valiant 37 sailboat data

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P.Seacraft 37 or Valiant 37

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Since my original post in January my wife and I have a short list of two boats, the Pacific Seacraft 37 and the Valiant 37. My wife may have a slight leaning towards the Valiant, I prefer the PS. We would appreciate any observations relating to the two boats. Also, does anyone know how much of an issue the aluminium fuel tanks are in the PS 37 and how easily any problems can be rectified.  

Thanks JRP  

Never, ever flush the aluminium fuel tanks with caustic soda to clean them. It will not just clean them.  

My experience with aluminum diesel tanks is that they all leak sooner or later and it is NOT a big or expensive thing to replace them..unless you have to cut stuff out to get at them. This can be quite expensive! If tanks are quite old, then you might want to replace them before they leak or at least pressure test them to assure they are currently solid.  

I had read somewhere that the tanks in Pacific Seacraft boats are typically very easily accessible. I've not read about access on the Valients. This is strictly "what I read somewhere", but I thought I'd throw it in..... Fred  

I cannot speak to the changes at PS since the ownership change, but I will say that Valiant is alive and kicking - still making boats in Texas. Is that resource worth leaning toward the V? It would be for me. I know the guys there if you want to PM me I will give you some resources to contact. - CD  

JohnRPollard said: My preference would go to the Crealock 37, having now owned two Pacific Seacraft models. The build quality is very high. They are similar boats but there are obvious differences: You will appreciate the security of the raised bulwarks; and the wide, clear side-decks free of shroud penetrations; and the prop protected in an aperture within the skeg; and the at-the-ready anchor system; and the additional engine access through the removable cockpit floor; etc. The bilge-mounted aluminum fuel tanks can suffer if in frequent contact with bilge water. However, replacing a PSC fuel tank is usually a relatively simple matter. In most instances, they designed and installed the tanks so they can be easily removed and swapped in the event replacement becomes necessary. It is not anything that should cause you concern. If you have to do it, pull the tank and bring it to a welding shop and have them replicate it. If you need suggestions for where to have this done, join Sailnet's PSC e-mail list-serve and there are owners there who can provide guidance. Good luck to you. Click to expand...

Would the Valiant 37 be a candidate for a live aboard?  

You can live aboard anything, just about. If the boat is simply for a liveabord, I think any Valiant is a poor choice.  

I thought the blister problems were confined to the 40s in one plant and certain years. I for one have forgotten the original post so what your specific wants were.  

NONE of the 37's had blister problems, only A FEW V40's were affected. I can get you s/n's of the 40's if you'd like. The 37's were built by Nordic, not Uniflite.  

Also, IIRC, the Valiant 40s affected had used a fire-retardant resin in their layup. Believe it was in the early to mid 1970s.  

When I was boat shopping I came across a Valiant 40 with significant blistering. I think it was a mid 80s boat and I was told that was when they had those problems.  

