A new Down East-style cruiser has arrived on the scene from Canada. Hull No. 1 of the 38-foot Cape Sable from Island Cruisers Ltd. splashed last summer at Dagley’s Boatworks in Nova Scotia.
The Cape Sable’s hull is a refinement of Nova Scotia’s traditional Cape Islander lobster boat, reimagined with a clean, continuous sheer, subtle tumblehome and a lengthened, full-displacement hull to accommodate a swim platform for easy boarding and greater speed. Her hull is solid, hand-laid fiberglass with foam-cored bulkheads and cabin structure.
One signature feature of the Cape Sable is her tinted cabin windows. Another is the absence of exterior wood, which makes for ease of maintenance. The standard cockpit arrangement features a half-open stern, which enables easy dinghy storage. A 3-foot, 6-inch draft allows for near-shore exploring, and her beam-to-length ratio of 1:3 adds a measure of offshore comfort.
Standard power is a single 110-hp Yanmar diesel that provides a top speed of 10 knots and an 8-knot cruise, according to the builder. Fuel burn at cruise is 2 gallons per hour, which would produce a range at cruise of just under 500 nautical miles. An electric drive is an option.
The boat is set up and equipped to be handled by a couple with a double island berth in the forward stateroom. The dinette coverts to an additional double berth. The boat carries 70 gallons of fresh water and has a 40-gallon holding tank.
“We tried hard to be minimalistic and efficient: low horsepower, a simple, clean layout, few bells and whistles, solar panels,” said Covey Island Boatworks founder John Steele, who designed the Cape Sable with boatbuilder Scott Dagley. “A safe and comfortable floating cottage, if you will, in response to Nova Scotia’s changing attitudes to boating.”
Base price is CAN386,000, approximately $304,615.
Specs:
LOA: 38ft.
Beam: 13ft. 3in.
Draft: 3ft. 6in.
Construction: FRP
Displacement: 12,000 lbs.
Fuel: 152 gal.
Water: 70 gal.
Engine: 110-hp Yanmar JH110
Contact: capeislandcruisers.com
