Maintenance / Structure
AURORA has been consistently maintained and upgraded to offer safe, comfortable coastal/offshore sailing. Her aluminum hull has been properly maintained throughout its life which has ensured her integrity. The plating has been professionally audio-gauged in 2007, 2009, and 2020, and with no wastage detected is in excellent condition. Built at a time of a conservative approach to aluminum yacht construction, she is very strong, with traditional vertical frames on 10 in/ 25 cm centers. Her construction methods have proven their strength and she is as solid now as she ever has been.
HistoryRobert E. Derecktor Build No. 43
AURORA was launched in the summer of 1965 as KITTIWAKE for Connecticut yachtsman Humphrey B. Simson to compete in the 1966 SORC where she performed well in her class. She is a CCA-rule influenced yawl built to the highest standards for ocean cruising and racing.Ã?Â
She was designed by the legendary New York City naval architect Alan Gurney who also penned the iconic WINDWARD PASSAGE around the same time. In the late 60s there was much attention given to new racing designs for the Bermuda and Trans-Atlantic races. KITTIWAKE was part of this trend and she and her close Gurney-designed sister GUINEVERE, built by Irving Jakobson of Oyster Bay, NY, proved to be fast competitors on the circuit for the years to come.Ã?Â
KITTIWAKE was built under the watchful eye of Bob Derecktor at Derecktor Shipyards of Mamaroneck, New York. Derecktor has always enjoyed an impeccable reputation and is well known for building competitive sailing yachts, including the 12-Metre Americaââ?¬â?¢s Cup defenders COURAGEOUS, INTREPID and STARS AND STRIPES.Ã?Â
Through the 1960s and 70s she took part in countless offshore races, including at least two Transatlantics that we know of: the 1969 Newport to Cork, Ireland, Race, celebrating there the 250th Anniversary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, and one of no fewer than 27 Cruising Club of America yachts joining others from Royal Cruising Club and the host club fleet for the first of many Irish Cruising Club Cruises in Company - in all 91 yachts merrily cruised west Cork that summer. And she crossed again in the 1972 Bermuda to Bayona (Spain) Race in such iconic company as Tom Clark's BUCCANNEER, Alan Bond's APOLLO, Jim Kilroy's KIALOA, and Ron Amy's NORYEMA.
When KITTIWAKE/ AURORA's racing days came to an end she was purchased and moved to Lake Michigan where she spent the next 40 years plying the Great Lakes under the stewardship of a man who adored her and kept her in the care of the Palmer Johnson Shipyard of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, to manage her maintenance, upgrades and repairs to keep her in Bristol fashion.Ã?Â
With only three previous owners, AURORAââ?¬â?¢s current long-term custodian is a principal at Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway in Vineyard Haven, MA, where she has continued to receive the care and upgrades she has been accustomed to.Ã?Â
Today, AURORA plies the coast from New England to the West Indies, as a classic, fast and comfortable family cruising yawl - and participant in classic yachting events. She has logged thousands of happy family sea-miles with her family of four.Ã?Â
Aurora represents a unique opportunity to own a capable, classic Yawl to cruise or live aboard with the safety, security and low maintenance that her proven design and aluminum construction provide.
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A Short Note on Alan Gurney (1936-2012)Yacht designer, and later author, Alan Gurney's name will be forever associated with Bob Johnson's remarkable 1968 light displacement 73 ft/ 22 m multiple line-honours record older WINDWARD PASSAGE. Conceived when Gurney was 30, she's a yacht that still looks modern and fast over 50 years on.
Such had been Gurney's 1960s rise to prominence based in New York through his 20s, it's often forgotten that he was British: born in Birmingham and grounded thoroughly in naval architecture and yacht design during apprenticeships on England's south east coast, first with J. Francis Jones, and later with Kim Holman at Holman & Pye, who had also apprenticed to Jones.
But Gurney had a wanderlust. By 1960 he'd been hired by New York City-based Bill Tripp Jr and became skilled in designing for aluminium construction. Two years later he was working to his own account, still in NYC, a rival to Dick Carter in the promotion of sensible lighter displacement.Ã?Â
Gurney was sponsored early on by orders from the owners of two Tripp-designed Hinckley Bermuda 40s looking for something similar but different. The aluminium CCA-Rule 48ft yawl close sisters GUINEVERE, and KITTIWAKE - later renamed AURORA - were the very successful result, with KITTIWAKE coming 4th in the 1966 SORC, and GUINEVERE winning in 1967.
Many commissions would follow to Alan Gurney, including in 1973 GREAT BRITAIN II, elapsed time winner of the first two Whitbread Round The World Races, a competitor in all the rest, and possibly the yacht that has sailed more ocean miles than any other. But that wanderlust and a deep fascination with high latitudes would eventually take over, with further careers as an Arctic and Antarctic cruise guide and as an author of books about the history of navigating there; perhaps of most interest to the ordinary mortal sailor, a superb history of the compass.
