IT FINALLY HAPPENED!

Thanks to members Todd Clift (HERON), David Payne (TEMPUS FUGIT) and other collaborators, we are now on line at http://www.alberg37.org – Todd has graciously agreed to design and host the web site (at no cost to the organization). The site came on-line in January, and is in a continual stage of evolution, with new features added weekly. Currently, we have on-line all of the existing newsletters from 1992 to present. The newsletters are searchable, so it’s easy to find specific bits of information. The site also has a project database, discussion forum, for sale page, related links, and many other features. Plan to visit the site, and PLEASE, join in the discussion forum. We hope that now that the word is out about the web site, we’ll have a lot of member participation. Todd is the webmaster for the site. You can post suggestions to Todd either on the website, or email him at Heron@alberg37.org.

News from Members

Check out the updates of Brian and Kathy Marshs’ (TUNDRA) voyages and adventures at their website: http://www.interchg.ubc.ca/coulthrd/tundra.html

They are having some major fun in the Bahamas. Last word has it that they are in company with Marcel and Karen Steinz (SOUTHERN CROSS).

Wayne Bower (TEELOK) has recently completed his hard dodger (featured in the previous newsletter) which he says looks Goooooood!

Roland Pootmans (LANIKAI) mentioned in an email earlier this year that he hopes all members’ GPS are Y2K compliant, as Magellan says that we will know prior to 22 August, 1999, which is the rollover date for GPS. He also mentioned that you can check this out on the Magellan web page at http:/www.magellangps.com and look under product support. Thanks for the tip.

Malcolm and Cathy Blackburn had high hopes for KAILA II last year, but although it was a gorgeous summer, and getting off to an early start, it ended with only a 10 day cruise, with most of that in a flat calm. It really was more of a motor boat summer.

It was also the year of gear failure. The roller furling seized early on, due to dry bearings. Fortunately they had the original forestay and two brand new jibs, so that was not such a disaster. On the last day of their trip, the engine quit, but they managed to sail off their anchor and out into the open water where they had a good sail home. A mechanic couldn’t determine why it quit (VOLVO MD-2B), but he got it going again. They suspected a plugged fuel line, although the filters were clean. The engine had occasionally lost rpm during the year, but always picked up again. They subsequently pulled the engine at the end of the season and will have it checked over, and have a leaky gear box fixed. The final blow came when they took out the inflatable and found that muskrats had chewed a hole in the floor! This year they plan on only daysailing – this being the year of the paint and varnish brush (both house and boat). Cathy will be retiring next year, when they hope to have all the cosmetic jobs done with more time for relaxing and sailing.

Erik Dullerud (LA JOLLA) is still sailing his beloved 1982 sloop that is now in excellent shape after major refitting. Last year the Dulleruds became members of the Cathedral Bluffs Yacht Club and LA JOLLA is now located at Bluffers Park in Toronto. So far, all of their sailing has been confined to Lake Ontario, but they are planning to venture further afield as they ease into retirement over the next couple of years.

David Lahman provided the following update of their experiences with SHE’N I last summer:

    "We sailed with friends to Horseshoe Island off Door County over the July 4^th weekend. While anchored at the island, a large powerboat came by just off plane and threw a tremendous wake which dragged our anchor and nearly put us on the beach. It did put us on the bottom, but we dinghyed the anchor back out into the bay and it held the rest of the night.

    Toward the end of July it became apparent that our roller furling was shot and parts were not available for repair. We replaced it with a Harken system and for the rest of the summer it worked like a dream.

    In early August, my friend Doug came up with his daughter and her girl friend. The four of us motored through rain and wind to Washington Island and spent the night, walked the island and motored back to the marina. We spent that night in our slip and the following day motored through fog to Sturgeon Bay. At Sturgeon Bay, we spent that night in a slip at the new Skipper Bud’s Marina. My hand held GPS worked great the entire time and having bought it on sale at a local boat show for $90, it has already paid for itself.

    Joyce and I took a three day weekend in early October had had perfect wind and weather. We sailed across to the Door at Fish Creek where we enjoyed lunch and sight seeing for several hours before sailing back. It was possibly the best sail Joyce and I have yet had. We hauled the boat the following weekend to find blisters. After sand blasting the bottom we found that had been filled with bottom paint. The hull is now being filled and faired. New cushions are also being made.

