SAPHIRA is a beautiful example of the classic Hinckley Sou’wester 50.  Designed by Henry R. Hinckley, the SW50 takes inspiration from the Bill Tripp designed iconic Bermuda 40. Twenty-five were built over a decade between 1976 and 1986.  Intended for anything from weekend cruising to world voyaging, the SW50 was designed with several different interiors and a yawl rig and a well thought out deck layout making her easily and safely sailed shorthanded.  Her centerboard allows exploring shallow areas like the Bahamas or Chesapeake while still providing performance sailing offshore.

SAPHIRA was taken in trade as the previous owner moved up to a larger sailboat and the company would like to see her sell this season.

SAPHIRA has been extensively upgraded by her her recent owners.  She is an excellent example of a well kept and updated classic design and the level a well built boat can be kept in over time.  A partial list of recent improvements includes:

2021

• All (4) AGM house Batteries replaced
• New 12v Seafrost fridge and freezer system installed
• Garmin VHF handset mounted at helm
• Sunbrella helm cover
• Leaded glass butterfly hatch with Sunbrella cover
• New hot water heater and plumbing
• New 165 am Leese/Nevelle high-output alternator installed
• Engine valve cover gasket and drive belts replaced
• (2) 100 watt solar panels added
• Cabin sole re-varnished
• All black water hoses replaced with 70-feet of premium sewage hose
• New Scirocco fan added to main cabin

2020

• New Garmin Electronics: Radar, 12-inch touch screen chart plotter, 4  multi-display head units, pedestal rail mount and Nave Pod for chart plotter at helm, Nav Pod for 3 Garmin displays at top of companionway, VHF with AIS
• All sails removed and sent out for cleaning and any small repairs needed. New Sunbrella cover fabric for three working sails
• All interior and exterior lighting converted to LED
• All running rigging new

2019

• Racor 75500 max dual fuel filter system installed
• New engine water pump and all cooling hoses replaced
• All fuel lines replaced
• New engine heat exchanger, bilge pump float switch

Each year Saphira has been hauled, cleaned throughout, her engine and running gear serviced and bottom-painted

CONSTRUCTION:

Solid, hand laid fiberglass hull and deck reinforced in all high stress areas with integral fiberglass stiffeners. The deck is set in a 6” flange and then fiberglassed and bolted to form a permanent hull deck joint.

• Centerboard:  500 lb. cast bronze foil-shaped with an electric Hinckley worm gear lift centerboard control (the board can override the lift mechanism without damage in the event of a grounding)
• Keel: 10,500 lbs. lead fastened externally with stainless steel bolts.
• Stainless steel capped rub rail
• Flag Blue Awlgripped hull with white boot stripe, red bottom paint and gold cove stripe
• White deck with textured sand-colored anti-skid areas.

DECK:

• Custom Hinckley fabricated stainless steel stem fitting with integrated chocks
• Custom stainless steel midship chocks (2 per side) with fixed stainless steel midship cleats
• Stainless steel bow and stern pulpits
• Hinckley stainless steel stanchions with double lifelines and gates port and starboard.  Stanchion bases incorporate padeyes for securing lines or blocks
• Varnished teak toe rails and deck house eyebrows
• Stainless steel genoa tracks with adjustable blocks mounted to top of toe rail
• Varnished teak ensign staff
• Two Teak and stainless steel dorade vents on foredeck with translucent tops to allow light below
• Stainless steel handrails over dorade cowls provide support at mast
• Varnished handrails on cabin top port and starboard
• Custom Hinckley deck top opening hatch forward with varnished frames and translucent smoked Lexan.  Hatch can be easily configured to open either forward or aft.
• Custom teak butterfly hatch with leaded glass over main saloon with Sunbrella cover (2021)
• Varnished teak chocks for anchor on cabin top
• Translucent white Lexan panels recess in forward edge of cabin top lets in light below
• Molded in fiberglass traveler base over sea hood
• Varnished teak hatches in stern deck for access to lazarette, propane locker and cooler
• Teak outboard mount on stern rail

COCKPIT:

The large comfortable cockpit has a bridge deck, two large sail lockers and a teak coaming for comfortable seating.

• Varnished teak coamings
• Teak decking on cockpit sole
• Edson pedestal steering with wheel brake and engine throttle and gear controls and Ritchie compass with stainless cover
• 32” Edson stainless steel destroyer style wheel
• Varnished teak folding table and drink holder mounted to pedestal guard
• Four winch pockets in coaming
• Engine instrument display recessed in forward bulkhead
• Recessed Lexan covered switch panel at helm with engine ignition, deck lights and instruments
• Cockpit cushions
• Folding teak helm seat mounts on mizzen mast
• Dodger with stainless steel frame
• Cockpit awning provides shade and protection at anchor

ACCOMMODATIONS: 

SAPHIRA has a warm varnished mahogany interior and varnished teak and holly sole and was built with a modified “A” layout that provides two spacious cabins. The owner’s spacious private cabin is forward with an over-sized V-berth.  The main cabin has a comfortable pilot berth, an extra-wide transom berth and an expandable settee berth.  Saphira also has an aft quarterberth starboard that gives the skipper or navigator easy access to the navigation station and cockpit while at sea.  She has two interconnecting heads with access from main salon and forward cabin.  A large comfortable main saloon with a large drop leaf table provides ample space for living below and includes a comprehensive navigation station opposite a well-equipped galley. 

• CruiseAir reverse cycle air conditioning
• Overhead lighting and bulkhead reading lights throughout
• A combination of large fixed portlights, opening portlights and opening overhead hatches provide abundant natural light and ventilation
• Overhead handrails and drip rails provide secure handholds throughout boat
• All interior lighting converted to LED in 2020
• Cabin sole re-varnished 2021 

FORWARD CABIN:

The master stateroom forward has a private head and a v-berth with a seat between and abundant storage in lockers and shelves outboard of the berth.  

