1995 51 Able Apogee

"Bittersweet"

 

 

 

2601 West Marina Place  Suite D

Seattle, WA  98199

206-285-9563

 

 

  Click here for more photos

 
LOA:   51' (15.5 m)
Beam:   14' (4.3 m)
Draft:   Max  9'9" (3 m)
Hull Mtrl:   Fiberglass
Hull Designer:   Chuck Paine
Deck Mtrl:   Fiberglass
Disp:   32766 (14862.6 kg)
 
Year:   Mfg-1995 Model-1995
Mfg:   ABLE
Model:   Apogee 50
Type:   Cruising/Racing Sailboat
Rig:   Sloop/Cutter
Cockpit:   Aft
Engines:   1xYanmar 4JH2  76  HP , 1800hrs
Fuel Cap:   210 g (794.9 l)
Water Cap:   450 g (1703.3 l)
 

Introduction

Bittersweet, designed by Chuck Paine and built by Able Marine, is a superior performance cruising yacht. Her valued features include attractive styling, exquisite workmanship, professional engineering and installation of ship's systems, spacious interior extended into hard dodger with full closure, and proper deck arrangement with large cockpit and wide swim platform.

Chuck Paine, an experienced and highly regarded U.S. naval architect, created this very special yacht for extended cruising and liveaboard. The beauty of his classic shear lines is well known and apparent when one inspects Bittersweet. Able Marine for many years was one of New England's finest yards and the quality workmanship throughout is a credit to the building excellence.

Vessel Walkthrough

Interior joinery and cabinetry are of varnished cherry throughout and cabin sole is teak and holly. Cabin sole is completely removable to access all bilge spaces, with lock-down panels for easy valve and pump access.  All fourteen (14) opening overhead hatches are Lewmar and have screens.  All cabins have good circulation via hatches and 12V fans.  Solid cherry grabrails fore to aft provide safe movement underway.  Upholstery, leather and cloth, and rubber-backed custom carpeting upgraded 2004 for warmth and floor protection.  (7) 110V outlets installed for appliance convenience.   

Furthest forward is double compartment chain locker with access from forward cabin.
 
Forward Cabin has a V-berth with leather upholstered settee to starboard.  There is ample storage for personal gear in four drawers under berth, storage under settee, hanging locker with shelves and full length shelves above and outboard of the berths.  Natural lighting and ventilation provided by two fixed ports in hull, three opening hatches and a dorade vent.  Also reading and overhead dome lights.
 
Forward Head is aft to port, and features separate stall shower and S/S sink basin, both with hot/cold pressure water and overboard pump.  Manual head is new Wilcox-Crittendon Skipper, Y-valve and hoses (new 2006) and holding tank.  Opening hatch and dorade provide light and ventilation.  Storage in large cabinets under sink and outboard.
 
A custom stainless steel watertight door leads to the main salon.

The Main Salon is next aft, featuring a large centerline table of solid cherry with folding leaves with fiddle inserts for dining underway.  L-shaped settee/berth to port and bench to starboard (back is hinged and converts to upper sea bunk) have storage lockers and bookshelves outboard and above.  All berths are equipped with lee cloths. Natural lighting and ventilation provided by two fixed ports in hull, two opening hatches and a fixed lite overhead.  Also two reading lights and four overhead dome lights.  

Galley aft to port is U-shaped with stove rail and cook's harness for safety at sea.  Features include a gimbaled three-burner propane stove with oven and broiler, a large counter-access trash bin, top-loading separate freezer and refrigerator compartments, microwave oven, S/S centerline sink with hot/cold pressure water and soap pump.  Natural lighting and ventilation provided by fixed port in hull, large opening hatch and fan.
  • FORCE 10 stove
  • CROSBY refrigeration system
  • GE Spacemaker II microwave
 Navigation Station, opposite the galley, is forward facing and features a large fiddled chart table and leather seat, instrumentation installed to starboard, utility drawers and substantial storage beneath seat and table. There are two secure bookshelves aft of nav. seat.  Natural lighting and ventilation provided by a fixed port in hull and a large opening hatch.  Equipment located in nav. area include:  (see Electronics section for navigation electronics)
  • AQUA METER CO-Sentry
  • ESPAR heater control
  • XINTEX S-2A propane fume detector and control system
  • Ships Barometer
  • Main battery switches
Immediately aft of nav. station is main electrical panel and includes circuit breakers for all load groups and individual components, protected by hinged plexiglass doors.
  • TRACE RC-2000 -remote control
  • BALMAR Generator -remote starting controls
  • Main battery and shore power gauges
  • 12V and 110V controls
  • HART tank tender
 Aft Stateroom to starboard with large double "quarter berth." Cabin has immense storage and drawers beneath berth, leather settee with storage under and behind, hanging locker, and 4-drawer bureau with mirror. Natural lighting and ventilation is provided by two fixed ports in hull, two overhead hatches, one fan, a dorade vent and an opening port into the cockpit. Also reading and dome lights.  
 