    We flew to New England at the end of October for nine days and met lots of nice people at different marinas, yachtclubs and at both the Morris and Hinkley yards. We received a suggestion to install Harken sail cars to ease the raising of the mainsail, which may be a project in a year or two.

    We still have our Atomic Four. The electric motors are as expensive as a new diesel, but have only an eight hour run time per charge (David had been looking into electric auxiliary power). We have been looking for an alcohol engine, but so far only custom engines are available for racing boats. If one of our members is heading for South America, perhaps they could check at Brazil for me. This seems to be the only country with alcohol powered cars, so they may also have alcohol powered marine engines as well. Joyce and I have decided that we would be dinghy powered before we would install a diesel - I want something less polluting than fossil fuel.

    With spring approaching, I am already getting excited about our 1999 launch date. With all the repairs and rework, SHE ‘N I will be like a new boat and I look forward to that."

John and Daina Eby expressed their appreciation for the association in their holiday greetings.

Back in January, we received the following account from Richard Border (TANIA AEBI):

    "Hi. I thought I'd drop you this note to let you know what I've been doing to my '37.

I've installed a new stove, new triple reefed main, new miter cut 110% jib, new lower shrouds, CPT Autopilot II, life raft with hydrostatic release, 100 amp Balmar alternator and ARS III regulator, Marine Air wind generator, new Corian countertops, boom vang, radar, toilet, new sinks in the galley and head, hot water heater, additional GPS, moved the engine instruments, added new sailing instruments, new coastal nav lights and added a mast head light. I've also cut out every wire in the boat, and put in new power panels. Every piece of plumbing is new, fuel and water, and shore pressure water was added. I just had the sail cover, dodger, winch covers, and all the cushions in the boat made from Forest Green Sunbrella. So far I've done no cosmetic improvements, but I think that's this spring's jobs.

    I had planned on wintering in the BVI and doing the sanding and painting there, but that didn't work out. I retired in late September, worked on the boat though October. I joined the West Marine Caribbean 1500 Rally, then sailed outside to Salt Ponds Marina, Hampton, Va. I started realizing that I really wasn't ready for this, but thousands of people do it every year, so I didn't want to chicken out. I left a day after the rest of the Rally's fleet, because of a air leak in the diesel line. By the time I got to the Gulfstream, off Cape Hatteras, the wind was blowing 40-45 Kts. and the waves were 15 ft., with an some waves as high as the spreaders. The fleet's weatherman said Hurricane Mitch was coming, so I turned around and went back to Salt Ponds.

My plans now are to work on the boat in the spring and summer. I'll then leave for the BVI in late October from some where south of Cape Hatteras.

    I have a web page on the work I'm doing on the boat, its www.netlabs.net/hp/soarrich. I also have a page on Alberg 37 in general, with a listing of boats for sale. So far the page has led to the sale of two boats, INISFAIL and IMMUNITY, the owners both sent me nice e-mail informing me of the sales and thanking me. I think the Cruising World's Classic Plastic has raised the A-37 standing as a "bluewater" cruiser."

We heard from Nick and Nancy Valci (NANCY ANN) when they ordered a pennant. While spending some time in Indiantown, they watched Gord Murphy’s (INTERLUDE) rudder being reborn, and is one to envy (Gord lost his rudder last year in a storm in the Bahamas). Nancy has learned to sand and varnish teak, polish and wax the hull, and bottom painting (do you hire out??). She has also learned patience because it always takes longer to do anything on a boat than originally planned.

Richard Hughes (WATOOKA) is in the need of a source of parts to rebuild a Paragon SA1D 1-1 transmission. Also he wants information on what other transmissions are appropriate to the Westerbeke 4-104 in an A-37 application. He can be reached at 723489N@knotes.kodak.com or (416) 614-9507.

