Pearson Lark #45 (Serene Spirit)

[cjh45]

I bought this boat off the internet almost sight unseen except for the photos that were on the website- a giant leap of faith to say the least. She was built in 1968. She had been on the hard for the previous 4 years but thankfully the owners had looked after her and covered her well so that the harsh winters of the Great White North had minimal effect. All in all a great purchase- I am just thrilled with this boat. She is a real lady and very forgiving which makes the crew confident and thankful. She sails well and is quite dry. It is a real joy to be out on the water in such a classic.


[url=http://imageshack.us]

P.S. She still has some renovation and additions to go.[/img]

[Tim]

It is a real joy to be out on the water in such a classic.

And you have the added mystique of having a very unique boat, of which there are not many. Looks good!

[cjh45]

Thank you for the reply. I forgot to mention that I acquired Serene Spirit in the Fall of 2003. I also have most of the blueprints from the Pearson factory(they help a lot!). So Far I have replaced the mainsheet traveller, varoius blocks, and the halyards and sheets. I had a new genoa made at our local sail loft. I have sanded and painted the hull and deck with Interlux polyurethane. Added new batteries and a GPS unit and solar panel. This year I plan to refurbish the interior with paint, new wood and new cushions. I have also bought a new motor(Nissan 9.8 with electric start). I am replacing all the tube buckles with bronze open turnbuckles-they look so much better.
If the sailing gods are kind this season I can start doing this stuff the middle of March. Again thanks for the kind words.

[MQMurphy]

Hi there - looks great. What can you tell us about her? LOA, BEAM, displacement, keel or CB?

[Tim]

Nice deck space on that boat--wide and uncluttered. There's something to be said for that raised deck design. I bet she's roomy inside for her size, too.

[cjh45]

The flush deck is one of the reasons for wanting the Lark. I can tell you with a great degree of certainty that having an uncluttered deck makes life a lot easier to reef or change sails in rough weather. Also, provides a nice area for those who wish to sunbathe or watch life go by.
There is a fair amount of room below but head room is at a premium(5').
LOA 24 ft.
LWL 18.5 ft.
Beam 8 ft.
Draught 4 ft. keel(similar in shape to the Triton)

Displacement 4600 lb.
Ballast 1800 lb.

Sail Area 312 sq.ft.: Main- 173 sq.ft.; Jib(100%)- 139 sq.ft.
Genoa(139.5%)- 194 sq.ft. custom
I=29.3
J=9.5
P=31.0
E=11.2

Built in 1968 Bristol Rhode Island #45- only 67 built
Powered by Nissan 9.8 2-stroke(contained in a lazarette)

[MQMurphy]

Except for the keel and flush deck, the numbers on your boat (at sailcalc) come out a lot like the numbers for my project boat. Yours looks great - and two seasons on her already. Have you taken any dogs out sailing? Pictures?

[cjh45]

Hi Mike,

I have two dogs. Tobias,who is a Chow Chow and Cody, a Lhasa Apso.
They both have life jackets for the boat. I have taken them on evening cruises when the weather is gentle because them seem to be rather skittish around water; that is they both like to keep their feet on the ground. Tobias especially dislikes water-he doesn't even like to get wet when it rains( out and in of the house for the essential functions). However, they seem to put up with these little jaunts because there is no way they can get off the boat- after about 15 minutes they settle down and find a spot that affords them a degree of security. If I go away for weekends on the boat; they go to a kennel which I am not happy about but it gives me and the dogs peace of mind because they are safe.
The other thing which is a concern is the size of Tobias(Chow); he is 80 lb. and takes up a good deal of room in the cockpit and cabin. Cody being a small breed less so. Tobias grew up with Cody so separating them is not a smart thing to do. With all of the work arounds we seem to have fun anyway.
Cheers, Chris