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.