Stewart Clatterbaugh discovered after first hauling IMMUNITY that there are no zincs on the engine or cutless bearing. He has no room between the cutless bearing and the prop in which to install a zinc. He is also concerned that he can find no provisions to install a zinc in the Westerbeke 4-107 engine. Any thoughts from members on these problems? Contact Stewart at stuc@alberg37.org

(Ed. Note: You are running into the prop zinc problem that we had with SHEARWATER back in '82-83', when we "imported" her from Toronto. She had spent the first 7 years in fresh water and had no zinc installed on the prop shaft. Like your installation, there was no room between the cutless bearing housing and the prop in which to fit a 'donut' zinc, and there was not enough room between the end of the prop shaft and the rudder to install a "teardrop" zinc which screws on the end of the prop shaft. Since I didn't want to cut out an area in the rudder, I finally came up with the idea of having a short piece of heavy 1" diameter bronze tubing about 1-1/4" long welded (brazed I guess) to a bronze prop shaft nut. I then was able to install a regular 1" donut zinc at the aft end of the prop, with no interference with the rudder. I know, that I probably lose a slight amount of prop efficiency, but being close to the root of the blades, I figured It's not too bad, with a 3 bladed prop (we don't race unless in the vicinity of another sailboat). The only other option is to cut out a bit of the prop aperture in the rudder, or cut off part of the cutless bearing housing (I don't think that's a good idea).

Alain Redder is asking for ideas regarding propane storage on the A-37. He already knows about the storage locker in the aft end of the cockpit. If anyone has other solutions for propane storage, please contact Alain at (203) 431-4601 or ared@earthlink.net .

Tom McMaster and Rose Hansmeyer want to know if anyone has the part # for a Globe impeller for the Volvo 2003 diesel? Or did they use different pumps from different manufacturers during the years of production? Also is there an archive of problems/solutions one could resource concerning systems of the boat including engines etc? They are also looking for a source of custom-made boat covers. Contact them at (612) 825-4022 or tommac@megsinet.net.

Concerning the Draft of the A-37

By Peter Boyadjian

 

Re: A-37 Newsletter Vol.IX No.1. dated 99 01 05, page 1, and with reference to Skene's Elements of Yacht Design, eighth edition, page 286, fig.43, the "Nomograph for pounds per inch immersion in salt water", indicates approximately 1000 lbs./ins immersion.

    The difference in specification of the draft and the actual measurement is approximately 8 ins i.e. equivalent to approximately 8000 lbs. ( 3.6 tons ), from the nomograph This is 46.7% of the published displacement of 16800 lbs. ( 7.5 tons ). From the lines, the freeboard amidships is scaled at 3.1 ft, which, less 8 ins , would amount to 2.4 ft.

    These comparisons do not seem to support the actual draft to be other than about 6 ft. I suspect that Whitby Boat Works modified the specifications to provide a larger sail area than specified, in order to provide greater drive with the comparatively lighter summer airs on the Great Lakes. Consequently, perhaps a deeper draft was provided to optimize stability.

    I have found that, whenever I have been offshore, the main stays reefed most of the time, as I feel overcanvassed. It would be interesting to read other opinions.

 

Peter Boyadjian.

Yawl Inia.

Welcome to the Following New Members

Welcome to Tom McMaster and Rose Hansmeyer of Minneapolis, MN who are the owners of SOJOURN. SOJOURN is currently in Manitowoc, WI, but Tom and Rose plan to bring her to Bayfield in June. She is the former WINDCHASER 2, hull #239, a 1985 sloop (one of the last 10 A-37s built). The former owner is a friend and former co-worker of Tom, who logged only about 2500 miles on her. Tom has been a frequent user of the new web site to request information regarding upgrading aspects of the A-37. Tom is specifically looking for information regarding inverter location possibilities, and the practicality of a 3^rd reef in the mainsail.

Shad Dusseau and his wife Barbara Cohea, who live in Kotzebue, AK, about 50 miles north of the arctic circle on the Bearing Sea, recently purchased the 1980 sloop, WILLIAM LUCAS which is currently being renovated in Victoria, B.C.. Currently they are rebuilding her VOLVO, installing a Profurl furling system, re-rigging her as a cutter (removable), painting her topsides, and generally cleaning her up. She was in very good condition overall. Shad and Barbara intend to move her to her home port of Sitka in June/July. Shad is a bush pilot for the National Park Service and Barbara is the director of health education for the region.

Bram and Elsie Smith of Labrador City, Newfoundland recently purchased the 1975 yawl, ALICIA III. Newcomers to sailing, they plan to take 3 months this summer to gain their sealegs The Smiths are our first members from the great province of Newfoundland. (Ed. Note: In the early and late 60’s, I spent quite a bit of time in Newfoundland flying the Navy WV-2 (Lockheed Super Constellation) and the P-3 (Lockheed Orion).)

