05-01-2004
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Apache 37
The Chris Craft Apache was one of a group of sailboats produced by Chris Craft during the 1960''s and into the early 1970''s. Like most of that series, the Apache was a Sparkman and Stephens design. Most of this line were commissioned for use in the Caribbean charter trade. The Apache featured a reasonably modern underbody for the period and the later boats had a very attractive mahogany interior. Like most boats of that era the interior volume was pretty small by modern standards (roughly equivillient in interior space and sailing ability with a more modern 30-32 footer). They were nice sailing boats for the day offering reasonable speed and seaworthiness. With a PHRF rating down in the 150''s these were pretty fast boats for that era (just a tick slower than a Cal 36 which was the gold standard of that period). Like most CCA era boats, they have short waterlines and long overhangs and so tend to a little prone to pitching and do not do very well in a chop. They offer a bit more stability than many CCA era boats but with their narrow waterline beam and deep canoe bodies, they sail at higher heel angles than more modern designs. Like most CCA era boats, their standing sail plan is comparatively small so they are very dependent on carrying huge genoas in lighter winds, small jibs for high winds and a large sail inventory to handle the windspeeds in between. They to be real rollers dead downwind but, with their huge chutes and high drag, they offer their best downwind VMG pointing nearly dead down rather than reaching as would be more typical with a more modern design.
Build quality was pretty good on these boats but of course these are 35 or more year old boats. By now there is a whole lot that would need to be upgraded and repaired if the previous owner differred the major long term maintenance items. Many of the standard practice items from that era are now considered extremely dangerous. For example the boat in Marion, Mass has a Paloma CNG on-demand water heater. These are extremely dangerous and are banned in the US because they pump carbon-monoxide into the interior and are prone to explosive failures. (My boat had a Paloma which was removed in the early 1990''s when an Annapolis woman was killed by a Paloma on a different boat due to carbon-monoxide poisoning.)
Similarly, these boats used a roller reefing boom. It seemed like a good idea at the time but the engineering was such that these never really worked relaibly in terms of the reefed sail shape. They were especially dangerous when coupled with the reel winches of the era. If it has not been done, the boat should be upgraders to eliminate both the reel winches and roller furling boom.
In terms of sailing these boats, because of their huge genoas,and large chutes they take pretty athletic crews to sail in moderate conditions. They are fun boats to sail if you like that "come with me now to yesteryear" kind of sailing which has a very different aesthetic than sailing more modern designs.
All of that said, I basically like these boats and think that they would make a very nice coastal cruiser as long as absolute speed and ease of handling were not important to you.
Jeff
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