rustler 37 yacht review

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Rustler 37 – tested and reviewed

Rustler yachts has quietly and cleverly cemented its position as a british boatbuilding success story..

The classically-lined new 37 seems to take all of the things that were right about the golden era of cruising yachts and roll it all into one rather spiffing boat.

‘Beautiful yachts, beautifully built’ is their strapline and their mix of conservative, seaworthy lines and quality finish has allowed them to weather the storms that engulfed much of our boatbuilding industry.

This was definitely my kind of yacht. You know you’re on to a winner when a fellow yachtsman shouts ‘beautiful’ at you across the water. I’m assuming he wasn’t referring to me. Size isn’t everything when it comes to cruising and the Rustler 37 provides all you need to head off around the world with confidence. This is definitely a boat to look after you in heavy weather and her sea-kindly lines also bring a smile to your face when sailing in more benign conditions.

I like the fact she has been built for a couple with little compromise in this vision, meaning that the boat is simple to handle and all the accommodation is tailored to this set up. That said, Rustler is in the semi-custom market and will do whatever you wish with the boat to tailor it to your needs.

The standard of finish is excellent. She will retain a timeless appeal while her more modern rivals start to show their age. In a world of aggressive lines and weird deck arrangements, the 37 whispers of timeless elegance.

Sailing ability: 4/5 Comfort: 4/5 Bluewater: 4/5

www.rustleryachts.com

Price: From £262,000 ex-VAT

This is an edited version of the April ST boat test (issue 216).

Stephen Jones-designed

She's a handsome yacht, and the low coachroof and graceful sheer give her an immediate look of pedigree. All photos Joe McCarthy

Only 7 knots of wind on test day...

But the hull is easily driven and her big (140) per cent genoa means that once you get a puff to shove her along there isn't much to stop her trundling along until the next puff arrives

Based in Falmouth, the firm boasts a highly-skilled workforce, which shines through in the finish.

Rustler 37 saloon

There's a farmhouse cottage feel to the light-oak joinery

Rustler 37 chart table

Rustler's team of cabinetmakers build the interior from scratch in-house, and it shows.

Specification

Info heading.

info content

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Attainable Adventure Cruising

The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

• Rustler Yachts: The New Rustler 37

The yacht that built the Rustler name was arguably the lovely old 36 , the last long keeled yacht in production in the UK. Still available to special order, but now down to only one build a year, she still attracts the eye, but compared with the space and speed of the more modern designs that make up the rest of their fleet, her days are surely numbered.

With the launch of the new Stephen Jones designed 37 as her eventual replacement, Rustler have reinforced an old-fashioned commitment to a ‘ family’ of yachts , for owners to trade up size-wise as funds and their own family allow. This used to be a common ploy amongst the more prestigious builders of GRP yachts, but many of those builders have since decided to abandon that strategy and concentrate on the larger sizes that are potentially more profitable.

The 37 shows a strong resemblance to the handsome 42 and the newer, larger designs. Happily, that similarity isn’t confined to the look of the boat, but is present throughout the build, finish and fit-out of the 37, which is most definitely not a cut-price version of her bigger sisters. And that commitment starts from the very basics of resin and mat.

The Structure

All moulding is carried out in house, and uses the very best GRP construction techniques to ensure a solid, durable yacht. Isophthalic resins are used throughout with clear gelcoat below the waterline to provide superior moisture resistance. A double gelcoat is used to protect the laminate in day-to-day use as well as to maintain colour fastness.

Chopped strand mat and woven rovings are hand laid up to ensure quality control, substantial foam cored stringers are used to stiffen the structure, and all internal GRP is flow coated to give a smooth finish. All wooden bulkheads are bonded to the structure after the surface veneers have been ground back, to ensure a solid structural bond that will last over time.

Core is only used in the deck and coamings, with 12-mm ply pads in way of all deck fittings. The hull to deck joint is bonded with overlapping glass laminate for maximum strength and to avoid leaks, and covered with a teak capping rail.

