A 28-Foot, Go-Anywhere Masterpiece
Issue 146: Sept/Oct 2022
Like many sailors, Bill and Cathy Norrie had dreams of sailing the warm waters of the temperate oceans, particularly when winter snows beat against their prairie home. They made those dreams come true, purchasing Terrwyn, a Pacific Seacraft 37, and circumnavigating the world over five years.
Along the way, they befriended a fellow sailor who owned a Bristol Channel Cutter (BCC), who eventually needed to sell the 28-footer and was determined that the Norries should own her. For a time, they managed to keep both boats, but eventually they sold Terrwyn, renamed the BCC Pixie, and prepared her for what would become Bill’s epic solo voyage.
Leaving from Victoria, British Columbia, in September 2019, he circumnavigated eastbound—“the wrong way”—around the five capes to complete the voyage a year later, in the middle of a pandemic. I was especially interested in this adventure, since I had helped Bill prepare Pixie as part of my winter hobby of working on and maintaining boats. We have become friends, and Bill was happy to provide the admirable Pixie as our review boat.
Modeled after traditional European sailing craft of the 19th century, the Bristol Channel Cutter is always an eye-catcher under sail. The bowsprit and boomkin help expand the sail area, despite the shortish rig.
Design
Lyle Hess designed the BCC based on the lines of his 24-foot Seraffyn, made legendary by Lin and Larry Pardey. The 28-foot BCC first came off the molds in 1976 at the Sam L. Morse Company in Costa Mesa, California, which built 127 of them.
Some were sold as bare hulls so that owners could finish the boats themselves, one reason why interior layouts are often different among boats. In 2007, the Sam L. Morse Company closed, and the molds went to Cape George Marine Works in Port Townsend, Washington. (Some were also built by Channel Cutter Yachts in Vancouver, British Columbia.)
The documented overall length of 28 feet is a bit of a misnomer; add 10 feet when including the bowsprit and boomkin. With a relatively short mast, these appendages stretch the feet of the sails, substantially expanding the boat’s sail-carrying ability. The cutter rig allows for maximum flexibility in sail configuration, vital in ocean sailing. A typical total sail area of 673 square feet helps move the boat’s heavy displacement (346 displacement/ length overall ratio) in lighter air.
The bowsprit accommodates both headsail furlers; loads, which are substantial, are taken up by a bobstay. Note the beefy samson post, the bulwarks that allow
reinforcements of the stanchions, and the extra blocks of wood strengthening the hawse pipes. Photo courtesy Bill Norrie.
With just under a 5-foot draft, the BCC is not going into the thinnest waters, but stout construction brings peace of mind when the seafloor does come up unexpectedly. As can be expected from the full keel, maneuverability in tight quarters is not a strong point. However, minimal attention is required for sailing a straight course. The design is optimal for wind-powered self-steering devices.
Construction
The original hand-drawn and typed construction manual is still on the Sam L. Morse website at samlmorse.com/ Bristol-channel-cutter/ construction-manual (this site also provides access to the owners’ forum, which is an excellent source of ongoing discussion and archival information on the boats). The company produced a fascinating promotional film detailing construction; you can watch it at youtube.com/ watch?v=YXdcIEoKNuI.
The hull is hand-laid fiberglass with a fully enclosed, full-length keel. Lead ingots form fit the keel sump, secured with epoxy resin and then glassed into place with woven roving—no keel bolts to worry about. The rudder is transom hung and attached to the trailing edge of the keel, fully protected from debris or grounding.
The hull-to-deck joint is an inward-turned flange with the deck set on top. Plenty of 3M 5200 adhesive is used with bolts on 5-inch centers to complete the bond. The joint is then covered by a 1-inch x 6-inch teak plank that extends out to a 3-inch-thick teak rubrail to protect the fiberglass and support the bulwarks. This massively built joint is unlikely to fail. Internal bulkheads are glassed to the hull with five layers of mat for the full length of the joint, adding stiffness to the hull.
