1996 Bruce Roberts Customer Steel Hull Sailboat Boat in Vancouver, BC CA
Built in 1996
Customer Steel Hull Sailboat
1 Engine (Isuzu)
48 feet
Diesel
Steel
The Bruce Roberts 53 is a serious long-range cruising design, and Blauer Adler is a particularly unique example. Built around a substantial steel displacement hull constructed by SP Metal Craft Ltd. in Port Coquitlam, she was completed and fitted out over many years by her owners, Wolfgang and Alice Unruh. This was not a production boat assembled on a line - the owners personally designed and constructed her interior and installed her systems, creating a 53-foot cutter with the space, tankage, equipment and robust construction intended for extended cruising and eventual bluewater adventures. Her 2024 survey describes the hull and deck structures as well constructed and in good condition and specifically compliments the owners on their years of work completing the vessel.
At 53' LOA with a substantial 15'6" beam, approximately 7' draft and nearly 50,000 lb displacement, Blauer Adler is a true cruising yacht. Her cutter rig includes aluminum mast and boom, stainless steel chainplates, Harken and Sea Furl furling systems, in-mast furling, four Anderson self-tailing two-speed winches and a full suite of Dacron sails that have seen very little use. Auxiliary power comes from a 138 HP six-cylinder Isuzu D500 diesel, professionally rebuilt by Klassen Diesel in Richmond and now reported to have under 100 hours. A 6 kW Mase diesel generator, 2,000W inverter/100A charger, approximately 400 gallons of freshwater capacity and enormous diesel capacity further underline what this vessel was originally built to do.
53' CUSTOM STEEL CUTTER - REBUILT 138 HP ISUZU DIESEL WITH UNDER 100 HOURS - 6KW MASE DIESEL GENERATOR - 630 GAL FUEL CAPACITY - 400 GAL FRESH WATER - CUTTER RIG - IN-MAST FURLING - DUAL HELM STATIONS - FULL KEEL - TWO PRIVATE STATEROOMS + V-BERTH - TWO HEADS - DICKINSON DIESEL STOVE/OVEN - HYDRONIC HEAT - 2000W INVERTER/100A CHARGER - HYDRAULIC ANCHOR WINCH +++
What makes Blauer Adler special is the story behind her. She was built with love over many years as the owners' long-term cruising boat, with a hand-built interior designed around comfort, storage and extended time aboard. Despite the scale of the project, she has only been taken out a handful of times. The rebuilt engine has fewer than 100 hours, and the rig and sails have seen remarkably little use. Inside, she's a proper cruising home: a forward V-berth, separate guest cabin with stacked berths and desk, large U-shaped galley, dinette, raised wheelhouse and a substantial aft owner's stateroom with queen berth, its own head and additional sitting area. This isn't a stripped-down passage maker - it's a boat designed to be lived aboard and taken somewhere.
The owners' health now prevents them from realizing the cruising plans they built her for, and their priority is seeing Blauer Adler move on to someone who appreciates what she is and can finally put her to use. For the right buyer looking for a substantial steel cruising yacht rather than another production sailboat, she represents an opportunity to take over a deeply personal project with the major construction already behind her - and write the next chapter.
CALL NOW TO ARRANGE YOUR PRIVATE SHOWING OR BOOK A PERSONAL VIDEO WALKTHROUGH
Nominal Length
48ft
Length Overall
53ft
Beam
15.58ft
Hull Material
steel
Engine 1
Engine Make
Isuzu
Engine Model
D500
Total Power
138hp
Engine Hours
86
Engine Type
inboard
Fuel Type
diesel
Engine Year
2018
Drive Type
direct
Summary
1996 Bruce Roberts Customer Steel Hull Sailboat
Specifications
Dimensions
LOA: 53'
Registered Length: 14.87 m
Beam: 15'6"
Registered Breadth: 5.60 m
Draft: Approx. 7'
Registered Depth: 2.29 m
Displacement: Approx. 49,850 lbs
Gross Tonnage: 36 GT
Net Registered Tonnage: 35 NT
Hull Shape: Displacement
Hull Material: Steel
Hull Plating: 3/16" steel plate with foam-filled insulation
Deck: 3/16" steel plate
House: 3/16" steel plate
Year: 1996
Design: Bruce Roberts 53
Rig: Cutter
Keel: Full steel keel with lead and cement internal ballast
Rudder: Steel spade rudder with skeg
Builder – Hull & Deck: SP Metal Craft Ltd., Port Coquitlam, BC
Tankage
Fuel: 600 Imperial gallons in two steel main tanks + 30 Imperial gallon steel day tank
Fresh Water: Approx. 400 gallons
Hot Water: 10 gallons
Holding: Holding tank with macerator pump
Engine
Make: Isuzu
Model: D500
Configuration: 6-cylinder diesel
Original Year: 1996
Rebuilt: 2018 by Klassen Diesel, Richmond, BC
Hours: Under 100 hours reported since rebuild
HP: 138 HP
Fuel: Diesel
Cooling: Freshwater via heat exchanger
Transmission: Hurth Marine HSW630H
Drive: Direct shaft
Shaft: 1¾" stainless steel with dripless shaft gland
Propeller: 24" four-blade bronze
Maximum Speed: Approx. 10 knots
Exhaust: Wet through-hull
Generator
Make: Mase
Fuel: Diesel
Output: 6 kW
Hours at 2024 Survey: 47.8 hours
Accommodations
Forward Cabin: V-berth with overhead deck hatch
Guest Cabin: Port-side cabin with stacked single berths, hanging locker and desk/drawer storage
