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Fraser Built Sailboats

80K views 145 replies 44 participants last post by  Glory Days 
#1 ·
Any other Fraser 41/42 owners here?
 
#3 ·
Fraser 41 CC

I purchased a Fraser 41, 1977 vintage in Vancouver BC a year ago - sailed across to Vancouver Island in 25 knots N.W. and my wife on helm actually loved the boat. All old electronics have now been replaced. Various upgrades to sails, running rigging - installed new propane system etc. etc.
Boat is built extremely well, Glass work is exceptional, surveyed out really well structurally at 33 years and counting. This is a boat you can take anywhere in comfort. Sails well in light airs as well. Some cosmetics to do now but what a boat! Isuzu 53 hp is plenty. Installed new house batts and a Balmer 110 amp alternator and smart regulator - works great. Many years of good boating to be done. Radar is next. Good luck with yours!
S.V. Rain Wolf.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I purchased a Fraser 41, 1977 vintage in Vancouver BC a year ago - sailed across to Vancouver Island in 25 knots N.W. and my wife on helm actually loved the boat. All old electronics have now been replaced. Various upgrades to sails, running rigging - installed new propane system etc. etc.
Boat is built extremely well, Glass work is exceptional, surveyed out really well structurally at 33 years and counting. This is a boat you can take anywhere in comfort. Sails well in light airs as well. Some cosmetics to do now but what a boat! Isuzu 53 hp is plenty. Installed new house batts and a Balmer 110 amp alternator and smart regulator - works great. Many years of good boating to be done. Radar is next. Good luck with yours!
S.V. Rain Wolf.
We've met around a half dozen up in B.C. now. We saw two in Garden Bay, Pender Harbor and we met an owner finished 41 named Shellback at NewCastle Island. The owners are long time members of the Blue Water Cruising Association up there (IIRC) and Shellback is their second Fraser. They finished a Fraser 30 and cruised it back in the late 70's. When they came home, they met a Fraser 41 sailing the other way and the wife asked the husband "what kind of boat is that?" He said "a Fraser 41." She said, "that's our next boat." They bought a bare hull and finished it off themselves. IIRC, it took them 7 years and they were kind enough to crack open their photo album and show us the pictures of their progress. I really admire the sweat equity that folks will put into their dreams. I don't know that I have what it takes to do that.

So Rain Wolf, where are you tied up?
 
#5 ·
Me and my wife are the owners of a centre cockpit Fraser 42 for over 8 years that we call home. Her name is Curtsy since she was launsed in 1978, and she is located in Pender Harbour. Al we know about her is names of privious owners that we tried to contact without any luck. Any one that knows more about her please let me know.
Over the years basical all her systems have been replaced and new equipment has been added. Last thing before we take off that needs to be done this year is replacing all rigging and sails and install roller furlings for Head and stay sails.

Thanks for your interest,

Bert
 
#132 ·
Re: Fraser 42 - Full Sail

Hi There, Yes I have a Fraser 42 - Full Sail. Now berthed in Gulf Harbour, New Zealand. I have owned her for about 15 years now - A wonderful boat, very sea kind and comfortable.
Hi,

Is the name of sloop actually Full Sail? My parents owned her from about 1980 to about 1990 in Vancouver Canada. Would love to see a photo.

Dave
 
#8 ·
I'm a prospective Fraser 41 or 42 buyer and would like to see one and talk to the owners. I've been searching for the best offshore cruiser I can get with a budget under 100k and I recently was pointed toward the Fraser 41/42. There is not a lot of info available online. I was really hoping for an owners group forum like some of the more popular boats have. If you live in BC or Washington state and would like to show off your boat I'd gladly make the drive and buy lunch.

Thanks
Doug
Surrey,BC
 
#9 ·
Tinpusher,

I ran into the same problem. Part of the reason is that most of the boats were owner finished, so the quality of the finish really varies from boat to boat. We've bumped into several folks who have already been blue water cruising and they have each praised the Fraser as a solid boat.

Kiwi,
I met the man who built your boat. He rowed over to our boat up in Desolation Sound and told me the story of how "Full Sail" came about and how the DeKleer brothers started building their own version of "Full Sail" which became the Fraser 41.
 