The moderately long fin keel contains 3.4T casting of encapsulated lead. This is housed beneath a bilge sump designed to contain bilge water away from joinery and electrics, a simple enough feature in itself, but one that has all but disappeared from modern yachts.

The hull form has soft forward sections to avoid slamming upwind, and powerful mid sections and stern for power and stability offwind. Sensibly Rustler have avoided going with the weak spot of a P bracket to support the prop shaft and have incorporated a massive moulded shaft log, which won’t just protect the prop but will also assist directional stability.

While she won’t be as fast as some lighter designs, the hull shows every sign of seakindliness and balance, the factors that matter far more to a tired crew far offshore on a bad night.

The rudder is hung from a solid half skeg, and has a sacrificial lower section in case of damage from collision. Unusually, Rustler have also specified a second sacrificial section in the upper rear section, to avoid any danger of the rudder penetrating the hull in the event of, say, a serious grounding.

Steering is from Jefa , who have seemingly cornered the market with their well-engineered systems, and incorporates self-aligning bearings as opposed to the more common option of Delrin or Ertalyte. Not a significant difference you might say, but it should allow for a smooth and responsive feel to the wheel, even when the going gets tough.

The Interior

Down below she’s a mix of classic and modern thinking, designed around the needs of a couple plus occasional guests, not an army of charterers.

Separated from the chain locker by a sail locker and crash bulkhead, the forward cabin houses a huge double berth, offering real comfort when at anchor, and has no attached head and shower, which in turn has allowed the berth to be moved forward and more space freed up in the saloon.

A U-shaped seating arrangement around the saloon table has been employed to make the best use of space, and is convertible to a double if necessary. More importantly, the saloon offers one good seaberth along the centerline to port supplied with a leecloth. To starboard the relatively small chart table amply demonstrates the trend away from paper charts to electronic navigation, and has allowed the single head and shower to be positively palatial for a boat of this size.

The galley is that modern rarity—an island galley—the most secure, practical arrangement for on passage cooking ever devised. Being close to the companionway, the area is well ventilated and it’s easy to pass food up to the crew on watch.

With sinks close to the centerline for efficient drainage, and plenty of stowage space, it’s a model for safe, successful food preparation at sea. A practical, well made GN Espace cooker comes as standard, as does a large, top loading fridge with keel cooling.

The area after the galley is given over to a hanging locker and a massive stowage area for all of the gear needed for long distance cruising. To starboard is a simple double berth, that could easily be split to provide an additional secure seaberth.

Needless to say, the joinery is beautiful, made from European Oak, which is light and nicely grained. All the woodwork is hand made by real craftsmen, mostly men with many years of experience behind them. All in all, the interior is a warm, handsome, practical mix that will work well at sea.

The standard rig is a sloop, which makes sense for a boat of this size in terms of handling and performance under sail.

Rustler do offer a cutter rig as an option, which significantly has been taken up by two of the early buyers, and it’s not hard to see the attraction of that rig, especially with ocean crossing in mind.

The rig sticks to the best practice possible for offshore cruising, with fore and aft lowers and parallel spreaders—no cheapening evident there.

Sails are from Penrose of Falmouth, long time suppliers to Rustler, who I can confirm from personal experience make top quality sails. The mainsail is supplied with Selden’s MDS batten car system , and comes with 3 reefs as standard.

The standard winches are from Harken and are a good size.

With a range of good sized hatches and portlights, plenty of natural light and ventilation is allowed below when at anchor. Ventilation on passage is provided through mushroom ventilators which, although neat and unobtrusive, will struggle to provide adequate ventilation in warmer waters. Personally I’d want to see at least one pair of well-protected dorades to improve that aspect.

