Key Highlights

•     Thomas Colvin Gazelle design, custom built in Cor-Ten steel by Dolphin Marine (1996); only two owners – the builder and the current owner

•     2022 survey with ultrasonic hull-thickness gauging showing no loss of plate

•     Freestanding, keel-stepped aluminum masts with interchangeable sails and all control lines led to the cockpit

•     Proven offshore: roughly 10,000 miles with the current owner, including Bermuda and Florida–Cape Cod passages

•     Awlgrip hull (2022), topsides (2026), and bottom blasted, barrier-coated and repainted (2025)

•     Sabb lifeboat diesel with variable-pitch prop and keel cooling; 6 knots on ½–¾ gal/hr, 82 gal. fuel

•     ~450 Ah lithium bank with cell-level monitoring (2024), 135A Balmar alternator, 380W tilting solar (2018)

•     Garmin NMEA 2000 navigation suite with HD radar and AIS; Raymarine linear-drive autopilot plus Sailomat 600 wind vane

•     Always stored ashore when unattended for more than two months

Vessel Overview

AKA is a Gazelle, designed by noted naval architect Thomas Colvin and custom built by Dolphin Marine of Jupiter, Florida, who launched her in 1996. Her hull and deck are Cor-Ten steel, with 3/4" epoxy-impregnated cabin tops and hard dodger, and she is insulated with sprayed foam above the waterline. Two tapered aluminum freestanding masts, keel-stepped at the bow and amidships, carry interchangeable sails, and every sail control line is led to the cockpit for safe short-handed sailing.

The current owner bought AKA from her builder in 2014 at Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas, making him only her second owner. Since then she has made numerous trips between Florida, the Keys and the Bahamas, run from Florida to Cape Cod largely offshore, and sailed from Hampton, Virginia to Bermuda, where she spent a year. She is now based on the Chesapeake Bay and is hauled ashore whenever she is left for more than two months.

In the owner’s words, across some 10,000 miles she has kept him safe through some genuinely demanding conditions. A 2022 survey with ultrasonic thickness gauging found no degradation of her steel, and recent work includes professional Awlgrip on the hull (2022), a fully renewed bottom (2025), and a lithium house bank with cell-level monitoring (2024).

Design & pedigree

Thomas Colvin Gazelle

Hull number / production run

Custom one-off build; no hull number

Ownership history

Two owners: the builder (1996–2014) and the current owner (since 2014)

How she has been used

Extended coastal and offshore cruising

Cruising grounds & water

Bahamas, Florida & Keys, US East Coast to Cape Cod, Bermuda (one year); now Chesapeake Bay

Storage & care

Always stored on land when left for longer than two months

Reason for sale

Change in the owner’s plans

Principal Specifications

Identification & Construction

Builder / Model / Year

Dolphin Marine / Colvin Gazelle / 1996

Designer

Thomas E. Colvin

Hull material

Cor-Ten steel; sprayed-foam insulation above the waterline

Deck material

Cor-Ten steel deck; 3/4" epoxy-impregnated cabin tops and hard dodger

Hull color

Awlgrip Boston Whaler Blue (H5462)

Boot stripe

Awlgrip Teal (H5328)

Bottom

Pettit Trinidad Pro, red then black

Keel type

Long shoal keel incorporating 48 gal. steel fuel tank

Rudder type

Keel-hung on pintles

Rig type

Twin Masted Cat Ketch with freestanding masts and interchangeable sails

Masts

Tapered aluminum, keel-stepped at the bow and amidships

Dimensions & Performance

LOA

47' 0"

LOD

42'2"

LWL

33' 0"

Beam

11' 4" (11.33 ft)

Draft

4' 6"

Air draft / bridge clearance

48 ft above waterline

Displacement

22,000 lb (ballast ratio approx. 34%)

Ballast

7,500 lb

Cruising speed / fuel burn

6 knots at ½–¾ gal/hr; approx. 650–980 nm motoring range on 82 gal. (calculated)

