Bowman 48AC

A classic example of one of the most legendary bluewater yachts of all time in super-practical aft cockpit raised saloon format. Extensively fitted out for serious short-handed offshore adventures.

FURTHER BROKER’S COMMENTS:

With just three owners since new, ISLAND BREEZE is a 1992-launched custom-built example of the highly desirable Chuck Paine designed Bowman 48AC aft-cockpit raised saloon bluewater cruising yacht.

Fitting in at the top of the Rival Bowman range above the Bowman 45 and 40/42, the Bowman 48 share a great many design similarities of the US-built Morris Yachts, both ranges of which were widely regarded as being the very finest quality build and designs in the bluewater cruising yacht market on their respective sides of the Atlantic.

This enormously capable bluewater yacht design was manufactured to Lloyds specifications in Southampton by Rival Bowman Yachts from the early 1990’s through to their purchase by Rustler Yachts in 2002 and then offered as an option by Rustler Yachts thereafter.

Fully-equipped for short-handed bluewater sailing, ISLAND BREEZE has been extensively updated and refitted over the years. Offered for sale with a comprehensive inventory including all spares and toys, she is also extremely well priced to attract a quick and simple sale.

ISLAND BREEZE’s specification highlights include:-

• Aft cockpit with raised deck saloon profile
• 3-cabin interior arrangement plus 2-heads and showers
• Teak interior joinery
• Alcantara upholstery
• Forward sail locker arrangement with watertight bulkhead
• Teak laid side decks
• Skeg-supported rudder
• Shoal-draft lead ballast keel
• Lewmar electric primary and halyard winches
• Cutter rig furlers for yankee and staysail
• Fully-battened mainsail system with Frederisken battencars, 3-reefs led aft to cockpit and lazyjacks/lazybag.
• Twin spinnaker poles
• Furling gennaker and spinnaker
• Perkins M90 diesel engine with MaxProp 3-bladed feathering propeller
• Vetus bowthruster
• Westerbeke generator
• Watermaker
• Raymarine updated plotters plus radar, AIS and navigation instruments
• SSB radio
• Bimini and sprayhood
• Simpson davits
• Tender and outboard
• Passarelle
• Holding tanks

OWNER’S COMMENTS:

ISLAND BREEZE is was purchased by me 5 years ago with a plan for live-aboard cruising. I have owned a number of yachts including Westerly 33 and a Moody 40 through the years. Despite being having sailed a number of other production yachts the concept, history and build quality of the Bowman design and decided that I must have one. Designed as a short-handed luxury Bluewater cruiser for couples.

I bought ISLAND BREEZE from a Dutch Yachtsman. ISLAND BREEZE (formerly named Highland Fancy) was Hull No.3 and custom finished by the first owner as with all larger Bowman’s. Her first owner sailed her from the UK to the Caribbean via two seasons in the Mediterranean where she remained for 5  seasons before returning to Europe via the Azores. Sailing on to the Med’, she was then decommissioned for a year or two when her owner became too ill to continue sailing.

I have enjoyed 3 seasons wonderful sailing and living aboard much of the time. ISLAND BREEZE has always rewarded with excellent, safe and sure sea keeping in all conditions. All with a remarkable consistent passage making ability. Sadly a spinal injury resulted in some disability and two years of recovery from surgery and as a consequence she is now reluctantly for sale.

DESIGNER’S COMMENTS:

The Bowman 48 has been long recognized by the British yachting establishment as being the finest British built design ever offered to the conservative long distance sailor. She came about in response to the success of our Bowman 40, of which some 60 beautiful examples have been built since its introduction in the late 1980's. Those are small numbers to the mass production crowd, but indicative of a wonderful response by the high end yachtsmen who prefer a customized vessel and are willing to bear the attendant higher costs. Ten Bowman 48's are now cruising the world's oceans…

This design is an excellent representative of the more traditional design style which we have always specialized in at our office. The process is to select an aesthetic treatment that is timeless in its appeal, and to combine that shape with fully modern appendages, such as the highly successful Paine Keel with its efficient bulbed endplate, and updated interior treatments. While such a design will never approach the speeds of Bermuda Series types, they are fast in comparison with traditionally styled yachts of a few years ago, and have a lovely motion and forgiving steering and stability characteristics at sea.

