Sailing yachts
Buchanan Prior 37
(REF: 33548)£65000
Full specification
Wooden Ships Comments on this Buchanan Prior 37
Alan Buchanan Prior 37 designed by Alan H. Buchanan and built by R.J. Prior & Son in 1964 to Lloyds 100A1 classification.
Launched for a syndicate of 3 owners to compete in RORC races. Came 2nd overall in the 1966 Round Britain & Ireland Race with Leslie Williams as crew plus 3 Fastnet Races. Continued racing until the mid 1980’s and bought by the present owner in 2002 from the last of the syndicate owners. At the time she was clearly in a very poor state and was in need of a major refit.
This started with Tim Gilmore at Dolphin Quay Boatyard in Emsworth where the hull was stripped back to bare and the interior completely removed to access the structure. The coachroof was lifted off and the deck taken up. A major bottom up hull rebuild commenced, details below and the boat launched in 2005. Since then she has cruised extensively around the Channel, France and the West Country with continual maintenance and upgrades to an exceptionally high standard. She has also been raced regularly at Falmouth Classics and other classic regattas, proving to be a fast boat in all conditions.
In 2017 she had a major rig upgrade including sails and standing rigging, a new Vetus engine in 2022 and the varnish and paint work is kept up to an excellent standard every year.
This is a superbly presented yacht in turn key condition with a full and extensive inventory of equipment rarely seen with a yacht for sale. It is not common to find a classic yacht of this pedigree in such excellent condition, she is wanting for nothing and is a totally complete package ready to go cruising or classic regatta racing next season. It would be hard to find a better yacht of her era, and was said by a very experienced survey to be the best wooden yacht he had ever inspected.
New 2025 insurance survey.
Length on Deck 36’9” / 11.3m
Length Waterline 26’6” / 8.08m
Beam 10’ / 3.05m
Draft 6’ / 1.83m
Sail Area 567sqft
Thames Tonnage 12TM
Refit History
2002 – 2005
Ballast keel removed, shotblasted and replaced with new bronze bolts
Galvanised strap floors removed and replaced with new bronze floors and bronze bolts
Broken frames replaced as necessary
Various shifts of planking replaced as necessary
Hull splined and long boarded for a perfectly fair finish
Some deck beams replaced
New sheathed plywood deck laid with new covering and margin boards
New sheathed plywood coachroof deck
New cockpit
New interior joinery
Transom and stern knee replaced
New Z-Spars mast and boom
Winter 2017/18
New standing and running rigging
New Raymarine ST 60 wind speed and depth with Airmar bronze transducer
New berth cushions
Replacement planking fore and aft port and starboard in way of floors
New Simpson Lawrence 2 speed windlass
New main and Genoa in vektron by Dimension polyant ( Kemp sails )
New asymmetric with blue Saluki sewn logo with snuffer ( Kemp sails)
Winter2018/19
More replacement planking including two long lengths port and two starboard in way of mast step. All the planking affected by the original iron floors has now been replaced
Winter 2019/20
Topsides stripped to bare and re-finished in pale blue
Summer 2020
Boat mothballed due to Covid
Autumn 2020 to Autumn 2021
Boat stored undercover and brightwork stripped to bare and re-finished, window glass replaced with polycarbonate, widow surrounds re-chromed
Winter 2021/22
Engine removed, engine bearer removed, shot blasted ,zinc sprayed and powder coated
New Vetus engine fitted with front accessed filters for easy servicing
New flexible engine feet, stern tube, prop shaft and stern gland
New diesel tank ( Tek tanks) with all new pipe work
Three new Rolls AGM 100amph house batteries
New cockpit drain pipe work and seacocks
New wiring loom and switchboard
Alternator smart charge regulator fitted
Aft bilges and lockers stripped and painted.
New Windpilot Pacific windvane gear installed.
Winter 2022/23
Water tank lifted, fwd bilges stripped and painted.
New pipework and water pump.
New Staysail (SKB sails, Falmouth )
New mast up three part bespoke winter cover from boom to waterline ( SKB Falmouth c.£9000 new)
New fitted sun screens for hatches and brightwork plus cockpit cover (SKB Falmouth)
Winter 2023/24
Boat stored undercover, topsides repainted and brightwork sanded and varnished.
Rudder heel bearing removed and re bushed, new bronze pintle turned and fitted ( plus spare)
Stem head fitting removed and bow roller cheeks extended to facilitate easier anchoring.
Keel bolt removed for inspection and found perfect.
