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Crealock 37/Pacific Seacraft 37

Posted by Gregg Nestor | Boat Reviews , Monohull , Reviews

An inspired, tough, seakindly cruiser

I n the mid-1970s, naval architect William “Bill” Ion Belton Crealock entered a sailboat magazine’s boat design contest. Though already a successful designer, he said the contest was, “the only chance I’ve ever had to design a boat that didn’t have to please anyone else but me.”

The 37-footer Bill drew leaned on his bluewater experience gained cruising the Atlantic Ocean in a 40-foot gaff-rigged cutter in his 20s. Aesthetically sophisticated and classically proportioned, it featured modest overhangs, a classic sheer, low freeboard, and an elegant deckhouse.

He paid special attention beneath the waterline, drawing a hull with a large moderate aspect fin keel and a rudder hung on a skeg. Bill honed his boat’s entry for windward performance and gave her an attractive canoe stern that theoretically helps to part a following sea—what designer Robert Perry humorously calls the “Moses Effect.”

“The 37 is an attempt to provide the cruiser with a boat which will travel fast between ports under complete control, and which will yet remind him that the passage itself should be one of the pleasures of the cruise,” Bill said. He didn’t win the contest. “The boat that won was a very modern design for the time, actually a rather hideous boat, I thought. It quickly disappeared.”

At the time, Bill was working with a California company called Clipper Marine, which was producing a series of Crealock-designed trailer-sailers. The company began tooling for Bill’s new 37-foot keelboat, to be called the Crealock 37. Then Clipper Marine went belly-up without building a single hull. With hardly a pause, Cruising Consultants (CC) of Newport Beach, California, acquired the molds and between 1977 and 1979 produced 16 Crealock 37s. Then they went out of business.

Fortunately, Pacific Seacraft ( PS), then in California also, in 1980 purchased the rights and molds. Working with Bill, Pacific Seacraft made some significant changes, and after about 15 years, in the mid-1990s changed the name from Crealock 37 to Pacific Seacraft 37, to be consistent with the names of other boats in their model line. To date, Pacific Seacraft has built several hundred examples.

In 2002, the boat Bill designed for himself was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, characterized as a boat that has “made boat ownership a love affair” for those lucky enough to sail one.

Martin Nelick and Sally Gardiner-Smith are among the lucky sailors. The couple own hull #7, a Cruising Consultants-built Crealock 37 named Shibumi . Sally and Martin are accomplished singlehanded sailors who have fairly aggressive sailing plans. After selling their respective singlehanding boats, they began searching for that “perfect” cruising boat. For them, their 1977 Crealock 37 is the one.

Bill Crealock was born 100 years ago next month and grew up sailing in waters near his home in the United Kingdom. He was educated at Scotland’s Glasgow University, authored several books chronicling his sailing adventures, and produced designs for several successful boatbuilders including Cabo Rico, Westsail, Columbia, and Pacific Seacraft.

The Crealock 37 is traditional with an abundance of character. The cruising fin keel offers quick tacking and responsive handling in tight quarters, and coupled with the generous rudder skeg provides excellent directional stability compared to a narrower fin keel. This configuration also reduces the tendency of the rudder to stall at extreme angles of heel.

The boat has a moderately heavy displacement-to-waterline length ratio of 341, but because its LWL is relatively short for its overall length, the ratio, and boat speed, will increase as the boat heels and the waterline lengthens.

Rod Rowan of Crusader Yacht Sales in Annapolis, Maryland, which has been a Pacific Seacraft dealer since 1986, knows nearly all modifications made to the design through the several changes in ownership, including the company’s move from California to Washington, North Carolina, about a dozen years ago. He says that while the design drafts of the two keels offered were listed as 4 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 6 inches, actual measurements taken on delivered boats were closer to 4 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches as reflected in the current specifications. (Sailboatdata.com lists the boat’s draft at 5 feet 3 inches.) Rowan adds that the shoal-draft keel is a Scheel keel, designed and patented at one time by Henry Scheel with a shaped bulb at the bottom to improve lift.

Construction

While the Crealock 37 and Pacific Seacraft 37 are essentially the same design, they are not the same boat. Construction of both is conservative and strong, with hulls and decks of hand-laid fiberglass. The hulls are solid, and the decks were sandwich-cored with marine-grade plywood through the mid-1990s. Then builders switched core material to end-grain balsa with plywood inserts at deck hardware. Beginning in the late 1980s, Pacific Seacraft adopted vinylester resin, which is less hydroscopic than polyester, providing better protection against blisters.

The CC hull-to-deck joint incorporates a molded bulwark forming a flanged box that’s sealed with an elastomeric-type compound, through bolted, and then glassed over. Strong and dry, the resulting joint is finished with a 4-inch-wide teak cap rail. Rowan says most current boats are fastened with 1/4 -inch x 20 stainless steel screws, 4 inches on center, plus 3M 5200 adhesive, with no leaks that he’s ever heard reported.

The differences in the two boats is most apparent in the interior. The CC interiors are stick-built, featuring teak-trimmed mahogany ceilings and an oak overhead. The sole is narrow oak planking with ebony polysulfide in the seams. Pacific Seacraft introduced molded fiberglass structural interior modules that retained most of the interior teak joinery while also brightening the spaces considerably. They use a longitudinal and transverse framing system, including mahogany-veneered plywood bulkheads tabbed with fiberglass to the hull and deck. For added stiffness, the main bulkheads are also attached via 5/16 -inch through bolts using an ingenious teak beam system.

The keels of both CC and PS versions are solid-lead castings external to the hull and fastened with stainless steel bolts. Rowan says the original CC keel was scrapped in favor of the two current Scheel and standard keel options. The CC boats feature a Volvo saildrive unit forward of the skeg, whereas the PS boats have an aperture for the propeller.

Over the years, incremental changes were made to the PS boats, such as offering optional chrome-plated bronze portlights and hardware instead of bare bronze, and several different treatments for the inside walls of the coachroof—teak veneer and an off-white Formica. All interior teak was oiled until ’96 or ’97, after which a varnished option became available.

With only 16 Crealock 37s built, there’s scant information as to what was standard and what was optional. It also appears that a few of the final hulls were sold bare and owner-finished. Consequently, most of the CC Crealock 37 information in this review is based on what I found aboard Shibumi .

The cabintop is a bit cluttered. Notable features include a pair of 19 x 19-inch teak-trimmed bronze hatches, one over the V-berth and the other over the saloon. Four Dorade vents provide additional ventilation into the head, saloon, galley, and navigation station. Also on the cabintop, just forward of the sea hood and mainsheet traveler, are a pair of 39-inch-long tracks and cars to handle the staysail sheets.

On the PS-built boats, engine access via the cockpit floor was modified and made smaller, about 2 x 2 feet.

The surprisingly roomy forward cabin is home to a V-berth that measures just over 7 feet 6 inches long at its head and narrows to 3 feet at its foot. On PS boats it’s offset to starboard. Besides an unusual overhead drawer, stowage for larger, bulkier items is available beneath the berth. Also beneath the V-berth is a 40-gallon aluminum potable water tank (an additional 60-gallon fiberglass tank is beneath the saloon sole).

Aft and to port of the V-berth is a hanging locker with bureau top. Three opening portlights and the overhead hatch provide this compartment with excellent illumination and ventilation.

