SeaPiper 37

SeaPiper 37 Details

The SeaPiper 37 is a contemporary trawler designed for ease of use, comfortable living, and above all, simplicity. It is a fully capable sea boat that has sufficient range for its owners to explore inland waterways, enjoy extended coastal cruising, and make occasional offshore passages. 

Of particular interest to some cruisers, the boat has the added benefit of being fully trailerable without being dismantled, and it can be trucked without special permits on North American roads. There are very few cruising yachts whose owners can spend the summer on the beautiful waters of the Pacific Northwest or Alaska, and then relax during the winter months in the Bahamas or Mexico, all in the same calendar year. 

The SeaPiper 37 can do just that. 

With general specs of 37’2” LOA and a beam of 8’6”, the boat draws under 3 feet. The foundation of this compact trawler is the ballasted and easily driven hard chine hull. This same shape that makes it trailer friendly also allows for wider cruising opportunities.

The boat has an air draft of 14 feet with the radar mast up, 8’6” when it is lowered. This means the SeaPiper 37 is great for exploring canal systems, transiting the ICW, and completing the Great Loop and its many variations without difficulty.

Not many boats can do it all, but the SeaPiper 37 may be one of them.

The hull of the 37-footer is solid fiberglass, and the builder uses honeycomb coring in the topsides and superstructure. 

The boat is powered by a single Beta 85hp diesel engine. Located low in the hull to provide an almost straight run of the propeller shaft level to the water line, the resulting low center of gravity of the engine and tankage adds significantly to the high level of stability.

In addition to this inherent stability, the SeaPiper 37 matches perfectly with the optional Seakeeper2 gyro stabilizer system to improve the already comfortable motion at sea and at anchor. Life is good with a low center of gravity and 2,000lbs of ballast.

The layout allows one to move from one space to the next without excessive climbing of ladders or stairs, with the forward stateroom and head separated from the pilothouse, salon, and galley by the large midship cockpit. The trademark element of all SeaPipers is this large and protected cockpit. It is deep and secure with large scuppers to make short work of draining the cockpit in the unlikely event of a boarding sea. Two side cockpit doors provide optimum access to docks and dinghies alongside. They are also perfect for those who cruise with pets.

The master stateroom and head are forward of the cockpit, ensuring privacy in the stateroom separated from the rest of the boat. The foredeck has 14-inch-wide side decks for crew to move forward for anchoring and line handling duty, and 31-inch handrails add to the security.

Aft of the midship cockpit is a sliding door into the pilothouse, and the helm area shares space with the cozy salon and galley. The salon has an L-shaped settee and adjustable table that converts into a double berth as necessary. The compact galley is aft and has the counter space and equipment to keep crew well fed. 

And the cook can safely step out into the aft cockpit at the stern to take a break during meal prep. With the stern door open, the ventilation through the main cabin is fantastic. The aft cockpit contains LPG tank storage and double transom doors that open out to the swim platform. This secure aft cockpit is ideal for stern line handling.

Careful inspection reveals there are four watertight bulkheads in the boat, creating five watertight compartments for the ultimate in safety at sea.

Sitting on the starboard-side, adjustable helm seat in the pilothouse, one can navigate the boat with complete confidence, as lines of sight are outstanding in almost all directions. The location of the helm keeps both ends of the boat in sight. With a large chartplotter front and center in the helm console to keep track of one’s progress, it is a simple matter to slowly approach a lock or narrow channel, thruster controls within reach, adjusting the single engine throttle to make just enough way on to gently place a fender against the lock wall. One can step into the midship cockpit and grab lines in a matter of seconds. Simple and easy.

One lifts the main hatch into the engine room from the midship cockpit to check all fluid levels and look for leaks, drips, or loose connections on wires or hoses. Everything is within reach, and there is no guesswork involved as there is no gear hidden or out of sight. It is an uncluttered engine space that will make every owner happy.

The boat is a good choice for a short-handed crew who want a capable trawler that is easy to handle, with a long keel for directional stability, and with the space and equipment for extended cruising and living aboard. It is not the right boat for cruising with multiple couples or large families, and it is not intended to serve as a dockside condo for those who like waterfront living and don’t leave the dock.

In many ways, the SeaPiper 37 is proof that less is more. It has all the essentials, yet is not large enough for washer/dryer, wine cooler, espresso machine, and all the appliances that seem to come aboard larger trawlers. And whose owners often must remain in port waiting for parts and repairs.

It is an ideal choice for the Great Loop, and it certainly has the range to cruise SE Alaska and most tropical island chains. But why stop there, when one considers the trailer potential of taking this cruiser all over North America?

SeaPiper Boats are built by talented craftsmen in Anacortes, Washington. Don’t be surprised if you happen upon one of these beauties quietly tied on the bank along the Canal du Midi in France. A bicycle kept in the cockpit makes light work of riding into town for fresh baguettes to enjoy with coffee or tea in the early morning light.

Taking life slow is not such a bad thing.