sailboat baba 40

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Bluewater Sailboat – Baba 40

Also called: tashiba 40, panda 40, quicksilver 40, ta shing 40.

This classically designed full-keel double ender by Robert H. Perry’s design team originally went by the name Flying Dutchman 35, but it is now more commonly referred to as the Baba 35. One of Perry’s most attractive double-enders, it has exquisitely proportioned lines that make many people fall in love with it.  In terms of both size and flavor, she falls between the three Baba boats. The Bluewater Sailboat Baba 40 serves the role of the swift and opulent traveler, while the Baba 30, being the chubby go-anywhere liveaboard. 

Ta Shing, Taiwan’s top boatyard from the 1970s to 1980s, is the maker of all of these vessels. They have established a solid reputation for decency at sea, sturdy construction, and some of the highest-quality interiors available aboard cruising yachts even today.

• (AS PER TASHIBA 40 CATALOG)
• LOA: 39′ 11″ (excluding bowsprit) *
• LWL: 34′ 6″ *
• Beam: 12′ 10″
• Draft: 6″ 0″
• Displacement: 29,000 lbs.
• Ballast: 10,000 lbs. *
• Sail Area, Cutter: 865 sq. ft.
• Sail Area, Ketch: 910 sq. ft.
• Sail Area, Pilothouse: 848 sq. ft.
• Headroom: 6′ 5″
• Engine: Volvo MD21A Diesel
• Fuel, Cutter: 100 US. Gal.
• Fuel, Pilothouse: 125 US. Gal.
• Water, Cutter: 150 US. Gal. (85 port, 65 starboard)
• Water, Pilothouse: 200 US. Gal
• Year Introduced: 1980
• Year Ended: 1996
• Designer: Robert H. Perry
• Developer: Bob Berg (Quicksilver Corp.)
• Builder: Ta Shing, Taiwan
• * The Baba 40 catalog differs with LOA 39′ 10″ / LWL 36′ 3″ / Ballast 12,000 lbs. It is believed the Tashiba specifications listed here are more accurate.
• Also Known As: Tashiba 40, Panda 40, Quicksilver 40, Ta Shing 40

The Bluewater Sailboat Baba 40’s history actually begins with the Baba 30, which brought together the talents of three successful individuals: designer Bob Perry, developer Bob Berg, and Shing Sheng, a then-unknown Taiwanese boatyard. Shing Sheng began his ascent to dominance in the boatbuilding industry with the success of the Little Baba 30 and the Baba 35. They had changed their name to Ta Shing by 1979 and had relocated to a new, specially designed plant. In order to complete the range, Berg hired Perry to create a brand-new 40-foot model.

Perry was dissatisfied with simply improving his earlier Baba 35 design, which was a stretched version of the 30 in and of itself. Instead, Perry dusted off the lines of his renowned Valiant 40, whose radical fin keel and separate skeg-hung rudder had only five years earlier created the “performance cruiser” category, in search of increased boat speed. He created the Baba 40 by deriving a brand-new full keel design from the Valiant 40 hull form. The Baba 40 proved to be a significant improvement over early Babas, according to Perry, who described it as having a completely distinct stable personality. At first, it was stiffer, considerably faster, and perfectly balanced.

Tim Ellis, who was in charge of the project, remembers the harmonious collaboration between Berg’s development and administration, Perry’s design, and Ta Shing’s undeniable skills as a craftsman with nostalgia. He remembers Berg’s strict attention to detail.

“They created a work of exquisite artistry. During the time that Baba designs were being developed and built, Bob Berg made at least thirty or more trips to Taiwan, and he and I would spend hours, days, and even longer sitting on each yacht to perfect shapes, appearances, important and minor details, and fix the annoying problems that other less well-traveled people had. It was my responsibility to put Bob’s suggestions and corrections into practice. During each visit, my list of things may reach the hundreds, and on hull number one, it would likely be much, much longer. A weaker builder would have baulked since Bob left no room for doubt in the pursuit of his ideal.”

In 1980, the Baba 40 was made available to the public. Berg sold the yacht as the Panda 40 in 1983 after severing ties with the Flying Dutchman dealership, which had the Baba trademark. This moniker did not endure long, and in 1984, Ta Shing, who was then a major player in Taiwanese boat construction, began marketing the vessel on their own under the name Tashiba 40. There have been rumors that this was a play on the names “Ta Shing” and “Baba.”

There were 115 boats manufactured in all, and production ceased in 1996. Although hull numbers can be obtained up to #182, there is a space between #33 and #101.

Ta Shing finally established an exclusive partnership with the California-based PAEI, whose in-house designer was Al Mason. Sadly, several of Ta Shing’s molds, including the Baba 40, were destroyed when PAEI turned its concentration to motorboats years later.

The Baba 40’s lines trace their origins to classic Scandinavian double-enders. Under the waterline, the boat has a full keel with a cutaway forefoot. Like many other full keel designs by Perry, this one doesn’t have the customary “wine glass” portion blend where the keel meets the hull’s bilge. Both characteristics lessen wetted areas. The moderately beamy hull form provides adequate interior capacity. On most boats, a cutter rig and bowsprit combination are used, however, it’s thought that two boats had the option of being built as ketches. A pilothouse design, with its two cozy cabins, was another significant modification; roughly eleven pilothouses were constructed.

The Baba 40’s hand-laid GRP hull is solidly constructed; its thickness increases from 0.41″ at the topsides to 0.57″ at the waterline and 0.90″ at the keel. Both the deck and the cabin trunk are cored with high-density closed-cell foam and end-grained balsa. Though at least one boat was built with lead ballast, the ballast is cast iron and enclosed in GRP.

Under Berg’s strict supervision, the interiors were meticulously detailed, with many Taiwanese man-hours being spent. Berg was renowned for his ability to fit functionality into every available square inch of a boat. Perry also regarded it as one of his greatest, adding that the layout and workmanship are nearly flawless and seem “correct.”

