Bruce King SIGNE

112ft/34.1m Bruce King, Renaissance Yachts, Centreboard Ketch

 

Launched in 1990, SIGNE is a very beautiful ketch of wood/epoxy construction built to a total thickness of 71mm in 5 skins, with outer sheathing of Dynel cloth / West epoxy. Her centreboard allows the flexibility of access to a wide range of destinations, bow and stern thrusters are fitted. SIGNE turns heads wherever she goes.

 

Her outstanding interior joinery, designed by Joe Artese, is a blend of Hawaiian koa, bird's eye maple and olive wood, all combining with her teak soles, coachroof coamings and skylights and her beautifully laminated beams. The saloon is beautifully joinered. Natural light and ventilation is provided by the magnificent 5ft diameter decagonal bevelled glass skylight, plus other opening portlights, hatches and deck prisms.

 

SIGNE sleeps six in three owner's and guests' staterooms, positioned aft of the saloon. Her full width master stateroom is superbly lit by a large bevelled glass skylight. Forward, captain's cabin, crew mess, crew cabin and additional fo'c'sle berths are to be found.

 

CENTRAL AGENTS

 

DESIGNERBruce King Yacht Design, USA

Interior - Joe Artese, USA

BUILDER Renaissance Yachts, USA

CONSTRUCTIONWood / Epoxy

DATE1990

LOA112' / 34.1m

LWL93 / 28.3m

BEAM22.1'/ 6.7m

DRAFT22' / 6.7m board down

8'3" / 2.53m board up

DISPLACEMENT232000ib / 105235kg approx

PRICEEUR 1.75m + VAT if due

LOCATIONW. Mediterranean

 

Hull Profile & Accommodation Plan

 

CONSTRUCTION. Hull constructed of wood / WEST epoxy to a total thickness of 71mm in 5 skins with outer sheathing of Dynel cloth / WEST epoxy. Inner skin is of 26mm Honduras mahogany edge bevelled to simulate traditional ceiling, next 3 core skins are each of 10mm white cedar, outer skin is of 17mm Honduras mahogany. In way of shroud plates the cedar core is replaced by Honduras mahogany. Outer mahogany skins are laid fore and aft. Core skins are laid in triple diagonal configuration.

 

Centreline structure of Honduras mahogany

 

Teak finished varnished transom with decorative carvings of traditional style picked out in gold.

Carved trail boards to bows

Varnished teak bulwark cappings

 

Two structural bulkheads made watertight as part of MCA Code Compliance in 1999. MCA "Large Yacht Code of Practice" Compliance certificate issued 16/01/2012 in Trinidad (safety equipment only). Next survey due in December 2012.

 

Lead ballast keel of approximately 93000lb / 42185kg.

 

Elliptical high aspect ratio airfoil sectioned centreboard with hydraulic controls. Centreboard removed for routine inspection, 1999, when hydraulic ram serviced. Centreboard case is glassfibre lined to resist abrasion.

 

Rudder with stainless steel stock and full length skeg

Chain and wire operated wheel in aft cockpit

Hydraulically powered steering in mid cockpit

 

Emergency tiller (in lazarette)

 

Deck constructed of wood / WEST epoxy to a total original thickness of approximately 51mm in 4 skins. These comprise a lower skin of 18mm red cedar, edge bevelled and tongue and grooved to simulate traditional planking, and forming the deckhead. Next are 2 skins each of 8mm white cedar, laid in double diagonal configuration and finally the deck teak planking of 16mm original thickness. Teak planking to coachroofs was added by Camper & Nicholson's for previous owners. Decks sanded and re-caulked 2002. Varnished teak deck hatches with bronze framed window panels and bronze hinges. Varnished teak Bruce King skylight over saloon with bevelled laminated window panels secured with bronze edgings.

