VAN DE STADT 43

With a heavy heart we must sell our beloved sailboat TONLEI after having a few amazing years with her. We just sailed her around the Atlantic, from the Canary Islands to Gambia, West Africa, then crossing the Atlantic to French Guyana, then up to the Caribbean and then another Atlantic crossing back to the Azores. Now the boat is for sale in Madeira, with possible delivery to the Canary Islands or Portugal/Spain.

She is an excellent sailor, a strong, safe and fast design. The perfect ship for far away sailing adventures when reliability and seaworthiness are key. 

TONLEI is a Van de Stadt design, built by a professional shipyard in Rotterdam in 1987 to the highest standard.
She has had two extensive refits recently, one in 2013/2014 by her previous owner and one in 2023 by us. Most systems of the ship have been renewed. 
This means the boat is in excellent condition and immediately ready to sail on for another round around the Atlantic or the world. See below for more details of the refit.


She is cutter rigged, with a large Genoa (56sqm), a working Jib (26sqm), a large Mainsail (50sqm) and a Blister (40sqm). All sails are in good condition, new in 2014, only used two seasons (one previous owner, one us) and otherwise stored inside. The Genoa and the Jib are on Profurl roller furlers (2014).
The rigg is 17m, with mast steps, the standing rigging is oversized (standing rigging new 2014, inspection 2024). Running rigging 2014 or 2023. She has 8 winches, two Lewmar 65 two speed, two Andersen 40ST two speed, two Andersen 28ST two speed, two Andersen 28ST single speed. 

The hull has been inspected with ultra-sound in 2023. Underwater ship completely new paint system (Jotun, epoxy, tie coat, antifouling, 2023), new sacrificial anodes (2023).

Steering can be done at the wheel protected under the hard dodger, with the emergency tiller from the cockpit or with either the Windpilot Pacific Plus (rebuilt 2023) or the autopilot Autohelm 3000 (2 units, 2013). 

She sleeps 5 in 3 cabins: 1 bed in the front cabin, 1 bed in the portside cabin, 1 bed in the starboard cabin, 1 double bed in the generous aft cabin. Bright interior, new portlights in 15mm acrylic (2023).

She has a domestic battery capacity of 7200 kWh (2*12V*300Ah) lithium (LiFePo) in a 24V system (new 2023). Chargeable by land power (60A, 2013), solar power (40A, 2* Victron Smart Solar 100/20, 2023) or engine alternator (75A, 2014). She has 870-Watt solar capacity (550W + 2*160W, new 2023). New 3000-Watt inverter (2023). We have been cooking fully electric for more than one year, several meals per day, for two to four people and have never run out of energy. 

She has 3 anchors, 1 Mantus M1 55kg (2023) with 100m 10mm Lofrans G4 chain (2023) and 2 CQR 35 Kg with 14m 13mm chain plus rope. The new Lofrans X3 windlass (2023) can be controlled from the cockpit or with a remote.

She has 1260-liter freshwater capacity in three tanks (800L, 300L, 160L). The freshwater system includes a two-stage filtration system and a UV-C sterilization step.
She has 260 liter grey and blackwater capacity (all new fittings 2023).

She has been repowered in 2014 with a Vetus VH4.80, serviced 2023, new filters, new impeller, new fuel lines, 800 hours as of now. She has parallel mounted SEPAR 2000/5 diesel filters (2023), so they can be switched while the engine is running. She has 600 liter diesel capacity (2*300L main tank plus 150L in unconnected reserve tank, all cleaned 2023). New starter battery (2023). 

The hull can be separated in 6 watertight compartments with 2 watertight bulkheads and 4 watertight doors. Separate are: Aft locker, aft cabin, engine room, main cabin, front cabin, anchor locker with crash box. It’s equipped with 7 bilge pumps: 4 automatic with float switches in main bilge (2023), one high power electronic without float switch in engine room (2014), 1 automatic high power mobile (2023), 1 manual in main bilge (2023), high water bilge alarm (2023). All bilges painted (2013/2023). Life raft new 2013, serviced 2023. New MOB rescue kit (2023), 2 life jackets (2023), emergency fire works (2023), PLB ResQLink (2024).

3 through hulls, one for the engine and two for the toilet. (All new in 2023, Maestrini, bronze, isolated). Sanitary hoses for sea toilet new (2023).


The boat is sold completely equipped. It has a fully equipped galley with pots, pans, plates, cutlery etc. incl. a microwave. It is equipped with a boatload of spares for all sorts of things, filters for the water system, filters for the engine, belts, impellers, gaskets, fuses, an extra propeller, blocks, lines. There is plenty of maintenance material like epoxy paint, antiskid paint, interior paint, greases and lubes, glues, and sealants. There is lots of tools for literally any boat job you can do including power tools like angle grinder, orbital sander, flat sander, power drill, hacksaw, welding machine, etc.