Access to the head is directly across from the hanging locker. On Shibumi , the owners replaced the original marine toilet with an Air Head composting toilet in part to eliminate the need for a holding tank. In addition to hot-and-cold pressurized potable water, there’s also a saltwater hand pump. A solid mahogany door swings to close off the head as well as add privacy and a small changing area to the forward cabin.

The saloon is well ventilated with one opening portlight, two large fixed portlights, a single Dorade vent, and an overhead hatch. A pair of overhead grabrails makes for safe fore-and-aft maneuvering. Headroom is over 6 feet.

The L-shaped galley is immediately aft of the starboard settee. A series of drawers, a half-dozen cane-fronted lockers, and a clever dish stowage unit provide storage.

Shibumi is a yawl with double headsails. All spars are aluminum extrusions painted white with polyurethane. The mainmast and the mizzen are deck-stepped. Aluminum compression posts below support both; the mainmast post is incorporated into the main bulkhead, which in turn is glassed and bolted into place.

Mainmast rigging is a single set of spreaders, forestay, split backstay, a pair of cap shrouds, and double lower shrouds. Rigged with a staysail, Shibumi also has a pair of running backstays. The mizzenmast is supported by cap shrouds, intermediates, and lowers.

All standing rigging is stainless steel wire with bronze turnbuckles (stainless steel on PS boats). The stainless steel chainplates are outboard and bolted to the hull. When in port, the main boom rests on boom gallows. Both main and mizzen are sheeted mid-boom, the main to a traveler on the coachroof and the mizzen to a traveler mounted on the stern pulpit.

Headsail sheets lead aft through cars and tracks mounted on the caprails. These sheets terminate at Lewmar 27 self-tailing winches mounted on the cockpit coamings. Aft on the coachroof is a pair of Lewmar 10s to handle the staysail sheets and a #18 to service the mainsheet.

Initially, PS offered the 37 as a sloop, cutter, and yawl, though the latter was seldom ordered, and today most are sold as cutters and some sloops.

With a long sailing history and an excellent reputation for handling heavy weather, the Crealock 37 and Pacific Seacraft 37 are well balanced and easily managed by a short-handed crew.

With a bit of wind, the boat heels quickly to around 15 degrees. Once there, it’s rock solid. Rolling in the headsail a bit before tacking precludes it from hanging up on the staysail. With fairly quick acceleration and a responsive helm, the boat’s best point of sail appears to be a broad or beam reach.

While the boat is a bit narrow and heels early (less form stability, excellent ultimate stability), its seakindly nature makes long passages comfortable. The split rig adds versatility and easily adapts to self-steering. Under the right conditions and properly trimmed, the boat can eat up the miles. Over the years in the Singlehanded Transpac Race, two Crealock 37s, Coaster and Intrepid , have recorded corrected times that put them among the fastest 10 percent of all finishers.

Conclusions

This design is a Hall of Fame beauty. The boat is strongly built, well rigged, and has a documented reputation for sailing comfortably and fast. It has an abundance of stowage and is a good choice for a small crew. While a new 2020 Pacific Seacraft 37 will cost nearly $500,000, many clean examples from the 1980s and 1990s are available in a range of five-digit asking prices.

Gregg Nestor is a contributing editor with Good Old Boat . He has authored four books on sailing: Twenty Affordable Sailboats to Take You Anywhere, Twenty Comfortable Sailboats to Take You Cruising, The Trailer Sailer Owner’s Manual, and All Hands on Deck . He became a snowbird a few years back, after relocating his boat from the Great Lakes to Florida.

Comments from an owner of the CC-built Crealock 37

The Cruising Consultants version has larger windows, more light, and a nice, wide V-berth. Also, the yawl rig and external chainplates give it a swashbuckling appeal. The entire cockpit sole comes out for great engine access. Our 1978 Crealock 37 was converted from saildrive to direct drive, a plus I think. There is plenty of room in the cockpit as the tiller folds up; and, as there is no sub-cockpit steering binnacle apparatus, space remains below for water heater and watermaker. The lead keel is a major plus. It has a battle-ax stainless steel double bow roller.

Panels rather than vinyl in the ceiling make it easy to run wire and add LED lighting—a major improvement. A large propane locker fits three 5-gallon tanks. The deck glass is thick so it does not perceptibly flex even when coring was removed during repair. No major leaks.

It ghosts along in a light breeze but performs in 12-22 knots. With a 12- to 14-knot breeze on the beam I have put the tiller down and it tracks on its own. The mizzen staysail is a fun and easy sail that really does move the boat under the right conditions. When it gets to 28-30, I can put up just a working jib on the Solent stay and mizzen, and it moves along nicely under control.

The Dorade vent holes were not sealed—so I had to dig out soaked balsa, dry, and repair. The aluminum backing plates for the pulpit bars were corroding and compressing, so I replaced with G10. Original backing plates for the traveler were pieces of thick leather—replaced with G10. The gooseneck was secured to mast by one 3/8-inch bolt that had worked and loosened and been re-tapped repeatedly over the years. The fixed table takes up too much space, so I will be building a fold-away.

—Tim Lamarre, San Francisco, California

Comments from owners of the Pacific Seacraft-built Crealock 37

This 1989 boat sails nicely in light winds, but as I have aged I find myself motor sailing if I can’t get at least 4 knots of speed on wind alone. This is a relatively narrow boat so sails can really be pulled in and sailed close to the wind. You are almost always going to have a heeling motion, and it sails best that way. It sails confidently in rougher weather, is easily reefed, and handles waves better than most boats. Some say it hobbyhorses more than other cruisers, but I don’t think it does. With its canoe stern you can sure tell the difference sailing with the wind behind you; it is so easy to control, and the waves don’t grab the stern and push it around so much.

—Tom Eisele, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

After a 2019 passage aboard a 1993 model from Bodega Bay, California, to Brisbane, Australia, I can comment about these things: With a crew of two or singlehanding, she is in her groove at 12-25 knots wind speed. Above 25 knots, when singlehanding, I have wished that I had a third reef available for the mainsail. During the harshest of weather systems, while using the trysail as the main and the staysail as the storm jib, the 37 sailed rock solid and on course through the tossed seas, allowing me to get rest below.

—Mark Tolbert, Redwood Valley, California

About The Author

Gregg Nestor

Gregg Nestor is a contributing editor with Good Old Boat. He has authored four books on sailing: Twenty Affordable Sailboats to Take You Anywhere, Twenty Comfortable Sailboats to Take You Cruising, The Trailer Sailer Owner's Manual, and All Hands on Deck. He became a snowbird a few years back, after relocating his boat from the Great Lakes to Florida.

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• Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37

'Hero' , a Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 Sailboat for Sale by owner Jim Seal

'Hero' , my Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 is currently sailing in the Caribbean (since July 2021) and is scheduled to return to the US east coast late spring 2023.

Update!   'Hero' is now on the hard at Bert Jabins in Annapolis, MD, so interested parties can take a look at her there.

She has had all her systems upgraded and improved upon since we purchased her in 2015. We have plans for extensive land travel in the next few years and sadly will be offering her for sale.

'Hero' is perfect for a liveaboard couple, and can accommodate 5-6 for overnights.

Her first owner kept her in freshwater near Burlington, Vermont, for the first 20 years, so she has avoided a lot of saltwater wear. She's a very stable and reliable vessel with classic good looks.

