Spot — Kettenburg PC-32 Sloop

A Little History

Transplants from Pennsylvania, the Kettenburg family moved to the Point Loma peninsula of San Diego, California, in 1912. George Kettenburg Sr. had sold his “electricity-generating” business in Pittsburgh and was able to retire. He had an interest in speedboats, and before long he had started building a 22’ powerboat from a plan. His son, George Jr., was helping out from age 14 and soon showed a remarkable propensity and insight in ship design. Soon, George Jr. had designed a 26-footer that was promptly built and fitted with a surplus WWI aircraft engine. After the third design by George Jr., the Kettenburgs started the Kettenburg Boat and Engine Co. in 1918 to concentrate fully on the designing and building of boats. They built mostly powerboats at first, but in 1926 the first 22’ Alden sloop was commissioned by a group of local yachtsmen and the Kettenburgs were on their way to becoming preeminent sailboat designers and builders.

The Kettenburgs moved their establishment to waterfront property in Point Loma in 1929 and changed their name to Kettenburg Boat Works. That same year, the Kettenburgs were challenged by the San Diego Yacht Club to come up with a design that could race against other, well-established sailing classes, such as the 22-square meter and R-boats. George Kettenburg Jr. designed the PC (Pacific Class) 32 prototype sailboat, which easily bested all comers, and the Kettenburgs had immediate orders for four more boats. Unfortunately, the Great Depression soon dried up orders for the PC 32.

Kettenburg Boat Works survived the depression era by building smaller, more affordable boats (sail and power). In the build-up to America’s entry into WWII, they also built boats for the war effort along with commercial fishing craft, which required a retooling of the Kettenburg Boat Works — changing from the traditional “right side up” approach to a more modern production line utilizing inverted rigs and separated production zones. This new procedure and retooling allowed the Kettenburg Boat Works to turn out one rearming boat every four to five days and a fishing boat every ten days. The new manufacturing scheme was perpetuated after the war to produce sailing yachts like the Pacific Class 32.

From 1929–1956, a total of 83 Pacific Class hulls were built of mahogany on oak by Kettenburg Boat Works. Many of the original PC-32 hulls were raced across the Pacific to Hawaii, and some never returned from the islands. Others have moved up the coast of California and into the state of Washington. The boat being offered for sale, Spot (Hull #37), was acquired by the current owners while living in San Diego. When they moved to Maine, Spot came with them. They have had years of sailing and racing fun aboard Spot, but the time has come to pass along this classic to a younger (or young at heart!) owner to continue this legacy.

Spot is stored indoors and is available for inspection by appointment. Contact us to learn more about Spot or to set up a day and time to see her for yourself.

Recent Work

Spot benefited from a comprehensive restoration completed in 2002, with approximately 90% of the framing replaced or repaired. Damaged frames were removed and replaced with laminated oak frames and sisters, all bronze fastened for strength and longevity.

The restoration also included fabrication and fitting of new oak floor timbers from the mast step aft to the main hatch. Hull seams were strengthened with mahogany splines and epoxy, and numerous butt blocks were replaced throughout. The vessel has no known separation or leaking.

The deck and cabin top were upgraded from canvas to a more durable fiberglass and epoxy system. New mahogany components including the cabin house, cockpit coaming, cap rail, taffrail, transom, and hatch slides were built. New mahogany floorboards in the cabin and cockpit were also installed. The bottom and topsides were epoxied and faired, and topsides finished in Sterling LP. The most recent bottom paint job was completed in 2025.

The rig has received equally careful attention. The mast was stripped and painted in 2025, with the mainsail track and all mast hardware removed, cleaned, and re-bedded at that time. Standing rigging was replaced in 2018.

Spot has received substantial structural and cosmetic investment. The restoration work, combined with recent maintenance, makes her an especially attractive opportunity for a buyer looking for a well-maintained classic yacht.

Hull, Deck, Cabin and Cockpit Construction

• Full keel with cut-away fore foot and keel-hung rudder underwater profile
• Bronze fastened Mahogany planking over White Oak frames
• As a part of a major rebuild in 2002 hull planking was splined and epoxy coated
• White Oak stem, keelson, deadwood, horn timber
• Varnished Mahogany transom
• Exterior lead ballast keel
• White Oak sheer clamp and deck beams
• Decks are marine plywood with canvas overlay and painted (Gray) finish
• Cabin sides are varnished Mahogany with (3ea) fixed ports per side port and starboard
• White Oak cabin beams
• Cabin top is marine plywood with fiberglass overlay and painted (Gray) finish

Deck Hardware and Features

Fore Deck

• Cast Bronze bow chocks port and starboard
• Bronze head stay fitting centerline
• Bronze chain pipe port of centerline
• Bronze bow cleat centerline
• Wichard stainless steel folding pad eye center line

Side Decks

• Bronze chain plates
• Black anodized aluminum sail (jib) tracks with adjustable cars and Schaeffer stand-up blocks

