Susan — Brion Rieff 34 Sloop

Everyone can agree that Captain Nat Herreshoff’s design of the 26’ Alerion is one of the prettiest and sweetest sailing boats around, but I’ll bet in every sailor’s mind there lies the question, “What if she were just a touch bigger?”

A somewhat larger version of Captain Nat’s benchmark boat would be able to venture out in more open waters, would provide a bit more protection from the elements, she’d sail a bit faster, she’d be able to put more miles under the keel on a given day and at the end of that day provide her crew with comfortable quarters for either an afternoon nap or a full night’s sleep all the while being a sensible and simple to handle, easily single-handed boat.

No need to ponder this question any further as it has been answered in style, grace and performance by the 34’ sloop Susan — built and designed (with homage to NGH) by Brion Rieff Boat Builder of Brooklin, Maine, and offered for sale well below what it would cost to build today.

Susan has been under the care of Brooklin Boat Yard since first launched and is in exceptionally good condition — some would say new. Contact us to learn more about Susan or to arrange a date to come and see “the answer to the question.”

Hull, Deck and Cockpit Construction

• Vacuum-bagged, cold-molded, wood-epoxy hull construction
• Full keel with keel hung rudder underwater configuration
• Exterior lead ballast keel
• Stem, keelson, keel deadwood, horn timber, sheer clamps, frames and floors are of epoxy-coated Douglas Fir
• Hull laminate schedule (inner to outer layers): Single tongue and grove Sothern White Cedar
• planking in longitudinal orientation followed by four (4) layers of 1/8” Fir veneers in +/- 45 degree orientation with outer layer of 1708 biaxial fiberglass cloth and final painted (AwlGrip) finish of Stars & Stripes Blue topsides with single Dark Blue boot stripe and White anti-fouling bottom paint
• Douglass Fir deck beams and carlins
• Subdeck of one (1) layer of 3/8” V-matched marine plywood with a second (2nd) layer of ¼” of marine plywood and two layers of 6 oz. fiberglass cloth with a final deck surface of 3/8” bare teak epoxy glued in place.
• Toe rails, taff rail, cockpit coamings and cabin sides and aft cabin bulkhead are of varnished Teak
• Cabin top construction same as deck construction with the exception of exterior surface(s) which is Dynel cloth set in epoxy with Desert Sand painted (AwlGrip) finish
• Cockpit sole and cockpit seating surfaces are of bare Teak
• Sail / storage lockers of epoxy-costed V-match marine plywood with Tan (AwlGrip) painted finish

Deck, Cabin and Cockpit Hardware and Features

• Deck: Polished stainless steel bow and stern pulpits with integral navigation lighting
• Polished stainless steel life line stanchions, double life lines and opening gates port and starboard
• Stainless steel bow anchor roller with Rocna 15 anchor, chain and rode
• Stainless steel stem iron
• Polished stainless steel bow line chocks and cleat port and starboard
• Rocna 15 anchor with appropriate chain and rode
• Lewmar low-profile electric anchor windlass with foot controls
• Windlass foot controls to starboard
• Anchor / chain wash-down bib to port
• Furling line fairleads along port deck by stanchion bases
• Polished stainless steel WATER deck fill starboard side deck
• Polished stainless steel WASTE deck fill port side deck
• Polished stainless steel chain plates port and starboard side decks
• Polished stainless steel spring line closed chocks at max-beam port and starboard
• Jib furling line turning block on post side deck outboard of cockpit
• Polished stainless steel FUEL deck fill on starboard side deck outboard of cockpit
• Harken main sheet traveler on aft deck
• Polished stainless steel stern line cleats and closed chocks port and starboard
• Polished stainless steel backstay tang
• Polished stainless steel ensign flag staff socket
• Cabin Sides and Top: Varnished Teak cabin sides
• Cabin top is of marine plywood over laid with Dynel cloth set in epoxy with painted finish
• Oval shaped fixed port lights in cabin sides port and starboard (2ea / side)
• Vanished Teak companionway hatch slide
• Varnished Teak handrails port and starboard
• Solar vent / fans inboard of handrails port and starboard
• Mast collar / partners on centerline
• Harken self-taking jib track forward of mast
• Cockpit: Varnished Teak cockpit coamings, aft bulkhead of cabin, companionway handrails and winch islands.
• Bare teak cockpit seat tops and cockpit sole
• Storage and equipment lockers under cockpit seating port and starboard
• Cockpit sole hatches allow for access to engine, fuel and steering systems and equipment
• All sail controls lines led to winches and rope clutches port and starboard of helm
• Edson steering pedestal with nav pod, engine ignition panel, engine controls and steering wheel
• Emergency tiller access aft
• Manually operated Whale gusher bilge pump in cockpit

Interior Arrangement and Features

• Three steps down from cockpit to interior spaces
• Quarter berths port and starboard of 3-step companionway ladder
• Forward end of quarter berths have storage under berth and behind seat backs
• Next forward (to port) is an enclosed head area with marine toilet, pressure water supplied to stainless steel sink basin set in granite vanity counter top.
• Opposite the private head area is a navigation station / desk with chart storage under granite counter top and drawer storage under desk.
• There is a V-berth sleeping area forward of head and nav areas with drawer and bin storage under berths port and starboard.
• Furthest forward is chain locker accessed from V-berths by way of opening in forward bulkhead
• Interior cabin sole is varnished Teak and Holly
• Raised panel interior furniture is of satin varnished Mahogany with figured Maple accent panels
• Overhead deck and cabin beams are of varnished Fir
• Overhead panels are of V-matched marine plywood with White painted finish
• Interior lighting consists of well-placed reading lamps by seats and berths
• Interior spaces well-ventilated by solar fans.

