Bjarne Aas 53 ft Sloop 1952 - Sold

SNIPE IV, is an example of how the Cruiser / Racer (CR) Rule encouraged boats, which offered reasonable accommodation, often with low and attractive deck structures. This yacht has succeeded on the Classic Yacht Circuit and is easily sailed with a family crew.

Bjarne Aas is probably best known for the International One Design Class but also achieved much with the success of International Rule Metre boats - and he was one of the brains behind the CR (Cruiser / Racer) Rule of 1950. His boats were beautiful, fast and seaworthy, particularly in heavy weather.

Poul Molich’s Hundested yard was renowned for the building of high quality and prestigious yachts during the 1950s and 60s - notably for John G. Alden, Sparkman & Stephens and Norwegian Bjarne Aas among others, some of which survive and which like SNIPE IV built with the best materials available at the time are as good as collectors’ items.

Built for a Danish shipping magnate SNIPE remained in Scandinavia until 1992 - and for many years stored indoors during the winters. Crossing to the Caribbean in her last ownership, where she has been cruising as well as racing - participating in the Antigua Classic Regattas, she won her class in 1996.

- Carvel mahogany planking on laminated oak and stainless steel frames and steamed ribs
- Oak deadwood, copper fastened and galvanized iron strapped
- Lead ballast keel
- Full keel with keel hung rudder and propeller in aperture
- Steel strap floors bronze fastened
- 15 mm teak deck newly laid over new 12 mm ply sub deck in 2008
- Varnished teak cabin house, side coamings, toe rails, cover boards and trim
- White topsides, green boot top, and red bottom
- Planked cabin roof has painted fibreglass over
- Destroyer wheel steering to bronze quadrant linked to autopilot ram etc

The vessel was partially rebuilt in 1996 and finished in 2001 by the current owner. Work included: new floor timbers, keel bolts, deadwood, and some bottom planks.

- Large hatch to large lazarette
- Deep and well protected approx. 9 ft x 5 ft T shaped self-bailing cockpit with bridge deck
- Gas locker and shore power access below helm seat
- Generous seats access large cockpit lockers
- Teak and holly cabin sole
- Very light saloon white deck head and bulkheads

The traditional interior layout with full headroom is finished in varnished mahogany and has five individual berths. From the large cockpit forward a sliding hatch, drop in washboards and companionway steps access the cabins below. The galley is immediately to port with Flavel Vanessa 2 burner hob and oven, 12V top loading fridge / freezer, sink with hot and cold pressurised mixer tap and salt water wash with foot pump, work surface and large stowage lockers and drawers. Opposite is the chart table, 4 x deep drawers under with seat / pilot berth extending aft. Forward the main saloon has settee berths and lockers outboard each side, large table on centreline between and a Tepor diesel oil fired cabin heater by fwd bulkhead.

Below the second raised trunk cabin is an enclosed head compartment to port. The head has Jabsco manual WC, shower, efficient gas water heater lockers and vanity mirrors and opposite a very large hanging cupboard, solid teak cabin sole - all part of the owner’s stateroom with twin vee berths forward, graced with varnished mahogany interior battens / slat linings running fore and aft above and four deep drawers under. There are reading lights and a radiator. Forward of the berths is stowage for sails, covers etc and chain locker.

Ventilation is by 3 opening hatches, the main companionway and 6 cowl type ventilators. The inventory includes blankets, pillows, dishes, cooking utensils and glassware.

- Masthead sloop rig with hollow spruce main mast stepped on keel
- Forestay and backstay set to stainless steel plates in deck
- Galvanised – painted transverse chain plates
- Stainless steel standing rigging
- Stainless steel turnbuckles
- Kevlar rope halyards
- Selden jib furling
- Aluminium spinnaker pole, stowed port side deck with complete spinnaker gear
- Teak boom gallows
- Halyard winches include Lewmar 43, 2 x Andersen 46 low on the mast
- 2 x Andersen 16 boom reefing winches
- Wood and bronze mainsheet blocks
- Stainless steel horse
- All sails by Diamond Sails of Denmark; 105 sq m Sail area
- 2 x mainsails with two sets of reef points - excellent condition
- Genoa #1 - excellent condition
- Genoa #2 - good condition
- Genoa #3 - excellent condition
- New Dacron genoa 100%
- Neil Pryde jib 2005
- Spinnaker in good condition

The vessel has 2 low lying coach houses; traditional with doghouse aft with teak grabrails both sides and a small forward one with hatch over the forecabin.


- 2 x ST Lewmar 52 primary sheet winches on teak mounts outside coaming
- 2 x ST Lewmar 46 secondary sheet winches on teak mount outside coaming
- Lewmar genoa tracks on toe rails
- 4 x chromed dorade vents on varnished teak boxes over main trunk cabin
- 1 x dorade vent etc over fore cabin
- 2 x hatches over saloon and head shower compartment
- Avon inflatable dinghy and 4 HP Johnson outboard motor
- Chocks for dinghy on trunk cabin
- Danforth 45 lb anchor
- 45 lb CQR anchor
- 33 lb Bruce anchor
- 170 ft galvanized chain
- Bow roller
- Lofrans Tigress Windlass
- Manual winch for mooring lines at stern
- Radar scanner pole and outboard bracket on aft deck
- Large teak deck cleat on centreline by original chromed windlass
- Docking lines and fenders
- Boathook
- Searchlight
- Spreader lights
- Sail covers
- Teak boarding ladder / passarelle
- Bow pulpit, double lifelines
- Large sun cockpit awning
- Cockpit cushions, dodger
- Fold - away cockpit table
- Some tools

- Perkins 4-108, 4 cyl 46 HP fresh water cooled diesel installed 1987, rebuilt 2001
- Engine instruments in cockpit
- 12 V lighting and starting systems
- Engine driven 12V alternater
- 2 x 12 V domestic batteries stbd
- 1 x 12 V engine start battery
- 1 x 12 V anchor windlass battery fwd
- Circuit breaker
- Distribution panel
- 110 / 220V shore power / 15 A charger, 13 A socket
- 70 gal / 318 litre fuel in stainless steel tank
- 50 gal / 227 litre water in stainless steel tank
- 30 gal./ 136 litre stainless steel holding tank

- Suunto 165 compass in chromed binnacle
- Some charts
- Barometer
- 2 x Viking clocks
- Apelco VHF
- Furuno M1720 radar
- Robertson 200 DL autopilot – controls in Stbd cockpit locker
- Magellan GPS
- Raymarine ST60 wind angle true/apparent
- DYE apparent wind indicator
- Horizon depth sounder
- Sailer VHF SP receiver
- Clarion AM / FM / CD cassette player

- Electric bilge pump
- Whale Gusher manual bilge pump in port cockpit locker
- Safety harnesses