Introduction
From time to time a really nice brokerage boat comes along . . . one that offers a well-respected design, fine sailing characteristics and a history of meticulous maintenance. Such a boat is the Bristol 53.3, C’EST LA VIE.
Bristol Boat Company of Bristol, Rhode Island, built a sizeable number of these 51 / 53 foot cruisers, most of which were produced in the better known center- cockpit models. This particular boat is an aft-cockpit design which is stunning to look at . . . and still offers three private sleeping cabins. The interior is finished in teak with the lighter-colored varnish finish . . . with the optional louvered locker door fronts throughout.
Accommodations
The owner’s cabin is forward and provides a double island berth on the vessel’s centerline with drawer storage below. There is a huge hanging locker and additional storage provided as a benefit of a cabin that is over 12’ in length. The owner’s head is forward and to starboard.
Moving aft into the salon one finds a lovely varnished-teak table seating six to port . . . across from a curved settee on the starboard side. This settee slides out to form a double berth in the salon when needed. The salon bulkheads are satin-varnished, and the sole was recently refinished with high gloss varnish.
Further aft and to starboard is the galley . . . double sinks on the centerline with refrigeration, freezer and stove across and to starboard.
Continue aft and you’ll find the Guest Cabin (double berth) with private head on the port side and the navigation station on the starboard side.
The crew cabin is further aft and located to starboard behind the Nav Station. This is a true, private cabin which offers a double berth and some limited storage.
Forward Stateroom
The owner’s cabin is forward in the plan with a double berth (centerline) which measures a generous 96” X 64”. The overall length of this cabin measures in excess of 12’, and it offers a tall owner over 7 feet of headroom! There is a tremendous amount of storage behind and outboard of the centerline berth and two very large storage lockers underneath. A deep locker with double louvered doors can be found to port. A second hanging locker with storage below is located on the starboard side. The owner’s cabin offers reverse cycle heat and air, with a huge overhead hatch providing light and air circulation. Finished in matte-varnish, this lovely cabin has teak sheathing on the hull sides and features custom, fitted bedding and color-coordinated fabrics and pillows and decorator lighting. Private access is provided from the owner’s cabin into the forward head and shower. This cabin has its own TV/VCR and cassette player with speakers.
Forward Head
The owner’s head and shower has convenient double doors . . . opening from either the forward cabin or the salon. The finish is gloss-varnished teak trim counter tops are off-white laminate. The sole is hand-laid blue and white tiles. The forward head offers a Groco head, a beautiful oval mirror and additional storage outboard of the sink. An overhead hatch with screen and large opening port allow for ample ventilation. A teak grate covers the shower sump for improved drainage. The forward head has an enclosure to isolate the shower area from the rest of the head.
Main Salon
Forward and to port one finds a Raritan ice maker installed behind a louvered teak door complete with a custom liquor locker and bar area above. Moving aft, again on the port side, is the curved settee that can comfortably seat six around the varnished teak dining table. On the starboard side is a flanking curved settee that slides out to provide a double berth when required. The custom salon fabrics compliment the matte-varnished teak bulkheads and high-quality joinery these boats are known for. Under the starboard settee are three large storage lockers . . . with three more behind the settee backrest. A TV/VCR is located above the starboard settee . . . and a Sony cassette player with a Sony 10-disc CD player as well. The salon on the Bristol 53.3 design is simply huge . . . light & bright with multiple opening ports, port and starboard, plus an overhead hatch with screen. Lighting is provided by brass reading lights, five overhead dome lights and automatic lighting for the hanging lockers and bar. There are custom, drop-down screens for all overhead hatches throughout.
Aft Stateroom
The guest cabin is aft and to port . . . finished again with matte varnish over American Cherry trim and bulkheads. The large berth sleeps two comfortably given its 55” X 81” size. At the foot of the berth, flush mounted, is a third TV/VCR built into the bulkhead. There is a cedar-lined hanging locker forward of the bureau with automatic interior lighting. There are plenty of drawers and lockers to accommodate guest’s storage needs. Fans and an opening port provide ample ventilation in this large, comfortable aft cabin.
Aft Head
The finish here is much like the forward head . . . varnished teak bulkheads, varnished teak trim and off-white laminate counter tops. Blue and white tiles set off the first-rate teak carpentry. A second shower area for guests is also provided in this aft head. Access to the head is through the guest cabin. The shower area is large . . . measuring 25” X 40”. Ventilation and light are via an opening port and a large overhead hatch with teak framed screen.
