Pictures of a 1950s Brazilian-built 37' cutter

[Seafarer24]

I've been on the hunt for my next boat- the one I'll take cruising. Recently my long-term girlfriend has been seriously considering my offer to come along, so I've been looking for boats that could cruise two, instead of just one.

Friday (6/17/05) I went to Miami to check out a 37 cutter built in Brazil in the 1950s. The current owner said that before he bought it, the previous owner had crossed the Atlantic in it a few times, and gone through the Panama canal a few times as well. The current owner has had it since the '80s and has been restoring it with a circumnavigation in mind. He got married, his wife doesn't like sailing, and his health has deteriorated. The boat has no interior.

I took a lot of pictures and built a simple webpage for it, so I can get some opinions on it:
The Sealark

[Dave Guilford]

WOW! Serious project boat, Seafarer. Have you determined a renovation budget yet?

[Seafarer24]

Two to three years... and basically all the money that I make in two to three years. Along with paying for the boat, I could probably scrape together 5-10 thousand. The high-end of that estimation requires selling my current sailboat.

Other than the area around the mast-step, the rest of the work is designing and installing an interior. I don't need or want a lot of electronics.

The only exterior work that it needs are life-lines, pulpits, and a few uninstalled fittings that it comes with.

[chandler]

What are they asking for the boat???

[presuming ed]

Probably worth asking for a view over on the Woodenboat.com forum.

[Seafarer24]

$15k, because he can get that much if he breaks it up and sells off the pieces. I've decided not to buy it, but will supply contact information to anyone interested that e-mails me.

[chandler]

That's too bad seafarer. Partly because they're going to scrap the boat and partly because the guy thinks that's worth what was probably a years work for some boatbuilder and and several old growth trees.
Try looking in the Woodenboat classifieds, there's some good deals as well as a boats for free section and a save an old classic section.

[Seafarer24]

The current owner is the same guy who restored the boat. He was a cabinet maker shortly before buying this boat when he was 24 years old and knew nothing about sailing or boats. He refastened the entire hull, then cold molded it using WEST and double-diagonal mahogany veneers. He had the bronze bow and stern pieces custom-cast by NewFoundMetals. Basically he's put almost 20 years of work into a boat that isn't really suitable for cruising due to its narrow beam. It's a sad story to hear, and he was a great guy to talk to (reminded me very much of myself), but I see an unhappy ending for his boat

[Tvermoes]

Hi!

well it is sad that the boat might be scrapped. Looking at the pictures I get some issues

46' mast - that seems very much. Any idea of the original masts height? Draft and beam, how much? Weight of the keel? Keel is made of lead or not?

The mast seems to stand on the bottom or the plank where the garboard is fastened. This is not a solution at all. The mast shall stand on a frame/heavy plank, distributing the load over 3 or more transoms -unless it actually stands on the keel.
How much has the boat been sailed?

The transoms seems to be few and of rather small dimensions. Compared to my 30 SquareMetre class (31 sqm actual sail area, would be 330 sq feet ?) that is 40 feet long, beam 5feet4 and draft 5 feet, lead keel estimated to 1700 lbs (800 Kilos) -she has tramsoms evey feet of 2" oak.
Also the ribs seems to be on the small side and definitley very apart. Again, the SQM class, the 30 SQM stipulates 1"*1" of oak every 8". At the keel area, every 3rd of steel.

How is the hull nailed, with iron, cupper or is the planking screwed?


The cockpit seems small, very low and without any self drainage. This is not sea going.

[Bergalia]

Not that we Scots believe the Swedes know much about sailing.....But in this case Tvermoes knows his stuff. Fitted out by a cabinet maker the cupboards might be worth salvaging... but sad about the rest... but...Keep your money in your pocket until you find a suitable 'Folkboat' (Swedish design I believe) or less likely but nicer craft for a romantic duo - a Deben Class 4.5 tonner by Whisstocks.
I sailed one back and forth around the North Sea with barely a wet bum. The book 'Icebird' is also based on a Deben - check it out in your local library for an account of a real roadtest.
Meanwhile - best of luck with your search. But don't rush into buying the first one that takes your fancy. Remember - a timber boat is: a 'hole in the ocean, lined with wood, into which you pour money...'

[D'ARTOIS]

The boat looks pretty sturdy to me although the mast is too high or the length of the boat. Regarding her lines I would say a mastlength of 1.1 times the boatlength; That is around 40 ´ so the mastlength is more or less ok. As a project for a starter she looks fine, although I don't like the provisional chainplates and shrouds that are too thin. But that can easily be changed.
And, there is nothing but nothing against a wooden boat. For most, wood and metal are less riddlesome materials than modern fibers, that requires special knowledge for being repaired and treated well.

I sailed in woodies dating back as far as 1908! Ask the Scandinavians and the Scots!

[Bergalia]

Trust you saw tongue firmly in cheek, D'Artois. My ancestors arrived in the Outer Hebrides from Iceland some 700 year ago wearing horny helmets. I've carried on the tradition by flying to Australia sans horny helmet (the customs blokes are a bit touchy about such things...)
I couldn't agree more. Timber, timber all the way. Ask yourself this - was the Ark made in plastic ? No. So there you go.
But still reckon a Deben or Folkboat the better bet.