The design is completely optimized with all of the necessary gear, tankage, etc. to begin world cruising immediately after launch. In this way, the potential embarrassments of designing for weekend coasting and then adding the weights necessary for a round the world voyage are eliminated. Even the generator is included in the standard design and sales package and the yacht sails brilliantly with full cruising equipment, because she was designed with these weights in mind from day one.

The deck features an integral pilothouse which permits large windows to be fitted in order to avoid the cramped feeling that can result from the conventional low house. The feeling of light and air that results is wonderful, as can be easily discerned from the accompanying photo. All of the long distance cruiser's needs are anticipated, and owners may be assured that the deck fittings are oversize for their loads, and the bow roller adequate for the oversize anchors that he is liable to fit aboard what is in most instances his home for the duration of the voyage.

A long and cordial relationship has existed between Bowman Yachts and the Paine office. The Bowman 48 will take you anywhere your heart desires in safety, comfort, and at excellent speed.

THE RIVAL BOWMAN STORY:

“ Peter Gregory of Victoria Yachts never tired of finding ways to attract customers.  For the 1983 London Boat Show he came up with an idea of stationing his designer at a drafting table in the act of designing yachts.

I had my weather eye open for a new British customer and Rival yachts were at the top of my list.  Their previous designer had passed away and the time would come when they would want a new design.  I didn't want to be an ambulance chaser so struggled with how I would introduce myself without appearing overly aggressive.  I was spared the trouble.

Just in case an opportunity might arise I decided to spend my time stuck at that drafting table sketching my idea of the next Rival Yacht.  The largest yacht in the Rival line was a 41 footer and the next smaller a 38 so I figured 40 feet was about right.  I had the sketch just about finished on my 3rd day standing at Peter's drafting table when 2 impeccably dressed "city types" walked over and peered down curiously at what I was doing.  It turns out they both owned Rival 36s and were at Earls Court looking at larger boats.  They loved their Rival 36s and would have preferred to stay with the same builder if only he had something larger.  They took one look at my sketch and they had the answer.  They dragged me and my sketch over to the Rival stand and introduced me to Charles Maunder, the Managing Director of Rival Yachts.  They said in unison "Charles, if you build this design and add it to your line, we'll both order one."

The first Bowman 40 was introduced at the London Boat Show a year later.  I had already seen it earlier that fall, when I flew over for sea trials.  They had that first boat in the water and the first thing Charles said was "It floats 2 inches deeper than you said it would."  I said "It can't possibly"  But I took the freeboards and he was right. I had done all my laborious calculations using a VisiCalc estimate in excruciating detail - how could it possibly be that much heavier?  They explained that of course they could not build the boat to the scantlings I had shown on my American style construction plans. "We can't build boats as lightly as your drawings showed - to sell boats on Britain we have to use Lloyds scantlings"  And that was the answer.  Lloyds scantlings assumed the use of more fibreglass mat and less woven roving than we were used to using in America.  And since mat is weaker than roving, you have to use more of it to achieve adequate strength.  I even considered making some concession to Charles on the royalty to compensate for my failure to estimate the weight correctly but fortunately I held my tongue. 

Then we sailed the boat.  It was windy, as it always is on the Solent on the fall and the boat stood up to all that wind beautifully and went like a train on rails.  Charles was overjoyed with the way it sailed - much faster than the former Brett designs.  The boot-top was repainted two inches higher on the hull, the displacement figure was changed on the sales brochures and Bowman Yachts went on to build more than fifty of the yachts and came back to me for 3 more designs.”

Words by Chuck Paine and reproduced from the Rival Owner’s Association.

Specifications

CONSTRUCTION

RCD Status:

• Our understanding is that the yacht is exempt from the essential safety requirements of Directive 94/25EC (Recreational Craft Directive) as she was built and placed into use within the EU prior to 1998.
• Construction drawings are approved by Lloyd's Register of Shipping.