On Deck and Rigging
The deck has a stout, traditional workboat appearance. Solid teak bulwarks, oversized deck gear, and a small cockpit all point to a serious offshore vessel. The double-spreader aluminum mast is keel-stepped with room on deck to work around the base.
Looking aft from the foredeck toward the twin Dorade vents, note the batwing opening hatch over the saloon and the traditional wood belaying pins used in place of cleats to tie off some of the running rigging or to hang coiled line.
The cabin trunk is divided into a main and fore cabin. The sailor working at the mast does not have to climb onto the coachroof, a sensible precaution in heavy seas. Aboard Pixie, Bill has arranged all sail control lines back into the cockpit for additional singlehanded safety.
The aluminum boom rests on teak boom gallows mounted on bronze supports at the aft end of the cockpit, a convenient handhold. The boom-end mainsheet leads to traditional wooden blocks with cam cleats on the stern rail, all within easy reach for the helmsperson.
The cockpit stretches nearly gunnel to gunnel with wide seats. The view forward is excellent, even with a dodger. The footwell is relatively small with a seat-level bridge deck across the companionway. It’s a bit of a stretch for foot bracing on the opposing seat while using the windward coaming as a comfortable backrest. Unfortunately, the teak backrest has a narrow top, which eliminates the option of sitting on the coaming with a tiller extender.
The bridge deck is a critical safety feature for offshore work. Instruments are nicely arranged over the sea hood, another safety detail.
The teak tiller sweeps across the aft two-thirds of the footwell, so the crew better stay clear in tight quarters! I found that the aft rail prevented the tiller from being momentarily raised out of the way in the cockpit during a tack or jibe, a bit cumbersome with crew aboard.
Two rollers on the bowsprit and an ABI manual windlass handle the ground tackle, with the chain led below into the deep forepeak. A massive samson post that extends below deck to the keel completes the foredeck equipment.
In preparation for his circumnavigation, Bill replaced all the standing and running rigging. Low-friction rings on loops around the teak bulwarks served as very reliable, and infinitely adjustable, sheet leads, replacing the standard blocks.
Despite being just 28 feet long, the BCC’s main saloon is quite comfortable, including a settee to
starboard with storage above and below and a cabin heater.
Below Deck
Many of the BCCs were customized below, so stepping aboard one doesn’t mean you’ll see the same thing on another. Even the headroom can be different from boat to boat. This review focuses on Pixie’s layout and accommodations.
The Bristol Channel Cutter emerged from the factory with a Yanmar 3GM30F or, in later models, a 2002 Volvo Penta diesel, tucked under the cockpit. Aboard Pixie, the previous owner had replaced the Yanmar with a Beta 25, a Kubota-based diesel with parts readily available worldwide. The engine had 52 hours on the meter when Bill and Cathy bought the boat, and following a circumnavigation, it now has 350 hours.
Access to the diesel is under the companionway steps. The watermaker and Espar heater are also installed in this compartment and are difficult to reach. The aluminum fuel tank mounted directly behind the engine holds 32 gallons.
In Pixie, there’s no V-berth, so Bill sleeps in the port-side pilot berth in the main saloon. A quarter berth also provides a bunk, though Bill uses his primarily for storage. Note the drop-leaf table, which can sit a small army of guests for a comfortable dinner.
As mentioned earlier, the cockpit has a bridge deck at seat level, necessitating a step over into the companionway. Four steep steps descend into the cabin. Cream-colored paneling accented with teak trim greet the sailor in a compact but cozy interior. The cabin sole is solid fir planking.
Immediately to port is a U-shaped galley with a propane three-burner Force 10 range between a substantial storage cabinet and deep stainless steel sink. Keeping the boat simple, Pixie has neither refrigeration nor pressure water. The sink has salt and freshwater foot pumps. The freshwater tank holds 64 gallons.