Material & Dimensions

• Designer: Wiliam Crealock;
• Fiberglass construction, Fin keel with skeg-hung rudder. Hull #252;
• Draft 5’6”. Bridge clearance 50’2”;
• Overall length 36’11”, Beam 10’10”;
• Waterline length 27’8”;
• Sail area 618 ft 2;
• Displacement 16,000 lbs. Lead ballast 6,200 lbs;
• Two 40-gallon water tanks, one 40-gallon fuel tank, one 15-gallon holding tank.

Sails, Rigging & Deck

• Main: 272 ft 2 , good condition. Two reefs, lazy-jack system;
• Primary jib: North Sails 452ft 2 , 125% 3Di Nordac Offshore Ply (2020);
• Staysail: North Sails 90% 3Di Nordac Offshore Ply (2021);
• Backup jib: Doyle high clew, Condition good;
• Asymmetric spinnaker: 860 ft 2 , with ATN Tacker;
• Orange Storm Trysail 86 ft 2 ;
• 32-inch diameter Edson wheel with leather cover;
• Block and tackle arm attached to wind generator pole for raising outboard engine onto rail;
• Standing rigging, both furlers, boom vang and all lifelines replaced;
• Barient 2-speed self-tacking main winches;
• Lewmar 30 two-speed winches mounted to the mast;
• Lewmar 30 self-tacking two-speed winches on the cabin top;
• Sunbrella bimini and dodger, mainsail and windlass covers.

Engine & Mechanicals

• Yanmar 4JH2E 50 hp diesel, 2350 hours as of Feb 20, 2023;
• Variprop feathering prop (19” x 13 x 4-blade);
• 55 Amp alternator, spare alternator, starter and water pump included;
• Hot water tank, engine driven;
• Engine mounts, oil cooler, fuel injection pipes and exhaust elbow recently replaced;

Electronics, Navigation & Renewable Energy Equipment

• Chartplotter in cockpit: 12" display B&G Zeus 2, NMEA2000 network;
• C-Map US Coastal & Rivers Continental on Micro-SD 16 GB card, C-MAP MAX-N+ Electronic Chart Caribbean & Central America;
• B&G 4G Radar System, B&G Wind sensor;
• Vesper Marine WatchMate AIS with wifi;
• CPT Autopilot system;
• Airmar depth transducer;
• Scad water tank monitoring system;
• Battery bank: Four Firefly AGM 12 volt - new 2021. Total 464 Ah;
• Victron Precision Battery monitor system;
• Standard Horizons model GX1700 VHF, with remote radio and external speaker mounted in the cockpit;
• Pro Marine 2000 Watt inverter;
• 350 Watt solar array mounted to bimini; MPPT charge controller;
• 400 Watt Marine Kinetix wind generator mounted at stern;
• LED anchor, running and steaming lights;
• Iridium Go satellite system.

Ground Tackle

• Primary: 44 lb. Spade anchor with 80’ of 5/16" G40 high test anchor chain spliced to 220’ of ⅝” three-strand rode;
• Stern: 30 lb. Danforth on stern pulpit, with 15' of 5/16" G40 High Test anchor chain spliced to 90' of 5/8" 3-strand rope;
• Additional 300’ of 5/8" 3-strand rode accessible at bow as backup with spare Bruce anchor;
• Lewmar H3 Windlass, with wireless remote, new 2022;
• Snubber: 20' line with 6-foot long rubber elastic;

Interior/Galley/Comforts

• 'Hero' is a very clean boat;
• Two hatches and 10 ports for excellent air flow;
• All LED interior lighting, including red lighting for night sails;
• OzeFridge fridge/freezer combo. Compressor with twin cold plates, freshwater cooling. All refrigeration insulation replaced;
• Hot pressurized water (engine provided with 6 gallon tank) for hot showers;
• Spectra model 200T watermaker - 7 gallons of freshwater per hour;
• Interior analog clock and barometer;
• All interior and cockpit cushions replaced;
• Interior wood walls/tables refinished;
• Galley countertops and sink replaced with Corian;
• Galley and head faucets with hot and cold pressurized, filtered water;
• Durable Groco manual head;
• Handheld shower spray and freshwater foot pump in head;
• Galley has saltwater and freshwater foot pumps;
• Lee cloth on port side;
• Force 10 two-burner stove and oven;
• Force 10 propane fueled cabin heater;
• Two propane tanks secured in ventilated stern locker;
• Propane grill mounted to stern rail;
• Fusion Stereo AM/FM/CD/DVD Wifi player w/NMEA control at chartplotter, Infinity 8" speakers in the cockpit, Bose 101 speakers in the salon;
• 32-inch wifi TV mounted in the salon;
• Three 7-inch Caframo fans mounted in the salon and v-berth;
• Multiple USB ports and AC power access in cabin;
• Bimini and stern rail hardware replaced;
• Teak cockpit table with folding leaves.

Safety Gear

• Datrex 4-person canister liferaft (new 2021), cradle mounted on deck;
• Switlik Man Overboard Module (MOM-8S) self-inflating ring with pole, light and weight;
• McMurdo EPIRB SmartFind G8 AIS registered through Dec 2023;
• Jacklines affixed along port and starboard cabin tops, harness tethers;
• Lifesling Throwable PFD;
• Electric bilge pump, Whale manual bilge pump;
• Emergency tiller steering;
• Para-Tech Delta Drogue - 48";
• Four fire extinguishers;
• Fire blanket stored near galley;
• High intensity spotlight, runs off C batteries or 12-volt boat system;
• Off-shore flares, smoke signal canisters and supplies in ditch bag.

More Pics, Asking Price & Owner's Contact Details...

1 - hero's interior.

2 - Exterior Pics...

3 - Asking Price and Contacting the Owner

I'm asking $139,000 * for 'Hero' , my 1992 Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 cutter.

* Now $125,000!

If you wish to get in touch, you can find my contact details here...

Owner: Jim Seal

What is the Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 sailboat like to sail?

Based on Published Design Ratios for the Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37:

Her Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 15.6 suggests that she will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

Her Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 38.8 means that she's likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

Her Displacement/Length Ratio of 334 tells us she is clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline.

Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 33.4 suggests that the comfort of her crew in a seaway would be similar to that associated with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

More about Design Ratios...

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Living Small on the Big Sea

Tiny-house movement meets luxury boat in pacific seacraft 31..

Photo courtesy of Pacific Seacraft

Readers familiar with the work of William Crealock-the renowned designer of the Crealock 37, the Cabo Rico 34, the Dana 24, and at least 30 other production-built vessels-understand that his designs are steeped in practicality. Crealock famously wrote: Seaworthiness in a cruising boat has to be the No. 1 consideration. It doesn’t matter how cute the boat is if it doesn’t get [to the destination] in one piece. And those familiar with his life are aware that his knowledge of sailing wasnt just grounded in the study of design, but also in extensive hands-on experience at sea-an imperative for any designer of boats intended for offshore.

As a young man, Crealock completed his degree in naval architecture and worked in a Glasgow shipyard for several years. Afterward, he spent nearly eight years cruising the Atlantic and Pacific oceans under sail. A portion of that time was invested as first mate and navigator aboard a 110-foot schooner. Though the young Brit cut his teeth in yacht design working on large-scale commercial vessels, his expertise matured during the golden age of fiberglass production boatbuilding-the 1960s-in what was then the industrys epicenter: Southern California.

Because Crealock knew the exigencies of offshore sailing firsthand, he conceived his designs accordingly. The Pacific Seacraft 31 exists in that vein. Introduced in 1987, its heritage can be traced to 1984, when Pacific Seacraft commissioned Crealock to produce a smaller version of his then-popular Crealock 37. Initially, he drew a 34-foot adaptation, but several years later, he condensed the design into the 31-foot package that is reviewed here. (The company did build a full-keel, double-ended 31 model dubbed Mariah from 1977 to 1983, but that was an entirely different boat.)