Aft Head is to port, immediately adjacent to the base of the companionway with convenient wet locker.  Features include separate stall shower and S/S sink basin, both with hot/cold pressure water and overboard pump.  Manual head is Wilcox-Crittendon Skipper, Y-valve and hoses (new 2006), and holding tank..  Two opening hatches and dorade provide light and ventilation, as well as a fixed port in hull and dome lights.  Storage in pantry-sized cabinets under sink and outboard.
 
Engine/Mechanical Room is accessed from aft head, via watertight bulkhead door.  The genset, most pumps, compressors etc. are mounted for ease of access and to reduce noise and odors within the accommodations. There is a workbench with a vise, storage shelves for spares and a fixed toolbox with sliding drawers outboard to port. Access to machinery was given high priority in this design, inviting maintenance. An opening cockpit sea/hatch plus opening port and fixed port in hull provide light and ventilation.

Hull and Deck Construction

Hull and deck fabricated by Able Custom Yachts (1995).  Interior finished by New England Boatworks (1996 launch).  ABS approved hull deck construction of Kevlar, non-woven E-glass, and unidirectional S-glass with 1" core cell foam.  Vinylester resins used throughout.  Extra floor stringers for added keel support.
 
All major bulkheads are securely fiberglassed both to the hull and deck to create a structure of exceptional strength. Chainplates are engineered to carry the entire weight of the boat. Compartments forward and aft are fitted with watertight fittings and steel doors to provide segregation of potential damage from collision.   Ten fixed hull ports are Lexan, and mounted from the outside onto flanges that are integral with the hull for utmost security.
 
Deck is semi-flush with a molded fiberglass hard dodger/shelter that provides standing headroom and sheltered seating for the watch. Extremely strong yet lightweight hull, with particular attention to deck joint, hard dodger-mounted traveler and rigging attachment points to ensure structural strength and durability.  Hull/deck joint involves stainless steel bolts, an inward turning hull flange, and 3M-5200 adhesive, for utmost strength.  Deep carbon fiber spade rudder.  Custom designed deep fin bulb keel.  
 
Hull is painted Deep Red Awlgrip with white cove stripe and single white boot-top.  Decks have non-skid grey with white waterways.  "Sugar Scoop" transom with molded boarding steps. Removal of Baltaplate bottom paint, repainted with (5) coats Interlux Barrier 2000, (2) coats Petit SR in 2005 and (2) coats of Micron 66.
 
Full commissioning and many upgrades made in 2004.  see notes

Deck Equipment

Lewmar winches (rebuilt and serviced 2006) includes:
  • #50 ST electric winch at mast for halyards
  • (2) #62 ST primaries for main sheet
  • (2) #58 ST secondaries for jib/spinnaker sheets
  • (2) #44 ST mainsheet for running backstay/roller furler
  • (2) #44 St halyard for reefing
  • #44 ST in pilothouse

Sail tracks and cars 
Mainsheet traveler 
All block and tackle are Lewmar 
S/S bow and stern pulpits 
Double S/S lifelines with port, starboard and aft boarding gates 
S/S hand rails on coach roof 
Four (4) dorade vents  
S/S dorade vent guards 
(12) Lewmar opening hatches 
Aluminum toe rail and S/S T-track 

Ground Tackle:

Ideal Windlass V4C (2004) vertical 
    capstan reversing with 3/8" wildcat  
66# BRUCE anchor (2004)    
    with 200' 3/8" G40 chain & 250' 5/8" rode
44# DELTA anchor (2004)
    with 60' 3/8" G40 chain & 350' 5/8" rode
S/S double anchor bow roller (2004)

