"S/V One World"
- Type Sail
- Condition Used
- Model Custom
- Manufacturer Colvin
- Price $59,000
I first became involved with One World nearly 20 years ago, though her story began long before. She was not an abandoned vessel, but already in the hands of a capable sailor — an old acquaintance of my father, a professor from Loyola College in Pennsylvania.
He had originally purchased her in Nanny Cay, BVI, and taken her north to Pennsylvania. There he welded on the raised poop deck, re-rigged her with a yard arm, and bought a full new suit of sails. At the time, he was granted a year’s sabbatical from his academic career, so rather than completing a refined interior, he and his sons simply made do with the rough layout she had and set off to sea.
What followed was a remarkable adventure: they sailed her across the Atlantic, through the Mediterranean, down the east coast of Africa, around the Cape, and onward to South America. They took her deep into the Amazon River before returning north to the Chesapeake Bay. Though no written record of this voyage survives, her track certainly circumnavigated Africa, and she returned seasoned from a true bluewater odyssey.
As built, she was a Colvin Pipistrelle design, but the modifications — deeper keel, raised afterdeck, and improvised interior — made her unusual. When my father acquired her, he saw both her strengths and her unfinished potential.
In 2009, we carried out a bare-hull refit in Annapolis. I personally oversaw this work, restoring her interior and systems to Tom Colvin’s philosophy of strength, practicality, and self-reliance. The result was One World reborn — a fully outfitted, ocean-ready ship.
Her history since then has been equally notable. Built of Corten steel and carrying the distinctive rig of a gaff brigantine, she embodies Colvin’s ideals of yachts that are practical, seaworthy, and capable of carrying families safely across oceans with confidence. As One World, she raced on the Chesapeake, was chartered in the Caribbean, voyaged to the Galápagos, and spent years introducing thousands of guests to the magic of tall-ship sailing in the San Blas Islands.
This is not a “toy boat” like the modern vessels you often see on YouTube. She is a true sailing ship. Where a modern catamaran is designed to mimic shoreside life, One World carries history, strength, and the spirit of the sea. Sailing her teaches teamwork, self-reliance, and seamanship. She turns heads in every harbor, sparking curiosity and admiration. Families or groups who choose this kind of vessel are rewarded with camaraderie, adventure, and stories worth telling. Modern comforts can of course be added, but the essence of life aboard One World is freedom and discovery.
That said, buyers should know she now requires a comprehensive refit. Many systems will need replacement or restoration, and the only way to fully understand her present state is to make an offer and travel to see her. The sellers are serious about passing her on, and a serious buyer will find a seriously good deal. Her strong welded steel hull and gaff brigantine rig remain intact, waiting for vision and investment to bring her fully back to life.
With that vision, One World can once again cross oceans, inspire her crew, and turn heads in every harbor she enters.
Condition Notes
Vessel is not insured and has had no survey in the past decade.
Many systems are missing, stolen, or inoperative as noted in the listing.
Standing rigging requires replacement.
Read the full listing and then email me for more.
