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Bruce Roberts-Goodson
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Illustrated Custom Boatbuilding.
We recommend that you read
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V532-P2.jpg (19079 bytes)
V542-SAILING.jpg (24870 bytes)

Prototype of fiberglass ROBERTS 532 built in Canada and cruised world-wide

NEW ! SUPER STUDY BOAT PLANS ... Delivered by DOWNLOAD to your computer within 12 hours of you placing your order.
 
The study plans have lists of materials & equipment etc & these will be useful in costing out the complete boat. Each STUDY PLAN contains ALL the construction drawings for each material STEEL  or FIBERGLASS as applicable to the particular boat plan - with up to 25 sheets per plan!  Lists of materials - Technical information - Numerous construction drawings are all included. You can view & print the drawings in full or in sections. BUILDING PHOTOS are included in the study plan package. PLUS you receive a FREE ( VALUE £69.00 )



e-book BUILD YOUR OWN BOAT. STUDY PLAN R532 ALL VERSIONS..  £59.95 - us$94.75 - €84.75 - When you use your credit or debit card you will be charged at the correct exchange rate in your own currency.

MANY MORE PHOTOS INCLUDED WITH THE STUDY PLANS & COMPLETE PLANS

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER: COMPLETE BOAT PLANS & FULL SIZE FRAME PATTERNS ... Delivered by DOWNLOAD to your computer within 12 hours of you placing your order.
 
The plans have all the information you need to build your own boat.. Each plan contains all the construction drawings for STEEL or FIBERGLASS  construction, plus bonus drawings covering electrical, plumbing and engineering, everything you need to build your boat. Plus you will receive a DETAIL FOLIO showing how to make many of your own boat fittings, lists of materials and equipment are all included plus all technical information, numerous construction drawings and written building instructions are all included. You can view & print the drawings in full or in sections. BUILDING PHOTOS are included in the plan package. PLUS you receive a FREE ( VALUE £69.00 )



e-book BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT .. Only available at this price if you order off this page .... COMPLETE PLANS & PATTERNS ROBERTS 532 
£745 - $1,115 - €1,015 

ROBERTS 532 Radius chine STEEL or Fiberglass boat plans & FULL SIZE frame patterns. 
The
Voyager 542 is the STEEL STEEL OR ALUMINUM PLANS & CUTTING FILES & Cutting Files version ... Voyager 543 is the WOOD EPOXY version

The Roberts 532 was developed from the successful Roberts 53 & over 600 of this design have already been built in fiberglass & steel. This one great cruising boat & a proven charter boat should you want to earn your living whilst sailing the oceans of the world.

L.O.D. 16.45 m 54'   4"
L.W.L. 14.8 m 48'   8"
BEAM 4.9 m 16'   0"
DRAFT 2.03 m 7'  0"
DISPL. 30,845 kg 68,000 lb
BALLAST ( includes weight of steel keel structure ) 7,484 kg 22,000 lb
S/A - Displacement ratio   20.86

V542-SAILING.jpg (24870 bytes)

Roberts 532
Radius chine Steel or Fiberglass


R 532 / V542 under sail - You can charter this boat ... PLUS build your own ! See below for more details !

 

V542-DOCKING.jpg (25251 bytes)

Roberts 532
Radius chine Steel or Fiberglass

R532 / V542 in one of the dozens of harbours that she has visited in the past two years - You can charter this boat ... PLUS build your own ! See below for more details !

Roberts 532
Radius chine Steel or Fiberglass

R 532 / V 542 in Italy

 

Roberts 532
 

Radius chine Steel or Fiberglass

R 532 / V 542 in Italy

STUDY PLAN PACKAGES ON DOWNLOAD or on USB
GIVE ACCESS TO MANY step by step BOAT  CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS + PHOTOS OF COMPLETED BOATS ETC.

 

ANOTHER ROBERTS 53 ( R 532) SAILS AROUND THE WORLD - TWICE +  SO FAR !

Hello Mr. Roberts,  We own a 53' Steel ketch of your design built by Perry Smith of Milwaukee Wisconsin. She started to be built by Mr. Smith, a retired navy welder in 1981

Lisa Marie was renamed "Jump up" and was sailed around the world by John Flannigan an his family . She was then sold to Chuck and Dianne Osgood and was again sailed around the world, completing her second circumnavigation June 2010. They Renamed her "Bear".