[With acknowledgement to the past writings of Ted Jones who worked with Alan Gurney in one life and wrote about him in another]
Construction- Welded aluminumÃ?Â
- 9,000 lbs. lead ballast keel
- Hull Plating: 5 mm
- Framing: 0.375 in/ 9.525 mm x 1.75 in/ 44.45 mm on 10 in/ 25 cm centers
- Cockpit: 0.250 in/ 6.35 mm plate
- Professionally audio-gauged in 2007, 2009, and 2020
- No variance in readings, aluminum plate is in ââ?¬Å?as builtââ?¬ï¿½ condition
- Topsides painted with Alexseal 2-part paint (2020)
- Aluminum deck with varnished teak trim (painted 2017)
- Aluminum deck beams
- Aluminum trunk cabin structure with cold molded roof
- Aluminum rudder
Deck Equipment and Ground TackleThe deck layout and equipment is as drawn with stout standing rigging and sensible robust running rigging systems. She is set up to fly a full spinnaker with pole or the Forespar telescoping cruising genoa pole. All headsail sheeting and furling lines are lead to the cockpit. AURORA is setup for short-handed sailing and has sailed extensively by a husband and wife.
GENERAL
- Painted aluminum deck
- Appropriately positioned deck prisms
- Varnished mahogany superstructure items and trim
- Varnished mahogany-capped aluminum toe rail
- Stainless steel push pit and pulpit
- Stainless steel stanchions and guard rails
FROM AFT
- Welded aluminum mooring fairleads port and starboard
- Mooring cleats port and starboard
- Mizzen wood blocks sheet tackle to bridle at push pit
- Large headsail/ spinnaker sheet sheaves at rail port and starboard
COCKPIT
- Mizzen mast position
- Aluminum with mahogany coamings
- Raw laid teak seating and sole
- Alloy mainsheet track creating separate helm cockpit
- Mainsheet winch and cleat
- Lockers under port and starboard seats
- Shore power socket
- Edson/ Palmer Johnson steering pedestal and binnacle
- Stainless steel granny bar over
- 3 x Spoke leathered ship's wheel
- Primary winches: Barient 35
- Secondary winches: Barient 30
- Associated Chromed bronze cleats
- Aft bulkhead of trunk cabin
- Opening port to port; Axiom plotter/ radar display to starboard
TRUNK CABIN/ DECKHOUSE
- Aluminum structure
- Varnished mahogany uprights; cold molded roof
- Roof fiberglassed and painted
- Mahogany sliding companionway hatch
- Aluminum hatch garage
- 1 x Set of solid mahogany drop/wash boards
- 1 x Set of screened drop/wash boards
- Sprayhood frame
- Varnished mahogany grabrails port and starboard
- Mahogany Dorade boxes port and starboard with large, tall cowls
- Small winches port and starboard
- Charlie Noble flue for cabin heater
SIDE AND MID DECKS
- Genoa sheet deck track port and starboard
- Mahogany Dorade boxes port and starboard with large, tall cowls
- Gas bottle stowage box immediately fwd of deckhouse
- 2 x Aluminum, mahogany and plexiglass hatches over saloon
- Framed hatch screen
MAST POSITION
- Mahogany Dorade boxes port and starboard with large, tall cowls
FOREDECK
- Large aluminum, mahogany and plexiglass forehatch over forepeak
- Framed hatch screen
- Spinnaker pole stowage to port
- Ideal 12 V vertical windlass with chain gipsy/ wildcat and warping drum
- Chain lock
- 2 x Stainless steel mooring cleats port and starboard
- Stowable inner forestay chainplate
- Dual stainless steel anchor channels and rollers over bow
- Stemhead fitting
- Aluminum Panama fairleads port and starboard
- 250 ft ââ?¦Å? in/ 9mm high test galvanized chain (2017)
- 1 x 45lb CQR anchor
- 1 x 40lb Danforth anchor
- 1 x 30lb Danforth anchor
- 1 x 35lb Bruce style anchor
- 150 ft 1�¼ in / 32 mm 3-strand nylon anchor rode
Accommodation and Domestic EquipmentHer traditional painted and varnished interior layout starts with the galley, navigation station, quarter berth and wide single berth aft. The mid-main saloon area includes the drop leaf table with transom berth settee�s and pilot berths above. There is ample locker storage throughout the boat. Continuing forward to starboard are 2-full height hanging lockers, and to port is the marine head with toilet and sink. Forward of this is the fo'c'sle with standing head room for stowage of sails, cruising gear, etc. Most forward is the chain locker with plenty of room ground tackle equipment.
