PILGRIM - Some facts

7th May 2010

I have had a few questions about he vessel so while we wait in Port Stephens here are some facts.

PILGRIM is a Van De Stadt (Dutch design), Seal. A 36' cruising vessel with a sound heritage and established pedigree. She is steel, built by a shipwright and launched 2006. From Launch to 2009, when I purchased her, the owner builder continued to work on the vessel while living abroad.

 When I got her, she was sound but needed a lot of money to get ready for this trip. This you know from the earlier bloggs but in detail:

Pilgrim displaces about 9 tonne and is a long fin keel configuration with a very round hull shape. This result in good handling and a good turn of speed for a 36' boat. Being round on the bottom she is a bit rolly without sail so, fittingly, she is much happier sailing than motoring.

  She has and aft main cabin, a big V bunk forward and a couple of 'watch' berths in the main cabin. She holds 500 ltrs of water and 250 ltrs of fuel. The hot water system is gas and the fridge and stove are first class. All in all quite comfortable but a little squeezy for anyone over 6'.

On the function side, she has 440 AHrs of AGM batteries, 200 watts of solar panels, an 80 amp alternator, 50 amp shore charger and 1200 watt inverter. A good power setup for cruising and good for the electronics on board. The suit of fancy stuff includes a DSC VHF, a backup VHF, a Coden HF with Pactor modem for emails and weather reports via Sail mail. We have Raymarine life tags, Rayamarine AIS (like TCAS for the aviation folk), wind, speed and  depth instruments, a very sound linear drive auto pilot  fully interfaced with all the nav gear. Primary navigation is the Raymarine E80 plotter/multiple function display which amalgamate electronic charts for all of Australia, GPS, AIS, man over board system and a 4 Kw radar. There is also a backup Furuno GPS plotter and nav station. ( of course I have paper charts and traditional nav gear just in case).

The engine, again as you know, is a Brand new Yanmar 39 HP that uses around 3 to 3.5 litrs and hour at 75% power. Yanmar is acclaimed as one of the best brands in the business and at 39HP she has all the grunt I need for this vessel.

 The sails are slooped rigged with a new furler and 2 headsails. The main is a tough bit of kit with triple reef system, the last of which is effectively the storm sail. Anchor gear is being updated to a 45lbs Manson anchor, 70 m of 10mm chain and an 18mm nylon springer. The dingy is a quicksilver with a 5hp Mercury outborad - again all new.

Well I thinks that the story. If you have specific question I am available at gregclynick@optusnet.com.au. For contact when out of 3G range, I'll write up a short blogg to explain how we can be contacted through SailMail.