Hull Construction:

• Reinforced with longitudinal stringers, the GRP hull provides a structure which conforms to the company’s own stringent standards, as well as the highest internationally recognized quality monitoring systems of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping.
• For added safety, the hull is constructed with a watertight bulkhead between the forward stowage locker and the forward cabin.
• Teak and stainless steel capped side rubbing strake
• Hempels Gel Protect system - 2015
• White gelcoat hull finish

Deck & Superstructure Construction:

• Off-white isophthalic gel with non-slip areas moulded in.
• Lay-up is of chopped strand matt and woven rovings with non-woven polyester core, stiffening and insulation.
• Teak laid side decks
• Teak laid cockpit sole and seating.
• Teak capped bulwarks.
• Teak grabrails on coachroof top.

Keel & Rudder:

• The design offers moderate, stable sections and the unique Chuck Paine elliptical bulbed keel provides a remarkably responsive yacht with a very low centre of gravity.
• Fin keel with deep encapsulated GRP stub and lead ballast externally bolted with stainless steel bolts.
• The encapsulated stub and attached lead ballast are profiled to provide a full depth bilge sump at the aft end of the keel structure and provide increased resistance to impact damage through shear stress.
• GRP rudder blade well-supported by three-quarter length GRP skeg.

MACHINERY

Engine & gearbox:

• Perkins M90 4-cylinder diesel engine producing 84hp @ 2,800rpm
• Hurth mechanical reduction gearbox
• Aquadrive anti-vibration mountings - 2011
• Single lever throttle and gearbox control.
• Engine located within box adjacent to galley, allowing excellent access for maintenance and easy removal through disassembly of furniture.

Maintenance & Performance:

• Engine last serviced: 2020
• Engine was ‘zero-houred’ in 2010/2011 with removal of unit and complete overhaul.
• Cruising speed – approx. 7 knots @ 1,800rpm
• Maximum speed – approx. 8 knots @ 2,300rpm
• Fuel consumption at cruising speed – approx. 6 litres per hour

Propulsion & Steering:

• Vetus 24vDC 95kgf tunnel bowthruster with control at helm - 2015
• MaxProp 3-bladed feathering propeller
• Spare 3-bladed fixed propeller
• Stainless steel prop-shaft
• Edson wheel steering system with hide covered stainless steel wheel
• Emergency tiller

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Voltage systems:

• 24vDC domestic system with 12vDC start circuits and 220vAC via shore-power or generator.

Battery Banks:

• 2x 12v DC 110Ah Varta Black engine starting traction batteries - 2020
• 1x 12vDC 800Ah Varta generator start battery – 2020
• 6x 8vDC 175Ah Trojan T875 service batteries joined in series and parallel to supply 350Ah @ 24vDC - 2020
• Engine and start batteries can be joined.
• Battery wiring replaced - 2013

Charging / Inverter:

• 24vDC Victron Skylla 50Amp automatic battery charger for charging service battery bank
• 12vDC Duric 10Amp battery charger for charging Generator start battery banks

Alternator:

• 12vDC engine-mounted alternator
• 24vDC high-output secondary engine alternator
• Sterling Power Pro Split R Alternator Distribution System - 2017

Generator:

• Westerbeke 220vAC 50Hz 4kw diesel generator – 1992
• Generator hours: approx  2,000 hrs as of February 2023
• Date of last generator service late 2020
• Generator was ‘zero-houred’ in 2010/2011 with removal of unit and complete overhaul.

