Ultima was designed by Angelo Lavranos who began his career as a naval architect working for Angus Primrose in the United Kingdom and then Sparkman & Stephens in New York, before setting up his own business design office in Cape Town, South Africa in 1975. Lavranos is at least in part responsible for world-class designs of the S&S Swan 40 and 48. Shortly before we bought the boat I wrote to Mr. Lavranos who graciously replied “The Compass 47, was built mostly by Compass Marine in the late ’70s & early ’80s in Cape Town under my supervision. These were a first-class product.”
The most traveled and popular large cruiser from South Africa, Compass 47 has an interesting history. Many of the 50 produced were bought and sailed to Europe or the Americas to be sold as a way to get money out of apartheid South Africa. Virtually every Compass 47 built has crossed at least one Ocean, and most of them two or more and at least three have circumnavigated. The boat was the class winner in the ’82 South Atlantic Race and ’85 Beachcomber Race showcasing her speed and stability.
This is indeed South Africa’s most classic and pedigreed big boat. We found Ultima after a three-year long boat search done while working on other people’s boats. When John proposed to us that we start doing some training passages we knew we needed a thoroughbred bluewater cruiser that could sleep at least 6 and found her on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In similar circumstances to John’s description of finding Quetzal in Sailing a Serious Ocean, his sister, Liz and brother-in-law Trevor had a look at her before we could get there and gave us a helpful assessment. We made the trip up to see her as soon as we could and once we set eyes on her we knew that she would be the perfect boat for us. After several hours going over her and some careful negotiation, we bought her for a steal.
Upon purchase, we knew very little of Ultima’s recent history. She was obviously sailed to the US in the ’80s. We knew from the yard where we found Ultima, she had been sitting on the hard virtually untouched for the last 3 years. The last major work done on her had been the brand new 54 horsepower Yanmar Engine install done in 2015 by the yard. After a brief sea trial with the new engine, she was hauled and there she sat until we found her. The previous owner must have had big cruising dreams to install such a nice engine, but they never materialized. According to the listing, Ultima had undergone an extensive refit in 2010 with the entire electrical system being rewired, heads rebuilt and plumbed, and new bottom paint. It also stated that in 1995 she was stripped to structural glass dried, hand-laid with 3 layers of cloth and polyester resin the barrier coated before receiving 5 coats of bottom paint.
During our time in the yard at Spring Cove Marina, we changed out the plastic thru-hulls for bronze, replaced steering cables, life-lines, standing and running rigging. The rest of the summer was spent painting the decks and bottom, varnishing teak inside and out, replacing headliners and floorboards, fitting new electronics and getting her ready to once again do what she was built for, head offshore and cross oceans.
| LOA | 47’0″ |
| LWL | 37’0″ |
| Beam | 13’5″ |
| Draft | 6’6″ |
| Disp | 27,500 lbs. |
| Ballast | 7,000 lbs. |
| SA | 829 sq ft |
| Fuel | 30 gal |
| Water | 200 gal |
Ultima, a 1981 Compass 47, was built in Cape Town, South Africa by Compass/Anchor Marine. Ultima is constructed of solid fibreglass with longitudinal stringers and a keel-stepped mast. She features moderate displacement with a long fin keel and rudder on skeg. Dual companionways allow for easy access to a large, protected cockpit and midship deck.
Her bright interior layout is a 3 cabin and 2 head configuration that is comfortable and roomy with long portlights and several hatches that line the cabin top. The Main Salon has a centerline drop-leaf table and straight settee to starboard and U shaped settee to port. There are pilot berths outboard and storage under. The L shaped galley is to port with a walk-thru to the aft cabin to port and head to starboard. Across from the galley is the Nav. station with a third, single berth stateroom next aft on the starboard side. V berth is forward with hanging lockers to starboard and enclosed head next aft to port.
2019: We had Spring Cove Marina build a bulkhead at first fitted by PVC tubes and then a custom made stainless steel support arch. We replaced all of the warped plywood coated in vinyl with white PVC sheets custom cut. They are lighter, flexible and if they wet, they won’t warp.
2020: Slowly, yet surely, we are brightening up the interior. We plan to make new cushion covers and refurb the galley. The bulkhead looks amazing and brings a modern look to a classic sailboat.