All of the stainless gear is suitably robust, beautifully finished and solidly attached. The cockpit area is laid in good thick teak, as is the cockpit sole, as part of the standard specification. (Rustler select and buy in all of their own teak and still reject around 20% as being below the standards they require.) For reasons of long term durability, I’m pleased to see that teak decks are not standard, although they are offered as an option at £13,900 (at the time of writing).

The boat has masses of stowage space available, accessible from the deck, certainly more than adequate for a couple living aboard, and enough to allow dinghy, spare sails and all of the usual paraphernalia to be safely stowed below when on passage.

As with her bigger sisters, the engine is mounted amidships beneath the saloon table. Having once assisted an owner sorting out a problem on a 42, I know that engine access is first class, and access to all areas below the floors is vastly enhanced by it all being modular for ease of removal—wonderful stuff.

The standard engine is the Kubota based Nanni N4 38 , fitted with a 100 amp alternator and a mechanical gearbox.

In a world where every builder seems to have gone over to some form of shaft seal, Rustler have stayed true to the good old stuffing box, something I have no problem with. I’ve seen a few boats get into serious trouble with shaft seals, and never once with a stuffing box!

And all seacocks and skin fittings are from Blakes in proper bronze, not unsuitable brass—other ‘quality’ builders please take note…

Fuel is adequate for a boat of this size with 270 litres (70 US gallons) available in one tank. Water tanks under the saloon area and forward bunk hold a total of 386 litres (100 UK gallons) that could practically be backed up with a low draw 12V watermaker for longer passages and independence at anchor.

Two gas bottles of 4.5 kg are standard, but these would be on the small side for long-distance cruising, so some form of upgrade might be worthwhile before setting off.

Well, I hear you ask, this all sounds wonderful, there has to be a catch? Well, if there is one, it’s the price, which at the time of writing was £262,500 (excluding tax) for the standard boat (complete with sails but without electronics), may well be beyond most pockets. But there are people out there willing and able to pay such a premium, and maybe here’s why:

• These are hand made boats, with very evident care taken in every aspect of production and best practice employed at all times over cost or convenience.
• They are built with long-term ownership in mind, to look as good (if properly cared for) in twenty or thirty years’ time as when new, a fact that’s supported by the robust nature of second-hand values. If one does ever come up for sale the chances are it will be snapped up.
• The standard 37 is comprehensively equipped, and comes with many items and features as standard that would be options on a lesser boat.
• The possibility to customize the boat to meet your own needs is part and parcel of the Rustler package, offering the well-heeled owner the chance to own a true bespoke yacht.

But for me, the most attractive aspect is that this is a really solid mid-sized yacht, built with a wealth of simple, practical thinking that will pay off when crossing an ocean or when carrying out essential maintenance in some corner of paradise.

For all the beauty and quality of the build and fit-out this is a yacht designed and built to be used hard, not a show pony. Far from building flashy yachts that follow fashion, Rustler have stayed true to practices that have been demonstrated over time to work and be durable, and avoided compromises that would reduce the functionality of their yachts.

For example, it’s hard to sell stowage space as a major benefit at a boat show, but anybody who has crossed an ocean knows that having adequate stowage is absolutely mission critical for successful ocean crossings. You’re getting a boat that is almost ready to go.

The Rustler 37 embodies the kind of values that matter when you’re long-term cruising, not gadgets, compromised rigs or endless bunks. Looked at from that perspective the price seems less prohibitive.

Good for all of the team at Rustler Yachts for standing up for traditional values—and making a success of doing so.

Neither Colin nor Attainable Adventure Cruising Ltd have received any benefit from Rustler Yachts in money or in kind.

Further Reading

• Part 1, an overview of Rustler Yachts’ history and models.
• Colin’s multi-part in-depth reviews of the  Boreal 44/47  and  Ovni 435 .
• And for a very different approach to offshore voyaging boats, the AAC Adventure 40 .

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More Articles From Rustler:

• Rustler Yachts: Maybe There’s Hope Yet?

