Wooden Ships Comments on this Alan Buchanan Sloop
34’ Bermudan sloop designed by Alan Buchanan and built by Sutton and Wiggins Ltd in 1964 to Lloyds 100A1 specification. Buchanan design No.1579.
Sutton and Wiggins Ltd are a slightly lesser known yard from Great Wakering in Essex, they did however build a good number of boats including a string of Buchanan designs and all to a very high standard.
Wooden Ships Comments on this Alan Buchanan Sloop
34’ Bermudan sloop designed by Alan Buchanan and built by Sutton and Wiggins Ltd in 1964 to Lloyds 100A1 specification. Buchanan design No.1579.
Sutton and Wiggins Ltd are a slightly lesser known yard from Great Wakering in Essex, they did however build a good number of boats including a string of Buchanan designs and all to a very high standard. This yacht is no exception with excellent choice materials all constructed to Lloyds 100A1 standard.
In the previous 15 year ownership she was thoroughly upgraded with a new engine, teak deck and transom. The present owner has carried out many improvements as listed below all in the last 2 years and this yacht is now in excellent shape and ready to go to sea.
Based on the east coast for much of her life, she has been a regular fixture in various races and regattas, winning the North Sea Race at one time. Her design is typical of Buchanans boats at the time, not dissimilar to the famous Vashti, a little shorter and fuller sections giving more internal volume. Her headroom in the saloon of 6’5” is exceptional for a yacht of her period and size.
A very fine cruiser racer with an excellent maintenance history.
Recent Refit Details:
- All new standing rigging in 2022
- All new running rigging using classic buff braid on braid in 2022
- New auto electric bilge pump
- New mainsail, genoa and spinnaker in 2023 (designed to original Buchanan sail plan)
- New all over covers in 2023
- New batteries in 2020
- Raymarine wireless wind indicator fitted in 2023
- All bright work stripped and re-varnished with 10 coats of Epifanes
Length on Deck 33’11”
Length Waterline 24’
Beam 9’1”
Draft 5’6”
Sail Area 490sqft
Thames Tonnage 10TM
Construction
- Carvel planked in teak below the waterline, mahogany above, fastened to steam bent Canadian Rock Elm timbers with copper rivets.
- The bottom 5 planks are teak. Topsides splined for a fair finish.
- Mix of sawn timber and stainless steel strap floors across the centreline. Plank fastenings in way of the floors are bronze screws so that there is no non-ferrous fastenings in contact with the stainless floors.
- External lead ballast keel of 2.5tons, fastened with stainless steel keel bolts, 4 new bolts in 2011. Internal lead trimming ballast of 0.29tons.
- Yacht laid teak deck of 10mm glued with Sikalfex to a 12mm marine plywood subdeck. Seams payed with Sikaflex.
- Deck new in 2009. All deck beams found sound. Small repairs done to the beam shelf and sheer strake on the port side. New transom fitted when deck was replaced.
- Varnished teak cover board and toe rail all round with stainless steel stanchions, pulpit and pushpit. Contemporary cast bronze stanchion bases.
- Varnished teak coamings with chromed bronze windows. Slightly raised dog house aft. Sheathed plywood coachroof deck.
- Self draining cockpit with laid teak thwarts and cockpit sole. Tiller steering. Cockpit thwarts all new in 2013.
Rig
- Masthead Bermudan sloop rig on a deck stepped varnished wooden mast.
- Mast stripped and varnished with 14 coats of Epifanes in 2020.
- Varnished spruce slab reefing boom
- Stainless steel standing rigging all new in 2022. Internal stainless chain plates.
- Single standing backstay. Selden roller furling headsail system.
- All running rigging new in 2022 using classic buff braid on braid.
- 3 non-self tailing mast winches and a winch on the boom for reefing and halyards. Pair of Antal W40 bronze self tailing cockpit sheet winches.
- Mainsail, genoa and spinnaker all new in 2023 from Cormorant Sails and used for a very short period only. Sails have been made to original Buchanan sail plan using narrow panels. Cloth is best quality Dacron called Challenge Marblehead
- Old sails are good for cruising, mainsail and genoa new in 2015 from Dolphin Sails, in excellent condition. Spinnaker from 2000 in good condition.
