SKIRON

Forgus 37 SKIRON

Length 37’4”

Beam 11’5’

Draft 5’3”

Hull No. WNZ4954FC95

This Forgus 37 was built in Orust Sweden in 1995. It is one of a very few vessels of its make in the world and the only one that I’m aware of presently in the United States.

I’m the fifth owner of this vessel which has sailed the SF Bay and near coastal waters for about 6 years. SKIRON is the Greek term for the NW wind that is predominant off of our NorCal coast. The most illustrious of owners were the second ones who sailed the vessel, then Lindisfarne, in nearly all waters of the globe including around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Those particular owners transformed a great vessel into a superb cruising vessel. I have also made a few changes to update the vessel components and have performed a few necessary repairs.

SKIRON is a cruising vessel of a Solent rig type with a skeg-hung rudder. While outfitted as an ocean cruiser, with excellent ocean stability and faring, she performs quite well in the SF Bay. The design is perfect for our waters. I’m always amazed at her sailing and handling qualities in the ocean. Importantly, as a center-cockpit vessel she is cleverly designed to allow for single-handling. I suspect that I’ve spent 40% of my time as the sole mariner on this vessel.

The vessel is constructed of fiberglass with a composite core. The deck is teak. The cockpit dodger is expertly crafted of fiberglass and glass. If provides superb protection from those oft surprising splashes of water toward the cockpit. The keel is winged slightly so as to allow one to venture in shallow waters.

The Selden mast is keel-stepped. It has mast steps to permit one to climb without requirement of a bosuns chair. Tether highly recommended! The standing rigging is in excellent shape and was replaced 5 years ago. Much of the running rigging is new. The Hood sails (Genoa, jib, main) are essentially new. The jib is self-tacking. The Genoa uses main winches on both sides of the cockpit. The Genoa and jib sails are on forestays with furlers. A Selden spinnaker pole is fitted with rigging to allow the Genoa to be poled out for extended downwind passages. The main is in-mast furled. There are attachments to allow for an inner forestay set up to allow for a storm jib. The vessel has bilateral adjustable back stays with 4:1 purchase for when flying a storm jib. There is a main center aft Selden adjustable backstay to allow for fine tuning of sail trim. I’ve really enjoyed this feature to stabilize the rig and to power up or down sails in conjunction with halyard adjustments.

There is a wind pilot and a traditional electronic autopilot. The latter system, including the control arm, has been updated. The wheel is one meter in diameter. The autopilot is controlled at the helm.

A bow thruster with a new propeller is present and is operated by a switch on the throttle at the helm.

The engine is a Volvo Penta. The propeller is a large and powerful Varifold 3 blade prop.

There are anchor windlasses and anchors both fore and aft. They can be operated by switches at the helm.

The vessel is supported by two banks of two batteries. A fifth battery is dedicated to the starter. The system is charged via shore power with a voltage regulator. Charging underway can be accomplished by solar power via three separate panels, a wind vane, and/or by running the engine. Anodic protection is assisted via zinc on the bow thruster and the propeller, propeller shaft, and one location on the hull. The vessel was recently bonded to bring it to American standards. The bonding obviates the need for a lot of zinc on the vessel.

Instruments, all panels and controls as well as radar, radio, AIS, chart plotter, and autopilot are relatively new and integrate via a NMEA 2000 backbone. The cockpit has a panel bank that includes a chart plotter and two multifunction instrument panels.

The vessel can be heated via a Refleks system, a Webasco heater system, or via engine heat and water pumps that circulate heated water through a radiator system.

SKIRON is fitted with a water maker system. I’ve not used it but have confirmed that it works.

The spectacular interior woods are mostly of teak. The head is nice and includes a sink with a faucet that doubles as a handheld shower apparatus. There is a grey water tank that drains the shower. The head tank is of large capacity. It has recently been replaced. It can be emptied through a deck fitting or greater than three miles offshore via a seacock. A propane stove is present in the galley. The sink is able to use fresh and salt water sources. A superb refrigerator is also present. A forward vee berth can sleep two. The cabin bench seats can sleep one each for a total of two. The main bed in the aft part of the cabin can sleep two. Ample bookshelves and storage cabinets are present and the navigation table and cabinet is spacious with its own chart plotter. A table is located in the center and can be folded out to seat four or more for meals.

The vessel has an EPIRB, ditch bag, serviced Viking 4 person life raft, approx 6 fire extinguishers, more than the required number of flares and other safety signals, life sling and associated block and tackle, a Newton sea anchor drogue, and other bits of safety equipment as well as a complement of spare parts, extra lines, emergency repair items, etc.

Engine service is current. The vessel was hauled out for bottom painting in early 2023.

This vessel is ready to cross oceans with minimal preparation or to criss cross the SF Bay and trek along our coast.

Here are the specifics regarding only some components:

-Cockpit chart plotter B&G 7” Zeus 3

-Cockpit instrument displays (2) B&G

-Autopilot controller Simrad

-Anemometer B&G

-Knotmeter and depth sounder B&G

-Radar B&G 4K

-AIS (receive and transmit)

-Standard Horizon cabin radio with cockpit handheld Standard Horizon mic and speaker unit

-Cabin chart plotter B&G 9” Zeus 3