Dear Colin,

I would wish to nominate your reviews as a template for the kinds of criteria that all reviewers of sailboats should consider for their evaluations. Some might say that yours is an “offshore” review to which I would contend that all vessels must meet certain base line specs as one can meet adverse conditions as easily close to shore as far offshore. And most reviews gloss over these base line specs so it is a pleasure to read your observations.

I do wish to use your writing to flag a habit (a veritable quibble, I admit) that many, maybe most, marine writers fall into when writing about cruising sailboats that I perceive as un-necessary and un-informative. I refer to your first article statement, “Like most boats of that style, they weren’t the fastest boats” and second article, “While she won’t be as fast as some lighter designs”. These seem to me clearly throw-away lines that most of us might use, but it has subtle influences which I think should be noted.

The statements are undoubtedly true, but they are truisms which would apply to any sailboat. I see these sorts of statements as un-necessarily casting aspersions where they do not belong. There is too much attention to speed to the neglect of other concerns. It is similar to saying that a Mercedes or Volvo station wagon is not the fastest car on the road. Of course it isn’t, nor would anyone expect it to be. These cars can take you (and your gear) safely and comfortably along the highways of the world (even the autobahns) going plenty fast.

Now, I think it would be totally legit to comment if you thought that this was a slow boat among its peers or that it might have trouble clawing off a lee shore in a blow. But I suspect a Rustler 37 with a capable couple would comfortably knock off 120-150 mile days, day in and day out, in the open ocean and get this couple to their destination feeling pretty good. I think there is a widely held proclivity (among both writers and owners) to apologize for the speed of cruising boats which in many/most cases is unwarranted. I guess I perceive this kind of statement as “self protective” so the writer does not get slammed when someone asks “But can it average 200 mile days?”.

Your article goes a long way towards addressing the kinds of details that are important to a boat capable of sailing the waters of the world and, perhaps more importantly, educating readers about really important considerations. Decent average speed is certainly one of the criteria, but that a boat is not a Porsche is not, to my mind, important to mention.

As always, my best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

firstly, thanks for the ‘nomination’, and I agree with your analysis altogether – I look for the things that (in my view) matter, and that would be benefits in any boat at all, and that should not be luxuries but standard practice.

I accept your point about speed, and in fact I wasn’t using my comments in any pejorative sense at all. Far from it, I’d rather sacrifice speed for balance, being easy on the crew and easily achievable daily averages any day. In my defence, I’d point out that I did mention balance right after the comment about speed, but I should have made it clearer. And for what it’s worth, I’d bet the R37 will be very easy on her crew, and being easily driven with a sweet hull form rattle off high daily runs without any undue stress.

I used to own a lovely German Frers jr design, which was the nicest boat to sail, but you had to sail her all the time – she had to be kept in the groove, and constant attention had to be paid to trim. All who sailed her loved her – she was like a thoroughbred indeed, but long passages were a trial. By comparison our Ovni cheerfully blunders along at high average speeds in all conditions, and is the easiest boat to sail ever, making no big demands on the crew at all. Exciting to sail? No, not really. Which one would I rather cross an ocean aboard? The answer is obvious.

Kindest regards

Thanks for this review Colin – as a newbie to sailing, I hunger for this kind of in-depth info about the stuff that really matters. And thank you too Dick – your comments always add value, especially this one because I admit to being negatively influenced by statements that inadvertently imply a vessel is lesser because it is not as fast.

I used to subscribe to many mainstream publications but I stopped renewing them not long after joining AAC a year ago. I am amazed at how much there is to learn about this new hobby of mine, but that’s what makes it so interesting and rewarding…

Glad you liked the review, and yes, Dick’;s comments are always a real addition to our posts, and in this case particularly pertinent. If you’re young, day sailing, or club racing a fast boat is a great thing. But if you are older, short handed, long distance passage making a comfortable easily driven boat is the answer.

And yes – there’s so much to learn, as a former skipper of mine in my youth once remarked to me – and he was knocking on eighty.

