Design and Construction
What distinguishes the ShearWater 39 is the deliberate contrast between heritage looks and a purposeful modern hull. The clipper bow carries strong flare to the forward sections, with a short bowsprit and a pronounced sheer, while the stern is a radiused transom with strong tumblehome and a transom-hung rudder. Beneath that traditional skin sits a NACA-foil fin keel with external bolt-on lead ballast, a shallow forefoot, and U-shaped bow sections that reduce pounding when heeled by presenting more curvature to the water than a V-section would.
The hull is a solid glass laminate below the waterline with substantial reinforcement at the keel and mast step, while the deck and topsides typically use a cored construction to manage weight. Chainplates are usually internal stainless flat bar bolted to glassed-in knees or frames rather than bonded into the hull, which lets them be inspected and eventually replaced. Builders offered the design in GRP, aluminum, or cold-moulded timber, and the original aluminum prototype was drawn around a two-metre-tall client; production GRP boats carry headroom reduced to 1.925 m. Hulls were moulded in South Africa mainly by Jacobs Brothers and later Shearwater Marine, with a few sold for owner completion, so fit-out quality varies by example.
Rig and Handling
The boat is fundamentally an aft-cockpit masthead cutter with a long fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, and the sail plan is a powerful double-spreader cutter with standing intermediate or running backstays supporting the inner forestay. A few owners sail them as masthead sloops by omitting the inner forestay. The cutter rig lets a crew shorten down in stages, and the long fin keel with skeg-hung rudder gives a steady, predictable helm rather than a lively fingertip response.
That underwater profile pays off offshore: downwind the hull tracks well, the skeg and keel reduce the tendency to broach, and the form does not encourage surfing the way a flatter, lighter boat might. The fine entry and flared bow give good wave penetration on the wind while keeping the deck dry, and the V-shaped stern sections with shallow forefoot aid downwind control. With a displacement of roughly 22,000 lb (sources differ from the 21,605 lb database figure) and a ballast ratio near 40 percent, the design sits firmly in the heavy camp, favouring comfort and load-carrying over speed, and the motion comfort ratio near 35 speaks to gentle passage behaviour. Owners such as Rod Turner-Smith of Sheer Tenacity report she is good on all points of sail, naturally fast, and a real passage maker.
Accommodations
Below, the ShearWater 39 reads as a proper seagoing boat rather than a floating apartment. The squared-off cabin sits over a layout that varies between a classic two-cabin arrangement and a more open saloon with a large technical space aft. Layout A targets privacy for two couples, or a family of five or six with a varied quarter-berth arrangement, while Layout B offers a full-width owner's aft cabin with direct cockpit access. The forecabin has a V-berth and good locker space, a separate heads compartment sits just aft, and the saloon carries opposing settees around a central table.
The galley is an L-shape near the companionway with a large ice box or freeze locker, twin sinks, and work surface over the engine; opposite the head is a workbench with lockers for routine maintenance, and a wet locker can be built under the companion steps. The horseshoe cockpit is long enough to sleep in yet has a small well for offshore safety, and the side decks are wide with substantial bulwarks and strong stanchions. Headroom is generally good for the length, and the beam is used sensibly.
Known Issues
Most examples carry older systems that reflect their production era, and limited production means parts standardisation is poor. The chainplate arrangement, while inspectable, demands attention where the bar passes through the deck and bolts to internal knees; crevice corrosion and surrounding laminate cracking are the enemies. The keel-to-hull joint should be examined for weeping, cracking, or prior repair, and inside the hull the keel bolts, backing plates, and surrounding laminate need checking for rust, cracking, or compression. Soft deck laminate shows up around chainplate penetrations, stanchion bases, the mast step, and deck hardware, and rudder bearings should be tested for play at the skeg-to-hull junction. Where original mild steel fuel tanks were fitted, they may be at the end of service life.
Refits and Ownership
Typical refit paths on the design include new standing rigging, new sails, electronics upgrades, partial or full rewiring, and tank replacement. The boat's systems layout gives good access to engine, tanks, and wiring on most professional builds, which makes upkeep more manageable than on many comparable cruisers. An inboard rudder is now available for the timber version, and the small number of hulls means each boat must be assessed on its own merits rather than against a fleet standard.
The Verdict
The ShearWater 39 is a considered answer to the brief of a traditional-looking yet modern-performing offshore cruiser. It rewards steady passagemaking, short-handed competence, and structural honesty over speed records or interior gloss, and its small build count makes a careful survey essential.
Pros
- Solid glass hull below the waterline with reinforced keel and mast step
- Inspectable internal chainplates bolted to framed knees
- Predictable helm from long fin keel and skeg-hung rudder
- Sensible cutter rig suited to staged reefing and short-handed sailing
- Good motion comfort and serious tankage for the size
Cons
- Heavy displacement with modest light-air performance
- Older systems and limited parts standardisation on most boats
- Small production run with variable owner-completed fit-outs
- Original mild steel tanks may need replacement