Engine /Mechanical Equipment

YANMAR diesel 4JH@ 76hp engine w/2 alternators
20" 3-blade feathering MAX-PROP (2004)
EDSON pedestal with engine controls
6" RITCHIE compass
Double RAYCOR filter system on engine with pump
GROCO ARG 1000 raw water filters
TRACE RC-2000 inverter
RAYCOR filter system on generator
Tank tender gauges for all tanks
GROCO remote oil change pump
CROSBY cold plate refrigeration system with separate refer and freezer box
JABSCO Water Puppy pump (2006)
ALL-CRAFT 12 gallon s/s hot water tank - run off engine or 110V (rebuilt 2004)
ESPAR diesel heating system
BALMAR VST/PC generator with Sea Recovery water maker
EDSON manual bilge pump
Cockpit bilge pump
Engine driven "fire pump"
Emergency bilge pump
(3) Electric bilge pumps
 

Electrical System

House batteries: (6) 6-volt Lifeline AGM -660 AH @ 12V each (fall 2007)
Engine batteries:  (2) 12-volt OPTIMA deep cycle (2005)    

Electronics and Navigational Equipment

OCCUM sailing instruments pkg. with displays at navigation station and under hard dodger
FURUNO 24-mile radius radar with display at nav station & cockpit
Radar antenna mounted on QUESTUS 10' post at stern
ROBERTSON AP300 Autopilot
DATAMARINE depth sounder
FURUNO 207 weatherfax
ICOM M710 SSB
SIMRAD Shipmate VHF
GARMIN 75 GPS    
GARMIN 250C Fishfinder (new 2004)

Sails and Rigging

ANTAL HS mast track slider system -size 60 - (new 2006)
NavTec 3-function hydraulic backstay, vang and outhaul on steering pedestal
 
NORTH sails (1996):
  • fully battened "Gatorback" mainsail with three reef points
  • roller furling 105% head sail
  • storm jib
  • fore staysail
  • spinnaker with snuffer sock
 
DOYLE "code zero" light air reacher on roller furling unit (1997)
 
SPARCRAFT spars:
  • carbon fiber mast with swept spreader configuration
  • carbon fiber boom with lazy jacks
PRO-FURL roller furling headstay
Removable inner forestay with hydraulic tensioner
S/S standing rigging (full inspected and upgraded 2004)
Double-ended main sheet adjustable from helm
Running rigging:
    • Main halyard (2006)   
    • Spinnaker halyards (2006)
    • Jib furling:
    • Jib sheets:
    • Jib and staysail halyards in good condition
    • Running backstays: rubber-coated Kevlar and Spectra (2004)
    • Reefing lines (2006)
 
Removable T-shaped carbon sprit for spinnaker and Code Zero
 

Additional Comments and Misc. Inventory

 
  • GIVENS 6-man liferaft
  • (6) fire extinguishers strategically placed throughout interior
  • 5 large, covered fenders
  • horseshoe ring and LIFESLING
  • Flares
  • Docklines
  • Emergency tiller
  • Large webbing bag forward of dodger for halyard storage (2007)
  • Webbing bags in cockpit for line storage (2007)
  • Sunbrella sail cover, wheel cover, windlass and electric winch covers (2007)

Remarks

Bittersweet is a very well built and well laid out yacht.  She was constructed with blue water cruising in mind and yet she is a great boat for short-handed and coastwise cruising.  She is a fun, fast and exciting boat to sail.   Bittersweet will provide her new owner with strength, security and many "fast" passages.  She has raced on the east coast to Bermuda and Halifax, and cruised throughout Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, British Columbia (including west coast Vancouver Island) and coastal waters of Pacific Northwest and the US west coast.
 
Bittersweet was built for a knowledgeable yachtsman and no expense was spared to make her a superb and speedy offshore cruiser with club race potential.  
 
Owner reserves the name Bittersweet and all art work.

Review:
 
Cruising World, Cruising Boat of the Year 1994:  http://www.morrisyachts.com/news/detail.asp?NewsID=164
 

Disclaimer

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

 

Asking: $ 480,000.00                                                                Located:  Friday Harbor, WA