Other Electrical:

• 220vAC shore power with earth leakage strip, circuit breaker and shore power cable
• 12v electric sockets throughout
• 220vAC sockets throughout

PLUMBING & GAS SYSTEMS

Fresh Water:

• 24vDC pressurized water pump for supplying fresh water – 2011
• Fresh water supply pipes replaced 2011
• Hot water supply via engine calorifier and 220vAC immersion heater element in hot water tank heated by shorepower

Watermaker:

• Bespoke 240v reverse osmosis watermaker producing 60 litres per hour with Corning filter, new spare filter onboard. Feeder pump and pressure pump industry standard and available worldwide. Simple control system and pressure control. - Fitted 2018

Bilge Pumps:

• 2x Manual bilge pumps – main bilge and forward sail locker
• 2x automatic electric bilge pumps with manual overrides at chart table – main bilge and forward sail locker

Black & Grey Water:

• Heads discharge to tank or to sea.
• All sinks discharge to grey water tank
• Showers discharge via 24vDC pumps

Gas System:

• Self-draining gas locker.
• Manual valves at tank and galley.

TANKAGE

Fuel:

• Total fuel capacity approx 817 litres in 2x stainless steel tanks plus additional converted fresh water tank
• Tank Tender manual fuel monitoring.

Fresh Water:

• Total watercapacity approx 418 litres in 2x tanks.
• Tank Tender manual fresh water monitoring on both tanks.

Holding Tanks:

• Black water holding tanks servicing and all hoses replaced to both heads – 2022
• Grey water holding tank - 2010
• Tank material – stainless steel
• Holding tanks discharges to sea beneath waterline or via deck extraction point.
• Wema holding tanks level gauges

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

At Helm:

• Raymarine Axiom colour WiFi GPS chart plotter – 2021
• Raymarine GA200 GPS antenna - 2021
• Raymarine ST6000 autopilot - 2011
• Autohelm ST60 instruments at companionway showing speed, depth, log and wind - 2015
• Rigel Poseidon steering compass at helm pedestal

.

At Chart Table:

• Raymarine C99 W colour GPS chart plotter – 2011
• Raytheon R20X radar display
• Autohelm ST50 Multi-repeater
• Autohelm ST50 GPS display
• GPS connection for laptop computer

Communications Equipment:

• Standard Horizon GM2100 VHF with DSC and AIS – 2012
• Standard Horizon handheld VHF with DSC and charge cradle at chart table – 2018
• Raymarine AIS transceiver transmitter - 2021
• Icom IC-M710 SSB radio
• Shipmate VHF speaker

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

Galley:

• Taylors 041 2-burner gimballed gas stove with gridle, oven and grill
• Panasonic 220vAC microwave oven
• Top-loading fridge with Isotherm water-cooled compressor - 2012
• Dometic CFX 35 12/24 and 240vDC portable compressor fridge/freezer
• Twin stainless steel sinks with hot & cold pressurised fresh water supply
• Additional manual fresh and salt water supplies - 2013

Heads:

• Jabsco manual marine heads - 2011
• Hot & cold pressurised water supplies with shower cubicles

Heating & Ventilation:

• Eberspacher diesel-fired hot air cabin heating system
• Hella DC ventilations fans in cabin areas

Entertainment:

• Pioneer CD/radio with Bose speakers
• Waterproof speakers in cockpit

ACCOMMODATION

Summary of Accommodation:

• Up to 7 berths in three accommodation cabins plus two heads plus with further sea-berth in saloon

Accommodation Finish:

• The finish throughout is of honeyed teak.
• The joinery is a combination of veneer and solid timber.
• The interior joinery has been rubbed down and re varnished (3 coats) in 2015
• Teak and holly cabin sole.
• White deckhead panels with teak trim
• Alcantara upholstery - 2011
• Coachroof side windows and deck head perspexes replaced – 2011
• All hatches have blinds and mosquito nets
• Lee cloths for aft berths

Description of Accommodation from Forward:

• Owner’s cabin: double berth, hanging stowage and vanity unit with stool. En-suite WC with shower.
• Saloon: U-shaped seating to port with drop leaf table with ample cupboards and shelving. To starboard there are two rotating easy chairs, the aft of which also serves the navigation area. Drinks cabinet/table in between.
• Galley: large U-shaped forward facing galley in white with teak trim.
• Aft WC and shower in moulded GRP and teak trim to starboard with en-suite door to starboard aft cabin.
• Port aft cabin double with infill.
• Starboard aft cabin double with infill.

