Nicholson 38 for sale in Argyllshire United Kingdom

An iconic Camper and Nicholson yacht the Nicholson 38 has gained a loyal following since her introduction in 1966. Based on the original John Alden designed Mistral the Nicholson 38 was stretched in length gained a higher freeboard and boasted a revised rig arrangement. Launched at the 1966 London Boatshow the design was an instant hit with the sailing public Although now superseded by more modern and beamier designs the Nic 38s  still maintain their reputation as classic yachts which sail very well and make comfortable cruising yachts with plenty of living space.

Classed originally as a motor sailer the Nicholson 38s quickly became known for their performance under sail. The fully protected doghouse with optional roll-up sides and a solid roof with 2 ‘skylights’ provides the cockpit with excellent protection in all weathers, ideally suited for cruising in Scottish waters.

A nicely presented example of the class GAZELA has been with her current owner since 2011 during which time she has cruised the length of the British Isles, including a trip to Shetland and venturing south to spend time exploring The Channel Islands and the coast of Brittany in France. Now reluctantly for sale as her owner ‘swallows the anchor’ she boasts an impressive inventory including :

• Beta Marine BV1505 marine diesel engine
• Stainless steel propshaft (2015)
• Mathway shaft steering system completely stripped and overhauled 2021
• Vetus tunnel-mounted bow thruster (2014)
• Engine and Domestic batteries all replaced 2021
• Noco Genius battery charger (2024)
• Rutland wind generator mounted on mizzen mast with Marlec charge controllet (2015)
• NASA Clipper Navigation instruments
• Garmin GPSMAP 556 chart plotter
• Icom IC-M411 DSC VHF (2011)
• AdvanSea RX1000 dual channel AIS receiver
• Raske & Edam RM69 manual marine toilets
• Techimpx gas cooker, 2 burner, grill and oven,
• Standing rigging fully replaced 2012-2013
• Mainsail and Genoa by Suffolk Sails (2012)
• Lofrans Kobra 1000w electric windlass (2021)
• WaveEco lightweight dinghy with inflatable floor. (2023 – used once)
• LED navigation lights fitted 2021

Now lying ashore for the winter in Lochnell Boatyard, near Oban the Nicholson 38 GAZELA is available for immediate viewing by appointment.

OWNER’S COMMENTS:

CONSTRUCTION

Hull Construction:
Single piece GRP moulded hull with encapsulated long keel.
Heavyweight traditional GRP hand-consolidated laminate
GRP formed internal structural members
Plywood bulkheads
Topsides finished with white two-pack paint
Underwater hull finished in red antifouling with navy boot stripe 

Deck & Superstructure Construction:
Single piece GRP moulded deck incorporating coachroof superstructure and self-draining cockpit
Heavyweight traditional GRP hand-consolidated laminate
Reinforcement in way of high-load deck fittings
Alloy framed, toughened glass windscreen
GRP moulded doghouse roof with skylights
Deck finished in original gelcoat with moulded non-slip patterned panels

Keel & Rudder:
Traditional long keel profile, fully encapsulated
Lead ballast
Full depth, pintle hung GRP rudder
Rudder removed and rebuilt in 2017/18
Bronze rudder stock and heel fittings
Hell fitting replaced as part of 2017/18 works

MACHINERY

Engine & gearbox:
Beta Marine BV1505 marine diesel engine
37.5hp
4 cylinder, naturally aspirated, indirectly cooled.
Mechanical reversing marine gearbox
Twin lever engine controls

Maintenance & Performance:
Engine last serviced annually during current ownership
Cruising speed 6kts
Extensive selection of engine and general spares
Selection of basic tools

Propulsion & Steering:
Centaflex propshaft coupling
Stainless steel propshaft (2015)
Bronze 3-blade fixed propellor
Mathway shaft steering system with gearboxes
Steering system completely removed, stripped down and overhauled 2021
Traditional hardwood steering wheel
Emergency tiller

Bow Thurster:
Vetus tunnel-mounted bow thruster (2014)
Push button type control panel at helm station

Autopilot:
Autohelm ST3000 autopilot system
Belt driven wheel drive system

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Voltage systems:
12VDC onboard power system
230VAC shore power system