Jack and Gerna St. John, who recently moved from PA to West Boothbay Harbor, ME, purchased the 1972 yawl, FIGMENT in 1995. They plan to do some cruising in the future and my try to attend an A-37 rendezvous. They were interested in hearing that another A-37 resides in Pemaquid, ME (the Gillespies’ HIGHLAND FLING). Jack and Gerna believe that FIGMENT was originally called FAIRWIND, but when they found her in Rye Harbor, NH, she carried her present name. They also encountered another A-37 in ME, which was called MARCHESA II, and whose owner had renamed her to TRES JOLIE. She departed Paul Luke’s yard in East Boothbay, ME in October bound for San Francisco. The owner plans a circumnavigation at some point in the future.

David Payne of New London, NH recently purchased TEMPUS FUGIT from Richard Boag who provided David much assistance throughout the purchasing, refitting and registration. David has provided assistance to Todd Clift in the development of the A-37 web page for which the association is grateful. David also sent the following note:

"The reason for my writing is to invite any interested A37 owners to join me for a leg of my forthcoming 3 month journey from Lake Ontario to Boston (the long way ;-) My boat, Tempus Fugit, has never left her home waters of Lake Ontario since she was born in Ajax in 1967. Her skipper (me) is a solid sailor, but I would be foolish to pass up the opportunity to sail a few days (or weeks, even) with the likes of some of you long-time Alberg 37 owners. To that end, I have set up a small web site with details on my boat, the voyage, and how to contact me if you're interested. The address is: http://www.telemarque.com/TempusFugit/ Once there, you'll find approximate (VERY approximate at this point) floatplans, pictures, and contact info. I will try to update the pages throughout the trip, so even if you can't join in the fun, feel free to browse the pages and follow our progress! Oh, and ANY advice on long-term cruising in an Alberg 37 is VERY welcome!! Yours in Fair Winds and Following Seas, Dave Payne"

Todd and Susan Heinrich of South Haven, MI, while not yet owning an A-37, are still in the process of discovering the "right A-37". They have looked at several A-37s on the hard ranging from "Bristol" condition to circumnavigation "war-horses". We wish them luck in finding a good vessel.

Fall Rendezvous

Now is the time to start planning for the East Coast Rendezvous. Several members have suggested that we hold the rendezvous later in the fall, to more closely coincide with the Annapolis, MD sailboat show which is being held this year October 7-11, 1999. This year’s rendezvous is tentatively planned for September 25, 26 and 27, 1999. The tentative location will be on the Magothy River, just north of Annapolis. John and Becky Long (SOLSKIN II) have graciously agreed to host this year’s event. This will allow you "Snow Birds" a chance to cruise the upper Chesapeake Bay, attend the rendezvous, take in the Annapolis Sailboat Show before heading south. The fall is the best cruising season in the Chesapeake. More details, maps, etc. will be in the July newsletter.

Deck Mounted Hardware/Core Failure

by Doug Stevenson

When it is done right, it will need service every few years. When it is done wrong, it can cost you a major deck repair. One of the most common causes of core failure is the installation procedure, not the hardware or location. Common items such as anchor chocks for large anchors, windlasses, and liferaft carriages are of such a weight, they constantly stress their mounting system. You can reduce the sealant fatigue by mounting such items securely.

    We’ll take an example of the latter. We agree that a logical place is the aft cabin behind the companionway storm cover. And we’ll presume the package with liferaft is going to be a 100 lb. unit.

    Having surveyed the areas around we see that the stanchions and aft pulpit, the emergency tiller fitting and cleats are all secured through the deck, without backing plates, and as we haven’t experienced a wet bunk, we decide to do the same. Tilt!

Where the fastenings were factory installed the areas were FRP without core material. Whereas the location we are going to mount our hardware is balsa cored. ( a few Airex were done)

    I find most owners know about that which I wish to share. Due to a variety of reasons, the most common of which, being the need to expedite the procedure before guests arrive, weather, or a pending departure they overlook their wisdom for accomplishment. Another 'Job off the LIST'!!! The trick is to get a good protective seal without interrupting the cosmetic appearance of the upper surface or the interior.

