CZARINA BLUE NICHOLSON 38 1973 US$80,000 ONO Location : Tahiti, French Polynesia

Czarina Blue - Camper & Nicholson 38 ketch

CZARINA BLUE - Nicholson 38 Ketch 1973

Czarina Blue is a fine example of this well-respected brand, designed by John Alden and hand-built in 1973 by renowned Camper and Nicholson of Gosport, UK, hull #110 of the Nicholson 38’s, built to Lloyds survey standard and known for their build quality and sea-keeping, as well as beautiful lines. The yacht’s condition demonstrates the passionate love and care the owner has invested over the last decade, and she presents very well.

Whether coastal cruising or circumnavigating the globe, you can be assured that Czarina Blue will get you safely and comfortably to your destination. A solid and seaworthy ketch, with a very strong stiff hull, encapsulated long keel, keel-hung rudder, and protected prop. A recognised blue water passage-maker, she is surprisingly nimble, points well, and is easily sailed short-handed, with the current owner having set her up for extensive single-handing, including many redundancies for voyaging. 

Having spent most of her life in the Mediterranean, she underwent a significant refit in 2017 towards being a blue-water live-aboard: re-rigged, new chain plates / lifelines / sails / thru-hulls / seacocks / anchor and chain, hatches overhauled and reglazed, new gas system / stove / mains RCD / renewable energy systems, with all amenities, navigation and safety gear thoroughly modernised. She has crossed oceans and been a much-loved home to the current owners for the last eight years whilst live-aboard voyaging from Greece to New Zealand. 

Whilst living aboard, continual improvements have been made: Quantum slab-reefing mainsail and Webasto heating system in 2018, Hydrovane wind-steering system in 2020, and windows resealed. In 2021, the hull was peeled / epoxied, barrier-coated, the rudder removed and rebuilt / bearings replaced, the prop shaft skimmed and new bearing, the aft steering system over-hauled, adding also a jordan series drogue / dedicated chain plates, Schenker watermaker, Foruno radar, and renewing cockpit roof skylights. In 2022 the Perkins engine was entirely rebuilt. Extensive re-wiring has been carried out. She comes with many spare parts following her Pacific crossing in 2024-25, with Panama to the Marquesas taking only 29 days! Her recent travels demonstrate her seaworthiness and performance, and she is completely liveaboard ready.

Her graceful lines and brightwork always turn heads in the bay. The very protected cockpit with panoramic toughened-glass windscreen, with only two steps down into the cabins, creates a very liveable and safe space in which to keep your head in foul weather. The low-down weight of the tanks in the long keel make for a very sea-kindly motion with excellent tracking in ocean swells. A foldable helm seat allows for extended hand-steering from the cockpit, whilst the Hydrovane makes energy-free accurate steering on passage a breeze, and offers an emergency rudder. 

The vessel has abundant natural light and ventilation, and her three cabin layout allows privacy for guests, whilst the watermaker, solar power and heating system offer comfort at anchor in all seasons. The general build quality is impressive. The aft-facing chart table makes a useful office for navigation, radio or passage planning. The shower room / toilet is a well-designed wet-room. The galley is functional with good refrigeration and extensive food storage in the saloon cupboards and lockers.

Sleep soundly at anchor with the world’s most reliable anchor and plenty of oversized chain. The wooden tender motors, rows and sails, and is easily carried and lifted on the stern davits, or inverted on the foredeck for passages. 

Reference: Czarina Blue - 1973

Price: US$80,000 ONO

Location: Currently moored in Oponohu, Moorea, French Polynesia. From July the vessel will be sailed to Tonga, Fiji, and finally New Zealand at the end of 2025.

Tax: vessel originated prior to British VAT, therefore it is classed as Tax Exempt

Vessel name: Czarina Blue

Model: Nicholson 38 ketch, no. 110, by Camper & Nicholson

Launch Year: 1973

Length: LOA 37’11” 11.53m , LWL 27’ 8.23m

Beam: 10’6” 3.2m

Draft: 5’2” 1.58m

Displacement: 8 tons (dry), approx 8000 kg

Official Number: 362158, UK registered

Designer: John Alden

Builder: Halmatic (fibreglass hull), Camper and Nicholsons (fit out)

Hull material: Fibreglass/ GRP, peeled and epoxied in 2021.

Deck material: Teak planking over solid fibreglass, no core. Deck is solid.

Engine power: 50 hp

Engine make/model: Perkins 4108M diesel, 1973, gearbox TMP Nicor type 12000.