Shore Power System:
Extension lead to connect to shore supply
Single 16 amp connection point
Hardwired RCD-protected system
3 pin UK sockets and battery charger

Battery Banks:
Engine Battery – 1x 12VDC, 76Ah lead acid battery (2021)
Domestic Battery – 3x 12VDC, 115Ah lead acid battery (2021)

Battery Monitor:
Voltmeter on switch panel, selector switch to show both battery banks

Charging:
Noco Genius battery charger (2024)
230VAC – 12VDC, 5amp

Alternators:
Single engine driven alternator
12VDC, 100amp

Solar Panel:
Solar panel mounted on coachroof
Charge controller

Wind Generator:
Rutland wind generator mounted on mizzen mast (2015)
Marlec HRSi charge controller (2015)

Other Electrical:
Windscreen wiper for port side of windscreen
Bluetooth walky-talky headsets for use mooring/anchoring (2016)

PLUMBING SYSTEMS

Fresh Water:
Pressurised hot and cold water systems
Mixer tap in galley
Hot and cold taps in forward heads
Dedicated shower fitting in forward heads
Hot and cold taps in aft cabin
Manually pumped, filtered water tap
Hot water provided from calorifier, heated by engine cooling water 

Bilge Pumps:
Manual Bilge Pump
Electric Bilge Pump (2021)

TANKAGE

Fuel:
Single diesel tank
Approximate capacity 160ltrs
4x 10ltr plastic cans, stowing in lazarette locker

Fresh Water:
Single fresh water tank
GRP keel tank
Approximate capacity 340ltrs
Additional drinking water wing tank
Approximate capacity 113ltrs

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

On Deck:
Depth – NASA Clipper
Wind – NASA Clipper with wireless masthead transducer (2021)
Plotter – Garmin GPSMAP 556, showing AIS data (2011)
Magnetic Steering Compass

At Chart Table:
Plotter – Second mounting station for Garmin GPS MAP556

Communications Equipment:
DSC VHF – Icom IC-M411 (2011)
AIS – AdvanSea RX1000 dual channel AIS receiver
Navtex – Easy Navtex display (2012)
VHF antenna and cable replaced 2023

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

Galley:
Cooker – Techimpx gas cooker, 2 burner, grill and oven, mounted on gimbals
Fridge – Top loading, built in fridge with Waeco chiller plate and compressor
Stainless steel sink
Hot and cold fresh water taps
Manually pumped fresh drinking water tap
Selection of crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils

Heads:
Toilets – Raske & Edam RM69 manual marine toilets in both forward and aft heads
Ceramic wash hand basin in forward head with hot and cold taps
Dedicated shower fitting in forward heads
Ceramic wash hand basin with hot and cold taps located in aft cabin between bunks
Extractor fan in both heads

Lighting:
Overhead lighting throughout the interior
Parafin lamps in saloon

ACCOMMODATION

Summary of Accommodation:
Twin cabin forward
Forward heads
Saloon providing single occasional bunk
Nav Station
Galley
Cockpit
Aft cabin with two single berths
Aft heads

Description of Accommodation from Forward:

Forward Cabin:
Two single berths outboard to port and starboard
Starboard bunk has been modified to increase width at head end
Shelf above forward end of starboard bunk
Shelf above port bunk centrally
Under bunk storage accessible by locker doors in bunk bases aft to port and starboard
Hanging locker aft of port bunk

Forward Heads:
Located to starboard side forward of saloon
Manual marine toilet located inboard, forward, aft facing
Countertop outboard of toilet with inset ceramic wash hand basin
Shower stall standing area at aft end of heads with dedicated Myra shower fitting
Selection of vanity lockers outboard of countertop and below

Saloon:
Bench settee forward to port outboard
U-shaped settee to starboard
Folding saloon table on fixed base, modified to slide outboard to create a larger single berth to starboard, with infill section and cushion
Two doored lockers above port settee back rest, outboard
Lockers and bookshelves above seat backs outboard to starboard
Storge lockers beneath settee bases to port and starboard
Clock and Barometer mounted on bulkhead

Nav Station:
Located to starboard side at aft end of saloon
Navigator sitting on aft end of starboard saloon settee
Chart table with chart storage in table top
Book shelf and storage shelves above table top outboard and aft

