SASSIFRASS

SASSAFRASS offers an uncommon opportunity to make a life of voyaging more than a distant ambition. A beautiful and capable Marconi schooner with a proven offshore record, she combines distinctive character, generous living accommodations, and an extensive offshore cruising inventory. She represents exceptional value for anyone drawn to life afloat and ready to set a course for the South Pacific and beyond.

Central to her transformation was yacht designer Tad Roberts, whose distinguished career includes serving as principal designer at Bruce King Yacht Design, where he helped develop internationally renowned custom superyachts and the iconic Hinckley Picnic Boat. For SASSAFRASS, Roberts designed a new pilothouse and deck arrangement, reconfigured the interior, and developed a revised rig. His involvement gave the extensive rebuild a cohesive vision, seamlessly integrating her traditional character with the comfort, functionality, and practical demands of extended family cruising.

Her current owners carried out the complete, decade-long professional restoration from 2006 to 2016. The deck, house and cockpit were replaced, and all electrical and mechanical systems were designed and installed anew to ABYC standards. The interior was completely removed and rebuilt to Roberts’ arrangement, with new ceiling planks extending nearly the full length from the stem to the aft edge of the main companionway hatch. Bulkheads and cabinetry were removed and reinstalled as part of the redesign. Subsequent Pacific cruising put that work to use, and maintenance and improvements have continued.

Built in Vietnam in the early 1960s for a US naval officer, SASSAFRASS spent many subsequent years in southern California’s Emerald Bay before her current owners purchased her in 2006. Her substantial hardwood construction and carefully rebuilt interior give her the enduring character of a traditional yacht with the systems and accommodations for an extended life aboard.

SASSAFRASS is now berthed on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington. She was last hauled in August 2025 and has remained in freshwater since then, with full winter covers. Recent improvements include extensive engine servicing, a new radar and new wiring in both masts.

Hull Materials: The hull is built of Sao, a strong, dense Vietnamese hardwood, including the planking, frames, stem and deadwood. The hull was taken back to bare wood and refinished in 2018; the topsides were resplined using the Vic Frank method. Below the waterline the hull is caulked. The cast-iron ballast keel was sandblasted, epoxy coated and faired in 2021. Original concrete between the mast steps remains intact and crack-free, and the bilges remain dry.

Decks:  Replaced using ¾” Sapele Plywood with 5/8 Douglas fir laminated over.   The covering boards are Sapele, and sills around cabin trunk are Yellow Cedar.   The sill was glassed prior to installation, then wrapped with 2 layers of 10oz cloth in west systems epoxy.

Bulwarks: Powder coated aluminum with Sapele cap rails.

New guards, main mast step and Boom kin:  Purple heart.

Cabin sole and interior:  Custom milled tongue & groove Angelic from East teak.  Interior ceiling, cabin side, cabin beams and trim are all Silver Bali, imported from Suriname. Cabin top is 3/4″ Silver Bali t&g with 1/4″ hydrotech ply and two layers of glass over.  All interior bulkheads hydrotech 3/4″ ply.

Pilot House:  All Sapele with Port Orford Cedar T&G top and 1/4″ hydrotech ply and glass over.  

Spars: Main mast is laminated solid Doug Fir, Foremast and booms are solid mahogany.  Both spars were pulled and refinished in 2021.  Bowsprit is original, Sao wood.

Rudder and steering:  Completely replaced in 2016, Rudder is Hydro tech ply laminated over solid nickel aluminum bronze stock with 3/4″ nickel aluminum bronze stay bolts in compression over G10 tubes.  Rudder design was a group effort by Tad, Pete Langley of PT foundry and Simon Miles, local composite company.  All stock interfaces are G Flex and the entire rudder was vacuum bagged with infused layup. New bronze rudder stuffing box and quadrant by PT foundry. 

Cockpit: Rebuilt in 2016, 2 layers of 1/2″ hydro tech ply with 10oz fiberglass/epoxy.  Original teak sole was re-finished and epoxied over with TDS seams.

Sails: The 2016 inventory includes an Elvstrom jib with cover restitched in 2021 and a furler installed in 2016, an Elliott Pattison fisherman with bag, and an Elliott Pattison asymmetric spinnaker with sock. The fisherman’s Tides Marine Strong Track is currently removed; reinstallation can be arranged as part of a sale. An unused fully battened Marconi foresail by Ullman Sails, made in 2020, is included; its installation requires boom modification and a track. New 10 oz sailcloth is aboard for additional sailmaking, including a possible return to a gaff foresail. The older fully battened mainsail by Bacon & Associates has three reef points, Harken track and slides, and a Harken outhaul track. The older Elvstrom forestaysail and main staysail are tired but serviceable for inland use.