Accommodation Summary

Cabins / berths

Aft cabin with queen berth; two 7 ft salon settees serve as guest berths

Heads / showers

1 head with shower

Layout

Forepeak workshop/storage; salon with galley; center cockpit; aft cabin with chart table and engine room access

Recent Upgrades & Maintenance History

DateItem / work performed

2026

Topsides refinished in Awlgrip - Owner

2025

Bottom blasted to existing barrier coat; new barrier coats; two coats Pettit Trinidad Pro (red, then black) - Annapolis Gelcoat & Restoration, Herrington Harbour North. Contrasting coats act as wear indicator

New zincs on prop and keel cooler

2024

Lithium house bank (~450 Ah) with BMS and cell-level monitoring

Electric Vehicle Enterprises; BMS by Sea Tek Marine; monitoring by Elite Power Solutions

2022

Hull refinished in Awlgrip - Edward R. Gray, Dandy Haven Marina, Hampton VA

Survey with ultrasonic thickness gauging – no degradation found - J. L. Olson Marine Services Report available

2018

380W tilting solar panel with Victron controller -Sea Tek Marine Systems Specialists, Marathon FL

2015–17

Garmin navigation suite with HD radar and AIS, all on NMEA 2000

1995

Sabb 2JHVP diesel installed (original) - Builder

Accommodations & Interior

Forepeak

Dedicated storage and workshop with workbench and vise, line storage, deck prism for natural light

Main salon

Two 7 ft settees (guest berths); extensive storage for galley and boat supplies; two cabin-top hatches

Aft cabin

Spacious queen berth; storage; chart table; entry via aft companionway and engine room; immediate access to helm with view of chart plotter

Head & shower

Lavac head; shower with sump pump (see Plumbing)

Joinery & finish

Matched-grain Florida pine sole throughout; eighteen coats of varnish on all interior woodwork; other exposed surfaces white Formica

Upholstery & cushions

Salon cushions (Sunbrella covers)

Companionways, hatches & ports

Two companionways (fore and aft of cockpit); two salon hatches; 24 opening ports bow to stern

Lighting

LED lighting

Entertainment

Alpine stereo with speakers in salon, cockpit and aft cabin; 12V TV

Galley

Stove / oven

Force 10 two-burner propane stove with oven

Refrigeration

Adler Barbour refrigerator/freezer - Controller Failed, Needs Replacement

Sink & water

Galley sink with hot and cold fresh water, salt water, and filtered drinking water via Seagull IV X-1F purifier

Storage

Extensive salon storage for galley supplies

Propane system

Three 20 lb aluminum tanks in vented lockers serving galley and grill; stove fed via two solenoid-controlled tanks 

Safety

CO/smoke detector, operating

Engine & Propulsion

Engine make / model

Sabb 2JHVP lifeboat diesel, serial 174AB

Horsepower

30 HP

Fuel type / cooling

Diesel; freshwater keel cooler

Year installed / hours

1995; approx. 2,758 hours (5 October 2026)

Propeller

Variable-pitch propeller

Shaft coupling

Evolution flexible shaft coupling

Fuel filtration

Dual pre-filter fuel polishing system

Alternators

135A Balmar (house) and separate 85A (start battery)

Lubrication

Consolidated lubrication panel for steering and propulsion

Engine room

Walk-through from aft cabin; deck prisms port and starboard flood it with natural light

Zincs

New on propeller and keel cooler

Service history

Owner-maintained to the manufacturer’s service schedule

Generator

None

Tankage

Fresh water 4 x 25 gal. Nylon Salon, forward and amidships Manifold-valved for isolation and trim

Fuel 48 gal plus 34 gal in two day tanks

Holding 8 gal.

Totals

Fuel 82 gal.; water 100 gal.; holding 8 gal.

Tank monitoring

Gauges on wing (day) tanks; keel tank by dipstick

Plumbing & Water Systems

Pressure water

FloJet 2100 pumps (2.3 gpm), common to fresh water, salt water and shower sump; 1 liter accumulator tank

Hot water

Atlantic Marine T4 stainless water heater, 6 gal.