• Additional storage in a bureau with a locker above and two hanging lockers to starboard
• White Formica overhead panels with mahogany battens
• Forward access door to forepeak chain locker

FORWARD HEAD:

The ensuite head is accessed from the forward cabin and is finished in varnished Mahogany

• Wilcox-Crittenden Skipper II marine manual toilet
• Corian countertop with white sink with hot and cold faucets
• Storage in locker and medicine cabinet outboard
• Second door provides access to shower in aft head

DAY HEAD:

A second head is located immediately aft of the forward head with access from main cabin and forward head.

• Corian countertop with white sink and hot and cold water faucet
• VacuFlush electric head
• Telephone style hand shower with shower curtain
• Teak grate under shower area
• Medicine cabinet over counter
• Storage under sink and in lockers outboard
• Stainless steel robe hooks and towel bar

MAIN CABIN: 

The main cabin has a U-shaped dinette to port with a pilot berth outboard.  To starboard is a pull out transom berth with lockers outboard for storage and the entertainment system. 

• Mahogany drop leaf centerline table provides plenty of comfortable seating while dining
• Table lift out provides access to manual centerboard crank
• Large hanging locker forward of starboard settee
• Additional storage in drawers behind settee seatbacks

GALLEY:

The large, U-shaped galley is located at the base of the companionway with well thought out storage and workspace

• Formica countertops with mahogany fiddles
• Large top loading fridge and freezer with Seafronst 12v compressors and external digital controls (2021)
• Dry storage outboard of fridge and freezer
• Stainless steel gimbaled four burner Force 10 stove with oven (2004)
• Stainless steel top mounted double sink with hot and cold water
• Manual salt water faucet
• Seagull filtered water tap
• Task lighting over counter tops
• Custom mug and cup racks mounted on aft bulkhead
• Abundant storage in clockers and drawers in aft bulkhead and outboard of stove

NAV STATION/QUARTER BERTH:

The standup nav station is at the base of the companionway opposite the galley with a large desk area.

• Red and white lights over desk
• Second chartplotter display and VHF and SSB radios
• DC electrical panel at nav station
• Excellent storage in a variety of drawers under nav station
• Large quarter berth is immediately aft of nav station with shelf outboard and overhead lights
• AC electrical panel and controls inboard of quarterberth under companionway

MECHANICAL:

• ENGINE: Ford Lehman 80hp diesel engine with approximately 1800 hours June, 2024)
• 1.25” Stainless steel shaft with dripless shaft seal
• New 165 amp Leese/Nevelle high output alternator (2021)
• 3 bladed feathering Max Prop
• Racor primary fuel filters for engine and genset
• Oil change pump for engine and generator
• Fireboy fire suppression system for engine and generator
• Salt water washdown spigot at bow
• Automatic bilge pump with high water alarm
• Manual bilge pump
• Fresh water pump
• Hot water heater (engine or 110v) – new 2021 with plumbing
• Onan 7.5 KW generator (not currently in service)
• Engine blower for generator compartment
• Vacuflush electric toilet aft
• Wilcox-Crittenden manual toilet forward
• Sealand holding tank monitor
• All head hoses replaced with premium sanitation hose 2021
• Dual propane tanks with remote solenoid valve
• Reverse cycle heating/air conditioning
• Saltwater washdown at bow

ELECTRICAL:

• 110v and 12v systems with DC and AC electrical panels with breakers and meters
• Separate 12v house, engine and generator batteries (new 2021)
• 40 amp battery charger for start and generator battery
• (2) shore power inlets with 50’ 30amp shore cords (one for main panel and one for air conditioning)
• 110v and 12v outlets
• (2) 100 watt solar panels

ELECTRONICS & NAVIGATION:

New Garmin Electronics package installed 2020 including:

• 12” chartplotter display in NavPod at helm
• Garmin Fantom 18 radome
• (4) Garmin GMI20 multifunction instrument displays
• Garmin AIS800 transceiver
• NavPod with 3 instrument displays over companionway
• Garmin VHF 210
• Remote VHF handset at helm (2021)
• Ritchie compass at binnacle

ENTERTAINMENT:

• Stereo  with DVD player
• Flat screen TV in forward cabin

SAILS, SPARS & RIGGING:

• Anodized aluminum main and mizzen mast and booms
• 1X19 stainless wire standing rigging with swaged terminals and Hinckley stainless steel rod lugs and chromed forged bronze turnbuckles
• All new running rigging 2020
• Furling genoa
• Spinnaker pole
• Traveler system for main
• Removable inner forestay for storm staysail
• WINCHES
• Barient 35 two speed primary winches
• Barient 26 electric secondary winches
• Barient 10 stainless steel mizzen winch
• Barient 22 stainless steel mast winches
• Barient wire main halyard winch

SAILS

• Full-batten main with max roach
• Full-batten mizzen with max roach
• 120% Genoa headsail, roller-furling
• Mizzen staysail
• Storm Trysail
• Storm Jib
• Reefable staysail for inner forestay
• Hood MPS cruising spinnaker with snuffer
• Sail Covers

SAFETY:

• Ideal electric windlass with rope and chain gypsies
• CQR anchor in stainless steel bow roller
• Secondary anchor rode with deck plate
• Painted Danforth with mounting chocks on trunk cabin
• Lifesling mounted to stern rail
• Emergency tiller

MISC.

• Dorade vent into forepeak anchor locker for ventilation
• Life jackets
• Dock lines
• Fenders
• Stainless steel two part folding boarding ladder
• Sunbrella helm cover (2021)