Nicholson 38

An iconic Camper and Nicholson yacht, the Nicholson 38, has gained a loyal following since her introduction in 1966. Based on the original John Alden-designed Mistral, the Nicholson 38 was lengthened, gained a higher freeboard, and boasted a revised rig arrangement. Launched at the 1966 London Boatshow, the design was an instant hit with the sailing public. Although now superseded by more modern and beamier designs, the Nic 38s still maintain their reputation as classic yachts that sail very well and make comfortable cruising yachts with plenty of living space.

Classed originally as a motor sailer the Nicholson 38s quickly became known for their performance under sail. The fully protected doghouse with optional roll-up sides and a solid roof with 2 ‘skylights’ provides the cockpit with excellent protection in all weathers, ideally suited for cruising in Scottish waters. Hull number 104, the Nicholson 38 BLUE WANDERER is one of the later examples of this popular design. Having been with her current owners for the last 25 years+ she has been lovingly maintained, wintering ashore annually and lightly used during the sailing season. Her inventory highlights include:

Underwater hull epoxy coated
Boat wintered ashore annually for the last 25 years +
Raymarine ST60 Navigation instruments
Raymarine Autopilot
Cobra Chart Plotter
Raymarine chart plotter
Tecma Nelson gas cooker
Built-in fridge
Diesel fired, blown air heating system
Lavac manual marine toilet
Electric anchor windlass
Zodiac inflatable dinghy

An incredibly well cared for example of this classic Camper and Nicholson design, we strongly recommend early viewing to avoid disappointment. Currently lying on her berth in Ardfern Yacht Centre and available for viewing by appointment.

CONSTRUCTION

Hull Construction:
Single piece GRP moulded hull with encapsulated long keel.
Heavyweight traditional GRP hand-consolidated laminate
GRP formed internal structural members
Plywood bulkheads
Topsides finished with blue single-pack paint and a painted gold cove line
Underwater hull epoxy coated with West System epoxy in the 1990’s
Underwater hull finished in red antifouling with white boot top stripe

Deck & Superstructure Construction:
Single piece GRP moulded deck incorporating coachroof superstructure and self-draining cockpit
Heavyweight traditional GRP hand-consolidated laminate
Reinforcement in way of high-load deck fittings
Alloy framed, toughened glass windscreen
GRP moulded doghouse roof with skylights
Deck finished in original gelcoat with moulded non-slip patterned panels

Keel & Rudder:
Traditional long keel profile, fully encapsulated
Lead ballast
Full depth, pintle hung GRP rudder
Bronze rudder stock and heel fittings

MACHINERY

Engine & gearbox:
Perkins 4.107 marine diesel engine
45hp
4-cylinder, naturally aspirated, indirectly cooled
Paragon hydraulic reversing marine gearbox
Single lever engine controls

Maintenance & Performance:
Engine last serviced annually during current ownership
Engine and gearbox serviced May 2026
New heat exchanger installed in 2024
Cruising speed 6kts
Selection of basic tools and engine spares.
Propulsion & Steering:
Traditional stuffing-type stern sterngland with remote greaser
Stainless steel propshaft
Bronze 3-blade fixed propellor
Mathway shaft steering system with gearboxes
Traditional hardwood steering wheel
Emergency tiller

Autopilot:
Raymarine ST6002+ control head
Raymarine linear drive unit

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Voltage systems:
12VDC onboard power system
230VAC shore power system

Shore Power System:
Extension lead to connect to shore supply
Single 16 amp connection point
Hardwired RCD-protected system
3 pin UK sockets and battery charger

Battery Banks:
Engine Battery – 1x 12VDC lead acid
Domestic Battery – 2x 12VDC, lead acid

Battery Monitor:
Voltmeter on switch panel

Charging:
Quick SBC 240 switch mode battery charger
230VAC – 12VDC, 24amp

Alternators:
Single engine driven alternator
Adverc smart alternator controller

Other Electrical:
Windscreen wiper for port side of windscreen
Inverter – 300w inverter at chart table for laptop charging etc

