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1976 Rafiki 37 Cutter
1976 Rafiki 37 Cutter
Simba
Simba, a Rafiki 37 cutter was designed as an offshore cruiser with three primary objectives. Simplicity, seaworthiness and beauty. It was designed by Stan Huntington and based on Colin Archer’s hard working Norwegian double enders. These are stout, weatherly hulls which stayed out and kept working in the wildest of North Sea conditions. This heavy displacement hull is combined with a versatile cutter rig, classic lines and needs nothing more than a good provisioning before heading off cruising.
The cockpit has a high protective coaming and small self draining footwell. The coaming provides great protecting as well as a fantastic backrest for lounging and operating the tiller. The teak side decks are wide with plenty of handholds to make going forward safe and comfortable. The cutter rig allows for a balanced sail plan in all conditions and a compact rig with smaller sails that are easy to handle. All sheets are led to the cockpit where there is ample protection with the dodger and bimini as well as side cloths if things really pick up.
The cabin is accessed through a compact companionway. The interior is filled with solid teak throughout, and the high level of craftsmanship is obvious. Headroom is generous at 6’5” to 6’8”, combined with its full 11’8” beam make it roomy with plenty of useful storage. There is a galley to port with a freezer and refrigerator, propane stove and oven, storage, stainless steel double sinks and hot and cold pressured water and a foot pump. To starboard is a large navigation table as well as a sleeping berth in the stern. Forward is a U-shaped dinette that can be converted into a double birth. To starboard is a single berth with pull-out foam insert to make a large single birth complete with a lee cloth. There is a head forward to port, with sink, shower and hot and cold water. To starboard are hanging lockers and drawers that continue into the forward double berth cabin. Being designed for long journeys there is plenty of accessible, logically placed storage throughout.
Rafiki is a Swahili word that can be translated as ‘friend’. If you want a dependable, trustworthy partner to head out on the ocean with, this just may be the boat for you.
Please contact us for more information or to arrange a viewing.
Specifications
propulsion
Engine #1
Interior
Aft Cabin
- Galley is compact, secure and made for using while underway
- Mariner Princess stove with 2 burners, grill and oven
- Double stainless steel sink with pressure hot and cold water
- Cold water foot pump
- Fridge Freezer runs off 12V compressor
- Storage for cookware under sinks
Navigation Station
- Full size nav table with drawer storage to starboard
- Double cupboard beneath
- Standard Horizon CP590 chart plotter with 12” display
- Uniden UM525 VHF Radio
- Uniden Atlantic 250 Handheld VHF
- Quarter berth aft of the navigation station for a guest or sail storage
Centre Cabin
- U- shaped dinette to port converts to a double berth
- Settee berth to starboard extends out 14” with lee cloth
- Bookshelves, louvered cupboards and storage under bunks
Forward Cabin
- Head with stainless steel sink
- Pressure fed hot and cold running water to sink and shower
- Medicine cabinet
- Toilet with holding tank, through deck and through hull abilities
- Hanging lockers to starboard,
- Forepeak has double berth
- Multiple hanging lockers
- Drawers
- Shelves
- Reading lamp and overhead light
- Access to chain locker, storage and deck wash pump
Superstructure, Deck and Hull
Hand laid fiberglass was used on the hull and deck, far in excess of Lloyd’s requirements, over Airex and balsa cores for maximum stiffness, strength and insulation. The fiberglass layup incorporated in the 37’ Rafiki were normally used on vessels ten to twenty feet longer. In other words, the hull is solid. The hull and deck are bonded together in such a way as to form an enormously strong T-beam.
The deck is of wide laid teak with high double lifelines making going forward secure and safe. Tiller steering lead to transom hung rudder is simple, dependable and allows for greater ‘feel’ of the boat. Autohelm 2000 Autopilot with tiller ram and wired remote for when you just want to relax.
Sails and Sailing
The cutter rig is simple and versatile with many sail combinations to ensure a balanced sail plan in any weather. The compact mast and two smaller headsails have a low centre of gravity and therefore create less of a heeling angle. This means that the boat sails more upright, reduces the risk of capsizing and provides for easier handling in changing weather conditions.
There are wireless Tactic sailing instruments that mount above the companionway including wind speed, wind direction and multi-function display as well as analog boat speed and analog depth sounder.
Sails are all ocean weight dacron.
- Sail Area: Fore Triangle (100)% = 376 sq. ft
- Main = 352 sq. ft.
- Main: Full Battens and 3 Reef Points (2 set up for slab reefing)
- Genoa: 2 Genoas approximately 140%
- Yankee: 1 Full size and 1 storm size (Yankee 1 & 2)
- Staysail: 1 on Self tacking boom with 1 reef point
- Cruising Chute: 1
- Spinnaker/Whisker Pole: 12 foot extends to 20 feet
Winches:
- Primary: Barient 28 ST (2)
- Cabin Top: Lewmar 30 ST (2)
- Main Halyard: Lewmar 30 ST (1) – On Mast
- Spinnaker Halyard: Barient 18 – On Mast
Reefing:
- Barient 10 – On Boom
Sheet Clutches:
- Lewmar (8) on cabin Top
- All control lines are led to the cockpit including:
- Reef 1; reef 2; Pole Downhaul; Vang; Staysail Sheet; Staysail Halyard.
Ground Tackle, Heat and Miscellaneous
- Anchor: 45lb CQR Danforth
- Chain: ⅜” x 70 meters
- Rope Rode: 30 meters (Separate to chain)
- Electric anchor winch with foot control
- Webasto diesel fed forced air to Main cabin and Forepeak.
- Phoenix Firebird Diesel in Main cabin on forward bulkhead (Starboard)
- 120 Volt Hot water heater for hot water when on shore power.
- Smart Plug Shore Power
- Dodger with window covers
- Bimini over cockpit
- Hatch covers for winter (2)
- Main Sail cover and lazy jacks
- Staysail cover
- MOB Pole and light attached to life ring (Canadian Coast Guard approved)
- Life Sling
- Dinghy Yachtline 310 Rib with 2 oars
Batteries:
- House 12V – 6 Lead Acid x 6V each
- Engine 12V- 1 Lead Acid
Bilge Pumps
- Centrifugal in bilge 1″ diameter 12V DC always live to batteries
- Diaphragm 1″ large with pickup to bilge hand-pump
- Centrifugal 12V in shower sump
- Diaphragm 3/4″ 10 GPM for emptying grey water tank