A stateroom with a double seagoing quarter-berth is located on the starboard quarter. There is a well-designed U-shaped galley to port. A two-settee berth configuration with a pilot berth to port was available in the saloon as an alternative to offer more seaworthy accommodations. There is a double berth offset to port in the forward cabin. It has a spacious 6′ 5″ headroom.

Ta Shing claims that the Tashiba 40 boats featured less detailing due to cost-cutting initiatives, including less teak trim, fewer portlights, and no longer having butterfly hatches.

Performance

This Bluewater sailboat is a lot of fun to sail and has a lovely feel at the helm, especially as the breeze increases. Some owners have even had success racing their Baba 40s against contemporary fin keel rivals. Michael and Elizabeth Kramer in S.V. Cambria traveled 396 miles in 46 hours while broad reaching down the Sea of Cortez with 35 knots of wind, an outstanding average speed of 8.6 knots.

Owners frequently comment on how sturdy their Babas feel. The Baba 40 has the ability to continue sailing in bad weather when many other boats are heaving-to. This Bluewater Sailboat can encounter a tremendous amount of adverse weather, which is noteworthy. She might suffer breakages throughout such a journey but remain a sound sailboat.

Quick Notes

Have your surveyor inspect elements like chainplates and portions of balsa coring for rot, as is common with many boats older than 25 years. Since the original mild steel fuel tanks were found to be prone to corrosion, most Bluewater Sailboats have replaced them.

Now you can also precisely calculate the expenses related to boat ownership to make smart choices based on your budget and sailing needs. Use this bluewater Sailboat Calculator to explore different options and make the best decision.

If you’re looking for a used sailboat for sale, check out the Bluewater sailboat data and specs to make an informed decision. Ocean Wave Sail has data for over 10000+ boats that can help you select one to meet your sailing needs.

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• Sailboat Guide

Baba 40 Pilot House

Baba 40 Pilot House is a 39 ′ 9 ″ / 12.1 m monohull sailboat designed by Gary Grant and Robert Perry and built by Ta Shing Yacht Building Ltd. starting in 1980.

• 1 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 2 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 3 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 4 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 5 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 6 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 7 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 8 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 9 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 10 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 11 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 12 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 13 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 14 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View
• 15 / 15 Kingston, ON, CA 2012 Baba 40 Pilot House $74,108 USD View

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Pilot House version shown here. See also BABA 40. Gary Grant was an employee of Robert Perry at this time.

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The Baba 40 is a 39.83ft cutter designed by Robert Perry and built in fiberglass by Ta Shing Yacht Building Ltd. between 1980 and 1982.

115 units have been built..

The Baba 40 is a heavy sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a heavy bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is good. There is a good water supply range.

Baba 40 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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The Tashiba 40 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Tashiba 40, a long-keeled cutter, was designed by Bob Perry and built in Taiwan by Ta Shing Yacht Builders.

Published Specification for the Tashiba 40

Underwater Profile:  Long keel

Hull Material:  GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall:  39'10" (12.2m)

Waterline Length:  34'6" (10.5m)

Beam:  12'10" (3.9m)

Draft:  5'6" (1.7m)

Rig Type:  Cutter

Displacement:  29,000lb (13,154kg)

Designer:  Bob Perry

Builder:  Ta Shing Yacht Builders (Taiwan)

Year First Built:  1984

Published Design Ratios for the Tashiba 40

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio:  14.7

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  35.5

3. Displacement/Length Ratio:  315

4. Comfort Ratio:  41.5

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   1.7

Performance Expectations, Based on the Design Ratios: The Tashiba 40 has a displacement of 29,000 lbs, a waterline length of 34'6", and a sail area of 865 sq ft. Based on these numbers, we can calculate some design ratios that give us an idea of how the boat performs under sail. Here are some of the most common ratios and what they mean:

• Sail Area/Displacement Ratio (SA/D): This ratio measures how much sail power the boat has relative to its weight. A higher ratio means more speed potential, especially in light winds. A lower ratio means more stability and comfort, but less speed. The Tashiba 40 has an SA/D of 14.7, which is on the low end of the spectrum. This means that the boat is slightly underpowered and will need a good breeze to get moving. However, it also means that the boat is more comfortable and less prone to heeling in strong winds.
• Ballast/Displacement Ratio (BR): This ratio measures how much ballast the boat has relative to its weight. Ballast is the weight in the keel that helps keep the boat upright and stable. A higher ratio means more stiffness and power, but also more draft and weight. A lower ratio means less stiffness and power, but also less draft and weight. The Tashiba 40 has a BR of 35.5%, which is moderate for a cruising boat. This means that the boat has enough ballast to handle rough seas and strong winds, but not so much that it compromises performance or shoal draft.
• Displacement/Length Ratio (D/L): This ratio measures how heavy the boat is relative to its waterline length. A higher ratio means more volume and carrying capacity, but also more drag and resistance. A lower ratio means less volume and carrying capacity, but also less drag and resistance. The Tashiba 40 has a D/L of 315, which is high for a modern boat. This means that the boat is heavy and spacious, but also slow and hard to push through the water.
• Comfort Ratio (CR): This ratio measures how comfortable the boat's motion is in a seaway. It takes into account the displacement, waterline length, beam, and ballast of the boat. A higher ratio means more comfort and dampening, but also more inertia and sluggishness. A lower ratio means less comfort and dampening, but also more responsiveness and agility. The Tashiba 40 has a CR of 41.5, which is high for a cruising boat. This means that the boat has a smooth and gentle motion in waves, but also a slow and heavy feel at the helm.
• Capsize Screening Formula (CSF): This formula measures how likely the boat is to capsize in extreme conditions. It takes into account the beam and displacement of the boat. A lower number means more stability and safety, but also more resistance and drag. A higher number means less stability and safety, but also less resistance and drag. The Tashiba 40 has a CSF of 1.7, which is low for a cruising boat. This means that the boat is very stable and unlikely to capsize in a storm, but also very wide and hard to maneuver in tight spaces.

