1979 Custom 37 Pilothouse Expedition Sloop

Original year of construction: 1979; major rebuild with all new systems/finishes between 2004 and 2019; fresh water usage from 2009 to 2019; stored ashore 2020 and 2021 (Covid); salt-water usage: 2022 & 2023.  White, solid fiberglass and Kevlar hull; blue cove stripe; black CSC Micron (3 coats updated annually); large longitudinal stringers and hull grid; from amidships forward there are 3 layers of 10 oz Kevlar vacuum bagged and fared; a complete bottom job was done, there were no blisters.

All new thru hull fittings; fiberglass deck with balsa core and plywood coring by the chain-plates. The original teak decks were removed and the decking surface is now fiberglass w/ Kiwi Grip (tan non-skid areas); fin keel and partial fiberglass skeg; semi-balanced rudder rebuilt by Loyalist Cove Marina with an integral grommet for emergency steering; SS keel bolts checked, tightened and epoxy coated; all new running gear; fiberglass stern tube, prop-shaft Nacelle (no strut); custom Fiberglass Hardtop / Pilothouse with gullwing doors port and starboard (5’10” headroom) built by Scorpio Yachts (Mr. Hayden Gozzard); ; full canvas enclosure; aluminum frame windshield; All new Lewmar hatches; fixed ports in the salon; aft cabin ports w/ screens (4); Pilothouse SS handrails by Stainless Steel Outfitters;  Edson Quadrant pull pull steering; emergency tiller; bow and stern pulpits; double lifelines with gates & removable side SS boarding ladder; the bow pulpit has deck lights; the stern pulpit has a gate & outboard motor mounts; teak and fiberglass heavily reinforced bow sprit with two anchor rollers. Main anchor: Mantus 55#,  kedge anchor: fortress FX 37. Lewmar V3 electric windlass rope drum option, 300’ G4 5/16th chain, chain counter, wired and wireless remote control.

COCKPIT:  Deep and protected centre cockpit. Custom fiberglass steering pedestal and ‘dashboard’ by Scorpio Yachts incorporating storage, navigation instruments and gauges; elk hide covered steering wheel; 6’4” settees port and  starboard for sleeping or lounging; the ‘L’ shaped cockpit seat on the port side has a filler to make a berth; storage lockers  under the settee-seats; 19”’ seat backs for security and support; wooden wash-board and doors for main companionway; washboard for aft companionway; 4 X 3” cockpit drains; 36” X 36” water-proof engine-room hatch in the cockpit sole with a gas strut; cockpit cushions and backs w/ closed-cell foam (new); overhead LED lights (red or white); 12 v windshield defroster; cockpit table.

DECK: Custom swim platform  built by Scorpio Yachts with SS folding boarding ladder; bow locker; anchor locker was moved below the forward berth, new stern lazarette with a Bomar aluminum waterproof hatch; Vetus dorade vents with custom SS guards. Aikens and Hoyle davits and SS outboard motor lift.

ACCOMMODATIONS: The yacht sleeps 5 with potentially another berth in the cockpit; she has 6’1” headroom.

The secure ‘U’ galley has a Force 10 LPG 2 burner stove w/ oven & broiler; Xintex LPG solenoid control; 4 LPG tanks total in vented lockers; pressure gauge & regulator; double SS sinks with fresh and salt-water foot-pumps; hot and cold pressure water with a 77 gallon total capacity in 2 tanks; Frigoboat top-loading water cooled condenser ‘Coastal Mk. II’ freezer; Isotherm front-loading refrigerator (12V with air cooled condenser).

The head has a shower; Jabsco manual marine toilet; 35 gallon SS holding tank under the forward berth; single sink, Corian countertop, mirror and storage cabinet. All black water goes into the holding tank. From there, effluent may be evacuated via a deck plate and pump out or a manual pump overboard. There is no Y valve.

The yacht has a Refleks 200KV diesel heater, with glass window option and diesel day-tank; hot water heating (with anti-freeze) throughout the interior, fore and aft cabins and the cockpit; all heat is supplied by fan coils; the heating system connects to the engine with a heat exchanger, to heat the boat from the engine; teak and holly sole; new vinyl headliner; recent gray fabric upholstery; centerline drop-leaf table with storage. All lighting is LED.