Immediately to starboard is a good-size, stand-up navigation station with a substantial chart table and room for electronics. Interestingly, under the chart table is a large top-opening ice box.
The galley is small but all business, with plenty of storage and a three-burner stove.
Astern of the nav station is somewhat restricted access to a full-length quarter berth that Bill uses mainly for stowage. Batteries are underneath.
Two settees in the saloon flank a permanently mounted, drop-leaf table attached to the bulkhead as well as the mast. The starboard settee has open storage against the hull; the port side settee has a generous berth, which can be pulled out into a double.
Three opening bronze portlights on each side of the main cabin trunk provide ventilation, along with a traditional teak butterfly hatch overhead accompanied by two bronze Dorade vents. Even with spray whipping over the cabin, ventilation shouldn’t be a problem.
Due to the deck configuration that allows deck-level access at the mast, headroom stops short of the forward bulkhead. One must stoop to reach the door into the forward cabin, and then stoop even further to pass through the rounded door opening. The forward cabin houses a marine toilet in a small cupboard (but no other head accommodations) and an expansive workbench area and storage to port.
The distinctive forward scuttle hatch provides
headroom in the forepeak below and possibly a deck seat at anchor or in mild weather.
Underway
We sailed Pixie on a cloudy day with light winds. Powering out of the marina onto the rippled waters of Cadboro Bay near the Victoria waterfront, she showed a comfortable cruising speed of 5.5 knots at 2,500 rpm. The Beta 25 has a maximum continuous engine rpm of 3,600, plenty of power in reserve when required.
Considering that the engine compartment is mostly lacking in sound insulation, the engine noise in the cockpit was very reasonable. Vibration transmitted to the hull was minimal. Prop wash on the rudder was noticeable with a pull to starboard, but certainly not offensive. As anticipated, maneuverability with the full keel needed to be planned well in advance. Bill emphasized that there is no thought of directional control in reverse. However, the three-blade Max-Prop did function as an admirable brake.
The well-equipped electrical panel is located behind the companionway steps, clearly visible and accessible with no chance of accidental contact, above.
Sailing to windward in 7-10 knots of true wind, Pixie heeled slightly and soon settled into a very solid 4-5 knots to windward. The tiller felt solid although somewhat heavy, the design not allowing for a balanced rudder, so substantial effort is needed to change direction. An over-trimmed mainsail induced weather helm, as expected, and easing the main allowed for hands-free sailing.
Pixie was able to tack through 90 degrees, both headsails easily passing through the foretriangle. Reaching is the BBC’s forte. Unfortunately, the light wind did not allow Pixie to demonstrate her full potential on that point of sail.
The transom-mounted rudder and tiller greatly simplify the steering gear. The sprocket on the backstay is a remnant of a self-steering system no longer in use. Photo courtesy Bill Norrie.
During his circumnavigation, Bill ran with twin poled-out headsails. As a longtime sailor of coastal cruisers and racing sailboats with fin keels and spade rudders, I was suitably impressed with the performance of a full keel in light air. I expected sluggish windward ability, yet Pixie surged along effortlessly.
Conclusion
The Bristol Channel Cutter is exactly what it was designed to be, a tough, ocean-crossing boat easily sailed by minimal crew or even singlehanded. Bill Norrie and Pixie are not the first to prove that.
She is not a dockside party boat, although she does tend to be somewhat of a dockside queen, as the traditional design garners plenty of attention. Robust construction and attention to detail place this Lyle Hess masterpiece at the forefront of small ocean-going sailboats.
A recent Internet search found four for sale, ranging from a 1985 model for $55,000 to a late model for $185,000.
Bert Vermeer and his wife, Carey, have been sailing the coast of British Columbia for more than 30 years. Natasha is their fourth boat (following a Balboa 20, an O’Day 25, and another Islander Bahama 30). Bert tends to rebuild his boats from the keel up. A retired police officer, he also maintains and repairs boats for several non-resident owners.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