PLUMBING SYSTEMS

Fresh Water:
Pressurised cold water only system
Mixer tap in galley, cold water only
Cold water tap in heads
Shower fitting in forward heads, not currently connected
Cold tap in aft cabin
Manually pumped, filtered water tap

Bilge Pumps:
Manual Bilge Pump
Electric Bilge Pump

TANKAGE

Fuel:
Main keel tank and additional wing tank
Main tank filled through wing tank
Approximate capacity 285ltrs

Fresh Water:
Single fresh water tank
GRP keel tank
Approximate capacity 340ltrs

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

On Deck:
Depth – Raymarine ST60
Speed/Log – Autohelm ST50
Wind – Raymarine ST60+
Plotter #1 – Raymarine SL Series SL70C
Plotter #2 – Cobra Marine C-Map NT
Magnetic Steering Compass

Communications Equipment:
DSC VHF – Silva S10 DSC VHF

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

Galley:
Cooker – Nelson Tecma gas cooker, two burner, grill and oven, gimbal mounted
Fridge – Built-in, front loading fridge, located outboard of port saloon seating. Isotherm compressor and chiller plate system
Stainless steel sink
Mixer tap
Manually pumped fresh drinking water tap
Selection of crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils

Heads:
Toilets – 2x Lavac manual marine toilets
Armitage Shanks ceramic wash hand basin in forward head with hot and cold taps
Dedicated shower fitting in forward heads, currently not connected
Ceramic wash hand basin with hot and cold taps located in aft cabin between bunks
Extractor fan in both heads

Heating:
Diesel-fired blown-air heating
Thermostatic cabin controller
Outlets in all cabins

Lighting:
Overhead lighting throughout the interior
Bulkhead mounted, gimballed paraffin lamp in saloon – not used in current ownership

Entertainment:
JVC Radio/CD headunit with Bluetooth connectivity
Speakers in saloon

ACCOMMODATION

Summary of Accommodation:
Twin cabin forward
Forward heads
Saloon providing occasional single/double berth
Nav Station
Galley
Cockpit
Aft cabin with two single berths
Aft heads

Accommodation Finish:
Joinery work of teak veneered plywood with solid teak trims
All joinery work finished in a matt varnish
Off-white painted bulkheads in saloon with varnished teak trims
GRP moulded heads compartments with varnished teak trims
Light blue Alcantara upholstery in saloon
Light blue upholstery in cabins
Fitted carperts in saloon and forward cabin
Curtains for cabin and saloon portlights

Description of Accommodation from Forward:

Forward Cabin:
Two single berths outboard to port and starboard
Hawse pipe coming down from deck head centrally to anchor chain locker beneath forward section of bunk
Lee boards for port and starboard bunks
Storage bin locker forward of berth
Under bunk storage accessible by locker doors in bunk bases aft to port and starboard
Emergency exit steps mounted on starboard side of bulkhead
Hanging locker aft of port bunk with countertop above

Forward Heads:
Located to starboard side forward of saloon
Manual marine toilet located inboard, forward, aft facing
Countertop outboard of toilet with inset ceramic wash hand basin
Shower stall standing area at aft end of heads with dedicated shower fitting
Selection of vanity lockers outboard of countertop and below

Saloon:
Bench settee forward to port outboard
U-shaped settee to starboard
Folding saloon table on removable base, allowing table to drop and create double berth
Two doored lockers above port settee backrest, outboard, aft locker being the fridge
Lockers and bookshelves above seat backs outboard to starboard
Storage lockers beneath settee bases to port and starboard

Nav Station:
Located to starboard side at aft end of saloon
Navigator sitting on aft end of starboard saloon settee
Perspex screen to protect chart table from any spray or rain coming down from companionway
Chart table with chart storage in table top
Storage locker, VHF and stereo outboard of table
Clock and barometer mounted on bulkhead above chart table

Galley:
Located to port side of companionway from cockpit
Thawartships worktop aft
Inset stainless steel sink inboard
Gimbal-mounted gas cooker forward
Storage lockers above worktop and cooker outboard
Lockers beneath cooker, sink and worktop

