Description

Camper and Nicholsons, founded in 1855, are world famous as yacht designers (e.g. Gypsy Moth IV). Their name is synonymous with excellence in yacht building - their yachts have competed in the America’s Cup, Fastnet, Olympics and Whitbread international yacht races.

"Kestra" is a proven world-class classic blue water cruiser built in 1972. This fine example of the Nicholson 38 class has been consistently well-maintained and upgraded by a succession of 5 experienced and knowledgeable owners. She has been lifted out and serviced annually – including anti-fouling and new anode. Health issues have reluctantly led the current owners to present her for sale.

Currently located in the Rías Baixas wine-growing area of north-west Spain, "Kestra" is in the rare position of being able to remain in EU waters. She has pleasing sweeping hull lines, good sailing performance and headroom, comfortable accommodation and everything is close at hand when under way. The central wheelhouse has excellent visibility whilst being well-protected in all weathers. She is ready to go blue-water cruising.

Recent improvements include:

• New standing rigging 2022
• New chart plotter 2023
• New dinghy tender and outboard engine
• New life-raft 2024
• Onboard shore power system, calorifier and hot shower
• Heads sink replaced 2025
• New FM Radio & CD player
• New solar panel 2023 – very efficient at keeping batteries topped up
• New boom stack-pack 2023

A recent survey (2024) is available on request, as well as a log of Kestra’s voyages over the last 10 years (Scotland – Ireland – south-west England – Atlantic coast of France – Biscay – Spain).

The Owner would be pleased to discuss any of the information below and answer your queries.

Disclaimer

Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of these particulars, their accuracy is not guaranteed and they are intended only as a guide. They do not constitute a part of any contract. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and if appropriate at their own expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey. This vessel is offered for sale as seen.

Safety equipment on board: Any safety equipment such as life raft, fire extinguishers, flares and lifejackets are personal to the current owner. If left on board as part of the sale they may require routine servicing, replacement or changing to meet a new owner’s needs.

Specifications

Accommodation

• Oven – Taylors O43 Gas cooker. 2-burner, grill and oven (1996)
• Fridge – Isotherm ASU marine (1997)
• Forward heads – Lavac manual operation toilet, washbasin, storage, hot shower
• Shower - forward heads, outdoor shower (black bag)
• Saloon upholstery – replaced 2018 (SKB Sails)
• Aft cabin accessed from cockpit – 2 single berths and small Lavac heads
• Chart table – protected by Perspex screen at companionway
• Hot water – engine heated calorifier (2016)
• GRP freshwater tank, capacity 340 litres
• Heating – Eberspacher D4 diesel blown air system (2002)
• Water filter – General Ecology Nature Pure Ultrafine, under sink
• Fore Cabin – V-berth with insert to create wide double bed
• Saloon berths – table drops down to create double berth, starboard single when under way
• Book shelf – two shelves for pilots and manuals

Nicholson 38 Layout

Saloon Looking Forward

Saloon looking aft

Fore Cabin

Aft cabin

Galley

Cooker

Fridge

Main forward heads

Aft heads

Construction

• Traditional GRP hand-laminated yacht built to Lloyds 100 A specifications
• Hull and deck mouldings fabricated by Halmatic
• Fit out and finishing by Camper and Nicholson
• Keel ballast lead, totally encapsulated
• Hull is a single piece moulding, finished with gelcoat externally, stiffened with moulded-in bulkheads, webs, floors and joinery fitting flanges
• Deck and cockpit manufactured from a single piece moulding, stiffened with an end grain balsa type core
• Plinths moulded in for all standard deck fittings
• Long keel for stability and comfort at sea

Nicholson 38 Internal Layout

Identity Plate at Helm

Hull and Topsides Starboard

Hull and Topsides Port

Rudder and Propeller

Cockpit looking Aft

Cockpit starboard

Equipment

Electrical Systems:

• 2 x 120amp. batteries - domestic and engine
• Onboard shore power and management system (2016)
• Gas detector
• 90 amp alternator charges batteries from engine
• Sunworks solar panel (2023) efficient and keeping batteries topped up
• 12/220V electrical circuit

Anchoring & Mooring:

• Dinghy - SEAGO Spirit 270 Inflatable - Airdeck 2017
• Main anchor – 20kg Delta, 65m chain – solid and reliable
• Kedge anchor 2 – Small Bruce type
• Outboard Bracket – on pushpit
• Fenders and warps
• Kedge anchor 1 – 35lb CQR on 10m chain, 100m warp
• Anchor windlass - Lofrans Tigres electric (2010), foot switches on deck

Foredeck - Windlass and Anchor

Anchor

Electric Anchor Windlass

Foredeck - Strong Anchoring Cleat

Aft Deck - Gas Boxes and Lazarette

Aft Deck - Lazarette Storage

Power Management System, Switches and Flares

Solar Power Display

Navigation Equipment

• Depth sounder – Nasa Clipper Duet 2022
• Wind speed/direction – Autohelm ST50
• Garmin Navionics+ Charts – MicroSD card (annual subscription)
• GPS – Garmin with trip odometer
• Compass – Sestrel Major binnacle at helm, Plastimo hand-bearing
• Helm – Wheel, Emergency Tiller
• Log speedometer – Nasa Clipper Duet 2022
• Chart Plotter – ONWA KP-39A (helm) with AIS Tx/Rx, Raymarine RC435 (chart table)
• Autopilot – 1972 Neco NM69
• VHF Radio - ICOM IC-M323 Compact VHF/DSC (2017), ICOM Handheld IC-M31
• Radar Reflector – Mast mounted, Firdell Blipper
• Helm seat/bolster for longer passages

Helm and Controls

Instruments at Helm

GPS, Chartplotter, VHF

Chart Table

Neco Autopilot Compass

Helm Seat for Long Passages

Engine(s)

• Perkins 4.108 38 hp (28kW) diesel 1991, serviced annually, exhaust replaced 2021
• Mechanical gearbox, bronze prop shaft drive
• White metal prop shaft stern bearing replaced 2023
• GRP Fuel Tank capacity 170 litres
• Heat exchanger seawater cooling system
• Fire Extinguishers
• Easy access via lifting hatches in cockpit sole
• Bronze fixed e-blade propeller
• Average speed 5 knots
• Average fuel consumption 1.3 litres/hr
• Outboard Engine – Yamaha F2.5 AMHS

Engine Access from Cockpit sole

Perkins 4108 Engine

Yamaha Outboard Engine

Sails & Spars

Sails:

• Mainsail – 3 slab reefs, full length top batten, conventional leech battens
• Genoa – roller furling, white UV strip, foam luff
• Mizzen – 1 slab reef
• Mizzen staysail

Rigging:

• Masthead ketch rig.
• All spars anodised alloy, original spars by Sparlight
• Main boom Z-Spars rigged for single line reefing (3 reefs)
• Cockpit cover with window panels and roll-ups, replaced 2018 by SKB Sails
• Mainmast keel-stepped
• Profurl M35 Genoa roller reefing
• Mainsail stack pack (4-part lazy jack system) replaced 2023 by Owen Sails
• All standing rigging replaced 2022 by NorthQuality
• Mizzen mast deck-stepped

Sails - Plan and Dimensions

Main Mast

Mizzen Mast

Under way - Port Side

Under way - Starboard side

Safety Equipment

• Life Raft – Sea Safe 2024, stows in custom-made cradle
• Buoyancy aids – 2 for use in dinghy
• Danbuoy
• Jackstays full length of wide side-decks
• Rigging cutters
• Boarding ladder
• Lifejackets - 4 automatic with harnesses and lines
• Lifebuoys – 2 horse shoe buoys with lights
• Force4 man overboard recovery system
• Bosun’s chair
• Hand bilge pump in cockpit locker
• Guardrails, handholds and shrouds provide plenty of safety grips

Location Map