2018 Westerbeke 44C 4 cylinder marine diesel engine with hour meter showing about 600 hours; Admiral engine panel; engine room exhaust fan; Vetus Drive-Saver; conventional stuffing box with grease fitting; recent FG stern tube, drive shaft & cutless bearing; ‘Verifold’ 4 blade propeller with Shark line cutter; spare 2 blade bronze propeller; Racor #500 primary fuel filter; dual (switchable) Racor # 500 secondary filters; recent 50 gallon SS fuel tank with Weama fuel gauge; Vetus secondary 39 gallon fuel tank w/ transfer pump; Walborough pump for continuous fuel polishing; Vetus ‘Waterlift’ muffler; Vetus sea-water intake filter;

110 Volt shore power system with breaker panel and 30 amp shore cord; ProMariner 30 Amp galvanic isolator with remote read-out; Xantrex 1,800 watt inverter with remote readout; 2 Victron automatic battery chargers (starter and house batteries); 4 - 110 volt GFI receptacles.

New 2023 - 3 x 208 amp lithium batteries (Bluetooth with heaters), class T fuse 300 amp, Bluesea isolation switch; each battery has a Victron battery sensor; custom high-amperage breaker panel; 2 alternators - 50 amp engine starting battery alternator 140 Amp Powerline house system alternator; Balmar programmable regulator MC-618; 400 watt solar panels over the davits aft with a Victron SmartSolar 110/50 controller. Victron BMV 712 Smart battery monitor and Balmar Smartguage battery monitors. ‘Allways on’ panel. All Victron equipment is Bluetooth capable.

Raymarine P70 Autopilot with linear drive; Raymarine ST5000 Autopilot; Standard Horizon ‘Quest’ VHF with remote mic at the helm;   Raymarine 12” e125 multi-function display: colour radar; ST60 depth and speed; Wind 170, wind instruments; Sea Talk H55 network switch; VHF antenna splitter; Icom Ma-500tr AIS (class B) w/ external antenna;  Barometer; 5’ Ritchie compass at the helm; cell extender; radar reflector; hand bearing compass; binoculars and lead-line. Fusion stereo with four speakers and remote in the forward cabin. Stereo is connected to the NMEA 2000 network.

RIGGING: Self tacking staysail sloop rig; Selden aluminum mast & boom; 7mm shrouds by Selden; Selden swaged uppers and Staylock lower fittings; Harken (type #2) over-sized roller furling gear; Harken mainsheet traveller and blocks; 4 part boom vang; jiffy reefing with Harken hardware lead aft to the cockpit; separate trysail mast track; Barlow #16 and Andersen #28 ST on the mast for halyards; Lewmar Electric #46 ST primary sheet winches; Lewmar #30 ST secondary winches on the cockpit coamings. All reefing lines, main halyard and main sheet run under coamings to rope clutches and can be operated by the electric winches as can the genoa furling line. Mast mounted whisker pole.

SAILS:  2016 Mainsail w/ double line reefing system  with 3 reefs and 2016 roller-furling Genoa by Kingston Sail Loft, Kingston, ON; storm tri-sail (never used) and storm jib; hank-on self-tacking staysail on a separate removable stay; riding sail.

8’ AB Aluminum bottom inflatable dingy; Honda 2.3 HP O/B; Dinghy davits; 6 dock lines; 6 fenders; Barbeque; 2 boat hooks; 3 fire extinguishers; fire blanket; 3 smoke detectors; engine room fire port; 2019 Fitzwright 4 person valise life raft stored under the helmsman’s seat; ACR EPIRB; Man-Overboard Module (DAN Buoy); life ring; throw bag; flares; jack-lines; 5 harnesses; 3 life jackets; wooden plugs; Life Sling; 2 buckets; 1 x manual bilge pumps; low and high water electric bilge pumps; high water bilge alarm; raw-water engine cooling with by-pass for bilge pumping; dishes, cutlery and pots & pans; miscellaneous tools specific to the boat; fishing rod.

Canvas: hatch awnings; wind scoops; BBQ cover; winch covers; msc. Screens.

“I decided to customize the boat with the help of some excellent boatbuilder friends. She bears little resemblance to her original arrangement. The big changes were the addition of the hardtop (with gullwing doors), swim platform and rearrangement of the galley and main salon. The boat was essentially stripped to the hull and rebuilt with all new systems and gear. Hayden Gozzard of the Gozzard brothers did the major fiberglass work. Many other professionals assisted me along the way.

This is a most impressive pilot-house yacht heavily (and expensively) customized for cruising in Labrador. Despite that, she has been in fresh water for most of her life. The forward half of her hull was professionally over-laid with 3 layers of Kevlar, vacuum-bagged and fared for ice resistance; 2018 Westerbeke 44C diesel with 600 hours; a beefed-up rig; electric sheet winches; robust heating systems, recent sails and an extensive inventory. Canadian Registry.