Production of the Pacific Seacraft 31 ran until 1999, and 79 boats were built. Production resumed in 2002. However, in May 2007-after completing 129 of the 31s-the company filed for bankruptcy. A few months later, the majority of its assets were purchased by Steve Brodie and his father, Reid, of Washington, N.C. The duo moved the tooling for all models except the Dana 24 and the rest of the operation to their homebase across the country via 21 tractor-trailer loads, and began building sailboats under the name Pacific Seacraft.

Its important to note that the Brodies convinced many of the companys key personnel to make the move East as well, including the overall production manager, the mold shop manager, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical managers, the touchup and detail supervisor, several master carpenters, and skilled tradesmen. According to the company, this cadre of individuals represented hundreds of years of experience building Pacific Seacraft boats.

The boat PS tested for this review was hull No. 129, the last one built at the California plant.

Pacific Seacrafts design brief for the 31 was straightforward. This vessel was intended to have all the essential elements to qualify as a world-voyaging yacht. In fact, those words appeared in the marketing literature that promoted this model upon its introduction. And specifically, Pacific Seacraft intended for the 31 to appeal to cruising couples.

Similar in design to its immediate forebearers, the 31 has a proportionally broader beam and a longer waterline. The intent here was to produce reasonable speed under sail as well as comfortable motion and enhanced handling. The hull begins with a relatively fine, high bow and deep forefoot that extends aft accompanied by a subtly concave sheerline. Beneath its 24-foot, 2-inch waterline, the 31 sports a modified fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder. But the stern section is a definite departure from Crealocks design norm. Instead of the rounded, double-ended configuration seen on the 34 and many of his other designs, the 31 has a broad, flat transom that enables easier stern boarding and allows for a sizeable quarterberth.

The 31 comes in two keel options, a shoal-draft version that draws 4 feet as well as a standard version that draws 4 feet, 11 inches. According to Steve Brodie, having a shoal-draft option was important, because although we anticipate that these boats will sail in the open ocean, theyll also be used a lot around the southeast Atlantic coast and in the Gulf Coast area. And, it turns out that theyre popular in this region.

Aloft, this boat features a single-spreader, extruded aluminum mast supporting a cutter rig and 600 square feet of sail area (though a sloop rig option with 485 square feet is also available). Down below, the company opted for an open interior instead of the privacy afforded by segmented cabins. (Joseph Artese, who designed the interior of the 90-foot sloop Whitefin, was commissioned to conceive the 31s layout.) The styling is intentionally contemporary with a simple layout that the marketing literature describes as versatile.

by Bill Kund

Deck Details

The boat that PS tested was built in 2007 and is one of the few 31s with a Seldn anodized aluminum mast. (Historically, Pacific Seacraft delivered the 31 with powder-coated aluminum spars as standard equipment, a practice the Brodies are continuing.) The in-mast furling aboard our test boat is also not standard.

The boat that PS tested also has the optional low-maintenance package, which includes stainless grabrails instead of teak and an aluminum toerail instead of a teak caprail.

Nearly a third of the space on deck is occupied by the cockpit, which despite its low coamings, is well protected by the high cabin trunk, a deep footwell, and an optional dodger. Except for the two-speed, self-tailing Harken 40 primary winches, the coaming isn’t encumbered by hardware, affording additional seating in moderate conditions. The 6-foot, 2-inch cockpit seats are sufficiently long for a full-sized adult to stretch out fore and aft, yet they narrow to just 8 inches adjacent the steering pedestal.

Despite the 30-inch, stainless-steel Edson steering wheel and the 12- by 24-inch instrument pod that sits above it (an owner option), the helmsman can easily move forward to tend the halyard tails alongside the companionway. The sightlines forward from the raised helmsmans seat are clear.

Athwartships of the steering pedestal are cubbies recessed into the coaming that are 10 inches deep by 18 inches long and 4 inches high. Protected by a teak fiddle, theyre sufficiently sized to keep winch handles or handheld VHFs, etc., handy yet secure.

Beneath the helmsmans seat is a sizeable rear lazarette. Both port and starboard cockpit seats also have locking lids that access additional lazarette storage. On the transom, the owner of our test boat had an anchor roller mounted to port, which is a good feature if it can be placed appropriately to be both out of the way and securely mounted. Headroom beneath the optional bimini that covers the cockpit is a full 6 feet, 4 inches; however, this does obscure the view of the mainsail from the helm.

Embedded in the cockpit sole are 2-inch scuppers situated in the aft corners of the footwell. The owner of our test boat attested that this positioning comes with one drawback: An inch or two of standing water can accumulate in the forward part of the footwell under power at full throttle.

The companionway is well protected on either side by the cabin trunk and is fitted with a beefy hatch system overhead. The owner of our test boat opted for saloon-style teak doors instead of drop boards, which gave him the option of swapping out screens in the doors for solid panels.

At the aft end of the bridgedeck, the 31 has a Garhauer traveler that spans 36 inches and is controlled by a 4:1 purchase. Except for Harken winches and Ronstan turning blocks for the halyards and reeflines, most of the sailhandling hardware aboard our test boat was from Garhauer. The mast and boom are Seldn sections, and the boomvang is a Seldn Boomkicker. On new boats, standard hardware is all Harken.

The nonskid in the cockpit footwell and on deck is a raised diamond pattern that provides better grip than recessed grooves. Adjacent the cabintop, the sidedecks are just over 12 inches wide at the narrowest point. Amidships, just inboard of the 4-inch-high bulwark, there are scuppers on either side of the boat that drain overboard (through the deck and hull, and just outboard of those are hawseholes meant for spring lines, yet there were no cleats in that vicinity on the test boat; new PS31s do have midship cleats. The toerail is capped stem to stern with an optional, perforated aluminum strip intended to serve for anchoring snatchblocks, etc.

The chainplates (stainless-steel tangs measuring a quarter inch by 1.5 inches by 12 inches) are affixed outboard to the hull by way of half-inch, stainless-steel bolts run through a full backing plate inside the hull. The position of the chainplates means that the shrouds don’t obstruct fore and aft crew movement along the sidedecks. The cabintop is fitted with stainless grabrails on each side, and all of the portlights (five on each side) and their mounting hardware are polished stainless steel.

Both aft pushpit and the forward pulpit are mounted with stainless, hex head No. 12 bolts. The pushpit, which extends nearly 30 inches off the deck, is split into port and starboard sections to allow for a centerline boarding ladder on the transom. The optional bimini is mounted on the upper rail of the pushpit, meaning less hardware mounted to the deck and a cleaner application all around.

The pulpit extends aft just beyond the inner forestay, and its forward legs are integrated into a stout, stainless-steel anchor platform that houses two anchor bow rollers and a terminus for the headstay.

Accommodations

The openness of the interior is augmented by the choice of off-white gelcoat for the fiberglass, complemented by teak drawer and cabinet door faces and trim. The layout offers maximum space for a few individuals. For example, though they lack doors for privacy, both the quarterberth and the V-berth offer 6 feet, 6 inches of length with at least 5 feet of breadth. Standing headroom throughout the cabin is 6 feet, 1 inch. And every light downbelow or on deck is an LED fixture.

