1983 Custom Murray Peterson Coaster III

A 1983 Custom Murray Peterson Coaster III, this 41-foot wooden schooner represents a traditional design carried forward with thoughtful modern upgrades where they serve the boat's function. Built to classic lines with a long keel, she carries the timeless character of American wooden sailing yachts while benefiting from decades of expert maintenance and selective refits by shipwrights on the West Coast.

The deck and structural work have been comprehensively addressed over multiple campaigns, including new decks, transom, and cockpit, along with replacement of traditional fittings and rigging components, refinished masts and booms, and a new bowsprit. The 46 horsepower Yammer diesel engine received a major overhaul in 1992. Modern systems installed include an Outback 4KW inverter-charger, a Raymarine electronics suite with integrated autopilot, and LED navigation lights housed in traditional fixtures. The belowdecks layout follows traditional schooner design with separate cabins offering six single sea berths, one head, a galley fitted with a modern cold-plate refrigeration system, and a Dickinson diesel heater.

The boat's condition reflects continuous care documented in maintenance logbooks rather than deferred decay followed by restoration. A 2021 survey noted the yacht as an example of vessels built with traditional materials and design but incorporating modern methods appropriately. This is a schooner maintained and improved steadily over years, ready for coastal cruising and traditional sailing.