1979 Morris Leigh 30

The Leigh 30 grew out of the success of her little sister, the Frances 26.  Her canoe stern and cutaway full keel and refined hull shape results in a hull that is easily pushed and comfortable in a seaway with a very balanced sail plan.  Easily sailed short handed, SURPRISE is well suited for both blue water cruising and afternoon sails.  She has been extensively updated and immaculately maintained by her current owner and is well worth a trip for anyone looking for a high quality small sailing yacht.

 

CONSTRUCTION:

Hull: 

• Single skin hand-laid fiberglass with internal stiffeners and Philippine mahogany marine plywood bulkheads. 
• Externally mounted lead keel and bronze keel bolts. 
• Full length keel with cut away forefoot, attached rudder, propeller aperture. 
• Bronze seacocks and through-hulls, copper ground strap. 
• Large bilge sump. 
• Snow White Awlgrip hull with Jade Mist  Green whale stripe and boot stripe (2018).
• Bottom stripped and barrier coated with green bottom paint (2022); repainted spring 2025.
• Keel bolts re-torqued 2022.

 

Deck: 

• Balsa-cored hand-laid fiberglass. 
• Molded bulwarks with integral midship chocks and a varnished cap rail provide security on deck underway. 
• Decks re-cored where needed and Awlgripped Oyster White with San Mateo Wheat painted nonskid (2019).
• All deck hardware removed and rebedded (2019).
• Stainless steel bow and stern pulpits, stanchions and double lifelines with gates port and starboard.
• Lifelines replaced 2018.
• Bronze opening portlights on cabin sides and front provide excellent natural light and ventilation (rebedded 2018).
• Stainless steel overhead opening hatches provide additional light and ventilation (new 2018).
• Varnished teak eyebrow, handrails and companionway sliding hatch.
• Custom stainless steel stem fitting with integrated bow roller for anchor and opening chocks (2000).
• Bronze anchor chain access fitting.
• Deck fitting for removable inner forestay.
• Bronze Herreshoff style bow and stern cleats.
• Bronze fairleads on cap rail for bow and stern lines.

 

Cockpit:

• Cockpit with varnished teak seat backs. 
• Varnished teak companionway hatch and drop boards. 
• Edson helm pedestal with stainless steel helm guard and engine shift and throttle controls (repainted 2018).
• Edson stainless steel wheel with varnished teak rim (new 2018).
• Winch handle holder on pedestal base.
• Varnished teak sail locker hatch on port side.
• Dedicated propane storage locker under helm seat with active propane tank in locker aft.
• Wichard folding padeyes for securing tethers.
• Dodger with opening center window (new 2019). 
• Custom red cockpit cushions for all seating.
• Sunbrella binnacle and wheel cover.

 

ACCOMMODATIONS:

The accommodations are finished in Herreshoff style w/white bulkheads and satin-varnished mahogany trim and varnished pine hull sheathing.  The cabin sole is solid varnished teak and holly.  The trunk cabin liner is clad in varnished mahogany and the overhead is white paint. 

Forward cabin:

• Vee berth with filler piece and green Ultrasuede cushions with 5” foam (new 2018).
• Varnished pine hull sheathing.
• Access door to chain locker/forepeak.
• Ample storage under vee berth in several separate compartments.
• One forward opening bronze portlight and opening overhead hatch (2018)  provide natural light and ventilation.
• Hanging locker with shelf above and opening bronze portlight aft of vee berth on starboard side.
• Door (presently stored ashore) provides privacy from main cabin for forward cabin and head.

 

Head: 

• Located aft of vee berth on port side.
• Raritan manual head (2000) with Y-valve for discharge to holding tank or overboard.
• Holding tank and head hoses replaced 2019.
• Storage outboard in locker.
• Opening bronze portlight.

 

Main Cabin:

• Port and starboard settees with storage lockers outboard and shelves above.  
• Quarter berth aft to starboard with removable chart table (currently ashore).
• Force 10 propane cabin heater (2000). 
• Varnished overhead handrails port and starboard.
• Six opening bronze portlights and a large overhead opening hatch (2018) provide light and ventilation.
• Screens for all portlights, hatches, and companionway.
• Varnished mahogany drop leave dining table stores folded against forward bulkhead.
• Cabin sole revarnished 2018.
• Overhead painted 2018.
• Interior painted and varnished 2019.
• Settee cushions green Ultrasuede with 5” foam new 2018.                                             

Galley: 

• S/S galley sink with hot and cold pressure water faucet and foot pump for salt or fresh water selectable with valves (pressure water faucet new 2019).
• Formica countertop with varnished mahogany fiddles.
• Top-loading insulated fridge with Sea Frost 12V holding plate refrigeration (new 2018).
• Force 10  2-burner propane stove with oven and broiler and cutting board cover (new 2020).
• Dish/storage locker with sliding smoked Lexan doors, pot lockers.
• Additional storage aft of fridge in drawers and shelf.
• Remote propane solenoid shut-off switch panel and gas alarm (solenoid new 2025).

