Specs
10.1m
2.9m
1.5m
32′ Sparkman Stephen’s Pilot Sloop
$32,000
Noctiluca is a Sparkman Stephens Pilot sloop. Design #539 was drawn by Aage Neilsen while he worked as a contract designer for a stint at the Boston Sparkman & Stephens office immediately following WWII. Rod Stephen’s, Olin’s brother, is quoted saying they choose the name Pilot because the intention was “for the class to lead the way into a revival of postwar yachting.” It was drawn to be a simple to build and maintain production boat. The Pilot was suitable for cruising and CCCA racing, affordable enough to be owned by members of the growing American middle class, and was a marked departure from the offshore race boats that dominated S&S design portfolio during its early years in the 1930s. The Pilot would be the basis for the larger S&S designed Hinkley Pilot sloop, their later fiberglass Pilot 35, and a all manner of S&S cruiser/racer sloops until fiberglass and fin keel/spade rudder boats fundamentally changed the game in the 1960s.
Well maintained by its current owners, Noctiluca is a striking example of the Pilot Class. A 2006-2016 refit included rebuilding the cabin bulkhead and cockpit, a 2015 repower and installation of a roller furler and bronze anchor windlass. She is well equipped on deck and has a practical and traditional interior layout shown in the drawings below. The Pilots were said to be quick for their size class were raced competitively on Lake Michigan for many years. In fact Noctiluca, under previous name Old Rarity, was the first boat to sailed in the Chicago-Macinaw race by a female skipper in 1949. She’s a perfect classic family cruiser/weekender. With the addition of a spinnaker she’d be a fun club/PHRF racer as well. Noctiluca is currently stored on the hard at the Direktor Robinhood yard in Georgetown, ME, ready for showings.
Please inquire to learn more. A full summary of the refit, additional photos and a survey are available upon request.
Designer: Sparkman & Stephens
Builder: Fisher Body Plant of Flint, Michigan
Hull: Carvel planked Mahogany over 1-1/2″ x 1-3/4″ steam bent oak framing set at 9″ on center. Sawn oak stem, keelson, floors, tern post and horn timber. 1-3/4″ #12 bronze wood screws.
Keel: Full lead keel
Ballast: 4200lbs
Decks: Fiberglass over marine plywood and 1-1/4″ x 1-3/4″ oak beams set at 9″ on center. The beams are bolted to a shear clamp at every frame station.
Cabin House: Fiberglass over plywood top with 1-1/8″ x 1 1/2″ beams, solid mahogany planked trunk.
Rudder and Steering: Planked rudder with bronze drift pins, 1 -1/2″ bronze post supported on a bronze heel fitting, one intermediate bronze gudgeon. The post is capped inside with a bronze gland. Tiller steering.
Propulsion:
2015 Westerbeke 30C
Fuel: Diesel
Fuel Tank: Aluminum, new 2015
Shaft: Stainless Steel, new 2015
Prop: Three Blade Bronze, new 2015
The muffler and exhaust hoses were all replaced in 2015.
Fresh Water System:
Tank: Copper
Capacity: 20 gallons
Location: Below berth in main cabin
Fill: Cabin top filling
System: Hand pump at galley sink
Sanitary System:
Head and Plumbing: Manual marine head with 3/4″ bronze seacock for intake with direct discharge into holding tank.
Holding Tank: 20 gallon poly tank below V-berth, deck pump out fitting, vented overboard.
Electrical System:
Batteries: Two Group 27 – 12 VDC system
Location and Installation: One in sail locker, one in engine space. Both on plywood platforms.
Wire: Stranded copper
Switches: Blue Seas parallel/disconnect
Panel: Fussed toggles
Cabin Lighting: 12 VDC
Navigation Lighting: Rail level running lights
Bilge Pumps: 2 – Rule 750 automatic with manual overrides
Electronics:
VHF
Handheld GPS
Standard Horizon Plotter
Depth Sounder and Chartplotter
Galley:
Description: Split to both sides of entry ladder, single sink with 1-1/2″ bronze seacock
Stove: Kenyon Homestrand, home pressurized alcohol
Refrigeration: Top loaded ice box
Interior Appointment:
Bunks: 4 – 2 in Salon, 2 Forward
Storage: Above and below Salon bunks. Below Forward bunks. Hanging locker across from Head with drawers below. Cabinets above ice box and stove.
Table: Fold down table stored on Port bulkhead
Deck Equipment:
Lifelines: Bronze deck stanchions going to stainless bow and stern rails with single lifeline.
Bow Cleats and Chocks: 2 – 11″ Bronze cleats with 2 – Bronze chocks
Anchor with 130′ of Chain
Rigging and Sails:
Mast: Sitka Spruce, glue laminated, keel stepped
Boom: Sitka Spruce
Spinnaker Pole
Standing Rigging: All 1 x 19 stainless rigging wire with Norseman and swaged fittings to bronze and stainless chain plates with a fractional rig. 7/32″ headstay to a 3/8″ bronze chain plat bolted through stem. New 2007 7/32″ cap shrouds to 3/16″ stainless chain plates bolted and backed to hull. The back stay is 7/32″ to 3/8″ bronze chain plate bolted through transom. There are two 3/16″ jumper struts.
Running Rigging: 7/19″ stainless wire halyards. Bronze jib tracks bolted to toe rails.
Deck Winches: 2 – Bronze #3 Merriman
Mast Winches: 2 – Bronze wire drum winches
Travelers and Vangs: Sheet with blocks
Furling Gear: 2016 Aldo roller
Sails and Canvas:
Main: 2008 North Sails
100% Jib
Storm Jib
Sail Covers
Cockpit Awning
Dodger Frame
Cockpit and Interior cushions
Noctiluca Refit Summary:
• 2006 Rebuilt cabin bulkhead and cabin corners with mahogany.
• 2007 Rebuilt aft cockpit deck beam with white oak. Replaced
cockpit coamings with mahogany.
• 2008 Sanded and inspected hull. Repainted with red lead.
Repaired cockpit storage lockers’ framing with white oak. Added
new marine plywood locker covers.
• 2009 Rebuilt cockpit sole with Spanish cedar. Relined cockpit
sides with mahogany. Rebuilt winches with new stainless steel
springs.
• 2010 Repaired stem. Cut out rot, scarfed in new white oak stem
section.
• 2011 Added anchor platform.
• 2012 Rebuilt forward hatch. Added mahogany frame, built new
mahogany hatch cover.
• 2012 Repaired holding tank, added new toilet and hoses.
• 2014 / 2015 Rebuilt sternpost. Cut away rotten area, scarfed
white oak replacement piece, added Tive new planks to stern
section of hull.
• 2015 Repowered with new Westerbeke 30C diesel engine. Added
new stainless shaft, new bronze prop, new aluminum fuel tank,
new water lift mufTler and new exhaust hoses .
• 2016 Added Alado roller furler and bronze anchor windlass.
• 2016 Repaired leak in lower stem. Alex Hadden added new stop
waters, Tilled scarf joint with 5200, tightened scarf joint.
Other additions:
• New mahogany plywood counter tops in galley.
• New mainsail.
• All stays and shrouds replaced.
• New life lines.