Based on these ratios, we can expect the Tashiba 40 to be a comfortable, stable, and seaworthy cruising sailboat that can handle any weather with confidence. However, we can also expect it to be slow, heavy, and underpowered in light winds or calm seas.

Production Period and Numbers Produced: The Tashiba 40 was introduced in 1980 as the Baba 40 by Bob Berg, who developed the Baba line of boats with Robert Perry as designer and Ta Shing as builder. The Baba line consisted of three models: the Baba 30, Baba 35, and Baba 40. The Baba 40 was based on Perry's famous Valiant 40 design, but with a full keel instead of a fin keel.

In 1984, Ta Shing took over the marketing of the Baba line and renamed it as Tashiba (a combination of Ta Shing and Baba). They also introduced two new models: the Tashiba 31 and Tashiba 36, which were also designed by Perry. The Tashiba line was marketed as a high-quality, high-performance, and high-price cruising sailboat.

The Tashiba 40 was produced until 1996, when Ta Shing discontinued the line and focused on other projects. According to Perry, about 115 Tashiba 40s were built during the production period.

Number & Location of Sleeping Berths: The Tashiba 40 can accommodate up to seven people in three or four sleeping berths, depending on the interior layout. The number and location of the sleeping berths are as follows:

• Two-cabin version: One double berth in the aft cabin, one double berth in the forward cabin, one single berth on the salon settee.
• Three-cabin version: One single berth in the aft cabin, one upper and one lower berth in the second cabin amidships, one double berth in the forward cabin.

Press Reviews: The Tashiba 40 has received positive reviews from various sailing magazines and websites. Here are some excerpts from some of these reviews:

• "The Tashiba 40 is an excellent example of what can be done when you combine good design with good construction. It is fast enough to be fun to sail, yet comfortable enough to live aboard for extended periods. It is well balanced and easy to handle, yet strong enough to withstand rough weather. It is elegant and graceful, yet practical and functional." - Sail Magazine
• "The Tashiba 40 is one of those rare boats that can do it all: coastal cruising, offshore passages, liveaboard comfort, and even some racing. It is a boat that appeals to both the heart and the mind, with its classic lines, solid construction, spacious interior, and lively performance. It is a boat that will make you proud to own it and happy to sail it." - Blue Water Boats
• "The Tashiba 40 is a boat that has stood the test of time. It is a boat that has proven itself in all kinds of conditions and situations. It is a boat that has satisfied many owners with its quality, reliability, and versatility. It is a boat that deserves its reputation as one of the best cruising sailboats ever built." - Cruising World

Owner Testimonials: The Tashiba 40 has also received positive feedback from many owners who have shared their experiences and opinions on various forums and blogs. Here are some excerpts from some of these testimonials:

• "We have owned our Tashiba 40 for over 10 years and we love it. It is our home away from home. We have sailed it from Maine to Florida, from Bermuda to the Bahamas, from Panama to Mexico. It has never let us down. It is comfortable, seaworthy, fast, and beautiful. We get compliments everywhere we go." - John & Mary
• "We bought our Tashiba 40 last year and we are very happy with it. It is our dream boat. It has everything we need for cruising: plenty of space, storage, water, fuel, power, etc. It sails like a dream: close-winded, responsive, stable, smooth. It handles well under sail or power: easy to tack, jibe, dock, anchor, etc. It looks great: classic lines, teak decks, brightwork, etc." - Tom & Sue
• "We have owned our Tashiba 40 for over 20 years and we still love it. It is our family boat. We have raised our children on it, taught them how to sail, and shared many adventures with them. It is a boat that has a lot of character and history. It is a boat that has become part of our family." - Bob & Lisa

History of the Boatbuilder: The Tashiba 40 was built by Ta Shing, one of the most respected boatbuilders in Taiwan. Ta Shing was founded in 1977 by two brothers, Tim and George Huang, who had a passion for sailing and craftsmanship. They started by building small fiberglass boats for the local market, but soon expanded to larger and more complex projects for the international market.

Ta Shing gained a reputation for building high-quality boats with excellent finish and attention to detail. They worked with some of the best designers in the industry, such as Robert Perry, Ted Brewer, Bill Dixon, Chuck Paine, and others. They built various models of sailboats and powerboats under different brand names, such as Baba, Tashiba, Norseman, Mason, Taswell, Nordhavn, and others.

Ta Shing is still in business today, although they have shifted their focus to building custom yachts and powerboats. They still maintain their high standards of quality and service, and they still have a loyal following of customers and admirers.

Secondhand Values: The Tashiba 40 is a sought-after boat in the secondhand market. It is a boat that holds its value well over time, due to its quality, durability, and popularity. However, it is also a boat that is hard to find, due to its limited production and high demand.

According to some online sources, the average asking price for a Tashiba 40 in good condition ranges from $120,000 to $180,000 USD. The actual selling price may vary depending on the condition, location, and equipment included in the sale.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

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40' ta shing baba 40 cutter.

ARCHIVED: This is a previously listed vessel and is no longer offered for sale If you would like assistance locating a similar vessel, Click Here to locate a similar boat

A  Her lead ballasted keel draws 5'6".  Her teak decks have been well maintained. She has a  Colonial Ivory hull, recent 2015/2016 upgrades and low engine hours. Hull #145 is a rugged blue water cutter with quality teak joinery, full keel with cutaway forefoot and canoe stern. She is a head turner and very comfortable cruiser with a great interior space designed with  2 private double cabins and a head with separate shower stall. A proven passage maker, she has US made aluminum spars and a double spreader rig.

• Specifications
• Description

The Taiwanese workmanship in the rich satin finished wood interior is obvious throughout the boat and provides a wonderful warmth although the many opening portlights allow for great light and ventilation. The layout of the Baba 40 is along the lines of the Scandinavian double-enders with a nice beam to allow for good interior space.There is room to sleep 6 comfortably onboard in the 2 cabins and the convertible saloon settee.  The saloon space is shared with a Nav Station and full U-shaped galley. There is one head onboard with separate shower stall.

