Shearwater 39 Classic Cruiser for Sale

The Shearwater 39 is one of our most popular cruising designs, a classic cruiser with good performance and wonderful manners. These boats have been built from wood or aluminium as custom builds but most have been moulded fibreglass from female moulds.

These boats don't often come onto the used boat market but last year there were a few owners needing to sell for various reasons. I think that all of those boats now have new owners, so they are once again scarce on the used market.

We do have a new brokerage listing for one, just come available. "Windward" was moulded by Nebe Boats, then completed to a high standard by her owner. He launched her in 2008 and has cruised her since then. "Windward" is now in Trinidad, convenient to the Caribbean cruising grounds and an American buyer.

Shearwater 39 "Windward"

A classically-styled and vary capable ocean cruiser.

Modern underwater, great performance and wonderful manners

Beautifully finished and maintained. A floating home with character.

Windward is very well equipped, ready for world cruising. She can take you to tropical islands, or where-else  you want to go. See her listing for more photos and info.

To see more of this and our other designs, go to our main website or our mobile website.

Sailing in Extreme Weather

There have been some extreme weather systems around the coast of South Africa in the past week or two. The weather around this very inhospitable coast, from Cape of Good Hope (aka Cape of Storms) through to Richards Bay, teaches the locals to be very hardy sailors who are able to handle their boats in sometimes wild conditions. This is justifiably one of the three Great Capes of the world and many circum-navigators tell of their passages through these waters being the most scary periods of their voyaging.

The first storm was from a deep depression and cold front that had come in from deep down in the South Atlantic. It hit the Cape Town area and produced very intense gales and heavy rain, unfortunately not enough to break the long-lasting drought that currently plagues the Western Cape.

The other storm was from a cut-off low in the Indian Ocean off Durban, 1000 miles from the first storm. It produced gales that broke numerous large ships free in the port, with a large container ship lying broadside across the entrance channel. It also wrecked the marinas in the yacht basin, with some yachts sinking on their moorings.

Two boats of our design sailed through these two storms. Both were in the hands of very capable skippers. Survival of any boat and crew in extreme conditions is through the partnership between a capable boat and an equally capable crew. Put the most seaworthy boat in the hands of an inexperienced or irresponsible skipper and that good boat may be doomed. On the other hand, a capable and experienced skipper has the best chance of bringing an inadequate vessel through tough conditions.

The yacht in the first storm was the steel Dix 38 Pilot "Spailpin" (ex "Bryana"), on delivery by Jeremy Bagshaw. Jeremy and wife Anita own the bigger sister Dix 43 Pilot "Jerrycan" and have sailed many thousands of miles in her in the Indian Ocean. Jeremy has written of his experience in this storm on his blog entry titled Some Thoughts on Big Weather.

Dix 38 Pilot "Spailpin" in much calmer waters under her previous owner.

The yacht in the storm off Durban  was the fibreglass Shearwater 39 "Ocean Spirit". Her owner, Neville Bransby, was out sailing on her in that storm by choice, single-handed. He wanted to prove himself and his boat in storm conditions. He did that effectively, losing only his anemometer in the process, when it blew off the masthead. Meanwhile, the catamaran moored right next to his normal berth sank on its moorings. You can read of it in a blog post authored by Richard Crockett, titled A Case of Sound Seamanship.

Shearwater 39 "Ocean Spirit" racing between Durban and Port Elizabeth in less extreme conditions.

All of us who go to sea in small boats have to accept the strong chance that sooner or later we will be caught by extreme weather. That chance goes up with every mile that we sail. If we sail trans-ocean or long coastal passages with safe havens separated by miles of rocky coast then we have to know how to handle our boats to come safely through whatever it is that is being thrown at us by Mother Nature in a foul mood. We cannot learn how to handle these conditions only by reading how in books and magazine articles while snug in a soft armchair next to a winter fire. We have to experience these things to know what we need to do to safeguard boat and crew, to have confidence in the abilities of ourselves and our boats.

I don't mean that you must go sailing in the meanest weather that can come your way, I mean that you must not only sail on those idyllic days when it is all sunshine and cocktails on flat seas. Those conditions teach us nothing, unless we are novices just getting into sailing. If you have plans to sail across oceans or offshore coastal then you really have a need to go sailing in 35 knots, to know that your reefing systems work in strong winds, that you know how to set your storm jib and storm tri-sail, that your jackstays allow free movement from bow to stern while always tethered in your safety harness, that you know what your boat likes if you have to heave-to or lie ahull, how it will behave, how fast it will drift or at what speed and direction it will sail under different sail combinations.

There are so many things to be learned by doing this, things that will stay logged in your brain as experience rather than knowledge, to be called into use with confidence when needed.

