Design and Construction
Camper & Nicholson offered the 476 with aft- or center-cockpit layouts, sloop or ketch rigs, and three keel choices.
The deck mold came in three parts. The forward section served both models and included the first feet of the center cockpit. The hull carries a single lead casting inside the molded fin keel, so there are no keel bolts to maintain. The lead won’t corrode and split the keel, although the internal ballast may admit water if the keel is damaged on rocky ground. A skeg-hung rudder completes the steering gear.
Rig and Handling
The double-headsail sail plan wasn’t a true cutter rig, and several boats had in-mast furling mains. Halyards and reefing lines led to the mast, requiring crew to work forward.
At 33,000 pounds, with 13,000 pounds of ballast, the 476 has considerable load-carrying capacity.
Accommodations and Engine Access
The two cockpit versions share the same interiors apart from the aft cabin.
The aft-cockpit version has a small secondary cockpit with its own companionway, plus a master stateroom by the dodger, a saloon, and pilot sea berths. On center-cockpit boats, the engine sits beneath the cockpit for easy access. On aft-cockpit boats, it remains forward of the aft cabin.
History and Later Builds
C&N built eleven Nicholson 476s before selling the tooling around 1990 to Colvic Craft. Colvic then built several Bluewater 476s, which likely differed in finish.
Verdict
The Nicholson 476 is a low-production, configurable cruiser with thoughtful encapsulated ballast and good engine access in the center-cockpit version. Because so few were built—and later Bluewater 476s may differ in finish—each example needs to be judged individually.
Pros
- Multiple cockpit, rig, and keel configurations
- Encapsulated lead ballast with no keel bolts
- Good engine access in center-cockpit boats
- Considerable load-carrying capacity
Cons
- Risk of water entering the internal ballast if the keel is damaged on rocky ground
- Halyards and reefing led to the mast
- Few hulls built
- Colvic-built boats may differ in finish
