The below emails are correspondence we received regarding the boat in our December cover photo by Christian Wheatley
To Compass:
The boat on your December cover was my family’s.
I’m fuzzy on length, but I think Equinox was 33’. A LeCompte… ‘64 I believe? [Ed.: Gina
is close. Equinox was 38’ 3”, built in 1967.]
During Hurricane Irma, a loose catamaran caught on her very secure lines. And after
many hours pulling, it broke her loose. She ended up on shore, with just some minor
cosmetic damage. We couldn’t get any help to pull her off the shore as everyone was
busy, and Hurricane Maria soon after mashed her up.
The Coast Guard took her to St. Croix to be crushed. She was an absolutely pristine
boat. It was heartbreaking. We loved every bit of her and took very good care.
You should reach out to David Knight, who owned her before us. He will have so much
more info. If you are not familiar with him, he is a longtime historical chair of the St. John
Historical Society. He’s a wealth of info. An incredible man to know. He will let you know
of all the history & proper specifications of this boat.
Gina Wellner
Hello Elaine,
Nice cover pic: I bought Equinox in 2008. She was being stored out of the water at
Independent Boat Yard on St. Thomas and was in rather sad and neglected condition.
Over the next few years I did a complete overhaul (interior and exterior) to bring her
back up to yacht condition. I reluctantly sold her in 2013, when a family health
emergency required me to relocate to the US mainland for an extended period of time.
The fellow I sold her to, Kip Crew, was the owner when she was driven ashore at Coral
Bay, St. John, in Irma/Maria in 2017. I have no idea what happened to her after that — I
remember that she sat on the shore near Johnston’s Bay for quite a while. That’s the
last I know of her.
She was a beauty, that’s for sure.
All the best, David W. Knight Sr.
Below is a write up with her specs that I put together when I listed her for sale in 2013:
Equinox is a stunning example of a classic 1967 LeComte Northeast 38 MK II, designed
by famed naval architect William Tripp Jr. and Dolf LeComte, built in Holland to the
highest Lloyd’s standards and commissioned at LeComte’s US headquarters in New
Rochelle, New York. Only the highest quality materials went into the creation of the
Northeast 38s. There were only 60 of these classic beauties produced between 1962
and 1970. With her sweeping sheer and graceful overhangs, Equinox exudes the same
rakish elegance of her sister designs, the Hinckley Bermuda 40, and the Block Island
She is a true head-turner in any harbor.
A joy to sail, Equinox is easily shorthanded and is perfect for a couple. She is quick and
nimble under sail and is equally suited for leisurely day sailing, club racing, or long-
distance passagemaking. She is in step-aboard-and-go condition, and has been
thoughtfully set up for hassle-free Caribbean cruising by her current owner, who has
over 40 years of West Indies sailing experience. In the past, she has also proven herself
as a popular day charter vessel, and she remains well suited for this purpose.
If you are looking for a sound and able cruiser, appreciate the fine lines of a timeless
classic, and don’t mind being the object of envy in every anchorage you visit, then this is
your boat. Equinox is reluctantly offered for sale by her current owner who would like to
purchase a larger vessel. She is home ported in a premium, well protected slip at a
marina on the east end of St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands — the gateway to the
Caribbean. She is regularly cruised, receives ongoing maintenance and upgrades, and
is hauled for service yearly. Equinox is loved and very well cared for. She is an
exceptional vessel.
Specs & Equipment
Builder/Designer
Builder: LeComte (Netherlands) Designer: Bill Tripp & Dolf LeComte
Dimensions
LOA: 38’3″ LWL: 26’8″ Beam: 10’11
Displacement: 16,000 Draft: 5’6″ Ballast: 6,000
Engines
Perkins Engine HP: 30 Engine Model: M30
Tankage
Fuel: 27 Water: 40+ Holding: 12
Accommodations
Equinox sleeps four in her roomy interior. The V-berth with insert has access to a large
chain locker. The cabin has shelves over, linen closet, large hanging locker and plenty
of drawers. Aft is a large head to port with manual toilet, s/s sink with freshwater hand
pump and cabinet. The saloon has a pull-out settee to starboard and a large
settee/bunk for lounging to port. Outboard to starboard the pilot berth has been
customized with stowage cabinets and shelf space. There is plenty of stowage space
below the settees. The original teak saloon table is included but not used at this time.
There is also a small seat with storage to port immediately forward of the refrigeration
cabinet.
- Solid-wood teak & holly cabin sole
- Brass clock and barometer
Electronics & Navigation
- Garmin 545 Chart Plotter/GPS mounted at the steering pedestal
(removable) - Autohelm autopilot
- ICOM VHF radio
- LED masthead, steaming, deck, and strobe lights
- LED running lights
- Pioneer CD stereo w/ Bose speaker system
- (4) 6V heavy-duty batteries
- 6″ Danforth Constellation lighted binnacle-mounted compass
- 12V fan in forward cabin
- 12V lighting throughout
- 12V DC starting system w/55-amp alternator
- DC Inverter
- Solar panel w/controller
- (2) DC outlets
- (2) AC outlets
Sails & Rigging
- Mast, boom & whisker pole Awlgripped, 2008
- North Cruising Main, 2002, loose footed, good condition
- North Cruising Jib (roller furling), 2002, reconditioned, 2009
- Whisker pole
- Harken Jib cars
- All standing rigging, 2009
- All running rigging, 2009-2010
- Extra halyard for spinnaker or drifter
- Harken roller furling, 2002
- (2) Barient 28’s primary sheet winches
- Barient 16 jib halyard winch
- Custom Yachts Ltd 16 main halyard winch
Deck Hardware & Equipment
Working anchor: Danforth 20 High-tensile w/20’ chain and 150’ rode. Auxiliary anchors:
a 40 lb (approx) Bruce-type and a 30 lb (approx) Bruce type with chain and rode. Dock
lines: 5 hurricane lines with splices, shackles and chains. - 5 deck cowls with deck fittings (2 on dorade boxes)
- Custom built rigid Bimini with Sunbrella awning, 2009
- Cockpit Cushions
- Large sun awning
- Raritan manual head
- Rule Gold Automatic bilge pump
- 2 manual bilge pumps • Cockpit fresh-water pressure shower
- (2) Flat Top fold-down spring-line deck cleats
- Achilles hard-bottom inflatable dinghy with 2 fuel tanks, ores, anchor & mic. gear
- 12HP Mercury, 2009
- Hatches reconditioned with new plexi-glass 2009
- Hull painted with Awlgrip in 2003
- Boarding ladder
- All safety gear to USCG regulations
- Plenty of extra lines and misc. gear
Propulsion
Perkins M-30, new in 1996, (low hours). Engine removed in 2009 and completely
serviced including: new glow plugs, new raw-water intake system, all new fuel lines, all
new engine gauges, new sensors and wiring, all new or reconditioned exhaust system,
re-piped engine and bilge ventilation system and new control cables. New 27-gal. fuel
tank installed (old bilge tank cleaned and decommissioned). Transmission rebuilt, fall
2009.
· Monel shaft
· 3-bladed Michigan prop
· Dripless shaft bearing