here we go... http://www.sailnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1342 http://www.sailnet.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=72290 Between 1975 and 1979 Bill and Mary Black sailed hull number 107 around the world and were awarded the coveted Blue Water Medal by the Cruising Club of America. While the Valiant 40 is well proven as a cruising boat, with numerous circumnavigations to its credit, its record in short-handed distance races has cemented its reputation as an ocean going thoroughbred. In 1976 Francis Stokes' Moonshine acquitted herself well in the OSTAR, being the first monohull to finish the single-handed race from Plymouth England to Newport, RI. Stokes sailed Moonshine in the 1980 race as well and also won both legs of the Bermuda One-Two races in 1978. Dan Byrne, an inexperienced sailor, sailed hull number 101 in the inaugural 1982-83 B.O.C. Around the World Race. Mark Schrader's 1983 non-stop circumnavigation in Resourceful was the fastest ever at the time. More recently, Valiant 40s and 42s have faired well in events ranging from the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers to the Caribbean 1500 where it has won its class several times. But the original Valiant 40 does have its warts, or I should say, its blisters. According to Stan Dabney, who has owned hull number 108, Native Sun for 28 years, the well-known account of Valiants blistering because Uniflite switched to fire retardant resin, is only part of the story. Dabney claims that the blisters occurred when Uniflite switched to an inferior resin. "Like other builders, Uniflite was already using a fire retardant resin, but during the energy crunch in the mid '70s, some resin wasn't up to snuff." Dan Spurr, the former Editor of Practical Sailor, wrote in his book, Heart Of Glass, that the questionable resin had a trade name of Hetron. For a run of over 100 hulls, the Valiant 40's builders used inferior resin, leading to the need for substantial aftermarket repairs on those boats. The results of boats molded with this flawed resin were not pretty. While some Valiant 40s were horribly scarred with deep, structural fiberglass blisters up to 10 inches in diameter and requiring relamination, others experienced cosmetic blemishes restricted to the gelcoat layer. Still, you should be aware that boats built between 1976 and 1981, or hull numbers 120 to 249 all had some degree of osmotic blisters. As a result, a 1975 used Valiant 40 is often more valuable than a 1980 model. Worstell solved the problem for good in 1984 by switching to an isophthalic resin. So does this mean you should avoid Valiant 40s built during this period? Absolutely not. Although most marine surveyors claim that only way to permanently fix a badly blistered boat is to completely peel the hull and re-fiberglass it, in most cases the blisters are simply unsightly. Blistered Valiant 40s are in some ways, one of the best values on the used boat market. And besides, by now many of older 40s have been properly repaired at some point. Dabney, who today owns Offshore Atlantic Yachts in Riviera Beach, FL, notes the market is very healthy for used Valiant 40s. "We sell eight to 10 Valiant 40s a year, blister and non blister boats. They're a proven world cruiser that can be bought for a third the price of a new boat. If you have $100,000 to spend and want to sail around the world in a fast, safe, seakindly boat, an old Valiant 40 is hard to beat."  

Actually, as much as I really like the Valiant 37's, I had a friend here in Annapolis who had one that had blisters that extended from the top of the cabin top to the bottom of the keel. He did the repairs himself, sanding down through the gelcoat, and building up WEST System epoxy. Ultimately he sailed that boat most of the way around the world and much of the way back again. The last that I heard of Don, roughly 20 years after he took off, he and the Valiant 37 were still in Indonesia somewhere. Esprit 37's (as the Valiant 37 model was called) could and did sometimes have blisters. Respectfully, Jeff  

I notice that in the first link CardiacPaul posted is a note by JeffH where he mentions seeing the blister problem in a 37 as well as the 40. I once looked at a Valiant 32 from the late 70's-early 80's vintage that had also been "peeled" due to a problem with extreme blistering attributed to the fire-retardant resins. By now most of the "problem" Valiants have been corrected as best they can. Along the way somebody had to eat it big time. In case anyone is browsing this old thread in months or years to come, the issue of catastrophic blistering being discussed here is restricted only to certain early vintage Valiants and does not pertain to the Valiant sailboats built in Texas. Edit: Sorry, JeffH hadn't posted when I began typing.  

P.S. This article seems to confirm that the resin problem extended beyond just the V40: http://www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/blister.asp  

John, Uniflite "ate it big time" sealed class action deal. It was my understanding that Nordic (builder of the Esprit 37) was started by some of the Uniflite family management, that they did not use the same resin goo that caused the problems on the Uniflite boats. perhaps someone can get Dabney on the phone?  

CardiacPaul, I'll bet that sealed class action settlement would make an interesting read today. I wonder if it was sealed in perpetuity, and if some participant might be brave enough to post it? Anyway, long after that occured, I would ocassionally see Valiant's in boatyards getting peeled -- I can't imagine Uniflite was still paying those bills in the 1990s. Also I thought I read somewhere that not all the 37s were built by Nordic (as the Esprit), but some were also built by Valiant/Uniflite. I won't swear to that, it's just one of those vague impressions stuck in my cobwebs. Someone with a more vested interest than me will have to place that call...  

That is right, our Valiant 37 Esprit was built by Uniflite. It has the blisters, but without them, we couldn't have afforded the boat.  

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Valiant esprit 37

The valiant esprit 37 is a 37.0ft cutter designed by robert perry and built in fiberglass by uniflite inc. (usa) since 1978..

