This
was the custom design by Tom Gilmer and IMHO is a better built, finer
finished and better blue water sailer than a Crealock 34. Built by 17 old
codgers in the Sausalito Boat Works in Calif. who had been building a
superior wooden double ender for 40 years, they finally went to fiberglass
and went broke after 6 vessels because of their uncompromising quality and
workmanship. Enough said. Judge for yourself.
She
feels like a stiffer, larger vessel in rough seas, yet tacks through in
light airs on her big Drifter easily with the large trailing tiller
rudder. Her 33 h.p. Westerbeake drives a big 15" 3 blade prop, and will
power thru 4'to 5' seas dry pole, if necessary, at a good 6 kts. RARE! And
in rough seas, there's plenty of cabin overheads or topside truck
handrails to steady on. A Dream to handle from the aft cockpit seat, with
a cross traveler spanning the mid cockpit for the main sheet, both Lewmar
ST winches for the Genoa attached to mid cockpit walls, and the Genoa
roller furling winch positioned there as well. No need to leave the helm
to go forward to a cabin truck winch, very safe single handed, with a self
tending staysail. I've installed a New Navico Tiller autopilot, that's
remote as well on the main mast, for directional control while sail
tending the main or fore deck sails. She has a forward 35# CQR anchor, but
I can drop an aft 20# Danforth from an aft locker mounted on the boomkin
entering an anchorage, and never leave the cockpit. Being double ended,
she'll then bring fresh cooling breezes into the cabin. Comfort equipped
with cockpit cushions, mosquito barriers on all ports and companionway, 6
new interior cream colored scotch guarded custom made cushions. In
addition to Radar, including Alarm Collision Avoidance at anchorage, she
has all necessary navigational Loran, GPS, Compass, Autopilot, and VHF Nav
aids.
This
vessel has a Ta Shing high quality radius joinery interior, in honey toned
teak, with 6 Bronze portals, bulwark mounted non-leaking stations with
three life lines, fiberglass and painted finished interior cabinets and
bilges, and a custom holding tank private toilet. Two Golf Cart batteries
for the cabin needs under holly/teak sole, and a separate BIG new D cell
battery for the engine. 140 GALLONS of pressurized water.
60 GALLONS of diesel, at 1 GPH @ 6 Kt. cruise = 360 NM range.
Her
main cabin starboard berth pulls out over the hinged and stowable dinnete,
offering a huge double berth, opposite a port berth. The door to the
starboard forward head swings open and forward to seal off the large
double V-Berth, and offers two large, private cabins.
There's a Bomar tinted, screened overhead hatch and two portals forward,
with fans in the V-Berth.
All rigging is heavy duty, including the oversized mast with two Lewmar
winches, with double spreaders. The staysail has a bronze deck snap
release stay to stow to the midships shrouds if under genoa only. All teak
caprails, boomkin, bowsprit, and main trunk and cockpit have covers, as
well as a full winter canvas cover, and tent. 6 Sails;
Main
(225 Sq.ft. double reef), Furling #1 Genoa, (250 sq.ft.) and # 2 Genoa
(190 sq.ft.), Self tending Staysail (100 sq.ft.), 400 Sq.ft. Drifter, and
a 65 sq.ft. Storm jib. They are all in excellent condition.
Cockpit
has trunk mounted lighted Data Marine speed/ depth., Compass and engine
instruments, GPS and Autopilot DC plug ins.
35# CQR, 60' 5/16 chain, 250' 5/8" rode, Aft cockpit 20# Danforth has 16'
5/16 chain on 200' of 1/2" rode.
Spreader deck lights, 12/120 volt inverter, shore power, telephone
connection, full breaker panels AC/and D/C, Exterior navigational and
interior lighting.
Galley
to port has deep stainless sink, pressure and manual water, two burner
kerosene stove, large compartmental Ice Box to starboard. Top surface is
chart table, storage behind. Navionics are over this area.
There are two large under cockpit seat storage areas accessible from the
DRY inside cabin, thru louvered doors on either side of companionway.
Dockside air conditioning thru bottom companionway. Wall cabin heater for
you Yanks!
Automatic
and manual bilge pumps, with red cockpit alert light. Most Emergency spare
parts, materials, in ships stores for extended cruising.
All
in all, a lot of cruiser for single-handing, in blue water offshore
cruising, yet manageable and safe for most seasoned sailors. It'll bring
you back safely, no matter what you encounter. A rare classic blue water
quality custom built and equipped Cutter...no cheap production dockside
condo! And I still think it's a better built, easier and safer cutter to
sail than the comparable year Crealock 34 priced $40-50,000 more.
|