Owner's Stateroom: Aft cabin with centreline queen berth, port and starboard hanging lockers/storage
Heads: 2
Showers: Forward head includes tub and shower
Salon/Dinette: Starboard dinette + additional settees
Wheelhouse: Raised pilothouse with interior helm
Aft Cabin Lounge: L-shaped settee
Galley: Large U-shaped galley
Sailing / Rigging
Cutter rig
Painted aluminum mast and boom
1x19 galvanized steel standing rigging
Stainless steel chainplates
In-mast mainsail furling
Harken furler
Sea Furl furler
Dacron mainsail
Dacron jib
Dacron genoa
Sails reported by owner to have seen very little use and remain in near-new condition
2 x Anderson #56 ST two-speed self-tailing winches
2 x Anderson #40 ST two-speed self-tailing winches
Stainless steel fore and aft pulpits
Heavy welded stainless steel lifelines/rails
Self-bailing cockpit
Electronics / Mechanical
Dual-station hydraulic steering
JRC radar
JRC multifunction GPS/display reported aboard at survey
ComNav 200LS autopilot
Lowrance LMS350A echo sounder
Sea Sport 1080K VHF
Dual 6" compasses
Navigation lights
Engine tachometer
Oil pressure instrumentation
Water temperature instrumentation
Ammeter
Hydraulic drum-style anchor winch
Approx. 400' rode at time of survey
35 lb Danforth primary anchor
Approx. 15 lb Danforth secondary anchor
Automatic 120V submersible bilge pump
30A shore power
Circuit-breaker electrical protection
Electrical
Heart Interface 2,000W inverter / 100A battery charger
Mase 6 kW diesel generator
Engine alternator
4 x Trojan 6V house batteries
4 x 6V engine-start batteries
Dedicated 12V generator-start battery
30A Marinco shore-power connection
120V onboard electrical system
Interior Equipment
Custom owner-designed and hand-built interior
U-shaped galley
Dickinson Pacific diesel stove with oven
Haier 120V refrigerator
Kenmore 120V freezer
Stainless steel icebox
Hydronic heating system
Three flush-mounted radiator/fan heaters
400-gallon freshwater capacity
10-gallon 120V hot-water tank
Two head compartments
Tub and shower
Multiple hanging lockers
Extensive built-in storage
Guest cabin desk with drawer storage
Raised pilothouse
Multiple settees and dining areas
No propane system aboard
Exterior Equipment
Steel hull, deck and house
Blue painted hull with white decks
Outside aft steering station
Painted aluminum radar post
Davit crane
Large aft deck
Port and starboard exterior storage compartments
Hydraulic anchor winch
Stainless steel fore and aft pulpits
Heavy welded stainless steel perimeter rails
1993 7' Livingston fiberglass tender
Two MOB poles
Life ring
Price History
| Date | Event | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 9/15/26 | Initial price | $106,279 |
Finance your dream boat!
Use our boat payment calculator to estimate monthly payments for 1996 Bruce Roberts Customer Steel Hull Sailboat. Enter your down payment, choose a loan term, and adjust the interest rate to see an instant payment estimate — ideal if you're calculating boat payments before you enquire. Wondering how much does a Sail Cruiser cost in today's market, or how much does a Bruce Roberts cost for similar models? This boat financing calculator helps you compare scenarios in seconds, whether you're considering used boat financing or a new purchase.
$
$
%
Principal Loan Amount$ 90,337
Total Payment$161,519.20
Monthly payment
$673.00/mo
Finance your dream boat!
Use our boat payment calculator to estimate monthly payments for 1996 Bruce Roberts Customer Steel Hull Sailboat. Enter your down payment, choose a loan term, and adjust the interest rate to see an instant payment estimate — ideal if you're calculating boat payments before you enquire. Wondering how much does a Sail Cruiser cost in today's market, or how much does a Bruce Roberts cost for similar models? This boat financing calculator helps you compare scenarios in seconds, whether you're considering used boat financing or a new purchase.
$
$
%
Principal Loan Amount$ 90,337
Total Payment$161,519.20
Monthly payment
$673.00/mo
Be the first to know when similar boats hit the market
Get notified when new boats become available
Boats For Sale in British Columbia, Canada Similar to the 1996 Bruce Roberts Customer Steel Hull Sailboat
Compare with similar boats and find the perfect one for you.
This Boat
Similar Boats
 1996 Bruce Roberts Customer Steel Hull Sailboat | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $106,279 | $99,256 | $127,616 | $131,094 | $70,829 | $69,836 |
| Location | Vancouver | Sidney | Victoria | Squamish | Delta | Sidney |
| Nominal Length | 48' | 35' | 45' | 40' | 51' | 38' |
| Beam | 16' | - | - | - | - | - |
| Engine Make | Isuzu | Universal | - | Yanmar | - | - |
| Total Engine Power | 138 hp | 30 hp | - | 54 hp | - | - |
| Days on Market | 11 | 16 | 424 | 97 | 408 | 263 |
| Get in touch |
Other Bruce Roberts boats for sale in British Columbia, Canada
Meet the Broker
Address
po box 75389 Leslie street po
Toronto, Ontario M4M1B3
Want to update the details or images for this boat? Claim this listing by getting in touch.
Contact Yacht Network about 1996 Bruce Roberts Customer Steel Hull Sailboat
po box 75389 Leslie street po, Toronto, Ontario, M4M1B3
Login with Google