Southern Cross 39 - Information, Please, Anyone . . .

[Sailing Bushman]

After what seems an exhaustive search and many 1000's of miles on the road looking at boats, we think we have a winner ! I have fallen in love with the Southern Cross 39 !!

I have looked online for info on the design and find very little indeed, and will ask to join the SC Owners Association, but in the interim, I neeed more info such as :

Sail review, List of Hull numbers, builders home pages, upgrades by owners

Does anyone have anything particularly GOOD or BAD to offer about the SC39 ? and what sre the common structural/rigging faults

Thanks !

[GordMay]

The Southern Cross 39 was designed (for C.E. Ryder Corp*) by US Naval Academy marine architect Thomas Gillmer in 1981.
The SC 39 is a double-ended auxiliary ketch, with an Airex-cored hull and balsa cored decks, cutaway keel, internal cast iron ballast with skeg hung rudder and protected propellor aperture. Her large cockpit has three surrounding lockers built into the deck and two cockpit lockers. Water tanks are built into the keel cavity above the ballast; fuel tank is under the quarter berth.

All the SCs (28,31, 35, & 39) were available as kits or as factory-completed boats.

More ➥ SOUTHERN CROSS 39 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com

* According to a Good Old Boat article, The C. E. Ryder Company closed its doors in 1990.; but according to the USCG Manufacturers Database, they went out of business in 2002.
➥ Deprecated Browser Error

Thomas C. Gillmer (1911–2009) passed away in December of 2009.

[Curmudgeon]

C.E. Ryder is still in the yacht brokerage business in Rhode Island. I called him about another boat built by his company, a Seasprite 34. He was very accomodating in answering my questions; a real gentleman. I'm sure he would give you a frank assessment of the boat.

Ryder Classic Yachts

[Sailorguy]

I have owned a Southern Cross 39 since 1984; a solid comfortable and excellent sailing performance. Feel free to email me at kristali_1@yahoo.com; and I can discuss the boat, answer questions and share photos, etc.

Steve

[barnakiel]

Have not sailed one but they look great! No wonder you fell in love ;-)

The design / lines / layout look cream to me. If build quality is good then it may be one great boat.

b.

[Solosailor]

A truly beautiful boat on so many levels.

[nightmusic39]

Sailing bushman I am also a proud owner of a s.c.39 Hull # 13 about one half of these boats where owner finished and the first 13 hulls where factory finished. our Boat was the last factory finished S.C. 39 to come out of Ryder.They did a fine job on these boats with teak interiors.We did a major refit on her 5 years ago we spent a year and started from the bottom up,This began with corn cob sand blasting the bottom,all through hulls removed serviced re-bedding and replacing any bad parts,then a new epoxy barrier and ablative paint,New propel shaft and dripless,new hot water heater,new autohelm 7000 under deck system,Harken 6000 roller furled,new radar,chart-plotter at the helm and nave sta.the original brooks and gatehouse instruments where sent to brooks recalibrated and reinstalled,we also replaced headgear at the mast top,new lighting L.E.D.,we replaced standing and running rigging,Batteries,cushions inside and out,dodger,bumming and the list is endless.We are offering this boat up for sale bue to illness I saw your post and thought you might want to take a look.I have many pictures if you would like to PM me thanks and good day Jeff

[nightmusic39]

This boat is for sale contact me for details I can tell you its located south of Boston and she is on the market for $90k I have many pictures and details. Thank you Jeff

[Hydroghyl]

Hi, saw your post on Cruisers Forum stating that you owned an SC 39. I realize it was from 2010 and you have likely sold your boat by now, however I am interested in one or possibly a 35. I have read most of the professional reviews I can find, but I would like opinions from an owner if you don't mind.

I had an opportunity to crawl around on one of each, on the hard. I would like to hear what you have to say about the sailing qualities, have you cruised your boat, rough weather handling, what are your thoughts on the cutter rig,...etc.
I would like to eventually do some extended blue water cruising and one question that comes to mind that I have not heard addressed is the cockpit size. I am not too worried about the volume, from a pooping/flooding standpoint, but it seems very wide. I am 6'3" and when I sat on one seat I really couldn't brace my feet on the other and have my back against the seat back. This doesn't seem ideal. What are your thoughts?

[Sailorguy]

Hello, not sure you were directing your post to me? I own an SC39 Kristali. Iam the the original owner, and have extensively sailed her US East coast, Bahamas and E Caribbean. She is a great live aboard for two. Quiet, solid, and a Joy to sail. I like the cutter rig a lot vs a sloop, although here in Fl I sail her mostly as a sloop. In the strong trade winds the cutter makes it easier to balance the sail plan, and it feels more secure with the CE moving down and in board. You asked about the cockpit size (which I like...a lot) and whether it was a problem when heeling. It hasn't been an issue, I tend to stay on the down wind side of the cockpit...when iam not working the sheets. I have seen a center brace mounted along the center line of the cockpit sole, but I haven't seen the need to add.

Steve

[Hydroghyl]

Hi Steve, Yes I was directing it at you and the Nightmusic owner that had his boat for sale. I think I also sent you a PM. Thanks much for your input. Much of my sailing experience has been racing where everyone is on the high side. Now that you mention it I guess cruising doesn't require that.

Have you single handed your boat? Yours is a factory finished boat, correct? The one I was on was an owner buildout that followed the factory layout, but he didn't have access to the vacuum molding for the interior. I think he did a nice job, but would you mind sending some pics of your interior?

What sail inventory do you carry? Are your headsails roller furling and what size jib and staysail (% of fore triangle).

Any modifications you have made that you like? If you would like to take this offline or I am being too nosy, let me know.

[Eleuthera 2014]

Original thread was 4 + years ago...

[philiosophy]

I am wanting to install a transducer inside my SC 39. Is there anuplace where the fibreglass is solid.....Kim

[Sailorguy]

Forward of the aft v berth bulkhead, either side of the centerline. I have three installed in this area, one on the centerline ( there may be a flat molded into the hull). The other two are installed a few inches either side of CL.