Spars and Rigging

• Fractionally-rigged sloop configuration
• Keel-stepped, double-spreader, tapered aluminum mast
• Windex, lightning brush and anchor light at masthead
• Steaming and deck light on mast
• 1x19 Stainless steel wire standing rigging (shrouds and stays) with polished stainless stee turnbuckle adjusters
• Leisure-Furl boom
• Forespar solid vang
• Harken MKV / Ocean roller-furling headstay
• Furling line fairleads along port deck to cockpit by way of stanchion bases
• Harken main sheet traveler and blocks with control lines led forward to cockpit
• Harken self-tacking jib track, car and block
• All sail control line led to cockpit with rope clutches and winches on varnished Teak winch islands to port and starboard of helm
• Harken #35, 2-speed, self-tailing, electric winches port and starboard
• Rope clutches for jib furling line, main sheet and main furling line to port
• Rope clutches for jib sheet and main halyard to starboard

Sails and Canvas

• Full-battened main sail
• Self-tacking jib
• Sail bags (2ea.)
• Pedestal cover
• Interior cushions

Electronics and Navigational Equipment

• Ritchie helm compass
• B&G GPS chart plotter / multi-function display
• B&G autopilot
• Uniden hand-held VHF radio

Auxiliary Propulsion and Fuel Systems

• Nanni Marine / 3-cylinnder / 30 HP inboard diesel
• Nanni ignition panel with tachometer and engine status gauges (oil pressure & engine temp.)
• Single lever throttle and transmission control
• 1 1/8” Stainless steel prop shaft
• Dripless shaft seal
• 2-Blade folding propellor
• Vetus raw-water filter
• Water-lift style exhaust muffler
• 25 Gallon fuel capacity in aluminum tank
• Racor fuel filter
• Fuel gauge at helm
• Engine and drive train access by way of cockpit hatch and access panel behind companionway

Steering Systems and Equipment

• Stainless steel and varnished Teak Destroyer-style steering wheel
• Edson steering pedestal with stainless steel binnacle guard and nav pod
• Edson chain / cable and quadrant steering
• Keel hung rudder
• G-10 rudder post with wood / FRP constructed rudder blade
• B&G Autopilot
• Emergency tiller

Electrical Systems and Equipment

• 12-Volt DC ship’s electrical system
• Separate battery banks for engine start and ship’s lighting
• Rotary style main selector switches (on-off) for engine start and ship’s lighting
• Blue Seas 12-Volt circuit panel
• Battery charging by engine alternator
• Nature Power solar panels and charge controllers

Freshwater Plumbing and Sanitation Systems

• Freshwater Capacity: 10 Gallons
• Stainless steel sink basin in head area
• Cold pressure water supplied to head sink basin stainless steel faucet
• Jabsco manually operated MSD / marine toilet
• Head system plumbed for discharge overboard or to holding tank for shore-side pump-out
• Blackwater Capacity: 10 Gallons

Ground Tackle Equipment

• Stainless steel bow anchor roller
• Rocna 15 anchor with appropriate chain and rode
• Lewmar low-profile electric anchor windlass with foot controls
• Anchor / chain pressurized water washdown system
• Deck wash hose and hose nozzle

Dewatering Equipment

• Manually operated Whale Gusher bilge pump (cockpit location)
• Johnson electric / automatic cockpit sump bilge pump
• Rule electric / automatic main bilge pump

Safety Equipment

• PFD’s Type II in storage bag (4ea.)
• PFD’s Type IV cushions (3ea.)
• SOSpenders inflatable harness
• Crew Saver inflatable harness and tether
• First Aid kits (2ea.)
• Wichard jack lines
• Search Light (12 Volt plug-in)
• Mustang Rescue Stick
• ACR locator beacon
• Emergency tiller access
• Life Link man-overboard sling
• Emergency whistle

Additional Equipment

• AB Inflatable model 10UL with aluminum hull (10’), oars and seat
• Tohatsu 6-HP / 4-stroke outboard motor
• Polyethylene outboard fuel tank
• Dock lines and fenders
• Telescoping aluminum boat hook
• Ensign and flag staff
• Red fleece blankets (2ea.)
• Tool kit
• Miscellaneous cleaning supplies
• Manuals
• Mask and snorkel
• Hand-held vacuum