 

Varnished teak superstructure coamings with accommodation surfaces bleached during original construction. Bronze framed rectangular opening ports in coamings. Laminated varnished ash deck beams. Teak coachroof hatches with bronze hinges. Decagonal saloon skylight, varnished ash with bevelled glass panes. Nonagonal skylight over owner's stateroom with welded metal glazing bars to central collar through which the mizzen mast passes. Glazing of bevelled glass panels. Many traditional light prisms set into decks.

 

Interior joinery and bulkhead facings generally of varnished Hawaiian koa, with occasional use of olive wood, plus bird's eye maple to horizontal joinery surfaces, including head compartment vanitories. Solid teak surfaced plywood sole panels, secured in place with twist locks. Some off-white painted surfaces in cabins and galley, including inside topside planking and deckhead planking throughout the yacht. Corian galley worktops.

 

 

HARDWARE. Cast bronze enclosed fairleads, coaming window frames, bowsprit fittings, shroud plates, deck prism frames, and ventilation air scoops.

Stainless steel stanchions and sockets, sternguard and bow pulpit.

Stainless steel Bimini frame over guest cockpit.

Lewmar alloy mainsheet track and car.

 

 

WINCHES. By Barient, hydraulic:

2 x hydraulic primaries (abreast steering cockpit)

2 x staysail sheet (on deck aft of mainmast)

1 x mainsheet (to starboard on aft coachroof, close to mainsheet track)

1 x mizzen sheet (on aft deck at starboard quarter)

1 x mizzen clew outhaul (on mizzen mast

By Barient, manual:

5 x line winches on mainmast:

Mainsail halyard (top, starboard)

Staysail halyard (middle starboard)

Staysail halyard (bottom starboard

Mainsail clew outhaul

Spinnaker halyard (port, fore side)

2 x line winches on mizzen mast

1 x mainsheet traveller car

2 x mainmast running backstay

2 x mizzen running backstay (fwd of steering cockpit)

1 x warping winch (on aft deck at port quarter)

By Maxwell, hydraulic:

2 x vertical capstans with warping drum and chain gypsy

 

 

SPARS. Bermudian ketch with buff painted alloy Hood Stoway masts, each with hydraulic

furling

Mainmast is 3-spreader rigged

Mizzen is 2-spreader rigged

Stainless steel rod standing rigging

Navtec hydraulic backstay adjusters

Yankee and staysail are fitted with Hood hydraulic furlers

Mainsail and mizzen booms are of varnished spruce

Rig hauled 12/2010: dye tested and X-rayed. Furlers rebuilt as required.

 

 

SAILS. Sail area 5230 ft2 / 486.4m2

By Quantum, 2013: Mainsail

Mizzen

Staysail

Yankee.

All on order placed November 2012.

 

ENGINE. SIGNE's engine room is below the midships cockpit and accessed through a door to starboard of the saloon companionway. Additional servicing access is provided by removable panels on the inboard side of the port walk-thru'.

Engine room - Kidde FM200 gas fire extinguishing system (2008).

The main engine is a GM 6V92 TA Detroit diesel of 330kW, with Twin Disc gearbox driving a Hundested 37" diameter 4 blade variable pitch propeller. The propeller pitch is adjusted by a 24V electric motor with manual back-up.

Cruising speed: 8 knots

Maximum speed: 11 knots

Fuel consumption: 50 litres per hour approx.

Range under power: approx. 1800nm according to load and conditions.

Engine completely rebuilt 2014.

Engine room completely stripped and cleaned during engine rebuild.

Insulation to engine room replaced with new B15 material as required by MCA surveyor (04/2014).

 

 

ELECTRICS. 24V/12V DC system

24V DC

24V to 12V converter

240V/120V AC system

Generators:

2 x Northern Lights 26kVA

Hours @ 20/01/2012, starboard = 13,109, port = 13,365. Hours indicators failed at this point but hours since then (@ 01/07/12) are starboard = 1010, port = 2052,.