#10 ·
..... He rowed over to our boat up in Desolation Sound and told me the story of how "Full Sail" came about and how the DeKleer brothers started building their own version of "Full Sail" which became the Fraser 41.
Ray.. do you know the designer of record for the Fraser boats, then? I seem to recall that the first was designed by an airline pilot..

FWIW Sailboatdata.com credits a David Cook with the design of the F51, which looks like a big sister..
 
#11 · (Edited)
Faster, I think you meant Douglas Cook. The name is stuck in my head because it is the same as my own. Is that a sign as to what boat I am destined to get or what? Sailboatdata.com also lists the first 41 as being built in 1979 with owners on this thread reporting as far back as 1977. Maybe it is David Cook and another saiboatdata.com error.

erps, One of you owners should actually start a forum with real facts, ie hull numbers, year built, previous names, where currently moored, common issues....etc. It would be a great way to share information. La Connor is just down I5 from me and I'd love to see her if you don't mind me asking.
 
#13 ·
Ray.. do you know the designer of record for the Fraser boats, then? I seem to recall that the first was designed by an airline pilot..
This is the story I heard. An airline pilot designed what he thought would be the perfect sailboat. He built a mold and laid up three boats, one for him and two others for friends. This may have been in the late 60's or early 70's. The DeKleer brothers got the hull mold. Aire and his brother laid up hulls and then sold them to owners to finish them up. Aire and his brother also laid up some Bristol Channel Cutters and some Endurance 35's and three of the Fraser 51's. Aire said the lay up they did on their hulls was robust by today's standards. He was very proud at how strong their boats were. He said that in the big Cabo storm in the early 80's, several boats were washed up on the beach and destroyed. Three boats were salvageable. A steel boat owned by some famous French cruiser, a DeKleer Built Bristol Channel Cutter and a DeKleer built Endurance 35. They pushed the Endurance off the beach with a bulldozer. It was sailed up by the owner and refurbished. The owner of the boat confirmed this account on another sailing website.

Anyway, the way I understand it is that the Frasers the DeKleers were building way back were the Fraser 42's, which was a center cockpit boat. Now along comes a fellow named Roy (can't remember last) He liked the 42 hull. He didn't care for the center cockpit top through. He bought a hull from the DeKleers. He went over to Spencer Yachts and bought an aft cockpit top from them and married up a Spencer top to a DeKleer Hull and made the first aft cockpit Fraser. The DeKleer brothers heard what he was up to and came to take a look at Roy's boat. They liked it. They took some measurements and molded their own aft cockpit top. They reversed the transom on their 42 hull, making their new boat a 41 footer. The Fraser 41 was born.

Roy and his wife went cruising on their first aft cockpit boat named "Full Sail" They got down south and learned that a grand child had been born back home in British Columbia. Mrs. Roy didn't want to miss her grand child growing up, so they quit cruising and sold their boat and went back home. A couple years ago Roy told me that he had heard that Full Sail was still down in Australia or New Zealand.

Now some of the information I got on the airline pilot designer came from a fellow who emailed me and said he was a son to one of the pilots involved in the building of the first three Fraser hulls. He was unaware of Roy and "Full Sail" I don't remember that guy's name now.

Aire DeKleer was still alive a few years ago. He still had files on all his boats and said if I had a hull number, he could pull the file on that particular boat. He was a snowbird when I talked to him last, wintering down south in the states I think, but summering back in British Columbia.

Tin Pusher. You're welcome to come down and take a look at Nikko. You may need to get your post count up to ten on sailnet so you can send and receive private messages. I'll try sending a PM now so you'll have my email address.
 
#146 ·
I have a Fraser 51. The thru holes for the cockpit drains have corroded away on both sides of the boat. They had no ziincs and were not attached to the anode network of the other thru-hulls that were connected and undamaged. What was the construction of the hulls for this boat? What material was used for the core layer between the 2 fiberglass layers.is it possible that the core layer has been damaged by sea water when the cockpit drain thru-hulls corroded away? The boat is now hauled out in a boat yard in cartagena, Columbia. If you have any info on this issue or know where to find it I would appreciate it. Thanks
 
#16 ·
Hi:

Anyone who owns, any idea on the minimum headroom? I am 6'4", looking for a boat with 6'5" minimum. Looks like the same problem as the Corbin 39, mostly owner finished on the inside, so headrooms have to be discussed on a per boat basis as opposed to the design in general.

hboy
 
#18 ·
I just bought the Fraser 41 "Cassie" after selling my Longliner/Jig boat. Glad to hear they are so well thought of. It was the best boat I could find for the money, even in today's market.

