A semi-custom bluewater passage maker with a centre cockpit, Nightshade is a Celestial 48′ Cutter Sloop built in 1987 at the Xiamen Celestial Yachts boatyard in China (the same yard that produces Passports and Outbounds). The Celestial was dreamed up by Bryce Fuhriman based on a Brewer design.

Nightshade has 2 cabins (bedrooms): a large aft stateroom with an ensuite heads (aka bathroom) and a v-berth forward cabin, which also has an ensuite. She has extra sleeping space in the saloon where one of the couches pulls out into a double bed. Technically there’s a pilot’s berth on the port side behind the nav station, but we have removed the mattress to create a pantry area. There is loads of storage aboard but we wanted our food to be more easily accessible than lifting up cushions and digging behind, under and below stuff!

The galley (aka kitchen) is cosy but big enough. We have a gas oven/hob at the moment, but we’re looking at upgrading our batteries to lithium, in which case we’ll probably do away with the gas appliances.

Our saloon (lounge) has two couches around a centre fold-down table. It can seat 6 people comfortably and more in a squeeze. (UPDATE: we’ve removed the table as we needed access to remove an old holding tank – we’re going to build a new one that is more flexible in its footprint – for now: lap-eating it is). As mentioned before, the starboard couch folds out into a double berth, and the port side couch is a comfortable single berth when needed. Lots of storage below the seating and the cabin sole, as well as in beautiful cane-fronted lockers.