Design and Construction
The 39 CR’s lineage is unmistakable: the hull, keel and rudder are pure Sydney 38, and the deep rudder earns its keep in hard sailing. Shrouds attach to carbon-fibre chainplates moulded into the hull, a Sydney Yachts trademark that gives a wide shroud base for better mast support and removes deck penetrations so leaks are eliminated. Internally, the builder emphasises that all furniture and bulkheads are structural, bonded to the hull moulding, as is the moulded grid system picking up loads from the mast step, engine beds and backstay. Large tempered-glass windows sit in the hull sides as well as the coachroof, flooding the interior with natural light and unrestricted views. The hull should also be stiff, good for safety offshore.
Rig and Handling
A modern swept-back spreader rig with non-overlapping sails lets the boat sail easily crewed or short-handed. The two-spreader aluminium mast carries non-overlapping headsails, and the 38’s masthead spinnaker was swapped for a smaller one on the 39 CR. This moderate, small-headsail rig makes a fast boat easy to sail. Running rigging is concealed below the deck, leaving the coachroof uncluttered and safe. The big composite wheel is another Sydney Yachts trademark, precise and communicative, with helmsman’s foot supports large and well placed so even a short helmsman sees the headsail tufts without straining.
Performance
Her displacement/length and sail-area/displacement ratios are almost those of a grand prix racer. She is a light boat with a big engine in sail area, yet because weight is low the actual area is not large. Handling well in all conditions, she is very stable and effortlessly fast. Martin Thompson claims she will do 7.2–7.3 knots upwind in about 15 knots of breeze, and one owner reports averaging nearly 10 knots home from the Whitsundays running in 25–40 knots.
Accommodations
Below, the sleeping arrangement provides a pair of double berths — one in the bow and one aft to starboard — with a single berth cabin or huge wet locker to port aft. The head sits forward of the main bulkhead with a Jabsco manual toilet and retractable shower head. The dinette is portside; starboard has two single seats either side of a small table. Furniture in teak contrasts light-coloured myrtle on the hull sides. Clean lines and an uncomplicated layout promote a sense of space, and the main saloon is modern and warm for entertaining or relaxing. The large open cockpit enables crew maneuvers yet becomes an alfresco dining area at anchor.
Delivery and Equipment
Sydney Yachts delivers each boat with keel and rudder faired to raceboat standards. Sheets and halyards are Vectran, spinnaker halyards stripped of sheath for easy handling, and a boom bag with lazy jacks — all removable for racing. The first two 39 CRs sailed with basic wardrobes of only two headsails.
The Verdict
The Sydney 39 CR is a genuine cruiser-racer: raceboat hull and rig precision wrapped around a bright, roomy live-aboard interior. High ballast ratio and stiff hull invite offshore work; non-overlapping sails and hidden running rigging make short-handed sailing real, not aspirational.
Pros
- Pure Sydney 38 hull, keel and rudder with deep rudder authority
- Moulded carbon chainplates eliminate deck leaks, widen shroud base
- Near grand-prix performance ratios with easy short-handed rig
- Bright, spacious three-cabin or two-cabin-plus-wet-locker interior
Cons
- Smaller spinnaker than 38 limits downwind racing punch
- Basic factory sail wardrobe on early boats (two headsails)