I would really appreciate it if someone could send me a copy of the cutter rig sail plan or sail dimensions etc. I am preparing to sail it home to Alaska and am looking out for some spare sails.
 
#21 ·
I have located the sail plans for Cassie, thanks to the previous owner. I will post if anyone else is interested.

I just got the boat to Seward, Alaska. We were 14 days from Point Roberts Washington to Seward, with headwinds most of the way. We only able to sail for 10-12 hours on the whole trip! The fuel burn was 1.20 US gallons per hour at about 1400 rpm, good for about 6.7 kn with good sea conditions.

This begs a question: for those boats with the Isuzu engine, the fuel efficiency "sweet spot" is about 2200 rpm however due to the gear ration of the Velvet Drive, and the prop pitch, that is not attainable. How are the other Fraser 41s geared, and what prop size and pitch are they running?

It was a learning experience to take off on a 1400 mile trip after just a week on the boat but I would take this boat anywhere at this point.

regards, John
 
#22 ·
We have a Volvo MD17C with a MS drive and a three bladed maxiprop. We motor at 6 knots, 0.8 gal/hr. Fuel consumption goes up the more we push it over 6 knots.
 
#23 ·
My wife and I have a Fraser 41 that we have had for about 10 years now. She was built by the Dekleer Brothers and the interior in teak and teak and holy floors.
We just returned from a sailing trip and ran into a couple from Seattle anchored near New Castle Island on their Fraser 41. It is amazing the number of folks who you run into who know about the Fraser, not a bad word to be said about them.
We purchased our boat from a couple who had taken her off shore back in the mid 80s and praised her performance. Great offshore boat.
 
#25 ·
Greetings Andy,

We just got back last week and yep, that was us. I don't remember your boat name off hand, but I have it written down in our log book on the boat. We had a couple of great sails on our way home. Nikko was in her element sailing close hauled in 20 apparent. We weren't carrying our genoa, but had our jib and full mainsail up and we were passing up other boats on the way down Malispina and Trinicomalie Channel. Took two days for the grin to come off my face. Good seeing you and your boat at New Castle. Sorry we missed your visit. I would have liked to compare interiors etc.
 
#26 ·
Hi Ray
Good to hear from you, We left Monday and slowly started our trip home.
We had a couple of good sails as well and there is nothing like being in a sweet spot sailing, it does put you in a happy place.
it would have been nice to have spent some time with you guys as well.
We came to an agonizing decision and we are going to put our boat up for sale this fall. I know there will be someone interested in a good offshore ready boat.
It was our dream to go off shore a few years ago but it did not work out.
Take care and great sailing.
 
#29 ·
Is that the one just outside Gunboat Bay narrows? on a private dock just around from Madeira Park?

I think she's been for sale for a while, seem to remember seeing it there with a sign on it last summer. We have friends in PH.. I could make an inquiry if you like...
 
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#30 ·
Hi again,

We have been having a bit of "6 foot itis" and been waffling about if we dare try to buy a bigger boat. After reflection have thought it best to stick with our boat, but if there is any chance the folks with the 41 would have any interest in selling the Hydrovane....or anyone who reads this knows of one for sale....we are very interested in getting a used one.

Thanks everyone! Fair winds. Rose
 
#31 ·
So Nikko made it on to another sailor's blog this summer. We met up with some folks on a Hallberg Rassy 40 in Nanaimo. They tagged along with us up to Desolation Sound. We had a good sail across the strait, close hauled with 15 apparent. The HR40 took some pictures of Nikko's stern, as it got smaller and smaller and smaller. Bwa-ha-ha.


We met another Fraser 41 in Melanie Cove, "Circa" which was an owner finished boat. It turns out that we knew a lot of the same people who call Roscoe Bay their favorite anchorage. We hadn't bumped into each other before because we typically anchored up in July, while they were anchored up there in August. Small world.


The Fraser 41 for sale at the entrance of Gun Boat bay was still there this year.
 
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