    In our location I suggest the following. (1) With the cradle on station, drill your holes for the fastenings from topside using the cradle mounts as your template. (2) In the aft cabin, using a hole-saw and a short lead drill, remove a disk the size of each mount area plus a little extra to uncover the balsa coring. This will take you through the liner, about one eighth of an inch thick and through the inner laminate of the deck, about one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch thick. There well may be a void between the cabin liner and the deck. (3) Once core material becomes evident or you have penetrated through these barriers, stop and pry out the disk and all of the core material with a chisel or similar tool. This area should be larger in diameter than will allow any bolt to pass through core material. (4) Fill the area with an epoxy putty compound and allow to harden thoroughly. Dress off. (5) From the coachroof, re-drill the same holes for the fastenings as previous. Using appropriate sealant and a machined backing plate on the underside, secure each of the mounts for the cradle. (6) Dress off the area with matching teak cover plates or stainless dummy backing plates beneath the securing backing plate using cap nuts for dressing. Voila! If it does leak eventually the balsa core is sealed from water leeching and destroying it.

    A good rule of thumb for knowing where the balsa or core material is laid is simple. If the area is a non-skid area, there is core material in that area. Late in 1984 an order was issued to the plant in Canada that regardless of whether or not the customer had ordered a windlass installed, the area that we would normally use would be filled with epoxy material instead of balsa coring. All others should exercise caution. If your windlass was factory installed, it is likely all right. Positive identification of when that occurred may be difficult. Vessels from the late 60s or early 70’s may also need close scrutiny even if factory installed.

    The same procedure would apply anywhere on the vessel deck. To remove an existing fixture while performing your rebedding chores every few years is an excellent time to review how your installations were done.

(Ed. Note: This article, while pertaining to the Whitby 42, is also applicable to the Alberg 37, as the same personnel fabricated both boats in the same facility. If further inquiries are warranted, contact Doug Stevenson at (705) 527-0967; Email yachts@yachtsls.com)

 

Aborted Caribbean 1500 Trip

By Richard Border

New York Harbor

I retired 9-21-98 with 3 days notice to me. I had been trying to decide if I would go on Steve Black's Caribbean 1500, Carpi Deim, I sign up. Now it's 6 weeks until it starts and I've got all the wiring and plumbing cut out of the boat. My son decides to go with me, so he moves on the boat to help get it ready. I've got a lot done, but most isn't. In Newport Harbor Marina Beer O'clock starts early with all my friends stopping by to wish me luck and say good by, I got to get out.

October 17, 1998

We leave my home marina and sail 5 hours south to a small marina in Raratin Bay. We arrive at dusk, this stinks, we just have enough light to see the breakwater. My new radar really helps here, closing on the beach in the dark is not cool. This is strange, we're the big boat here, at Newport the BIG BOAT was 110'. Moving did three things, first it stopped the partying, second it put us close to a West Marine, third it made me realize I collected a lot of junk living aboard during the last year, most of which is now on the cabin's sole. We are getting a lot done, but the weather looks good so we head south.

 

October 20, 1998

The weather is nice, 65 degrees, west winds at 10 Kts. New Jersey is a tiny state, but it takes forever to get past, as the wind starts coming around to SSW at 15 Kts. Now we're going as close to the wind as we can, the seas get to about 5 feet, 37 feet apart. We double reefed a dusk, and furled the jib about midnight, starting the diesel to help power in to the seas some. We settle in for a bumpy ride though the night In the morning we are near Cape May, the seas are down to about 2 feet, the wind is SW at 10 Kts. We shut the diesel off, take the reef out of the main, and unfurl the jib. It doesn't get any better than this, we're flying, 7.7kts., we sail this way all day and night. We find ourselves becalmed off Cape Charles in the morning, so we start the diesel up and motor for about fifteen minutes. My new overheat alarm goes off, the hose to the heat exchanger has popped off. We waste hours putting it on, and having it pop off again. Finally I cut a new hose and install it. I have a Westerbeke 4-107 with a big 3 bladed prop on it, full speed is about 6kts. at 1800 rpm. It will overheat in 15 minutes if you run this way, someday I'll get a little pitch taken out of the prop. Normally I cruise at 1300 rpm making 4.5kts., at 4.5kts Salt Ponds Marina in Hampton is a long way from Cape Charles, we arrived after dark. My new radar saved us again, the channel markers stood out great, I mounted the radar low for that very reason. I don't need the extra range putting it up by the spreaders gives you, I've never bumped in to anything 16 miles away.

 

October 25, 1998

We wake up in the morning in a sea of pink Caribbean 1500 flags, we are one of the last to show up. The organizers have riggers come around and inspect the rigging of all 68 of the boats. My lower shrouds have been installed improperly, I need new ones, and insulators put in my backstay. I'd arranged to have my ICOM 710 SSB radio installed also at this time. The safety inspection points out more things I need. $1000 here, and a $1000 there start to add up to real money, my boat is ready about $4000 later.

 

November 1, 1998

Everyone is leaving but us, we have an air leak in the fuel line. About 3pm. I think I got the leak fixed so we decide to rest for the night and start in the morning.

 

November 2&3, 1998

We start out at 11 am, we have a weather forecast saying NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER FOR 5-6 DAYS. 5 hours after leaving dock a front with 25 Kts. of wind, rain, and a 20 degree drop in temperature came through. For the next two days we keep getting stronger winds and bigger waves. Now at the north side of the Gulfstream, off Cape Hatteras, with the wind 40-45 Kts. and the waves as high as the spreaders, we have the main triple reefed and the jib fully furled. We are pointing as close to the wind as we can, making about 3 Kts with the leeward rail underwater.

 

November 4&5, 1998

During the 7pm. radio check, the fleet was informed that Hurricane Mitch was coming. We were told we had to be south of 32 degrees by Thursday, I wasn't going to make it. I chose to turn around and go back to Hampton, Va. We listen on the radio as boat's EPIRBS are going off. A Tayana 42 is rolled and demasted, the Coast Guard pulls the people off by helicopter. A Korgen 38 is abandoned after the crew suffers broken arms, wrenched back, and extreme seasickness. They get a unplanned trip to Hamburg, Germany on the container ship that picks them up. Booms are broke and sails are blown out on many boats, some put out sea anchors, while others are running under bare poles.

 

November 6, 1998

After 4 1/2 days without sleep we were back at dock, and safe. I had learned some valuable lessons. 1) The boat can take it. 2) I was one of the four not to make it to the BVI, but I still had my boat, and I will try again. 3) I need 1-2 experienced crew in bad weather. 4) Do your own weather forecasting. 5) Have charts for anything within 1000 miles of you, you never know when you may need them. -- Richard L. Border http://www.netlabs.net/hp/soarrich

Winter Rendezvous

The 1999 Winter Rendezvous was held at Harrison’s Chesapeake House on Tilghman Island, Maryland on Saturday evening, 6 March. We had a good turnout for cocktails and dinner, (excellent food) considering the flu season was in full swing.

Members attending were: Tom and Kaye Assenmacher (SHEARWATER); Wayne and Sherrill Bower (TEELOK); John and Becky Long (SOLSKIN II); Charles and Jane Deakyne (SCRIMSHAW); Gerry Warwick (ex owner of AVALON); and Lou and Jean Wayne (PIKA). Lou and Jean drove down from Rochester, NY, leaving on Friday during a major snowstorm, and returning on Sunday evening, having weathered another major snowfall in their area. What dedication!

Charles Deakyne brought his newly acquired half-model of the Alberg 37 (which arrived just in time for the rendezvous). It is very nicely made and finished. John Zeigler of River Edge, NJ built the model. (We had mentioned John in a previous newsletter). If anyone is interested in obtaining an A-37 half model, contact either Charles Deakyne, or contact John Zeigler directly. His address is:

John Zeigler

P.O. Box 45,

River Edge, NJ 07661

Tel: 201.967.9745

unklesam@carroll.com

Alberg 37 - Prefer but do not require; sloop, diesel, Mark 1 or 2, freshwater -in good to excellent condition. We want an A37 for the Great Lakes, fairly priced. We wish to buy before Summer '99. Any information to reach our goal will be sincerely appreciated.