We purchased her last October in Maryland and brought her to Florida. We set Sail May 20, f 2010 for Bermuda, then a straight sail to Ireland. Upon arrival, we met John, who built a Spray in the Middle East. He said that you lived locally. Please let me know if you are not to busy to get to get together to show you
"Bear" Thank you.  We have a beautifully designed boat of yours. She is really well made.   Mark Clarke S/V Bear

ROBERTS 532
Radius chine Steel or Fiberglass

Voyager 542 in Italy

V532-P2.jpg (19079 bytes)

ROBERTS 532
 

Radius chine Steel or Fiberglass

Voyager 542 ... Fore-cabin top.

ROBERTS 532
Radius chine Steel or Fiberglass

There are several ways that the Voyager 542 can
be laid out below decks.

ROBERTS 532

SEE INTERIOR PHOTO GALLERY

Note the two double cabins aft ... This is a proven charter layout as used in Western Grace.

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MODERN LONG KEELS: Above is shown the long keel design for the Voyager 542. This keel has been developed over the past 30 years and benefits from our own experience & the hundreds of reports from owners of Roberts designed boats plus the use of advanced computer design techniques.

Roberts 53 (R532)  "Pelican"

"Bruce,  I have a Roberts 53, which has been very well built, of GRP in 1985. I bought it in 1995.  We have sailed around most of the coast of Australia and in a couple of long distance races. The 11 day race from Fremantle to Indonesia gave us line honours as well as a handicap trophy.

We recently got back to Australia from a trip through Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu. I am very pleased with her design, building and performance as a cruising ketch. We have been accepted as an entrant in this years Sydney Hobart Race, cruising section. Regards Gil Waller

MORE:

 

Harrison "Smitty" Smith built the AKVAVIT in Stanwood, Washington, with a lot of help from his girlfriend Lori.  Smitty taught Lori to weld and apparently she did a lot of the welding on the AKVAVIT.  I haven't found any bad welds yet.
 
Smitty sold the AKVAVIT in about 1997 to a couple of partners who fished the boat for albacore.  They fished the west coast and out to Midway and down to Samoa.  I bought the boat from them in 2003

.

ROBERTS 53 / 532 SUCCESSFUL FISHING BOAT !

 

 

Dear Mr. Roberts – Goodson,

 

I am the current owner of a steel hulled Roberts 53 ( Now R532 ) ketch.  It was built in 1985 by a commercial fisherman for commercial salmon and albacore trolling and thus it has a fish hold where there would typically be cabin space.  I have owned this boat for five years and I use it for commercial salmon trolling in Alaska.  I have owned and worked on dozens of different boats and this Roberts 53 is my favourite of them all.  I hope to continue making a living on this boat for as long as I am healthy enough to do it.  This is more than a job to me, it is a life that I love. 

 

There are not many sailboat/commercial fishing boat combinations that work well, but this is one of them.  I use the sails to get out to, and back from the fishing grounds when the wind is favourable.  I use the engine for actual trolling, and for running in no wind or un-favourable wind.  The engine (a Detroit Diesel 371) also powers hydraulic fishing and anchor winches.  The boat holds 1400 gallons of diesel, and on a typical 5 day fishing trip burns around 120 gallons of fuel.

 

Sincerely, Frank Murray owner/operator of f/v AKVAVIT

 


 

 

WANT TO SEE MANY ROBERTS 53'S ... THESE WERE PROTO-TYPES FOR ROBERTS 532 ?
CLICK HERE  & MORE  CLICK HERE

Hi Bruce. Hope you are well. Attached a update about "Western Grace" and her adventures. We have spoken to numerous people who are interested and had some taken a cruise to evaluated. Had a look at Tim Christensen in Sidney and your new TRAWLER YACHT 55  on the go. Looks great. The STEEL OR ALUMINUM PLANS & CUTTING FILES you supplied is fitting great. Only way to go.

Another year has gone by. Western Grace is now on here 4th voyage down South and we have now 43000 NM ( In 3.5 years) under the keel. Needles to say we are now even more confident about her than ever. As we run a charter operation we are very much on a schedule and this means we need a all weather vessel what can take some punishment. The 532 is certainly the vessel for the job. By all standards we are a very heavy vessel but very comfortable. This spring on the passage from Hawaii to Victoria we encountered a full Gale of 55 Kts for about 24 hrs. Behind the low a secondary low formed, a small weather bomb. Around noon the barometer was at 1008 MB and be 2300 hrs 985. (45 KTS) Within 30 minutes down to 980 MB and winds of 75 KTS. Needles to say a bit of a ride but we all did stay dry and warm in the pilot house. By daylight seas where about 33' and breaking over the deck. A few grandaddies shook us up as we where a few time clobbered and had tons of water over the decks.

