Sergeant Pepper is well regarded as The Queen of the Fleet, being the most perfectly built example of a Seacracker 33. She was built in Liverpool and is well known to West Coast sailors, having been in the Irish Sea during the Fastnet Race of 1979. She was launched in 1979 and kept ashore for six months each year until 1990 when she was laid up ashore until 1999.

She was lovingly fitted out by craftsmen in Liverpool. Such details as her cap rail coming from an old bank building - 100 year old teak - make a difference, as do the meticulously crafted details such as her stemhead fitting, expertly welded stainless which provides a thorough reinforcement to the entire bow. She always attracts praise: visually, people thinks she's an S&S 24. Performance wise she is compared most often to a Rival 34, because of her sea-keeping qualities. She has a supremely comfortable motion thanks to her wine glass shape, and she's a dry boat too, in part because her deck curves up gracefully to the bow and she has proper gunwales. 

The Refit in 2000

 Humperdinck and Candy bought her and immediately invested £12,000 on a comprehensive refit, which included a new auxiliary engine. This refit was to replace the older Volvo MD2 for which spares were scarce. They  selected the Volvo MD2020 3 Cyl fresh water cooled model. Of course, you can't just replace an old engine without also replacing the shaft (different diameter to the original), the cutlass bearing, the prop ( fixed three bladed model), the exhaust system (updated to include a Vetus water trap and muffler).

The work didn't stop there. They had already decided that two batteries were inadequate, so these were split into two banks, with the addition of a third 110 AH battery. Now we have one battery dedicated to engine starting and a pair of batteries for "services". This is configured using a Volvo split charge relay as well as incorporating a rotary battery switch. When docked, the batteries are maintained by an intelligent Sterling battery management system.

The electrics panel is comprised of 12 illuminated, fused, circuits, of which there are several spares (a plan being to install a radar in the future). Power is distributed to the mast by new wiring fitted in 2002, the mast also having a superb pair of high powered deck floodlights mounted on the spreaders. 

Work continued with a comprehensive updating of all of the electronics, including the installation of Raymarine ST60 Wind & Tridata (log, speed, depth, sea water temp). Integrated with the Raymarine system is the Autohelm 4000ST+ which enables the helmsman to sail by course or at a relative wind angle!. In the cockpit there is an illuminated compass, a GPS repeater, and a 12V outlet for powering a high powered spotlight.

The electronics suite was completed with a Yeoman Chart Plotter, integrated with a Furuno GP31 GPS unit, which is, perhaps, the easiest charting combination on the market. This was selected  because of the reliability of the paper charts with the sheer speed of use of the Yeoman. Also, the power requirements are minimal. The chart log is automatic, as Sergeant Pepper has the ICS Navtex 4 receiver, which prints a log every 15 minutes. 

The final piece of the electronics jigsaw was fulfilled by an ICOM VHF transceiver, with an external speaker so it is clearly heard in the cockpit. Of course we also replaced the aerial, the Windex, and the wiring!

The deck has had many upgrades. Sergeant Pepper is laid out for single handing in part aided by the purchase in 2001 of two Harken 40ST winches (black and chrome). All of the running rigging and most of the standing rigging was replaced also, as well as the traveller (Barton Cruiser series), the mainsheet purchase, the kicking strap, and the cleats! Ease of use in the cockpit was delivered by the installation of Spinlock rope clutches.

The refit included much else, too: cabin lights throughout, a new lavatory and plumbing, some new seacocks, a stereo and CD player, new Dorade vents, new safety equipment (Plastimo Dan Bouy, Echomax radar reflector) ... and didn't stop until they  had replaced the anchor chain on the main CQR and the chain and rode for the secondary anchor!

All in all, we spent over £12,000 bringing her up-to date.

The Interior Layout

Sergeant Pepper has the typical galley to port / quarterberth to starboard arrangement, with saloon forward of a size suitable to seat three people either side of her drop leaf table. The table has generous fiddles. With the table lowered, this enables a double bunk to port, or two very secure seaberths with lee cloths.

The heads are to port, facing a hanging locker. The forepeak is comfortable for a couple.

The cushions throughout the boat are substantial and in very good condition, there being no holes in the foam filed cushions. The cabin cushions are dark blue, the rest a dark cream vinyl material.

.

Review Sergeant Pepper's Vital Statistics

Review her Inventory of Equipment  (Dec 2003)