Engine hours: 1000 hours since total rebuild, in 2022, including gearbox. Engine mounts replaced and feet rebuilt 2021.

Fuel consumption: 1.7 to 2.5 litres per hour

Fuel Filters / Polisher: 3 filters between tank and engine, also separate 12v fuel polisher circuit on main tank with two filters.

Max Speed: 5.5 knots under power

Cruise speed: 4.5 knots under power, average 6 knots under sail, hull speed 7.5 knots.

Propulsion: three blade Axiom DWS Sailing tapered 16” prop (2017). Bronze tail shaft skimmed and new Maritex bearing in 2024.

Thrusters: none

Genset: none

Fuel: total 287 L : main tank 38 imperial gallons / 173 L, port wing tank 25 gallons / 114L

Water: total 455 L:  main tank 75 gallons / 341 L, starboard wing tank 25 gallons / 114L

Watermaker: Schenker Zen 30 12v installed 2021, 30 L/hr, draws 9 amps.

Black Water tank: approx 100 litres, under starboard forepeak berth.

Dinghy/ Tender: Morbic 8 clinker-built wooden sailing/rowing dinghy (2017) designed by Francois Vivier. Lug sail rig, bamboo mast, wooden oars.

Outboard: Mercury 3.3 hp two stroke (2024)

Covers: windscreen solar shade (2022), windscreen to mainmast sunshade for reclining in front of windscreen (2021), main boom large sunshade (2012), saloon hatch sun-rain shade and forehatch/foredeck sun-rain shade (2021). Hard removable cockpit roof with Sunbrella canvas side and rear zipped covers with clear vinyl windows (2017). Tailor-made mosquito nets for cockpit sides and all opening windows and hatches.

Accommodation: 3 cabins (plus potential to enclose cockpit)

Single Berths x 5: 2 in fore peak (has insert to make a double), saloon sofa makes a good sea berth, two singles in aft cabin. 

Double Berths x 2/3: one in forepeak, one in aft cabin, and saloon table can be dropped to make a third double. 

Headroom: 6’1 in the saloon, more in the cockpit, less elsewhere.

Berths: 5-7

Shower: 1 interior, 1 deck shower

Toilet: 1 x twist-lock Jabsco manual mini seawater toilet

Entertainment: stereo - Sony DSXA20, plays from devices, speakers in saloon and cockpit

Air Con: none. Various Hella Turbo fans

Heating: Webasto Air Top Evo 40 AT40 installed 2018. Outlets in all three cabins. Burner replaced 2025.

Galley: port saloon L-galley

Refrigeration: Fridge: 100L bar-style front-opening built-in fridge in port wall of saloon. Frigoboat system with K35F Danfoss compressor 12v (2011) with keel cooler and air condenser (2022). Freezer: small ice compartment in fridge evaporator plate.

Stove: Dometic Starlight (2017) two-burner propane/butane hob, oven, grill

Gas System: 2 x wooden draining gas lockers on aft deck (2018), with waterproof covers, hold 4 x 4kg Camping Gaz bottles. Bubble tester and new gas line to galley installed 2017.

Hot Water System: engine calorifier / 230v, capacity approx 40L

Windows: aluminium frames, toughened glass. 2 x saloon / 1 x aft cabin alloy- framed opening portlights glazed with plexiglass. All windows removed and resealed between 2019-2021. Hatches are original Giot alloy, overhauled and reglazed in 2017. Cockpit roof skylights re-glazed 2021.

Ground Tackle:  Bower Anchor: Rocna 20 40lb / 20kg anchor (2017), 75m of ISO 10mm galvanised certified Maggi Catena Italian chain (2017). Original CQR 35 lb in fitted bow deck-locker, as spare. Kedge Anchor: aluminium Fortress Guardian G23 13 lbs / 6 kg stored on starboard pushpit. Assorted extra chain and rode.

Windlass: Lofrans Tigres 1000w 12v, brushes checked and cleaned 2024. Cabled remote control at bow and helm position, also foredeck Lofrans foot-switches.

Safety Gear: Jordan Series Drogue custom built by Ocean Brake Ltd (2021), with custom chain plates on stern. JohnBuoy Danbuoy autoinflate pod (2017), horseshoe float w light and drogue (2017), ResQ sling, Handy Billy, throwing line, assorted flares (2024)

Liferaft: December 2023, Viking RescYou Ocean ISO 4 man hard container, exp Dec 2026, 2 x >24 hour separate grab bags. EPIRB: ACR Globalfix V4 (2017) exp 11/26.