Victron Energy Phoenix system battery charger and inverter

Batteries

Services (located beneath inboard berth of starboard aft guest cabin):

34 x 12V 100Ah gel batteries wired in 2 banks to supply @

24V/1700 Ah

Starter batteries (located beneath sole of aft walk-thru'):

4 x 12V sealed lead/acid batteries in 2 banks wired to supply 24V to start main engine and generators

Instrument batteries:

2 x 12V sealed lead/acid batteries located adjacent to chart table

 

 

MACHINERY. Bow thruster, 50hp hydraulic - major rebuild 2005

Stern thruster, 30hp (approx) hydraulic, through-hull tube type - major rebuild 2003

 

High volume emergency bilge pump/fire pump, driven hydraulically from aft generator and with manifold (located beneath aft saloon sole) giving options including 4 x separate bilge areas.

Yamaha portable diesel powered emergency bilge pump, stowed in lazarette.

 

Compair air compressor (in lazarette)

 

Marine Air reverse cycle air conditioning system

HEM watermaker, new membranes 2009

 

 

TANKS. Fuel: Tank 1 = 500 imp.gallons / 600 US gallons / 2270 litres

Tank 2 = 275 imp.gallons / 330 US gallons / 1250 litres

Tank 3 = 375 imp.gallons / 450 US gallons / 1705 litres

Tank 4 = 350 imp.gallons / 420 US gallons / 1590 litres

Water: Tank 1 = 400 imp.gallons / 480 US gallons / 1818 litres

Tank 2 = 433 imp.gallons / 520 US gallons / 1968 litres

Black Water Tank = 417 imp.gallons / 500 US gallons / 1895 litres

 

 

INSTRUMENTS. Raymarine E120 navigation system, interfaced with aft cockpit instrumentation, E120 chart plotter, Raytheon navigation computer and a Mac Mini general computer

Brookes & Gatehouse Hydra 2000 at chart table with repeaters in cockpit, captain's cabin, crew mess

Skanti 3000 VHF

ICOM VHF at chart table (2012)

Icom ICM801 SSB

Furuno NX-300 Navtex receiver

Furuno GP32 GPS receiver

Furuno weather fax

Inmarsat satellite communication system

Philips fax

Panasonic GSM/satellite phone (+ 1 unit in captain's cabin)

 

 

ENTERTAINMENT. TV/DVD player with Sony Surround Sound.

Bose speakers

Crew Mess: Sharp TV, Pioneer DVD/CD player, clock on bulkhead

 

SAFETY EQUIPMENT. RFD 6 person canister packed liferaft - new 12/2010, last serviced

11/2011.

2 x Zodiac 6 person canister packed liferafts

ACR EPIRB in aft cockpit

SART system in aft cockpit

Fire extinguishers:

Dry powder 6kg - 4 in engine room, 3 by stairs, 1 in crew mess

Dry powder 1kg - 1 in each cabin

C02 9kg -1 in engine room

Foam 9 litres - 1 in engine room, 2 in crew mess

 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT. Zodiac YL470 tender with 90hp Yamaha (2008)

2 x stainless CQR anchors

150m x 18mm open link chain - re-galvanised 12/2010

 

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT. Smeg stainless steel gimballed ceramic hob

EQUIPMENT Gaggenau fan assisted electric oven

Russell Hobbs microwave

Bosch Exxcell 7 clothes washer

Bosch ClassiXX clothes dryer

Grunert deep freeze, approx. 0.56m3, top opening and located beneath work surface between galley and crew mess

Grunert deep freeze, approx. 0.21m3, top opening and located beneath work surface under oven

Grunert refrigerator, approx. 0.78m3, split level with two doors facing athwartships and one full height door facing aft, located adjacent to the main mast

Grunert chiller cabinet, approx. 0.18m3, top opening and located beneath the forward cockpit seat on starboard side

Danfoss chiller cabinet, approx. 0.11m3, in master stateroom

Quantities of cutlery, glassware, crockery

Cooking utensils and pots and pans

Linen for all cabins

 

 

LAYOUT. SIGNE sleeps six in three owner's and guests' staterooms. Furthest aft is the full width master stateroom which is superbly lit by a large bevelled glass skylight. The queen-sized berth is to starboard with a settee to port. Storage is provided by a cedar-lined hanging locker and numerous drawers. The head/shower compartment is to port, forward of the settee area. There is a companionway giving direct access to the aft cockpit.

