1998 Kadey-Krogen 39

Lady Di is the ground-breaking hull number one that launched the Krogen 39 phenomenon. She was delivered in 1998 — twenty years ago — yet her cover, and all of the pages inside, are much newer looking than her model year proclaims.

Economical, efficient and practical, Lady Di is a very appealing choice for first-time trawler owners or for sailors ready to make the trawler transition and looking for room and space more equivalent to a 45' sailboat. Lady Di was purchased in 2017 by her third owner, who attended to all of the survey recommendations and had her systems and machinery serviced for cruising (including a new main engine shaft, bottom paint and propeller tuning).

Designed by Jim Krogen (senior) to be an offshore, ocean-crossing livable trawler for two people, the Krogen 39 has exceeded that goal. She is both compact (for marina slips) and large (spacious interior volume including standing headroom in the front of the engine room) at the same time. Easy to dock with her refined hull shape including wine-glass transom and fitted with a bow thruster, this is a single-engine trawler that is easy to handle. Her exterior — swim platform, covered cockpit, side decks, foredeck, boat deck and flybridge — provides a variety of outdoor living space.

From the beginning, the systems on Lady Di have been purposely minimal. She is a back-to-basics boat that includes the essentials favored by three owners now. The Kadey-Krogen line is very popular and celebrated for its seakeeping abilities and famous for its gorgeous finish: glistening gelcoat, sparkling stainless and beautiful teak timber throughout. The Krogen 39 is no longer in production; there are only about 50 hulls sailing the seven seas. During her career, Lady Di has covered the US west coast down to Mexico and up to Alaska. She now resides in Vallejo, home of the California Maritime Academy.

Sharing the rugged good looks of her siblings, the Krogen 39 is often mistaken for one of her larger sisters, especially when perspective is difficult offshore. The high bow keeps her dry at sea and she is gracefully proportional — everything is just right.

Boarding aft from the swim step or dock, you enter the cockpit which is covered overhead and includes teak decking underfoot. The cockpit has a ladder for access up to the boat deck and flybridge.

From the cockpit going forward there are teak side decks port and starboard (covered) that merge into fiberglass steps leading up to the foredeck. The foredeck has stainless safety rails and a horizontal electric windlass with a complement of anchors and assorted ground tackle.

The boat deck is above the cockpit, connected by the ladder which has a hatch covering for safety. Her RIB tender dinghy is mounted fore/aft. The painted aluminum spar arrangement provides antenna mounting on the mast, and the boom serves as the dinghy launching davit. Forward and up on top, the flybridge has a folding canvas Bimini cover with outboard bench seating on each side — an ideal location for cruising on a sunny day. You can steer the stainless-steel destroyer helm, thrust the bow and monitor basic navigation electronics from this perch.

Entering through the saloon door from the cockpit, you will appreciate the fantastic visibility to the outside through teak-framed opening windows and will be greeted by a warm teak interior. There are built-in settees port and starboard with comfortable Ultrasuede upholstery and a teak parquet floor. The dining table is a teak high-low that can be easily tucked away while offshore or repositioned outside in the cockpit. There is a built-in bank of drawers with a counter surface forward to port, and the steps here lead up to the pilothouse.

The galley is forward to starboard, lined with white Corian counters and white laminate verticals to keep it light and easier to clean. There is an opening portlight outboard to provide both a view and ventilation. The galley includes lockers and drawers, a tall refrigerator, large sink, stove and oven plus microwave for easy and satisfying meal preparation.

Moving forward and up the steps to the pilothouse, you pass an outboard locker with a louvered door that conceals the combo clothes washer/dryer. The pilothouse has an impressive view, making operations underway very easy to manage, and includes doors to the outside decks port and starboard. There is a wide and comfortable settee with a table aft, and the forward nav/com dash features an appropriate concentration of navigation and communications electronics with a large teak steering wheel on centerline. The flooring is teak and holly, and the rich teak joinery is complemented by white surfaces and a white overhead with an opening hatch.

Taking the stairs that curve to the lower level, you reach a landing that allows you to go forward to the master stateroom, outboard to starboard to the head and shower, or aft to the engine room. The full-beam master with island queen-sized walk-around bed is surrounded by teak lockers and doors. Varnished teak ceilings outboard combine with white laminate to make this room feel spacious, and an overhead hatch plus outboard opening portlights provide ventilation. The head and shower include a sink basin and are surprisingly roomy and convenient.

The engine room is under the saloon and has standing 6'-plus headroom as you enter, with plenty of access to move around once inside. There is a work table area with a tool box and room for storage of oil and filters. She is powered by a John Deere main engine. Neat installations of machinery and hose runs show the care in her construction and the foresight for easy servicing and maintenance.