Lifejackets: 3 x Crewsaver 190pro (2017) , with Mob1 AIS beacons

Bilge Pumps: 1 manual, 2 electric, of which one high capacity / alarmed, dedicated Auto switches for both.

Fire Protection: engine room Fireblitz Automatic halon extinguisher (2017), Firetool hand extinguishers in each cabin, fire blanket opposite galley, dry powder and electrical extinguishers under chart table. 

Electrics:  House Batteries: 400 aH 12v (2 x 200 aH 12v heavy duty deep cycle Netion NPD12-200ah AGM, 2022). Starter Battery: 1 x 75 aH heavy duty AGM (2022). Battery Charger: Victron Blue Power 12v 30A / 230v. Inverter: Victron Phoenix 12v 1200w Pure Sine Wave Invertor. Alternator: 75A 12v Prestolite (2025) Shore Power: 230v. Battery Monitor: NASA BM-1. Significant rewiring in 2021: to batteries, alternator, watermaker, fridge, autopilot. All lighting is LED.

Renewables:  Solar: 700w solar panels - assorted, Victron, Sunpower (2018, 2021). 200 w on Victron MPPT SmartSolar 75/15, 300w on Victron MPPT SmartSolar 100/30, 200w through wind generator’s MPPT. Wind Generator: MARLEC Rutland 1200 (2017), dedicated MPPT, bearings replaced and new blades 2023.

Electronics:  Autopilot: Simrad J300x with AP22 (serviced 2024), RFC35R compass, Neco 17DR8 shunt DC 12v motor (serviced 2022) drives chain and sprocket on rod steering system. Tiller pilot Raymarine ST1000+ attaches to Hydrovane tiller, works with handheld remote S100, for motoring or light airs. Depth and Log: NASA Clipper Duet (2017). Wind: NASA Wireless Wind (2023), secondary Stowe wind. AIS: Digital Yacht AIT1500 Class B (2017). Chart Plotter: personal ipads/iphones used, with position / AIS data via boat’s wifi network from Digital Yacht ikommunicate / router box (2017). Radar: Foruno DRS4W (2021) wireless, installed on mizzen, range 24M, display via iPad/iphone. GPS: Various -  Foruno, AIS , devices, VHF / handheld VHF. Radio: Standard Horizon Explorer DSC/GPS VHF (2017), with RAM3 remote cockpit handset. Standard Horizon HX870 Handheld VHF DSC/GPS/waterproof. SSB: none. Engine Exhaust Alarm : NASA EX-1. 

Compass: Sestrel, original.

Self-steering: Hydrovane VXA2D M/H/E Wind Steering system with XT vane, installed 2020. It’s own rudder acts as an emergency rudder and its tiller is controlled by control line to port side of cockpit for course adjustment.

Sail Inventory:  Genoa 140% (2012), approx 34 m2, serviced 2024, Furler: Profurl, bearings replaced 2021.  Mainsail: approx 234 sq ft / 22 m2, Quantum Palma (2018), two reefs, lazy bag, slab-reefing, reefing/halyard at the mast. Mizzen: 9.7 oz 72 sq ft / 7 m2  Marblehead, Jeckells UK (2017), Mizzen Staysail: 2.2oz 215 sq ft / 20 m2 Jeckells UK (2017), Cruising Chute/Asymmetric: burnt orange, Jeckells UK (2017). Yankee: 10 oz hi-clew, age unknown, hanked-on to removable inner forestay/ baby stay. Stormsail: orange, hanked-on to baby stay, 2017.

Winches cockpit: Genoa winches: Holmatro 40ST x 2, Lewmar 8 Alloy for main sheet, Andersen 12ST and two clutches for topping lift/chute tack.  Winches main mast : Lewmar 8 x 2. Various mast/boom clutches for reefing, outhaul and halyards. Winches mizzen mast: Lewmar 8 x 1.

Mast/Spars: Gold anodised aluminium Proctor both main and mizzen, except main boom: gold-anodised by Sailtainer, converted for slab reefing. Main mast has single straight spreaders. Whisker Pole: silver anodised. Rigging: mix stainless steel multi-strand wire and Dyform. Rigging and 

Lifelines Age: new in 2017.

Deck Gear: stainless steel custom davits, deck shower (cold) on aft deck. 3 large, 4 small fenders, various mooring lines. Outboard bracket on pushpit. Removable folding stainless steel swim ladder on starboard side. Teak liferaft cradle in front of mizzen. 

Detailed maintenance schedule spreadsheet available. 

Survey: from 2017. All outstanding items have been dealt with since then.