 

The two guest staterooms are next forward. The stateroom to port has a double berth and the stateroom to starboard has twin settee berths with a removable wood framed berth over the inboard settee. Each stateroom has an en suite head/shower compartment.

 

The saloon is beautifully joinered. Natural light and ventilation are provided by the magnificent 5 diameter decagonal bevelled glass skylight and other opening portlights, hatches and deck prisms. The L-shaped settee to starboard comfortably seats 12 around a convertible height koa wood table. Opposite is a lounging area with two armchairs and built-in fireplace. Bookcases, cabinets and lockers provide ample storage and house an entertainment centre.

 

To starboard of the companionway is a bar with sink, icemaker and crystal cabinet. The navigation area is aft and to port in the saloon.

 

The large galley is forward of the saloon to port. Opposite is the captain's cabin with double berth and en suite head/shower compartment. The excellent crew mess is forward of the galley and the crew cabin with upper and lower berths is opposite. The crew head and shower have separate compartments. There are additional crew berths in the fo'c'sle. A companionway gives direct access to the deck from the crew mess.

 

 

REMARKS. SIGNE is one of the most beautiful yachts to come from the creative and technical skills of Bruce King. Her building by Renaissance Yachts took 5 years and resulted in the creation of a work of art. Passers-by have to stop and gaze in awe at this truly magnificent yacht. Her transom has been photographed on countless occasions. Her beautiful skylights have been copied by others. Her outstanding interior joinery, designed by Joe Artese, is a blend of Hawaiian koa, bird's eye maple and olive wood, all combining with her teak soles, coachroof coamings and skylights and her beautifully laminated beams.

 

SIGNE's hull and decks are massively built from the wood/epoxy system and the hull is Dynel cloth sheathed. The structure is immensely strong and offers excellent insulation. She is a centreboarder, resulting in a minimum draft of not much over 8 /2.5m.

 

The choice of ketch rig with hydraulic furling to both masts and hydraulic furling headsails makes SIGNE easy on her crew and, although the masts are of alloy, the long booms are traditionally built of spruce.

 

SIGNE, in present ownership, has been successfully chartered in Mediterranean and Caribbean waters, as well as for owner cruising.

 

Her maintenance has been to MCA "Large Yacht Code of Practice" certification. Her last major 5 Year MCA Survey/Refit was conducted in Portsmouth (South coast of England) and ran from October through November 2010. Procedures undertaken included:

 

" Rig pulled, dye tested, X Rayed. Furlers were rebuilt as applicable.

" 150 m of 18mm chain re-galvanised.

" New RFD 6 person canister packed life raft purchased

" All tanks cleaned for MCA inspection.

" All skin fittings removed, MCA inspected, serviced as appropriate or replaced.

 

Other up-gradings and replacements as described in this listing include a new suit of sails just ordered from Quantum.

 

Although SIGNE's MCA status has been maintained, she had not been subjected to a Condition Survey for several years. That, and with sale in mind, the owners elected to commission the respected surveyor, Roby Scalvini, Principal of Marine Survey Bureau in Palma de Mallorca, to conduct a Condition Survey afloat. The procedure took place on 21-22 November 2012 and the subsequent Report was issued on 30 November 2012.

 

Generously the owners will offer sight to seriously interested potential purchasers of the entire Report which includes the Surveyor's Findings and Recommendations, together with 12 photographs and 3 Spectro (Marine) Oil Analysis Reports.

Done