Best wishes

Check out the Vancouver 36s. Many similarities to the Rustler 37s but built 20 or so years ago. I’m loving mine.

great boats indeed, solid and dependable. I’m not surprised you love yours!

Jeffrey, Even though I nitpick at Colin a bit, you can’t go wrong learning from his reviews on boats and from his knowledge of the history of our favorite recreation. Dick

The prices in the article are directly from Berthon USA and what an American buyer would pay for a boat if they went through Berthon USA. Having said that Berthon USA did say that some discount might be possible.

I’m not sure if Rustler would sell an American a boat directly, but I suspect not.

Is the very subtantial uplift that Berthon USA charge fair? That’s an interesting question. My first reaction was no. But on the other side of the coin, I gather that Berthon USA are bearing all the costs of introducing the boat to the American market including advertising and boat show expenses—an up front expense that is not trivial.

The whole issue is an interesting one that is influenced by the internet economy of today.

Let me try to explain why there is a difference between UK ( factory direct) and USA (dealer)pricing…!

We have been delighted to have represented Rustler in the US since 2009. We initially contacted them with interest in the 24′ daysailer , of which we have now sold 6 , to all corners of the US. We have also sold one each of the 33, 36, 37 and 42. The boats really ‘ do what they say on the wrapper’ , as the saying goes.

As Rustlers business model and pricing is basically to sell direct to their own , mostly UK based customers, we had to generate a different US pricing level to allow in the smaller boats the shipping, and importation, and of course offset the costs of customer service , advertising and boatshows that goes with it. Furthermore, the cost of doing any warranty work is higher in the US. All the US bound boats have a slightly different spec, because of different voltages, different gas ( propane) systems and so on.

This pricing reality is not unique to Rustler – we also represent Moody , which is part of the massive Hanse group. Their pricing is also different between the US and Europe.

Being a Brit originally, ( from the west of England, not that far from Rustlers home ) but now based in the US for decades , I. have sold many European built boats from many brands, I have seen how both Europeans and Americans negotiate! Europeans tend to ‘accept the asking price’. Americans? Well. It’s fair to say , We all want the best discount possible!

So – at the end of the day, in all likelihood, a buyer from either market will probably end up paying about the same, base cost, but when you include VAT, then the Euro buyer ends up paying more than an American would.

Rustlers are not cheap, of course, but once you dig deep into the construction techniques, and spec, it quickly becomes apparent that they justify the price. As I mentioned at the beginning, we are proud to represent them in the US!

Best Regards,

Alan Baines

Berthon USA. Newport RI.

That for that open and coherent explanation, and good luck with the sales!

Kind regards

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Boat preview: Toby Hodges looks at the appeal of the British-built Rustler 37

• isobel-smith
• November 12, 2014

Yachting World's boat test editor looks at the latest yacht from the Cornwall-based yard

Rustler Yachts in Falmouth don’t churn out new models on an annual basis, so news of the Rustler 37 in build, as well as larger models in the pipeline, was big news.

The Rustler 37 keeps true to the yard’s heritage of building good-looking, pedigree yachts with good manners. Her lines are soft and endearing. She has a counter stern that neatly overhangs and a spoon bow. A skeg-hung rudder and a fully encapsulated lead keel are also features that will also be welcomed by purist cruising sailors. The design of the new Rustler 37 promises a low centre of gravity, a safe looking yacht that will stand up to her easily managed, cutter-rigged sailplan.

“She is slightly different to all the other stuff on the market with flat bottoms and fin keels,” says Rustler’s director Adrian Jones. The Rustler 36 and 42 made a name for the manufacturer as stable, seaworthy designs especially suited for couples. But the original Holman & Pye-designed Rustler 36 is almost 30 years old now. Although Rustler will continue to custom-build her to order, she left a telling gap in their model range.