Aft Cabin:
Accessed from aft end of cockpit with dedicated companionway
Two single berths, one to port and one to starboard
Lee cloths for both bunks
Underbunk storage beneath both bunks
Storage unit between bunks with inset wash hand basin
En-suite heads forward to port

Aft Heads:
En-suite heads for the aft cabin, located to the port side of aft cabin, forward
Manual marine toilet located inboard forward, facing aft
Countertop shelf outboard aft
Vanity lockers above and below countertop

DECK EQUIPMENT

Rig:
Keel stepped, masthead ketch rig.
Gold anodised alloy mast and spars, main mast, boom and mizzen mast finished in gold paint
Stainless steel standing rigging – last replaced in 1998, masts removed for winter storage and rigging inspected annually.
On boom roller reefing mainsail
Rotostay furling gear on forestay for roller reefing genoa
Mizzen
Block and tackle kicker on main boom
Telescopic whisker pole, stowing on starboard side guardwires
Spinnaker pole

Winches:
Primary Winches – 2x Lewmar 44, self-tailing, two-speed
Main Mast Mounted Winches – 2x Lewmar 8, single speed

Sails:
Mainsail – White dacron, on-boom roller reefing.
Genoa – White dacron with blue UV Stripe
Mizzen – White dacron
Cruising Chute – Lightly used

Canvas Work:
Mainsail Cover
Mizzen Cover
Cockpit Enclosure – Fitting beneath doghouse roof, window to sides and aft with roll-up panels

Anchoring & Mooring:
Bower Anchor – CQR 45lb anchor on chain rode
Kedge Anchor – CQR 35lb anchor with chain and warp rode
Electric Windlass – Lewmar electric windlass with warping drum and chain gypsy, foot button controls to port and starboard sides of foredeck, secondary plug-in remote control in cockpit
Mooring Warps – Selection
Fenders – Selection

Tender:
Inflatable Dinghy – Zodiac inflatable dinghy with hard transom, seat, oars and pump
Davits – Original, factory fitted Simpson Lawrence items, powder coated in 2021

General:
Double stainless steel bow roller forward
Stainless steel pulpit and pushpit rails
Deck-mounted stainless steel stanchions with double tier guardwires
Guardwire gates midships port and starboard
Deck-mounted mooring cleats forward and aft
Electric anchor windlass mounted on foredeck centrally with deck locker outboard forward
Hardwood grabrails running the length of the coachroof and doghouse roof outboard
Alloy frames windscreen with GRP doghouse top over cockpit
Primary winches mounted outboard of cockpit coaming to port and starboard
Helm station at forward end of cockpit to port with dedicated helmsman's seat
Bench seating to port and starboard sides of cockpit with cockpit lockers beneath
Access to engine space by lifting cockpit sole
On-deck gas bottle storage boxes to port and starboard sides of mizzen mast
Lazzarette locker accessed by opening deck hatch in aft deck
Original Camper and Nicholson teak, 3-step boarding ladder

SAFETY EQUIPMENT:

General note on safety equipment: Any safety equipment such as liferafts, Epirbs, fire extinguishers and flares etc. are usually personal to the current owner(s) and if being left on-board as part of the sale of a used vessel may require routine servicing, replacement, or changing to meet a new owners specific needs.

Navigation Lights:
Masthead tri-colour – not operational
Steaming light and deck flood
Low level running lights

Life saving:
Horseshoe lifebuoy with light
Horseshoe buoy
Mizzen mast mounted radar reflector
Webbing jackstays

DISCLAIMER
In this case we are acting as brokers only.
The Owner is not selling in the course of a business. whilst every care has been taken in their preparation , the correctness of these particulars is not guaranteed. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability for such engine on our part.
This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

Unless otherwise stated on the published sales specification the following presumptions are made:

Shaft seal or sail drive diaphragms are more than 5 years old.
Fuel, gas hoses and gas regulators are more than 5 years old.
The vessel doesn’t currently have a GasSafe certificate issued within the last 5 years.
Standing rigging and sails are more than 10 years old.