Crew Cabin
Unique to this aft-cockpit 53.3 is the addition of a third, private sleeping cabin. This double berth cabin is located aft of the nav station on the starboard side of the boat and beneath the cockpit. There is limited storage within this cabin . . . but there is a good-sized single berth measuring 82” X 42”. This cabin was designed with either full-time crew or teenagers in mind. Access to this cabin is through varnished-teak folding doors located slightly outboard of the companionway.
Galley
The galley is a Pullman style that offers passage between the salon forward and the after areas of the boat. The galley is U-shaped on the starboard side with a three-burner Tasco stove/oven in the center area. There is a built-in Sharp Microwave oven above the stove. To the left of the stove is a huge refrigeration system . . . an engine-driven, holding plate design by Seafrost with shore power 110 V assist. The separate refrigerator and freezer boxes are both front and top loading, quite large by comparison with other yachts of this size and lined with stainless steel for ease of cleaning. To the right of the stove and below the counter tops is a built-in trash compactor.
On the port side of the galley (centerline of the boat) are two deep, stainless steel sinks, a large counter area and custom-designed storage area over the sinks.
Under the sinks are two large, soundproofed doors for access to the entire starboard side of the Westerbeke 100 hp diesel.
Navigation Station and Electrical
The nav station is aft of the galley and to starboard of the companionway. A custom-designed Bass electrical panel offers over 60 individual breakers. Every breaker is labeled and easy to track with Bristol’s hinged, fold-down breaker panel. There are two lines for shore power “in” with nine breakers on each leg of the shore power. There is a transfer switch from the main generator to shore power 1 or 2. Located above the 12 V breakers are a bank of high capacity breakers for the inverter, bow thruster, Stoway main and main AC. There are battery monitor gauges and DC voltmeters. This boat is also equipped with an emergency start circuit, which allows starting of the main engine with the house batteries should the engine cranking battery be low in voltage.
The varnished teak nav station measures 28” X 38”, and it offers the navigator a comfortable and secure space for all the vessel’s electronics and plotting gear. There is a large deep locker underneath the nav seat and there are three large drawers forward for galley or nav station use. Two dome lights (red & white) are mounted at the nav station to allow for day and night vision. An insert for the nav Station is provided, which enlarges the area of the nav table (for full-sized charts) and allows for a stand-up nav station.
Electrical System
- 24 V Wesmar bow thruster w/separate battery charger
- Westerbeke 8 KW generator with sound box
- MarineAir air conditioning and heating (3 units)
- Heart 2000-watt inverter
- ProMariner battery charger
- (6) Batteries for house, generator, engine starting and bow thruster
- (2) Alternators
- (2) Electric oil-changing systems
- (1) 50 amp inlet and two 30 amp inlets with Shore Power cables
- Emergency start circuits for both Engine and Generator
- 110 V shore power assist for refrigeration and freezer
- 12 V Hella fans & 12v. cabin lighting throughout
- (3) 12 V TVs and (2) 12 V VCRs
- 110 V icemaker and 110 V trash compactor
- Insulated backstay for SSB antenna installation
- Mast-top circular TV antenna
- Alarm system for propane, CO2 and bilge level
Electronics
- Brookes & Gatehouse Hydra II (multi-function) at nav station with cockpit remotes
- Raytheon R40XX radar w/cockpit mounted repeater (R41XX)
- Icom ICM 100 VHF
- Raychart 600XX plotter w/ D GPS
- Robertson AP 200 DL autopilot
- 7” Ritchie S/S compass
Deck and Hull
All Bristol-built designs feature solid (no core material) hand-laid hulls with alternating layers of mat and roving with copper screening throughout. All Bristols over 38 feet are centerboard boats with the bulletproof cable lift system. The centerboard allows a heavy displacement design like C’EST LA VIE to draw 5’ 4” with the board up. No wonder these boats are so well suited for the Bahamas, Florida and the Keys. C’EST LA VIE stands out with her Flag Blue Awlgrip topsides, double split white boot stripe and gold cove stripe.
The decks are laid teak . . . all replaced in 2001. The work was done at Bachelor Point Yacht Company in Oxford, MD. The decks received a complete refurbishing (bungs and seaming) and their first ever light sanding (2012). They look great and will continue to look great and provide trouble-free service for many more years to come.