CONTACT; Todd and Susan Heinrich, 11892 76TH ST South Haven, MI 49090

Ph. 616-637-7840 Fax. 616-637-4989

Email; heinrich@i2k.com

Last year we received a call from Ian Mitchell from Doha, Qatar who is looking for an A-37. We recently received another letter from Ian, who is still looking for a well-found early 1980s Alberg 37 yawl. If anyone knows of such a boat, please contact:

Ian Mitchell

C/O Gulf Helicopters Ltd. – Bombay Ops

P.O. Box 811

Doha, Qatar

My name is Greg Scott---I am a serious buyer!! I want a Alberg 37... my home phone is 407.729.0065. fax is 407.723.9951. please fax any spec sheets and contact phone numbers. I do NOT want a project boat. I am willing to truck the boat to Florida. Call me and if things sound right and I will fly up in a heart beat!!!

 FOR SALE

We occasionally receive requests for A-37 ‘for sale’ lists, and we know of several A-37's that have changed ownership by word-of mouth and by reference to this list through our members. We maintain (or try to) an up-to-date list of A-37's that are being offered for sale. If you know of anyone looking for an A-37, have them contact us for a for sale list.

Recent offerings include:

Geoff and Nel Dunthorne are offering their A-37 WANESA for sale. (No mention whether she is a sloop or yawl, and no asking price.) Interested parties should contact Geoff and Nel at 284 David Street, Sudbury, Ontario P3E 1T8, phone (705) 674-6853. (Provided by Bob Grindahl)

Fred and Phyllis Owen are still offering their 1978 sloop (#187), PRINCE MADOC, for $62,500 Canadian. She is located on the hard at Wiarton (Georgian Bay) Ontario. She comes cruise equipped (having made 6 trips south) and also has a steel cradle. If anyone knows of someone looking for a good, cruise equipped A-37 sloop, they should contact:

Fred and Phyllis Owen

1527 Gloucester Rd.

London, Ontario, Canada N6G 2S5

Tel: 519.858.1979

Tom and Agnes Westran are offering BRIGHTLINGSEA II (1967 sloop, #26). BRIGHTLINGSEA II has been extensively rebuilt and includes major recent upgrades in equipment. Tom and Agnes are living aboard her at the City Marina in Charleston, SC (see BRIGHTLINGSEA II article), where she may be seen. For further information, contact Tom and Agnes by leaving a phone message at (613) 769-4034, or contact us at Kinsale, and we will provide a hardcopy inventory that Tom provided to us. Tom and Agnes’ asking price for BRIGHTLINGSEA II is $65,000 US. (Ed. Note: Tom found BRIGHTLINGSEA II through the newsletter back in 1994. We’d love to find another caring owner via the newsletter.)

Wayne Bower (TEELOK) is offering his older model Aries windvane for sale. Wayne says it’s in good shape. He has replaced it with a new stainless model. If anyone is interested, contact Wayne at (301) 262-7257.

Jack Meehan is offering his 1978 Alberg 37 Yawl SERENITY, Hull # 196 for sale. Completely customized and upgraded in 1989 at Ted Brewer boatyard in Maine, SERENITY is a fully equipped offshore cruiser, and liveaboard in its seventh consecutive year of full time cruising. Medical reasons force switch to trawler. She is presently (December 1998) in-transit and will winter in the Florida Keys. Jack is asking $55,000 US for quick sale. Jack may be contacted anytime at 1-800-674-8011 Extension 8551

WEB SITES

We recently ran across some more interesting cruising/sailing web sites (from Living Aboard magazine):

Vessel Documentation Data Query

At this site, you can access the U. S. Coast Guard vessel database and learn the vessel characteristics, documentation and even ownership information. http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/commercial/landings/cg_vessel2.html

 

Virtual Naval Hospital

http://www.vnh.org The Virtual Naval Hospital is an online library of information that delivers expert medical information to providers and patients worldwide, and may be useful in cruise planning.

 

National Weather Service Home Page

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/index.html This site helps you access the weather information that is so critical to your cruising safety and enjoyment. They even have a list of local frequencies for NOAA weather radio stations.

 

A-37 Canvas Covers

http://kbn.kingston.net/topshop/wsc.html The Quinte Canvas Manufacturing (Top Shop) Inc. 1150 Clyde Court, Kingston Ontario, Canada. K7P 2E4 Phone: 613 384 6316 Fax: 613 384 0002 sells custom boat covers for the A-37 for approx. $400 Cdn. (Web Correction: The $400 Canadian should be $400 US.   This is only for our basic cover.  We have other styles of covers as well. Thanks. Dave Davis Quinte Canvas Mfg. (Top Shop) Inc. (800) 268-4186 (613) 384-6316 Fax.)

