SHEARWATER has a long history of racing and local cruising around the Pacific Northwest. She has been consistently upgraded and maintained since purchased in 2020 by her current owners with much of the work completed by CSR Marine in Seattle. Improvements to SHEARWATER over the past four years have improved her performance in racing as well as comfort for cruising. Under previous ownership, SHEARWATER has traveled across the United States for various races from winning the J/120 class at Key West Race Week and a double handed Pacific Cup in 2014. After being shipped back from Hawaii she has sailed in the PNW double handed or up to a full crew of eight with good results. She can be well sailed to her 2024 ORC and PHRF ratings and is ready for the 2025 season.
Improvements to SHEARWATER are extensive; Most notably are a new BETA Marine diesel engine installed by Access Marine in 2023, full bottom job by CSR marine in 2024, 3-blade max prop, Rod rigging by Ballard Sails and Rigging 2024, running rigging, anchor windlass, and more. Further upgrades are noted in the specifications.
| Name of vessel | SHEARWATER |
| Model | J/120 |
| Year | 1998 |
| Builder | TIP composits |
| Designer | Rod Johnstone |
| Price | $169,000 USD |
| Location | Seattle, WA |
| Length (feet) | 40 |
| Beam (feet) | 12 |
| Draft (feet) | 7 |
| Displacement (pounds) | 13900 |
| Ballast (pounds) | 6000 |
| Engine model | Beta BV1505 |
| Engine horsepower | 38 |
| Engine hours | 81 |
| Fuel tank capacity (gallons) | 27 |
| Water tank capacity (gallons) | 75 |
| Holding tank capacity (gallons) | Composting head |
Interior Accommodations
SHEARWATER was finished by J Composites in France of 1998 after being laid in Rhode Island. She has a covered overhead and more veneered bulkheads than her U.S. finished sister ships do. The two stateroom arrangement will sleep six with her v-berth, quarter cabin and salon settee berths. Storage space is well configured and above average for a vessel of her size and performance characteristics, with hanging lockers in each stateroom and numerous drawers, lockers and other storage areas.
Forward is the V-berth cabin and the head arrangement is on the port side just aft of the cabin. A hanging locker is opposite on the starboard side.
The main salon is finished with veneered bulkheads and white vinyl overheads. Centerline is the removable main salon table, perfect for dinners aboard and easy enough to remove for buoy racing on weekends.
The L-shaped galley is aft on the port side and just at the base of the companionway. There is a 2 burner LPG stove/oven, refrigeration, double basin stainless sink, and storage is outboard. Just aft of the galley is the large storage area accessible through a small door or via the cockpit locker.
On the starboard side, opposite the galley, is the forward-facing navigation station. Just aft is the quarter berth stateroom.
Electronics and navigation
- NKE electronics & autopilot
- NKE gyro pilot graphic
- (2) NKE data displays
- NKE Regatta Compass
- NKE autopilot
- (2) NKE autopilot remote 2021
- All NKE electronics inspected and software updates by local NKE agent, 2021
- Uniden VHF w/DSC, 2019
- AIS Transponder & Receiver with WiFi hub, 2016
- Optimizer for sat phone, 2014
- Garmin GPS, 2012
- L&S hydraulic ram with energy save solenoid
Electrical
- Victron battery charger – 2020
- Starter battery, group 24 AGM 800 MCA – 2020
- Lifeline 4D AGM Deep Cycle Battery, 210 AH Marine Flag Terminals – 2021
- Xantrex 1000W Freedom XC Inverter Charger – 12V DC, 120VAC – 2021
- Balmar 120A alternator
- Balmar external regulator
- 2 SunPower 100W Flexible Solar Panels – 2018 (presently in owners storage)
- Victron charge controller- 2019
- LED bow navigation lights – 2020
- LED Tri-Color
- Alpenglow interior lights
- Additional 120v power outlets added
Mechanical and Plumbing
- Beta 38hp – BV1505 installation by Access Marine – 2023 81 hours
- 3-Blade 17’ Max-Prop- 2023
- Prop shaft replaced, 2012, balanced and aligned with engine repower – 2023
- Engine mounts replaced- 2023
- Stuffing box replaced- 2023
- Most recent full engine service (50 hour) – Gallery Marine – December 2024
- Water heater- 2020
- Wallas diesel forced air heater
- Isotherm refrigeration
- Propane Force 10 stove & oven
- Aluminum propane tank
- Propane line and fittings replaced with added shutoff switch
- Inline water filter added for galley faucet
- Shower sump pump and automatic switch
- Automatic bilge pump – 2024
- Composting head
- 27 gal fuel
- 75 gal water
Hull and Deck
- Balta Plate bottom paint by CSR – 2024
- Keel re-faired by CSR – 2024
- Deck stiffened around partners & chainplates – 2024
- Bottomed cleaned monthly by a professional diver
- Topsides painted with Alex Seal two-part LPU- 2019
- Maxwell 10 Electric Windlass, with remote – 2021
- Lewmar Claw 44lb. anchor – 100’ of chain & 200’ of rode
- Fortress 21 Race anchor – 25’ chain & 100’ of rode
- Removable anchor roller
- Emergency tiller
- Scanmar SOS emergency rudder
- Dodger with canvas, and window covers
Rigging
- Hall spars aluminum mast, replaced in 2007 (original was damaged during land transport), inspected and rig tuned by Ballard Sails- 2024
- All rod rigging replaced by Ballard Sails- 2024
- Carbon wheel- 2007 (original aluminum wheel was damaged during land transport)
- Main traveler updated- 2020
- Traveler blocks – 2021
- All six Harken winches rebuilt – Ballard Sails – 2021
- New #1 jib halyard – Ballard Sails – 2024
- New #1 spinnaker halyard – Ballard Sails – 2024
- Dyneema main halyard
- Mainsheet – Ballard Sails – 2021
- Genoa Sheets – Ballard Sails – 2021
- Spinnaker Sheets – Ballard Sails – 2021
- Dyneema backstay – 2019
- Check-Stays installed by Ballard Sails – 2021
- Tackline for spinnaker
- Second tackline eye and additional tackline – Ballard Sails – 2021
- Lifelines replaced – 2018
- Lifeline gates installed – 2021
- Garhauer rigid boom vang
Sails
- UK X-Drive main, 2018
- UK Titanium #1 genoa, 2020 – lightly used.
- UK X-Drive #2 genoa, 2018
- UK X-Drive #3 jib, 2018
- Heavy weather #4, dacron
- UK AirX A2 spinnaker, 2018
- Ballard Sails A3, 2021 – lightly used.
- Ballard Sails A4, 2014
- Trysail
- Cruising main
- Doyle Carbon #1 cruising genoa
- Cruising/practice spinnaker
Miscellaneous and Safety
- EPIRB 2024
- Interior cushions
- 2024 PHRF and ORC certificates