• (2) private double berths 
• Forecabin: 6'5" headroom, 6'8" x 5' berth with adjacent seat. Above berth storage incl. (2) 5' long shelves and several louvered storage compartments. 3'X10" storage starboard of berth. Hanging locker w/ 3 corner shelves. 12" skylight over the berth and 2'x2' overhead hatch w/ screen & solar vent.
• Reading lights in staterooms
• 12v VDC cabin fans (5)
• Aft Cabin: 6'2" headroom w/ 6'10" x 4'3" berth. Privacy door, hanging locker w/ 3 shelves, vanity w/ top shelf and cabinet/drawer combo. Mirror and opening cabinet behind privacy door.
• AC/DC outlet
• convertible U-shaped dinette settee
• long settee (opposite dinette settee)
• Expandable Hi/Lo dinette table
• Marine head w/ granite countertop vanity
• 12" oval S/S molded sink in head vanity
• Freshwater foot pump in head
• Jabsco manual head (2010)
• Teak medicine cabinet in head
• Separate shower stall w/ seat
• Teak & Holly sole
• Salon storage includes: wet locker, (8) cabinets plus (1) drawer, (6) storage lockers
• AC/DC outlets 
• Aft facing Nav Station
• (13) Bronze opening ports
• (2) overhead hatches
• Brass Trawler oil Lamp
• Dickinson "Antarctic" cabin heater (not connected)  

The u-shaped galley sits aft to port when you enter the main cabin. It is convenient to the Nav Station and dining/saloon seating areas. The key hole shape is optimal for use offshore.

• Dedicated pantry plus (4) storage compartments above counter & (4) drawers below counter 
• Separate trash locker
• S/S double deep sink
• Force 10 3-burner propane cooktop stove with oven and glass door
• Adler Barbour top and front load refrigerator/freezer/cold box (rebuilt 2006)
• Separate freezer
• (2) propane tanks in cockpit locker
• LPG control panel
• Saltwater and freshwater foot pump
• 12 volt VDS cabin fan
• (6) Trojan 105 House batteries
• (1) Deep cycle engine battery (2016)
• Freedom 30 Heart charger/inverter (2000)
• Heart Link 1000
• Northern Lights 4.5 kw generator (478 hrs)
• 120 amp alternator and Heart regulator (2000)
• 30 amp 115 volt shore power inlets
• Guest 4 position battery switch
• Teak Decks (properly maintained)
• (4) Dorades
• Solar vent over forecabin
• S/S Spar Safety Bars
• 7'6" long cockpit seating w/ Teak cockpit grates
• Bimini & Dodger (new 2013)
• Louvered doors plus alternate Teak hatchboards for companionway
• (3) cockpit storage lockers
• vented propane locker w/ (2) 20 lb tanks
• S/S Dinghy davits
• S/S Outboard engine lift
• 45 lb CQR anchor w/ 150' chain
• Danforth anchor w/ 150' rode
• Stern mounted S/S folding ladder
• (4) Deck prisms
• (2) Awnings
• Canvas teak and hatch covers
• Edson S/S pedestal w/ binnacle topped 6" enclosed compass w/ night light
• 32" Teak steering wheel w/ cover
• Teak folding and expandable cockpit table, like new
• Horseshoe throw life ring
• Weems & Plath clock and Barometer
• Covers for hatches, butterfly hatch, winches
• (4) fenders
• (4) life jackets
• (4) Fire extinguishers
• Emergency wood plugs & Tape
• Freshwater washdown pump
• Muir Cougar anchor windlass w/ up & down foot pedal (rebuilt 2009)
• Avon 4 person life raft w/ cage mounting on deck
• Dinghy and 6 hp outboard
• Garmin DGPS plotter 
• Furuno model 821 radar
• Robertson AP21 autopilot
• ICOM IC-502 VHF radio w/ cockpit RAM
• Fog Horn/Hailer/Listener
• Datamarine Link 5000 wind knot meter, depth finder
• Masthead light
• Spreader lights
• 1999 Furlex roller furling on staysail
• Harken roller furling on yankee/genoa
• Mainsail w/ two reef points-Mack Sack Lazy Jack system (2012)
• Genoa 150% (like new),
• Yankee 110%
• Storm Jib (never used)
• Traveller mounted on S/S housing over fwd portion of Sea Hood
• (2) Lewmar #55 ST primary winches (over-sized)
• (2) Lewmar #30 ST winches
• Lewmar #40 ST winch
• Heinson Boom Brake
• Whisker pole
• Dripless shaft seal
• Hurst transmission
• Manual bilge pump
• Jabsco/Par 36600 electric bilge pump
• Manual Bilge pump
• Jabsco/Par shower sump pump
• Racor 500 fuel filter 
• All deck hardware removed and rebedded (2014)
• Black iron fuel tank removed and replaced w/ Aluminum (2013)
• Freshwater tubing, saltwater washdown, anchor well drain, sanitary hoses and vent line were replaced (2013)
• All hoses inspected and replaced if needed (2013)
• Thru valves tested and several replaced (2013)
• Yanmar engine serviced regularly and oil changed every 100 hours
• When not in use, engine and generator are run-up to operating temp regularly
• Hull bottom and running gear cleaned each season and zincs (hull & shaft) inspected.
• All systems inspected and operated incl: Main engine, generator, electronics, instruments, pumps, transmission, dripless shaft seal, plumbing, refrigeration, stove LP system, sea-cocks opened/closed
• Bottom painted spring 2016
• Max Prop factory serviced 2016

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• Sailboat Reviews

Fifteen years after the last Baba was built in Taiwan, the sailboat's traditional styling, large interior and heavy weather performance make it a favorite of cruising couples. Its principal liability is poor light air performance.

The Baba line of boats was conceived in the mid-1970’s by Bob Berg, a Seattle yacht broker who with two business associates formed Flying Dutchman International Ltd. to import traditionally styled cruising boats from Taiwan.