Galley:
Located to port side of companionway from cockpit
Thawartships worktop aft
Inset stainless steel sink inboard
Top loading fridge outboard
Gimbal-mounted gas cooker forward
Storage lockers above worktop and cooker outboard
Lockers beneath cooker, sink and worktop

Aft Cabin:
Accessed from aft end of cockpit with dedicated companionway
Two single berths, one to port and one to starboard
Underbunk storage beneath both bunks, accessible without lifting bunk cushions
Storage unit between bunks with inset wash hand basin
En-suite heads forward to port

Aft Heads:
En-suite heads for the aft cabin, located to the port side of aft cabin, forward
Manual marine toilet located inboard forward, facing aft
Counter top shelf outboard aft 
Vanity lockers above and below countertop

DECK EQUIPMENT

Rig:
Deck stepped, masthead ketch rig.
Anodised alloy mast and spars
Spinnaker pole
Stainless steel standing rigging, main mast rigging replaced 2012, mizzen mast replaced 2013
Profurl roller reefing system on forestay, stripped and fully overhauled with new bearings during winter 2023/24
Slab reefing mainsail, 3 sets of cringles, only 2 reefing lines currently fitted
Mizzen
Block and tackle kicker on main boom
Lazyjacks for main and mizzen
Running rigging on mainmast all replaced on rolling rotation since 2012
Mainsheet and Jib sheets replaced 2021/22
Mast steps on mizzen, fitted 2015
Bosuns chair

Winches:
Primary Winches – 2x Lewmar 40, two-speed, self-tailing
Main Mast Mounted Winches – 2x Lewmar 30, two-speed

Sails:
Mainsail – White dacron, on-boom roller reefing. Suffolk Sails 2012
Genoa – White dacron with blue UV Stripe, roller reefing. Suffolk Sails 2012
Mizzen – White dacron.

Canvas Work:
Mainsail Cover – Stack pack type cover with mast boot and lazyjacks
Mizzen Cover - Stack pack type cover with mast boot and lazyjacks
Cockpit Enclosure – Fitting beneath doghouse roof, window to sides and aft with roll-up panels (2012)
Spray Dodgers
Winter Cover – Heavy duty winter cover with plastic piping hoops to support, reported to be old but servicable

Anchoring & Mooring:
Bower Anchor – 35lb CQR plough anchor on 30m chain rode
Kedge Anchor – Fisherman type anchor attached to length of chain and with dedicated anchor warps in lazzarette
Electric Windlass – Lofrans Kobra 1000w windlass (2021) with deck button and remote controls
Mooring Warps – Selection
Fenders – Selection, including heavy weather ‘jumbo’ fenders

Tender:
Inflatable Dinghy – WaveEco lightweight dinghy with inflatable floor. (2023 – used once)

General:
Single bow roller forward
Stainless steel pulpit and pushpit rails
Pushpit rail custom made in 2016. 
Original fitment SL davits are available if required
Deck-mounted stainless steel stanchions with double tier guardwires
Deck-mounted mooring cleats forward, midships and aft
Electric anchor windlass mounted on foredeck centrally with deck locker outboard forward
Hardwood grabrails running the length of the coachroof and doghouse roof outboard
Stainless steel outboard storage mounting at aft end of coachroof to port side of mizzen mast
On-deck gas bottle storage boxes to port and starboard sides of mizzen mast
Lazzarette locker accessed by opening deck hatch in aft deck
Cockpit table

SAFTEY EQUIPMENT:

General note on safety equipment: Any safety equipment such as liferafts, Epirbs, fire extinguishers and flares etc. are usually personal to the current owner(s) and if being left on-board as part of the sale of a used vessel may require routine servicing, replacement, or changing to meet a new owners specific needs.

Navigation Lights:
Masthead tri-colour – not operational
Steaming light and deck flood, LED (2021)
Low level running lights, LED (2021)

Life saving:
Liferaft – Seago 4 person canister raft – out of service
Rescue Me LED flare
Horseshoe lifebuoy x2
Throwing line 
Fire Blanket

DISCLAIMER
In this case we are acting as brokers only.
The Owner is not selling in the course of a business. whilst every care has been taken in their preparation , the correctness of these particulars is not guaranteed. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability for such engine on our part.
This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.