Islander 36 ("Hurulu"): Everything You Need, Nothing You Don't

Now that our sailing adventures are winding down, it's time to put our beloved Islander 36 "Hurulu" up for sale. This boat has been a dream to sail and own, and we would love to see her go to another passionate owner who will take her on her next set of adventures-- she's ready and eager to go.

Why buy an Islander 36?

Prior to buying Hurulu and setting out cruising, we had sailed on a lot of different boats in a variety of conditions. We've crewed on heavy displacement boats like the Westsail 32, and we've owned, crewed, and chartered fast, light-displacement boats like Santanas, Beneteaus, and Jenneaus.



Based on these experiences-- on both slow and heavy and fast and light yachts-- we knew we wanted something that had advantages of both for cruising. We wanted a boat that had excellent sailing performance on all points of sail, with an efficient hull and keel design, but one that will also stand up in heavy weather and not leave us hanging on white-knuckled.

The Islander 36 suited the bill perfectly-- it is a proven design by Alan Gurney, with a fin keel and skeg hung rudder, and she sails beautifully. In short, it is heavy enough to handle heavy seas yet also can move quickly in light air.



It's also a popular boat-- something to consider if you ever plan to race or resell. Around 700 hulls were produced, and it has an active fleet association (www.islander36.org), particularly in the SF Bay Area.

The popularity of the I-36 was demonstrated by the fact that it was selected as one of the "World's Twenty Best Boats" by Cruising World Magazine. Recently, the Islander 36 has gained attention as the boat of choice for Zac Sunderland, who at 16 is attempting to be the youngest solo circumnavigator: http://www.zacsunderland.com/.



Why buy this particular Islander 36?

In short, because she's a sweet example of this proven model. In addition, she's ready to go cruising again--Hurulu is in excellent shape, and she's got the bells and whistles needed for safe, comfortable cruising...full charts, solar, and Monitor self-steering system, and safety gear like a GPS-enabled EPIRB, Zodiac liferaft, jacklines, tether, etc. She's ready for you to sail her south this fall with the Baja Ha Ha-- or to simply blast around the Bay.

What was our philosophy in outfitting Hurulu for cruising?

Our philosophy was, "everything you need, nothing you don't". Starting with a solid, well-maintained and clean boat as the foundation, we spent over $24k on additional gear and improvements. We hired a boat worker with an eye for detail-- he has many thousands of miles of single-handing experience-- and he went through her stem to stern. We prioritized our shopping list for items that added safety, reliability, and simplicity (e.g., critical things that make the boat "go" and "stop" like news sails, rigging, and ground tackle).

We avoided buying equipment that would add unnecessary complexity, or that might break down underway. Simply put, we wanted to spend our time sailing, not fixing expensive things in foreign ports or waiting around a marina for parts to arrive.

This also allows us to spend more of our available time on preventative maintenance, like adding a coat of varnish to the wood, polishing the chrome, changing the oil in the diesel, etc.

Cruising Gear Highlights and Recent Upgrades:

• NEW 3-reef Mainsail with partial battens (New in Fall 2008)

• NEW 130% jib with Profurl furling system

• NEW SS Standing Rigging by Argo Yacht Rigging, Sausalito (Fall 2008)



• NEW Kyocera 60 Watt Solar Panel (Fall 2008)

• NEW Oversized (35lb) Delta Anchor and regular sized (25lb) CQR Anchor (Fall 2008)



• Two NEW deep cycle, heavy duty 6-volt house batteries and One new 12-volt starter battery (Fall 2008)

• Exceptionally clean and nice interior (boat was thoroughly re-done by a professional within last 5 years)

• Haul-out, fresh bottom paint, and Marine Survey (July 2008)

Other new or almost new equipment and safety gear:

• NEW EPIRB w/GPS Locator (Fall 2008; Locates you within 10 feet +/-)
  
  
• NEW Emergency Life Raft (made by Zodiac for WM) (2008-- never used)
  
  
• NEW Whale Gusher ultra-high volume manual bilge pump (Fall 2008)
• Almost-New Achilles Dinghy (the Hypalon kind-- much tougher and UV resistant than west marine versions)
  
  
• Mercury 5 hp outboard (Purchased New in 2007)
  
  

Brief History of Hurulu



Boats have histories and personalities...they take on a little of the character of each of their owners, based on what they do with the boat and how she is cared for. Hurulu's tale is interesting and shows her spirit. Originally, she was raced in Santa Barbara. Then the owner moved her to Sausalito and got her set up for cruising...that owner took her as far south as Argentina, then sailed her through the Caribbean to Florida, and then shipped her back to Sausalito.