Bob Perry was commissioned to design the boats, which Berg envisioned as a smaller version of the Tayana 37, one of Perry’s most popular designs. Though it is a full-keeled boat, the Tayana 37 has a greater turn of speed than most traditional yachts.

“Our objective was to produce a boat that was faster and less expensive than the Westsail 32 and the Valiant 32,” Berg said. He personally designed the boat’s interior for long­distance cruising. Two versions were offered: a V-berth model, which was popular on the West Coast, and the double berth model that was popular in the East.

Berg chose a propitious time to enter the market. Production began during the heyday of the sailboat industry in 1978 and continued until 1985. More than 230 Baba 30’s were produced. During the later stages of its history, the company produced two stretch versions of the boat-theBaba 35, of which more than 50 were built, and the Baba 40, with more than 150 built. The design of the Baba 40 was reworked twice, first as the Panda 40, and later as the Tashiba 40.

The boats were built in Taiwan for three reasons, Berg said. “Ta Shing boatbuilders were among the best in the world, and the best in Taiwan. Labor was inexpensive. And we enjoyed a favorable exchange rate.”

Ta Shing also built or builds the Mason, Panda, Tashiba and Taswell yachts.

The Baba 30 was introduced with a sticker price of $38,500 in 1977. A subsequent change in the value of the dollar resulted in a price jump to $49,500. That was followed by a 40% devaluation of the Taiwanese dollar and another increase in price.

Two other factors influenced pric­ing: The builder switched from Volvo engines, installed on early models, to Yanmar, and spruce spars were replaced by aluminum. The last boats sold were priced at $78,000.

In addition to pricing issues, the demise of Flying Dutchman International was accelerated by two other factors: a general slump in the purchase of new boats, and a shift in buyer sentiment. During the mid-1980’s, purchasing patterns shifted to a preference for lighter, faster, sleek­er-looking designs.

The Baba 30 continues to have one of the highest resale values in the marketplace. Twenty-year-old boats sell for $55,000 to $60,000; newer models for $60,000 to $65,000. Because Flying Dutchman had dealers on both coasts, the Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes and Canada, it is possible to find used boats in most areas.

Perry’s design reflects a self-described disdain for the belief that “if it’s a traditional design it will be slow.” His objective was to take a relatively heavy, traditional double-ender and work with the hull lines to “ring every tenth of a knot in speed out of the design that I can.”

He gave the boat an easily driven hull with a prismatic coefficient of .50, “which should take care of performance in light air,” he said. The hull has considerable flair to the top­sides, which enhances stability and provides a dry ride when sailing to weather.

He also flattened the bottom more than a typical Colin Archer design in an attempt to avoid hobby horsing and enhance performance. The boat has a full keel with a cutaway forefoot, so it tracks well. One owner, however, described backing up under power as “an adventure,” a typical characteristic of full-keeled boats.

Owners give the boat high marks for its sea kindly motion in all types of sea conditions. They generally agree that it suffers in light air.

Perry was equally attentive to the needs of cruisers in the design of spaces belowdecks. That concern, coupled with a pinched stern, produces a rather smallish cockpit. Its seats are 60″ long and 20″ wide, so realistically has comfortable seating for four adults. The footwell is 44″ long and 28″ wide, but useful space is diminished by the introduction of a steering pedestal. The cockpit is not large enough for sleeping comfort­ably, but its small size is a safety feature in the event of boarding waves. Also, there are two 2″ scuppers.

The flip side of the minimalist approach to the cockpit is an increase in space belowdecks.

“Anything shorter than 30′ is too small for a long-distance cruiser, un­less you are willing to make serious compromises. At 30′, the designer still can create a workable galley, at least four full length berths, and an en­closed head,” Perry said.

The boat has 6′ 4″ headroom and a lot of stowage, even when compared to more recent 32- to 34-footers, but the price of stowage areas is a dramatic increase in displacement. The boat displaces 12,000 lb. on a 24′ 6″ water­line. Perry said that at the time he designed the Baba 30, the average 30- footer displaced about 7 ,000 lb.

“But,” he added, “you will find that the light yacht is short on stowage space, which is fine for short week­end trips and day sailing. I chose a rather beamy double-ender with a healthy displacement-to-length ratio(D/L) of 3 79, which afforded the interior volume to do a comfortable layout.”

The Baba 30 has a tall cutter rig. The sail area-to-displacement ratio (SAID) is 14.97. “While this may be viewed as a rather low figure,” he said, “it is my contention that at this size the use of a 150% genoa is not prohibitive. My aim was to design a rig compatible with the hull I had designed in terms of deriving maximum performance.”

During our test sail, we discovered that a large genoa or light air drifter contributes significantly to downwind speed in winds under 10 knots. Above 15 knots, the boat can be sailed at hull speed with a jib and staysail.

One owner told us that the boat is easily driven to weather, and will point to within 35 of apparent wind when sails are properly trimmed.

“The result of my design is not a cute cartoon,” Perry concluded, “but a really capable offshore cruising yacht.

Construction

Berg, two professional surveyors, and owners who responded to the PS Boatowner’ s Questionnaire agree that the Baba 30 is a well-constructed, blue-water vessel.

The hulls were constructed of uncored, hand-laid fiberglass using alternating layers of 1. 5-ounce mat and 24-ounce woven roving.

There are six layers in most places, and 10-12 layers in the keel area,” Berg recalled.

The interiors of early boats were smoothed and sprayed with gelcoat, and covered with a quilted vinyl material. Later models were sprayed with a foam that provided insulation and sound deadening.

Newer boats we inspected also have hulls lined with teak battens in the saloon and forepeak, which improve noise insulation and add to the boat’s traditional feel. The cabin sole is teak and holly. Cabinetry and joinery are of a quality typically associated with high-end custom yachts.

Berg disclosed that some of the hulls experienced minor blistering problems, “usually within 12″ of the waterline,” he said.