We sustained some damage as the dodger blew to pieces and the stay sail ripped to shreds due to the traveller car ripping of the track. This was all equipment failure but the vessel it self came through with flying colors. On our return in Canada we learned that a older fiberglass sailing vessel who was within 20 miles of us during the worst of it suffered hull damage (tin canned) hull.

So if anyone who is  considering serious offshore sailing we feel a moderate displacement steel vessel is the only way to go. The combination of a properly designed vessel like the 532 combined with a skilled builder like Tim Christensen will result in a strong, safe and magnificent good looking vessel. Top quality metal vessels retain there value as well. By the way when we departed Sidney (Vancouver Island) we went to see the new trawler Tim is constructing from one of your STEEL OR ALUMINUM PLANS & CUTTING FILES. Everything seems to be fitting well and the time savings are significant. Building from a STEEL OR ALUMINUM PLANS & CUTTING FILES is the only way to go. Till next time,   Joanne & John Van Strien  SV Western Grace

SEE EARLIER REPORTS FROM WESTERN GRACE BELOW.

I reviewed the web page showing some of the details of SV WESTERN GRACE. (Voyager 542 / Roberts 532) I recently chartered a cabin on this vessel while in Alaska. The boat is absolutely divine! The design is awesome and the performance is superior. Under sail in a mild breeze (20kts or so) we made 6 kts going wing and wing. I sailed the boat and she handles like a dream. Western Grace is truly a showpiece of a vessel & Christensen Yachts LTD Sidney British Columbia (Vancouver Island) Canada did a top notch job in building her. Sincerely Randy Murrah Joshua, TX

Hi Bruce, Western Grace ( R542 / V542 ) is a amazing vessel and we learn every day more about her. We have  now 10,800 NM under the keel since June 2002,  and cruised in all kinds of weather, and are totally happy with the design & performance. We sailed in Ice conditions as well as the tropics and feel safe in any condition.

The most weather experienced so far was 50 Kts for a 20 hour period in the Gulf of Tehuantepec of the Pacific Coast of  Mexico. We were running about 100 miles offshore and made a steady 7 Kts close reach under Staysail and a bikini size piece of Genoa. The boat was well balanced in fact so that we turned of the autopilot. She maintained a steady course throughout with a lot less strain on the rigging than when steered by autopilot. In all this we sat dry inside the pilot house watching the decks going awash from time to time. Waves were steep as there was a large current.

Another time in Costa Rica we had a couple onboard evaluating the design and encountered Papagayo's wind of 40 Kts in the Gulf of Nicoya. Needles to say that Western Grace excels in these conditions and under foresail alone is quit manoeuvrable and fast. They were impressed and since ordered the boat plans and  commissioned a smaller version of the 532/4.

Her manoeuvrability is not limited  to under sail conditions alone as we are quite capable manoeuvring her in closed quarters. She backs up with no problem despite her modified full keel, thanks to the enlarged counter balanced rudder.

A heavy all weather vessel like the R532/ V542 does not have to be a slug either. Most cruiser are looking for a weather window with light conditions, while we take it as it comes and have no trouble in 30 or 40 Kts and have a great sail. We just set a 24 hour record of the coast of Costa Rica of 203 NM in a 24 hour period.

Bruce the 532/4 is a truly remarkable vessel and we can recommend the design for everyone who looks for a beautiful looking, safe, comfortable proven all weather cruiser. Thanks again for a great design. Regards John & Joanne Van Strien SV Western G

Dear Bruce: 
I reviewed the web page showing some of the details of SV WESTERN GRACE. (Voyager 542 / Roberts 532)  I recently chartered a cabin on this vessel while in Alaska.  The boat is absolutely divine!  The design is awesome and the performance is superior.  Under sail in a mild breeze (20kts or so) we made 6 kts going wing and wing.  I sailed the boat and she handles like a dream.  Western Grace is truly a showpiece of a vessel & Christenson Yachts Ltd Sidney British Columbia (Vancouver Island) Canada did a top notch job in building her.  Sincerely Randy Murrah Joshua, TX

WANT TO SEE MANY ROBERTS 53'S ... THESE WERE PROTO-TYPES FOR ROBERTS 532 ?
CLICK HERE & FOR MORE CLICK HERE

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