DECK EQUIPMENT

Rig:

• Kemp masthead cutter rig with two sets of spreaders and fore & aft lowers
• Anodised aluminium mast and boom
• Keel stepped mast resting on a bottom construction
• Stainless steel 1x19 wire standing rigging – 2011
• Slab-reefing mainsail with Frederiksen low-friction battencars attached to mast track
• Lazyjacks with stackpack bag for fully-battened mainsail
• 3x mainsail reefs with lines led aft to cockpit
• Furlex genoa furler
• Seafurl staysail furler plus checkstays
• Mechanical adjustable backstay – insulated to act as SSB aerial
• Kemp rod kicker
• Topping lift
• Lewmar mainsheet system on coachroof with adjustable track
• Lewmar genoa tracks on side decks and staysail tracks on coachroof
• Lewmar jammers at companionway
• Mast-stowed aluminium twin alloy spinnaker poles with associated equipment

Winches:

• Lewmar 2-speed self-tailing winch package.
• 2x 62CEST electric primary winches in cockpit positioned aft for easy control by helmsman when sailing short-handed
• 2x 50CST manual secondary winches in cockpit
• 2x 48CEST electric companionway winches for all halyards, control lines and mainsheet
• 1x 48CST mast-mounted halyard winch

Sails:

• Jeckells Sails – Dacron fully-battened mainsail – 2018
• Jeckells Sails – Dacron furling yankee – 2018
• Jeckell Sails – Dacron furling staysail - 2018
• Hood – Dacron furling yankee – 2001
• Hood Sails – Nylon symmetrical tri-radial spinnaker – 1997

General:

• Simpson stainless steel tender davits
• Sturdy stainless steel pulpit and pushpit
• Port & starboard boarding gates
• Guarwires replaced – 2019
• Removable teak and stainless steel side boarding ladder
• Stainless steel and teak passarelle with guardrail
• Teak cockpit table
• Outboard engine bracket
• Dorade ventilators with stainless steel protective pulpits
• Lewmar opening deckhead hatches with mosquito nets and sunshades
• Stainless steel outboard / MOB recovery davit

Anchoring & Mooring:

• Reinforced stemhead with twin integrated bow rollers
• 24vDC electric anchor winch with remote control for windlass at helm
• 1x Rocna 33kg Main Anchor – 2018
• Approx 90m galvanised chain 2011 and 2018
• CQR secondary anchor
• Spare Bruce with chain and warp
• Mooring and spring cleats
• Fore and aft mooring lines
• Warps & fenders

Covers, Cushions & Canvas:

• Sprayhood with stainless steel frame and grab rail – 2012
• Custom bimini with stainless steel frame
• Lazybag for mainsail - 2015
• Cockpit cushions
• Sunshades for deckhead hatches
• Wheel and helm pedestal cover

Tender & Outboard:

• 2.2m Inflatable tender – 2016
• Yamaha 4hp 4 stroke outboard engine – 2018

Spares:-

• ISLAND BREEZE carries a comprehensive spares package including tool sets, large Halfords Socket set, Pilot Books for Med and Atlantic Coasts, various meters, digital callipers, many spare engine parts seals and gaskets fittings and most sizes of o rings and  boxes of fastenings etc. 

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:

• Full navigation lights plus tricolour, steaming light, deck light and anchor light

Life saving:

• Ocean Safety 6-person cannister liferaft stowed on coachroof – 2012 – Service now due
• 406Mhz EPIRB - 2017
• 2x Horseshoe buoys
• Danbuoy
• Blipper-style radar reflector on mast
• Manual fire extinguishers
• Automatic fire extinguisher in engine space
• Fire blanket in galley

Disclaimer

Grabau International offers the details of all vessels in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information or warranty the condition of any vessel and the details do not constitute a part of any contract. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. All vessels are offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice. Grabau International provides professional yacht conveyancing and legal transfer of title for all yachts as per the ABYA Code of Practice with all deposit payments and final balance payments processed through secure dedicated client accounts solely for that purpose. Our dedicated client accounts are written in trust at Natwest Bank and we are fully insured.