More recently, she was owned by Steve Jones, a professional Sausalito marine woodworker. Steve restored her by redoing the wood, adding the teak & holly sole, installing new windows, refinishing the mast, and completely redoing the interior, cushions, headliner, etc.

When we bought her, our focus was on adding on the things that make long-distance cruising more comfortable, like the Monitor windvane, dinghy and dinghy hoist, solar, etc. See below for a complete list, and see the rest of this blog for some of our adventures. Notably, our report of cruising up to La Paz was detailed in an article in Latitude 38 in December 2008.

What does the name mean?

We have no idea! We have googled it and talked to people in the Sausalito Yacht Harbor who have been there for years, and no one has a clue. The only thing that pops up on Google is a Sri Lankan biosphere, which doesn't seem to fit. We figure since the boat is from the '70's and spent much of it's life in Sausalito-- which was pretty wild place back then-- the name was invented at some wild party. We thought it might be an acronym of some sort-- and with hundreds of hours at sea under the stars, we made it a game to guess what it might mean. Our best guess? "HURULU = Help Us Reach Universal Love & Understanding"...which would fit the 1970's Sausalito mindset, wouldn't it? Anyway, on that note...

Full Specs:



Accommodations:

• V-Berth with insert forward
• Head with shower and vanity
• Hanging locker on starboard across from head
• Settees port and starboard; Port settee folds out into double bed
• Folding bulkhead-mounted dinnette centerline
• Chart Table aft port side
• Large quarter berth port side aft of Chart Table
• Galley area starboard across from Chart Table
• 6'4" headroom
• Sleeps five
• Teak & Holly sole
• Two opening hatches; NEW Large forward hatch lens (Spring 2009)

Galley

• Stainless steel sink
• Propane burner stove with oven (solenoid cut-off and dedicated propane locker with separate vent)
• Large ice box with 12v refrigeration unit, 2 vertical ice trays
• Force 10 hot water heater, 12v & engine heating; 50 Gals total water in 2 tanks
• Hot & Cold Pressurized Water-- ShurFlo water pump (NEW Fall 2008)
• Solar-charged portable light
• Water foot pump (great for conserving both fresh water and electricity)
• Built-in bottle openers (hey, it comes in handy when opening a cold Corona after completing a long passage!)

Electronics & Navigation:

• Standard VHF
• (2) hand-held portable VHFs (one is kept in the overboard ditch kit)
• Furuno 1720 Radar
• Compass at the helm
• Raymarine Depth and Knot meter
• Yachtboy single sideband radio (SSB) Receiver
  
  
• Garmin portable GPS with full Coastal California and Mexico charts chip
• NEW ACR GlobalFix EPIRB with GPS functionality (locates you within 10 feet, vs. 10 miles); Battery good through 2014
• Jensen Marine Stereo (radio and CD)
  
  
• Full Yachtsman paper charts of California Coast and Mexico to Panama
  
  
• Cruising guides for Mexico (Capt. Rains) and for Sea of Cortez ("Cruiser's Guide to...")
  
  

Electrical:

• 110 V AC + Shorepower Cords
• Rule Mate 2000 Automatic Bilge Pump,
• Whale Gusher Extra-capacity Manual Bilge Pump (NEW 2008)
• Charge Pro 10 amp stage battery charger
• (2) portable Fans; 6 Cabin Lights
• (3) Flourescent lighting system in galley, quarterberth, and head
• (2) 110v lights for when docked and connected to shore power
• NEW 60W solar panel (Kyocera) w/controller
• Engine Battery: Mega-Tron 12V starter battery (NEW Fall 2008)
  
  
• House Batteries: (2) 6v Interstate U220 Deep Cycle Workaholics in series
• Anchor Light; Tri-Mast Running Lights
• Large 2 million candlepower rechargable spotlight

Deck/Rigging/Hull

• NEW SS Standing Rigging (Fall 2008-- Argo Yacht Riggers of Sausalito)
  
  
• MONITOR Windvane self-steering system + extensive spares kit; Regular, Storm & Light Wind paddles
  
  
• (2) Navico WP5000 Autopilots + spare drive belts
• Silicon band boom brake and preventer system
• Double Spreaders
• Profurl Roller Furling (New in 2007)
• Whisker Pole
• Mainsheet traveler (cabin top)
• Keel Stepped Mast
• Winches: (2) Primary oversized Barlow 27 self-tailing winches and (2) Secondary (non-self tailing) winches in cockpit; Two on mast; Furling winch on boom
• New (unused) spare halyard; Extensive spare ropes, sheets, dock lines, halyards, extra running rigging, etc.
  
