painted floorboards. If he were alive today he would have used Awlgrip, not just paint, so that is what this boat has. And this boat has a very special feature. The outermost floorboard has been spiled and carefully fitted and epoxy glued to the inside of the boat, so that when the boat heels the little bit of bilge water that remains in the sump that is continually evacuated by the battery powered bilge pumping system stays captured beneath the floorboards so you never are aware of any bilge water. I suppose it’s a trivial nicety, but I (Chuck Paine) will never again have a boat without this feature.
SELECT MAHOGANY transom and custom located tiller hole. This beautifully figured top plank was a thank-you gift from Lyman-Morse’s incredible-treasure trove of special mahogany planks that usually go on billionaires’ yachts. It could be yours.
HANDMADE LEATHER mast cuff. So the mast doesn’t “clunk” each time you tack. The diameter of the mast in way of 
the mast ring, beneath the leather, was custom thickened using glass in epoxy to obtain a perfect tight fit.
LIFTING RINGS. The few people who can afford a yacht like this often own canal-front properties in South Florida. Or want to carry it on the boat-deck of their motoryacht. You can keep this sailboat on a boat-lift, just alongside your center console, or on your boat deck. So you’ll need these lifting rings.
SHROUD TURNING BLOCKS (There are actually no shrouds- the carbon fiber mast is freestanding. The halyards are brought outboard through these little holes so you have something to grab onto when boarding). There are small turning blocks beneath each hole- they are stainless steel not much more costly bronze- you can’t see them.
VARNISHED MAHOGANY Herreshoff-style rudderhead. It’s gorgeous, and an expensive option. The standard rudderhead is painted.
EASILY REMOVABLE (for de-snagging) rudder.
There is no bolt holding the tiller in place – the shock cord does that. If you ever snag the rudder, you pull the tiller forward and lay it on the afterdeck, pull out the slide-rod which unships the rudder and the snag goes away. The rudder is floating behind at the end of the shock-cord tether. Put the rudder back in place, put the slide-rod in the top gudgeon, and wiggle the rudder around. The bronze slide rod is heavy enough that it “seeks” its way into the gudgeon holes as you wiggle, and sort of automatically re-inserts itself. Then put the tiller back where it came from. Takes less time to do it than to write about it! But only this demonstrator has it, unless you pay extra to have it installed on your new build.
BRASS HALF-OVAL gunwale guards. Because we all make mistakes, even you. Saves having to re-Awlgrip the bulged part of the top strake every year to remove the dings and scratches.
ANCHOR and rode.
AUTOMATIC bilge pumping system and two batteries (one at home charging, the other on a custom shelf in the lazarette). If you ever were to swamp the boat, you could just sit in it until it bailed itself dry. But there is a strategically placed bucket stowed beneath the starboard seat if you wanted to help. The batteries are highest quality AGM submersible motorcycle batteries – the best available.
FLUSH MOUNTED rudder gudgeons. (The custom designed and cast bronze gudgeons on a standard boat are just fine and equally costly- don’t get me wrong- but I preferred the look of let-in gudgeons.)
BAILING BUCKET and shock-cord retainer. The automatic bilge pumping system will eventually pump the boat dry, but with this bucket you can help.
PADDLE, Awlgripped. The notch at the end is so you can use it to push off a snagged lobster buoy.
TWO FENDERS, with lanyards.
AWLGRIPPED Herreshoff style knobbed tiller. It is made of ash, as all tillers should be. But ash tends to develop black stains, so Awlgripping it a wood color minimizes the maintenance and it always looks new.
ALL MAHOGANY was custom selected by either Todd French or Chuck Paine. This ribbon-striped mahogany is basically unobtainable today. But this one very special boat has it and it’s gorgeous.
CAMCLEATS FOR JIBSHEET AND MAINSHEET. The beautiful and unaffordable little gems from Jim Reineck.
EXTRA BATTERY. TO KEEP FULLY CHARGED AT HOME. Highest quality AGM motorcycle battery.
TWO DOCKLINES
CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEOS OF HER SAILING.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase perhaps the finest yacht of its size in the world, fully completed to the highest possible standards, and avoid a lengthy waiting period and commensurate increase in price. The yacht is available as of Winter 2023-2024. Subject to prior sale.
Contact Todd French at +01 (207) 323-2550 or Chuck Paine at +01 (207) 691-5195. We will both help you in any way we can to become the proud owner of this very special yacht.
The boat has never been sold at retail and is in perfect, brand new condition. A replacement yacht of identical specifications would cost a lot more, because of inflation. (Subject to previous sale).