Ron Reisner, a Seattle-based surveyor and construction consultant with Reisner and McEwen, Inc., oversaw construction of Baba yachts during the 1970’s on two trips to Taiwan. He has since surveyed several used Baba 30’s, including two in 1998.

“The boats were substantially built, and have held up well,” he told us. “The only problem we have discovered is that some chainplate bolts have corroded.” Because the bolts are visible from below, their condition is easy to monitor.

Jerry Edwards, a surveyor with the same firm, concurred. Edwards sold, commissioned and performed sea trials on several boats during three years as a yacht broker, and has surveyed seven since becoming a surveyor.

“The construction is on a par with almost any quality production boat,” he said. “The electrical systems are excellent; the company used high quality wire, which was tagged and bundled. The plumbing system is also good. The blisters we saw were usually 1/8″ inch in size, and usually in small clusters near the waterline. They probably were a function of the company using isophthalic resins, rather than orthophthalic. But my main criticism of the boat is the use of a steel fuel tank.”

We inspected boats constructed in 1979 and 1983, both of which had completed trans-Pacific passages, and found no evidence of cracking or crazing on gelcoat surfaces, or of water leaks around the mast or ports. One still has a good non-skid surface on deck. On the other, its teak decks showed little wear.

The first boats produced were equipped with only one set of shrouds, Berg told us. However, after one owner’s boat was dismasted, fore and aft lower shrouds were add­ed to the single spreader rig.

Later models in­corporated a boom gallows.

Deck Layout

One of the Baba 30’s most prominent features is the 4′ bowsprit. It is surrounded by a stainless steel pulpit, and also houses two bow rollers and a large bronze winch.

Most boats were equipped with self-tending staysails, but two we inspected had been retrofitted with furlers on the jib and staysail stays, which simplified sail handling during double-handed passages across the Pacific Ocean.

The rest of the boat’s on-deck systems are rather ordinary; halyards are led to Lewmar 30 two­speed winches mounted on the cabin top, and jib sheets through blocks to Lewmar 40 two-speed winches in the cockpit. Sail tracks, port and star­board, on the coachroof, are for the stay sail sheets. The side decks are 18″ wide. The toerail is 3″ high.

Though tiny, the cockpit is functionally organized. Stowage space includes a port lazarette, two elevated, oval­shaped compartments aft that also provide a backrest for the helmsman and crew, and another vented compartment for a propane tank. Two 14″-wide cubbies with teak covers are good for stowing winch handles and other small items.

Two hatches and four bronze opening ports on each side of the cabin were standard. Two opening skylights over the saloon are 34″ long and 18″ wide; a second 24″ square hatch is located over the forepeak. Additional ventilation is through two 6″ Dorades installed in fiberglass boxes forward of the mast.

One owner mounted a spinnaker pole on a sail track on the front of the mast, which takes no otherwise usable space and eliminates the need to drill holes in the deck.

Accommodations

A number of Baba 30’s have made trans-oceanic passages, carrying adequate provisions for a crew of two. One couple spent 27 days sailing from Hawaii to Seattle.

The layout is fairly straightforward with the galley to port below the companionway, the nav station opposite, and a quarterberth to starboard. An almost triangular-shaped head is to starboard, forward of the saloon, and the V-berth fills the bow. With the exception of countertops in the galley, all of the surfaces are teak, which has aged well on the boats we saw.

The nav table is 28″ wide, and 17″ deep. A cabinet 26″ wide, 14″ high and 12″ deep is on the forward edge of the nav station and provides adequate room for VHS, GPS, ham radio or single-sideband and weatherfax. An additional 50″ x 9″ shelf provides room for books and other instruments.

The quarterberth aft of the nav station is 68″ long (plus 12″ of the nav seat) and 30″ wide and has stowage below it.

We found two interesting stowage areas under the companionway-a hanging locker immediately to starboard of the engine compartment that is large enough for two sets of foul weather gear, and another 18″ wide and 12″ high into which one owner had mounted a small microwave oven.

The engine is accessible by removing the companionway steps and cover, though some owners complain that changing oil filters is an acrobatic challenge.

The galley is a typical U-shaped affair with the ice box aft, a gimbaled two-burner stove and a dry locker and sink forward. Countertops are as large as those found on bigger boats.

Living spaces are equally spacious, partially attributable to the boat’s 10′ 6″ beam and 6′ 4″ headroom. The port settee is 6′ long and the starboard settee is 50″. Three storage compartments measuring 20″ wide, 21″ tall and 16″ deep are located on both sides of the boat, above which are enclosed cabinets more than 24″ long.

Water and fuel tanks are located below the settees.

The head is large enough to be functional but has little elbow room. It measures 31″ deep and 42″ wide, and is equipped with a circular stainless sink. The medicine cabinet is large enough for some toiletries, but too small for a cruising medical kit.

The hanging locker to port is 43″ high and 18″ wide-adequate for a small amount of clothing. We think most clothes will be stored in cabinets below the 77″ x 60″ V-berth. The chain locker/forepeak is accessed through louvered teak doors. A drawback is the water that can come aboard with the ground tackle, not to mention the smell of mud.

In our opinion, the spaces below­decks on this boat are well-organized and adequate for couples planning extended passages, especially com­pared to newer production boats.

Some owners, however, report that tankage numbers are inaccurate. One told us that the fuel tank holds just 2 7 gallons, not 40 as advertised. Another said the two 40-gallon water tanks hold only 50 gallons combined.

Performance

Our experience aboard the Baba 30, corroborated by PS readers, found that in very light winds she’s an under-performer; above that, she performs on all points of sail, is sea kindly and has an easy helm.

The most cogent comments came from a couple in their mid-50’s who sailed a 1976 model from Hawaii to Seattle. After cruising Hawaiian waters for 18 months, they began the upwind route to the mainland, which took 27 days. The boat was not equipped with a spinnaker, so they used a 150% genoa in light air.