Lets go sailing but lets also be safe.

To see more about our designs, go to out main website or our mobile website.

Shearwater 39 - 3 Boats Seek New Owners

The Shearwater 39 is one of our designs and well-proven as a very capable cruiser. It is a boat with classic good looks but performance of a much more modern concept. Their owners love their boats for their character, handling and ability but there comes a time for any owner and their boat to part ways. That is how it is with three Shearwaters that are currently listed on our brokerage site, boats looking for new owners. All three boats were built in Cape Town, South Africa.

"Skylark II" was built from aluminium by Jacobs Brothers, a boat that has the strength to take you anywhere. She has cruised extensively, including crossing the Indian Ocean at the height of the Pirate operations that were capturing yacht crews and holding them for ransom or murdering them. Her story has been recorded in a book about her voyages. She is now in the Med and her owners need to sell urgently, fully equipped for world cruising. Her price is US$64,000.

"Skylark II"

"Pinta del Sur" was built by Nebe Boats with a moulded GRP hull and custom two-box wooden deck. She is the only cruising version with a gaff rig, this one inspired by the gaff schooner rigs of master designer, Pete Culler. She is equipped for long distance cruising but her owner has had to change his plans. She is lying on the South African west coast and is available for US$80,000.

"Pinta del Sur"

"Bagheera" was also built by Nebe Boats but in standard configuration with moulded GRP deck and Marconi cutter rig. Her owners have bought a bigger sister, Shearwater 45, and need to sell the smaller boat. She is lying on Chesapeake Bay and available for US$129,000.

"Bagheera"

If one of these boats interests you, please contact me by email.

To see more about this and our other designs, go to our main website or our mobile website.

"Pinta del Sur", Classic Schooner on a Modern Hull

"Pinta del Sur" is a Shearwater 39 with a difference. She was professionally-built by Nebe Boats, starting with a production GRP hull out of the Shearwater 39 moulds. That is where the similarity to the standard boats ended. She then received a custom-built wooden deck with a classic two-box layout and a custom interior designed by her town-planner owner.

She was custom-built to fulfill the dream of the owner to own and sail a classic schooner in the image of those designed by Pete Culler. Her owner bought me a copy of the beautiful book "Pete Culler's Boats - The Complete Design Catalog" by John Burke, as inspiration to steer me along the right route when I was drawing her.

"Pinta del Sur", very pretty under sail.

She has now come onto the market and is available at a very good price. The perpetual decline of the South African currency has resulted in boats being available to foreign buyers at very good values. That includes this beautiful schooner that is ready to go world cruising.

Classic styling on a modern hull.

This is a yacht that would fit in very nicely with the schooner fleets on the US East Coast. She would account for herself very well in the big schooner races, like the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race between Baltimore and Portsmouth, Virginia and other schooner events up and down the coast. She is the smaller sister to the Shearwater 45 schooner "Apella", which has been in those fleets the past few years.

Nicely fitted comfortable low maintenance interior.

We have her listed in our brokerage listings, where you can see many more photos of her. She is a fine seaworthy and fast cruiser, capable of taking you to almost anywhere that you want on the normal cruising routes of the world.

To see more of our designs, please go to our main website or our mobile website.

Shearwater Upgrade

The owner of the very nice Shearwater 39 "Bagheera" has really enjoyed owning and sailing her. So much so that he has upgraded to a bigger sister, the Shearwater 45 "Maggy May. She will soon be sailing from the Caribbean to her new home on Chesapeake Bay.

Shearwater 39 "Bagheera" on Chesapeake Bay

Owning two big boats like that is out of the question, so "Bagheera" is looking for a new home. She is a nicely-finished example, originally launched in Cape Town as "Bess" and owned by the editor of a prestigious glossy publication. She was completed in-house by Nebe Boats, whereas many of the others to this design were completed by owners or outside contractors. Here are some photos of her nice interior.

Saloon and galley, looking aft

Saloon and galley, looking forward

Starboard aft cabin

The Shearwater 39 is a comfortable and very seaworthy classic ocean cruiser, with surprising performance. Always a pleasure to sail, owners have reported just how much confidence these boats give them in storm conditions. Add to that the classic aesthetic that grabs attention on the water and in marinas and you have a boat that owners love.

Shearwater 39 "Bagheera", classic beauty

See more of "Bagheera" on my website at http://dixdesign.com/bagheera.htm. She is available for US$170,000.