 

Ship's Log Nautical Software

http://www.crystalship.com/ This site offers a CD based electronic logbook, a user-configurable slide show screen saver (displays user's favorite images) and the complete text of the US Coast Guard Nav/Regs.

West Coast Rendezvous

We received the following information from member John Volk (Not to be confused with the EAST COAST FALL RENDEZVOUS):

1999 Alberg Rendezvous June 19th & 20th Maple Bay (Birds Eye Cove) Vancouver Island, British Columbia, CANADA Lat.: 048° 47' 45" Long: 123° 34' 00" Please consider this YOUR invitation! This is the fourth year for the West Coast and we are looking forward to seeing all of our old friends and making many new ones! Moorage can be individually pre-arranged by contacting Sheila Neapole at Maple Bay Marina. Maple Bay Marina tel.: (250) 746-8482 6145 Genoa Bay Road #7 fax: (250) 746-8490 Duncan, B.C. V9L 5T7 CANADA e-mail: maplebay@cowichan.com For more information about the Rendezvous, please contact: John Volc tel.: (604) 983-30361237 Adderley Street fax: (604) 983-0140North Vancouver, B.C. V7L 1T6 CANADA e-mail: jvolc@intergate.bc.ca

SPINDRIFT

by the Editor

The purpose of the newsletter is to provide a vehicle for the exchange of ideas relating to our Alberg 37 experiences (good and bad), maintenance tips, cruising information and to maintain a roster of Alberg 37 owners.

We suggest a donation of $10.00 a year to cover costs of publishing the quarterly newsletter. We also might suggest to our Canadian members that they send either U.S. currency or a Canadian Postal Money Order payable in U.S. dollars. Unfortunately, in order to cash a check drawn on a Canadian bank (even if in U.S. funds), a $5.00 fee is charged.

You may have noticed a date on the label of the newsletter mailing. This is a reminder of when your donation is due to maintain the newsletter/association. Although we really hate to drop anyone off the roster and mailing list, it simply becomes prohibitive to continue distribution to those who do not share the cost burden. If you know of anyone who would like to become re-instated into the organization, have them contact us, and we will be glad to work with them.

Also, you should be aware of our group's agreement with BOAT U.S. whereby we get membership for half price ($8.50 vice $17.00) as members of a cooperating group. Please mention that you are a member of the Alberg 37 Owners Group and include the Cooperating Group number GA 83253 S when you join Boat U.S. or send in your annual renewal of membership. Boat U.S. membership is no longer required to make purchases from their stores or catalog, however, membership is still required for the purchase of boaters insurance.

A-37 IOC pennants are available for $29.00 U.S. which includes postage (yes, the cost from the manufacturer, "Sailbag Lady", has gone up). This is a very tastefully rendered and durable pennant.

We now have a dedicated A-37 IOA Email address:  a37ioa@sylvaninfo.net

If you have email, please use it to communicate with us, as it will make assembling the newsletter much easier (we won’t need to rekey your letters).

We are soliciting any members having E-mail addresses and are willing to have them published in the newsletter/roster, to please send them to us. Also, we are sending the newsletter via email attachment (MS WORD 97) to those with email accounts (also via U.S. mail). Please let us know how this works, as this will save the Association a bundle in postage and Xerox costs.

We continually need maintenance articles, cruising tales, etc. for inclusion in the newsletter. Send us what you have and if you can send it to us in digital format (via email or on a diskette) so much the better.

For those members transiting the Chesapeake Bay, please plan to stop by Kinsale for a few days (or longer). It's only about 10 miles off the Bay (up the Potomac to the Yeocomico River), and our area is very secluded, protected and quiet, and a very good cruising area, especially in the fall. We'd love to have you stop for a few days. We normally have several A-37's stop over on their way South in the fall (or North in the spring).

Please note our Kinsale VA phone number - (804) 472-3853 - leave a message if we aren’t at home.

If we missed any of your correspondence, just hit us again – we’ve been getting a lot of mail, especially email.

Keep the letters and emails coming.

TJ and Kaye Assenmacher