Aft Deck

• Harken main sheet traveler with control line lead under deck to Harken cam cleats under side decks at forward cockpit port and starboard
• Multi-purchase main sheet arrangement with Harken blocks and cam cleat
• Bare teak spinnaker sheet risers port and starboard
• Varnished Mahogany and Bronze folding boom crutch
• Cast Bronze stern cleat on center line
• Cast Bronze stern chocks port and starboard
• Bronze backstay tang on center line
• Varnished Mahogany and Bronze outboard motor bracket port aft

Cabin Sides

• Fixed port lights (3ea / side) port and starboard
• Bronze port and starboard navigational lighting

Cabin Top

• Varnished Mahogany hatch
• Bronze mast partners
• Stainless steel pad eye
• Varnished Teak handrails port and starboard
• Varnished Mahogany sliding companionway hatch
• Port Aft Cabin Top: Lewmar #6 Bronze single speed winch (1ea), Harken cam cleats (2ea)
• Starboard Aft Cabin Top: Lewmar Bronze single-speed winch (1ea), Harken cam cleat (1ea)

Cabin Bulkhead Aft

• Varnished Mahogany trimmed companionway entrance
• Varnished Mahogany winch handle holder on port bulkhead
• Poly-Planar stereo speakers mounted on both port and starboard bulkheads

Cockpit

• Varnished Mahogany cockpit coamings port and starboard
• Harken cam cleats for backstay adjuster mounted under deck port and starboard of forward cockpit
• Lewmar Bronze #7CT single speed winches mounted on varnished Mahogany pads outboard of cockpit coamings port and starboard
• Varnished Mahogany storage shelf under starboard deck

Spars and Rigging

• Fractionally-rigged, double spreader, sloop sail plan
• Sitka Spruce mast with varnished finish at base and painted (Dado Brown) finish above decks.
• Bronze mainsail luff track
• Anodized aluminum spinnaker pole track with adjustable car
• Harken turning blocks on mast for jib and spinnaker halyards
• Sitka Spruce spreaders (upper and lower)
• Bronze jumper struts
• Sitka Spruce boom with varnished finish, stainless steel foot track and bronze hardware
• Sitka Spruce spinnaker pole
• Stainless steel wire standing rigging with Bronze turnbuckle adjusters for shrouds, headstay and jumper stays
• Stainless steel wire adjustable backstay
• Low stretch running rigging (sheets and halyards)
• Windex wind indicator at masthead

Sail Trim and Sail Handling Equipment

• Jib Leads: Black anodized sail tracks with adjustable cars and Schaeffer stand-up blocks port and starboard side decks
• Jib Sheet Winches: Lewmar Bronze #6 Single speed winches with associated Harken cam cleats port and starboard at aft cabin top
• Spinnaker Sheet & Guy Winches: Lewmar Bronze #7CT single speed winches mounted on varnished Mahogany pads outboard of cockpit coamings port and starboard
• Harken spinnaker sheet & guy turning blocks on raised bases
• Harken multi-purchase main sheet system with swivel cam cleat
• Harken main sheet traveler with control lines lead under deck to cam cleats port and starboard in forward cockpit
• Multi-purchase adjustable backstay with control line lead under deck to cam cleats at aft end of cockpit

Sails and Canvas

• All sails by North Sails
• Mainsail
• Mainsail cover
• Jib
• Triradial Spinnaker
• Boat covers (3ea)
• Note: Boat covers usable but in need of replacement so existing covers can be used for patterns

Auxiliary Propulsion and Fuel

• Human powered — paddles (2ea)
• Varnished Mahogany and Bronze outboard motor bracket

Electrical Equipment

• 12-Volt DC ships electrical system
• Single deep cycle 12-Volt DC battery
• Circuit panel for control of all ships electrical needs

Electronics and Navigational Equipment

• Kenwood KCD 3022 Stereo
• Poly-Planar stereo speakers

Ground Tackle

• Lewmar 11lb, claw anchor (never used)
• 150’ Three strand Dacron anchor rode with chain

Dewatering Equipment

• Thirsty-Mate manual bilge pump
• Rule 360 GPH electric / automatic bilge pump with float switch

Safety Equipment

• PFD: Type IV (4ea)
• Navigational lighting

Additional Equipment

• Fenders (3ea)
• Paddles (2ea)
• Spares kit
• Boat hook
• Varnished Teak ensign staff and flag

Significant Work History

2002 Restoration

• Removed damaged and deteriorated frames and installed laminated oak frames and sisters
• Approximately 90% of the framing was replaced or repaired, with bronze fasteners used throughout.
• Installed new oak floor timbers from the mast step aft to the main hatch
• Installed a new mahogany cabin house and cockpit coaming
• Installed new mahogany floorboards in the cabin and cockpit
• Installed a new mahogany cap rail
• Installed a new mahogany taffrail and transom
• Removed canvas from the deck and cabin top and replaced it with fiberglass and epoxy
• Installed new mahogany hatch slides
• Fit mahogany planking splines and epoxy in hull seams
• Replaced numerous butt blocks throughout the vessel
• Epoxied and faired the hull and finished the topsides with Sterling LP
• No separation or leaking reported.

Rigging & Recent Maintenance

• Standing rigging was replaced in 2018.
• Mast was stripped and painted in 2025.
• Mainsail track and all mast hardware removed, cleaned, and re-bedded in 2025.
• Most recent bottom paint job was completed in 2025.