Adjacent the companionway, a compact galley sits to port and the head sits to starboard, cordoned off by the vessels lone interior door. The galley houses a gimbaled, two-burner stove, a double-well, stainless-steel sink, and sufficient storage areas outboard and within the main cabinet to accommodate foodstuffs and cooking implements for a full week on board. The surfaces here are Corian, an owner option.

A 5-cubic-foot icebox sits across the cabin with a teak lid that does double duty as the chart table. Tilt-out compartments on the inboard side of the icebox cabinet accommodate navigation tools and charts. Just outboard of the chart table is the main electrical panel, which is a marvel of organizational simplicity.

The head compartment is a combination of easy-to-clean, gelcoated surfaces complemented by handcrafted teak doors, trim, and a teak shower grate on the sole. There is ample storage here for personal hygiene items and first-aid materials. At the aft end of the compartment is a wet locker accessed by a 16-inch by 20-inch opening covered by louvered teak doors. The commode is fitted with bronze through-hull valves and a bronze base. Ventilation here and throughout the cabin is accomplished by way of seven 10-inch, opening ports. Theres also a 20-inch by 20-inch hatch at the forward end of the cabin.

Attention to detail is evident downbelow. The teak joinery is flawless. A sturdy, vinyl headliner has zippered seams to allow access to wiring and deck hardware fasteners. On either side of the cabin are settees that extend under the V-berth when a forward cushion is removed to offer a full 7 feet of length. (Each settee can fitted with lee cloths to serve as a functional seaberth for passagemaking.)

Outboard of each upright settee cushion are storage compartments for bedding or other bulky items. Between the settees, firmly anchored into the keel sump under the teak and holly sole, is a stainless-steel compression post that also supports a unique, centerline saloon table that slides out from beneath the V-berth. Even the cushions are well made, with stainless-steel snaps engineered into a separate outer flap so that they can be more easily attached.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the interior is the easy access to the engine compartment for service. In fewer than 10 seconds, you can remove the companionway ladder, tilt open the insulated teak box that surrounds the engine, and have nearly 270 degrees of access. You can check the oil, the impeller, the water, and the wiring harness here, though access to the transmission fluid dipstick is more challenging. Access to the stuffing box requires removing a quarterberth cushion and a small panel beneath it.

Performance

The boat that PS tested was fitted with a shoal-draft Scheel keel. Aside from draft, the only difference between this model and the conventional, deeper keel is that this version produces a smaller bilge, limiting the size of the fuel tank to five fewer gallons.

Under power with the 30-horsepower Yanmar diesel churning at 2,400 to 2,600 rpms, the sound in the cabin registered an acceptable 90 decibels. At these rpms, in flat water, the boat cruised at 5.3 knots against a slight headwind. The owner told PS that the engine typically burns a half-gallon per hour under such conditions. The engine controls are all within easy reach of the helm.

This particular 31 is fitted with an in-mast furling mainsail, giving the boat a working sailplan of 485 square feet. With the full main and headsail close-hauled, and the wind between 10 and 14 knots, the 31 slid along through a 1-foot chop at 3.6 knots. When the wind speed increased to a steady 15 knots, the boat speed increased to 4.2 knots, requiring only minor sail-trim adjustments.

The owner told us that he typically sails upwind with full main and headsail. In winds above 20 knots, he furls the genoa and replaces it with the inner headsail. We took an alternate approach when the winds reached 16 knots and furled the mainsail to 60 percent. That configuration tamed the boats motion, decreased the heel upwind and enhanced speed by 2/10 to 3/10 of a knot.

The boat responded well to the 30-inch helm and Edson gear-steering system. Despite its lengthy fin keel, the 31 has a relatively tight turning radius and an acceptable amount of headway loss during tacks for cruising. In 18.7 knots of wind and a 1-foot chop, the 31 tacked from a heading of 45 degrees to 115 degrees, coming out of the tack with about 3.8 knots of speed. This is impressive given that this particular boat was fitted with a fixed, 12-inch, three-bladed prop.

Downwind and broad reaching, under the same sail configuration of a partially reefed main and full genoa, the boat moved at 6.7 knots and was very easy to steer. The rig aboard our test boat is fitted with running backstays, which appear to be overkill, in our opinion. However, the owner said they are handy in big blows and at anchor so that the mast wont pump in strong winds.

Underway, the cockpit easily accommodates four people; five would be comfortable as well, but a larger group would push it beyond cozy. The primary winches are close enough to the helm to be tended from there, which is ideal for solo sailing. However, their outboard placement means that rotation of the winch handle is obstructed by the lower lifeline; a problem that needs to be addressed.

Boatbuilder Steve Brodie told PS that the companys clients rarely compare the Pacific Seacraft 31 to other production-built sailboats of this size and intent. That implies the 31s singularity, which is borne of Crealocks simple outlook on design. When the designer passed away in 2009, Blanca Gonzalez of the San Diego Union-Tribune, wrote in his obituary: As a child in his native England, if he didnt know the answer on an exam, he just drew a picture of a boat. The straightforward nature of that statement captures the essence of the 31. Despite its diminutive size, this is a capable, offshore cruising vessel with no other pretensions. There are numerous testimonies from owners who have experienced bluewater voyaging aboard their 31s in many parts of the world.

Like those owners, we were impressed. Specifically, we like the 31s open, well-apportioned interior and its easy-to-navigate cockpit and deck. We like the attention to detail evident in its quality of finish. And though we were disappointed by its limited upwind speed in lighter wind ranges, for a 31-footer displacing 11,000 pounds, those speeds arent unexpected.

Depending upon your perspective, there are just two other conceivable drawbacks. At a base cost of $270,000 for a new model, the 31 is certainly pricey for a boat this size; however, a good-condition used model can be found in the $75,000 to $125,000 range. Also, it would be challenging to accommodate a second couple on board overnight without privacy issues. If you can abide those concerns, and youre in the market for a reliable, compact, offshore vessel, the Pacific Seacraft 31 should be on your short list.

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Bluewater Sailboat – Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37

Also called: pacific seacraft 37, crealock 37, ps37, psc37.

When “Gentleman Bill” Crealock (1920-2009) got down to build the Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37, he envisioned a yacht that could be used for both coastal and blue water sailing. The goals were to achieve speed and comfort without sacrificing seaworthiness, and all of these criteria have been met with laud praise from their respective owners, some of whom have circumnavigated.

“Throughout, the 37 was geared at persons who, while desiring a pleasant boat to sail locally, might one day want a yacht that can take them safely to any part of the world – and this with as much speed and luxury as feasible without sacrificing seaworthiness. Crew weariness is a big adversary of seaworthiness in my opinion, therefore this required easy motion, dryness, strength, windward ability, a comfortable deep cockpit, a safe interior, and, most importantly, ease of handling and balancing with or without steering aids. These are what make for rapid passages with a small crew, potentially no longer athletically gifted.” – William Crealock

• LOA: 36′ 11″
• LWL: 27′ 9″
• Beam: 10′ 10″
• Draft Std: 5′ 10″
• Draft Shoal: 4′ 11″
• Displacement: 16,200 lbs.
• Ballast: 6,200 lbs.
• Sail Area: 619 sq. ft.
• Designer: William I. B. Crealock
• Builder: Cruising Consultants / Pacific Seacraft
• Year Introduced: 1978
• Also Known As: Pacific Seacraft 37, Crealock 37, PS37, PSC37

Clipper Marine, who was already building a series of trailer-sailers designed by Crealock, commissioned the design for a cheap yet capable bluewater cruising yacht in the 1970s. In the end, the company went bankrupt before any hulls were built.