- V-grooved, white painted headlining throughout
- Teak and holly cabin sole
- Conframo bunk fansÃ?Â
- LED reading and overhead lights
DOWN THREE STEPS FROM COMPANIONWAY
- Access to generator under cockpit
- Raised sole area under deckhouse
- Engine access under
- Grab rail
- Stowage are to starboard
- Oilskin locker
- Overhead grab rail
U-SHAPED GALLEY TO STARBOARD
- Large stainless steel sink with mixer tap
- 3-burner propane stove with oven (2014)
- Stowage racks and lockers
- Adler Barber AC driven refrigeration systemÃ?Â
SCREENED AREA TO PORT
- Navigation station
- Navigator's/ Captain's cabin
- Chart table aft
- GPS display
- VHF Radio
- Car stereo
- Ship's electrical panel
- Single berth
- Stowage under
STEP DOWN FORWARD TO SALOON
- Fiddled sideboards port and starboard; drawers under
- Dickinson diesel heater over port sideboard
- Locker over starboard sideboard
- Pull out settees port and starboard
- Pilot berths outboard
- Lockers under
- Shelves outboard
- Bookshelf at port bulkhead
- Overhead grabrails/ curtain rails port and starboard
- Sideboard starboard fwd
- Mast position
PASSAGE FORWARD
- 2 x Full height hanging lockers to stbd
- WC Compartment to port
- Marine toilet and ceramic sink unit with mixer tap
- Bulkhead mounted cabinet with mirror
- Natural light via Dorade box
Rig Spars and SailsRIG
Aluminium spars (painted 2016)
- Main mast and boom
- Mizzen mast and boom
- Forespar retractable cruising spinnaker/ genoa pole
- Rigid spinnaker pole
- All standing rigging replaced in 2017
- Stowable inner forestay
- Running back stays (stowable)
- Fixed, adjustable backstay
- Lifelines replaced in 2016
- All running rigging in very good conditionÃ?Â
- Many running rigging spares
- Misc running rigging hardware (snatch blocks, vangs, etc)
- Roller fuller: Furlflex 300S
SAILS
- Main: good condition
- Slab reefing (3-reefs); all done at the gooseneckÃ?Â
- Mizzen: good condition
- 135% Genoa: goodÃ?Â
- 155% Genoa: goodÃ?Â
- Yankee: excellentÃ?Â
- Staysail: excellentÃ?Â
- Full spinnaker: excellentÃ?Â
- Storm trysail: excellent
- Several mizzen staysails and spinnakers: Good
CANVASWORK
- Sail covers
- Dodger with attachable sailing cockpit awning
- Main mooring/anchor awning
Mechanical Electrical and TankageMECHANICAL
- Westerbeke W-58 4-cylinder Diesel 58 hp (1975)
- 3950 Hours
- Hurth 2:1 reduction gear
- Stainles steel 1�¼ in / 32mm propeller shaft; flexible coupling
- 18 in Featherstream 3-blade feathering propeller
- Nex-Gen 5.5KW Kubota diesel based AC Generator (2017)
- Edson/ Palmer Johnson cable steering system
ELECTRICAL
DC Electrical:
- All Circuit breaker protected
- 2-4D AGM batteries
- 1 x Group 27 AGM
- Updated wiring
- All LED lighting
- 125 A Engine-driven alternator with Balmer smart regulatorÃ?Â
- 60 A Xantrex World Charge battery charger
AC Electrical:
- All circuit breaker protected
- 30 A shore power systemÃ?Â
- 5.5 kW diesel generator
- AC electric driven refrigeration system
- AC powered Xantrex 60 amp battery charger
TANKAGE/ PLUMBING
- Fuel (aluminum): 54 Gal/ 204 L
- Water (built-in aluminum): 130 Gal/ 492 L (in 3-tanks)
- Waste (polypropylene): 25 Gal/ 95 L (2017)
- 2 x 10# aluminum propane tanks (2017)
- All updated PEKS plumbing
- 4 Gal/ 15 L Isotherm water heater; engine warmed and AC electric (2016)
- Pressure hot/cold waterÃ?Â
- Cockpit shower
- Seawater anchor/deck wash system
Navigation Communication and ElectronicsNAVIGATION/ ELECTRONICS
- 6 in/ 15 cm Ritchie steering compass
- Raymarine Main System
- Axiom Hybrid touch 12� chart plotter with 4K radome, depth sounder, and AIS (2017)
- Furuno GPS Navigator GP-31 (2007)
- Simrad AC20 Auto Pilot. Clutched, chain driven
- Clock
- Barometer
COMMUNICATIONS
- Icom M422 VHF with Command Mic (2007)
ENTERTAINMENT
- Sony AM/FM
Safety- Primary bilge pump: 12 V DC Whale diaphragm type
- Secondary bilge pump: Rule 2000 with high water alarm
- Manual bilge pump: Whale Gusher (in cockpit)
- LED Nav-lights, tricolor/anchor light
- 4 x B-1 Fire extinguishers
Other Equipment� Monitor servo pendulum wind-vane steering system (removable)
- Boarding ladder
- 4 x Fenders
- Misc dock lines
DisclaimerThe Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
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