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Rafiki 37 owners out there?

99K views 252 replies 45 participants last post by  MikeOReilly 
#1 ·
We are seriously considering purchasing a Rafiki 37 (similar to a Tayana 37). I've searched the forums and the Web in general and only found passing references here and there to the boat. There used to be a owners group, but it now appears to be dead.

Any current or past owners here? Any knowledgeable comments would be greatly appreciated. I'm particularly interested in:

- Her general sailing characteristics. Will she move in light airs? How high does she point? How easy does she balance?

- Any thoughts on iron tanks. They currently look good, but...

- Storage capacity. There appears to be plenty of tankage volume and lots of easy storage, but what about bulk storage for those long isolated journeys? Extra sails? Inflatable kayaks? 200 cans of peas?

Finally, I've seen reference to cored hulls, particularly with the Rafiki 35. Does anyone know if the 37 is a cored hull? I'd be surprised given its age (mid-late 70s) and its displacement (13+tons).

Thanks
 
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#32 · (Edited)
Does Anyone know where the hull numbers are located on a rafiki 37?
Hi Rick. Our HIN is located on the small deck behind the mushroom air vent between the boomkin arms. It's stamped in the deck back there.

Love our Nature's Head. Air Head is essentially identical, just different in some dimensions. I'm sure you'll love it. Which hull do you have (I guess you'll learn that when you find the HIN ;)). Where are you located? Always great to connect with a fellow Rafiki owner.
 
#36 ·
Hmmm, I've never seen our HIN there, but perhaps I've never got my head in there with enough light. Next time I'm at the boat I'll take a look. Our HIN is definitely stamped into the stern deck near the mushroom vent. We also have a tonnage number painted onto the inner hull in the port sail locker around the water line.
 
#37 ·
While we're all talking about our Rafiki's, anyone have any experience with trimtab self steering on this? I've been emailing Lin and Larry Pardey and they've sent me some drawings and pictures to make my own, but I worry that the rudder could be too curved. It seems a simple concept, made for boat with a boomkin and hung rudder.
 
#40 ·
I have steel tanks in mine and don't have any problems that I can see. Fuel is clean and tanks are solid. I have heard of others claiming rust, so mine may not be the originals, but I don't see how they could have been replaced looking at their 'arrangement'. Just took the boat out to the Farallon Islands this week. Had a major knock down (a gust I should have seen coming), and she laid over and held solid with the rail just above the water. I broke my wrist in the fall but our Rafiki popped back up like a champ without losing much hull speed. Love our boat.

Best to you and good luck.
 
#44 ·
I have steel tanks in mine and don't have any problems that I can see. Fuel is clean and tanks are solid. I have heard of others claiming rust, so mine may not be the originals, but I don't see how they could have been replaced looking at their 'arrangement'. Just took the boat out to the Farallon Islands this week. Had a major knock down (a gust I should have seen coming), and she laid over and held solid with the rail just above the water. I broke my wrist in the fall but our Rafiki popped back up like a champ without losing much hull speed. Love our boat.
That must have been one hell of a gust. Our boats sure don't go over easy. Wrists can be nasty breaks. Hope you're on the mend.
 
#41 ·
Hi clammerk1, we also have the original black iron diesel tanks in place. Our fore tank has been decommissioned b/c it apparently failed a pressure test, but the larger aft one did fine, and shows no sign of problems. I keep thinking I should cut the top off the fore tank and insert a bladder, but quite frankly the main tank has been more than adequate for our motoring needs.
 
#46 ·
Hi all, I'm looking at a Rafiki 35. The cabinhouse liner is totally rotten, which seems to be a pretty common thing. Was just curious how the replacement with foam went, and also was wondering what the bottom of the compression post looks like in other rafikis, where it meets the keel under be cabin sole. Looks like someone might have done some work on this one, we can see some compression up top for sure, but we have nothing to compare it to. If anyone has or can take any photos I would appreciate it greatly.
 