The moulds were purchased in 1976 by Cruising Consultants, a boatbuilding company that constructed the first sixteen “Crealock 37s” between 1978 and 1979. Pacific Seacraft entered the picture in 1980, purchasing the moulds and starting consistent production. By 1993, Pacific Seacraft had rebranded the model as the Pacific Seacraft 37, and the boat is still in production, with the firm estimating a total of 200 vessels. (Pacific Seacraft hulls begin at #117, with hull numbers beginning at #101.)

The Pacific Seacraft “Crealock” 37 is widely considered as one of the all-time classic cruisers, and it was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1992.

The 37 is a very sturdy boat, as is customary for Pacific Seacraft. Construction is cautious and time-tested. With the exception of some hulls that have the optional balsa or foam coring for insulation purposes alone, the hull is solid fibreglass.

Early hulls are not totally resistant to osmotic blisters, which were a common issue in the 1980s boat building era. Hulls manufactured after 1988 use a vinylester resin on the exterior layer to prevent blisters. To comply with a modification in ABS specifications, the original mat and woven roving were replaced in 1993 with biaxial roving. A full-length liner is cemented into place at various spots to support the hull. Even after hard groundings, very few boats have suffered structural damage.

The deck is plywood cored and links the hull with a moulded bulwark, providing a sturdy and dry box junction that is finished with a teak caprail. Deck delamination has not been an issue, even on older boats.

The mast is deck-stepped, and a compression post is built into the main bulkhead, which is glassed and bolted together. The cast lead ballast is externally bolted to the fin keel with big stainless bolts.

The Pacific Seacraft 37 is a traditional-looking boat. It has a canoe stern, a big bow overhang, and a low freeboard. The rig is set up in a cutter configuration, which is popular among blue water cruisers. All sail control lines are routed back to the cockpit for safety. A long fin keel and a powerful, well-protected skeg-hung rudder with a completely protected propellor are located beneath the waterline.

Performance

The Bluewater sailboat is nicely balanced and may be managed by a small crew or alone. It is worth noting that the boat’s speed under sail is more than its displacement/length numbers suggest; Crealock himself warned, “Beware the numbers game.” The boat is thin and heels early, greatly increasing its waterline. Many cruisers report continuous 6 knots over extended voyages, despite the fact that many lighter and supposedly faster boats are thrown around by raging seas. On long voyages, the Pacific Seacraft 37’s sea-friendly nature results in a less weary crew, which frequently corresponds to faster overall passages.

The Bluewater sailboat has a reputation for looking after its crew during storms. Crealock describes two such cases “We received accounts from two 37 owners who were trapped out in similar conditions, running for their lives under bare poles before severe wind and seas slammed the peg at 12 knots when surfing. Both said that steering was so simple that a tiller would have been more fun.”

Quick Notes

Older 37s have aged beautifully, especially considering how far and wide they have sailed. It is stated that the sailboat’s sturdy construction and sea-friendliness have contributed to the boat’s integrity over the years. From a manufacturing standpoint, it is worth noting the 1988 switch to a vinylester resin on the outer layer for osmotic blister protection. Some owners have reported issues with the metal fuel tanks positioned in the bilge, including rapid corrosion and seawater contamination. Water tanks that are built as part of the hull liner should be thoroughly inspected. The deck fittings chosen by Pacific Seacraft are generally of high quality, although the overhead hatches built by Bowmar are prone to leaking. Used sailboats are in considerable demand, with prices remaining quite high.

If you are interested in learning more about the specifications and details of a sailboat, we recommend visiting the page Bluewater Sailboat data by  Ocean Wave Sail . This page provides comprehensive information and is an excellent resource for anyone seeking detailed information about 1000+ sailboats.

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1989 Pacific Seacraft Crealock 34

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PACIFIC SEACRAFT 34 World Renowned Designer William Crealock

The Pacific Seacraft 34 was recently named by Cruising World as one of the top seven cruising designs under $100k.  

SEA CHANGE is presently located on the hard at Panamarina  on the Caribbean Coast of Panama Within 40 miles of the sailing mecca San Blas Islands Solar Panels w/controller Engel Refrigeration Force 10 Propane Stove Manson Supreme Anchor Lofrus Tigress 12V Windlass Garmin Chartplotter with AIS New House and Starting Batteries New Bimini Frame 'n Sunbrella Canvas Raymarine EV-100 Tiller Autopilot (new, needs install) Wind Pilot Pacific Wind Vane

Sea Change spent most of her life on Fresh Water Lake Superior Hull #124 of the Crealock Pacific Seacraft 34 build Previous USCG Doc #939847

"A handsome, nimble and capable double-ender by legendary designer Bill Crealock, the Pacific Seacraft 34 is well proven, with scores of ocean crossings in its wake."   John Kretschmer, Cruising World Review. 2017.

Crealock 34's have classic proportions and lines, with a modern fin keel and tough skeg hung rudder. Her double-ender design lends itself to a very comfortable ride in heavy seas. 

Specifications

Descriptions, basic information, dimensions & weight, tank capacities, accommodations.

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LOA:  34.08 feet LWL:  26.25 feet BEAM:  10.0 feet DRAFT:  4 feet 10 inches Displacement:  13,200 lbs. Ballast:  4,800 lbs.

Yanmar Model 3HM35F Naturally Aspirated (approx 2100 hours) Kanzaki Transmission Model KBW10 Ratio:  2.14:1 New Racor Fuel Filter and Secondary hosings

• New Garmin 740s with Depth Sounder and AIS Connected
• Standard Horizon GX2200 VHF Radio at Nav Station
• Raymarine EV100 Tiller Pilot (new, needs install)
• Autopilot Autohelm ST 4000 (not reliable)
• Windpilot Pacific Wind Vane installed 2016
• 190W Solar Panels w/Morningstar 30A controller (March 2019)
• New House and Starting Batteries (March 2019)
• 12VDC to 220VAC Invertor (2000 watt)
• Lofrans Tigres 1500 12VDC Windlass new and installed 2016
• 12VDC and 110VAC Electrical Panel w/breakers at Nav Station
• Manson Supreme 35 lbs primary new in 2013
• Lofrans Tigres 1500W 12VDC Windlass new in 2016
• Windlass control on deck and wired remote inside companionway
• Main Anchor Chain BBB 8mm - 45 meters new in 2016
• Main Anchor Rode 100 meter 3 strand nylon
• Dual Anchor Roller
• Secondary Bruce anchor with 10 meters of chain and 100 meters 3 strand nylon
• Stern Anchor is a Danforth with 10 meters chain and 3 strand nylon
• Back up CQR Anchor
• Main Sail - Serviced in 2015 w/new Mainsail cover in 2013
• Genoa on Profurl Roller Furling Good Condition
• Staysail Good Condition
• Spinnaker Like New
• Storm Sail Like New
• Extra Sails - Main and Jib
• Offshore Commander Life Raft by Revere new in 2012 (needs re-cert)
• Life Jackets
• Life Sling on Stern Rail
• Two (2) EPIRB's
• Jack Lines w/harnesses

"After the boat was first launched as the Crealock 34 in 1979, Pacific Seacraft introduced a fifth model years later, a scaled-down version of the popular PS 37. Though expensive at the time, the 34 was another success story for one of America?s premier builders, and hundreds of boats were built in the company?s yard in Santa Ana, California. There is always a good selection of used boats available for less than $100,000. Another nice perk for used-boat buyers is that the 34 is back in production at the reincarnated Pacific Seacraft yard in Washington, North Carolina, providing an outlet for parts and advice.?   John Kretschmer , Cruising World Review  2017. 