This boat was ordered with all the Bristol exterior teak and stainless steel options. Look for her elegant varnished toe rail, rub rail with stainless striker, extra dorades with teak boxes, double stainless bow roller, mid-ship cleats and the folding teak and stainless swim ladder aft. All the exterior brightwork was freshly varnished at Hinckley, SW Harbor (Aug. 2012).
The aft cockpit Bristol 53.3 offers the deep, secure cockpit associated with these wide-beam, Empacher designs. The winch coamings are wide and flat - comfortable for the helmsman and crew. The helmsman’s seating, slightly elevated, consists of two hinged locker tops for access to cockpit storage. The T-shaped cockpit offers two benches in excess of 6’ . . . and an overall length of about 11’.
Other Deck Features
- Stainless steel bow and stern pulpits with S/S stanchions, double lifelines and side gates
- (6) Opening deck hatches
- Higher / flared toe rail with integral chocks for mooring lines
- Ideal windlass with provisions for rode and chain
- Wesmar bow thruster controls at helm
- Single-lever throttle and clutch controls
- Engine instrument panel recessed in cockpit coaming to port
- Bass 12 V waterproof breaker system recessed in starboard cockpit coaming
- (2) Large lazarette lockers behind cockpit coaming
- (2) Sets of varnished teak companionway doors, one set w/full screens, one set raised panel, solid teak
- Teak and stainless outboard mounting bracket
- Hatch and locker in the foredeck for deck gear storage
- Split/double stainless anchor roller
- Both Delta and CQR anchors on roller with chain and rode
- Life raft with on-deck stainless storage cradle
- Teak and stainless stern pulpit seats
- Perko (chrome) dorade vents
- Varnished cockpit table with additional, fold-out leaves
- Dodger
Sails and Rigging
C’EST LA VIE was built with an Awlgripped Hood electric StoWay spar with a two spreader rig. Her original specifications called for her to be ICW capable . . . so her overall mast height was slightly reduced to allow passage under a 65’ bridge. The boom was lengthened to compensate for the slight reduction in sail area. Other rigging features include:
- Solid, stainless steel rod rigging with Navtec turnbuckles
- Insulated backstay for installation of SSB antenna
- Sailtec hydraulic backstay adjuster
- Hood Yacht Systems furling gear on headstay
- Inboard and outboard Genoa tracks
- Lewmar “big block” S/S block system on custom S/S traveler
- Hall Spars hydraulic vang
- Radar reflector mounted at spreaders
Winches
- Lewmar electric 66’s - primaries
- Lewmar 46’s - secondarys
- Lewmar electric 52 - mainsheet and outhaul
- Lewmar 43 & 46 - mounted on the spar as halyard winches
- Oversized centerboard winch / worm gear drive - Merriman
Sails
- Main - StoWay by Scott Sails
- Genoa - 150 w/overhaul by Scott Sails in 2002
- MPS by Scott Sails
Engine/ Mechanical Equipment
- Main engine - 100 hp Westerbeke (3,250 hours)
- Generator - 8 KW Westerbeke (1,244 hours)
- Dual Racor system with selector manifold
- SeaFrost engine-driven refrigeration and freezer
- Total of three MarineAir heating and air conditioning systems
- Wesmar 24 V bow thruster with separate batteries & charging system
- Groco PSR Paragon automatic water pressure system
- Three-blade Max Prop
- Spurs
- Fuel: Four (4) tanks providing 295 gallons total capacity
- Water: Three (3) tanks providing 375 gallons total capacity
- Holding: Single holding tank with 30-gallon capacity, deck pump-out & 12 v. macerator pump
- Tank tender system w/ability to check all fuel and water tank levels
Remarks
Rarely does a brokerage boat come along that offers the beauty of a classic, aft-cockpit design with the flexibility presented by a three-cabin interior and shoal draft centerboard. C’EST LA VIE offers this and more. Her Hood-inspired lines never fail to bring attention in any harbor. While thought to be a heavy displacement design at better than 44,000 pounds . . . these boats go to weather like a freight train and there’s no stopping them off the wind.
Beyond her long list of equipment and clever interior design . . . this boat just looks “right.” Her proportions are perfect, the Flag Blue hull stands out in a crowd and the fresh varnish really accentuates her details and trim.
Keep in mind that she’s also shallow draft at 5’ 4” and that her Hood rig allows her to pass under any 65’ bridge between the Chesapeake and Florida along the ICW. All in all, this is one special boat that should be seen by anyone seeking high performance and high quality in a 53-foot cruising sailboat.
DUTY PAID.
Exclusions
Owner's personal effects are excluded from the sale.
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