About

A beautiful balance of performance and comfort. Perfection is a Don Senior designed keeler, a short Reacher, that is ideal for the short seas of the Waitemata or travels further afield.

Perfection was designed, built and launched in Auckland in 1986, racing extensively here. In 1992 she was sold to a south island family and relocated to Waikawa Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. In 2002 she was sold to close family friends, also based in Waikawa. In 2016 Perfection was then sold to their daughter and transported to Auckland where she is now based.

She has continued to race throughout her life. See her history on the RaceTrack website.

She’s easy to handle by yourself or plenty of room for a full crew, combining the agility of a performance yacht with all comforts that make cruising fun.

At 9.37m overall, she’s easy enough to throw around like a dinghy, but has a powerful rig that can make her hum.

Don Senior

"Like most successful men, Don Senior™ does everything well and we always look forward to tests with him." - Boating New Zealand August 1992

"Don Senior™ has a reputation for building practical luxury launches so 'user friendly' that their owners are rarely found ashore." - Boating New Zealand March 1989

"The performance and handling? Well it's just so typically Don Senior™. Kiwis build the best powerboats and launches in the world and this is one of them." - Don Senior™ 17.2mtr Sportfisher Cruiser - Boating New Zealand July 1997

From Don’s business website

Yacht Perfection

General

  • Sloop, fractional rig 7/8ths

  • Design Don Senior 9.37m (31ft), built 1986 by Neeleycraft, Whitford, D/dia kauri glassed

  • LOA 9.37m, LWL 8.4m, Beam 3.1m, Draft 1.7m, Mast 12.0m, Boom = 4.0m, “Air Height” for transporter = 3.4m, weight 4 tons.

  • Walk-through transom with scoop stern and extending boarding ladder

  • 6 Berth, forward vee double, saloon double (drop down table), single saloon, large starboard quarter berth.

  • Single head with door.

  • Launched 1986. All owners known over last 29 years (Present owner 6 years, previous owners 13 yrs (family), and 10 yrs (family friends).

  • Sail rego 6050, Berthed in Pine Harbour, insured $50,000

Engineering details

  • Engine Volvo Penta diesel (18hp, 2 cyl model 2002) saildrive with 2 bladed folding propeller. Run hours unknown (very few). Serviced annually and twice yearly oil change.

  • Diesel fuel tank s/s 120 lt (fuel consumption 3.3 lt/hr cruising). Tank kept full and biocide added each fill.

  • Fresh water tank s/s 150 lt plus 60 lt bladder tank (replacement onboard for fitting 2022) – total 210 lt

  • Tiller steering. Rudder bearings replaced 2022.

  • New standing rigging 2016.

  • 2 batteries - house & engine and engine replaced 2020

Electronics & Equipment

  • Electric re-fit 2022. New panel, wiring, LED lights.

  • Instruments – compass, lights, sounder, VHF, wind and yacht knot meters

  • Simrad GO7 (New 2016) 7" Multi-touch chart plotter with built in Echosounder, GPS and NMEA 2000 interface. No Transducer. Nav+ Chart card of New Zealand and Australia. P319 Plastic Low Profile 600 W Thru Hull 50/200Khz Depth/Temp - blue 7 pin connector.

  • 6" Marine 2 Way Loudspeaker. Sonichub 2 Low/Sim/B&G Blk (new 2016)

  • EPIRB

  • Raymarine ST2000 Tiller Pilot (New 2021)

  • 800W Sine Wave Inverter

  • Electric anchor winch – 20 m chain, 70 m warp. Manson Anchor.

  • New Dodger 2022

  • Sail cover

  • Set of winter Lee Cloths

  • TMC Electric Toilet (2017) with holding tank (57 lt) - electric pump out.

  • Spare Macerator Pump

  • Electric and manual bilge pumps

  • All external lights LED and work.

Yacht details

  • Hull and topsides repaint 2018, stripped, fair, and repaint.

  • Regular maintenance schedule: mechanical, fridge, deck fittings.

  • Spars alloy, rigging s/s, sails cruising & racing, Furlex furler

  • Spinnaker pole and whisker pole

  • Barlow and Maxwell winches with 3 handles

  • Sail inventory = #2 genoa (New 2019 furling), storm jib, fully battened main (good condition), large light-weight spinnaker, heavy spinnaker. Spare main

  • Good LED lighting throughout. Perfect for battery management.

  • Other sails but I don’t rate them.

Domestic details

  • Berths 6 (drop table => double berth)

  • First aid kit, 2 fire extinguishers, searchlight

  • Pressurised hot and cold water (Engine exhaust hot water system) and shower in head and on transom

  • Gas stove LPG 2 burner/grill/oven with 2 Aluminium LPG gas bottle

  • Good storage lockers throughout Perfection. Port Quarter berth access through cockpit and galley cupboard. Storage behind all saloon seat squabs and beneath seats. Locker starboard side opposite head.

  • Good selection of galley cooking and dining utensils

  • Fridge/freezer (last serviced 2022)

Other details

  • Anchors (Manson and Danforth)

  • Teak decks, brass clock and barometer

  • Boat toolkits

  • Life jackets – adults and children

  • Flares, lifebuoy 

Other info for new owner

  • Folding prop grub screws

  • Freshwater tank overflow pipe/drain

  • Sea-cocks + holding tank pump switch

  • LPG solenoid

  • Anchor winch switch + warp vs chai

  • Showers(s)

  • Rudder stockpin

Planned Maintenance

We’ve maintained a running list of maintenance tasks.

  • Painting

    Two coats of Altex #5 antifouling in March 2022 by Warwick and the team at Pine Harbour Boat Painters. Also antifoul of sail drive and prop speed.

    We lift her twice a year to keep her moving well. Antifouling due 2024.

    Interior bright work due to be painted 2023.

    Cockpit starboard lockers due for refresh early 2023. Functional but tired.

    Teak deck oiled October 2022, recoat December 2022.

    Paint quarter berth 2023-24.

  • Tracks, Stanchions, Chainplate, Mast

    Port Stanchions, and tracks were lifted and re-sealed in early 2021. Due 2023.

    Starboard pushpit and Stanchions 1 and 3 are due to be lifted and sealed this season. Some water ingress through port pulpit screws and hull fittings.

    Port chainplate due for re-sealing. Starboard side completed 2022.

    Mast due end of 2023.

  • Engine and Fridge

    Fridge was serviced in September 2022. Belt slipping - the bracket is being fixed by Charlie and Laura at Eastern Marine, and Ocean Air will come back and re-gas.

    Full engine service March 2022. OVLOV are returning to fix small diesel leak from sight glass (noted in service and agreed to watch).

    Oil and filter change after Christmas Cruising (twice a year).

  • Other

    Mast electric box cover broken and due for replacement.

    Carbon filter due replacement December 2022

    Small 60 litre water bladder is on the boat and ready for fitting.

    Spare canvas for sail cover available.

    Carpet replacement 2023-24

    Upholstery when ready.

    Washers to be added to new rope clutch (screws were too short).

    Forward Hatch replacement 2024.