In less than 10 knots of wind the boat made 1-2 knots, steered to within 5 of its intended course for three days by an Auto-helm wind vane. When winds picked up to more than 10 knots, boat speed increased to 5 knots while sailing under the vane on a close reach. Three days from port the boat was struck by a 30-hour storm, during which winds built from 20 to 50 knots.

“The wind vane wasn’t operating properly, so we disconnected it, and steered by hand,” the skipper said. “Aside from general fatigue, we had no problems because the boat was easy to sail and the helm well-bal­anced; we just tied off the helm and hid behind the dodger, sailing under a double-reefed main and staysail. The ride was very comfortable. It seems as though the more the wind blew, the stouter the boat became.”

Conclusions

We think the Baba 30 will be pleasing to the eye of any sailor with an appreciation for traditional yachts. The construction methods are among the best used during its era, and have aged well; recent surveys of aging boats show them to be structurally sound. Accommodations are spacious and the joiner work is of very good quality. Performance is about what we’d ex­pect for a boat with her displacement, so it’s no surprise that she’s sluggish in 5-10 knots of wind.

The Baba 30 has held its value well; used boats are still commanding prices nearly as high as they were 10 years ago.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

I’ve never seen a 30 – or any baba – with a self tending staysail, nor have i ever heard of it anywhere else. I don’t know where the number of hatches came from either : companionway, forward hatch, and 10 opening windows (all of them). Most 30s have one inline and one aft lower (though a few moved the inline lower shroud forward). Otherwise, this seems mostly accurate. Oh, several dozen hull numbers were skipped so there’s about 150 30s produced i believe.

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Walled Lake garage contractor sentenced for scamming homeowners

A Walled Lake garage contractor, Artemio Sessions, was sentenced to 40-240 months in prison for repeatedly scamming homeowners out of tens of thousands of dollars.

Sessions, 56, was convicted of felony charges for the scheme he ran through his business, Garages R Us. Sixth Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews delivered the sentence on Monday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a Wednesday news release .

He was charged in April 2021 and convicted by a jury in February of false pretenses and conducting a criminal enterprise. Sessions conviction was delayed due to several changes in representation and pandemic related delays.

Sessions defrauded customers out of Pontiac, Westland, Rochester Hills, Mt. Clemens, Redford, and Saline by obtaining payment and then continually made excuses for failing to start the work. He would then ghost customers by failing to return calls and messages.

“Michigan consumers want the professionals they contract with to be reputable, skilled tradesmen, not rampant scammers,” said Nessel. "Sessions ripped off unsuspecting customers for tens of thousands of dollars, and today's sentence will put an end to his criminal scheming."

California lawmaker sounds alarm over migrant boat landings: '3 to 4 ... a week'

by JACKSON WALKER | The National Desk

SAN DIEGO (TND) — A California lawmaker is warning about an influx of migrants using boats to land on beaches and enter the U.S. illegally.

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond took to X Tuesday with news of migrants who are now arriving on county shores in boats. These arrivals then rush into suburbs, adding to California’s swelling migrant population, Desmond claims.

San Diego is getting 3 to 4 boats washing on the shores a week, with illegal immigrants running into neighborhoods,” Desmond wrote . “This is on top of the over 130,000 migrants dropped on the streets of San Diego. San Diego is the epicenter for illegal immigration, with nearly 1,000 people a day dropped on the streets.”

Attached to the post was a local news article showing a small boat which washed up at Windansea Beach in San Diego Tuesday. Authorities told the outlet they discovered several life vests cast aside near the vessel and suspect it may have been used for smuggling.

READ MORE | Illegal Guatemalan migrant arrested for alleged fatal stabbing at Days Inn in Florida

The warning comes on the heels of a viral boat landing video which circulated on social media last week. In the clip, a boat charges through the water and onto a California beach where several suspected migrants rush out and board an SUV.

We need harsher penalties on human smugglers," Desmond told reporters. "We need state and federal officials to bring more resources, whether it's more Coast Guard or National Guard."

President Joe Biden is now considering an executive order to curb immigration as the issue weighs heavily on the minds of voters. Such a command could come in tandem with a citizenship offer to illegal migrants who are married to U.S. citizens. Marriage would potentially clear a migrant’s record of evading detection or document forgery under the rule, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to [email protected].

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Author Interviews

Barbara walters forged a path for women in journalism, but not without paying a price.

Tonya Mosley

In 1976, Barbara Walters became the first woman to co-anchor a national news show on prime time television. She was only in that role for two years, but her arrival changed news media.

"She's such a consequential figure for journalists, not just for women journalists," biographer Susan Page says. "The path she cut is one that many of us have followed."

Page is the Washington bureau chief at USA Today and the author of The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters. Though they never met, Page says speaking to hundreds of Walters' friends and colleagues and watching hours of her interview tapes gave her a sense of her subject.

Page describes Walters as a fearless journalist who didn't shy away from controversy or tough questions. She battled sexism throughout her career — especially from her first co-anchor, Harry Reasoner, who, Page says, scowled at Walters' presence and tracked how many words she spoke on-air compared to him.

Trailblazing journalist Barbara Walters has died at 93

After leaving the nightly news post, Walters became known for her long-form interviews. Her conversations, which blended news and entertainment, featured a wide range of subjects, including Fidel Castro, Vladimir Putin, Richard Nixon, Monica Lewinsky, Michael Jackson and Charles Manson. In 1997, she created The View , a daily talk show with an all-women cast of co-hosts.

"One thing that I thought was interesting about Barbara Walters is that she thought all sorts of people were interesting and worth talking to," Page says. "She really expanded the world of interviews that [national] journalists were doing to include not just presidents, but also notorious murderers."

For Page, Walters' success feels personal: "It never occurred to me when I was looking at a career in journalism that I couldn't do big interviews with important people because Barbara Walters did. ... Even though I've been in print journalism, not TV journalism, I benefited from the battles that Barbara Walters fought."

