Custom Tanton-designed one-off ready-to-go world cruising staysail schooner
Table of Contents
Introduction
s/v Rachel J. Slocum is a fast, comfortable one-off staysail schooner capable of sailing at 7.5-8 knots in almost any wind condition, and staying there. She usually gets more looks than any other boat in the harbor. There was only one rule given to the designer: nothing must compromise sailing ability. With its huge sail area and lean hull, Rachel J. Slocum begins cruising upwind at 4.5 knots in open-ocean conditions at only 4 knots of breeze while most other vessels must rely on their motor, and gets to the next anchorage, under sail, faster than you or others will believe possible.
The captain can choose between wind vane or electric auto pilot to maintain an excellent track in varying wind conditions. With her first owner, she has completed a world circumnavigation via Cape of Good Hope & Cape Horn, including fast crossings of the Pacific Ocean (seven times), Indian Ocean (twice) and Atlantic Ocean (twice).
Rachel J. Slocum took 1 year to design and 3½ years to build with private US and British inspectors, and with the present owner, on site every step of the way. She is ABS certified (ABS Certificate No. KS 6055X). The owner, who grew up on sailing yachts and whose father owned Concordia Boat Yard and Marshall Marine in Padanaram, Massachusetts, took care to incorporate every good idea learned after nine continuous years cruising around the world in a different yacht. She has been continuously refit and upgraded since launch, with no consideration to cost. Everything works.
This is a yacht that was designed for and will appeal to one couple who wishes to sail the world immediately in comfort and style, and with speed, with provision for three live-aboard guests on an occasional basis. She is “ready to go,” with nothing that needs to be upgraded or fixed.
Highlights
- Bullet-proof Kevlar hull
- Wing keel designed by Dave Pedrick (America’s Cup)
- All Spectra sails in nearly new condition
- Lugger engine with Max Prop
- ABS certified collision bulkhead
- 110 and 220 VAC international electric setup with dual 160-amp alternators
- 30 gallon/hour water maker
- Master stateroom bed tilts on thrusters
- Sailor, Fleet 250 broadband communications, 48-mile radar
- Interphase Twinscope forward-seeking sonar
- Diesel heater
Boat Specs
| LOA | LWL | Beam | Draft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47' 4"14.4m | 39' 8"12m | 13' 4"4.05 m | 6' 6"2m |
| Gross Tonnage | Displacement | D/L Ratio | Hull Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21.9 tons | 14.29 tons | 226.08 | 8.5kn |
| Year | Launched in 1989 |
| Rigging Type | 2 Masted Schooner |
| Flag | British |
| Designer | Yves-Marie Tanton (Newport, R.I.) |
| Builder | Shing Sheng (Ta Shing), Tainan, Taiwan – Taiwan's premier boat yard. |
| Hull | Kevlar with epoxy resin layup (impact resistance greater than steel for its thickness, and no possibility of blistering). |
| Deck | Teak over FRP with Divinycell core. |
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| Keel | Wing (designed specifically for the boat by Dave Pedrick and Yves-Marie Tanton) |
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| Sail Area | 1,090 sq. ft. working sail area (not including fore staysail and fisherman). All sails are in nearly new condition.
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| Rigging |
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| Engine | Lugger (marinized John Deere), 87BHP. Low r/cruising RPM (1200 RPM), high torque. Completely rebuilt May 2018. Exclusively lubricated with Mobil 1 “SuperSyn” fully-synthetic motor oil throughout its life. |
| Fuel | 200 gallons capacity. 0.8 gal/hour average fuel consumption at 1200rpm |
| Water | 60 gallons tank capacity with 30 gal/hour Sea Recovery hydraulic water maker and optional rain water collection via valves that can divert all rain water to tank (fills up the tank in less than 10 minutes in a downpour). |
Exterior boat gallery
Interior boat gallery
If you would like to learn more about her design, check out the research we uncovered, which includes articles published in Yachting World and Sailing Magazine.
Why are we selling
After a mere 6 months of ownership, we decided that a cruising life was not in the cards for us. s/v Rachel J Slocum is an amazing example of a vessel made for world exploration in every sense of the word. In our short time as owners, we invested the literal blood, sweat and tears into making her ready to make way offshore. On the open sea is where she belongs, not tied up to a dock.
The obvious question would be: What’s wrong with the boat to motivate a sale so quickly?
The answer lies in the explanation above. There’s nothing wrong with her, she was a substantial financial investment on the heels of liquidating all other wordly posessions (and many of the comforts that come with a land life). Our decision to abandon our cruising plans was by far one of our hardest challenges. This sale is simply part of moving on, not in any way a reflection of this fine sailing vessel.