The Cabo Rico Story
Cabo Rico Factory
First impressions, as they say, only get one chance, and few boats make a more lasting mark than a Cabo Rico. These winsome cutters, draped in teak, inspire dreams of quitting your job and sailing to faraway places. It´s just that kind of boat. Bill Crealock pushed all the right aesthetic buttons when he first designed the Cabo Rico. Crealock stated in his design notes, "The Cabo Rico 38 hull shape is the one in which everything came together best."
Cabo Rico´s history is truly unique in the boat building industry. The company was born almost 40 years ago in a corner of the British Leland assembly plant in San Jose, Costa Rica, through a yachtsman's love for boating. This man, John Schofield, knew first-hand the craftsmanship and work ethic exhibited by Costa Ricans, who are highly skilled and well educated. They have lived with pride in a politically stable democracy for well over 100 years – Costa Rica, the Switzerland of the Americas.
This dedicated and loyal labor force, with an average tenure of over 15 years, is Cabo Rico´s greatest strength. They combine an eagerness to constantly improve and learn new techniques with top skills and true pride in their work. They take the time necessary to give attention to each detail. The expertise and care they apply to every facet of the boat building process is their integral contribution to these boats' "Passage to Perfection."
The artisans use only the finest materials available world wide. The exquisite, honey colored Costa Rican teak is plantation grown and, due to the far-thinking environmental and ecological policies of this prosperous little country, will continue to be grown and grace these boats. All of the thousands of components (with the exception of the teak and smaller lead ballast castings) are sourced by the Cabo Rico head office in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. You know these respected names: Harken, Schaefer, Profurl, Edson, Lewmar, Force 10, Yanmar, Raritan, Corian... to mention but a few.
Now, when you add to all this, the world's finest naval architects, 4 engineers on staff and perhaps the best warranty in the industry, you can see that Cabo Rico is committed to holding a true course on their continuing "Passage to Perfection."
It´s been more than 25 years since the first hull was laid in Costa Rica, and close to 200 boats and thousands of bluewater miles later, it is not cavalier to refer to the Cabo Rico 38 as a classic. You can list it next to other legendary long-keeled cruisers like the Bermuda 40, Bristol 40 and Shannon 38.
Cabo Rico is an unlikely success story. The company was founded in the mid-1960's by John Schofield, who managed British Leyland´s Rover plant in San Jose and molded sailboats in his spare time. His first boat of note was the Crealock - designed Tiburon 36, launched in 1971. He didn´t make many Tiburons, but occasionally you will come across this stout ketch on the used boat market. Roy Pinney, of Venture Yacht Sales in Fort Lauderdale, has been associated with Cabo Rico designer, Bill Crealock for many years.
The first Cabo Rico 38 was completed in 1977. Although the offshore marine industry in Taiwan was beginning to dominate the cruising boat market in the late 1970's, and consumers were warming to the idea of foreign-built boats, building boats in Central America still carried the stigma of the banana republic. Could they really build decent boats in Latin America? The solid construction and sheer beauty of the Cabo Rico 38 proved that indeed they could.
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