To see this and our other designs, go to http://dixdesign.com/

Opportunity to Own an Aluminium Shearwater 39

Looking for a classically-styled cruiser that has the robust strength that will allow you to sail anywhere in the world that your cruising thoughts might take you? An aluminium Shearwater 39 might fit your bill nicely. It has the ability to bounce back from altercations with rocks, coral, ice or logs as can only come from a metal boat.

We can navigate our way around solid bits if they have a precisely known location but when they are not where the charts show them they can eat most boats. Heavy flotsam that drifts right at the surface can be anywhere on the ocean, lying in wait for boats at night when even the most vigilant watch won't spot them.

"Skylark II" in idyllic setting in the Pacific.

An aluminium Shearwater 39 has come available, one that appears to be well-worth the asking price. She is "Skylark II", the very first Shearwater 39 that started construction. Her first owner was to have the first GRP boat out of the moulds but production delays led to him commissioning the aluminium version, which was built for him by Jacobs Brothers in Cape Town.

"Skylark II" is fully equipped for world-cruising. Her first owner sailed her from South Africa to New Zealand via the Caribbean and Panama. Her current owners have cruised the North and South Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Red Sea and much of the Med. Their transit through the pirate-controlled waters of the Indian Ocean was particularly scary and is recounted in the book "A Harrowing Journey : Sailing into Danger".

"Skylark II"

Now they feel that they have achieved everything that they wanted to when they bought "Skylark II" and need to get back home. They have her priced for a quick sale, which makes her really good value, at US$110,000.

If you are interested in acquiring a cruiser that has exceptional sailing qualities and an international reputation as a wonderful boat, you can see more info on my website.

Our Shearwater Designs - the 39

Today I received an email from Magnus Murphy to tell me that he has started a Shearwater Yacht Owners Group on FaceBook for owners of boats to our Shearwater 39 & 45 designs, as well as anyone else who has an interest in these boats. Magnus and his family own a really nice and rather well-known Shearwater 39 named "Losloper" (Afrikaans for Wanderer), pictured below. She was built in Cape Town by perfectionist craftsman Gary Back as his personal boat, was refitted after being damaged in a hurricane in the Caribbean, then was bought by Bernadette and Douglas Bernan. For a few years they cruised on her as "Ithaka", recording their adventures in Cruising World magazine, where Bernadette had been employed as Editor.

The Shearwater 39 design was commissioned by Gerfried Nebe, of Nebe Boatbuilders, who wanted a seaworthy and fast cruiser with modern underbody and classic good looks. The result was a very pretty and extremely capable offshore yacht that turns heads wherever it goes. Marketed only in the small South African market and mostly during the era of political isolation, it nevertheless gained a good following. I have lost track of many of the boats but here are some bits of info that I hope will not bore you to tears.

Hull #1 was built from wood and was Gerfried Nebe's own boat "Gabriel". The moulds for the GRP boats were taken from her. Gerfried has cruised her extensively in the Atlantic and is now readying her for her next voyage.

Hull #2 was built from aluminium by Jacobs Brothers Boatbuilders in Cape Town, for Lofty Huysamer. Lofty was a perfectionist but his own workmanship did not meet his own high standards. He fitted out the boat himself and kept rejecting his own work and ripping it out. When he left Cape Town his boat was little more than an empty shell, with only a nav station, galley and platform for a berth. She is now named "Skylark II" and is owned by Chris & Desiree Tattles of New Zealand. (Updated March 2012)

Hull #3 was built by John & Jo Fensham. She was launched as "Tamborine" and was sold about 2002. John says that she has left South Africa but he does not know where she is now. (Updated Jan 2012).

Hull # 4 belonged to an Italian family and was named "Kalahari", pictured below. She was lost in a small port in Croatia or thereabouts, when every boat in the harbour was shelled and sunk. Being a war situation, her owners received no insurance payout.

Hull #5 is a gaff-rigged excursion schooner built by Roddy Johnston. She carried passengers in Hout Bay, South Africa, for a seaon or two. He then moved her to the Caribbean, where she has carried thousands of excursion passengers as "Spirit of Anegada". She was owned/operated for a few years by Nick & Lyndsay Voorhoeve, who later commissioned our successful little Cape Cutter 19 design that is now built in UK.

Hull #6 - was fitted out by Brian Bax and launched as "Erica-Joe".

Hull #7 became "Shoestring III", owned by my good friends Petr Muzik & May Lyon. Petr has circum-navigated on her, completing his voyage in December 2007 at the age of 69. She is now based in Port Owen on the SA West Coast. Here is "Shoestring III" on her launch day.

Hull #8 was owned and fitted out by Richard Acheson, who later started Shearwater Yachts to build the Shearwater 45. His 39 was named "Askari". He sold her ro Richard Brown, of Portland, Oregon. (Update March 2012).

Hull #9 was built by John & Hilary Price and named "Talitha Koum". She now belongs to Gordon Joyce and is based in the Persian Gulf, named "Talitha". (Updated March 2012)

Hull #10 is named "Pinta". She has a custom traditional two-box deck and gaff schooner rig and is owned by Robin and Laetitia Ellis. She is based in Port Owen on the West Coast of South Africa.

Hull #11 belonged to Thys Henson. On delivery to her new owner, Gordon Joyce, in the Persian Gulf in January 2008, she became entangled in fishing nets at night. Her delivery crew scuttled her in very unfortunate circumstances soon after, so that they could be removed from her by a passing ship. This episode resulted in the delivery skipper losing his RYA certification. She was named "Pamelou". Gordon Joyce bought #9 to replace her.

Hull #12 was bought by Juri Terblanche then sold to Ken Nicoll before Juri had progressed much with the fitout. John Fensham (owner of #3) fitted her out for Ken. The Nicoll family sailed her for a few years before a declining economy forced them to sell. Her next owner was Willie Vanderverre, who once told me that she was the most seaworthy boat he had ever owned, which included much bigger boats. Her next owner was Walter Burgoyne, who sold her to her current owner, Dennis Jud. She has been renamed "Centime" and is cruising the world. (Added March 2012)

Hull #13 was Gary Back's boat "Slithermoon". She was bought by Douglas and Bernadette Bernon and renamed "Ithaka".  She is now magnus Murphy's "Losloper".


Hull #14 was launched as "Helen Mary" by Bill Howard. She is now named "Cathexis".


Hull #15 is "Freyja", originally owned by Koos Steyn and now Michael in Tasmania.


Hull #16 - Still owned by her original owner, Richard walker, and based in Fort Pierce, Florida. Her name is "Luric". (Updated August 2014)

Hull #17 was built by Nebe Boatbuilders for Lewis Gerber and named "Honeychile". She now belongs to champion South African canoist Robbie Herreveld.

Hull #18 - "Enhantica", owned by Chris Ellis and in France as of July 2014.

Hull #19 - Owned by Alan Ward and based in Port Owen on the South African West Coast, she is named "Windward".

Hull #20 - This boat was originally commissioned by a Mr Wessels. By a process of elimination, this seems to be the boat launched by Peter van Andel in Mossel Bay as "Take Five". Her next owner renamed her "Amajuba". She is now owned by Jaques Gregory and is named "Navigator". (Updated August 2014)

Hull #21 is based in Kiel, Germany, owned by Dr Reinhard Wiegers.

Hull #22 - Wooden boat being built by Richard Styles in Australia, status unknown.

Hull #23 belonged to Mark Sweet, who was fitting her out with custom deck and gaff schooner rig for excursion work in Knysna, on the South African South Coast. One cold winter night a group of bergies (vagrants) climbed over the fence to shelter under her from the rain. Their fire got out of control and Mark's boat went up in flames.

Hull #24 was launched a couple of years ago by Rod & Mary Turner-Smith. Named "Sheer Tenacity", they are cruising in distant waters.

Hull #25 is named "Sea Lion" and is owned by Englishman Chris Hull. She is currently in the Caribbean (Updated March 2012)

I have lost track of those that are shown as "Unidentified". Hulls sometimes changed hands during fitting out, so their histories are not easy to follow. I hope to fill in more of the blanks as info comes my way

Another boat that is not on my list is "Ukelele Lady", built for and owned for years by my good friend Nick Taylor. I sailed on her in the 1993 Cape to Rio Race as navigator and sailing master. Although we are still good friends, Nick swears that he will never sail long distance with me again because I am a madman on a boat. In explanation, I should tell you that I like to sail fast and efficiently. Nick likes to cruise and to do so slowly when he cannot see where he is going, such as any time that the sun goes to sleep. This normally happens about 12 hours out of 24, so Nick was very unhappy with my need to sail very fast 50% of the time that we were on the ocean. He named me "Herr Doktor" because he felt that I had been expelled from the Gestapo for cruilty. Like I said, we are still good friends.

A few other 39s are also being built from wood or aluminium in other parts of the world.

The Shearwater is one of my favourite designs. I don't think that there is anything in it that I would change if I were to draw her again. It is one of those most wonderful of boats that sails much faster than it looks like it should. It is bad to design anything that looks fast but isn't, whether a boat, car, airplane or whatever. In contrast, it is great fun to pass anyone who believed their car/boat/airplane/whatever to be faster. The Shearwaters do that with style.

I will leave the Shearwater 45 for another time.

Link to Shearwater 39 web page.

:-) _/) _/) _/) (happy sailing smiley)

Dudley Dix