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Crealock 37

• By Jeremy McGeary
• Updated: April 26, 2011

Here’s a 37-footer that might also be in contention for a pretty-boat award. It’s the product of designer Bill Crealock’s own experience sailing across oceans, and I happily defer to his judgment. I’d consider the Tayana 37 for this slot, but I think Crealock drew a prettier canoe stern than Bob Perry did on the Tayana. (Sorry, Bob.) Maybe it’s not quite as powerful, but it might also be a little more forgiving in a big quartering sea. I’ve not spent any getting-to-know-you time on a boat with a canoe stern, but I think it might be fun to do so.

It was built as a cutter and as a yawl. I fear the yawl might be a bit busy around the cockpit. I like the cutter rig for its versatility upwind and reaching. I’d dispense with a big genoa and use a modern asymmetric for extra downwind sail area.

Some of the early Crealock 37s were built with tiller steering, which might be a nice way to go. The tiller probably hogs the cockpit (which isn’t all that big) when you’re sailing, but it’d take up less space at rest than a wheel. Given the option, I’d rather carry a spare tiller than have to burrow under the cockpit to re-reeve a steering cable, though I might change my mind if the boat has a heavy helm (which I somehow doubt it has.)

Pacific Seacraft built the 37 with an internal pan liner. This worries me a bit because it makes lots of areas of the hull inaccessible. I like a boat built the old-fashioned way, piece by piece, which means it can be dismantled the same way if necessary. Still, Pacific Seacraft has a good reputation, and you have to put some faith in that.

Crealock 37 by Pacific Seacraft Price range: $119,000 (1983) to $219,000 (1999) More info: www.pacificseacraft.com

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Book titles by Bill Crealock: "Clouds of Islands" and "Vagabonding under Sail"

There was a time when cruising boats were a direct offshoot of working sailboats, and some of this heritage remains. I have cruised aboard some of these massively timbered craft, mainly because of the time they were inexpensive to buy. They are a long way from my ideal, yet I must admit that there is a charm about being able to literally pace the deck and to feel the ease with which a 70 foot Brixham Trawler, for instance, will slide along at seven knots with only the gentlest of movement. But the state of the art design has advanced since then, and the more modern cruising boat is infinitely more efficient and the sailor has a choice of types and displacements and rigs to suit his particular purpose.

The question of displacement is perhaps one of the more commonly misunderstood facets of cruising boat design. There is no single choice which is ideal for all uses, but displacement itself is not the vital ingredient in performance which some might suppose. The Westsail 42, for instance, has a displacement length ratio (a measure of the relative weight of a boat) of approximately 360, which might be considered at the upper end of the medium displacement range. Above 400 could be considered heavy displacement and below 300 light displacement. Yet Finisterre, one of the most successful offshore racing yachts of her day, was about 390, and some 12 meters ran well over 300. And the Westsail 32, although refined away from a work boat heritage, is still considered a fairly heavy displacement cruising boat. Yet she has a ratio within 10% of many ocean racers of the 60's and 70's. Clearly displacement itself does not affect the performance of such boats, and it is the overall proportioning of hull and rig which has the greater effect. Contrary to popular belief, the heavier displacement boat may show up surprisingly well in light airs whereas the lighter boat may have its greatest advantage in smarter breezes when surfing or semi-planing at the top end of the speed range. The lighter boat will accelerate faster and be more responsive to each puff, but she will have a quicker natural period of pitch and roll and ride more fussily to her anchor; because of her greater responsiveness she will need a firmer hand on the helm and self-steering may be difficult. There is no displacement to suit every taste; for those who seek the ultimate responsiveness in their boat, light displacement may be the way to go, but they must then be prepared to forego some other conveniences. There will have to be a tighter limit on tankage and stores and personal gear and engine size, for a laden boat designed for light displacement but carrying at extra 5000 pounds may have increased her displacement by 25% while a heavier boat carrying the same added weight may have increased it only 16%. I do not however advocate the old unmodified work boat types. Their displacements were often so great that is was impossible to carry a sail plan large enough to give adequate ratios, and underbody shapes and, in particular, keep shapes, were grossly inefficient. Better than nothing-it is true- but a long way from ideal. In displacement, then, as in so many other aspects of the cruising boat, the pounds must match the purpose.

Bill Crealock – Naval Architect

Profile by Rod Kulbach

W.i.b. crealock:   designer and gentleman.

A quiet, distinguished man who speaks the Queen’s English, Bill Crealock does not give the impression of one who shared a hot dog with Jane Russell or taught Rock Hudson how to sail.   When teased about his wild Hollywood days, a twinkle comes to his eye as he denies any impropriety, and his dry wit makes light of the circuitous road leading from Scotland Glasgow University to a celebrated design business in California.

Having grown up sailing “open boats in open waters round the British Isles,” young Bill wanted to study small-boat design at university.   But because Glasgow was one of the world’s shipbuilding centers, his choice was limited to naval architecture on a scale larger than he would have preferred.   Still, it was good training.   “They used the sandwich system,” he says of Glasgow’s curriculum.    “Winters were spent at the university and summers at the design office in a shipyard.   Also, some time had to be spent in the trades-as a plater, carpenter or loftsman.   It was a very good mix of the practical and theoretical, and I still believe strongly in the apprenticeship system.”

Before long he discovered a college in Glasgow that offered evening yacht-design classes.   He then designed for a few years at a yard building small commercial craft.

In 1952, perhaps restless and itching to see the world, he answered an ad in the paper calling for members to join “an expedition planning for a voyage to Australia via Madeira.”   Although that particular plan fell through, he made new friends in the process.   Soon four young men pooled their meager funds, bought the ancient cutter “Content” and set out “to study the behavior of boats at sea.”   Crealock described the ensuing adventures that took him from Morocco’s minarets to Guyana’s jungle rivers in his first book, “Vagabonding Under Sail”, published in 1978 by David McKay, Inc.

Other adventures followed aboard the ketch “Arthur Rogers”, including a lengthy cruise to the South Pacific, about which Bill wrote his second book, “Cloud of Islands”.   Both books are out of print now, but they may be available at libraries or on the used-book market.

During a brief visit to England, he reunited with one of his pals from the “Content” days, Ernest Chaimberlain.   Ernest had just met a wealthy businessman at the Explorer’s Club in New York, a man given a curious ultimatum by his doctors:   “Take at least three months a year off or you’re going to die.”   His idea of time off was to finance and join a shell-collecting expedition to the Western Pacific, with Ernest and Bill in charge.

Soon the two friends located a schooner in California:   105-foot LOA, built of nickel steel and needing a complete re-build from the deck up.   The price was $25,000.   Over the next few months, the “Gloria Maris” circumnavigated the Pacific while her crew dredged for shells in Palau, New Guinea and Japan.

Always the designer, Bill rigged light pivoting yards for the vessel’s foremast on which the crew set a square sail and raffee, a rig he had helped pioneer years before.   “A marvelously docile rig when you’re shorthanded,” he recalls.   Approaching Japan, Bill met his first typhoon at sea - a big one.   “I don’t know how close to us the center came, but it got pretty breezy-and in fact we lost our mainmast.”   Cutting the rig free, they stepped a jury mast, and in settled weather they sailed for Okinawa and on to Kobe-the first place able to build them a new spar.   Two months later they continued the trip across the Pacific, heading home.

