MER-NA is a 36-foot, Raised Deck Cruiser, built by the Blanchard Boat Company, Seattle, WA. For more than six decades beginning in 1907, the N.J. Blanchard Boat Company produced some of the finest motor yachts, sailboats, and small tenders to emerge from the Pacific Northwest….. including two dozen "Lake Union Dreamboats" that became a trademark of the company. MER-NA was launched in 1930 (hull #25) and is the last in the series of the Blanchard "Dreamboats".

Purchased by her current owner and brought to Lake Minnetonka twenty years ago, she has been under our care, including several extensive reconstruction and upgrade rounds of maintenance, further detailed below.

Priced at $129,900.

Specifications, MER-NA

Classification Documented Motor Vessel, #230-292

Year 1930

Builder N.J. Blanchard Boat Works, Seattle

Model Standardized Cruiser (“Lake Union Dreamboat”)

Hull Number 25 in series (last one built)

Length Overall 36’-0” (Waterline length also 36’-0”)

Maximum Beam 9’-6”

Draft 3.5 feet

Height 17’ 2” from waterline to mast light (bridge clearance)

Power Yanmar 4JH2E, 4-cylinder diesel, 51 horsepower, 4267 hours

Cruising Speed 6-8 knots, maximum 9 knots

Cruising RPM 2,100-2,600 (comfortable)Speed / RPM 5.1knots @ 1500, 6.4 @ 000, 7.7 @ 2500, 8.8 @ 3000

Fuel Consumption 0.5 gallon per hour at slow cruise (2100 rpm/6 knots); maximum 1.5 gph @ 3300rpm

Fuel Tanks New aluminum tank (August 2001) 45-gallons, new fiber 23-gallon (Jan 2004). Total capacity 68 gal.

Batteries Two 12-volt starting batteries plus three 12-volt “house” batteries rated at 360Ah. Xantrax RV2012 charger / 1500W inverter.

Water Tank Stainless steel, 75 gallons, under forward berth

Pumps Brass water pumps (original) in galley and head

Heat Red Dot R-290, forced-air heater in pilothouse and main cabin (2000 BTU, works off engine heat exchanger).

Stove

Restored (original) Sound-brand cast-iron galley stove, stainless oven, burns kerosene, 1qt./hr., 15 gal. tank in bow.

Hot water 10-gallon stainless tank heated by galley stove

Lighting 12-volt original crystal fixtures; new wiring throughout (2004).

Water closet SeaEra, 12v. macerating with 24 gal. wastewater tank.

Fathometer Ross 240’GPS Garmin, 3010C, color, moving-map, chart plotter with GDL 30A, marine (XM WX) weather satellite receiver VHF ICOM, IC-M59 (new 2001)

Stereo XM Satellite AM/FM radio with tape deck and 6-CD changer

Horns Air and electric

Planking Western Red Cedar

Framing White Oak, 1-3/8” x 1-1/4” bent frames

Deck beams 1-1/8” x 2-1/4,” Douglas Fir

Decking Tongue-and-groove cedar, covered with painted canvas

Bilge pumps Rule automatic, 1” discharge; Par automatic, 1” discharge.

Steering Cable

Anchors Bruce anchor, 50’ chain, 250’ line

Storm anchor (larger Danforth type), 50’ chain, 250’ line

Safety Four dry-chemical fire extinguishers, 2-1/2-5 lb.

Dinghy Original, 7’-6” lapstrake, Western Red Cedar with White Oak frames, on pilothouse roof (mast and boom are used to lower and retrieve skiff).

Searchlight Two: one 12-volt, pilothouse roof, and one 12-volt remote control on bow sprint (removable)

Life jackets Eight life jackets, one ring buoy

Clock, Barometer One each, in main cabin

Windshield wipers Two wipers and one windshield fan

Refrigeration Large (10 cu. ft.) stainless-steel icebox w/three access doors in pilothouse. Alder-Barbour compressor/evaporator provides refrigeration drawing only 5 amps.

Miscellaneous Original crystal “Mer-Na” glassware, Burgundy mohair upholstery throughout- All new through-hulls (2004)- Electrical system completely rewired and refused (2004)- galvanic isolator / inverter / charger- Hull completely stripped (2007). The forward keel and garboards were found rotten and were replaced. New ribs were sistered to the forward 4 stations. All the other wood was in excellent shape and is documented with photos. The entire hull was refastened with 4000 hot-dipped, galvanized screws and each head sealed with 2-part West epoxy. Wood below the waterline was wadded & caulked. The entire boat was repainted with 2 coats primer and 3 topcoats. - Transom completely rebuilt 2015