Islander 37MS owners

[ranes]

Is there any 37MS owners out there. I would like to discuss boat stuff with you. I have out Dream Catcher in Baltimore. Please respond and let share info.

[thejazzcrooner]

Hello. I'm considering buying a ms 37 and I saw your post and wanted to ask your opinion on wether the ms 37 is a capable off-shore blue water boat. How well these great looking boats are constucted. Thank you. Hope to hear from you.

[Grumpymx]

Hello,

I saw your post while trying to find out more info on my recently acquired Islander 37 M/S.

Let's share...

[nwr]

I have a 1973 37Ims that i've had for 5 years. she's now for sale since we're now 2 boat owners, bought a 45 ALOA Ketch. originally a Yachtcraft Kit, sold in 1973 hull and deck. completely rebuilt interior and all systems and running rigging. listed for sale on yachtworld or call 843-364-1407 cel. with Perkins 4-107 (526 hrs) 150 gal fuel(1000NM + 6kt range) 180 gal water. all systems/wiring/piping/plumbing new since 2004. full engineering drawings onboard. documented. as far as being a good seaboat, we brought her across the gulf of mexico, New Orleans to Tampa, in June 2003 in a 50kt storm, seastate 6-7, seas 16-24 ft. under reefed main rode good at 7 - 8 kts. stable in the storm. st4000MKII autopilot handled her the whole trip of 3 days. narrow beam and good ballast ratio kept her on her feet. cockpit was a bit wet with the blowing spray but didn't have the inside complete enough yet to ride it out inside. it was rough enough that i was glad i wasn't in my 36 Catalina which didn't ride anywhere near as nice in a high sea state.
neal richardson

[ranes]

I am sorry that I have not been back to check on my thread. I am glad there is another person out there that has purchased a 37MS. We have had our for 2 seasons now on the Chesapeake. We are having alot of fun with her. I love all of the elbow room. We have 2300 hours on the perk and still runs very strong 4.5kts at 2000 rpm. I wish we could find some systems data, we have 2 40 gallon fuel tanks, 2 60 gallon water tanks. We have an FHP reverse cycle AC, the original ice box. DreamCatcher is a heavy boat so we struggle with mid summer lack of wind. We have no problem motor sailing around. I tried to attach an image, but can't sens me a good email adress and I will send you some pictures of the DeamCatcher .

[Grumpymx]

From what I have seen so far the I37MS is a steady motor sailor, with a solid hull, deck, and pilot house. Fantastic headroom, big cockpit, and it will sleep a crowd if needed. Great power plant layout, lots of room to work, a bit overpowered which I think does not hurt in a motor sailor.

Sails like a truck close hauled, but that was expected. Could always be the sailor not the boat ....

I didn't want a pure sailboat, I wanted a pilot house motor sailor that could sail pretty well. I am
very happy with the performance to $$ ratio of this old gal.

It has a fin keel, with a big spade rudder, rather exposed prop and shaft and seven non opening widows in the pilot house that are the size of large hatches.

nwr seems to have to record for climbing the tallest sea in his I37MS, and so probably knows best what they will handle when really pushed.

Is it a true blue water sail boat? Without getting to far into the "What is a blue water sailboat" thing, I would say NO. It is not a boat that I would circumnavigate with, but it is a great little coastal cruiser that can handle a bit of a blow without falling to pieces.

[ranes]

I got you email and tried to reply(no joy) I don't know what happened but here is our story. We bought Dreamcatcher in New Orleans a year after Katrina. She had some scars, but nothing to bad. I moved her to Annapolis. We love this boat. Your pictures inspire me to keep knocking down " The List". The main furler works ok, I rather hank on for weather. We lost the furling jib in a hurricane that came up the East Coast last year. We have had our boat up to 8.5 kts in a 25 knot wind on the beam. The boat feels solid and does not pop or creek when loaded. Take care and good sailing down South.

[nwr]

Sounds like ranes got the boat that was at mandeville on lake P. there in new orleans. we looked at her and liked the overall idea, mine has the motor under the salon vice under the cockpit. we looked around and bought one that was in michigan and had her trucked to new orleans in 02. moved her to charleston on her own bottom in mid 03. storm and all. she's not intended as an all weather boat, nothing this small is but with a narrow beam and good ballast ratio she stays on her feet in a blow. like any hull you have to keep the right amount of sail up for the wind. i have the schaeffer old style roller furler and roll up the sails to stow so we can change a sail easily without fighting the sail on deck. just stuff the rolled up sail down the fore hatch into the vberth and hoist the new one attached to the furler. I lost my asymetrical drifter and one jib when i left them rolled and hoisted in a gale while at the dock here in CHS. wind blew over 60 and the slack in the lines let them get loose enough that it tore up both sails. lesson learned, unless you have a really tight roller setup take down the sails for the storms inport.
Trying to sell her now that we're two boat owners. pass the word, good boat for a couple or small family with the vberth doule, mid double and aft single under the cockpit.
neal
843-364-1407 cel call anytime, i love to talk about "my baby"