Winter 2024/25
New anchor rode, 55 mtrs 10 mm calibrated chain plus 40 mtrs 18 mm anchor splice.
New sprayhood and sailcover (SKB Falmouth)
New Raymarine EV 200 Sail pilot installed.
Winter 2025/2026
6 x new seacocks with skin fittings
3 x new Rolls 100ah deep cycle batteries
New 170 amp Balmar alternator
Zeus battery management system
Heads stripped and rebuilt
Bilge in forecabin stripped and re-painted
New UV strip on the genoa
Construction
Hull
Planked in 24mm teak for the first 6 planks up, mahogany above. All copper rivet fastened to steam bent CRE and Oak frames of 35mm x 50mm @150mm centres.
Various shifts of planking replaced as necessary in the refit, see details above. Teak planking replaced with old growth teak, mahogany replaced in Utile.
Bronze strap floors across the centreline with bronze floor bolts.
Iron ballast keel of 3.5 tons fastened with bronze bolts. Sample drawn in 2024 and found good.
Bronze ring frame either side of the mast goes around the coachroof deck and down the side of the hull to stiffen the boat in this high load area.
Transom and stern knee replaced in the rebuild.
Decks and Cockpit
Epoxy sheathed plywood decks finished in cream deck paint. All new structure in the rebuild.
Many of the deck beams new in the rebuild.
Varnished teak covering boards and margin boards with teak toe rails. Covering boards are 6mm teak bonded over the sheathed and rebated outer edge of the deck so there is no loss of the watertight integrity of the deck. Stainless steel stanchions and guard wires.
Tiller steering with rudder hung on the stern post. Recent new bottom pintle and bearing with a spare of each fabricated at the same time for future easy replacement.
Self draining cockpit which was completely replaced in the refit. Sheathed plywood structure to the cockpit with scrubbed slatted teak thwart tops. The thwart lids are constructed with a generous angle to ensure they drain at any point of heel.
Superstructure
Coachroof with a small raised doghouse aft.
Varnished teak coamings with chromed bronze port lights.
Epoxy sheathed plywood coachroof deck. Varnished teak grab rails and original Souters plastic dorade vents.
Varnished teak forehatch at the front of the coachroof constructed with a double water seal to ensure no leaks even in the worst of weather.
Rig
Masthead Bermudan sloop rig on a keel stepped alloy mast.
Alloy slab reefing boom with stack pack system and lazyjacks.
New Z-spars mast and boom in 2005.
Alloy spinnaker pole stowed up the front of the mast and a smaller alloy jockey pole for the staysail.
Standing and Running Rigging
Stainless steel standing rigging new in 2017 with bronze rigging screws to internal stainless chain plates.
Chain plates were new in the refit and made much longer than original, stretching down to the bilge stringer to spread the rig loads.
Removeable inner forestay and running backstays on tackles to enable a storm jib to be set, or sail as a cutter.
ProFurl headsail furling system.
Sails
Mainsail Kemp Sails 30.7m² 2017 Excellent condition
Genoa 140% Kemp Sails 37.94m² 2017 Excellent condition
Asymetric Kemp Sails 70m² 2017 Excellent condition
Staysail SKB Sails 2023 As new
New UV sun strip on the genoa 2026.
Winches
1 x Andersen 28ST mast winch
1 x Andersen 40ST mast winch
1 x Andersen 12ST mast reefing winch
2 x Andersen ?ST primary cockpit sheet winches
2 x Andersen ?ST secondary cockpit sheet winches
2 x Andersen ?ST cockpit mainsheet winches
Machinery
Engine
Vetus M4.15 33hp 4 cylinder diesel engine installed new in 2022. Approx. 400 hours.
TwinDisc gearbox to a centreline feathering propeller. 5.5 knots cruising speed @ 1.5 litres/hour/ 6.5 knots top speed.
Stern tube, shaft, stern gland and cutlass bearing new in 2022.
Engine beds removed in 2022, shotblasted, zinc sprayed and powder coated.
The new engine has the impellor pump and filters moutned at the forward end, all easily accessible for servicing.
Tanks
88 litre polyethylene TekTank fuel tank under the cockpit sole. New in 2022.
New fuel pipes with accessible Racor fuel filter.
160 litre stainless steel water tank under the cabin sole.
35 litre plastic TekTank waste tank for the heads.
Batteries and Electrics
3 x 100ah Rolls deep cycle domestic batteries. New batteries 2026.
1 x engine start battery.
170 amp Balmar engine alternator with a new Zeus smart regulator system attached. New alternator 2026.
100W total with 3 x Sunware solar panels on deck. Victron MPPT 75/15 solar charge regulator.