The Valiant esprit 37 is a moderate weight sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a good water supply range.

Valiant esprit 37 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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A Valiant Spirit: Esprit 37 Review

• By Richard Smith
• Updated: May 17, 2013

Robert H. Perry designed the Esprit 37 for Valiant Yachts , for whom his Valiant 40 was so successful. He gave it a relatively low amount of wetted surface, a low displacement-to-length ratio (for the time), a moderate cruising fin keel, and a skeg-hung rudder. This is a boat intended to be driven hard and fast across open water in any weather in safety and in reasonable comfort.

From any angle, the Esprit 37, with its sharply raked stem, handsome sheer, and well-resolved canoe stern looks purposefully seaworthy, as is expected of a Valiant.

The Esprit 37 has a hand-laminated solid-fiberglass hull to which the 6,300-pound keel is attached with 3/4-inch stainless-steel hook bolts that are cast into the lead. The deck is hand laminated with a balsa core, which delivers strength and light weight as well as good sound and thermal properties; however, at this age, it might’ve become soft where water has reached the core around hardware and fastenings.

Early boats, built by Nordic Yachts from 1977 to 1980, have been relatively free of blisters. Some Esprit hulls built by Uniflite between 1980 and 1982 suffered from blistering, both above and below the waterline. Later boats were built with an isophthalic resin that was immune to blistering.

The mast is keel stepped and masthead rigged. Earlier boats had wire rigging, but in 1979, boats built by Nordic Yachts were fitted with Navtec rod rigging, and some still have it. Although the chainplates are inboard of the toerail, they don’t seriously obstruct the side decks.

In the cockpit, it’s a bit of a tight squeeze getting past the wheel to the helmsman’s seat tucked well aft. The seats are nicely angled, deep, and a comfortable height above the sole. Cockpit lockers provide plenty of room for fenders and mooring lines, a vented gas-bottle compartment, and much more. A deck plate over the head of the rudderstock can be removed if the emergency tiller needs to be attached.

Belowdecks, the forward cabin contains a good-size V-berth with considerable storage space beneath it. Aft of it is the head, with a sink and a shower compartment with a seat. A large hanging locker is opposite the head.

In the saloon, a sleeping-length settee to starboard faces an ample L-shaped settee and table to port that converts to a generous double berth. Beneath each settee is a 60-gallon water tank. Headroom is about 6 feet 6 inches throughout.

A chart table is fitted aft of the starboard settee; the forward end of a quarter berth is the navigator’s seat. The compact but entirely sufficient U-shaped galley is on the port side, its deep double sink near enough to the boat’s centerline to drain on either tack. An abundance of lockers will hold enough stores to provision four crew for at least three weeks at sea.

The original engine was a Westerbeke diesel. It’s behind the companionway steps, which can be removed to provide access. Under sail, the Esprit 37 is beautifully balanced, light on the helm, and accelerates nicely even in just 5 or 6 knots of wind. It’s easily sailed by a singlehander and has fine seakeeping qualities.

The Esprit 37 is a solid, no-nonsense boat that provides good accommodation for a crew of four or five on extended voyages in any waters. Asking prices range from $50,000 to $60,000.

Richard Smith and his wife, Beth, sail their Ericson Cruising 31, Kuma , in the Pacific Northwest.

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The Valiant 40 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Valiant 40 is a high-performance cruising sailboat that was first built in 1973 by Valiant Yachts, a company based in Texas, USA. Known for its robust construction and excellent offshore capabilities, the boat was designed by Robert Perry and has been recognized as one of the most influential designs in the sailing world. It features a cutter rig, a full keel, and a skeg-hung rudder, and it is often used for long-distance cruising due to its seaworthiness and comfort.

The Valiant 40, as its name suggests, is a valiant sailboat that offers sailors the freedom and adventure intrinsic to the open seas. Known for its robust construction and exceptional sailing capabilities, this premier ocean-going vessel has attracted attention worldwide.