This Rustler 37 has been designed to fill that gap by the incomparable Stephen Jones. Jones is renowned for conjuring more internal volume than a yacht’s length would seem to allow, let alone one with traditional overhangs. Hence she is large for her size.

“Essentially she is a small iteration of the Rustler 42,” Adrian Jones explains. “The layout for boat number one is focused entirely on comfortable sailing for a couple.” The Rustler 37 has a comparatively large forward cabin for in port use and a roomy heads and shower. The designer has included an option for what he describes as a night heads on both the Rustler 37 and the Southerly 36.

Another design feature shared by the Rustler 37 boat, Southerly 36 and GT35, is a forward sail locker. This not only provides vital cruising deck stowage but brings the forward berth aft. “You could probably even sleep head forward on the 37,” says Jones. The galley, chart table and saloon also seem very generous in size.

The first Rustler 37 is due to launch the end of July, but with designs for a 53ft and 63ft, are the yard scaling up?

“The larger proposed models are born out of brand loyal customers,” says Jones. “This new boat, along with the Rustler 42, is where we think our market is going to be for the next few years.”

Originally published in Yachting World July 2014

Classic-looking on the outside, this cruiser is a modern design built for bluewater sailing

To my eye, this new Jones-designed Rustler model lacks some of the grace and finesse I’ve come to expect from this series. My hope would be that what I am seeing is just a function of the artists renderings that I have and in person the design would come to life in a more graceful way. 

The D/L is 331. It’s a beamy boat with an L/B of 3. I’d like to see about 2 inches less freeboard and more spring to the sheer. You could argue that my changes would result in less interior volume but that reduction in volume would be tiny. I don’t have any hull lines for this design but by the gentle curve of the forefoot I’ll presume the entry sections are shaped and there is some deadrise to the midsection. 

The draft is 6 feet 3 inches and the keel is a moderate-aspect-ratio fin with 7,000 pounds of internal lead ballast. What I like about this design is how different it is from the typical modern European production models. The hull form, as far as I can tell, has nothing in common with the ultra-wide-stern, plumb-bow, flat-bottom models we are seeing now. I think this boat has been designed to offer more comfort offshore. 

The interior is laid out for two couples with a V-berth double forward and a double quarterberth aft. That aft double is a bit confined and may not be easy to access. The head is aft, adjacent to the galley, and includes a shower space. 

The galley is very nice. It’s a real wraparound shape with plenty of space for a big icebox. There is a small seat at the inboard end of the galley counter that I think is there to provide some room and access for the engine that is tucked into the top of the keel. You could have done the same thing by extending the counter, at  an angle, inboard. But this would have made accessing the engine a bit tougher. 

There is a forward-facing nav station and a short settee to starboard. The U-shaped dinette looks big and comfortable. 

It’s unusual and encouraging to see a real fo’c’sle on a modern boat. It shoves the forward bulkhead aft far enough that the V-berth is rather wide forward. The drawings show the pillow forward on this berth. There is a small wet locker aft of the companionway steps. The argument rages on about the difference between a cutter and a sloop. To make it easy, let’s say a cutter is a sloop that carries two headsails—a jib and a staysail. The benefit of this rig is the ability to roll up your jib in a breeze and carry on under staysail and main. The next step is to reef the main and a reefed main and staysail can be a very effective rig. I’m not sure why the clew is so high on this staysail. You could barely reach it from the deck when the boat is heeled over. Sailmakers rarely pay attention to the designer’s drawings anyway. The double spreaders are in line and there are fore and aft lower shrouds. You don’t see those much anymore in these days of swept spreaders and fractional rigs. The forward lower shroud chainplates appear to be on the side of the cabintrunk allowing the staysail to sheet outboard of the forward lowers. The SA/D for this boat is 18.64. 

To my eye this is a practical and well-thought-out serious cruiser.

LOA 37’; LWL 29’9”; Beam 12’4”; Draft 6’3”; Displ.

