The founder of the Matthews Boat Company passed away in 1956 and several of his children managed the business until 1964 when it was sold to Charles Hutchinson. With fiberglass construction catching on rapidly in the boat building industry, the company began to offer 46 foot and 56 foot fiberglass models. But for a number of reasons production costs increased and sales declined steadily in the early 1970s and by 1974, 84 years after it was founded, the company ceased operations and went into bankruptcy the following year.

Today, well maintained examples of some of the more popular Matthews designs such as this 40 foot sedan are in great demand as they exemplify what many people regard as the pinnacle of wooden boat construction in North America. What is truly surprising is how many Matthews boats are still around, though few of them are as solid or as well equipped as this vessel. This is testament to the quality of the materials and workmanship that went into every Matthews boat.

This vessel has benefited from being in the care of a dedicated owner who has taken it upon herself to make sure the vessel is sound in every way. Over the last five years she has addressed a number of structural issues that required attention. This includes refastening and recaulking the garboard plank. The whole transom and associated framing were completely replaced. And new wood was scarfed into the forefoot to address localized deterioration. All of this work was professionally done at a local shipyard and is thoroughly documented.

Over the last five years the owner has also completed the following electrical and mechanical repair work or upgrading. One propeller shaft has been replaced and both engines have been realigned. A new Northern Lights generator was installed. All 12VDC and 120VAC wiring was replaced where necessary, concluding with the installation of new 12VDC and 120VAC distribution panels as well as AC and DC monitoring systems. A new inverter/charger was installed. The battery management system was redesigned and four new battery switches were installed. A new radar, depth sounder and VHF were installed. One engine mounted alternator was replaced with rebuilt unit. The anchor winch motor has been rebuilt. A new fifteen gallon aluminum day tank was installed for the salon heater. And a new head was installed. Again, all of this work was professionally done and is well documented.

Although the boat is in excellent shape, the one thing that makes it stand out from every other Matthews 40 is this -- it is diesel powered. Virtually all the 40 foot Matthews sedans are gas powered with a variety of engines ranging from small-block V8s to the original straight eight Packards. This vessel is powered by a pair of very efficient three cylinder Detroit diesels that cost half as much to run as most of the gas engines and are far more reliable.

But none of this tells you what the boat is like inside so why don't we go have a look around. You board the boat via the large cockpit which has a fiberglass floor with three opening panels for access to storage in the lazarette. Up against the back of the salon bulkhead and under the protection of the roof overhang is a bench seat that is a great place to lounge outside. If you look at the picture closely you can also see the plexiglass inserts on each side of the overhang that provide added protection from the elements if you are sitting outside.

Step up to the salon entry and you get your first taste of how stunning the salon of this boat looks and feels with its crisp white paneling, mahogany trim and teak flooring. Step inside the salon and you will immediately notice how open it feels with large windows all around and how the seating for the captain and the mate has been cleverly designed to fold away when not in use.

As you can see, the helm is located on the starboard side and all of the original Matthews controls and instruments are still in place. The cabinets in the helm area house the battery switches, breaker panels and the day tank for the diesel heater located just aft of the helm.

Up forward on the port side is the cabinet housing the inverter/charger, another general storage cabinet and up on top is the chart table with storage underneath for charts and navigation books. At the rear of the salon is a very comfortable settee that opens up to form a double berth. And a pair of large opening hatches in the salon floor provide access to the machinery space which houses both main engines, the genset, fuel tanks and all of the batteries.

Step down into the forward cabin and on your left is the head compartment complete with the original porcelain sink and a shower. Just forward of the head is a full height hanging locker that allows you to hang your tuxedo and ballroom gown just in case you want to crash a yacht club party someday.

Across from the head is the characteristic Matthews U-shaped galley which is very difficult to capture in a single photograph. If you stand in the galley entrance facing starboard, on your right is a tiled counter with a fridge tucked in under the counter. Directly in front of you is the stainless steel galley sink with stainless countertop and backsplash. And to your left is another tiled counter with a stainless heat shield running right up to the ceiling.

The heat shield was originally installed for the old oil stove but the stove was removed a long time ago and with the recent installation of the generator, all of the cooking is now done using electric appliances. There was a propane countertop unit used at one time but the current owner removed it. The propane management system is still in place in the galley so it would be very easy to hook up another two burner counter top propane stove.

As much as possible the current and previous owners have kept the boat as original as possible so the original layout with two forward sleeping cabins has been retained. The middle cabin has a single berth to port and one to starboard. The starboard berth pulls out to form a double if required. There is plenty of storage under each berth and there are several classic Matthews touches worth noting in this cabin. One is the chromed bronze bunk step for the port berth. Another is the retractable seats built into the cabinetry below each berth. And yet another is the escape ladder built into the back of the door that separates the two sleeping cabins. It allows occupants of the cabin to escape through a deck hatch in the event of an emergency.

Right up forward is another cabin with two single bunks on the starboard side and another original porcelain sink on the port side. Because this cabin is used primarily as storage by the current owner, she decided to remove the original head because it had to come out anyhow when the repairs were being done to the forefoot. The through hulls and valves are still there so if you wanted to, you could install a new head. The forward cabin also has an escape ladder to an overhead deck hatch in case of emergency.

So now you have a better sense of the interior layout. It is a great layout for family cruising because you can sleep seven people if need be. But as the current owner will agree, it is also a great boat for a mature couple that loves to cruise and is happy to have their adult children and grandchildren along from time to time. And this boat is not afraid to go out and mix it up in bad weather. The design is such that for a relatively light boat, it handles surprisingly well when the weather kicks up. And it is well enough equipped that it could do the run to Alaska comfortably, safely, and with classic style.

One last note. By mid-March the annual haulout will have been completed and the bottom will have a fresh coat of paint and new zincs. And if the weather has been co-operative, the foredeck will have been resurfaced as well. So she will be cruise ready and itching to find new owners.