Pacific Seacraft 37/40

[fugue]

The 37 will make a sharp 90-degree turn into the slip at slow speeds. The 40 won't. If you do get a 40, consider a 4-bladed prop. It adds significantly to maneuverability under power. The chainplates on our 40 are accessible from inside the cabin, some through lockers. Where they are behind the teak batten trim we had Pacific Seacraft put in easily removable (remove 4 screws) batten panels. The 37 is a wonderful sailboat, beautiful and seakindly. We never had her try to round up, even in gales and big following seas. The 40 is not as maneuverable in tight spaces, but at sea under sail she is much more powerful. Both boats are surprisingly fast and quickly reach hull speed. The 40 has half again the load-carrying capability of the 37 before swamping the waterline. As for the narrow cabin, when you're at sea the living-room sized cabins are a liability. It's too easy to be thrown across the cabin. We have never felt cramped, even after comng back from charter adventures on "apartment" boats.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by fugue

The 37 will make a sharp 90-degree turn into the slip at slow speeds. The 40 won't. If you do get a 40, consider a 4-bladed prop. It adds significantly to maneuverability under power. The chainplates on our 40 are accessible from inside the cabin, some through lockers. Where they are behind the teak batten trim we had Pacific Seacraft put in easily removable (remove 4 screws) batten panels. The 37 is a wonderful sailboat, beautiful and seakindly. We never had her try to round up, even in gales and big following seas. The 40 is not as maneuverable in tight spaces, but at sea under sail she is much more powerful. Both boats are surprisingly fast and quickly reach hull speed. The 40 has half again the load-carrying capability of the 37 before swamping the waterline. As for the narrow cabin, when you're at sea the living-room sized cabins are a liability. It's too easy to be thrown across the cabin. We have never felt cramped, even after comng back from charter adventures on "apartment" boats.

Do you feel the slow speed turning advantage that the 37 has (vs the 40) is due to its lighter weight or because it had a tiller? The boats seem to have the same underwater shape.

[Paul Elliott]

I'm not going to contradict fugue, but I've sailed the PSC37 and have a PSC44, and have found that they both maneuver reasonably well. My 44 pivots around the keel when going forward and can make a pretty tight circle. In reverse the prop-walk and lack of flow over the rudder make backing to starboard difficult, but most boats have this issue and you can learn to manage it. I have a 3-blade MaxProp on VALIS and can at least back up straight at low speed.

[SereneSpeed]

This has been a great thread. I really like the PSC37. But, one area I have never heard an owner weigh in on has been windward performance. Could someone with some firsthand knowledge please share their thoughts on upwind sailing.

What type of leeway do the boats make? Tacking angles? Light wind vs Heavy weather sailing?

Thanks!

[Cheechako]

Another consideration might be a Halberg Rassy. The boats seem to share a similar construction philosophy; Spartan interiors but quality construction. Also, think about value for your buck; $ per waterline foot... the PS are a little old school ...

[fugue]

The 37 is, like almost all boats, a compromise. She performs very well (surprisingly so) in light airs, and tacks through slightly more than a deep fin of comparable waterline, etc. She will out-tack a Valiant, Baba, Westsail or other heavier cruising boat, but not a light racer/cruiser. The hull is easily driven and accelerates quickly. The 37, fully loaded with a month's worth of provisions and water, will move in 5 knots of wind. In 10 knots, you'll get about 2-3 knots close hauled, and in 15 knots you should come close to hull speed, sea state permitting. Downwind, of course, performance is great-more than hull speed in 15 knots of wind and 8-9+ knots boat speed at 25 knots of wind, and tracking like she was on rails. She will steer herself in steady winds if you set the sails right, and heaves to beautifully. If you're not loaded down, performance will be even better. Where do you plan to sail?

[fugue]

Oh yeah-on the 40 and four-bladed prop: the situations where the 4-bladed prop is helpful on the 40 are those where power is required to maneuver in tight situations. In Opua, for exampe, there is a river current plys a serioys tidal current, and not all that much space between boats on the alongside tie-ups for the customs dock. The 40 has standard a 53-hp Yanmar and it's really helpful to have the more powerful prop, especially when the boat is loaded for an extended cruising period. We discussed the prop-engine-boat mix with both the Yanmar folks and Bill Crealock before we had the boat built, and we've been happy with the result. The standard diesel on the 37 is more powerful WRT the boat, and you really don't need a 4-bladed prop there.

[fugue]

Oops! Forgot to answer the rest of your questions. Heavy weather-very safe, with a comfortable ride into moderate seas and tolerable into steep seas. At 35-40 knots and 12-18 ft seas we'd probably try to take the sea on the stern quarter, and the ride will smooth out to an exciting kinda sledding effect. We had an elliptical SoCal main but almost never used it without reefing outside San Diego Bay. Sailing the 40 in Canada we almost never even shake out the final reef, which causes all kinds of mirth until we are the first to dock. ;^) We've experienced extended 25-30 knot winds in the Pacific and downwind they become easy. Hove to in the 40 with StakPak and heavily reefed staysail in a series of nasty squalls with 65-80 knot blasts-boat motion was easy. Upwind against 30 knots of wind off N California we got sprayed (no dodger yet ;^P) but boat didn't care. Made 2-3 knots against steep (but not yet breaking) seas. I get terribly seasick just stepping into a dinghy but motion below is certainly not horrible (and I've sailed on some boats with truly horrible motion in a seaway). Leeway is negligible-it's there, and depending on conditions you'll see more or less. In nice sailing weather/seas you won't notice it. the underbody and keel/skeg make the boat track well.

[deluxe68]

Do any PSC's have teak decks? I have seen a few pics where the boats appear to have them.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Another consideration might be a Halberg Rassy. The boats seem to share a similar construction philosophy; Spartan interiors but quality construction. Also, think about value for your buck; $ per waterline foot... the PS are a little old school ...

The HR's I have seen for sale in the U.S. are much more expensive than similar sized PSC's. The boss and I both love their teak decks, engine access and build quality.

[vtcapo]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

We are shopping for a blue-water cruising boat and will be looking at PSC 37 and 40 boats in a few weeks. The only bad things I have read about these boats is that they lack storage because of the short waterline and narrow width. That and the aluminum fuel tank on older boats. Anything else in particular I should look at on these boats?

Not to be overlooked and in everyway comparable to the PSC’s are the Slocum 37 and 43.

I am refitting a 37.....


1989 Slocum Yachts 37 Cutter - Boats.com

Slocum boats for sale - www.yachtworld.com


RT

[arisatx]

Originally Posted by fugue

...She will out-tack a Valiant, Baba, Westsail or other heavier cruising boat, but not a light racer/cruiser. ...

Fugue:

When you characterized the other boats as heavier, it prompted me to recheck Displacement / Length ratios. Based on these, I would consider the 2 Perry designs "lighter".

Boats / PHRF Ratings / DL Ratios
Baba 40 / 177 / 315
Crealock 37 / 171 / 338
PSC 40 / 168 / 351
Westsail 32/ 219 / 419
Westsail 42 /159 / 386
Valiant 42 /123 / 267

That said, the PSC37, once heeled increases it's waterline quickly.
The standard keel is also going to point higher than the Scheel keel.

[Lojanica]

Originally Posted by arisatx

Fugue:

When you characterized the other boats as heavier, it prompted me to recheck Displacement / Length ratios. Based on these, I would consider the 2 Perry designs "lighter".

Boats / PHRF Ratings / DL Ratios
Baba 40 / 177 / 315
Crealock 37 / 171 / 338
PSC 40 / 168 / 351
Westsail 32/ 219 / 419
Westsail 42 /159 / 386
Valiant 42 /123 / 267

That said, the PSC37, once heeled increases it's waterline quickly.
The standard keel is also going to point higher than the Scheel keel.

The displacement–length ratio (DLR or D/L ratio) is a calculation used to express how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. (Rousmaniere, 1999)
A DLR is calculated by dividing a boat's displacement in long tons (2,240 pounds) by one one-hundredth of the waterline length (in feet) cubed:
The DLR can be used to compare the relative heaviness of various boats no matter what their size. DLR less than 200 indicate a racing hull, while hulls with greater than 325 indicate a heavy cruising hull.

Hull speed can be calculated by the following formula:

where:
"" is the length of the waterline in feet, and"" is the hull speed of the vessel in knots


What you notice here is that speed is mostly related to waterline. A "Heavy" cruiser also adds to comfort at sea. BTW I have a W43 and it is not a slug at all even in light air once you get the sails trimmed it moves.

[fugue]

Yeah-I misspoke. I didn't mean "heavier than the PSC". I meant to say "heavier than the lighter coastal cruisers and cruiser-racer types, or "heavier rather than lighter". I'd put all of these boats in the heavier "offshore" or "long-range" cruising category, as opposed to the lighter "coastal" cruising category (all categories certainly not official and pretty much just MHO ;^).

BTW, IMHO you have a fabulous boat-another Crealock, if I'm not mistaken! We tried to find one years ago but no one was selling at that time.

[arisatx]

Originally Posted by fugue

...

BTW, IMHO you have a fabulous boat-another Crealock, if I'm not mistaken! We tried to find one years ago but no one was selling at that time.

Thanks. The Valiant and the Baba are Bob Perry's. The PSC's and Westsails by Crealock. We used to have a PSC37. What a sweet boat.