Watermaker

Katadyn Power Survivor 35, 12V or manual, approx. 1.5 gal/hr

Drinking water

Seagull IV X-1F purification system at galley

Head

Lavac with fresh- or seawater flush; valved for overboard discharge or 8 gal. holding tank

Bilge pumps

Electric bilge pumps in salon and aft cabin (aft float switch requires attention); Whale manual bilge pump

Seawater intake

Single seawater pick-up to brass sea chest with manifold to all uses

Through-hulls

Delrin through-hulls, valved, with stopper bungs at every location

Electrical Systems

AC system

Shore power

120V and 240V capability; shore power cords and adapters included

Inverter / charger

Heart Interface Freedom 20 (2,000W) with Link 2000R remote

DC system & charging

House bank

Approx. 450 Ah lithium in vented box (2024), from Electric Vehicle Enterprises

BMS & monitoring

BMS installed by Sea Tek Marine; digital monitoring of individual cells and the whole pack by Elite Power Solutions

Engine start battery

Separate battery in its own box, charged by dedicated 85A alternator

Charging

135A Balmar alternator; 380W (78V) tilting solar panel with Victron controller (2018)

Spare

Spare 135A Balmar alternator

Heating, Cooling & Ventilation

Air conditioning / heat

Ocean Marine reverse-cycle air conditioning/heat with digital thermostat

Insulation

Sprayed foam above the waterline

Ventilation

24 opening ports; two salon hatches; Dorade vents; deck prisms

Electronics & Navigation

Chartplotter

Garmin chartplotter with full suite of Garmin navigation displays (2015–17)

Radar

Garmin HD radar

AIS

AIS transceiver (send/receive) with separate antenna

Instruments

Garmin wind and navigation instruments

Network

NMEA 2000 linking all components

Autopilot

Raymarine S1G course computer with linear drive and ST6002 control head, with remote

Wind-vane self-steering

Sailomat 600

Compass

Ritchie at helm

Other

Radar reflector

VHF radio

Standard Horizon

Entertainment

Alpine stereo; 12V TV

Sails

Mainsail (fore mast) Posey Sailmakers, Palm Beach FL 1996 - Intact and functional; nearing replacement

Mainsail (aft mast) Posey Sailmakers, Palm Beach FL 1996 Intact and functional; nearing replacement

Sail handling Interchangeable sails; all control lines led to cockpit

Sail covers Sunbrella, Persian Green

Spars & Rigging

Masts - Two tapered aluminum freestanding masts, keel-stepped at the bow and amidships; 48 ft above waterline

Halyards -Twin halyards on each mast

Standing rigging - None – freestanding rig

Mast lighting -Masthead anchor light needs rewiring (wire included)

Winches Lewmar

Deck, Cockpit & Hull

Deck & Cockpit

Deck finish Awlgrip topsides (2026)

Cockpit Center cockpit with Bimini and screen enclosure for sun, wind and rain; hard dodger; cockpit cushions

Lifelines 42 in. safety lines all around

Aft deck Clear for recreation and dinghy stowage, with cranes port and starboard

Grill Magma grill

Hull & Underbody

Hull finish Awlgrip Boston Whaler Blue with Teal boot stripe (2022)

Bottom Blasted to existing barrier coat (2025), new barrier coats, two coats Pettit Trinidad Pro

Hull thickness Ultrasonic gauging (2022 survey) showed no degradation; earlier sounding reports also available

Zincs New, propeller and keel cooler

Canvas & Covers

Color All Sunbrella, Persian Green

Bimini Covers full cockpit – needs repair

Shade covers Two bow-to-stern shade covers

Other covers Sail covers, spray skirts, windlass, diesel containers, hatches, winches, Dorades, grill, radar, salon and cockpit cushions

Extra fabric Spare Sunbrella fabric included

Condition Most canvas functional; some needs stitching repair or replacement

Ground Tackle & Mooring

Primary anchor & rode 65 lb Bruce with 200 ft BBB chain

Windlass Tigress, controlled at the bow 

Secondary anchors Two Danforths on rail mounts (bow and stern), each with 100 ft of 3/4 in rope rode

Docking Dock lines and fenders