 

MECHANICAL:

• 2000 Westerbeke model 20B2 18 HP diesel engine (1,215 hours as of July 2025).
• Major engine service 2018 – clean heat exchangers, service raw water pump, check and change belts and hoses as needed, service alternator and clean and paint engine.
• New stainless steel propeller shaft 2018.
• Cutlass bearing replaced 2018.
• New 3 blade Max prop installed 2018.
• Spurs line cutter installed on shaft 2018.
• New engine mounts 2022.
• Racor primary fuel filter.
• Groco bronze sea water strainer.
• Approximately 48 gallons fresh water in two bladder tanks under starboard settee (forward tank added 2019; aft tank replaced 2024).
• Fresh water pump (added 2018).
• Isotemp 4 gallon hot water heater under cabin floor (new 2025 – heats off engine).
• Circulator pump for hot water, new 2025.
• Hot and cold cockpit shower (2019).
• Electric automatic bilge pump (2019).
• Manual bilge pump in cockpit.
• Bronze through hulls with seacocks.
• Rule high water bilge alarm.

 

ELECTRICAL:

• Blue Seas 12V breaker panels.
• House battery bank of two Deka AGM 27 DC batteries (new 2024).
• Dedicated start battery added 2018.
• ProMariner ProSport 20 battery charger (added 2022 – plugs in with extension cord).
• Victron Argofet battery isolator.
• Solar panels mounted on dodger with charge controller (2018).
• Xantrex LinkLight battery monitor.

 

ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION:

• Brookes & Gatehouse 7" Zeus 3 color chartplotter mounted at helm (2024).
• Furuno NavNet radar (not currently operational).
• Standard Horizon Matrix AIS/GPS VHF. 
• Raymarine i70 instruments for wind, depth, water temperature and speed (2018).
• Raymarine i70 autopilot with wheel pilot drive (2018).
• Danforth Constellation binnacle compass (needs service)
• Navigation and steaming lights.
• LED anchor light (2018).

 

SPARS & RIGGING:

• Aluminum keel stepped single spreader mast by Metalmast.
• New 2024 airfoil spreaders.
• 1X19 stainless steel standing rigging (new 2018).
• Removable Dyneema inner forestay with keeper for conversion to cutter rig (2019).
• Harken MKIV headsail furler (new 2018).
• All running rigging replaced 2018.
• Harken mainsheet traveler (new 2018 and moved forward of dodger).
• Chainplates rebedded and underdeck supports reinforced 2018.
• Aluminum whisker pole with storage chocks on deck.
• Aluminum genoa sheet tracks on side decks and cap rails  with adjustable blocks.
• Two reef lines run back to cockpit.
• Two varnished shroud rollers.

Winches:

• Two Barient chromed self-tailing primary winches on bronze winch bases.
• Barient 10 chromed winch on cabintop for main halyard.
• Barient 10H chrome winch on mast.
• Barlow 16 chrome winch on mast.

SAILS:

• North Main – 2019.
• North 130% Genoa – 2019.
• Sail cover.
• Lazy jacks for main - 2022.
• Asymmetrical spinnaker.
• Tanbark staysail - never used.
• Spinnaker halyard and masthead block presently ashore.

 

SAFETY:

• Carbon monoxide detector.
• Two safety harnesses.
• Lifesling2 mounted on stern rail.
• 22 lb Lewmar claw anchor with 20' of 3/8" stainless chain and 3/4" rode, new 2023.
• 12 lb Danforth anchor with chain and rode.
• Emergency tiller.
• Fire extinguishers.
• Horn.
• Removable folding boarding ladder.
• Edson single hanging step at gate for boarding from dinghy.
• Boathook.
• Magma propane grill with cover - mounts on stern rail - (grill needs ignitor and gas regulator).
• Docklines and fenders.
• Outboard motor mount for stern rail.
• Varnished teak flag staff, flag, and custom staff holder on stern rail.
• Custom padded holder in quarter berth for companionway drop boards.
• First aid kit; flares.
• Spare engine parts.