Design and Construction
Perry gave the Esprit 37 a sharply raked stem, a handsome sheer, and a well-resolved canoe stern that reads as purposefully seaworthy from any angle. Beneath that profile sits a hand-laminated solid-fiberglass hull to which the 6,300-pound keel is fixed with 3/4-inch stainless-steel hook bolts cast into the lead anchor. The deck is a separate hand-laminated balsa-cored structure, chosen for strength, light weight, and sound and thermal insulation. Early boats from Nordic Yachts (1977–1980) have been relatively free of blisters, while a number of Uniflite-built hulls from 1980 to 1982 showed blistering on both sides of the waterline anchor; later boats used an isophthalic resin immune to that problem.
Rig and Handling
The Valiant 37 carries a deck layout that would do justice to a Grand Prix racing yacht, with a keel-stepped, masthead-rigged mast and chainplates inboard of the toerail that do not seriously obstruct the side decks. Earlier boats had wire rigging, but Nordic Yachts fitted Navtec rod rigging from 1979 on some hulls. Under sail she is beautifully balanced, light on the helm, and accelerates nicely even in just 5 or 6 knots of wind anchor, and a singlehander can manage her with fine seakeeping qualities. Perry's relatively low wetted surface, low displacement-to-length ratio for the time, moderate cruising fin keel, and skeg-hung rudder anchor equip her to be driven hard and fast across open water in any weather with safety and reasonable comfort.
Accommodations
Belowdecks the boat upholds the Valiant standard of quality and luxury. The forward cabin holds a good-size V-berth with considerable storage beneath, and aft of it sits a head with a sink and a shower compartment with a seat, opposite a large hanging locker. The saloon pairs a sleeping-length starboard settee with an L-shaped port settee and table that converts to a generous double berth; beneath each settee is a 60-gallon water tank, and headroom runs about 6 feet 6 inches throughout. A chart table aft of the starboard settee uses the forward end of a quarter berth as the navigator's seat, while the compact but sufficient U-shaped galley to port places its deep double sink near the centerline so it drains on either tack. An abundance of lockers will hold enough stores to provision four crew for at least three weeks at sea, and the boat provides good accommodation for a crew of four or five on extended voyages in any waters.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
The cockpit seats are nicely angled, deep, and a comfortable height above the sole, with lockers roomy enough for fenders, mooring lines, and a vented gas-bottle compartment. It is a bit of a tight squeeze past the wheel to the helmsman's seat tucked well aft. A deck plate over the head of the rudderstock can be removed to attach the emergency tiller, and the original Westerbeke diesel sits behind companionway steps that lift out for access.
Known Issues
With age, the balsa-cored deck may have softened where moisture invaded the core at hardware and fastenings anchor. Buyers should note the Uniflite-era blistering on some 1980–1982 hulls, though later resin chemistry eliminated that vulnerability.
The Verdict
The Valiant 37 is a no-nonsense Perry design that translated the Valiant 40's success into a smaller, livelier package — a boat meant to be sailed hard, not coddled. Her light helm, low wetted surface, and Grand Prix deck layout reward sailors who left cruising behind for lack of performance, while the interior carries real voyaging capability for four or five.
Pros
- Light, balanced helm and quick acceleration in 5–6 knots of wind
- Hand-laminated solid hull with lead keel bolted through cast-in stainless hooks
- Accommodation and stowage for three-week passages with four crew
- Early Nordic and later isophthalic hulls largely free of blistering
Cons
- Balsa deck core vulnerable to softening at fastenings with age
- Some Uniflite-built hulls blistered above and below the waterline
- Tight passage past the wheel to the aft helmsman's seat