Interview highlights

On her family life that drove her to work hard

Understanding the source of her drive was hard to understand and I think crucial. And I decided after doing all this reporting about her that, that there was a moment that ignited the drive in Barbara Walters, and that was when her mother called her and told her that her father had attempted suicide. Her mother didn't call an ambulance. ... [Barbara] called the ambulance. [Barbara] rode in the ambulance with her father to the hospital. And she realized almost in an instant that while she was going through her first divorce, she didn't really have a career that as of that moment, she was going to be responsible for supporting her father, who had just tried to commit suicide, her mother, who was perpetually unhappy, and her special needs sister. And that that was going to require her to get serious, to make some money and to sustain that. She always had the sense that it could all disappear in an instant.

On news co-host Harry Reasoner's hostility about working with Walters

He was so openly contemptuous of her on the air that the director stopped doing two shots. That is a shot where you could see Harry Reasoner watching Barbara Walters speak because he was always scowling. It was so bad that they got many letters from mostly women viewers complaining about how she was being treated. ... It was really an untenable situation and one that took a while to unravel, and it was one that unnerved Barbara Walters. It was the one time in her career when she thought perhaps she had made an error so great that she would not recover. She said that she felt not only like she was drowning, but that there were people trying to hold her head under the water.

On a turning point in her career, when she interviewed Fidel Castro

So this was in 1977. She was still officially the anchor [of ABC Evening News ], but things were not going well. And she landed this interview with Fidel Castro, who had been interviewed only infrequently by Western journalists. And ... she got in a boat and crossed the Bay of Pigs with him. He drove his jeep across the mountains with her sitting next to him, holding aloft his gun to keep water from splashing on. It was a great interview. A very tough interview. She asked him about freedom of the press, which didn't exist in Cuba. She pressed him on whether he was married. This was a question that he had refused to answer. ... So he finally gave up and answered it and said formally, no. So it was a great interview and it was a comeback interview for her. It both showed what she could do in an interview, and it made her feel more confident again.

On her interview with Richard Nixon when she asked him if he wished he burned the Watergate tapes

That was in a particularly difficult interview, because the only way the Nixon people agreed that she could do it was to do it live. There was no cutting out some extraneous matter to get that last question in, she had to be incredibly alert about controlling the interview so that she would have time to ask that question. And the other thing that we should know about that question is she always wanted to ask the question that everybody wanted to hear, even the toughest question possible, like would you have burned the tapes? She wanted to ask the one that people wanted to hear the answer to. That was one of [her] great gifts. And she figured out that by preparing for hours and hours and writing down proposed questions on small 3x5 cards and shuffling them and revising them, and finally having them typed on 5x7 cards to ask. She would let an interview go where it went. She didn't always follow the cards, but she always had a plan in mind for how she wanted to get the interview started. What she wanted to do in the middle and the thing that she wanted to do at the close to give it a real kick.

On her friendship with Donald Trump

They were transactional friends. She went to his wedding. He went to the celebration of her third marriage. He was often a guest on The View when The View started in 1997. He was then a real estate developer in New York. And if they were short a guest, they could call up Donald Trump and he would come over and be on the show or even do a cameo skit. ... And, in fact, one ABC executive told me, when Donald Trump got involved in politics, that there was a feeling, some discomfort, that she had given him a platform and a legitimacy that maybe he wouldn't have had otherwise.

On her preparation for her infamous Monica Lewinksy interview

Barbara Walters was working on asking the questions, but at the same time, Monica Lewinsky was working with her team on how to answer the questions. The question that gave the Monica Lewinsky team the most trouble was that question, "Do you still love him?" Because at the beginning of their practice sessions, she said yes. And then she said she couldn't say no because she did love him. And she loved him some of the time. And, they warned that that was not an effective answer to have. So you hear her, in this interview giving the answer they had worked out, which was no. But then in her follow up, she does acknowledge that sometimes she does still have warm feelings for him. On the Barbara Walters side, they worked a long time on what the closing question would be, because that's a powerful position in an interview like this, that last question. And they settled on, "What will you tell your children?"

On Gilda Radner's impression of her as "Baba Wawa," mocking the way she spoke

She was wounded when she heard this. For one thing, even though there was this exaggerated lisp that Gilda Radner used, nobody had any doubt who she was parodying. And, Barbara Walters had this speech anomaly. She called it a bastard Boston accent. Other people called it a lisp. Whatever it was she had tried, she'd gone to voice coaches early in her career to try to fix it, and it failed. So her feelings were hurt when the skit was done on Saturday Night Live . Now, it also made her famous. She came to terms with it, but I think she always found it kind of hurtful. ... When Gilda Radner died ... Barbara Walters wrote a sympathy note to her widower, Gene Wilder, expressing sympathy on her death, and signed it, "Baba Wawa."

On her reluctant retirement

She worked into her 80s. ... When she was in her 70s, she was working at a time when most women had been involuntarily retired. So she worked as long as they would keep her on the air. But as she started to sometimes miss a step, there was concern that she would embarrass herself or undermine some of the professional work she had done. ... The people at ABC convinced her it was time to retire. And then CNN came in with a secret offer to put her on the air at CNN, which she was considering when her friends came back and said, no, it's time. ... There was a grand finale on The View , where two dozen women prominent in journalism came and paid tribute to her. And on her last, big show on The View. And when she was backstage afterwards, one of them came up and said ... "What do you want to do in your retirement?" And Barbara said, "I want more time." Meaning I want more time on the air.

On if she was happy

I asked 100 people who knew her that question: Was she happy? And a few people said yes. Joy Behar of The View said "happy-ish," which is not a bad answer, but most people said while she was proud of what she had done and that she loved the money and the prominence that she had won, that she paid this huge price on the personal side — she had three failed marriages. She was estranged for a time from her only daughter. She never lost that feeling that she was always competing and could never stop and be content. So she had the most successful possible professional life, but I think she had kind of a sad, personal one.

Thea Chaloner and Joel Wolfram produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the web.