            Back in California, Bill Tighe of Willard Boat Works gave Crealock his first commission, a powerboat using an existing set of frames.   Soon came another request for a powerboat, the “The Lady Claire”, a husky, 56-foot trawler yacht to be built for actress Claire Trevor’s husband.   To learn how things were done in America, Bill worked in the yard during the day and spent evenings designing more powerboats and sailboats, all in the 30- to 45-foot range.

            By the early 1960’s, a great wave of boat building had swept over Southern California.   Everywhere you looked there were boats, molds, masts and yards full of projects.   Jensen, Columbia, Ericson, Islander - it was a golden age of production fiberglass boat building.   Bill’s entry into this market was with the 26-foot Excalibur, a fin-keel sloop that raced well and still maintains a loyal following after 30 years.

            Around 1965 the Westsail saga began with a builder named Larry Kendall, who came to Bill and asked if there was anything out there in the way of a market for cruising boats.   Bill thought Larry might be able to sell “a dozen or so.”   Larry decided on the Atkin Thistle, a husky 32-foot double-ender with a flush deck, and began tooling.   After years of work, turmoil and bankruptcy, the plans and tooling were picked up by Snyder and Lynn Vic, who named the boat Westsail and began serious production.   The flush deck of Atkin’s original design found little appeal, so a trunk cabin version modeled after another Atkins design called Eric was created.   Crealock drew the rig and some of the interior, before long, many people credited him with the hull design as well.   “I did not touch the lines,” he assures me.   “We wanted to keep the basic Atkin design.”

            Thereafter,  “Time” magazine ran a lengthy piece on cruising as a lifestyle and one of the boats featured was a Westsail.   The corporation hit big time and talked to Bill about a larger boat.   This led to the Westsail 42 and 43   (identical hulls), one of the first boats based on the input of potential buyers.   “Strong” was the operative word, and “overkill” best describes the hull layup.   Lookers loved to thump on the topsides at boat shows, and salesmen eagerly showed core samples virtually inches thick.   But after a massive advertising campaign and a frenzy of building, the fast rise led to a steady decline despite a string of reincarnations.

            Meanwhile, Bill had generated other projects.   Though Taiwan was the country of choice for Americans building overseas, a company named Tiburon settled in Costa Rica and came to Bill in 1974 for a husky cruiser that would sail well.   So was born the Tiburon 36, later given a counter stern to become the Cabo Rico 38.

            Additionally, large numbers of trailer sailers found a ready market and Bill designed a line of them for Clipper Marine.   This went from a broad-transom 21-footer (capable of planing under power) to the Clipper 30 and 32 among the longest legal trailer boats.

            Though Clipper Marine had a rocky business history, it was not without its bright spots.   One of them, a twin-keel 23-footer whose keels became sophisticated asymmetrical sections, was to primitive twin-keels what airplane wings are to 2x12s.   Before Clipper faded, its builders began tooling for a 37-footer - a Spartan, capable but economical blue-water cruiser.   None were built, and in 1976 the molds were passed on to Cruising Consultants who subcontracted their work out and sold about 20 boats.   Pacific Seacraft took over the tooling and the Crealock 37 came into its own.

            Bill spent an enormous amount of time on the underbody of the 37, developing his ideas on steering and control in bad conditions.   “I’ve always felt it is a mistake to transfer a racing underbody to a cruising hull,” he explains.   “Their purposes are so different.   There were some fairly subtle features in the afterbody of the 37 intended to come into play when running at high speed.   You never know for sure… maybe they worked…but something very unusual happened.   Two owners of 37s, 3,000 miles apart, called me with almost identical stories.   Both had surfed at well over 10 knots and both had made the same remark:   They wished they’d had a tiller instead of a wheel because this boat was so easy to steer.”

            In the late 1960s, Bill married Lynne Banner, a woman he’d met while fitting out the “Gloria Maris”.   Since the early 1970s, Bill, Lynne and their daughter Anne have lived on the coast north of San Diego.

            As for pure racing boats, Bill feels it’s something he would have to devote full time to-or not do at all.   “In racing,” says, “the object, above all, is to get there first.   Safety, comfort, ease of handling are all secondary.   But in a cruising boat there are so many fascinating requirements and variables.”

            Yacht design is an odd mixture of art and engineering and engineering today means computers.   When it comes to crunching numbers, there’s little talk of going back to the old way.   But the lines are a different story.   “The tendency on the computer seems to be to say,   ‘That’s close enough’.   But I’m constantly looking for little improvements in transition areas, anything that gets away from smooth, flowing lines.   I find that I can do that just as quickly by hand as with the computer.”

            “With cruising boats you seldom have the luxury of tank testing, so you must develop your ideas conservatively, a small step at a time.   You say to yourself, ‘Well, that one didn’t sink, perhaps we can take it a step further…’

            “And on top of that it’s more difficult to design boats today.   People expect so much.   They need to cram everything in-water makers, electronics, insulation, machinery, stabilizers.   All good things in themselves, but tough to squeeze into the hull.”

            Bill Crealocks’ office is unique in that the ratio of sail-to-power is about 50/50.   His 20+ knot powerboats are similar in concept to his cruising sailboats-designed to maintain their speeds in safety and in relative comfort amid rough conditions.   The Offshore 48, built in Taiwan, is a good example, as is the 36 mile-per-hour Cabo Sportfisherman.

            He shares his office with J. Richard Jacobs, who Bill says is the best draftsman he has ever known, and Bill Luther, a former instructor at the Yacht Design Institute who has taken over much of the exacting detail work involved in planning systems.

            Is there one boat he’s really proud of, one that came alive just as planned, a functional, beautiful “yacht” in the best sense of the word?

            After reflecting for a bit, Bill surmises, “Perhaps the 65-foot schooner “Kaiulani” She is such an unusual boat nowadays - she had to be strictly gaff schooner above the waterline, but below, she is quite slippery.   She is cold molded, and her builder has made a work of art, both inside and out.   I believe her current jaunt is taking her around Cape Horn.”

            Bill may be quiet, but in his polite way he projects competence.   His clients understand that they are dealing with someone who has been designing boats a very long time, someone whose life is inseparable from designing boats and someone who has never questioned his ability to design boats well.

            But beyond the professional sphere, there is Bill Crealock the man.   Unfailingly polite and civil, his friendships and business relationships go back a long way.   He still keeps in touch with those he’s cruised with; he still believes in the reliability of a handshake over the intimidation presence of a lawyer.   Those of us who have worked with him sometimes feel frustration when, in the middle of a project, someone calls about an ancient Clipper 21 they’ve just bought.   Can he tell them how to fix the drop keel, and can he send a sail plan?   Bill will dig through the files, come up with what they want, and get in the mail, even as a deadline clock ticks over his head.

            Bill’s stature as a naval architect is indisputable.   But beyond that, he remains a living example of the perfect gentleman.

A longtime sailor and designer who lived aboard for 10 years, Rod Kulbach has known Bill Crealock 25 years.

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• Sailboat Guide

Islander 23 (Crealock)

Islander 23 (Crealock) is a 22 ′ 11 ″ / 7 m monohull sailboat designed by William Crealock and built by Islander / Tradewind Yachts starting in 1969.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Some were later sold as the IONA 23.

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