19,500 lbs.; Ballast 7,000 lbs.; Sail area 844 sq.

ft.; SA/D 18.64; L/B 3; D/L 331; Auxiliary 37.5-hp

Nanni N4.38; Fuel 60 gal.; Water 100 gal.

Rustler Yachts

Maritime Buildings, Falmouth Rd., Falmouth, Cornwall, TR10 8AD

+44 (0) 1326 310120

www.rustleryachts.com 

Our best estimate of the sailaway price 

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• Sailboat Guide

Rustler 37 is a 37 ′ 0 ″ / 11.3 m monohull sailboat designed by Stephen Jones and built by Rustler Yachts Ltd. starting in 2016.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

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• Yachting Monthly
• Digital edition

Rustler 33 – Yachting Monthly review

• March 20, 2014

She’s an absolute stunner, but does she sail as well as she looks? And what’s it like to spend the night with her? Graham Snook dodged gales off Falmouth to find out

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

What’s she like to sail? The Rustler 33 is surprisingly quiet. With no guardrails, or external halyards, there was little to disturb the wind as it passed unimpeded over the deck. She was also a dry boat, on our test a sprayhood wasn’t needed or missed. Besides, how could you fit one on something so beautiful?

She was a real pleasure to sail, but although she’s a Rustler she’s no offshore cruiser and doesn’t pretend to be. She’s a well- built weekend or coastal cruising yacht that offers easy, fast fun.

Her 34ft-long hull tapers to a 22ft 6in static waterline, but grows considerably as she heels. Pleasing bow and stern waves are constant companions. The 8:1 mainsheet makes easy work of the mainsail, and a well-timed tack reduces the need for the winch handle. The day of our test was chilly, grey and there was drizzle in the air, but the sailing was great. Imagine sailing her on a warm summer’s afternoon: land breezes, sparkly water and a rising tide high enough to get a few hours alongside the pontoons of, say, the Pandora Inn. You don’t need to cross oceans in a bulletproof boat to reach a sailing Shangri-La. What’s she like in port and at anchor? Both the editor and I spent the night on board as a gale raged outside. We had the pubs of my youth to stretch out in, and when we returned to sit below decks, everything in the hinged but unlined lockers behind the seat backs was within reach. It was cosy, heating would have improved matters, but the advantage of a small interior is that it does warm up quickly. Not being able to stand was only a disadvantage while moving kit about the boat, and quickly forgotten. Using the ‘galley’ is only really done seated. I wasn’t a fan of the white finish on our test boat – looking aft, you could be on any number of small, simple yachts. It is only when I turned around that the swathes of teak came into view. Many interior finishes are available, I’d be ticking the box for wood, and lots of it. If you’re anchoring, the bow roller would have to be bolted on beforehand. The lead of the anchor warp would have to be made fair to prevent it fouling the forestay en route to the single pop- up forward cleat. She’d be OK to dry out alongside if you need to. Would she suit you and your crew? With the vast Fal Estuary just outside, Cornish harbours at daysail intervals along the coast and a keen local club-racing scene, it is not hard to see what inspired Rustler to produce the 33. She can be handled by one person, easily by two. If cabin space and home comforts are paramount, she’s not for you. Short of fish and chips in the cockpit, I can’t think of any meal I’d want to eat on board and I wouldn’t spend much time below decks. A rainy day at anchor might be too much for some sailors. But she’s light and slender enough to tow behind a car to new cruising grounds, rather than having to sail all the way there. If you sail as a couple – with close friends or a tolerant partner – you could spend every summer evening, weekend and even the odd week skimming along the coast in this boat, leaving more practical and ‘capable’ cruisers in your oh-so-pretty wake. If you are lucky enough to be able to look out of your window, see that the sun is out and a breeze is filling in, and can drop whatever it is you’re doing to go sailing, this boat is for you. You can see Graham Snook’s full report on the Rustler 33 in the May 2014 issue of Yachting Monthly …