Published Specification for the Valiant 40

Underwater Configuration:  Fin keel and skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material:  GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall:  39'10" (10.90m)

Waterline Length:  34'0" (10.36m)

Beam:  12'4" (3.76m)

Draft:  6'0" (1.83m)

Rig Type:  Cutter

Displacement:  22,500lb (10,206kg)

Designer:  Bob Perry

Builder:  Uniflite Inc (USA) and  Valiant Yachts (USA)

Year First Built:  1975

Year Last Built:  1992

Design Ratios: The Key Performance Indicators

When analyzing its overall design and utility, the Sail Area/Displacement Ratio (SA/DR), Ballast/Displacement Ratio (BR), Displacement/Length Ratio (DLR), Comfort Ratio (CR), and Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of the Valiant 40 come into play.

• The SA/DR of the Valiant 40 sits at a moderate 15.85. This indicates that it is designed for efficient sailing in a variety of wind conditions – both heavy and light – making it an ideal cruiser for those who want versatility in their voyages. However, in light winds - unless youve got plenty of time on your ahnds - motorsailing may be the way to go.
• The boat's BR is 35.23%, demonstrating that it is heavily ballasted, providing stability in high winds and rough seas. This translates to a comfortable and safer ride, even in harsh weather conditions.
• With a DLR of 314.94, the Valiant 40 is a heavyweight when it comes to displacement. This ratio means the boat has a high load-carrying capacity which can withstand a heavy load of supplies, equipment, or personal belongings.
• The CR of the Valiant 40 is a cozy 44.45, placing it in the heavier side of cruisers. The elevated comfort ratio speaks to its smooth-riding nature – a nod to those who appreciate luxury in their adventures.
• Lastly, the Valiant 40's CSF, which stands at 1.65, reflects its exceptional ability to prevent capsize. This safety aspect is crucial to any sailor who values both safety and performance.

But just what are these design ratios and how are they derived?

Rig Alternatives

Though the Valiant 40 is traditionally designed as a cutter rig, it can also be fitted as a sloop, providing owners the flexibility to choose their preferred sailing configuration.

Of the two, my choice would always be the cutter rig for cruising. OK, with a yankee on the forestay and a high cut staysail you lose out when sailing with the wind on the quarter - but at least you can see where you're heading. In my opinion, deck-sweeping genoas are best kept for racing.

Pros & Cons

It's worth noting that the boat does have its strengths and weaknesses. The Valiant 40 is often praised for its top-notch build quality, seakeeping abilities, and comfortable interiors – an acknowledgment by both yachting journalists and seasoned sailors.

With its fin-and-skeg underwater configuration, canoe stern and cutter rig this is a boat that will will respond well to a windvane self-steering gear .

However, like any boat, it isn't without its drawbacks. Some owners mention the possibility of blistering in early models due to fire-retardant resins used in their construction, a problem corrected in later models.

The Secondhand Market

The vessel's approximate price varies depending on the model year, condition, and included accessories. Used Valiant 40 sailboats generally range between $75,000 and $150,000 on the secondhand market, making them a considerable but worthy investment for the dedicated sailor.

As for availability, the Valiant 40 is a popular model and regularly appears on the used boat market. Their strong construction and reputation for reliability make them a wise purchase for the discerning sailor.

The Competition

When comparing the Valiant 40 to other vessels in its category, it holds its own impressively. Its capabilities can be compared to the Pacific Seacraft 37 , the Island Packet 38 , or the Caliber 40LRC , all top performers in extended blue-water cruising.

According to countless sailor testimonials and yachting reviews, the performance, handling, and comfort of the Valiant 40 are generally superior to its competitors. The combination of these factors provides an unbeatable sailing experience.

The technical specifications coupled with firsthand accounts fortify the Valiant 40's standing as a stellar choice in its class. It's a boat that combines sturdiness, reliability, and performance, accommodating for both the thrill of adventure and the solace of comfort. A true embodiment of the freedom and excitement intrinsic to ocean voyaging.

I wrote this article using GPT-4, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model, as a research assistant to develop source material. I wrote the final draft in its entirety and believe it to be accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Dick McClary, creator and owner of sailboat-cruising.com

Other sailboats in the Valiant range include:

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