Finding Space and Comfort: The Carboccis’ Grand Banks 46 “Good Enough”

Boating is, in many ways, about perspective. For Pete and Rose Carbocci, upgrading their cruising lifestyle meant finding a boat that offered more space and conveniences than the small V-berth and ice hunts they endured while sailing a 30-foot O’Day without refrigeration. Years of cruising around the East End of Long Island and journeys to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket left them often searching for ice and dreaming of a more comfortable cruising life.

“We sold the O’Day, but then Covid hit,” Pete recalls. “We bought a little Sprinter van and toured the country for three years. Then we started looking at sailboats again.”

The van life proved enjoyable and in some ways similar to life aboard the O’Day, but when the Carboccis resumed their search after the pandemic, family considerations — including grandchildren — shifted their priorities. Pete had long admired Grand Banks trawlers, but a new model was out of their budget. Determined to find a classic Grand Banks in good condition and at the right price, they spent more than a year and a half searching.

“I dragged Rose up to Maine and out to Connecticut. We flew to Florida, rented a car. I had about 11 boats lined up to see on the way home,” Pete says. They found the second Grand Banks they looked at appealing, and by the time they returned, that boat had come on the market. They decided to move quickly.

The Grand Banks 46 Classic Good Enough is a 1990 build, and it proved to be exactly what they needed. The boat had been for sale in 2024, then briefly taken off the market for upgrades. Its recent owners had cared for it over many years, and the Carboccis worked with brokers Steve Fithian and his daughter Sara, respected Grand Banks specialists, to complete the purchase. “We were in really good hands,” Pete says.

They closed on the boat at the start of the year and immediately began personalizing Good Enough. The core items they prioritized were already in place: solid tanks, dry decks, and updated electronics at the helm. Still, the boat needed further attention to match the couple’s vision.

“The previous owner maintained it well,” Pete says. “He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the boat and showed me the receipts for yard work and service over the years. But the brightwork needs attention.” The Carboccis have already tackled a few projects, such as replacing the flybridge cushions and doing some reupholstery.

Pete’s background as a high school woodworking teacher for 30 years makes the prospect of restoring brightwork a pleasure. Rose, meanwhile, was struck by how spacious the Grand Banks felt compared with the Sprinter van. Their trip north from Fort Lauderdale to New York confirmed the boat’s livability.

“We were on the water for 33 days and it was very comfortable,” Rose said in June. During their years in the van they’d learned to do the “van shuffle” to avoid getting in each other’s way. The Grand Banks, by contrast, offers both roomy outdoor spaces and a comfortable cabin. “It needed some cleaning but nothing too bad. I used the oven and the stove and found it comfortable,” she added.

Pete notes that cruising aboard the Grand Banks evokes the aesthetic of his favorite sailing days: rich woodwork and attractive cabinetry combined with the trawler’s excellent visibility. “You step down below and you’re not in a cave,” he says. “There’s such a yachtie feel to a Grand Banks.”

One major upgrade on their list is solar power. Pete gained experience installing solar on a remote cabin they owned, and Good Enough already has a new inverter, replaced soon after purchase. While the couple appreciates having a proper refrigerator and freezer, they want to avoid running the generator all night to power appliances. Their plan is to rewire the refrigerator and freezer to the inverter circuit so those units can run off battery power while anchored, reducing noise and fuel use.

“We’d keep the generator running until 7 or 8 p.m., then drop anchor and turn it off,” Pete explains. “But we couldn’t open the fridge until we turned it back on the next morning. I just found a technician who can move the refrigerator and freezer onto the inverter circuit so they’ll run on batteries when we’re sitting.”

In their 60s, the Carboccis plan to cruise familiar haunts, explore the Hudson River, and return to Maine. Compared with life in the van, the onboard systems on Good Enough feel luxurious: water capacity, for instance, is a revelation. “The van held about 30 gallons of water. This boat holds 300 gallons,” Pete says. “We feel like we’re almost in a house on this thing, like there are no limits.”

This article was originally published in the August 2026 issue.