Design Brief & Intent
Huntingford designed the Rafiki 37 to serve as a robust, sea-kindly home for short-handed couples seeking to cross oceans. In contrast to other double-enders of the mid-1970s—most notably the Westsail 32 or the Tayana 37—the Rafiki 37 sought to strike a balance between traditional "Colin Archer" aesthetic lines and modern underbody efficiency. Huntingford designed a refined canoe stern that effectively minimized the "squatting" tendency common to older double-enders under power or heavy press of sail.
Below deck, the boat’s beam of nearly 12 feet is carried well fore and aft, yielding an interior that punches far above its length. Built with solid teak joinery throughout, the cabins boast an incredible sense of old-world maritime luxury, complemented by bronze opening ports and hand-fit teak-and-holly soles. With headroom stretching between 6 feet 5 inches and 6 feet 8 inches, the saloon feels open and bright, avoiding the dark, cave-like atmosphere of many pocket cruisers. Accommodation is practical for offshore voyaging, featuring a dedicated navigation station, a highly secure U-shaped galley to port, a convertible dinette, and abundant dry storage lockers that easily rival those found on typical 40-footers.
The model evolved in the mid-1980s when the design was refined and built as the Slocum 37 by the Hai-O Yacht Building Corp. This latter iteration shared the same fundamental hull geometry but introduced minor deck profile tweaks and layout refinements.
Sailing Performance & Handling
Analyzing the Rafiki 37 through its engineering ratios reveals a vessel designed strictly for safety and heavy-weather survival rather than light-air performance. With a displacement of 26,500 pounds and a Displacement-to-Length (Disp/LWL) ratio of 361.03, she is a true heavyweight. Her Sail Area-to-Displacement (SA/Disp) ratio of 13.12 confirms that she is heavily under-canvased in light winds. Owners should expect to use the auxiliary engine when winds fall below 10 to 12 knots. However, when the breeze builds, the Rafiki 37 comes alive, easily maintaining steady 130 to 150 nautical mile days on passage.
The physical behavior of the hull in a seaway is exceptionally comfortable. The massive Comfort Ratio of 44.92 translates to an incredibly soft motion, dampening quick, violent rolls and reducing crew fatigue during multi-day passages. Her Ballast-to-Displacement ratio of 43.4%—with 11,500 pounds of ballast encapsulated in her long keel—provides immense initial and secondary stability. With a Capsize Screening ratio of 1.61, well below the standard 2.0 safety threshold, she possesses excellent righting energy and resistance to roll-overs in breaking waves.
Under sail, the cutter rig breaks the total sail area down into manageable parcels, allowing the crew to easily balance the boat as the wind shifts. The full keel provides excellent tracking, making it easy for windvane gear or mechanical autopilots to hold a course. The trade-off is experienced in close quarters: with a long keel and a large skeg-hung rudder, maneuvering the Rafiki 37 in tight marina slips requires patience and foresight. She has a wide turning radius, and backing down under power is notoriously unpredictable without a bow thruster.
Known Issues & Triage
While the hull laminate is robust, prospective buyers of any 1970s Taiwanese classic must look past the heavy teak joinery to identify common structural vulnerabilities.
- Balsa-Cored Deck Delamination: The deck is constructed as a sandwich of fiberglass over a balsa wood core. Water can migrate into the core through poorly sealed deck hardware, stanchion bases, or the teak overlay. Triage requires a thorough percussion sounding with a hammer or a moisture meter. Soft areas must be addressed by drilling, drying, or excavating the rotted balsa and rebuilding the laminate.
- Original Iron Fuel Tanks: Many units were built with black iron diesel tanks. Over decades, condensation on the tank top or water sitting in the bilge can cause these tanks to rust from the inside out. Replacing the tanks often requires removing sections of the cabin sole or cabin joinery, which is a labor-intensive and costly process.
- Teak Deck Screws and Seams: The original teak decks were laid over fiberglass and fastened with thousands of screws. Over time, the caulking seams fail, allowing water to track down the screw threads directly into the balsa core below. Remedying this requires either a total re-seaming and re-fastening project or completely stripping the teak, filling the screw holes, and finishing the deck in non-skid fiberglass.
- Aged Chainplates: The stainless steel chainplates are prone to crevice corrosion where they pass through the deck. Because this decay occurs out of sight, any vessel still operating on its original chainplates should have them extracted and inspected, if not immediately replaced.
Modernization & Upgrades
Many Rafiki 37s have undergone substantial refits to prepare them for modern cruising requirements.
- Repowering: The original Volvo Penta or early Perkins marine diesels are often replaced with modern, reliable Yanmar engines (such as the 3JH or 4JH series). This upgrade not only improves reliability but also resolves the sourcing issues associated with legacy Volvo parts.
- Electrical Systems: Modern liveaboards frequently overhaul the electrical grid. It is common to see cruising units upgraded with 400Ah+ Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) house battery banks, backed by high-output alternators, smart regulators, and 400W+ solar arrays integrated onto a custom stern arch or bimini.
- Rigging Refits: Replacing the standing rigging and switching to synthetic running rigging is standard for blue-water preparation. Many owners also choose to add modern roller-furling units to both the headsail and the staysail to make short-handed sail handling even safer from the safety of the cockpit.
Market Snapshot & Economics
On the brokerage market, the Rafiki 37 trades as an exceptional value for budget-minded blue-water buyers. It typically commands a slight discount compared to more widely recognized brand names like Tayana or Hans Christian, yet delivers equivalent build quality and design pedigree. Because only 55 hulls were produced, they do not appear on the market in large numbers, making them relatively scarce.
The economics of purchasing a Rafiki 37 depend heavily on the status of its past refits. An original "project" boat with soft decks, rusted iron tanks, and an aging engine is cheap to acquire but can quickly absorb tens of thousands of dollars in yard labor. Conversely, buying a modernized, turn-key vessel that has already had its chainplates, decks, and engine replaced represents one of the most cost-effective entry points into capable, ocean-ready cruising.
The Verdict
The Rafiki 37 is a classic, bulletproof double-ender designed to keep its crew safe and comfortable in the most challenging ocean conditions. While it requires patience in light air and in the marina, its sea-kindly motion and timeless craftsmanship make it a loyal companion for serious blue-water passage making.
Pros
- Exceptionally sea-kindly motion and high comfort rating in heavy seas.
- Massive interior volume, generous headroom, and abundant storage space for a 37-footer.
- Excellent directional tracking under sail, reducing strain on the steering system and crew.
- Strong, heavily built fiberglass hull with beautiful hand-crafted teak joinery.
Cons
- Poor light-air sailing performance, requiring frequent motoring in light breezes.
- Difficult maneuvering in tight quarters and reversing due to the long keel profile.
- Potential for high-cost maintenance issues including rotted balsa-cored decks and rusted black iron fuel tanks.
- Original teak decks and chainplates require careful, destructive-testing inspection before purchase.