Machinery
- Nanni Diesel 3100HE 29hp 3cyl diesel installed new in 2005. Engine with very low hours and fully serviced in April 2023.
- Complete engine and stern gear set up new in 2005.
- Engine refurbishment in 2021 with new heat exchanger and associated fittings, engine bay re-painted and new sound insulation.
- TechnoDrive TMC40M gearbox to a centreline fixed 3 blade bronze propeller. Gives 5 knots cruising speed, 6 knots max. New cutlass bearing in 2020.
- 47 litre stainless steel fuel tank under the cockpit.
- 90 litre stainless steel water tank under the saloon cabin sole.
- 3 x 12 volt batteries. 1 for engine starting and 2 x 120ah batteries for domestics, new in 2020. Charged from engine alternator or through a Victron 240v battery charger. Installed shore power system. Electrics all new in 2007.
- 1 manual and 1 auto electric bilge pump. Auto pump new.
Accommodation
- 5 berths including 1 double and 3 singles. 6’5” headroom midships and 5’6” headroom forward.
- Light and spacious cabin with all new upholstery in 2008.
- Interior of the hull totally repainted from the keel up in 2009.
- Steps down over the engine box with chart desk to starboard and galley to port.
- Quarter berth to starboard under the cockpit thwarts.
- Chart desk faces outboard with electrical navigation instruments easily to hand.
- Galley has an ENO gimballed 2 burner gas stove with oven and grill. Single stainless steel sink with pressurised cold water system. Sink drains directly overboard. Top loading 12 volt fridge new in 2016.
- Main saloon with a settee berth either side. Storage space behind the berths and a shelf either side under the side deck. Backs of the settee berths lift up to make the berths wider and more comfortable when sleeping.
- Centreline teak saloon table folds out to full width.
- Centreline bi-fold varnished doors going forward with a heads compartment to starboard and hanging locker to port.
- Heads compartment has a Jabsco manual sea toilet that discharges directly overboard. Hand basin pulls out with pressurised cold water.
- A second bi-fold door into the fore cabin with V-berths that can be converted to a double. Very smart cabin with varnished slats on the hull. Storage space below the berths. Anchor locker in the bows.
Equipment
Plastimo 130 Contest steering compass
Raytheon ST40 Sounder
Raytheon ST40 Log
Raytheon wireless wind indicator, new 2023
Navico RT1400 VHF
Garmin GPS126/128
Garmin 550 chart plotter
Clock and barometer
Tri colour and anchor masthead lights and steaming light. Port/starboard and stern lights
4 person canister life raft. Needs service
4 x lifejackets
2 x horse shoe life buoys
Manual bilge pump
Auto electric bilge pump
35lb CQR anchor
180’ of 5/16” chain
30lb Danforth anchor
30’ of 5/16” chain plus 30’ 14mm multiplait warp
Vetus manual windlass
ENO 2 burner gas stove with oven and grill
Galley equipment
12 volt fridge
Cool box
Radio/cd player
Jabsco sea toilet
Bunk and berth cushions
2 x gimballed cabin oil lamps
Curtains for cabin
Dodgers with boat name
Cockpit cover
Foredeck cover, new in 2023
Main deck cover, new in 2023
Forehatch cover, new in 2023
Fenders
Warps
Cockpit thwart cushions
Cockpit table
Gas bottle
Mainsail by Cormorant Sails, 2023.
Genoa by cormorant Sails, 2023
Spinnaker by Cormorant Sails,2023
All new sails have been made to original Buchanan sail plan using narrow panels. Cloth is best quality Dacron called Challenge Marblehead
Older cruising sails:
Mainsail by Dolphin Sails in 2015. 210sqft. Excellent condition. Battens and 3 reefs
Genoa by Dolphin Sails in 2015. 296sqft. Excellent condition
Spinnaker from 2000. Approx. 400sqft. Good condition
2 x Anatl W40 bronze self tailing cockpit sheet winches
3 x non-self tailing mast winches
1 x non-self tailing boom reefing winch
Mainsail cover
Genoa cover
Selden roller furling headsail system
2 x 120ah domestic batteries, new 2020
1 x 12 volt engine start battery, new 2020
Victron smart battery charger, new 2020
