This design was done for my co-worker, Lee Sandifur, who has steadfastly stood by my side for decades now and was the result of a coffee break conversation as to what his true dreamboat might flush out as. Believe it or not, we started by thinking about a version of our Czarinna 35 with twin outboards in wells for power and many hours later, the Shearwater 38 is where we finally landed.

I think the first idea put forward that tended to de-rail that Czarinna 35 train was Lee’s desire to do some high-latitudes cruising with the boat. I just couldn’t see a cruiser like the Czarinna 35 with outboard power really working for that type of cruising and I soon laid a fresh sheet of paper on the “ol drafting table” and we finally ended up with what you see enclosed.

So let’s take a look at the Shearwater 38 and see if we might strike a pang of desire in your own heart. As for me, I was smitten as soon as she fleshed out, easily seeing myself cruising about in her visiting many secluded and remote spots. She shares the aft house configuration of the Oysta / “Annie” types that have been dealt with in other designs with doors on both sides of the pilothouse that give access to the main cabin. There is a good helm area with space to share at the centerline wheel for the first mate (or other chums). A dinette with table on the port side and another settee to starboard allow good conversation and refreshment once you get the anchor down. Going down a couple of steps from the pilothouse, there is a galley to starboard and another seating area but I didn’t put a table in this space as the one in the pilothouse will serve that function but one could be fitted if desired. The single head is also accessed in this space with water closet up in the port edge, a sink fitted literally under the settee/dinette seat in the pilothouse above, and a shower fitted just outboard of the sink. A door at the front of this head compartment opens up a passageway that moves forward below the seats in the pilothouse, under the raised portion of the mid/waist deck and then into the forward sleeping cabin. In the pilothouse where the port side seat burns out, I show a hinged flap that either gives headroom to the passageway or allows the pilothouse door on the port side to be accessed and exit of the pilothouse can be done on either side.

Once you’re in the fo’c’sle/sleeping cabin, there is literally not much to say except that there are two very comfortable and very accessible berths and plenty of lockers for gear. There is also another companionway that exits to the waist deck area and back on the deck. Access to the front of the engine room is accomplished from the fo’c’sle/sleeping cabin or from the port passageway that connects the stern to the forward cabin, via sliding doors on the side of the engine room.

There an anchor well deck up in the bows of the boat and here I would lodge a hydraulic anchor windlass with reel. These are great windlasses to choose from that hold plenty of rode and lots of chain connected to the anchor. They are run with a “b” series hydraulic pump off the engine and are about as trouble free as one can get anchoring. Another advantage of this type of anchoring gear is to keep the chain and rode out of the interior of the boat. If they come up off the bottom dirty and smelly, the rain will wash them off and it really helps to keep the interior of the boat in clean, dry shape.

As for the deck and working the boat, there is the mast forward with boom that could accommodate a simple sail, the forestay could be fitted with a roller furling jib, and the mizzen shows a small area steadying sail. For trade winds work, this rig could add considerably to the thrust of the engine and extend her range to oceanic levels if desired. The boom, in a lowered position, can fit up a good cockpit boom tent to provide shade outside when the sun is out. I also show stabilizer poles that hinge from the deck edge and are guyed to the mizzen mast for running in really rough waters. With small area and simple to set sails, poles guyed out and paravanes working away, this boat could run in just about any waters, safely and comfortably.

Lee’s idea is to group fund the rest of the design and I know that he is hoping against hope that his own ship might come in and fund the actual build of her. I hope you all enjoyed the Shearwater and if you’re interested in helping with the funding of the final design, please feel free to contact either myself or Lee. – Sam Devlin

The Shearwater 38 is available as study plans. Please contact Sam if you would like to join in the development of a great traveling boat.