Switch board renewed with new wiring loom in 2022.
Accommodation
Berths and Headroom
5 single berths. All 6’3” in length.
6’3” headroom midships and 6’ forward.
General Description
Complete new interior installed after the major refit which has been altered and improved over the years. A very smart and comfortable interior layout in superb condition.
Steps down from the companion hatch over the engine box with galley to port. Chart desk and quarter berth to starboard.
The quarter berth is 6’4” in length and easy to access.
Chart desk faces forward, made from varnished teak with storage drawers below. End of the quarter berth used as a chart desk seat, there is a fitted waterproof cover over the end of the berth.
Half height bulkheads with vertical grab rails separate off the main saloon. Teak grab rails either side at the bottom of the coamings.
Port and starboard saloon settee berths with large lockers either side under the side decks. Varnished teak locker doors.
The settee backs push back to create slightly wider and more comfortable berths. Ample storage below the berths.
Dropleaf varnished teak saloon table on stainless steel legs.
Starboard side door going forward with 2 hanging lockers to starboard under the side deck and heads compartment to port.
Another door into the forecabin with 2 single V-berths and forehatch above. Storage space below the berths and large anchor locker in the bows behind a teak locker door.
Galley
Origo 2 burner galley stove with oven set on gimbals. Twin stainless steel sinks with hot and cold pressurised water. Waeco 12 volt fridge box fitted behind the companion steps.
Numerous lockers and shelves around the galley including custom made crockery storage.
Heads
Jabsco manual sea toilet with 35 litre waste tank under the forecabin berth.
Stainless hand basin with hot and cold pressurised water.
Equipment
2 x Plastimo steering compass’
Raymarine ST60 sounder (2017)
Raymarine ST60 log (2017)
Raymarine ST60 wind indicator (2017)
Standard Horizon Matrix DSC VHF with AIS receiver (2022)
Furuno GPS35
AIS Digital Yacht Transponder (2023)
Sailproof tablet with charts
Raymarine Evolution EVI autopilot (2025)
Windpilot Pacific wind vane steering system
Clipper Navtex
Clock and barometer
4 person Ocean Safety liferaft, service due 2027
Horse shoe lifebuoy
Flare pack
MOB rescue sling
Auto electric bilge pump
Manual bilge pump
Fire blanket
2 x fire extinguishers
35lb CQR with 55m x 10mm chain & 50m x 16mm warp
20lb Danforth kedge with 12m x 10mm chain & 50m x 16mm warp
Simpson Lawrence Hi-Speed manual windlass (new 2017)
All new chain and warp 2025
Mooring warps
Fenders
Mainsail Kemp Sails 30.7m² 2017 Excellent condition
Genoa 140% Kemp Sails 37.94m² 2017 Excellent condition
Asymetric Kemp Sails 70m² 2017 Excellent condition
Staysail SKB Sails 2023 As new
1 x Andersen 28ST mast winch
1 x Andersen 40ST mast winch
1 x Andersen 28ST mast reefing winch
2 x Andersen 46ST primary cockpit sheet winches
2 x Andersen 28ST secondary cockpit sheet winches
2 x Andersen 28ST cockpit mainsheet winches
Mainsail cover (2025)
StackPack system on the boom with lazy jacks
Alloy spinnaker pole
Alloy jockey pole
Custom made ‘mast up’ winter cover, down to waterline. 3 part with doors (2022)
Suncovers (2023)
Cockpit cover (2023)
Sprayhood (2025)
Cockpit tent in 2 parts
Teak boarding ladder
Avon inflatable tender
Oars
Mariner 2.5hp 2 stroke outboard
Bucket
Ensign and staff
Anchor ball
Motoring cone
Bunk and berth cushions
Fitted cockpit cushions
Origo spirit stove, 2 burner with oven
Calorifier tank for domestic hot water
Mikuni diesel fired cabin heating system
Jabsco manual sea toilet with waste tank.
Curtains for the portlights
Galley equipment
Cutlery and crockery
3 x 100ah Rolls deep cycle domestic batteries
1 x engine start battery.
Clipper BM-1 battery monitor
110 amp alternator with Sterling smart charge regulator
100W total with 3 x Sunware solar panels on deck. Victron MPPT 75/15 solar charge regulator.
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Disclaimer:
These particulars have been prepared in good faith from information provided by the Vendors and are intended as a guide, Wooden Ships cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. The Purchaser should instruct his agent or surveyor to validate all details as necessary and satisfy himself with the condition of the vessel and its equipment.