Rigging:  All new in 2014-16. 1×19 3/8 SS wire, Hayn terminals, swaged upper and mechanical lower, new bronze turnbuckles.  Main mast lowers and intermediates are 13mm dynex dux, eyes re-served and leathered in 2021.  New SS mast bands and irons, SS gammon, kranz iron, bobstay chainplate, new bronze anchor rollers from PT foundry.  Original Bronze chain plates.  Running rigging all new 2016, all in serviceable condition.

Electronics: Navigation electronics renewed in 2019, with a new radar and new wiring in both masts added by October 2026.

Simrad Nac3 core pack Autopilot Presion 9 compass

Simrad AP 44 pilot control head (Helm)

Simrad NSS9 EVO3 9″ chartplotter; recently replaced radar

Simrad IS42 Display (Pilot house)

B&G WS310 Anemometer

Icom 506 VHF (pilot house)  with Ram mic (Helm)

Icom IC 2200 2 meter

Icom 802 SSB — excluded from sale unless separately agreed

Icom AT140 tuner, Dyno plate ground on hull, and KISS counterpoise as backup

Pactor P4 Dragon modem — excluded from sale unless separately agreed

Vesper XB-8000 AIS 

Vesper SP160 Ant splitter

Garmin GP30 multi display, one in pilot house one at helm

NMEA 2000 network

NMEA 2000 Wifi interface

Epirb with hydrostatic release

LED nav lights new 2019

LED deck lights new 2023

Batteries:  New in 2021

Blue Sea 360 Electrical panel with 2ea. Multi function displays, 12v 24v and 110v

Deck:

Jeffa® TS400 geared helm

Jeffa® RG10 steering gear with Autopilot motor

Lofrans® electric Anchor Windlass

400’ of anchor chain (2ea. 200′ shots) re-galvanized in 2019

600’ of 3/4″ nylon anchor rode

Vulcan® Primary anchor

Rocna® Secondary anchor

Fisherman Storm anchor

All new bronze Hutton self-tailing winches in 2016 

All deck hatches new 2016 Vetus marine

All portholes new, Newfound metals.  (Except original bow port holes with dead light covers) Pilot house port holes are reconditioned W/C

Propulsion:

100 hp Beta Marine marinized Kubota diesel, installed in 2013, with ZF gear, PYI split coupling and R&D flexible coupling. Approximately 3,500 hours as of July 2023. Recent work completed by October 2026 includes new injectors, cooling-system work encompassing the thermostat, heat exchanger and both pumps, a new starter, and overhaul of the 24V alternator.

Parker Duplex fuel filters with water separation

Balmar 12v high output alternator with MC-612 Regulator, serpentine belt drive

Balmar 24v high output alternator with MC624 Regulator, serpentine belt drive

Prop shaft new 2013

Four-blade Max-Prop

Spare fixed bronze prop new 2013

PSS stuffing box and dripless seal  new 2016

Misc Equipment:

Honda® 2000e backup gen

Honda® dive compressor  

Magnum® Invertor charger 24v

Prosine® charger 12v

Dickinson Adriatic diesel stove, new 2013

2 burner Propane cast iron top on stove new 2013

Little Cod solid-fuel stove — excluded from sale unless separately agreed

Engine supplied heater in forepeak cabin

Marco Mate Potable water pump new 2022

Whale Guzzler greywater pump w/ solid state control new 2022

Whale secondary diaphragm bilge pump w/ solid state control new 2022

Johnson primary Bilge pump new 2022

Tecma 24v toilet with  SW flush new 2023

Spectra Watermaker, needs service and new membrane, Clark pump is new 2021

Zodiac liferaft in bow cradle; requires servicing and assessment for continued use

Aqua Pro 10′ Aluminum RIB, (useable but tired)

Evinrude 9.9 HP four stroke Outboard, serviceable

Chelsea 6″ Bronze shipstrike Clock and Barometer

All cabin cushion covers are sunbrella, serviceable 

Tankage: All removed, cleaned and reinstalled

50 gal.  Poly Black water, deck pump out and gravity drain

100 gal. stainless-steel diesel tank with side-access cleanout manholes
70 gal. freshwater in two 35-gallon polyethylene tanks

Note, cabin sole is removable under salon table, bilge space for large additional tank or tanks.

Note, Head was designed with space for composting head retrofit, black water tank could be used for grey water retention with minimal retrofit. 

SASSAFRASS offers substantial accommodations for living aboard and an extensive cruising inventory. Final sail configuration, equipment servicing and cruising trim should be addressed when preparing her for the next voyage.

A 2022 survey and photographs documenting the 2006–2016 restoration are available.

Please email Alec at Artisan Boatworks for a link to a Google Drive folder with photos of the refit, a copy of the survey, or to schedule a visit.