  
• New (unused) spare standing rigging cable and norseman fitting
  
  
• Trinidad Bottom paint (Hauled, inspected, and painted Summer 2008)
• Skeg Hung Rudder
• SS Stantions w/ Double Lifelines
• 2 Swim Ladders

Sails/Canvas

• 2 Mainsails, one NEW in Fall 2008 (Partial Batten, 3 reef points);
• Canvas Mainsail Cover , Helm Cover
• Slab Reefing(2 Point) w/tack horn and winch
• Headsails:
• 130% Furling Jib (NEW Fall 2008)
  
  
• 170% Furling Genoa (used for light air sailing)
• 70% Furling Storm Jib
• Spinnaker
• Dodger by Starbuck Canvas of Sausalito
• Custom cockpit sunshade (very useful during sunny passages; easily removable)
• Cockpit cushions

Auxilliary Power

• Yanmar 3GM30F Diesel Motor
• 30 Gallon fuel tank with fuel gauge and access port (gauge and port NEW 2008)
• (4) 5-gallon diesel jerry cans
• Dahl Baldwin water separator / primary fuel filter
• Spares (impellers, belts, filters, etc), manuals, tools

Head

• Enclosed Head-- high-end Cruttendon Roth toilet + spares kit
• Electronic ShurFlo water pump (NEW Fall 2008) + spares kit
• Vanity & Shower w/ Pressurized Hot & Cold Water

Anchoring/Ground Tackle

• 5 Anchors: oversized 35lb Delta + 25 lb CQR + (2) Danforth type anchors + 1 Bruce dinghy anchor
  
  
• Chain & Rode: 150 feet of 5/16 Chain + 150 Feet rope rode in locker
• 150 feet additional rope rode (stored under V berth) + Snubber system
• Built-in Anchor Well/Chain Locker
  
  
• Bow roller
  
  

Dinghy/Outboard

• Mercury 5hp, 4-stroke O/B Motor (NEW in 2007)
• Achilles Hypalon Dinghy (New 2006)
• Garhuaer outboard hoist boom (mounted on radar pole-- saves your back when lowering or raising the outboard) (New 2008)
• Gas tank, oars, Bruce-style dinghy anchor, towing painter, etc.

Additional Cruising Gear

• 2 Solar Showers (great way to conserve water)
• Propane BBQ Grill + several propane bottles
• Fishing pole + (2) handlines + various lures
• Fishing pole holder
• 3 bevelled cup holders
• Watch countdown timer
• Brass lantern (creates nice atmosphere!)
  
  
• Cockpit shade
• Wind scoop
• Storage bins that make efficient use of space above starboard settee
  
  
• Extensive first-aid kit (father is an ER doc so this kit is ready for anything)
  
  
• GPS-enabled EPIRB locator beacon + Zodiac emergency liferaft + ditch kit
• Jacklines, tethers, harnesses, and various other safety equipment.

Additional Equipment

• Vessel & Equipment Manuals
• Cockpit Cushions & Folding Teak Cockpit Table (Happy Hour!)
• Ships's clock and barometric pressure reader (both manual)
• Life Sling (man overboard recovery)
• Flag Halyard + radar reflector
• Horn, Bell & Flare Kit
• (3) Kiddy Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers (BC)
• Horseshoe Bouy
• (6) Life Jackets(PFDs)
• Boat Hook & extensive Dock Lines + chafe protector (fire hose) + 6 fenders
• (2) 6-gallon ancillary water jerry cans
• Numerous spare part and repair kits (e.g. for engine, toilet, water pump, windvane, dinghy, sails, etc.)

ASKING PRICE: SOLD!!!



CONTACT: Nathan Beckord nathanbeckord@yahoo.com or 415-370-5060