#47 ·
Hi Carrie.a.gordon, as I'm sure you know, the 37s are quite different than the 35s (although there are similarities as well). When you say the cabin house liner is rotted, are you talking about the teak? That would be a shame. But I don't know what you mean by replace with foam.

I'm not on my boat right now (so can't take pics), but there's no issues with our compression post. That would be a bad sign for any boat.
 
#50 ·
Ah, I think I understand; the ceiling liner? I've not heard of another boat with this happening, but that doesn't mean it's not out there. I suppose you could replace that with any flexible paneling.

Maybe you should post some pics. You might also consider staring a Rafiki 35 thread, or perhaps one looking at liner rotting problems. I bet most SNers ignore this thread since very few people own Rafiki 37s.
 
#52 ·
Hello Folks,

We are the happy new owners of the Rafiki 37 "Dolphin" currently on the hard in La Paz, Baja California. She had a total refit in 2009-2011 and is ready to go except for some cosmetic damage from Hurricane Odile a year ago. The damage is being repaired and we plan to launch in late December and cruise the peninsula until April or May.

Curiously, since only 55 were built, the boat next to us in the yard here is another Rafiki 37 named..."Curious."

I hear that the weather helm can be so strong that the motorized auto-helm has trouble controlling the tiller. Any comments about that?
 
#53 ·
Congrats on the Rafiki! I can only hope you find her as awesome as my wife and I have. I got to look again, but I think I'm hull #27. We love the boat. I've added solar, furling with a Yankee jib, and a full size staysail. My experience with weather helm is that it can be bad. That, though, seems to be relevant to weather I'm using the staysail or just the main jib. With mainsail alone, it is also extreme. For me it is balance to the wind. If it's blowing, which it does often in the SF Bay area, the staysail and main hold her well without much weather helm--close hauled doing about 6 knots. If I run the main jib, which has sheets out past the shrouds, she has weather helm.

Don't know how much this helps, but I can tell you, the boat is amazing when things get rough. We've been in some rough stuff, and heaving too, reefing, all sailing, I'd take her over many other's I've sailed.

Best to you and keep me updated. We're heading through the canal this up coming Summer.

Tony
 

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#54 ·
Yes, congrats on getting Dolphin. Our boats can produce strong weather helm due to the rather massive mainsail. I reef early to avoid betting overpowered. Nice thing with the tiller is you can tell pretty quickly when the balance is off.

Kunk, I'm interested in your solar setup. I installed 100 watts with two panels last season, placing them on the companion way slide cover just forward of the cockpit. I'm now in the process of building a bimini using two more panels, which looks similar to your setup if I am reading your photo correctly. Is your setup working out well?


Why go fast, when you can go slow
 
#55 ·
Hey Mike,

I have two 100 panels--one on each side. I put stainless tubing in over the life lines to mount them and have them swing up and down with lock screws I tapped out. They work great. We spent most the Summer sailing and I never ran out of electricity. I don't use refrigeration, but I do have a hot water heater. I was going to install a wind gen, but so far I've got plenty of juice, topped off each day from the panels.
 
#56 ·
Hi Tony,

Thank you. That does help a lot. Are you able to use an electric auto helm at all? Are you going to add a wind vane for your long trip? We plan to stay here in the sea so we can probably do without. Love the picture. She looks great. I like the name below the upper stripe. I have been thinking about doing that instead of the name above and port below the stripe as most folks seem to do. I forgot our hull number. Will check it out. Are you planning to turn into the Sea on your way south? It would be great to hook up in La Paz or somewhere.

Can't wait to get this beauty in the water!

Lonnie
 
#57 ·
Thank Kunk. I see now how it works on your boat. I'll have to post pics of my bimini setup once I get it done -- which won't till next spring now. We do have a windmill, and with the added solar will be up to 400 watts of each. It's all to keep the beer cold, since we have a fridge.

Lonnie, I probably mentioned that we mostly use our Aries windvane for steering. But I also have a Raymarine X5GP tiller pilot, which was the largest one I could find. It's still only rated for something like 16,000# displacement, but I use it in light air and seas, and when we are motoring. So far so good.


Why go fast, when you can go slow
 
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