The Kokanee 38 is one of the latest building projects of Devlin Designing Boatbuilders and she is a real beauty! She is a large, heavy-duty version of a type that we have built many times and is an absolutely wonderful cruiser for her owners. They have cruised the “Ellie K” from the Northwest to Alaska (some of the finest cruising grounds in the world). She uses a heavy duty John Deere diesel engine in a specially engineered and sound proofed engine compartment, and has fuel tankage enough for a useful range of over 1,000 nautical miles at 8 knots speed. With 26,000 lbs of displacement she moves through the water with purpose, but is remarkably easy to maneuver dockside with her bow thruster, and large single screw. There is excellent visibility forward and aft from the pilothouse and sitting at the large helm is a real treat with all instruments easily visible and full command of the boat right at hand. We used Mathers Micro-Commander engine controls for easy non-mechanical drag engine controls. Coming into a tight anchorage or docking situation is as easy and stress-free as is possible in a boat of these capabilities.

Let’s take a look around the “Kokanee 38” the “Ellie K”, and point out some of her more interesting features. As with all of our boats, the “Devlin is in the Details” and there is quite a list of features and functions to this boat.

The first thing that you will notice when boarding from the stern swim step is the very large, deep, and secure cockpit. There is a large flush-decked Lazarette area directly in the stern that functions as a second sleeping cabin, complete with hot and cold running water, space for its own watercloset, a full queen sized berth, and propane fireplace/heater. This gives you space for a second couple to come along for the trip, with the privacy of a completely separate cabin. There is a covered cockpit area forward of the stern cabin with a bi-level cockpit floor. Room enough here to allow a couple of comfortable deck chairs and still be out of the traffic pattern for your fellow sailors moving from the dock or the water and into the main cabin area of the boat. You would be surprised on a trip North how convenient this covered cockpit area is, allowing one to either escape from the hot sun or keep dry out of the rain. Barbecuing or even just reading a book can be done comfortably and dry. In this deep cockpit area you are literally standing waist deep in a self -bailing area that has no need of extra lifelines or pulpits to make you feel secure. The cockpit sole has large flush hatch and below the cockpit sole can reside an optional A.C. Generator, a Panda 5 KW model that runs at a very, very quiet 56 decibels noise level. There is enough power in this Generator to run 110volt A.C. wall heaters, watermaker, or if you require reverse cycle air-conditioning/heating units.

A hinged door gives access into the main-salon/pilothouse of the boat, with settee (and seating for four) on the portside and galley/helm seat to the starboard side. The Refrigerator is just to the port side as you come into the cabin and has a stowage area on top. A three burner propane range is opposite the refrigerator and “L” shaped galley counter houses double sink and stowage. There are all together six opening windows in the main salon area along with the opening door to the cockpit and twin opening portlights for ventilation on those warm days. A short dinette table is hinged on a forward bulkhead and gives space for working on a laptop or eating. Helm area is to the starboard forward side of this salon area and has a large dash for instrumentation and a double wide helm seat. A bank of drawers below the helm seat allows some useful stowage for all those items that need to be at hand. Three speed controlled and power wash wind-shield wipers are on the front three centered windows of the pilothouse. We use Exalto wiper systems and with a bit of research, you will quickly find out this system is the most heavy duty and well designed system that is available. Engine room access is thru a large bi-folded hatch in the Salon/Pilothouse sole and there is good access to all necessary functions of the “HolyPlace”. The more than four full inches of sound insulation on all sides and over the engine make for an almost soundless engineering package. Sound level is in the low 60-decibel range and simply speaking with a normal voice pitch bounces the meter to 65 decibels. There is a perception of engineering noise more than a noise itself, in other words “you know that something is running but you aren’t quite sure where it is located”.

A straight staircase on the centerline of the pilothouse leads us below to the fo’c’sle of the boat with large queen sized berth to the port side forward. There are four opening portlights in this cabin as well as a large opening hatch above the bed. The cabin is painted a soft white enamel with solid Mahogany wood trim. A Dickinson propane fireplace hangs on the port bulkhead and this cabin is warm and cozy for comfortable evening time. A locker is just below the helm dashboard area and is dedicated to the ship’s electrical systems and stowage. Another full hanging locker is forward of the electrics locker and opens to the centerline of the boat. To port is the entrance to the head compartment with a vanity sink in a more than five foot long counter, with plenty of room to get ready for the day. Forward of the vanity sink/watercloset area is a shower compartment.

Going forward to the bow of the boat is a full bow pulpit for security and hand holds are also located on the Salon rooftop. The anchor is on a short bowsprit which helps the anchor to fall from this plumb bowed boat without hitting the stem. An electric anchor windlass is located at the termination of the bowsprit and with in and out foot switches, anchoring couldn’t be much easier.

On the port side of the main salon cabin roof of the boat is a dingy davit hoist with electric winch and launching or retrieving the dingy is easy and pleasant. The dingy stows on the main salon cabin roof and has its own chocks for securing to deck. There is also a ten foot painted aluminum mast located in the middle of the Salon roof and it is hinged for lowering to get into a boathouse or beneath low overhangs

Almost any kind of electronic navigation and communication aid can be accommodated on the “Kokanee 38” and the “Ellie K” has the following electronic equipment: Twin VHF Radios w/8′ antennas, GPS plotter, Echo-Depth Sounder, Radar with Chart Plotting Radar overlay screen, and finally an Autopilot. There is also a repeater instrument on the portside to allow crew to help with depth information when operating in shallow waters.

Each “Kokanee 38” is a project of more than 8,000 hours of labor and the group of people here at Devlin Boat Co. pride ourselves in the crafting of these fine vessels. Each boat is custom made for each owner and full attention and consideration is given to your needs and desires to build you the most “perfect” vessel possible. We have crafted over 400 unique, custom vessels for more than 30 years as a business and each of these boats has the detailing and flair of a “Devlin Boat”, something that can’t be said of any other type of boat. I hope you have enjoyed your inspection of the “Ellie K” and the reading of this brief description of a very interesting boat! Just as we worked with the owners of the “Ellie K”, I look forward to working with you to build your dreamboat! Just let me know when you want to start! — Sam Devlin

The Kokanee 38 is available as study plans, and as custom build from Devlin Boats. Let Sam know if this looks like the boat for you.

Share This: